After your cruise is over, Royal Caribbean will send you a survey to get feedback on your vacation, but there's one question that trips up a lot of people.

The Royal Caribbean survey is emailed to all passengers and it's used for staffing decisions, service improvements, and crew recognition.

The company wants to know what you thought of the trip, what stood out, and to rank pretty much everything you experienced.  But it's also a tool for evaluating crew members.

One question, in particular, is a potential red flag for crew members and passengers certainly don't want to get anyone in trouble.

Here's what to do with the post-cruise survey and how honest you should be about crew asking for positive ratings.

What Royal Caribbean wants you to do with that question

Royal Caribbean places a great deal of emphasis on its post-cruise survey because it offers the best opportunity to gather feedback from customers immediately after sailing.

There's one question that seems to trip some cruisers up because they aren't sure how to answer it.

"Were you asked by any crew member(s) to provide positive ratings/reviews on this survey?"

This question is aimed at protecting the integrity of the survey. 

The reason Royal Caribbean asks if someone asked for a high score is because it skews the reality of how well something is working.

The cruise line wants you to be honest so it can improve what needs improving and maintain what's well-received. But if the responses are the result of a crew member guilting, coaching, or encouraging a higher score than deserved, it artificially drives up scores and doesn't allow for a proper evaluation.

Royal Caribbean uses Net Promoter Scores (NPS) to evaluate how effective its cruise ships and private destinations operate.

In short, this is a tool for measuring customer loyalty and predicting business growth. 

Each question is calculated on a scale of 0-10, and the answer has a major impact on how it sees performance:

• 9-10: Promoters, Loyal enthusiasts who fuel growth.
• 7-8: Passives, Satisfied but unenthusiastic; vulnerable to competitors (not included in score).
• 0-6: Detractors, Unhappy customers who can damage your brand.

Basically, this is a way to take the question of "On a scale of 1 - 10, how likely are you to recommend ____", but apply it to different kinds of questions.

You take the percentage of Promoters and subtract the percentage of Detractors from it.  

Why crew members sometimes ask for positive ratings

Based on things crew members have shared in the past, NPS scores are a major factor in how they are rated.

Every crew member on a ship works on a contract, and when it's time for a new contract or for a promotion, Royal Caribbean will use guest survey results as a factor in determining if they should get a new contract, raise, or higher position.

Publicly, there's only anecdotal evidence as to how the NPS scores factor into a crew member's career.

One person posted on Facebook, "I did a galley tour last month, and saw the sign for the employees. The staff person with the top survey numbers over one month would get a day off. The second top person would get a Half-Day off. Considering the number of workers that is a huge prize."

Similarly, lower scores could signal there's a problem.

Mark Lipton, professor emeritus of management at The New School and Parsons School of Design, said in a recent interview how NPS scores tied to compensation can lead to gaming the system, "Whenever something is going to impact my compensation, my odds of a promotion or my very stability in keeping my job here, I am going to be driven to see how I can influence those numbers."

"I never know how to answer this"

Cruisers get confused because most don't want to get the hard working crew members in trouble.

On Facebook, someone asked "I never know how to answer this. Our server did ask for a 10/10 review. But if I said yes, would I get anyone in trouble?"

On the one hand, answering "yes" could alert the cruise line to someone trying to spike scores higher than they should be.

But on the other hand, is this question a test to see if crew members are effectively communicating to guests the importance of the survey and answering "no" gets someone in trouble?

Over 500 comments were shared to the original Facebook post, garnering lots of opinions:

"I answered yes, I feel it is a management issue and if they want true results they should not be trying to skew your response."

"Say no always, but if a specific crew member was off putting, then address that one specifically."

"The answer is No! We just confirmed this on our Oct cruise with a well seasoned bartender. We were informed no staff member is supposed to ask that you give them a 10 rating nor suggest any rating at all!"

"I always say yes, but I never provide names or anything. Because almost every staff member asks in every department."

How I answer this survey question every time

I don't claim to be an NPS expert, but I believe it's important to be honest about the answer if a crew member is clearly trying to push for a higher score out of a sense of guilt or fear.

Crew members can remind you about taking the survey or even say how important the survey is in evaluating them. I feel these are perfectly acceptable reminders because most people on a cruise ship are brand new to cruising.

However, specifically asking for a perfect score or inferring anything less than a perfect score will cause a problem is likely grounds for answering "yes" to the question.

Regardless of how you answer the question, I think it's vitally important to use the open comment section at the end of the survey to call out your favorite crew members and explain why.

That section is indexed and searchable, and managers will pull from this data to identify which crew members stand out as being recognized by guests.

Before I walk off any cruise ship to head home, I'll double check my onboard account for certain charges to avoid problems later.

It's far easier to get billing discrepancies settled while onboard than at home. This is because once you're home, everything gets charged to your credit card and the refund process involves more steps.  On land, the shoreside team has to coordinate with the ship and figure out if what you're saying is accurate or not.

But if you head to Guest Services and bring up something on your bill that doesn't look right, it's a few keystrokes and they can fix the issue.

I really think every cruiser should double check their cruise bill prior to the conclusion of the voyage to ensure these five things are actually correct.

Unreturned towel fees

Did you know Royal Caribbean will charge you $25 for each pool towel you didn't return?

In my experience, this fee gets hit more accidentally than intentionally.

Sure, if you forgot to actually return a towel, go do that before the cruise ends.  Bring it back up to the pool towel distribution point on the pool deck and have them scan your SeaPass card.

However, I've seen a lot of instances where people returned their towels and accidentally have an unreturned towel fee.

If this is the case, definitely go to Guest Services on the final evening or morning and ask to have it taken off your account.

