Ready for a cruise to Europe but not sure what to pack? If you’re like me, you might be most worried about what you’ll be wearing. 

Bringing the right wardrobe for a cruise - or any trip for that matter - is crucial. You’ll need to do a little research before setting sail in Europe to pack appropriately. If you embark on a cruise without the proper wardrobe or necessities, you’ll be spending some money in port to purchase whatever you might have left behind!

If you’re overwhelmed with packing for your upcoming trip to Europe, I’m here to help! I just returned from a fabulous 7-night European cruise from Southampton, England. My itinerary had stops in Norway and Belgium with weather that spanned from sunny and warm to cool and rainy.

In addition, my husband and I spent three nights in London before our cruise to explore the city - it’s one of our favorites! Most travelers will spend a few days exploring the embarkation port, or a nearby destination, before sailing on a European itinerary.

If you’re spending the time and money to travel to Europe from North America, I highly recommend adding a few days before or after your cruise to explore. This means you’ll need to pack a little more than you might typically for a 7-night cruise, especially those who are used to Caribbean itineraries.

Keep practicality at the forefront of your packing strategy for Europe. Pack clothes that are both cute and comfortable for long days ashore.

For instance, I can almost guarantee on any European cruise that you will be doing plenty of walking. You can easily hit 15,000 steps each day while cruising in Europe. With so much walking, be sure to pack comfortable shoes that are broken in. You don’t want to deal with painful blisters during your vacation.

In addition, you’ll need to pack outfits and necessities for your time onboard your cruise ship. I typically plan for one outfit each day followed by one evening outfit for the ship. This also includes one or two lounge outfits for sea days.

Please note, if you’re sailing to or around the Mediterranean, you will need a completely different wardrobe than the one I’m about to provide. Mediterranean cruises are much warmer compared to cruises farther north.

Read more: What to wear on a Mediterranean cruise

My outfit and packing guide will focus on necessities and inspiration for Northern Europe. This could include cruises across Northern Europe and the Baltics, such as itineraries from popular embarkation ports like Southampton (England), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Reykjavik (Iceland), Oslo (Norway), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Stockholm (Sweden).

Weather Expectations

The cruise season for Europe starts in April and ends in October. However, cruises around Northern Europe are typically from May to September due to cooler temperatures in the spring and fall. 

As you might guess, sailing around Northern Europe will be inherently cooler than the Mediterranean. Cruising on the North or Baltic Sea means you’ll be experiencing a cooler climate, even in the summer.

Temperatures will be anywhere from 40 degrees F to 70 degrees F on a European sailing. However, cruises in the shoulder season (April/May or September/October) mean you’ll veer towards the cooler temperatures.

Weather in Europe can often be unpredictable. For instance, during our cruise to Norway, it would be cold in the mornings at 40 degrees and warm up to 70 degrees later in the day. The following day could bring cold, rainy weather all day in the 50s.

However, this region of Europe can still experience heat waves, so packing layers is the key. We didn’t necessarily have a heat wave during our cruise, which was in early June. But, we still had a few warm and sunny days.

Moreover, if you’re sailing towards the Arctic Circle on itineraries to Iceland or Norway, you’ll need to prepare for mostly cold and rainy weather. The further north you’re sailing, the cooler you can expect the temperatures.

Finally, European cruises are notoriously rainy. Every cruise I’ve sailed around this region has experienced multiple days of cold weather and rain. The weather can change quickly with spurts of rain throughout the day.

General Cruise Packing Tips

While packing for your European cruise, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind. First, focus on packing layers. This will allow you to bundle up when the weather is cool while also being able to shed layers if it warms up.

For instance, choose neutral-colored jackets that you can wear with the majority of what you’re packing. For me, this includes a long black raincoat to wear over a sweater or a denim jacket to pair with a short-sleeved dress or top.

In terms of layered clothes, you should also prioritize packing items that you can mix and match. Again, neutral-colored clothes or capsule items are usually good for this, as you can wear multiple pieces together over the course of your cruise.

The mix-and-match strategy also allows you to pack less overall. If an outfit is a one-and-done, it probably could stay home. The same principle applies to shoes and outerwear to ensure you aren’t wasting precious space in your luggage.

Moreover, make sure you consider your daily activities while in Europe. If you’re visiting churches or holy sites, make sure you pack appropriate clothes that cover your knees or shoulders (if needed). Those doing adrenaline-pumping or active excursions should look for outfit guidelines on tour descriptions. For example, hiking excursions often suggest wearing hiking shoes.

