How early you book a cruise can have a big impact on your vacation cost.

Last-minute cruise deals used to be a fantastic way to score big on a vacation. However, the demand for cruises is so high that Royal Caribbean is focusing on combating high last-minute bookings by rewarding early planners. As a result, last-minute cruise reservations are going to be more expensive than in the past. 

During the company's first quarter earnings call on April 29, Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) President and C.E.O. Jason Liberty shared how 86% of the 2025 cruise inventory is booked. Not only that, but the 2026 booking window is about one week shorter. 

"Our booked position for 2026, at this point, is in line with the same time last year on a volume standpoint...So we obviously have more capacity next year and at higher prices," Liberty said.

Why Royal Caribbean's comments mean you should book a 2026 cruise now

New cruise bookings aren't slowing down. In fact, the company is seeing strong demand for its products, ranging from short getaways on Utopia of the Seas to port-intensive cruises aboard Celebrity's upscale ships. 

Consequently, those planning a 2026 cruise shouldn’t assume there will be availability in a few months. With more ships, higher prices, and a shrinking booking window, delaying your booking could mean missing out on your preferred itinerary or cabin category. 

"Bookings for 2025 have remained on track, cancellation levels are normal, and we continue to see excellent close-in demand," said Liberty. 

Royal Caribbean's recording bookings continued into April, with Liberty reporting that RCG's bookings were greater than the same period last year. 

Still not convinced? Here are 3 reasons you should consider planning your 2026 cruise as soon as possible. 

The demand for cruise vacations is higher than ever

The first quarter results reveal that the company's profits blew past expectations, indicating RCG is seeing strong demand for its cruise products. As such, its full-year guidance was raised. 

According to data released during the call, about 2.2 million passengers sailed with RCG during the first quarter of 2025, which is roughly a 9% increase year over year. 

Plus, guests part of one of the brand's three loyalty programs — the Crown & Anchor Society, Captain's Club, and Venetian Society Program — accounted for about 40% of the company's bookings in 2024.

A high return rate is good because loyal cruisers are likely to book direct and spend 25% more per trip than non-loyalty members. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean is defying the economy: How record bookings and higher prices are fueling a blowout year

Higher demand means higher cruise fares

Cruise ship inventory is fixed. As inventory drops, prices tend to increase since cruise lines can't magically conjure up extra cabins on a floating vessel. 

Fares can change at a moment's notice based on demand. So, as more cabins for a specific sailing are reserved, the cost of the remaining inventory increases. 

More often than not, the most attractive rates for a sailing are when new deployments are released, as you'll find the widest selection of staterooms.

Additionally, as Liberty talked about during the call, Royal Caribbean isn't slashing fares at the last minute as much anymore because the demand for its products is so high. 

"We see...an uplift in demand as we get very close in. Not only do we see an uplift in demand, we're also about to raise our pricing during that period of time," Liberty explained. 

With last-minute bookings driving revenue gains in the first quarter, Royal Caribbean is leaning into strong consumer interest rather than discounting to fill ships. Part of that means maintaining a high level of price integrity to protect the brand's reputation and long-term revenue goals. 

In other words, discounting cruise fares isn't done at random. It's a strategic decision to avoid frequent price fluctuations that could undermine customer trust or devalue the brand.

This means that booking a 2026 cruise now is probably going to be more affordable than waiting six months or more. 

You may also want to start considering 2027 sailings, as cruise itineraries are typically released around two years in advance. Right now, Caribbean and Bahamian voyages through April 2027 have been uploaded to Royal's site and are available for booking.

Booking early means you have more cabins to choose from

While scoring a lower deal is obviously one of the biggest advantages to booking your cruise earlier rather than later, another major benefit is having a wider selection of cabins. 

If you wait until the last minute, you are at the mercy of the leftover cabins, which are typically some of the least desirable rooms onboard, such as those at the front of the ship (terrible for guests with motion sickness) or near a loud public venue (like the casino). 

Suites are usually the first stateroom category to sell out, as there are fewer suites on ships compared to standard cabins. As such, if you want to reserve a suite for a celebratory cruise, you'll want to start thinking about your 2026 cruise now. 

Adjoining cabins for larger families are in high demand, too. 

By booking now, you are locking in a better rate and ensuring you can reserve the best cabin for your travel party, whether a multi-story suite or an affordable interior stateroom near Adventure Ocean. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin and suite guide

Bottom line

Royal Caribbean Group's capacity is expected to grow 5.5% in 2025 with the introduction of Star of the Seas and Celebrity Xcel, as well as a full year of Utopia of the Seas and Silver Ray in service. 

The demand for RCG's unique product doesn't seem to be slowing down, meaning that there will be fewer last-minute cruises available. 

Cruises with last-minute availability will also be priced higher than you might expect to counter the demand, allowing the company to maximize revenue while encouraging cruisers to plan ahead. 

Smart cruisers will go ahead and plan their 2026 cruise to take advantage of today's pricing and reserve their ideal cabin. 

It wouldn't hurt to look at early 2027 cruises, either. 

Simple changes can have a major impact on making your cruise vacation better.

Having sailed on almost 100 cruises, I've found doing things slightly differently improves the efficiency or value you get from the experience.

Think of it like learning a new shortcut on your drive home from work. Shaving a few minutes isn't a big deal, but it gets you there faster.

Plus, these little tricks could save you money or reduce the stress of a cruise.

I came up with a list of 9 ideas to do things differently on your next Royal Caribbean cruise.

Walk to the further gangway

When your ship is docked in port, there's almost always two gangways open at the middle and forward sections of the ship.

Most people go for the first gangway they encounter, but I've found the line to get back on the ship is almost always far less crowded on the gangway further down the pier.

The truth is this tip is less about the wait on the gangway as it is for the elevators.

After you scan back onto the ship and go through security, you have to wait for an elevator. Wait times for an elevator can get pretty high when everyone is coming back to the ship in the afternoon, and it's always worst at the first entrance back onto the ship.

It's worth the extra steps if you can hop right onto an elevator and get to your room (or the pool) faster.

Apply sunscreen before you disembark the ship

Getting sunburned is such an easily avoidable problem, and yet, it happens all too often because people don't apply soon enough.

It's amazing how quickly you can get sunburned, even when just walking off the ship and down the pier.  That sun can beat down on your neck, head, and shoulders, and leave you with a red burn before you even get to to the beach.

Even if you do avoid a burn off the bat, you're supposed to apply sunscreen at least 15-20 minutes before diving in the water.

If your kids are like mine, they'll want to go right in and not wait.  

Instead, apply the sunscreen in your cabin before you depart for your shore excursion.

Pick up beach towels at the gangway instead of the pool deck

I never remember to pick up towels for my time ashore the day before, so inevitably I'd be the one to go in the opposite direction to get towels from the pool deck on an already busy morning trying to get everyone ready to disembark the ship.

Royal Caribbean seems to have figured out there's a lot of people like me doing this, and they started putting towel pick up locations right near the gangway.

You'll almost always find a towel station right before the gangway location.  They're usually near the staircase when you reach the gangway deck. Occasionally it's on the Royal Promenade, like on Icon of the Seas.