The wrong gratuity amount

Gratuities are part of the cruise experience these days, but I have seen discrepancies with how they get charged.

Verify the amount is not doubled up. If you prepaid gratuities, then ensure there are no daily gratuity fees onboard. This has happened to me at least once or twice.

Something else to verify is any gratuity you sign on a receipt is actually the right amount.

I have terrible handwriting, and one time I tipped $20 but the waiter misread my chicken scratch and entered $50 because my "2" looks like a "5".

This was an easy fix at Guest Services, but I'd hate to have tried to figure this out if I was at home.

Refunds that should be there

Now that you had Guest Services or a bartender apply a refund for something, you should verify it's fixed before disembarking.

Crew members want to make your life easy, so they'll often tell you that they'll take care of a billing issue (like a refund). The thing is, you want to verify that later.

If you returned something, cancelled a service, or found an accidental charge, be sure your onboard account reflects that.

If you're taking care of this on the final morning of the cruise, ask for a print out verifying the refunds you expect are actually there.

Onboard credit has been applied

There are two sources of onboard credit you could have, but occasionally it doesn't get added.

Any OBC you received from the cruise line is usually added to your account on the first day of the cruise.  You'll see a negative balance to start your sailing, which means it's there.

If you have more than one cabin, be sure each cabin has the credit.  In fact, if your kids are in another cabin, you could ask to have their credit moved to your account.

The other source of onboard credit is from a travel agent, and this one might take a day or two to apply. 

There have been many cruises where I didn't see OBC that my travel agent gave me hit my account until day 2 or 3.  

If you don't see onboard credit you expected in your account, head to Guest Services to verify it's in the process of being applied.

Total owed, and if you want to put cash down before the end of the cruise

Similar to your credit card bill that you probably browse each month, it's a good idea to look over everything while on the ship.

Some cruisers like to then deposit cash to reduce how much gets charged to the credit card.

If you won money in the casino or simply have leftover vacation cash, you can pay off some or all of your SeaPass bill before the cruise ends.  You can deposit cash at any time to offset charges.

How to check the bill

Now that I outlined all the things to look for in your bill, it might help if you knew how to check your bill.

The easiest way is to open the Royal Caribbean app and click the Person icon in the top right, and then scroll down to "Onboard account".

This is where you can see recent charge activity. You can click "Details" to see every single charge and credit there.

The app is updated in real time, so as soon as something is charged, it appears there.

The "old school" way is to go to Guest Services and ask for a print out.

They can do so at anytime, but it requires waiting in line. Plus, it's out of date the moment it prints out.

Who to talk to if there's a problem

Let's assume you find a billing discrepancy or have a question about what something is. What do you do next?

Guest Services is the best place to start. Every ship has a desk that's open 24 hours per day, and they can assist.

On the very newest ships, the Royal Caribbean app has a Guest Services chat feature that you could use to save yourself the trip.

If you're staying in a suite, the Suite Concierge can assist too.  The Suite Concierge may be faster since lines at Guest Services can be quite long.

In addition, if you're a Diamond member or above, the Crown Lounge concierge can assist with billing issues too.

Royal Caribbean is making a major change to the way passengers can access their final bill after completing their cruise.

Historically, a paper copy of guests' final invoices is left outside the cabin on disembarkation morning. However, effective December 15, 2025, the cruise line will retire the printed copies of the spending summary. 

Passengers who want to view their statement before leaving the ship have a few options. First, they can use the Royal Caribbean mobile app, which allows guests to check their folio at any time during the voyage, not just on the final day. 

The final statement will also continue to be emailed to guests. Additionally, passengers can visit Guest Services to request a printed copy or check their spending summary on iTV, where available.

Royal Caribbean informed travel agents of the change in an email sent out on Nov. 25. 

"For ease of communication, we are discontinuing the use of printed invoices at the end of your clients’ cruises. Starting December 15, 2025, guests will have the convenient option to retrieve their final bill through the App, Email, Guest Services, or on iTV (where available)," the cruise line said. 

How to access digital folios

You can request spending summaries from past cruises by emailing [email protected] or calling 800-256-6649.

Note, however, folios are only available for 7 years. As such, final statements for cruises taken before 2018 are no longer available. 

Other things that have gone digital

In recent years, Royal Caribbean has implemented digital technology across many aspects of the onboard experience, starting with eDocs. 

Royal Caribbean (and Celebrity) cruisers do not need to print out a physical boarding pass. Instead, the SetSail Pass is available through the mobile app once the online check-in process has been completed. 

eDocs also contain helpful information like the reservation number, cabin assignment, sailing time, itinerary, and port directions. 

The eDocs also contain the printable luggage tags. While porters have tags available at the terminal, printing the tags and affixing them to your suitcase helps expedite the embarkation process. 

Finally, Royal Caribbean's Cruise Compass has done digital — well, mostly. You can still request physical copies of the daily schedule. However, passengers can access the Cruise Compass digitally through the mobile app. 

If you forget something on your ship after the cruise ends, what can you do to try to get it back?

Vacationers mistakenly leave behind personal items in hotels, airplanes, taxis, and even cruise ships. Forgetfulness is an unfortunate reality of travel.

My kids have left behind phone chargers, toys, and clothes that got misplaced, fell somewhere, or were simply ignored until it was too late.

Unfortunately, once you disembark the cruise ship on the final morning, you cannot go back and try to get it back.

If you find yourself in this situation, there are a few things to try in order to hopefully get things back.

Report the missing item to Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean provides a means of reporting missing items to start the claims process.

It's somewhat similar to if you left something behind on an airplane and the process of working with the airline to get it back.