Read more: I’ve been on 3 European cruises, and I see people making the same 12 mistakes: here’s how to avoid them

Finally, aim to pack clothes that are always comfortable. It’s not uncommon to feel bloated by the end of your cruise, and this isn’t the time to try squeezing into your fitted jeans, at least for me! Versatility, comfort, and practicality are all key when choosing the outfits for your European cruise.

Try not to overpack if you can. I struggle with this, especially for colder climate cruises. Remember, you will need to lug your suitcases around from the airport to the cruise terminal. This could also include train stations, taxis, hotels, and more depending on your plans before and after cruising.

Clothing Essentials Overview

For this cruise, I packed one outfit for each day of our cruise - so 7 different daily outfits. Our itinerary included three days in Norway and one day in Belgium. As we cruised further north in Norway, the temperatures dropped.

Our activity schedule included a train ride in Flåm, Norway and a glacier hike in Olden, Norway. As such, one of my outfits was an athletic fit for the hike, including workout leggings, a long-sleeved workout shirt, and appropriate undergarments.

I also packed a dress to wear each evening onboard our cruise, meaning I also packed 7 dresses. Most of these dresses were versatile and comfortable pieces that I could layer with a coat if needed. I also packed practical dresses that I could wear during the day, if needed.

How you choose to dress on your cruise is up to you. Most cruise lines have dress code guidelines that forbid shorts, flip-flops, and swimsuits for restaurants. You should also consider if your cruise has any formal or elegant nights. 

This could include a cocktail dress or even a formal gown if you feel like dressing up. For me, I tend to wear casual and comfortable dresses during my cruises in the evenings. I also try to pack dresses that I can wear during the day, meaning only a few dresses are strictly for evening wear. 

I kept lounge wear minimal for this cruise, as we only had two sea days. I packed a crewneck and short matching set to wear onboard. I typically wore this to breakfast each day before changing for the daily activities. I also packed sweatpants that I wore in our cabin while enjoying the balcony. If you have more sea days, you will need to pack more casual clothes to wear onboard. 

Finally, don't forget a swimsuit! I love this long-sleeve swimsuit from Amazon (this contains an affiliate link) because it's warmer and I don't have to worry about getting sunburnt. 

Without further ado, here’s everything I wore and packed for my 7-night European cruise to Norway and Belgium. This is a breakdown of exactly what I wore during my cruise.

European Cruise Packing List

Outfits:

• 2 pairs of pants (cargo pants and jeans)
• 3 pairs of leggings (casual and workout)
• 3 workout skorts (to wear under dresses or alone)
• 4 long sleeve dresses
• 3 short sleeve dresses
• 2 elegant night dresses
• 2 sweaters
• 2 casual tops
• 1 long sleeve workout top
• 1 black denim jacket
• 1 lounge outfit (matching shorts and crewneck)
• 2 pairs of pajamas
• 1 swimsuit (pack extra if you plan to hot tub more than once or twice)
• 14 days worth of undergarments (I packed extra in case of travel delays)
• Optional: Workout clothes (if you plan to exercise on your cruise, pack accordingly)

Outerwear:

• 3 coats (raincoat, fashion coat, puffer coat - I could have left behind the puffer coat, but it packed easily in a compression packing cube and I wore it onboard. Having a waterproof coat is key)
• 2 hats or warm headbands (in case one gets wet)
• Gloves
• Optional: Scarf (I didn’t wear one this summer, but I did last year when cruising to Iceland and it was colder!)

Shoes:

• Comfortable walking shoes (I packed white tennis shoes and wore them almost every day)
• Waterproof boots
• Dinner shoes (I brought casual platform sandals that could be dressed up or down. I wore these every night)
• Sandals (I packed casual slides to wear around the ship - I wore them with socks)

Accessories:

• Crossbody purse (Mine was used daily for ashore exploration and dinners onboard)
• Daily jewelry (I keep this simple and wore my wedding rings with gold hoops each day)
• Sunglasses
• Umbrella
• Small travel wallet
• Larger purse (I use a small backpack-style purse to hold more for longer travel days)
• Packing cubes
• Jewelry travel case
• Electronics organizer
• Tote or bag to use around the ship
• Hair clips or ties (I use claw clips and scrunchies mostly)

Daily Necessities:

• Sunscreen (I prefer a tinted moisturizer with SPF when cruising, but sunscreen is still important)
• Skincare (I bring travel-size products, including face wash, moisturizer, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and eye cream)
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Body spray or perfume
• Makeup and makeup remover
• Prescription medication (I pack extra medication in case of emergency or travel delays)
• Over-the-counter medication (My travel pharmacy contains a variety of OTC medication that might be needed, including pain relief, seasickness, cold/flu medication, sleep aid, and allergies)
• Contacts/glasses and solution

Technology:

• Phone
• iPad or tablet with downloaded shows
• Wireless headphones
• Wired headphones (for the plane)
• Smartwatch
• Charging cords
• Portable charger
• Camera (I have a nicer digital camera I bring while traveling)
• Optional: Laptop (I always travel with mine) and e-reader/book

Travel Needs:

• Valid passport (and any necessary visas)
• Travel insurance
• 2 credit cards, including Visa or Mastercard with no foreign transaction fees
• ATM card (in case of an emergency where you need cash)
• Cash or local currency (I don’t deem cash necessary anymore for European travel. Everywhere we went accepted credit cards. But if you like to have cash or want to tip onboard, bring some local currency)

Cruise Items:

• European converter
• Outlet expander
• Magnetic hooks
• Travel-size sound machine
• Hanging cosmetic organizer

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Many would agree that one of the highlights of cruising is indulging in all of the delicious cuisine while onboard. While there are specialty dining options on virtually every cruise ship, you can always enjoy unlimited, complimentary food during your sailing. From the buffet to the main dining room, you certainly won’t go hungry while vacationing on a cruise ship.

But, how much would you eat on a cruise if you had the metabolism of a 17-year-old teenager?

A recent viral TikTok from Kyleigh Ryan (@kyleigh.pate) shows just how much a teenage boy can eat in one day on a cruise. The video has been viewed more than 4.7 million times - garnering around 9,000 comments and nearly 500k likes from viewers. Ryan's viral video is likely inspired by the TikTok trend where siblings share what their teenage brothers eat in a day. 

In the video, Ryan chronicles her brother’s meals and snacks throughout his cruise day, meticulously keeping track of everything he ate for the TikTok. As you might imagine, the 17-year-old certainly got his money’s worth just in cruise food.

Ryan captioned the TikTok, “What my 17-year-old brother eats in a day on our cruise.” She also included in the captions that simply making the video made her nauseous. Ryan tagged Royal Caribbean in the video, although she does not specify which ship she is sailing on with her family.

The hilarious TikTok was posted to social media earlier this month, presumably during a family vacation. The tagged location on the TikTok is Galveston, Texas, and appears to be Mariner of the Seas. Of course, it should also be noted that the sentiment of this TikTok is clearly lighthearted and not meant to be shaming or judgmental.

Here’s everything that the 17-year-old enjoyed during his cruise day, in the order shown in the viral video.

Breakfast

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day - and Ryan’s brother certainly started his day with a bang. The beginning of Ryan’s viral TikTok shows her and her brother dining at the Windjammer buffet for breakfast onboard their Royal Caribbean cruise.

The Windjammer is Royal Caribbean’s standard buffet that serves meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. During the TikTok, Ryan’s brother makes three separate trips to the buffet for his breakfast.

During breakfast, the 17-year-old makes a few trips to the buffet. It looks to be a sea day onboard the ship, as the TikTok never shows the family disembark the ship. More time onboard means more opportunities to indulge in all of the cuisine!

Ryan documents her brother with each trip to and from the Windjammer buffet, which is actually recommended on a cruise to reduce waste, as it’s easy to overload your plate. One can appreciate the teen’s conscientious efforts to not be wasteful!

Here’s what the 17-year-old had for breakfast, according to the viral TikTok:

• 3 slices of French toast
• 2 donuts
• A plate of bacon
• Hashbrowns
• 3 more slices of French toast
• 2 sausage links
• A chocolate croissant
• 1 more donut
• 2 glasses of apple juice

Lunch

Before lunch, Ryan shows a clip of her brother having his first ice cream cone on the pool deck. One of the quintessential treats on a Royal Caribbean is a soft-serve ice cream cone! Although popular with all guests onboard, the soft-serve machine is particularly popular with kids and teens. Who doesn’t want unlimited ice cream on vacation - it’s a kid’s dream!

For lunch, the 17-year-old takes a trip to Sorrento’s onboard. This is Royal Caribbean’s complimentary pizza, serving up fresh slices throughout the day and into the late night. Ryan shows her brother taking three separate trips up to the counter for lunch, in which the teen eats the following:

• 2 slices of pepperoni pizza
• 2 more slices of pepperoni pizza
• 2 final slices of pepperoni pizza

After indulging at Sorrento’s for lunch, the teen heads back to the pool deck. Ryan shows her brother having two more ice cream cones from the soft-serve machine.

