As a result of the continued escalation of the war in Israel, Royal Caribbean has canceled their 2024 cruise season in Israel. 

Last week during their Q3 earnings call, Royal Caribbean Group said that the canceled 2023 sailings to Israel will negatively impact their earnings for the year by three cents a share.

"Due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in Israel, and with your safety in mind," read an email sent from Aurora Yera-Rodriguez, Associate Vice President of Guest Experience for Royal Caribbean International, "we've adjusted our itinerary."

What ships are impacted?

Jewel of the Seas was slated to be homeported in Haifa, Israel from August to October 2024, with itineraries ranging from 3- to 10-nights.

A guest onboard a sailing in October received an email that said, "Due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in Israel, we've made the decision to redeploy Jewel of the Seas from Haifa, Israel to its new homeport in Boston, Massachusetts."

"Unfortunately, this means your upcoming October 7, 2024 sailing has been cancelled."

Instead of sailing from Israel, Jewel of the Seas will now sail Northeastern itineraries. Grandeur of the Seas will be redeployed to Tampa and sail to the Western Caribbean. 

Those originally booked on Grandeur of the Seas will be able to select one of three different itineraries. The first departs on September 22, 2024 and visits Halifax, Nova Scotia; Saint John (Bay of Fundy), New Brunswick; and Portland, Maine. 

The second option departs September 29, as well October 6, 20, and 27 and calls in Saint John (Bay of Fundy), New Brunswick; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Portland, Maine.

The third and final itinerary departs from Boston on October 13 and will visit Sydney, Nova Scotia; Saint John (Bay of Fundy), New Brunswick; and Portland, Maine. 

Voyager of the Seas was supposed to call in Jerusalem (Ashdod), Israel during three 7-night round-trip cruises from Athens (Piraeus), Greece in June and August. 

An email sent to those booked on the August 19th sailing revealed that the ship will now have an overnight stay in Istanbul, Turkey, with additional stops in Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Santorini, Greece; and Mykonos, Greece. 

Odyssey of the Seas' four Holy Land sailings in May, September, and October were impacted, too, as the ship was supposed to visit both Hafia and Jerusalem (Ashdod). 

Those booked on the May 5th cruise were notified via email that they will now have an extra hour in Chania (Souda), Crete, Greece. Additionally, the ship will call in Mykonos, Greece and Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey instead of visiting Israel. 

Guests booked on Jewel of the Seas may book another sailing and have any non-refundable deposit change fees waived

If guests choose to rebook, they'll be responsible for any difference in pricing for the cruise fare, taxes, fees, gratuities, and other incidentals. 

For those who had their booking paid in full and decide to rebook a cruise with a cheaper fare, Royal Caribbean will provide a refund of the difference within 14 business days. Refund times may vary depending on the financial institution. 

Royal Caribbean will also help reimburse non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees for flights, trains, rental cars, etc. They'll cover up to $200 USD per guest for domestic changes and up to $400 USD for international changes. 

If choosing not to rebook, Royal Caribbean will provide a full refund of the paid portion of the cruise fare (including non-refundable deposits), as well as any pre-paid amenities to the original form of payment. 

For those who made their Jewel of the Seas reservation with a Future Cruise Credit and opt to cancel will have their original certificate reinstated, with any new funds paid above the certificate amount refunded. 

No additional compensation will be provided. 

Those originally booked on Grandeur of the Seas out of Boston have a few options

Those who choose to rebook will receive their original stateroom category, as it will be price protected at the original cruise fare rate, excluding taxes, fees, gratuities. If the booking was paid in full and the rate decreases, Royal Caribbean will refund the difference. 

If booked guests want to rebook another sailing on a different ship, Royal Caribbean will waive non-refundable deposit change fees; however, they'll be responsible for paying the difference in cruise fare, taxes, fees, and gratuities, if applicable. 

Guests will also be reimbursed for non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees. They'll cover up to $200 USD per guest for domestic changes or $400 per guest USD for international changes. 

Finally, Royal Caribbean will refund any paid portion of the cruise fare, including non-refundable deposits, if they decide to cancel. 

If the Grandeur of the Seas booking was made with a Future Cruise Credit and opt to cancel will have their original certificate reinstated, with any new funds paid above the certificate amount refunded. 

No additional compensation will be provided. 

Shore excursions will be automatically refunded

Any pre-paid Royal Caribbean International shore excursions booked for Jerusalem (Ashdod), Limassol, Alexandria, and Haifa will automatically be refunded to the original form of payment. 

Royal Caribbean is not the first cruise line to cancel the 2024 season

On Wednesday, November 1, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced that they would cancel the remaining sailings in 2023 and the entire Israel season in 2024. 

During their earnings call, CEO Harry Sommer said, "One of the main strengths and differentiators in our industry is our ability to reposition our assets, which is what we’ve done with the heightened tensions in the Middle East."