To be fair, there's a slight chance there won't be one, but I've seen them consistently offered on Caribbean sailings near the gangway for quite some time.

This is so much more convenient than going up to the pool deck.

Plus, on your way back on the ship, they're in the same spot near the gangway taking towel returns!

Of course, another idea is to check out towels the day before your port day and have them ready to go, but that requires more forethought than I'm capable of while on vacation!

Get a theft-proof bag

I've always been "that guy" that puts his wallet and other valuables in my pockets, but I had to change that when I went to Europe.

Pickpocketing is a problem in some European countries (and elsewhere), so experts recommend getting an anti-theft backpack.

I never liked the idea of these because they look too much like fanny packs, but fashion sense aside, they really do work well.

I went with the Wander Plus Anti Theft Travel Bag (this is an affiliate link, which means I get a small commission but there's no extra cost to you) because it can be worn as a crossbody bag or as a sling bag. No embarrassing '90s vibes here.

These bags work because there are hidden/well concealed openings and zippers that aren't as inviting to a pick pocketer as your pant pocket.

Pick pocketers are looking for easy prey, not to undertake a Mission: Impossible endeavor.  They want to get in and out quickly, so an anti-theft bag has enough protection to cause them to probably look elsewhere.

I'd put your phone, SeaPass card, cash, credit card, and pretty much anything else valuable in the bag while you're ashore.

Get to shows early, even if you have a reservation

Royal Caribbean provides free reservations you can make for shows on its big ships, but you shouldn't roll in at the last minute.

Where you sit in the theater makes a difference, so I'd recommend arriving to the theater at least 30 minutes before show time to ensure you get the best seats.

This is especially important at the Broadway shows available on certain Royal Caribbean ships. There's no cost for the seats up front, so why not get the prime location?

There's bar service offered before the show begins, so take advantage of a drink or two while you wait.

Eat lunch on embarkation day at a specialty restaurant

It seems everyone has the same idea when they board the ship: head to the buffet for lunch.

Rather than compete with everyone, a more relaxing alternative is to book a specialty restaurant.

Depending on your ship, the options will vary, but there's usually one or two specialty restaurants open on the first afternoon. Chops Grille is almost always the standard offering.

I've eaten at Giovanni's a few times on embarkation day when checking out Utopia of the Seas, and it's so nice to start off with a seated meal that puts me in "cruise mode" with that level of service right off the bat.

An ancillary benefit of eating lunch is it's usually cheaper. You can experience the exact same, or similar, menu as dinner, but at a lower cost.

Stay on the ship on a port day (or hurry back early) for low crowds at the pool

The Flowrider, water slides, pools, and sports courts are so much emptier on a port day.

Most people on your cruise ship will be off the ship doing something on shore. But all those fun ship activities are open while your ship is docked.

It’s possible to ride waterslides with no wait on port days, climb the rock climbing wall several times in a row, and slide down the Ultimate Abyss without waiting in a long line. 

Trying activities on a port day doesn’t mean you have to skip going ashore, either. Even if you spend the majority of your day in port, you can do an activity immediately after getting back onboard.

I'd still recommend trying a fun port activity, but if you're on a longer sailing with multiple stops, you might consider staying onboard one day.

Tip a waiter in cash when you order a drink

While I agree tip culture has gotten out of hand, I still thinking tipping a dollar when you order a drink is a smart idea for speedier service.

While it's true your drink package includes gratuity, and if you order a drink individually without a package you're charged 18% gratuity, tipping a dollar for each drink ordered makes a difference in how quickly they come back to you.

When I cruise, I keep bunch of dollar bills in my pocket to tip when I order a drink. Not only do I think the crew members deserve a little something extra, but I've noticed it makes a difference when you want speedy refills.

Bars get busy, especially at night or by the pool deck.  But a little extra tipping usually gets the bartender to come to you first.

Order the free breakfast room service

While room service has a service charge, you can have a continental breakfast option that costs nothing extra.

Continental breakfast items, such as pastries, fruit, coffee, and juice are complimentary and can be delivered to your stateroom free of charge. 

It's fun to have a casual start to your morning with a table of light food and coffee in your cabin, especially if you have a balcony cabin.

There are door hanger order sheets with the included continental breakfast menu on one side and room service breakfast menu on the other. You choose what items you want then hang it on the door before you go to sleep. The earliest delivery time is 6 or 6:30, and they give you a wake up call before delivery.

This is a fun way to start your morning and no need to compete with everyone else at the buffet!

Spending the day on a beautiful beach in the Caribbean seems idyllic when you're at home planning it all, but multiple visits ended up feeling like a mistake.

I took my family on a 7-night cruise on Icon of the Seas to the western Caribbean, which included four port stops.

The sailing began with with three port stops in a row: Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel.  And there was a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay at the end of the cruise.

I like spending time at each of these ports on their own, and even have a few must-dos in each port.  

However, three beach days in a row is not only a "first world problem", it also felt like a missed opportunity. By the end of the cruise, we were all "beached out" and it felt like we overdid it.

Fun, but repetitive

I booked three separate beach days: Turquoise Bay, Maya Chan, and Paradise Beach.

Don't get me wrong, I had a good time at each of the beaches we visited.  The issue was the getting up early, getting everyone ready, and then getting to and from the beach.

One of the top reasons I love to cruise are the places I visit, but I wish I had mixed up the activities instead of doing all beach.

Right after our second day in a row of beach time, the reality began to sink in.

It started with my kids asking what we had planned the next day because they were hoping for time to sleep in and rest after two early days in a row.

Ordinarily I don't take my kids complaining about getting up early seriously at all, but I had to admit they might have a point as I considered the ramifications of another early day.

My wife and I started talking about it and we realized that our plan made sense in a vacuum, but combining so many port days doing the same activity felt a bit tiresome.

We could have spent more time on the ship

Not only would have skipping a beach day been a way to relax more, it also would have been perfect on a ship as impressive as Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean added so many fun things to do, including some of the best pools on any ship. I love the Swim & Tonic bar because it's a swim-up bar, but I never got a chance to go in.

The ship also has six different water slides to try within its water park.

Something experienced cruisers do often is stay onboard while a ship is in port to take advantage of these fun things without big crowds.

Those same pools and slides get crowded on sea days, and we only had two sea days on this itinerary.

In retrospect, we could have slept in and then hit the pools and waterslides in the morning.

I could have also booked a different activity

Something else I considered was doing something different from a beach.

I could have skipped the beach in Cozumel and taken a taxi downtown for shopping and eating. Or tried an ATV tour in Roatan.

I think mixing up activities is equally important to the rate of when you are on or off the ship.

In thinking about this, I might have gotten off the ship in the morning with my wife to enjoy some time in Cozumel and get some food, before coming back to the ship to take the kids to the pools and waterslides.

The other idea was to try something different in our first port stop of Roatan so it wouldn't be beach right off the bat.

Plan your shore days with the big picture in mind

My advice to myself and anyone planning a Caribbean cruise in the future is look at the itinerary in totality, and not just in a silo.

If variety is the spice of life, it applies to shore excursions as well. I didn't regret any single beach I visited, rather, the combination in a short span of time added up quickly.