Dinner

The TikTok continues by showing the teenager enjoying dinner in the main dining room, presumably with Ryan and their family. On Royal Caribbean ships, the main dining room serves multi-course meals, which are included in each guest’s cruise fare. The main dining room also serves sit-down meals for breakfast and lunch depending on the sailing’s itinerary.

Each evening in the main dining room features a different themed menu. Ryan shows her brother’s dining room order, including the following appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Based on the 17-year-old’s selections shown in the TikTok, it appears to be Italian night in the dining room.

The teenager didn’t hold back with his dining room order, indulging in the following meal for dinner:

• 2 cheddar bread rolls with butter
• 2 glasses of lemonade
• 1 more cheddar roll with butter
• Arancini appetizer
• 2 steaks with baked potato and broccoli
• Chocolate dessert with ice cream
• Lemon tart

Late Night Snack

After dinner, Ryan shows her brother making another trip back to Sorrento’s for a late-night bite of pizza. She captions the ending of her TikTok, “Went back that night because he was hungry again.”

At the end of the TikTok, Ryan shows her brother indulging in four final slices of pizza before calling it a night. To be fair, there is nothing quite like Sorrento’s pizza to end your night on a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Response from viewers

Ryan’s viral TikTok has become overwhelmingly popular with viewers on the social media app. The video has surpassed 9,000 comments, mostly with commenters appreciating the teenager’s eating tenacity!

“If I paid for his cruise, he’s the one I’m feeling good about having got my money’s worth!” said the top response in the TikTok’s comment section. This top comment has received over 81.4k likes from other viewers!

Another top response - which has received 32k likes - said, “I ain’t mad at him. He CLEARLY knows how to enjoy a cruise.”

Similarly, many viewers agreed with the sentiment that the 17-year-old is getting his money’s worth. One commenter writes, “Note to self: take my twins on a cruise when they’re 16 to save on groceries” while another responds, “It’s cheaper to take your teenage boys on cruises than grocery shopping these days!”

“I am expecting my 16-year-old to eat our money’s worth on our cruise in December!” responded one user on the viral video. Another user agreed, “Have two teenage boys. Can confirm they eat like this.”

In the same way, another commenter stated, “Just got back from a cruise with my 14-year-old son and he ate 24 slices of pizza and 7 ice cream cones, in addition to breakfast, lunch, and dinner one day. I felt like it was a good value at least lol.”

Another parent chimes in, “As the parent of a teenage boy, I see what our next vacation is gonna be. That alone would justify the cost of the cruise!”

“My 18-year-old ate his weight in soft serve daily on our 8-day cruise. The food he consumed balanced the cost of his room,” writes another commenter. 

Along with these remarks, many of the commenters mention how they are envious of the teen’s metabolism. One of the top comments with 33.6k likes reads, “I have metabolism envy!”

“Cries in bad metabolism,” responds another viewer jokingly.

What food is included on a Royal Caribbean cruise?

All of the food in Ryan’s TikTok is included in the cost of a Royal Caribbean cruise. Each ship features a combination of for-fee specialty dining and complimentary dining options.

To start, all of Royal Caribbean’s ships provide a Windjammer buffet, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. There are multiple buffet stations with a range of cuisine options - everything from hot dogs and hamburgers to Indian curry and Italian pasta.

Moreover, each ship in the fleet has at least one main dining room for dinner and breakfast each day with multi-course meals. The main dining room is a classic, traditional cruise ship dining experience.

You can choose between My Time Dining or set dining time (early or late). In the main dining room, you’ll receive a menu each evening with appetizers, entrees, and desserts to order. Guests can essentially order as much as they want in the dining room.

Royal Caribbean’s ships also typically feature a grab-and-go cafe with snacks, sandwiches, and salads. These quick-service dining options are often named Cafe Promenade, Park Cafe, Pearl Cafe, or Cafe Lattitudes, depending on which ship you are sailing on. Sorrento’s is Royal Caribbean’s pizza parlor, which serves pizza throughout the day on your cruise.

Finally, some of Royal Caribbean’s ships also have poolside dining options like El Loco Fresh for Mexican and Boardwalk Dog House for hot dogs. These are also grab-and-go style dining options so you can get a quick bite to eat and eat right on the pool deck.

As for drinks, your Royal Caribbean cruise fare includes basic beverages, excluding alcohol. This includes water, lemonade, tea, juices (not freshly squeezed), drip coffee, tea, milk, and flavored waters.