Guests can fill out a Lost and Found Request Form that is processed by a third-party company called Chargerback.

You should fill out the form as soon as possible once you realize you forgot something.

You'll need to provide your personal information, along with where you last saw the item, your sailing information, and where they can send it if they find it.

According to the cruise line, some thing cannot be returned

• Food & Beverage​
• Clothing Items​
• Money, casino chips, or credit cards (Credit cards are destroyed for your protection, and Casino chips/money are processed onboard and added to the credit card on file)​
• Makeup, Grooming Items, Perfumes, Lotions
• Alcohol or tobacco item​
• Any other item that may pose a risk or is prohibited by law

If they find the items, you are responsible for paying for the shipping to get it back to you. In addition, Chargerback claims it can take 2-3 weeks to get the item shipped.

What are the chances I'll get my lost things back?

Experiences with filing a lost and found claim vary considerably, and in reality there's a chance you may not get it back.

Part of the issue is the lost item needs to be found and reported as a lost item.

The final morning of a cruise is a busy day when crew members are hustling to prepare the ship for the next sailing and they're working very hard to prep staterooms.  Because guests leave behind trash and discarded items, it's easy to overlook something that is "lost" versus something that is left because it's unwanted.

If a crew member spots what appears to be unintentionally left behind, they'll give it to their supervisor who then passes it along to the Guest Services team.

The Guest Services team will log the item and then it goes through the process of being being transferred from the ship to a facility on land so it can eventually be returned.

Without a doubt a quick claim is critical to ensuring word gets passed along to look for a certain item.

File a claim with travel insurance

While getting the lost item back would be ideal, you may have to accept it's gone and try to replace it.

If you have travel insurance, you may be able to claim the lost item with them and be compensated for it.  This is more useful for items of higher value than a kids toy or everyday garment.

Most travel insurance plans cover lost items on a cruise through baggage loss and baggage delay benefits, which can reimburse you for lost, stolen, or damaged belongings.

You will want to file a claim as soon as you realize the item is missing and trying to reclaim it with the cruise line isn't going to work.

You may need to provide confirmation from the Lost and Found process mentioned earlier that the lost item cannot be found as proof.

Filing a claim with travel insurance is probably an option for high value items, and not a pair of sunglasses, children's toy, or souvenir.

Two hacks for reducing the chance you'll forget something on a cruise

I've come across two creative ideas for how to lessen the likelihood you'll need to fill out a lost and found form.

Losing your cell phone is probably at the top of worst things you could leave behind on a cruise, so you could change your homescreen to make it easier to get back to you.

Change your screen saver or lock screen image to be your SeaPass card or something the cruise line can use to identify you.  

While a pretty wallpaper you usually have looks great, someone that finds your phone can't access your personal information because it will be locked.

By using an image on your lock screen that the cruise line can reference if you lose your phone on board, you stand a much better chance of getting it returned. 

The other trick is to put your shoe in your stateroom safe.

The idea is by putting your shoe in the safe (just one should suffice), you cannot possibly leave the ship without having gotten everything out of your safe because you'll need your shoe.

Considering jewelry, wallets, and money are among the most commonly forgotten items on a cruise ship, verifying your safe is empty before departing is a good idea.

If you’ve ever wondered whether can you go on a cruise pregnant, the answer is: it depends. While you might be dreaming of the perfect babymoon to celebrate your bundle of joy, you’ll want to make sure you meet Royal Caribbean’s boarding requirements before heading to the pier.

Cruising can be a wonderful and relaxing way to celebrate your pregnancy. However, you must meet the health requirements to cruise safely. In fact, all major cruise lines have the same policy when it comes to cruising while pregnant, including Royal Caribbean. 

Pregnant women are not banned from cruising. Like every major cruise line, Royal Caribbean allows pregnant women to cruise as long as they are not more than 23 weeks pregnant. This means that pregnant women must be 23 weeks or less for the entire duration of their cruise. If you enter the 24th week of pregnancy at any point during your cruise, you will not be eligible to sail with Royal Caribbean.

But, just how strict is Royal Caribbean with this policy?

One concerned traveler recently posted in a Mariner of the Seas Facebook group asking, “How strict is Royal Caribbean about pregnancies? Heard you can’t be past 23 weeks pregnant and my daughter will be 25 weeks pregnant when we cruise.”

The post garnered nearly 200 responses, with many sharing their first-hand experiences of cruising while pregnant. Surprisingly, some admitted to sailing past the 23-week limit, though the majority strongly advised against it, especially for those nearing the gestation cutoff.

Let’s take a closer look at Royal Caribbean’s pregnancy policy, including how it’s enforced and what real cruisers have experienced firsthand.

Guests must attest to their pregnancy status before boarding.

All guests are required to answer a public health questionnaire prior to boarding their cruise, and must attest that they are not more than 23 weeks pregnant. When answering your pre-cruise health questionnaire, Royal Caribbean specifically asks: Will you be more than 23 weeks pregnant at any time during the cruise? 

If you do not meet the criteria, you will be denied boarding your cruise. In this way, you may be wondering why cruise lines set the 24th week of pregnancy as the cutoff for sailing. This guideline is actually established due to the baby’s viability based on gestational age. In the United States, a fetus is considered viable between 23 weeks and 24 weeks.

For this reason, if the mother went into preterm labor during her cruise, the baby could reasonably survive with proper and timely medical intervention, which isn't available on a cruise ship. Before the 24-week mark, preterm labor is usually due to miscarriage rather than delivering a premature, viable newborn.

If you are planning to cruise while pregnant and meet the gestation criteria, it’s best for expecting mothers to consult with their doctor and receive prior approval to cruise. If you have a healthy pregnancy and receive the green light from your doctor, most pregnant women can successfully cruise.