While some people might absolutely love nothing but beach day after beach day, don't forget to take into consideration wake up times, prep time, and travel distances to and from the beach.

This is especially important when you're cruising with kids, as multiple early starts in a row takes their toll.  And that applies to aging adults too, who enjoy late nights around the ship.

If you're sailing on a big Royal Caribbean ship that has so many activities, it makes the decision to embrace skipping a port day a good plan.

When we repeat this itinerary in November on the soon-to-be-launched Star of the Seas, I'll be sure to change plans to avoid so many beach days while also taking advantage of what the ship has to offer.

One of the worst mistakes new cruisers can make is booking their flights for the day of their cruise's departure. 

In a picture-perfect world, that 8:00am flight would depart as scheduled, leaving you with plenty of time to mosey from Fort Lauderdale's airport to Port Everglades. However, the reality of flying is that flights can be unpredictable and chaotic. 

One Royal Caribbean cruiser shared their experience of trying to cruise from Fort Lauderdale, only to miss the ship after over 13 hours of delays and giving themself a buffer in case of unforeseen delays and cancellations. 

In a post titled "THIS is why you fly in the day before," Reddit user Mamm0nn described the unlucky series of events that caused them to return home earlier than expected. 

"On our 3rd flight delay.... total of 5hr 30 minute delay so far.... now getting in at 1AM the date of the cruise," they begin. 

The first update to the original post reveals that, after three delays, the original flight was canceled. With no other options, they were going to have to sleep on the airport floor and fly from Chicago to Florida at 5:00am on the morning of departure. 

The frustration grew as five delays and two flight cancellations later, they realized they were stuck in Chicago and lost all hope of making their cruise on time. 

"UPDATE #2 13 hours at Ohare 5 delays 2 flight cancelations We can't get to Fort Lauderdale out of OHare until tomorrow evening," Mamm0nn continues. 

"No cars available to rent to get back to Milwaukee so waiting until 0630 to get a bus back and finish the trip with Uber."

They returned home around 8:00am and slept until noon. However, they didn't stay down in the dumps for too long, as they booked a 4-night cruise out of Los Angeles to achieve the coveted Diamond status before their Greece cruise!

Other users agreed that they always fly to their embarkation port at least one day early

While Charlotte, North Carolina, has multiple daily departures to popular embarkation ports like Miami and Fort Lauderdale, I'd never risk my vacation by flying on the day of my cruise. 

Last July, AirHelp released data about the worst airports for flight disruptions. Charlotte ranked #9, with over 25% of flights delayed or canceled. According to AirHelp, the worst airport in the United States is Ronald Reagan National Airport in D.C., where more than 40% of flights are disrupted. As such, it's not uncommon for travelers to face delays, especially during peak travel seasons. 

I've been stuck in Charlotte for longer than I'd like to admit. Most recently, I had two flights canceled while trying to get to Tampa for a cruise aboard Margaritaville at Sea's Islander. Thankfully, I was flying into Florida the day before and wasn't too stressed. Though I arrived a few hours later than planned, I wasn't trying to navigate flight disruptions on embarkation day. 

It may be easy to catch another flight to your land destination and lose a day of vacation, but cruise ships operate on tight schedules and won't wait for late passengers. 

While travel insurance can help recoup some costs, it's stressful and expensive to try and catch the ship in the next port of call, not to mention that you may lose two or three days onboard that won't be refunded by the cruise line. 

One day before isn't enough time for many. Comments on Mamm0nn's post reveal that cruisers are giving themselves even more of a buffer than before.

"I used to fly in the day before. Now I fly in 2 days in advance. This is because the airline screwed me and delayed my luggage and it wouldn’t arrive until the following day when I would have already boarded the ship," explained ItsDeCia.

"So when I arrived following my flight, I basically went straight from the airport to the mall to buy a whole new bag and clothes to put in it. Stressful to say the least."

AnonUserAccount added, "Agreed. I’ve been delayed on my last three trips, twice arriving past midnight (technically the day of the cruise) and once arriving at 8am the day of the cruise (flight from Dallas was cancelled, took the 5am flight the day of the cruise)."

"Yeah, I’ve never been one to cut it close. Our next one, we’re going in 3 days early. We look at it as an opportunity to explore a new city, or visit favorite spots in an old one," wrote 410bore.

Delayed flights aren't the only embarkation day risks

Not only is flying expensive, but it's often riskier than driving. That, however, doesn't mean that driving to your cruise ship is predictable and easy. 

"I totally agree. I even drive in the day before. I live in San Antonio and have cruised out of Galveston several times. On our honeymoon cruise, we drove 4+ hours the morning...Our luck, a storm came through that morning and it was a torrential downpour almost the entire drive on top of the freeway," explained Constant_Bandicoot21.

"We made it in time however we were frazzled by the time we got on the ship. We said never again."

myfapaccount_istaken wrote, "I lived in Orlando and would go the night before to Port [Canaveral]. 528 get[s] closed to[o] many times where you [couldn't] turn around and go to the coast in time. I'm on the other coast now, and will drive to Tampa (an hour) the night before and always Miami or FLL the night before. Just so much less stress."

Speaking of traffic, ports like Miami have reported massive delays due to the influx of passengers disembarking and embarking at the same time. 

For example, if there are seven or more ships in port, cruisers have reported sitting in upwards of 90 minutes of traffic because there's just one road shared by multiple cruise terminals. As such, whether you're flying or driving, it's crucial to budget time into your arrival plan for unforeseen traffic delays. 

Read more: Traffic is so bad in Miami that Royal Caribbean is offering free bus transfers

The internet is great for learning and planning your cruise vacation, but I've stopped using Facebook as a way to learn about my sailing.

There are a number of good things you should do before your cruise begins to plan and prepare for it, but one of them was to join a Facebook group for the sailing.

It's likely someone else from your specific sailing will set up a group so others can join and start discussing the cruise.

In the past, this was a great way to learn about what others are doing, meet other cruisers, and otherwise get excited about the cruise. There can be hundreds of people in one group, especially on Royal Caribbean's biggest ships.

I cruise a lot each year, trying to squeeze in at least one per month.  Last year I took 15 cruises, so I joined plenty of these groups.

Unfortunately, I've noticed a trend in cruise Facebook groups of bad information, trolling, and arguments over very silly things. As a result, I'd think twice before you join a group.

The drama overshadows the help

Facebook groups for cruises used to be such a helpful way for new cruisers to learn about their sailing.

People would join and ask questions about what to do, how to prepare, and what not to miss.  And because it was specific to your sailing, it was easier to get firm answers.

Like a lot of social media, more of the negativity has creeped into them.

Quite often new cruisers ask basic questions, but the answers get heated when they're more subjective responses than objective.

Some of these groups are run by spammers who are looking to sell merchandise to unsuspecting cruisers.

Equally bad are the groups that get created but are completely unmoderated because the admin either stops caring or disappears.

Then there's the bickering about things that end up in name calling, or worse. Arguments about what the actual policy is versus someone's opinion, sharing out dated information, and trying to circumvent rules are all commonplace now in the groups I've been a part of.

Some have become power trips

If you book a particularly popular sailing, the drama gets real quickly.