“The safety and well-being of our guests and crew members are without a doubt our number one priority.”

Royal Caribbean wants to make it clear why top-tier members aren't allowed inside loyalty lounges on some cruises.

Royal Caribbean members have reported incidents on certain sailings when Diamond members haven't been allowed in the Crown Lounge, which is a dedicated space for top-tier members.

Those reports have compelled Royal Caribbean to respond to its members in a newsletter update.

Royal Caribbean sent out an email announcing that on sailings with a high number of top-tier members, Suite, & Pinnacle Club guests, access to the Crown Lounge, Suite/Concierge Lounge, Suite Sun Deck, and Coastal Kitchen will be limited. 

However, this is not a fleetwide policy change for all sailings.

Related: 11 of our favorite under-the-radar Crown & Anchor perks

(Thanks to Royal Caribbean Blog reader OCSC Mike for the above picture of the Crown Lounge logo on Allure of the Seas)

If there are a lot of Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club cruisers on your next sailing, you may find that access to the Crown Lounge will be limited at certain hours of the day. 

"On sailings with a high number of top-tier members, the Crown Lounge will be reserved for Diamond Plus & Pinnacle Club members during the evening, with beverage service from 5 - 8 p.m," read the email.

"However, the lounge and its services will remain fully accessible to all Diamond and above members at all other times. This includes continental breakfast in the morning, snacks throughout the day, and entry during dedicated concierge service hours."

There are no changes to the number of daily drink coupons that eligible Crown & Anchor members will receive. Diamond members will still get four complimentary drinks per day, while Diamond Plus will get five and Pinnacle six. 

Diamond members unable to go to the Crown Lounge between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m. can still use these coupons at other bars throughout the ship, whether it's Boleros, Schooner Bar, etc. 

Related: How Royal Caribbean's free drink vouchers for Diamond and higher members works

These changes will only apply to sailings with a high number of top-tier Crown & Anchor members

At this time, Royal Caribbean is not making any other changes to its Crown & Anchor program. Additionally, the above adjustments are not permanent; they're based on the number of top-tier cruisers on each sailing. 

Possible sailings that could be impacted include but are not limited to charters, crossings, repositioning cruises, inaugurals, and President's Cruises.

Suite and Concierge Lounges, Suite Sun Deck, and Coastal Kitchen

When a sailing has a high number of Suite & Pinnacle Club guests, access to the Suite/Concierge Lounge, Suite Sun Deck, and Coastal Kitchen will be limited to guests staying in qualifying Suites, as well as to our top Pinnacle Club members onboard, based on cruise points," the email said. 

"Access will also extend to the guests in their stateroom. The number of top Pinnacle Club members granted access will vary depending on space and availability."

More members than ever

The top tiers of Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor loyalty program have increased by 30% within the last year, according to Royal Caribbean International's CEO, Michael Bayley. 

The result has been overcrowding in loyalty and suite lounges. 

Royal Caribbean is not the only company seeing overcrowding in lounges. Recently, Delta Airlines has made changes to who can access their Sky Clubs in order to combat the issue. American Express Platinum cardholders, for instance, will no longer have unlimited annual visits. Instead, they'll be limited to ten per year. 

Rather than completely ban certain loyalty members from accessing the onboard lounges, Royal Caribbean sent out an email announcing that on sailings with a high number of top-tier members, Suite, & Pinnacle Club guests, access to the Crown Lounge, Suite/Concierge Lounge, Suite Sun Deck, and Coastal Kitchen will be limited. 

News comes just weeks after Royal Caribbean announced that the Diamond Lounge will be renamed

Courtney Brant, Director of Loyalty for Royal Caribbean announced that "...over the next few weeks, the Diamond Lounge — beloved by our Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members — is being specially renamed as the Crown Lounge across our fleet."

When this change was announced, Royal Caribbean Blog readers had numerous theories as to why they were implementing this fleetwide change.

"Seems like a no brainer to me that this is the first step to ultimately removing Diamonds from having lounge access," wrote Margaret. 

Reader Rackham said, "I'm speculating that with the name change, Diamond access could be determined on a cruise-to-cruise basis depending on how many Diamond and up C&A members are aboard." 

While just a theory at the time, his prediction ended up becoming reality within a month! 

It is important to keep in mind that Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club members will still have access to the Crown Lounge on every sailing.

If the lounge ends up being reserved for Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club passengers between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m each night, Diamond guests will still be able to access it at any other time. It may be the case that one sailing you're on sees a temporary adjustment, with the next having no restrictions whatsoever. 

Related: Royal Caribbean to rename Diamond Lounge to Crown Lounge

A person that went overboard from a cruise ship in Europe was successfully rescued.

A person was reported going overboard while sailing on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas shortly after departing Barcelona, Spain. 

Just hours after setting sail, guests reported hearing "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar" over the ship's PA system, which is the code for man overboard. 