Read more: How to protect yourself from getting sick on a cruise

Royal Caribbean’s medical facilities are well-equipped, but not to safely care for a premature baby.

All cruise ships have a robust medical facility with trained staff onboard to care for a wide range of medical issues and emergencies. 

Cruise ships have at least one licensed doctor, along with a few nurses onboard, who are available 24 hours each day for medical assistance. This can vary depending on the size of the ship, as newer vessels with more passengers likely require more medical staff onboard. Some larger ships might have two doctors and up to four nurses.

Although medical professionals on a cruise ship are trained to perform life-saving measures to the best of their abilities, the medical facility is not a hospital. Any specialized care that is needed will require medical disembarkation or evacuation to the nearest hospital.

In particular, cruise ship medical facilities are not properly equipped to handle a premature baby being born. Without a NICU to care for an extremely premature baby, this would put the newborn's life at risk without proper medical intervention.

In this way, pregnancy policies are in place to protect the health and safety of both the pregnant mother and her baby. By requiring women to cruise only during the first 23 weeks of pregnancy, this minimizes the risk of pregnancy complications and premature labor. Without complex medical care, these situations can become dangerous for both the pregnant mother and the baby.

It’s important to understand the risks involved with cruising while pregnant.

While traveling is never without risk, there are added risks you take when choosing to cruise while pregnant. During a cruise, you will be sailing away from land to the open sea most evenings while traveling between ports of call. 

While at sea, pregnant women would only have access to the medical care provided onboard. In the case of an emergency, a medical evacuation could be necessary. You should also consider the healthcare of the destinations you’d be visiting, as this is where you would receive medical care in an emergency.

Royal Caribbean states on its website, “There is no Obstetrician/Gynecologist available on the ship, and that pregnancies, when unstable and poorly controlled, are potentially life-threatening, especially without back up. A Guest may be at sea for several days without any immediate hospital and/or specialist back up, and that since the proposed itinerary is not within the U.S., and the availability of specialized shore side facilities can be problematic.”

For this reason, women should consider all of the risks of cruising while pregnant and discuss any concerns with their doctor before embarking. If you have a high-risk pregnancy or you’re at risk for preterm labor, cruising might not be the best choice for you.

Many cruisers said Royal Caribbean was very strict about enforcing its pregnancy policy.

In the comment section of the Facebook post, many mothers shared their personal stories about cruising while pregnant. Overall, most of the first-hand experiences stated that Royal Caribbean was very strict about its pregnancy policy and the rules were enforced.

One commenter answered, “Very strict and even if they weren’t, why would you want to put your daughter and future grandchild at risk like that?”

Another person replied similarly, “Pretty strict. We couldn’t go on a family cruise because my sister-in-law would have been just over their boundary. I think they make you prove it with a doctor’s note.”

“Extremely strict… why would someone risk a mom’s life and an unborn child…” questioned one commenter.

Read more: 8 things I wish I knew about taking a baby on a cruise ship

Although Royal Caribbean does not explicitly require a doctor’s note, some commenters shared that they did provide documentation to prove their pregnancy gestation.

“Very strict. I had to plan a whole new cruise and bring a note from my doctor,” stated another cruiser. Another comment echoed this sentiment: “Very strict. We had to have a Dr note when my daughter was pregnant.”

Likewise, one woman said, “They are really strict. I had to provide a note from my doctor stating my due date and how far along I was. They wanted this ahead of the cruise and looked at it during check in.”

Other commenters questioned the choice to cruise after the 23-week cutoff, especially given the risks.

Many commenters stressed the importance of following Royal Caribbean’s pregnancy policy to protect the health of both the mother and baby. Misrepresenting how far along you are isn’t just against cruise line rules, it also increases the risk of serious pregnancy complications.

“Why risk the life of your daughter and her unborn child? The ship is nowhere near equipped to deal with an emergency. No one ever thinks anything will happen to them—until it does,” responded one person.

Another replied, “Ok, so here’s the thing. Especially if you are traveling the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America or South America, think about healthcare. If you or the baby become endangered, who will take care of you or the baby’s healthcare? The ship has a hospital but it’s limited.”

“They have a policy. Would you gamble your daughter-in-law’s health and the baby’s health on trying to skirt around it? If something goes wrong, Royal [Caribbean] nor third-party insurance would cover the cost of care,” questioned one cruiser.

One nurse chimed in, “As a neonatal ICU nurse, I wouldn’t risk traveling in the middle of the ocean while pregnant. For the health and safety of your daughter, your grandchild, and the crew onboard the ship that would have to intervene in that emergency situation, she shouldn’t go.

Another pregnant woman shared that they cruised at 18 weeks and wouldn’t do it again. “I honestly had quite a bit of anxiety and I wouldn’t have gone any later. If something happens, there’s very limited medical care onboard.”

However, some commenters shared that they were able to cruise beyond the 23-week mark.

Despite Royal Caribbean’s clear pregnancy policy, some women shared that they cruised beyond 23 weeks without issue. While not recommended, a few offered first-hand accounts of sailing later in pregnancy.

“We went in Feb & I was going on 25 weeks, nobody ever asked me,” commented one pregnant cruiser. Another explained, “Was 26 weeks and they never asked anything.”

In addition, one commenter shared, “I know someone that went well into her third trimester. I imagine she didn’t tell them she was pregnant though, because she hid it fairly well. I personally wouldn’t risk it."

Another cruiser said, “I went at 24-25 weeks pregnant. Nobody asked for a note and I was very visibly pregnant as pictured. Definitely cruise at your own risk, but my baby is now a happy, heathy 8 month old.”