As an example, Royal Caribbean added a series of short pre-inaugural cruises for Star of the Seas in August. As soon as the announcement was made, a flurry of cruise groups were created for each voyage.

It can quickly become confusing which group to join, and I've seen in past one group hating on another group based on who thinks which one is the "legitimate" group or the one that was started first.

This really only applies to inaugural sailings or a President's Cruise, but I've resisted joining any group until perhaps the last few weeks before the actual sailing begins.

Spam has become a bigger concern

Besides the arguing and misinformation that can often be shared in a Facebook group, it's clear some groups are created with ulterior motives in mind.

Some groups are run by travel agents who are clearly using the group to source new clients with unsolicited sales pitches.

As mentioned before, some groups are run by people overseas usually trying to sell t-shirts or swag related to the sailing.

And even if the group admin isn't bad, there are often people within the group that are working an angle.

A new trend has been the selling of rubber ducks to people in the group. A fake account tries to sell unwanted rubber cruise ducks due to "a change in plans," but there's nothing to be sold. 

Another is the slot pull scam, where someone asks you to pay money to participate in a group slot machine tournament.

Finally, there's the typical Facebook spam from fake accounts that share links with the intention of catfishing you into hacking your account. 

Some aren't bad, but it all depends on who creates it

To be fair, not all Facebook groups for a sailing are like this.

You might still find a group that has "normal people" and the members far less worrisome. It's a crapshoot as to who will join your sailing's group and how knowledgeable they are.

If you're going to join a Facebook group for your sailing, I'd recommend exercising a great deal of caution. Don't take every answer as the gospel truth.  

Take any answer or statement made as something to consider, but go and verify the answer elsewhere.

Roll call threads are an alternative

If you want something else outside of Facebook, I'd recommend a roll call thread.

Well before Facebook groups became a thing, message board communities had well-established communities with roll calls for each sailing.

Cruise Critic pioneered the idea with their roll call forum, even going as far as getting recognition of them by Royal Caribbean on some sailings.

We have our own roll call area within the Royal Caribbean message boards that you can join (or start) a thread for your cruise.

The advantage of a forum is it's far better moderated than Facebook, and there's a history to the members that goes beyond a single sailing.

However, it's unlikely you'll get as many people joining a roll call as a Facebook group. Facebook is so ubiquitous that it has a much larger pool of users to draw from.

I stopped joining Facebook groups for my sailing

Ultimately, I've decided to stop joining the group to avoid the unnecessary drama that comes with it.

Of course, I'm in a different situation than most given my knowledge of cruising. But I hope this article serves as a warning these groups have changed a lot over the years and not to trust everything you read in them.

There's still value in finding a well-moderated group for your sailing with people that bring different experiences and background. Heck, you might even make a new friend before you board.

Just don't get too invested into them.

Spring break is one of the most popular times of year to take a family cruise vacation. Kids are out of school, and it's not too hot and humid in the Caribbean yet.

This year, I'm taking my kids back on a spring break cruise on we're sailing for a week on Icon of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship in the world. That big size means there will be thousands of other passengers with us, as the ship can handle up to 7,000 passengers if they sell every bed onboard.

Even though it's spring break, you won't find the Panama City Beach vibe that would be reminiscent of "MTV Spring Break" in the past.  Royal Caribbean is a family cruise line, and while there are going to be thousands of kids, it won't be as crazy as you might otherwise assume.

Nonetheless, spring break cruises are not only going to be sold out, but quite busy. And with the great weather, there's going to be competition onboard and onshore for all the fun.

Here are some of the tips I've used to navigate the unavoidable crowds on a spring break cruise.

Take advantage of being early or late

One my top tips for crowds on any cruise is to avoid peak times for the things you want to do.

You'll find any Royal Caribbean ship is much quieter early in the morning and late at night, especially around the pool deck.

There's a definite flow to passengers and where they go throughout the day.  The Royal Promenade is usually quiet in the daytime, but gets busy at night.  The pool deck inversely is busy in the afternoon but deserted at night.

It's best to head to the pool or hot tubs early in the morning to beat the crowds that will descend later. If you can get to the pool before 9am to get a chair, you'll find plenty of choices.

Don't overlook the pool at night. Once 4pm hits, the pool starts to clear out with everyone going to dinner.

Thanks to daylight saving time, the sun is out longer and you can still get a few hours of fun in the sun in the pool with significantly less people around.  Or, just go for a night swim and enjoy a nearly empty pool or hot tub.

The fitness center is best to hit up in the afternoon or evening.  It seems everyone wants to get their morning workout in, so either go extremely early or wait them out and go later in the day when crowds are thinner.

This early or late strategy works at the Windjammer buffet too.

Try to go right when it opens in the morning, or later in the dining period to avoid long lines.

Use Royal Caribbean's app to pre-reserve

If it all possible, pre-book everything you need before the cruise begins.

The Royal Caribbean app allows you to book shows, dining, excursions, and more before the cruise begins.

On its biggest ships, being able to book show times and assure yourself of a spot is paramount. 

You can use the app to book dining and entertainment in advance so you don't miss out on popular experiences.

Pick less crowded alternatives to eat

Crowds for meals can be avoided if you're willing to eat at different places.

The peak times for meals on any ship are:

• Breakfast: 9-10:30 AM
• Lunch: 12-1 PM
• Dinner: 6-7:30 PM

Most ships have good alternatives that go beyond the buffet or Main Dining Room.

On Icon of the Seas, I'm planning to take advantage of a few great venues.  Aquadome Market is the food hall and it's legitimately one of my favorite places to eat on a cruise ship.  The Mediterranean stall is my go-to snack spot.

Then there are great grab-and-go packaged snacks at Pearl Cafe that my kids will eat, and I like taking them up to the pool deck too.

If you need your morning coffee, go to Rye and Bean instead of Pearl Cafe for a much shorter line.

On other Royal Caribbean ships, similar alternative venues include Solarium Bistro, Park Cafe, or Cafe@Two70.

Try the water slides on a port day

Easily the most popular activity on your cruise ship during a spring break cruise will be the water slides.

Instead of waiting in a gargantuan line, I'd recommend picking a port day to hit the slides.

Either identify a day you'll stay on the ship instead of doing a shore excursion, or make shore excursion plans that get you back onboard early and you'll find the lines much shorter for the water slides.

Icon of the Seas has a massive 6 slide waterpark onboard, and my kids will definitely want to hit that up at some point.  If they want dad to come along, it won't be on a sea day.

If your port day plans are already slammed, try to go when people are at dinner as an alternative. The pool deck clears out closer to 5pm.

Plan shore excursions wisely

The spring break crowds will extend to the places your ship visits too, as this is the peak of the Caribbean cruise season with many ships in port.

You'll want to pre-book shore excursions prior to ever stepping foot on your ship. Tours and day passes sell out, so don't leave it to the last minute.

Speaking of tours, I'd recommend researching private or small-group excursions so you can find options that won't be oversold.

If exploring a port on your own, leave early to beat the rush or wait until later when crowds start to thin out.

Piggybacking on the water slide tip earlier, don't be afraid to skip an excursion and stay on the ship instead. Staying on the ship during port days allows you to enjoy amenities with fewer people around.