X user @landonb94 posted that he could see spotlights and rescue boats from his balcony. 

Thankfully, the individual was rescued and taken to the ship's medical facility. 

The incident occurred on the first night of Symphony of the Seas' 14-night transatlantic cruise

Symphony of the Seas' 2023 European season has come to an end. She departed Barcelona on Sunday, October 29 to begin her repositioning sailing to Florida, where she will remain until May 2024. 

The individual fell overboard after departing from Barcelona while en route to Valencia. 

Other scheduled ports of call during the voyage include Cadiz, Spain and Nassau, Bahamas. She'll arrive in Fort Lauderdale on November 12. 

The ship turned around, and after about an hour of search and rescue efforts, the Captain made an announcement that the person had been successfully recovered.  

No details have been given about the individual who went overboard

Royal Caribbean has not announced whether the individual who went overboard was a crew member or passenger. They also have not disclosed their gender, age, or any other details, such as why they went overboard in the first place. 

A full investigation will need to happen to determine if there are any safety violations. 

This is not the first time someone has gone overboard during a Royal Caribbean cruise

Back in April, an Australian man went overboard while sailing onboard Quantum of the Seas from Australia just two days before the ship was scheduled to arrive in Hawaii. A few months later in July, a woman cruising to Singapore on Spectrum of the Seas went overboard. 

On August 29, a 19-year-old guest sailing onboard Wonder of the Seas went overboard on a Caribbean cruise. 

According to CruiseJunkie's website, there have been 60 passengers who have gone overboard on Royal Caribbean ships since 2000, not including this recent incident on Symphony of the Seas. 

Oscar, Oscar, Oscar

Cruise ships have a variety of code words for different situations to avoid alarming guests. "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar," for instance, lets other crew members know that someone has gone overboard.

"Alpha" means there's a medical emergency and is typically followed by a location, such as Deck 11 Aft. 

Royal Caribbean also uses "Charlie, Charlie, Charlie," to alert the crew of a security threat onboard.

Not all cruise lines use the same codes. If you hear "Alpha Team, Alpha Team, Alpha Team" on a Carnival ship, there is a fire onboard, rather than a medical emergency. 

Before they talked any financials, the first comment from Royal Caribbean Group CEO was to condemn the terrorist attacks on Israel. 

Royal Caribbean Group held its quarterly earnings call on Thursday, and while Wall Street was curious about disruptions in the business from the attacks, Jason Liberty was quick to share his support to Israel and its people. 

"Before we begin today," he began, "I would like to first acknowledge the devastating events taking place in the Middle East." 

Liberty strongly proclaimed that the "horrific terrorist attacks" that have claimed "so many innocent lives" have "no place in civilized society." 

He also took a moment to recognize the efforts of the team onboard Rhapsody of the Seas, as they worked with the U.S. Department of State to aid in the evacuation of Americans from Israel. 

As a result of the attacks, some Royal Caribbean Group sailings were disrupted.

"About 1.5% of our capacity in the fourth quarter had planned to visit Israel," said Jason Liberty, CEO of Royal Caribbean Group.

"Most of the impacted deployment was quickly adjusted, including a few sailings that were home porting in Haifa."

There were fewer APCDs, or "available passenger cruise days," due to the cancelation of the rest of the sailings from Israel this cruise season; Rhapsody was scheduled to sail from Haifa to the Greek islands through early November.

What is the effect on demand for 2024?

In 2024, the capacity for sailings to Israel accounts for less than 1.5%, with all of Europe accounting for 15% of their capacity. The vast majority of capacity will be on sailings in North America, whether that's to the Caribbean, Bermuda, Alaska, or Canada/New England. 

According to Liberty, the growth that Royal Caribbean has seen has been across all of their markets. 

While the situation in Israel "could potentially weigh on a consumer's psyche...it's not something that [Royal Caribbean] is seeing at this point in time."  

"We're beginning to book for next year. Trends continue to be very strong. But it is, you know, it is early in the European season for us to start calling out that there's no impact from Israel," said Liberty. 

Typically, consumers want to stay within the ecosystem of Royal Caribbean, whether that is on a cruise throughout Europe or one that visits elsewhere in the world. If there is a decrease in demand for European cruises, a consumer will most likely just shift where they want to go, rather than completely abandon the idea of taking a cruise with Royal Caribbean. 

Overall, the demand for cruises has only increased

"The performance of our business continues to accelerate, driven by strong demand and excellent operational execution," remarked Naftali Holtz, Chief Financial Officer at Royal Caribbean Group.

In addition to demand for 2023 and 2024 sailings, Royal Caribbean is seeing folks make bookings into 2025 and 2026. 

"Our visibility in terms of how the consumer is looking at things going forward, at least on a vacation experience on our incredible brands," said Liberty, "is pretty good based off of where the consumer is standing today."