Specialty dining options are available for a surcharge on Royal Caribbean’s ships. These include restaurants like Chops Grille Steakhouse, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen or Table, Izumi Sushi and Teppanyaki, Jamie’s Italian, Playmakers Sports Bar, and 150 Central Park. Specialty dining experiences are also available for an extra fee, including Chef’s Table, Royal Railway Utopia Station, Wonderland, and Empire Supper Club.

One of the most exciting shopping events of the year is upon us - Amazon Prime Day! As one of the biggest online retailers in the world, Amazon runs a two-day sale every summer with the hottest deals of the year.

While Amazon has sales throughout the year on many of its best-selling items, Amazon Prime Day is the sales event of the year with the biggest discounts. This year, Amazon Prime Day will be happening for two days: July 16-17.

Lasting only two days, the sale is a quick one. Not to mention, Amazon also releases lightning deals that are time sensitive, meaning they are only available for a short period of time. Every five minutes will bring new deals and discounts during the 48-hour period, according to Amazon.  

If you are looking to purchase any travel essentials for your upcoming cruise vacation, it's the best time to snag some fantastic deals. This is actually the 10th anniversary of Amazon Prime Day, with each year bringing bigger and better discounts than before. Prime Day features discounts on a wide assortment of product categories, including electronics, appliances, home goods, travel necessities and more.

This year, Amazon says Prime members can shop more than 5 million deals worldwide across 35 different categories during the annual sale. Shoppers can expect to find the lowest prices of the year for some of the site’s top-selling products.

Amazon Prime Day is a member-exclusive event, meaning you need to have an Amazon Prime membership to take advantage of the best deals during Prime Day. Moreover, you can also try starting a 30-day free trial to enjoy this year’s shopping event if you don't have a membership. 

With millions of deals (literally) available for Prime Day, you might be feeling overwhelmed. Everything from new luggage sets to packing cubes, portable fans and magnetic hooks are on sale this year. If you’re setting sail on a cruise this year, you should take a look at some of our favorite Amazon products during this year’s Prime Day sale.

I combed through the list of products on sale (for hours, I should say) so you don't have to! Here are some of the best Prime Day deals we found on Amazon for your upcoming cruises. 

Please note that we receive a small commission if you purchase any of the products from our affiliate links below. You can also check out our Amazon Storefront for other essential cruise items that we recommend. Purchasing from the links below costs you nothing extra, but the small commission supports Royal Caribbean Blog. 

All prices below were at the time of publication. Prices may change during the sale based on availability.

Luggage Deals

If you’re in the market for new luggage, now is the best time to purchase for your cruise. Regardless of how you arrive to your cruise port - by car or airplane - you’ll need to have luggage for your vacation.

Whether you need just a carry-on for lighter travel or you want to invest in a multi-piece set, Prime Day has hundreds of luggage deals. Your best bet is to purchase a luggage set for the steepest discounts, including 2-piece or 3-piece sets.

Luggage is always one of the top-selling products for Prime Day, so take a look at some of the best Prime Day deals we found for luggage.

Samsonite Luggage

One of the best brands for affordable luggage is Samsonite. Each year, Amazon slashes the price of Samsonite luggage, including a variety of carry-on suitcases and checked bags. You can also find luggage sets if you’re looking to invest in multiple suitcases. 

One of the top deals this year is this 2-piece Samsonite luggage set in Mint Green. This includes a 21-inch and 28-inch suitcase for more than 50% off the original price. Amazon lists this luggage set as its best-selling product.

• Link: Freeform Hardside Expandable with Double Spinner Wheels, 2-Piece Set (21/28), Mint Green
• Price: $219.81 (Originally $479)

Another fantastic deal on Samsonite luggage is this 3-piece luggage set. You’ll receive a 20-inch, 24-inch, and 30-inch suitcase in this set with an incredible discount of 50%. This is perfect for families looking to have a combination of checked luggage and carry-ons.

• Link: Samsonite Centric 2 Hardside Expandable Luggage with Spinners, Black, 3-Piece Set (20/24/28)
• Price: $250 (Originally $499)

For those looking to just purchase a carry-on, Samsonite is selling one of its best-rated carry-on suitcases for 33% off. This carry-on has received thousands of 5-star ratings, so it's a great suitcase for your upcoming cruise!