Book a longer cruise if you want less kids

If you're looking to take a spring break cruise and want to lessen the amount of families onboard, I'd look at a longer sailing.

Royal Caribbean has always been a family cruise line, so there's going to be a lot of kids on any cruise. But there are less on longer voyages.

Certainly any cruise less than 6 nights will have many more families onboard.  In fact, the 4-night Bahamas cruises are typically the ones college kids book.

So try a 7-night or longer sailing to lessen the college party factor.

If you can find something even longer than 7 nights, you'll probably see a shift in the age demographic to something older.

Seek chairs near the ocean, away from the pool

I think a lot of people will say they want to have a view of the ocean, a gentle breeze, and somewhere to sit, and it does not need to be at the pool.

There are great spots with few crowds around the ship, if you know where to look.

On Icon of the Seas, there is fabulous seating outside of the 1400 Bar on the promenade deck.

Many Royal Caribbean ships have chairs on the outdoor deck that's on deck 4 or 5 and if you see more than five people here, that's a lot.

If you still want to be near the pool, I'd recommend chairs on the upper pool deck.

Every Royal Caribbean ship has two decks to the pool area, and the upper deck is always less crowded.  Moreover, if you walk further back or forward, there's many more chairs.

These are great spots to read, take a nap, or enjoy the ocean air.

Throw money at the problem and book a suite

I'm not going to lie, sometimes money solves problems, and the suite perks could be your ticket to less crowds.

Suites will cost much more than a standard cabin, but they get you priority boarding and access to reserved areas other passengers cannot go.

This is so helpful with the pool deck, as there's reserved seating in the suite area on Royal Caribbean ships.  While you will have to still compete with your fellow suite guests, there's far fewer of them.

On the big ships, there's an exclusive restaurant, Coastal Kitchen, which will ensure you don't have to battle the crowds for meals elsewhere on the ship.

To be clear, you don't have to spend thousands more in order to have less crowds.  It's simply an "easy button" if you have the means for it.

One of the questions we get asked most often is: When is the best time to book a cruise?

With cruise prices continuing to rise, the question has become even more crucial for many prospective cruisers. After all, no one wants to spend more than they need on a cruise vacation.

Like airfare, cruise pricing is dynamic, meaning fares fluctuate based on the basic principles of supply and demand. When demand surges and cabin availability declines, it’s natural for prices to increase. Conversely, an oversupply of cabins can lead to price drops, allowing for last-minute cruise deals, although these are becoming increasingly rare.

Currently, most of Royal Caribbean’s cruises are sailing at full capacity due to overwhelming demand. With fewer cabins available to book on a specific cruise, fares will continue to rise.

While we typically recommend booking your cruise as early as possible, we realize this isn’t always feasible. Depending on your schedule and budget, you might not be able to secure a deposit years in advance.

To better understand the best time to book a cruise, we utilized the historic pricing trends available for Royal Caribbean on Gangwaze. I took a deep dive into the fluctuations of cruise prices to find the optimal time to book your vacation.

Using data on Gangwaze, this pricing analysis looked at 12-month’s worth of data for both inside cabins and balcony cabins for cruising departing in March 2025, which likely includes increased demand for spring break itineraries. This allows us to have a full year of data to analyze historical trending and find meaningful insights. In this way, monthly pricing data from February 2024 to February 2025 was included for March 2025 sailings.

Gangwaze only includes a detailed trending graph without actual numeric values, so estimates were used for the monthly value. We selected 13 different vessels across Royal Caribbean’s fleet, from the largest Oasis class ships to the oldest and smallest Vision class ships.

Here’s what our analysis uncovered, including the best time to book your cruise to receive the cheapest price.

When is the cheapest time to book a cruise? Let’s take a look

There’s no magic formula for when the perfect time is to book a cruise. If only we had a crystal ball to see into the future and determine exactly when to secure a sailing at the best possible price!

This uncertainty can feel even more overwhelming when making a non-refundable deposit, particularly if you’re considering booking a cruise several years in advance. The idea of committing to a trip so far in the future without knowing how prices will fluctuate can make the decision feel daunting.

Because of this uncertainty, some people claim that waiting to book a cruise can be a good strategy to score a last-minute deal. This method was effective in the past, such as cruise lines dropping prices due to lower demand in the post-pandemic era of cruising. For years, this approach worked well, allowing for cruisers to capitalize on discounted last-minute fares.

(Average Interior Cabin Price Trending for March 2025 sailing on Jewel of the Seas)

Another advantage to booking your cruise closer to departure is the added flexibility it offers. Last-minute cruising also allows for more flexibility to ensure the itinerary actually aligns with your schedule, alleviating some risk for unplanned cancellations. Personally, I saved hundreds of dollars booking last-minute cruises in 2022 when sailings were dirt cheap!

On the other hand, many people now recommend booking far in advance as the better option for cruise planning. This strategy allows cruisers to lock in a lower rate with the assumption that prices will continue to rise overtime. Booking early also provides more options for cabin selection and proper budgeting, along with opportunities to either reprice or upgrade your cabin at a reasonable cost.

The numbers don’t lie: If you want to save money on your cruise, booking early is the way to go

To address this question, the initial phase of our analysis focused on examining pricing trends over the past 12 months. By studying historical price fluctuations, we aimed to determine which booking strategy ultimately results in the cheapest cruise fare for guests.

Our research included a detailed review of both balcony and interior cabin pricing across 13 different Royal Caribbean ships. The itineraries were scheduled to sail in March 2025. The objective was to uncover patterns in how cruise fares change over time and identify the most cost-effective booking approach.

The results are clear: if you’re holding out for a last-minute cruise bargain, you might want to reconsider.

According to our analysis, the likelihood of paying a higher fare increases the longer you wait to book your cruise. Reviewing data from a full 12-month period, we found that cruise prices generally trended upward over time, though there were some fluctuations, which we will explore in more detail later. While the data shows some fluctuation overtime, the overall trend indicated that fares steadily climbed as the departure date approached.

Most notably, between February 2024 and February 2025, average cruise fares increased an average of 42% across the 13 ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Regardless of the itinerary or ship class, the trend was consistent across the board.

Balcony staterooms are more susceptible to price increases compared to inside cabins

Diving deeper in our analysis, we wanted to understand if cabin category contributed to price fluctuations in our data. When comparing balcony and interior staterooms, we found that balcony cruise fares had a more significant increase over the 12-month period.

On average, the data revealed that balcony cabins saw a price increase of 47% throughout the year across the 13 ships analyzed. In contrast, interior staterooms increased by only 35% for the same 12-month timeframe. But, the extent of the increase varied depending on the ship class.

Our analysis showed balcony cabins on Vision and Radiance class ships had a significantly higher price increase over the 12-month period. For example, the price for a balcony cabin on Brilliance of the Seas skyrocketed by 161% for one sailing in March 2025! Similarly, balconies on Vision class ships increased by nearly 50% for itineraries in the same month.

On the other hand, the cruise line’s newest and biggest ships have notably more balconies available to book. This leads to more stable pricing with an increase in supply. In this way, we see balcony fares on Oasis, Quantum, and Voyager class ships only had an increase of 32% during the 12-month period.