Outside of Europe, cruises to Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line's private island in The Bahamas, have seen an elevated demand.

This is due in part to brand-new experiences, such as Hideaway Beach, opening to the public, as well as it being a port of call on every itinerary on both new Royal Caribbean ships launching in 2024: Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas. 

We have a look at some changes and updates Royal Caribbean has made or announced over the past few days.

From new options in Royal Caribbean's app, to a refreshed website, to a Black Friday offer, here’s everything you should know about this week.

New app update

Royal Caribbean rolled out a new update to its app, which adds a new features to it.

The app has a few new noteworthy icons you can now click to access more content without leaving the app.  It could be designed to make it less necessary to hop between the app and cruise line website, or it could be a way to simply elevate information and content cruisers may not have known existed.

There's a new Videos icon, which essentially showcases the same videos Royal Caribbean produces for its YouTube channel and marketing.

The app also has a Loyalty Hub to track and enroll in the Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program.

Read more: Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program info, tips & secrets

It explains how each tier works and what benefits you get with each.

Cruise searches look different

If you do a search for a new cruise booking on Royal Caribbean's website, you can expect to find a new look to it.

Royal Caribbean has periodically enhanced the look and feel of its search function, and it attempts to include more information related to your search in a concise manner.

Also, the ability to add a cruise to your watchlist is more explicit, whereas before it just had a heart icon.

The watchlist feature was added in December 2022, but it appears they want to provide more visibility to it.

The cruise line has indicated the amount of first time cruisers has never been higher, so making the search function easier to navigate is clearly a step in providing more information to them during the booking process.

Celebrity Cruises Black Friday offer

While we don't yet know Royal Caribbean's Black Friday offer, sister brand Celebrity Cruises has shared what to expect.

Celebrity Cruises will begin its Black Friday offer on November 10th, and it will run through December 5th.

Celebrity will have a BOGO 75% off a second guest as well as up to $300 in onboard credit for nearly all itineraries through April 30, 2026.

Royal Caribbean will almost certainly have a Black Friday sale of its own, but has not revealed any details yet. Check out all of their past Black Friday offers to get an idea of what to expect.

Royal Caribbean updates gift card policy

In case you missed it, Royal Caribbean gift cards just got much easier to use, thanks to a change in how to redeem them.

Gift cards are valid for both Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises, and there are four ways to use your gift card value:

• Booking a new cruise on Royal Caribbean's website
• Calling Royal Caribbean and redeeming over the phone
• Working with a travel agent to book a new cruise
• Waiting to use it onboard and redeem as onboard credit.

Prior to sailing, gift card amounts can only be applied toward the cruise fare and may not be used for pre-payment of beverage packages, dining packages, shore excursions, pre-paid gratuities, etc. 

Check out all the details on how to use a Royal Caribbean gift card.

There's lots happening in the cruise world, including Royal Caribbean updates you should know about.

With a fleet of 26 ships, there are always going to be things happening and in an effort to keep everyone up to date, here's a quick run through of the latest news from this week.

Think of these as quick hits of changes and news that you should be aware of that changed in the last few days.

Final payment date change for long cruises

Royal Caribbean has changed when final payment is due for long cruises.

The new policy applies to sailings that are 15 nights or longer.

"As of today, guests will now have up until 120 days prior to sailing to make their final payment for sailings that are 15 nights or greater. Additionally, there will be a higher deposit amount required, per person, for new bookings made for sailings that are 15 nights or greater after today."

If you booked a cruise already, Royal Caribbean will grandfather you into the old policy, "no changes to your booking and payment schedule since you booked prior to these changes."

Hideaway Beach construction update

We have new photos to share of the construction progress being made at the new adults-only beach coming to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Hideaway Beach will open to guests in January 2024, and is the first major expansion of the private island since the opening of the Coco Beach Club in 2020.

This new area will have an extra-cost, and it's meant for adults who want to enjoy a lively atmosphere and no kids.

Poolside cabanas, a new pizza restaurant, swim-up bar and infinity pool are what Royal Caribbean will add to keep adults in a party mood all day long.

Hideaway Beach is for guests 18 years or older and has an admission cost to enter.

Construction of On The Rocks is progressing, with a bright red color visible.

On The Rocks is located along the rocky shore and has live music, TVs to watch live sports, games like pool and shuffleboard.

More cruises from Israel could be cancelled

Royal Caribbean has already cancelled two cruises from Israel due to the conflict started by Hamas terrorists, and more cancellations could be on the way.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed, told Travel Weekly the cruise line will take things a step a time, "as far as next year goes, I think we just have to see where we are a month from now, two months from now."

She also posted on Facebook a heartfelt show of support to the Israeli people in this troubling time, "There are truly no words to describe the unfathomable situation in Israel right now. I am praying for the innocent civilians who've lost their lives and their families, those who’ve been kidnapped, the brave soldiers, and all of the people of Israel. It's heartbreaking to see the reports, photos and videos of such senseless violence. I stand with Israel today and always."