• Link: Samsonite Omni 2 Hardside Expandable Luggage with Spinner Wheels, Black, Pro Carry-on
• Price: $146.82 (Originally $219.99)

Luggage Accessories

Along with suitcases, Prime Day has thousands of discounted luggage accessories as well. One handy tool for those flying to their embarkation port is this electronic luggage scale. 

This will help you determine if your luggage is overweight - it can happen quickly with all of that shopping both on the ship and in your ports of call! This one has a 4.6 star rating and is on sale for 20% off this Prime Day.

• Link: Amazon Basics Portable Digital Luggage Weight Scale, One Size, Black
• Price: $8.34 (Originally $10.42)

Packing cubes are another popular Amazon product for our cruisers; in particular, compression packing cubes can help save space in your luggage. You can not only stay organized, but packing cubes also allow for easy unpacking in your cruise stateroom. Simply remove the cube from your luggage and place them in your cabin’s closet, drawers or shelves. 

These Gonex compression packing cubes are some of the best-selling packing cubes on Amazon - and they're getting a big discount for Prime Day. You’ll receive 4 packing cubes with various sizes to maximize your luggage space. I own these personally and I refuse to cruise without them!

• Link: Gonex Compression Packing Cubes, 4pcs Expandable Storage Travel Luggage Bags Organizers (Blue)
• Price: $21.99 (Originally $29.99)

For non-compression packing cubes, this set of five packing cubes from Travelwise is on sale for 41% off. This set includes five cubes with various sizes. Although these do not compress your clothes, packing cubes are extremely useful for organization while traveling. This set has a fantastic rating of 4.7 stars!

• Link: TravelWise Luggage Packing Organization Cubes 5 Pack, 2 Small, 2 Medium, 1 Large (TWPC-24)
• Price: $19.99 (Originally $33.99)

Another cruise essential that I travel with is my electronics organizer. This organizer contains all of my cords and chargers for the many devices that I cruise with. It’s so convenient having all of my cords neatly in one location when traveling and I also appreciate how it keeps my cruise cabin less cluttered. For under $10, this has been a game changer for me!

• Link: BAGSMART Cord Organizer Travel Cable Organizer Bag Tech Electronic Organizer Travel Case, Travel Essentials for Charger, Cable, Phone, Flash drive, Single Layer - Black
• Price: $8.09 (Originally $10.99)

Speaking of organization, one cruise essential that we recommend is a hanging toiletry bag. With limited space in your cruise cabin bathroom, you can save space by utilizing one of these organization bags. A hanging toiletry bag allows you to keep your counter uncluttered with your toiletries being stored properly on the back of the door. I don’t travel without mine!

• Link: BAGSMART Toiletry Bag Hanging Travel Makeup Organizer with TSA Approved Transparent Cosmetic Bag Makeup Bag for Full Sized Toiletries, Medium-Black
• Price: $19.99 (Originally $27.99)

Keeping with the organization theme, this handy travel jewelry case is also on sale for Prime Day! This allows you to store all of your jewelry safely in one place while traveling, both in your suitcase and in your cruise cabin. This one comes highly rated and I love the pink color!

• Link: BAGSMART Travel Jewelry Organizer Case Foldable Jewelry Roll for Journey-Rings, Necklaces, Earrings, Bracelets,Mini,Light Pink
• Price: $15.29 (Originally $19.99)

Those who need to take daily medication during their vacation might also consider purchasing this travel pill organizer for their cruise. Moreover, you can use this to pack over-the-counter medication for your cruise, as the onboard shops are overpriced with a limited selection of medicine. 

• Link: FYY Daily Pill Organizer, 7 Compartments Portable Travel Pill Case [Folding Design]Pill Box for Purse Pocket to Hold Vitamins,Cod Liver Oil,Supplements and Medication-Pink
• Price: $6.50 (Originally $8.95)

Cruise Necessities

Prime Day is filled with deals for some of our favorite cruising necessities, such as this waterproof phone case. If you’re looking to take some fantastic photos on the beach or in the pool without worrying about ruining your phone, consider purchasing this waterproof phone pouch.

• Link: Case-Mate IP68 Waterproof Phone Pouch - Travel Beach Cruise Ship Essentials - Floating Waterproof Phone Case w/ Crossbody Lanyard for iPhone 15 Pro Max/ 14 Pro Max/ 13 Pro Max/ S24 Ultra - Sand Dollar
• Price: $13.28 (Originally $19.99)

Magnetic hooks are very popular among cruisers, as staterooms on a cruise ship have magnetic walls. Since the space is small, these magnetic hooks can be used to hang a variety of items directly on your wall. This helps your cabin stay tidy and organized!