Because most cruisers prefer booking a balcony stateroom for their vacation, there is usually an increased demand for this stateroom type. However, older and smaller ships have far fewer balcony cabins available, leading to scarcity-driven price increases.

For this reason, Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest vessels have far more balcony staterooms onboard. This strategy lowers the demand with more supply available. Compared to older vessels, there are significantly more balcony staterooms for guests to book on Icon, Oasis, and Quantum class ship.

For instance, the oldest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, Grandeur of the Seas, only has 122 balcony staterooms of the 997 cabins onboard. On the other hand, the much newer Odyssey of the Seas offers 1,482 balconies to book among its 1,922 total cabins. This represents a jump from just 12% of cabins being balconies to an impressive 77%.

If you’re wanting to book a balcony cabin on one of Royal Caribbean’s older and smaller ships, you might want to lock in your price sooner rather than later. However, if you’re sailing on a newer cruise ship, you won’t need to stress as much with more balcony stateroom options available.

The lowest cruise fares tend to be available around 10 months before departure

Now that we’ve proven the importance of booking your cruise as early as possible, you might be wondering just how far in advance you should lock in your reservation. In my opinion, this was one of the most insightful and fascinating takeaways from the analysis!

While it’s not a guarantee, our findings suggests that the optimal time to secure the best price is 10 to 12 months before departure. In fact, about half of the itineraries analyzed showed their lowest fares 10 months out from the sailing.

Because of the cruise line’s dynamic pricing, the trends fluctuate substantially over the 12-month period. Most trends show a slight decrease in price from 10 to 12 months, followed by a steady and consistent increase over the next nine months.

Beyond the 9-month mark, prices for both inside and balcony cabins began to rise at a more predictable rate, showing a consistent upward trend as the departure date approached. Prices were often the highest within 1 to 3 months prior to the itinerary’s departure date. This illustrates why last-minute cruise deals have been hard to come by with the last year!

The steepest price hikes typically occurred between 4 and 7 months before sailing. For cruises departing in March 2025, the most significant price jumps were observed between August 2024 and November 2024.

Surprisingly, price increases slowed down as the departure date of March 2025 approached. In the final three months before the sailing date, cruise prices appear to stabilize, with only slight increases leading up to embarkation. This trend remained consistent across all cabin categories and ship classes in our analysis.

(Difference in Average Price by Months from Departure)

Why do we see this pricing stabilization right before departure? A key factor to consider is Royal Caribbean’s final payment deadline, which is usually 90 days before departure date.

After final payment, the cruise line has a better idea of how many guests will be cruising and which cabins are sold for a particular sailing. Less variability and uncertainty leads to steadier pricing and fewer fluctuations in the final months before departure.

If you’ve already booked a cruise before the 10-month mark, consider adding a reminder in your calendar to check if your cruise price has decreased. You can also ask your travel agent to do this for you. Based on our findings, you might be eligible for a reprice at a lower rate. If your sailing prices continue to rise, rest assured you locked in the lowest rate!

The biggest outlier in the dataset was Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Icon of the Seas

No analysis is complete without examining the outliers in our dataset. Among the itineraries and ships we analyzed, Icon of the Seas stood out as a clear anomaly. As Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest cruise ship, pricing on Icon of the Seas is less predictable and doesn’t align with the vessels.

When looking at the departure dates in March 2025, prices to sail on Icon of the Seas actually decreased from February 2024 to August 2024. One sailing showed a decrease of 42% in pricing during this timeframe. However, prices started to rise starting in September 2024 and continued increasing until February 2025.

Considering Royal Caribbean experienced record bookings and demand for Icon of the Seas, cruise fares were likely set higher than other ships in the cruise line’s fleet for March 2025 itineraries. When demand started to decline and cabins were not filling as anticipated, Royal Caribbean likely lowered prices to ensure cabins would continue to sell.

Those sailing on Icon of the Seas in the coming months should monitor cruise fares to potentially reprice for additional savings. This could also present an opportunity to upgrade your cabin for an affordable fare,

What other pricing insights can we gather from this data?

Our analysis unveiled other interesting tidbits about Royal Caribbean’s pricing trends over the last year. First, we see that Royal Caribbean’s newest ships are the most expensive, as expected.

However, we were surprised to see Wonder of the Seas was consistently the most expensive cruise ship to book in Royal Caribbean’s fleet for March 2025. The average cruise fare for an interior cabin on Wonder of the Seas was the most expensive in our dataset at $3,741, followed by Icon of the Seas at $2,146 and Symphony of the Seas at $1,899.

On the other hand, Royal Caribbean’s oldest and smallest ships were significantly cheaper. We see Brilliance of the Seas was the cheapest at $884 and Rhapsody of the Seas at $1,033 and Vision of the Seas at $1,098. Those looking to cruise on a budget should prioritize booking a Radiance or Vision class ship.

Read more: How much does a cruise ship cost to operate per day?

Our analysis also shows that some cruise ships had more price fluctuation than others. For instance, Utopia of the Seas had the least amount of price fluctuation, followed by Harmony of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas.

In contrast, Odyssey of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, and Vision of the Seas had the highest volatility in pricing. This is likely due to lower supply with few cabins available, leading to more pricing fluctuation over the 12-month period.

Bottom line: If you’re sailing on an older cruise ship, booking early is crucial to avoid rapid price hikes. This is especially true if you’re wanting to book a balcony cabin. On the other hand, newer ships offer more pricing stability. Booking 10-12 months out still secures the best deal in our findings, with 10 months from departure showing the cheapest time to book your cruise.

I just turned 30-years-old this month, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t taken my fair share of cruises over the last three decades. Last week, I sailed on my 51st cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas. Of course, I have a few more cruises already planned for this year.

Between personal and professional travel, I’ve been lucky enough to cruise more than I ever imagined. I took my first cruise at 4-years-old and continued sailing each year with my family while growing up.

My passion for cruising has only accelerated in the last decade, and I continue to prioritize cruising with my friends, husband, and parents. Whether it’s a quick weekend getaway or an extended voyage to a far-flung destination, each cruise brings something new to appreciate.

As someone who enjoys frequent travel, I’ve learned valuable lessons about maximizing my cruise budget. There are infinite opportunities to splurge on a cruise vacation; spending extra isn’t always necessary.

Here are my best tips for saving and splurging on a cruise vacation from a budget cruiser.

Save: Book an interior cabin

When booking your cruise, you’ll need to decide which cabin category you want to book. You might be tempted to spend thousands of dollars on a suite or balcony cabin, but I don’t think this is always necessary.

I prefer booking an interior cabin most of the time to save money. These budget-friendly cabins have everything you need for a comfortable stay, despite not having a window or balcony. Considering I book many port-intensive sailings, I hardly spend any time in my cabin anyway.

The only time I choose to book a balcony cabin is when I’m sailing on an especially scenic itinerary, such as Alaska, Iceland, and Norway. The views on these stunning sailings are an essential part of the experience!

Splurge: Choose your cabin’s location

For many years, I booked the cheapest cabin available onboard, which was often an interior guarantee cabin. Although you might save some money, you give up any control over choosing your cabin’s location onboard.