The October 9, 2023 and October 13, 2023 sailings on Rhapsody of the Seas were both canceled, along with port visits by Odyssey of the Seas.

Bahamas shipyard expanding operations

Grand Bahama Shipyard announced it will build one of the the largest floating docks in the Western Hemisphere, thanks in part to working with Royal Caribbean Group.

The shipyard, together with Royal Caribbean Group and Carnival Corporation, recently received approval to proceed with an expansion project that is estimated to bring billions of dollars in economic impact to Grand Bahama’s economy over the next 25 years.

The $600 million project includes the construction, delivery to Freeport, and commissioning of two world-class floating docks that will allow the shipyard to service the entire range of cruise ships in operation and under construction, as well as much of the world’s commercial shipping fleet.

"For more than 50 years we have partnered with The Bahamas to deliver exceptional vacations to millions of guests and create opportuni6es for local Bahamian communities," said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.

"We are proud to expand our longstanding partnership and see establishing Grand Bahama as a premier maritime destination for repair and revitalization of all kinds of vessels, as a project that will drive economic growth for the Bahamian industry and create a positive impact for the people of The Bahamas for generations to come."

The two new floating drydocks are under construction in China, with expected delivery in 2025 and 2026.

Royal Caribbean Group joins global trade association for the methanol industry

Finding cleaner energy solutions for its cruise ships has become a top priority for Royal Caribbean Group, and the company is aligning itself with a trade group.

Royal Caribbean Group is the newest member of the Methanol Institute, which represents the world’s leading producers, distributors, and technology companies. 

Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group said, "We are pleased to join the Methanol Institute, and as we seek sustainable energy solutions we recognize the importance of collaboration to help us transition to the energy platform of the future."

A federal appeals court in Atlanta is allowing a negligence lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises to continue.

In July 2019, 18-month-old Chloe Wiegand fell about 150 feet to her death after slipping through her grandfather's hands and falling through an open window on Deck 11 onboard Freedom of the Seas. The ship was docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the time. 

Following this incident, parents Alan Wiegand and Kimberly Schultz-Wiegand sued Royal Caribbean, claiming that the cruise line violated industry standards since they did not have any safety devices in windows in place. 

The case was originally dismissed in July 2021, when U.S. District Judge Donald Graham in Miami, Florida said that Salvatore Anello, Wiegand's grandfather's, behavior was unforeseeable, proximate cause of Chloe's death, with the open window acting as an obvious danger. 

The 21-page decision was released by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta and said that jurors could potentially find that Royal Caribbean was aware of the risk of children falling through open windows, as they had protective railings and warnings on ships telling passengers not to climb over them. 

Likewise, the three-judge appeals court said that jurors should decide whether Royal Caribbean could have foreseen an adult holding the infant near the window. This might not excuse the alleged negligence that the family is suing over. 

It also said jurors should decide whether Royal Caribbean could have foreseen an adult like Anello holding Wiegand near the window, which might not excuse its alleged negligence.

In February 2021, Anello was sentences to three years of probation after pleading guilty to negligent homicide in Wiegand's death.  

He initially would not plead guilty; however, he changed his plea to avoid jail time and serve probation instead. 

According to surveillance footage released by Royal Caribbean, Anello knew the window was open, as he leaned out of it for approximately eight seconds before lifting Wiegand up. She was there about 34 seconds before he lost his grip. 

Jacqueline Garcell, a lawyer for the parents, said, "We look forward to continuing our fight for justice for Chloe Wiegand and to make cruise ships safer."

This week was filled with exciting updates and developments surrounding Royal Caribbean cruises. 

In addition to updates regarding Utopia of the Seas during the company's budget call, a strong first quarter, and the reopening of the Chinese cruising market, it was announced that the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas is nearing sea trials! Plus, construction is continuing with the adults-only area in Perfect Day at CocoCay, as well as the filing of a new trademark.

Here is a rundown of some news that you should be aware of!

Icon of the Seas nearing her sea trials

The launch of the world's largest cruise ship is getting closer and closer. 

According to a Facebook post made by Meyer Turku on May 5, Icon of the Seas is nearing beginning her sea trials, the last major milestone in the construction of the brand-new ship; they are slated to begin in mid-June. 

This step is important, as it helps to ensure that the ship is ready for service and that all operational systems work properly. Moreover, this is often when some of the first pictures of the completed ship are taken. 

"Sea trials are one of the most important milestones on a ship's road to completion," the post says.

"Sea trials are a way to test all of the ships features that cannot be tested while docked, and that every function onboard is working as intended. [They] are also used to make sure the noise and vibration levels are where they should be."

"As the world's largest prototype ship, Icon's early sea trials are important to ensure that all the ship's main equipment such as propulsion equipment, main engines and power plant, thrusters and fin stabilizers are working as they should."