• Link: Neosmuk Magnetic Hooks, 27 lb+ Heavy Duty Earth Magnets with Hook for Refrigerator, Extra Strong Cruise Hook for Hanging, Magnetic Hanger for Cabins, Grill (Silver White, Pack of 10)
• Price: $6.24 (Originally $11.99)

Another popular product for many cruisers is a mini portable fan to use in your stateroom. This is especially important if you prefer to have a fan running while you sleep. Those who like a cool cabin might also appreciate the additional airflow by having one of these portable fans.

A USB-powered fan will ensure you don’t need to waste an outlet in your cabin, either. This portable fan comes highly rated with 4.6 stars on Amazon- and it’s on sale for 34% off during Prime Day.

• Link: Cordless Desk Fan, Battery Operated Fan with USB, 70ft Strong Airflow Portable Fan, Quiet Operation Fan with LED Light and 360° Rotate Table Fan for Bedroom Home Office Outdoor Travel(Pink)
• Price: $21.24 (Originally $24.99)

Similarly, handheld fans are becoming increasingly popular for cruisers as well. Visiting destinations throughout Mexico and the Caribbean are sure to bring high temperatures, especially if you’re cruising in the late summer months. Consider purchasing this popular handheld fan for 31% off - it’s a great deal!

• Link: Gaiatop Mini Portable Fan, Powerful Handheld Fan, Cute Design 3 Speed Personal Small Desk Fan with Base, Lightweight Makeup USB Rechargeable Fan for Stylish Girl Women Travel Indoor Outdoor Black
• Price: $8.99 (Originally $19.99)

In addition, one cruise essential that I never leave at home is a portable charger. To start, I never want my phone to run out of battery while on vacation. Moreover, cruise cabins have limited outlets usually so having another source for charging devices can be super helpful while cruising.

This one is on sale for Prime Day and includes built-in cords to save you space. It’s on sale for 27% and comes with thousands of 5-star reviews.

• Link: VEEKTOMX Portable Charger with Built-in Cables, 10000mAh Power Bank for iPhone, Slim Fast Charge USB C Battery Pack, Travel Essentials Powerbank Compatible with iPhone 15/14/13, Samsung, Android, etc
• Price: $23.98 (Originally $32.99)

If you’re looking for a charger that's easier to have with you throughout the day, this mini portable charger would be perfect to fit in your beach bag for those port days ashore.

• Link: VVEEKTOMX Mini Portable Charger Power Bank 10000mAh, 22.5W Fast Charging Powerbank USB C Slim & Lightweight Travel Phone Charger, Dual Voltage Small Battery Pack for iPhone/Samsung/Google/Tablet, White
• Price: $25.99 (Originally $38.99)

Another must-have electronics item for cruising is a European adapter, as many cruise ships will have a European outlet in cruise ship cabins. This expands your charging capacities while cruising - and we highly recommend you bring one, especially if you’re cruising on an older ship.

• Link: [2-Pack] European Travel Plug Adapter, VINTAR International Power Plug Adapter with 1 USB C, 2 American Outlets and 3 USB Ports, 6 in 1 Travel Essentials to Most of Europe Greece, Italy(Type C)
• Price: $17.84 (Originally $20.99)

Another electronics must-have for cruising, in my opinion, is a portable sound machine. If you prefer to sleep with white noise playing, you should consider purchasing one of these for your next cruise. These are small and easy to pack - so it won’t take up too much space in your suitcase. Perfect for families traveling together as well! 

• Link: White Noise Machine Babelio Mini Sound Machine for Adults Kids Baby | 15 Non-looping Sounds | Timer | Easy to Pocket and Travel - White
• Price: $15.99 (Originally $19.99)

One very popular item for traveling - and every day wear honestly - is a belt bag. These small cross-body purses are perfect for keeping all of your essentials in one convenient location. Belt bags are extremely popular for both men and women because they are both comfortable and practical. This one is on sale for Prime Day and has great ratings!

• Link: Telena Belt Bag for Women Men Fashionable Crossbody Fanny Pack for Women Waist Bag with Adjustable Strap Light Brown
• Price: $11.19 (Originally $13.99)

Regardless of where you’re cruising, you should definitely plan to pack sunscreen. Those planning to spend time on the beach or chilling on the pool deck will especially want to make sure to pack plenty of sunscreen. I love to travel with sunscreen that I can wear on my face daily, such as the Unseen Sunscreen from Supergoop! You can snag 20% off select SuperGoop products during the Prime Day sale, which is a great deal!