After losing the stateroom lottery location multiple times, I’ve sworn off guarantee cabins for the foreseeable future. Whether my cabins were below the pool deck or above the nightclub, many sleepless nights on vacation left my frustrated.

Instead, I splurge on choosing my cabin’s location to ensure my stateroom is in a quiet, convenient, and comfortable location. Not to mention, cruise ships are sailing at almost full capacity, meaning the leftover cabins available for guarantee reservations are often the least desirable ones. This is a gamble that I’m no longer willing to make!

Read more: Cruise ship extra costs worth splurging on

Save: Skip the drink package

One of the most expensive cruise add-ons you can purchase is a drink package. While many travelers consider it a must-have for their cruises, it’s something I rarely choose to purchase for my trips.

After splurging on Royal Caribbean’s drink package for the first time a couple years ago, I quickly realized the investment was not worthwhile. I struggled to drink enough throughout the cruise to break even, and I often felt pressured to keep ordering drinks to justify the cost.

Instead, I’ve started to bring my own wine onboard while cruising to save money. Unless you have the stamina to drink frequently and consistently for your cruise, I’d suggest saving your money and forgoing the drink package. You can often find cheaper drinks in port and take advantage of the option to bring wine onboard, making it an easy way to cut costs without sacrificing enjoyment.

The only exception I make is for Celebrity Cruises’ All Included cruise fare, which bundles a standard drink package and internet package in the price. Last year, I booked a 15-night Australia cruise through my MEI travel agent at a group rate, which included these perks. By choosing this option, I actually saved money compared to booking directly with the cruise line without any extras.

Splurge: Book specialty dining

For many years, I avoided spending extra on specialty dining. I was always impressed with the main dining room food on a cruise and never felt the need to splurge on specialty dining. However, with recent cost-cutting measures affecting the quality and variety of complimentary dining, my perspective has shifted.

Now, I genuinely appreciate the elevated ambiance and dining experience, especially when cruising on longer itineraries. I almost always book specialty dining while cruising and highly recommend others do too.

You might also be surprised to learn that you can negotiate specialty dining prices. On my recent sailings with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, I saved anywhere from 30% to 50% by simply inquiring about a discount.

Cruise lines are eager to fill their specialty restaurants, so you can often see crew members promoting these venues throughout the ship. If you show some interest and insist that you’ll only dine at a discount, you’ll often be offered a lower rate, making it a great way to enjoy an upgraded dining experience without overspending.

Read more: Royal Caribbean loyalty match review

Save: Avoid the spa, casino, and onboard shops

Once you’re onboard a cruise ship, there are constant temptations to spend extra money. Onboard spending is extremely profitable for cruise lines; for instance, Royal Caribbean reported in its 2024 Q4 financial report that consumer spending onboard is significantly higher than 2023 levels, fueled by greater spending at higher prices.

For this reason, I steer clear of the onboard spa, casino, and shops so I am not tempted to spend money. It’s easy to spend extra when you can easily charge everything to your shipboard account.

Cruise ship spas are notoriously overpriced for the services they provide, and casinos make it extremely easy to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars. While onboard shops can be fun to browse, you’ll often find overpriced and poor-quality merchandise available for purchase.

Instead, I prefer spending my time onboard enjoying the included amenities and entertainment to save money. Your cruise will already feature activities, events, and shows at no extra cost. This allows you to have a fantastic vacation without blowing your budget.

Splurge: Interesting and desirable itineraries

While some cruisers prioritize the ship experience itself, others are drawn to cruises for the chance to explore new destinations and immerse themselves in different ports of call. As a world traveler, I am always looking for interesting cruise itineraries to visit new countries and destinations.

If you’re spending your hard-earned money and vacation time to go on a cruise, I recommend booking an itinerary that interests you. Don’t settle for ports of call that aren’t exciting. Unless you have unlimited resources and time, choosing a more desirable itinerary is always worth the extra cost to make the most of your vacation.

When you go on a Royal Caribbean cruise, there's all sorts of extras you can buy for it, and a few are must-buys that at one point I scoffed at.

I'm lucky that it's my job to try out different things Royal Caribbean offers in order to evaluate how useful it is.  After all, one of the most common questions I get from readers about anything the cruise line does is, "is it worth it?".

I prefer to mix up my repertoire of cruise experiences and I really try not to do the same thing on every sailing, especially when I'm on the same ship or going on the same itinerary again.

Over the years, I've come to truly love certain extras the cruise line offers and it's unusual if I go on a cruise and don't have all of them booked.

I came up with a list of four things I always buy now, even though I probably at one point wasn't sure I'd ever like it. But they turned out to be so good, that they have nearly permanent spots in my online shopping cart before I go onboard

Cabana rentals

Many years ago I tried my first cabana when my good friend, supporter of this site, and travel partner, Beci Mahnken from MEI Travel invited me to her hilltop cabana at Labadee.

Cabanas are available for rent during the day at either Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee, and they have a flat cost for up to a certain amount of people to use it.

I was so impressed by the furnishings, level of service provided, and privacy it included. When my kids were younger, it was the perfect base of operations for my family.

Royal Caribbean has slowly added more cabana types to different places across its private destinations.  Most recently, I tried the Hideout Cabanas at the Hideaway Beach Club.

This cabana is located within the adults-only area, and having your own plunge pool is just about my favorite thing ever.

The problem with cabanas is their popularity is no secret, and demand has been so high that prices have skyrocketed in recent years.

I admit I don't always buy a cabana, but I at least look.  I've found with some careful planning in advance, you can sometimes nab a cabana for a better price with the right sale.

Spa treatments

I asked my wife what's something she swears by now on a cruise, and her answer was the Vitality Spa.

There are all sorts of treatments you can buy at the spa, and she really enjoys going in for a massage.  It's a way to treat herself, as well as set herself up for a relaxing vacation.

I think the best approach is to pre-book online to lock in a good time and good price.  Plus, there's no issue with any sales push to book more appointments or longer ones.

Her favorite treatments are either the traditional Swedish massage or a hot rock massage.

I think a lot of people that cruise often have a few "traditions" that they do and it officially kicks off a cruise, and the spa is one for my wife.

Air2Sea

For years I resisted booking my flights through Royal Caribbean because I thought the service fee negated any perceived savings.

I was really wrong.

You can book a flight through Royal Caribbean after you have a cruise booked.  You can do it on your own or your travel agent can do it for you.

Last year I had a cruise booked that departed Panama.  I booked my own flight and paid for non-refundable air fare because I was certain I was going on the sailing.

Then Royal Caribbean cancelled the Panama Canal transit, and I thought the new itinerary was lackluster. So I cancelled the cruise I was certain I was going on, and ended up with a giant airfare bill.

If I had booked with Air2Sea, I would have been covered.

In addition, Royal Caribbean regularly subsidizes airfare to Europe and Alaska when you book in advance through Air2Sea.

For my upcoming European cruises this summer, I saved almost $2,000 by booking my flights with Air2Sea instead of directly with the airline. I was amazed how much I saved, because I always though booking directly was cheaper.

Did you know you can book a flight with Air2Sea and not pay a penny until your cruise final payment date? This is a huge advantage for families that want to budget out their trip and split up payments.