While a handful of cruisers shared they didn’t have an issue cruising beyond 23 weeks, these should be viewed as exceptions and not endorsements. Royal Caribbean’s pregnancy policy is in place to protect the health of its passengers, including pregnant moms.

There are rules about going on a cruise ship, but a few might be ones you're breaking without knowing it.

Royal Caribbean publishes all of its rules and policies on its website. Most are quite obvious and apply to any form of travel, such as not bringing weapons, chemicals, or starting a fight with someone.

But some things you do on a cruise might seem innocent until you realize it's actually against the rules.

A reader asked me about a particular policy (see the first thing on our list below for what it was), and it got me thinking about the sort of things you might inadvertently do without realizing it's against Royal Caribbean's rules.

To help ensure you're never "that guy", here's a few not-so-obvious rules to avoid breaking.

Obstructing hallways

Royal Caribbean welcomes guests to bring their strollers or wheelchairs with them on a cruise ship, but you cannot park it in the hallway.

According to the cruise line's mobility disabilities policy, you've got to keep them parked in your cabin.

"Assistive devices including mobility scooters must be stored and recharged in your stateroom so fire doors, corridors and elevator lobbies are kept clear for emergency evacuation."

This is an important rule for anyone that has a powered wheelchair they're bringing onboard.  While it might be tempting to keep it parked outside your cabin, it's against the rules.

If you plan to bring a powered wheelchair, I'd recommend booking an accessible cruise ship cabin so that the doorway entrance is wide enough to easily get the chair in and out.

Plus, these cabins offer more space for the wheelchair to maneuver around.

One more thing to remember is when you're out and about on the ship, you need to ensure the wheelchair isn't left blocking a hall.

"When parked throughout the ship, they must be parked out of the way to allow safe and easy access by other guests and crewmembers."

If you want to bring a stroller, I'd recommend buying a collapsible umbrella stroller rather than the fancy one you use at home. Something that collapses and is easy to fly with as it is to cruise with is a good idea, such as this one that folds down to "personal item" size on airplanes. (This has an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use but I get a small commission)

Being rude to crew members

Not only is being rude socially unacceptable, it's against Royal Caribbean's rules.

I understand you might get frustrated when a series of events doesn't go as you expected, but it's not an excuse to lash out at a crew member.

Royal Caribbean's rule is clear on this, "Verbally abusive or offensive language directed toward anyone, including guests, crew members, governmental officials, or others is not permitted."

Moreover, you're also obliged to follow any instructions given to you by crew members during the course of the cruise.

Ignoring instructions is equally wrong, and could land you in trouble with the ship's security.

Beyond the cruise line's rules, remember that these crew members are living thousands of miles away from their families on a ship and are trying to help you have a great vacation. They didn't make the rules, they're just enforcing them.

Playing your music too loud

A cruise vacation is the perfect excuse to party, but leave the music to the ship's DJ.

You are not allowed to play your own music loudly on the ship, "Boom boxes, loud radios, or other noise nuisance(s) are not permitted."

Royal Caribbean has seemingly started to crack down on this on its private island too.

You're better off bringing headphones rather than a Bluetooth speaker with you.  If you do opt to bring a speaker, I'd only use it off the ship on an excursion and keep the volume low.

If you're renting a cabana on Perfect Day at CocoCay, there are Bluetooth speakers provided to use there.

Leaving your clothes on the balcony

Something I'm sure a lot of people do is leave their stuff on their balcony, but it's actually against the rules.

Whether you leave something out on the balcony or intentionally, it's not permitted because of the risk of it flying away.

"Guests may not leave items unattended on balconies, as the wind may cause items to fall overboard."

The cruise line takes littering in the ocean seriously, and while I doubt most people leaving things on their balcony is intentional to litter, the reality is the wind can really kick up quickly.

Not only do you not want your stuff to end up in the ocean, they don't want it to go there either.

Believe it or not, Royal Caribbean can ban you from their cruise ships for life.

No one really thinks about this kind of a scenario happening to them, but being on vacation isn't carte blanche to do whatever you want. Cruise lines have rules for the safety of everyone, and even bending them could land you in serious trouble.

A Royal Caribbean Blog reader recently shared with me a story of someone that got banned for life, and it was a wakeup call to remind everyone how serious the rules can be.

Here are four notable examples of people getting banned for life by Royal Caribbean.

Jumping for the gram

Probably the most brazen example of someone doing something dumb for the sake of doing something dumb was when a man tried jumping off the ship for the sole purpose of filming it.

The person jumped off of the 11th deck on Symphony of the Seas while docked it was docked in Nassau.

In the video posted, he is shown preparing to jump after climbing over his balcony railing, all the while his friends laughing in the background.

He fell more than 100 feet to the water.

He did it for internet fame, and luckily survived the fall. He later told his followers he was drunk at the time.

However, he and his friends were banned for life on the spot.

Security rescued him from the water, and then he and his friends were immediately escorted off the ship.

In a statement, Royal Caribbean admonished the behavior, "This was stupid and reckless behavior, and he and his companions have been banned from ever sailing with us again."

Standing on the balcony

Another case of poor decision making for the sake of a photo, came with a woman who thought a daring position was a good idea.

The woman was spotted posing in a swimsuit on the edge of her balcony while sailing on Allure of the Seas.

In its Guest Contact Policy, Royal Caribbean specifically notes that "sitting, standing, laying or climbing on, over or across any exterior or interior railings or other protective barriers, or tampering with ship’s equipment, facilities or systems designed for guest safety is not permitted."

Another guest spotted her doing this and quickly alerted the ship's staff. She and her companion were kicked off the ship in the next port of call.