The shipyard did not confirm how long the sea trials will be, as they vary in duration. It is not uncommon for ships to undergo two different sessions! 

Until sea trials begin, construction will continue at the shipyard in Finland, where construction initially began in June 2021. 

When all of the sea trials are complete, there may be some final adjustments that need to be made before the ship is prepared for delivery. As of May 2023, no official delivery date has been announced by Royal Caribbean or Meyer Werft.

Related: Why are new cruise ships still being built?

When Icon of the Seas makes her debut in January 2024, she will become the world's largest cruise ship, surpassing the current title holder: Wonder of the Seas. As the cruise line's first Icon Class ship, she will be one-of-a-kind and offer the ultimate family vacation. 

Onboard, guests will find the world's largest water park at sea, as well as other firsts and upgrades, such as the AquaDome, a revamped Central Park neighborhood, Chill Island, and the brand-new Surfside neighborhood for families with children. 

Icon will be 6% larger than Wonder of the Seas with the ability to hold up to 7,600 passengers. Including crew members, Icon's total capacity will be close to 10,000. 

She will measure 250,800 gross registered tons, 1,198 feet long, and tower 20 decks high. 

In addition to the sheer size of this vessel, it will be the first Royal Caribbean ship to be powered by LNG-fuel. She will have six Wärtsilä main engines that are capable of running on both diesel and natural gas. 

The demand for Icon of the Seas is just as unprecedented as the ship itself! 

"Despite being on sale for only five months," said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group's CEO during an earnings call on May 4, Icon is significantly more booked for her inaugural season at materially higher rates than any other Royal Caribbean ship launch."

Once Icon of the Seas is handed over to Royal Caribbean, she will begin making round-trip cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Miami, Florida in January 2024. Her inaugural voyage is slated for January 27. 

Hideaway Beach construction update

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Steve Cohen provided us with some photos of Hideaway Beach's construction.

Back in September 2021, Royal Caribbean announced that they would be building a new adults-only area at Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

In 2019, Perfect Day at CocoCay reopened after a $250 million renovation as the ultimate tropical getaway and included the addition of a brand-new water park featuring the 135-foot Daredevil's Peak water slide. 

Hideaway Beach was the first expansion of Perfect Day at CocoCay since Royal Caribbean launched the luxurious Coco Beach Club in 2020. This, however, was a smaller expansion and only increased the island's capacity by a few hundred guests. Hideaway Beach is expected to be larger.

Little, however, has been revealed about what guests can expect this area to be like. Unlike the Royal Beach Club in Nassau, no mock up plans have been released. 

The pictures provided by Cohen show that a structure is being built adjacent to a lagoon on the interior of the island; however, it is unclear what the structure will be for. Perhaps restroom facilities or some kind of fast-casual dining venue like the Snack Shack-- it is all speculation at this point!

Liberty said, "Icon will join the fleet later this year and will debut in the Caribbean in January 2024, with itineraries that include Perfect Day at CocoCay and its new expansion, Hideaway Beach."

"[Hideaway Beach] will accommodate approximately 2,500 more guests...On average now we're having around 11,000 guests a day in in CocoCay, [and] with Hideaway, we can add another two and a half, 3,000 guests...And that's really for designed to be open in time for Icon of the Seas," said Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO. 

Royal Caribbean has yet to confirm when Hideaway Beach will officially open and whether or not it will be complimentary or not. It is expected to open in early January around the time that Icon of the Seas sets sail. 

From the pictures, it appears that Hideaway Beach still has a lot of construction ahead of being ready to open to the public! 

Trademark filed for "Cabana Cay"

On April 10, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. filed a trademark application for the name "Cabana Cay." Per the United States Patent and Trademark Office's website, the trademark "is intended to cover the categories of recreation services, namely, resort services."

New trademark applications always spark interest, and with the ongoing construction at Hideaway Beach in CocoCay and the Royal Beach Club in Nassau, it is possible that Cabana Cay is related to one of these things. The name also suggests that it has something to do with cabanas, a feat that Royal Caribbean has worked on perfecting, especially with the addition of the cabanas at the Coco Beach Club. 

The Royal Beach Club was originally announced in March 2020; however, construction was stalled due to the pandemic. In March 2023, Royal Caribbean announced that the 17-acre beach club would officially open in 2025 as a partnership with The Bahamas.

13 out of the 17 acres will be owned by Royal Caribbean, with the remaining 4 acres as Crown Land, meaning that they will be split as equity between the Bahamian government and its people. 

Unlike Perfect Day at CocoCay, the Royal Beach Club will not be a private island. Instead, it will be a private destination on Paradise Island available only to Royal Caribbean cruise line guests. 

The intention of the Royal Beach Club is to increase customer satisfaction in Nassau, as Michael Bayley revealed that the port currently ranks amount the bottom 10% of ports of call in customer feedback. 