The Air2Sea website used to be more wonky to use, but it's gotten better recently.

For the money savings alone, I'll book my flights with Royal Caribbean.  Plus, it offers some protections too.

Royal Railway

When Royal Caribbean announced it was going to build an immersive dining experience, I thought I'd definitely try it once. I never thought it would join my "must-eat there all the time" list.

Royal Railway at Utopia Station is a simulated classic train car dinner, where you board a full-size replica train. Using technology, sounds, and even a little motion, it feels like you're transported to The Old West.

The implementation was great, and I thought they did such a good job evoking the look and feel of what a train car of that era looks like. 

Plus, the food is really good too and I could eat the braised short ribs, empanadas, and pretty much any dessert on the menu!

It wasn't until I got onboard and experienced it for myself that I truly got it.  I think when Royal Caribbean finally rolls out additional themes and menus, this is going to be a revolutionary restaurant.

Whereas I tried Empire Supper Club on Icon of the Seas and felt content, Royal Railway is something I wanted to go back to again and again.

If you're going to book a cruise, you might be better off with a sailing that has less time visiting an island or city.

Cruises are renowned for how convenient it is to visit multiple places in a single week. It almost feels magical how you can go to sleep and wake up in a different place.

What I've found after so many years of cruising on all sorts of ships is Royal Caribbean is getting really good at designing and building its vessels to be floating destinations. The result is it competes for your time with where you visit.

In the old days of cruising, sea days were seen as an escape to bask in the sun and enjoy a break from it all. While that's still the case, there's so much more to do on a ship than lay out on a lounger.

With so much to do on ships today, you'd be right to feel conflicted about wanting to try everything onboard versus what you can do on shore.

While there's nothing wrong with picking a cruise that has a lot of port stops, ultimately you get to enjoy your vacation the way you want to, and there's so much waiting for you on the ship.

Before you book your next cruise, here are 7 reasons I think you might want to avoid booking a cruise with lots of ports.

You'll feel more relaxed and refreshed

Exploring ports of call is a lot of fun, but it's also exhausting.

Have you ever heard the complaint, "I need a vacation from the vacation"? It means they had fun, but it wasn't the relaxing break they may have hoped for initially.

With more sea days, you can sleep in and more importantly, not exert yourself nearly as much as in a port of call. 

Most shore excursions involve early starts and plenty of physical activity. Even just going to the beach involves a lot of physical exertion, especially if you're in the ocean.

On a sea day, you have much more flexibility in how you spend your day. 

You could go to the spa for a treatment, read a book on deck, work on your tan, or enjoy time in the pool.

There's no question a sea day means you'll likely have much more time to take things easy.

More time to do all the things on your ship

Just looking at a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and you'll see all sorts of things you want to try, so more time on the ship allows you the chance to do it all.

This is especially true on the new ships, such as the Icon Class, Oasis Class, or Quantum Class.

You have just a few days on your ship, and there's no way to see, do, and eat everything you wanted to if you're on a port intensive cruise.

With next-gen ships like Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is offering so much more than ever onboard.

These big ships have so much you can do onboard, such as zip lines, FlowRider surf simulators, water slides, rock climbing walls, and more. 

Icon of the Seas has an entire water park, you can feel like you're sky diving on Odyssey of the Seas, and experience the energy of an aqua show on the Oasis Class.

Plus there's so many more activities to discover on every ship during a sea day. There's sushi making classes, all sorts of trivia, or dance competitions.

Royal Caribbean doesn't offer nearly as many activities on port days because there aren't enough passengers on the ship to warrant it.

Fewer days docked means more time in the casino

If you enjoy gambling, then more sea days means more time you can do just that.

Royal Caribbean casinos can only be open when a ship is in international waters (except for CocoCay), so if you're on a port intensive itinerary, the casino won't be open for long.

This is more problematic on a day when your ship is in port late at night.  It takes some time for the ship to drop its lines, depart the port, and get out to open waters before the casino can open.

This is especially important for anyone that is counting on free drinks in the casino because they have accrued status within Casino Royale's loyalty program.

More sea days adds far more value for a nicer cabin

One of the most debated topics is if it's worth it to spend more on a balcony or suite, and if you have more sea days, the decision could be a lot easier.

If you have more time to spend in your room, that means more value from the price of nicer stateroom.

You'd have more time to spend on your balcony taking in the views, ocean breeze, and relaxing.  Reading a book on a ship balcony is another idea too.

Inside your room, you'll have more opportunity to hang out and enjoy the extra space this cabin affords.  

If you splurged for a suite, sea days are perfect for maximizing all the space and extra perks you get with a suite.

Not only do suites have more space, but you can use special suite-only amenities, such as the suite sun deck, suite lounge, Coastal Kitchen restaurant, and more.

One of my favorite suite benefits is to order food from the Main Dining Room to be delivered to your suite at no additional cost.

While booking a suite is always going to be expensive, I think it takes the bite out of the cost if you know you'll be able to fully utilize the suite and what it comes with.

Less days on shore means you can maximize a drink package

The price of a Royal Caribbean drink package is not cheap, but more time on the ship means more chances to get your daily value from it.

I believe a beverage package can absolutely save you money on drink costs, but it requires you to drink enough to make it worthwhile.  To that point, you need to be onboard for it.

If you're galivanting around in port, that's less time in the day to order a drink and "break even" on the drink package cost.

In my experience, it takes about 6 drinks a day to break even on a drink package, and the more you can space those drinks out, the easier it is to get your money's worth.

If you were on a 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise that has port stops all but one day of the cruise, that leaves you very little time on the ship considering you'll be ashore instead.

While many of the points in this article might be argumentative, there's no denying it's easier to make a drink package work for you if you have a lot of sea days instead of port days.

More chances to enjoy onboard restaurants

Just like the drink package, more time on the ship means more chances to eat at different restaurants.

The most port intensive itineraries are found in Alaska and Europe, and often the all aboard time isn't until the early evening.  If you're like, you'll want to eat a lot ashore in these amazing places and that means skipping dinner on the ship.

Royal Caribbean not only includes a great deal of food with your cruise fare, but they also offer specialty dining options at an additional cost to try.

You could buy a dining package to save money on specialty restaurants, and it's far easier to do that with a lot of sea days.

Depending on your ship, there are a lot of different restaurants to try out. I can't resist hitting up the sushi, Italian, or burger spots on any Royal Caribbean ship.

Heck, if you're on a ship like Icon of the Seas, there are more restaurants to try than days you're onboard for one sailing.

Kids get to make new friends

One aspect of cruising I always liked is it's the only kind of vacation where my kids actually meet other children and make friends.

The kids club on a Royal Caribbean ship is a win for parent and child alike.  

For the kids, they get to play games and meet other kids.  Most will be passing acquaintances, but sometimes they make a new friend for that sailing.

As a parent, dropping my kids off at Adventure Ocean was a great safety net.  I knew they would be cared for while having a good time.  Meanwhile, my wife and I could enjoy things onboard we wanted to do.

And whether they make friends or not, Adventure Ocean is a lot of fun.

You can register your kids for Adventure Ocean on the first day, and then easily drop them off every day and night.