A spokesperson later confirmed that she had been banned for life, "[They] are now banned for life from sailing with Royal Caribbean." 

Cheating in the casino

It's a little less clear what happened, but it appears one passenger has been banned because of suspected cheating in the casino.

Cruise Critic user pdxcam posted a story of how they tried to book another Royal Caribbean cruise, but was later informed all of their sailings have been cancelled because they are no longer welcome onboard.

"They informed me that I am banned from all Royal Caribbean brands permanently without appeal and would not tell me why," is what they posted.

Digging through the thread, it appears their game play in the casino was suspect and is what they believe the issue was.  The person never admitted to cheating in the casino, but can only speculate that must be the reason.

They said by the second day of their final cruise, the casino asked them not to play in the casino at all.

"The order of events was very quick.  On my last cruise, I was asked not to play blackjack on night #1.  Other than being with a friend in 2005, I've never been asked not to play blackjack.  I rarely play it.  Day #2, I'm asked to stop gambling for the rest of the cruise.  I did both things they asked.  One week later, I'm banned for life. "

"It feels like I'm guilty by association from the 2005 incident, and they figured I was cheating because I've been winning a little bit.

Making false reports

Another case of a person being banned and seeking assistance from the internet came after accusing the line of things that may not have happened.

Cruisingcornell posted on our message boards they sailed on Anthem of the Seas and claims to have "found some [bed bug] shells on the couch cushion " and requested a cabin change.

They then claim the crew believed the story was fabricated, "they didn't find anything and at this point called our picture and what we showed the room attendant fake/from another sailing is how they put it."

After the cruise, they got word of their ban, "We received a call ... customer service telling us that we were banned after their security team said we provided a fake picture."

They said their ban lasts at least year, but may not be lifted even after that.

There are serious consequences

If these four stories serve any purpose, it's to realize that Royal Caribbean doesn't mess around with people who break the rules.

Even if there's the perception of something wrong, that could be enough to warrant a lifetime ban.

Bad behavior is inexcusable, and you agree to abide by the cruise line rules the moment you book a cruise. Certainly being inebriated isn't going to get you out of the consequences.

Some Royal Caribbean policies tend not to be enforced consistently, but it looks like things may be changing with the wine you bring onboard.

Royal Caribbean allows its passengers to bring bottles of wine onto its ships, but the corkage fee that is supposed to be applied has largely been ignored for many years.

That could be changing now.

The official policy states guests can bring up to one bottle of wine per adult on embarkation day onto the ship. If that wine is opened in a bar, restaurant, or lounge, then it's subject to a $15 corkage fee.

The wine you bring onboard must be carried on and not put in your checked luggage.

In reality, that corkage fee has rarely been enforced.  It's been my experience that the crew member will open it and not say anything.

However, reports are popping up of stickers being added to wine bottles to indicate if the corkage fee has been waived or not.

This applies to wine with twist tops, as the corkage fee is more a fee for bringing your own wine rather than the actual mechanics of opening it.

New stickers

A number of cruisers who have gotten bottles of wine gifted onboard the ship are reporting stickers on their bottles.

Pattycruise wrote on the Royal Caribbean Blog message boards, "I just saw another photo from a group I’m in that said corkage  fee waived on the sticker."

These stickers are appearing on bottles of wine that passengers receive from Crown and Anchor Society or Casino Royale as an incentive for their loyalty.

Enforcing an old rule

What cruisers needs to be aware of is they may be charged for wine they bring onboard.

What this means is if you're someone that has been bringing bottles of wine on your cruise and skated by without paying the corkage fee, this could be changing.

Essentially, the policy hasn't changed at all, but it may now be enforced. That could be confusing to someone who wasn't aware of the corkage fee being applied before.

If you buy a bottle of wine on your cruise ship, there is no corkage fee.

After a bottle of wine is opened for you, you can either take any unfinished wine in the bottle with you or have it stored for you to be used on another day and time.

It's quite convenient to have your bottle opened in the Main Dining Room, have the crew store it, and enjoy the rest on another day in the same or a different restaurant.

The crew marks your name and stateroom number on the bottle, and any crew member around the ship can retrieve it to serve you elsewhere.

You can still open your wine on your own

One way to get around the corkage fee is to open the wine and keep it in your cabin.

The corkage fee is for wine that's opened in public venue onboard, but there's no such application if you have it in your room.

In fact, your stateroom attendant can provide a wine opener upon request for no fee.

You could enjoy the wine in your cabin, or opt to take a glass with you around the ship.  In either of those scenarios, there would be no fee.

Bringing your own wine is a great way to save money

One of the oldest hacks for saving money is to bring your own bottle of wine.

Not only will you pay less for wine if you buy it retail while at home, but you'll have a far greater selection of choices.

Even with the corkage fee, you'll probably come out ahead with your own bottle of wine than buying a bottle onboard the ship because of the markup with wine offered for sale by Royal Caribbean.

Tips for bringing your own wine (and not ending up with a broken bottle)

Bringing your own bottle of wine can save you money, but no one wants to end up with a bottle that breaks.

Instead of buying the bottle of wine at home, you could wait to buy it at your embarkation city. This avoids packing a bottle in your luggage and hoping it doesn't break during transit.

Not only could you buy it at a store near your hotel, but you could leverage a shopping app like UberEats and have it delivered to your hotel.

If you are going to pack your own wine, a wine diaper could do the trick (this is an affiliate link that costs you nothing extra to use). These are reusable, protective and absorbent wine bottle bags designed for traveling.

If you prefer a DIY approach, try putting your wine in a 1.5 gallon ziplock bag and pad the wine with clothing around it, such as socks.