It will be an experience that costs extra, meaning that it will not be included in the cost of your cruise fare.

The pass will not be all-inclusive, either. Outside of access to the beach club, lunch, and a beach chair, you will be responsible for paying for any other extras, including alcohol and soda, cabanas, day beds, and water sports. 

On the concept maps of the Royal Beach Club, there are a couple of areas that will be reserved for cabanas, including a "VIP Cabanas" area on the northern shore of Paradise Island facing the open ocean, rather than the cruise port. In addition, there are two other plans for "Beach Cabanas." Outside of what has been revealed on the concept map, as well as the fact that they will be an extra cost, no other information has been provided about these cabanas.  

All speculation aside, it is important to remember trademark filings do indicate any intention Royal Caribbean has. Sometimes, trademarks are filed for future use in the event that they decide to use the name for something. Like when they trademarked "The Star," "The Pearl," "The Jewel," "The Orb," "The Gem," and "The Oyster" at the same time back in 2022!

Additionally, Royal Caribbean Group files all of its trademarks under a single brand on behalf of all of their subsidiary lines, including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and SilverSea.

It is official-- Royal Caribbean now holds the world record for the most passengers and crew onboard a transatlantic cruise ship crossing. 

A total of 7,604 people were onboard Symphony of the Seas, including 5,350 guests and 2,224 crew members, as she made her way from Miami, Florida to Barcelona, Spain to begin her seasonal Mediterranean cruises. The cruise lasted a total of 12-nights, departing on March 9 and arriving in Barcelona on March 21.

Before beginning her summer cruises, Symphony of the Seas will undergo basic maintenance at the Navantia shipyard in Cádiz, Spain. The next scheduled cruise will depart on April 16, 2023 from Barcelona and visit Palma De Mallorca, Spain; Provence (Marseille), France; Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; and Naples / Capri, Italy before returning to Barcelona.

Symphony of the Seas will wrap up her European season on October 29 when she departs Barcelona on a 14-night transatlantic voyage back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. En route, she will dock at Valencia, Spain; Seville (Cádiz), Spain; and Nassau, Bahamas.

That is not the only piece of headline worthy news from Royal Caribbean, either!

Keep reading to learn more about the first engine that was started on Icon of the Seas', a new Royal Caribbean Group board member, as well as a credit card policy changes.

First engine started on the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas

Even though Icon of the Seas is still months away from entering service as the cruise line's first Icon Class ship, getting excited over milestones is one way to make the time pass quicker. On March 15, the Meyer Turku shipyard confirmed that the first multi-fuel engine was turned on for the first time!

Per a social media post that was published directly by the shipyard, "Chef engineer Tuomas Auvien says: 'Icon of the Seas has six Wärtsilä main engines. The first of them (number 2) was started today, Wednesday 3/15 at 11:00 a.m."

"Both diesel and natural gas can be used as fuel in the main engines, Wednesday's start was made with diesel. The first main engine start on a ship largely tells a lot about the ship's readiness. It is a sign that the various departments throughout the yard have achieved something significant. To achieve this milestone, all professional groups are needed, and for that, big thanks to everyone!"

When she makes her grand debut, Icon of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in the world, surpassing Wonder of the Seas, measuring 250,800 gross tons with the ability to carry nearly 10,000 passengers and crew combined. She will also be the first ship in the fleet to run on LNG-power.

This type of fuel is one of the cleanest-burning marine fuels. When engines are built to use LNG fuel, this helps to reduce a cruise ship’s carbon emissions by approximately 30%.

The maiden voyage is currently scheduled for January 27, 2024 out of Miami, Florida. 

This news comes roughly one month after Royal Caribbean began construction on the second unnamed Icon Class cruise ship at the same shipyard.

Rebecca Yeung joins Royal Caribbean Group's Board of Directors effective March 15

Yeung has about 30 years of global experience in strategy and operations technology, and she is currently the corporate vice president, operations science and advanced technology at FedEx Corporation.

She has been at FedEx Corporation since 1998 and has served in different roles, including marketing, innovation, and technology. Her previous role at the company was the vice president, advanced technology & innovation.

Her current role makes Yeung responsible for advancing FedEx’s innovation and transformation strategy, including scaling robotics and automation technology, autonomous vehicles, decision science, and electromobility.

She brings experience and expertise of working on a board of directors, too, as she also serves on the Board of Directors of Columbus McKinnon.

Richard D. Fain, Chairman of the Board, Royal Caribbean Group, said, “Ms. Yeung brings a valuable combination of skills to our board, as she is well-versed in technology, digitization and business strategy."

Additionally, Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group, said, “We’re excited to welcome Rebecca Yeung to the Board of Directors as we continue to deliver the world’s best vacations, responsibly."