Many people are unaware of the best way to save money in the long term on a Royal Caribbean cruise is by taking advantage of a price drop.

To be fair, the cruise line does not do a very good job of advertising their price match option.  Even some travel agents are unaware of how it works. Plus, it's limited to residents of certain countries.

I cruise a dozen times each year, and the ability to reduce my fare after a price drop has easily saved me save thousands of dollars.

With cruise prices only seeming to go up, this strategy won't necessarily work on every cruise you have booked.  But I've been pleasantly surprised when it does work.

Here's how Royal Caribbean's price match works and when you can use it.

You can reprice up until final payment date

For residents of select countries, you can re-price your cruise all the way up until the final payment date if there is a price drop.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing for all of its cruises. This means the cost of the cruise fare can vary from sailing to sailing, and with its algorithm, could change minute to minute.

First and foremost, this only applies to residents of the United States, Canada, and a few others.  Notably residents of the United Kingdom cannot utilize this.

If the price of the exact cabin category you booked drops below what you paid and you're before the final payment date, you can have the cruise line match the lower price.

It has to be for the exact same cabin category, meaning the exact cabin category code needs to match.  Remember, there are sub categories of cabins beyond inside, oceanview, balcony, or suite.  So if you booked a category 5D Balcony on Mariner of the Seas, the price has to have dropped for another 5D Balcony on Mariner for the same sailing as you.

Your travel agent can do it for you. If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean, then you need to call them and ask for the price adjustment.

To be honest, not all travel agents or even phone agents at Royal Caribbean are aware of this strategy.  I've heard back from cruisers who have been denied a price adjustment because the person they talked to was unaware of the policy.  

As long as you're before final payment date, a resident of an applicable country, and the fare you're trying to match is the exact room category on your specific sailing, you should be able to do it.  Call back and speak to someone else who should know about it.  Or better yet, work with a really good travel agent that does this all the time.

What if there's a price drop after final payment?

If the price goes down after your final payment date, you're out of luck and there's nothing else to be done.

Royal Caribbean won't adjust the price of any fare if the price goes lower.

One thing to keep in mind is if the price goes down for a higher category cabin after final payment date and it costs more than you paid, it's been my experience they'll let you pay to upgrade to that cabin.

Not to be confused with the Royal Caribbean Best Price Guarantee

Often the ability to price match is mixed up with another policy, the Best Price Guarantee.

This is similar, but would apply whether or not you're past final payment or not.

Within 48 hours of booking a cruise, Royal Caribbean will honor any price drop.

• If you're before final payment, you can get a refund for the price difference
• If you're after final payment, you can either get an upgrade to a higher room at the same price or get the difference back as a non-refundable Onboard Credit.

This policy is far more well advertised and because it works even after final payment date, it's somewhat different.

Do cruise prices go down?

I know it seems like prices are only getting more expensive for a cruise, but they do fluctuate.

Depending on what the demand is for a particular sailing, Royal Caribbean will use its pricing to help boost or dampen sales to keep it steady.

Most commonly, you'll see cruise fare fluctuations with longer sailings, or cruises from less traditional homeports.  Examples include transatlantic cruises, or cruises that depart from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The "catch" with price drops is the cruise line won't alert you to it.  The only want to truly know if there is a price drop is to check yourself.

To check the price of the cruise after you booked, you'll need to go to Royal Caribbean's website and do a mock booking where you pretend to be trying to book the exact room category on the sailing you're already booked on.

Remember, it has to be the same exact room category code as yours to qualify.

Price drops are why being early is the best time to book cruise

Taking advantage of price drops is why I love to book a cruise as early as possible.

If you're curious when is the best time to book a cruise, I recommend booking it as soon as you can because prices tend to go up.

While price drops do occur, they're not the norm by any means.  But if you book immediately, you can keep track of the price and take advantage of a price drop later.

Even without the ability to re-price a cruise, Royal Caribbean executives have said repeatedly they expect prices to only go up.

Booking early lets you also pay for a cruise over time

Another advantage to reserving a cruise earlier is you have more time to pay for it.

Travel agents can do this for you quite easily, where you can instruct them to take installments up until your final payment date.  You could pay it monthly or in random lump sums.

In addition, Royal Caribbean also offers a monthly payment option for those that book a cruise directly with the cruise line through a service called UpLift.

This allows you to spread out monthly payments, even after your cruise sails.  It's essentially financing, and there's an interest rate you'll pay with it.

When a friend wanted to try a Royal Caribbean cruise for the first time, he was shocked when he couldn't change the sail date a few weeks before the sailing.

He assumed a cruise booking was similar to a hotel booking, where you can shift dates easily.  But he thought that because he wasn't aware of Royal Caribbean's cancellation and change policies, which incur penalties after the final payment date.

He ended up going on the original booking rather than take the financial loss, but it's an important lesson in understanding important policies before you go on a cruise.

You never want to be caught off guard by a cruise policy before boarding to avoid unexpected issues later.

Cancellations and Refund Policies

Most cruise lines have rules in place for what happens if you want to cancel a cruise or change dates. 

In the case of my friend, changing dates is akin to cancelling. Whether you change the date and/or ship, you're cancelling a reservation and creating a new one.  

The most important thing to think about when booking any cruise is the deposit type. Royal Caribbean offers two kids of deposits: refundable and non-refundable.

Non-refundable fare usually costs less, but has change fees in addition to the fact you'll never get your deposit back if you choose to cancel. Refundable fare doesn't have those fees, but the cruise fare will be higher.  

You're trading flexibility for up front savings when it comes to non-refundable cruise fare.

The second most important policy to think about when booking a cruise are the cancellation terms.

The final payment date is the day a few months before your cruise where you must pay off the entire balance of your cruise or lose your reservation (and perhaps incur a penalty).

• 75 days prior to the sailing date for 1 to 4 night cruises
• 90 days prior to the sailing date for 5 to 14 night cruises
• 120 days prior for 15 night or longer cruises

If you intend to go on the cruise, then you need to pay off the entire balance owed by that date.  Otherwise, Royal Caribbean will cancel your reservation.  There are no extensions or undos if you miss that final payment date. Unfortunately, I hear often from people who don't make final payment in time and their reservation is indeed cancelled.

If you are before the final payment date, when a non-refundable deposit cancellation occurs, the full deposit amount will be held in penalty. Any additional payments made will be refunded. 

Once you pass final payment, there are a series of penalties if you were to cancel or change your mind.

It's imperative to treat the final payment date as your "point of no return" to deciding if you're actually going on the cruise or not.

The other important policy I think a lot of cruisers overlook is changing or adding people to the reservation.

It's common to want to add someone, remove someone, or swap someone from a reservation.  Depending on who you want to change, and how soon before the cruise sails you want to make the change, the costs could be minimal to major.

If you want to swap out one person for another, this is the simplest.  As long as one person from the original reservation remains booked, you can name swap others up until a few days before the cruise with no additional cost.  

As an example, you could replace your kid's friend with another friend and not have any fees or extra costs, as long as the same amount of people remain the same in the cabin and you're still booked on the reservation.

It gets more complicated if you want to add or remove people from a reservation.

Adding people gets done at prevailing rates, not the rate you originally booked at. Moreover, adding someone at the last minute is subject to if your stateroom can accommodate that many people.  

All cabins have a passenger limit, so if you booked a cabin designed for 2 people and want to add a third, you'd have to upgrade to a bigger cabin first, and that would incur a fee (assuming a bigger cabin is available).

One other issue with adding someone later on is the lifeboat capacity of the ship. If the lifeboat capacity for your muster station is full, they would not allow another guest.  

Removing someone from a cabin could trigger a re-price of the cabin, which could actually cost you more than keeping them on the reservation. In this scenario, you're better off leaving them on the reservation and then telling Royal Caribbean at check-in that they wont be boarding.  Their port fees and taxes will automatically be refunded.

If all of these policies seem tough to juggle, it's why I recommend working with a good travel agent. They can make it far simpler to manage on your end, and are a great point of contact when you have questions.

I recommend reviewing all of the "what if's" you may have about the cruise before booking.  Never assume, when it comes to changing your mind later.

What you can't bring on a cruise

Just like going on an airplane, there is a large list of things you cannot bring on a cruise ship.

Most are obvious things that you probably would never consider bringing, but there are definitely a few surprises on the banned item list.

First and foremost, you cannot bring anything that is or could be used as a weapon.  No firearms, explosives, fireworks, knives, ammunition, etc. This includes anyone that has a permit or license to carry weapons.

Illegal drugs are also not allowed onboard, even drugs that are legal in some states, such as marijuana or cannabis products. This includes products containing CBD oil, candies and edibles, even if prescribed by a physician as medication.

You also cannot bring beer or liquor onboard, although you can bring some wine and non-alcoholic drinks on embarkation day only.

Perhaps the most commonly violated packing list rule are items that are a fire hazard. You cannot bring anything flammable, that makes an open flame, or has a heating element.

I believe this is the most commonly overlooked rule by passengers, because so many people try to bring an iron, steamer, or power strip on their ship only to have it confiscated by security.

Passengers cannot bring pets on their cruise, unless they are a certified service animal. Emotional support animals are not allowed.

Regarding luggage, there is no baggage limit for a cruise. 

Drink and beverage policies

There are rules about bringing your own drinks on a cruise that are important to be aware of.

Only on the first day of your cruise are you allowed to bring one bottle of wine/champagne per adult in the cabin.  It must be brought in your carry-on bag (so don't put it in your checked luggage).

No other alcohol is allowed to be brought on a cruise ship.  And don't try to sneak booze onto the ship either because the cruise line has seen all of the tricks before.  Not to mention the fact I think having a stash in your cabin is cumbersome and more trouble than it's worth.

You're welcome to purchase bottles of alcohol on the ship or in the ports your ship visits, but Royal Caribbean will hold onto it until the end of the cruise.

The other important rule to know about are if you purchase an unlimited drink package.

Drink packages aren't cheap, but they offer a very convenient way to enjoy drinking on a cruise. However, there are certain things you can't do with a drink package:

• You cannot share your drink package benefits with someone else
• If one person purchases the Deluxe Beverage package, then all persons in the cabin 21 years old or older must also purchase it
• You can buy a package onboard as long as there are 4 days left in the cruise
• Your drink package works everywhere, except room service and the mini bar
• You'll pay a service charge when you buy the drink package that covers gratuity for all drinks ordered

The no drink sharing rule is by far the most important rule to be aware of, and it could result in you losing your drink package benefits without a refund if you're caught.

Smoking Policies

While you can smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or other tobacco products on a cruise ship, it can only be done in designated areas.

These rules include all types of electronic vaping, such as e-cigarettes, vapes, mods, etc.

• Smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas, must be properly disposed of, and never be thrown overboard
• Cigar and pipe tobacco are limited to designated outdoor areas and Cigar Bars
• You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase, possess, or use tobacco on sailings beginning in U.S. ports.
  • For sailings beginning in all other ports, the minimum age is 18 years old

You can also smoke in the casino on Royal Caribbean ships, except for any ships sailing from Australia and the United Kingdom.

It's important to note you cannot smoke or vape on your balcony or anywhere in your stateroom.