“We believe her experience in technology, automation and innovation will be a valuable addition to the board as we usher in the next phases of our growth.”

Royal Caribbean changes credit card policy

An email sent out on March 20 indicates that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises' payment processes will soon be heightened with additional security checks to authenticate credit card submissions.  
 
Effective April 1, 2023, CVV (Credit Verification Value) authentication will be required for all payments related to cruise fare, air travel, and pre-cruise purchases to help assist in fraud prevention mitigate overall risk. 

The payment process will remain unchanged, other than the new requirement to enter CVV at time of payment. Note that personal PIN numbers and CVV are different, as the latter is a unique code that verifies the physical presence of the form of payment at the time of transaction. 

On Visa, MasterCard, and Discover branded cards, the CVV is a 3 digit number located on the back of the card. On American Express cards, the CVV is a 4 digit number that can be found on the front of the card.

Ready to catch up on what's happening with Royal Caribbean cruises?

With a fleet of 26 ships, there are always going to be things happening and in an effort to keep everyone up to date, here's a quick run through of the latest news from this week.

Think of these as quick hits of changes and news that you should be aware of that changed in the last few days.

Confirmation of the once-daily cabin service

We reported that Royal Caribbean is methodically converting over its ships to once-per-day cabin housekeeping for non-suites, and that looks to be confirmed now.

Instead of cabin attendants servicing a passenger cabin twice per day, it will occur just once per day in either the morning or afternoon (at the discretion of the passenger).

There's been no announcement by Royal Caribbean of a fleetwide change, but our readers confirmed this is going to spread to all ships in the fleet later this year.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Paul VanderDonck shared an email correspondence he received from Royal Caribbean's Executive Office regarding the change.

The email confirms on an executive level that cleaning will go to once a day.

"Recent feedback on housekeeping service, and hospitality industry trends, show us that our frequency is beyond our guests' preference and expectations. In response to this feedback insight and in alignment with our commitment to reducing waste and overall environment impact, daily cleaning service will take place once per day."

"Of course, we've made sure our service stays at our Royal standards, including everyone's favorite, towel animals. During housekeeping service, you'll receive a thorough stateroom cleaning. Your towels and amenities will be replenished. Guests such as yourself staying in a stateroom with 3 or more beds, will have them made up in the evening and stored away during the daily cleaning."

"As always, your stateroom attendant is available for any additional requests throughout  your cruise, like extra towels or soap. Should you require assistance, contact them directly via the extension on their business card. We remain committed to making your time with us as an enjoyable and memorable experience!"

Speaking of the housekeeping change, many readers have been curious what happens if there is a pullman bed or sofa bed that needs to be converted in the morning and afternoon.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Justin Ligas contacted Royal Caribbean and was told if you have multiple people in your room, and you are using the pullout or the pullman beds, you will get a morning service to put the beds away for the day if you wish.

It may not be a full morning service (towels, et al.), but you aren't expected to set up/break down your room daily.  The evening service for re-setting up the bed will be between 6-8 PM ship time, and the morning service to store the bed will be as your schedule allows.

Hideaway Beach update

We have new photos to share of the progress being made on the new adults-only beach at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Colby Burnett took these photos of the work being done.

In addition, Robert Dempster took this photo of CocoCay from his airplane that shows the construction progress.

The current estimate is for Hideaway Beach to open in late 2023.

Royal Caribbean's beverage program wins award

Royal Caribbean got recognition for its cocktails earlier this week.

Royal Caribbean International’s beverage team has taken home the 2023 Vibe Vista Award for Best Overall: Hotels, Casinos & Cruise Lines.

A panel of Johnson & Wales University beverage faculty, staff and alumni reviewed entries and based the win on a couple of factors including positive sales initiatives, efficient operational innovations, high quality standards and more. Finalists included prominent casinos and hotel chains across North America.

Royal Caribbean’s award-winning beverage program was recognized in 2022 with the following award wins:

• BevX Beverage Excellence Awards for Overall Hospitality Beverage Program
• The Exchange Awards for Idea of the Year in Beverage Excellence
• The SIP Award in Beverage Excellence

Latest on Wow bands coming back

It's still not crystal clear if Royal Caribbean is bringing back its RFID bracelets for good, or if they're just experimenting, but there's more information on what you might see related to them.

Known as Wow bands, they re-appeared for the first time in many years on Symphony of the Seas last month and other readers have reported seeing them offered on other Oasis and Quantum Class ships since.

Wow bands can be used in conjunction with a SeaPass card as a convenient way to do similar functions.

On Twitter, @thatchriscarley, shared screenshots from the Royal Caribbean app from his Harmony of the Seas cruise that talks about the Wow bands and that they will cost $9.99. They are complimentary for Sky and Star Class suite guests.

In addition, old Wow bands can be re-used as long as they don't have a muster station printed on them. The earliest Wow bands had that, while more recent bands do not.