• Link: Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen - SPF 40-1.7 fl oz - Invisible, Broad Spectrum Face Sunscreen - Weightless, Scentless, and Oil Free - For All Skin Types and Skin Tones
• Price: $30.40 (Originally $38)

If you’re concerned about seasickness during your cruise - or you’re prone to motion sickness - you should plan to pack medication. Dramamine is one of the most popular seasickness medications. For Prime Day, you can get a great deal on Dramamine Chewables for Kids for 30% off. This medication is highly rated with nearly all 5-star reviews and would be easy for kids to take.

• Link: Dramamine Kids Chewable, Motion Sickness Relief, Grape Flavor, 8 Count, 3 Pack
• Price: $9.79 (Originally $13.99)

You can also purchase the original Dramamine medication for your cruise, which is on sale for Prime Day as well. Even though I am not prone to seasickness, I always pack Dramamine when cruising in case of an emergency.

• Link: Dramamine Original, Motion Sickness Relief, 36 Count
• Price: $8.39 (Originally $11.99)

Another interesting item to bring on a cruise that I’ve seen many people rave about is an insulated coffee mug with a lid. If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, you will typically need to use the small coffee cups provided by the cruise line in the buffet area. These cups are easy to spill, especially if you want your coffee to go.

If you have the space for an insulated coffee mug, you can take coffee with you easily from the buffet and keep it warm. Those going on cold-weather cruises like Alaska, Iceland, and Norway might especially appreciate having an insulated mug to take in the sights from the chilly top deck. This one is on sale for 44% off and comes highly recommended!

• Link: ALOUFEA 12oz Stainless Steel Insulated Coffee Mug with Handle, Double Wall Vacuum Travel Mug, Tumbler Cup with Sliding Lid, Navy
• Price: $10.15 (Originally $17.99)

Choosing the right cruise ship is one of the most important steps when planning your cruise vacation. There is nothing worse than feeling disappointed on vacation, especially if you book a cruise ship that falls short of your expectations.

The top considerations for choosing a cruise ship should include your budget, itinerary preference, and travel group’s needs. This means if you’re traveling with children, you should properly research the amenities and attractions available for kids onboard.

However, if you’re looking to avoid sailing with kids or families, you’ll also want to carefully choose your cruise ship. Most mainstream cruise lines like Royal Caribbean appeal to families, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ships that are best suited for adults.

I’ve been cruising for as long as I can remember with my first cruise at just three years old. My family sailed with Royal Caribbean every year when I was growing up, meaning I’ve sailed on just about every ship in the cruise line’s fleet. In addition, I’ve also sailed on every Royal Caribbean ship class - including the now-extinct Sovereign Class!

As you can imagine, cruising as an adult on Royal Caribbean is a vastly different experience. The waterslides and zip lines aren’t quite the draw for me anymore; instead, I prefer indulging in the more adult-focused activities and amenities.

Since my husband and I are still proud DINKs (double income, no kids), we typically book cruises on Royal Caribbean with the adult experience in mind. While you might not be able to avoid kids altogether, there are some Royal Caribbean ships that are better for adults than others.

Of the 46 cruises I’ve taken in my life, here are my picks for the best Royal Caribbean ships for adults.

1. Grandeur of the Seas

I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out. Looking at Royal Caribbean’s fleet as a whole, the Vision Class is arguably the best for adults. Why? Because the Vision Class ships have hardly anything to do for kids.

I’ve been sailing on Vision Class ships for two decades, starting with Enchantment of the Seas in 2005. As a kid, the ship was a total snooze fest with very few onboard thrills or attractions. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate the Vision Class ships more and more.

Last fall, I sailed on Grandeur of the Seas with my sister and we couldn’t believe how much we enjoyed our vacation. Grandeur of the Seas was built in 1996 and holds 1,992 guests at maximum capacity, making her a small-to-midsize cruise ship.

Yes, the cruise ship is 28 years old and lacks many bells and whistles of newer ships. Despite her age, adults looking to relax and disconnect will find this easy to do on old “Lady G." As a bonus, there were hardly any kids onboard and so many spaces to enjoy the ocean views. 

The ship has an adults-only indoor Solarium, along with a spa and plenty of bars and lounges. I was surprised to see there were multiple specialty dining restaurants onboard as well. These are excellent choices for adults looking to have a more upscale, intimate dining experience.

Not to mention, Grandeur of the Seas has a variety of itineraries available - ranging from weekend getaways to longer voyages down to the Southern Caribbean. I wouldn’t hesitate to book Grandeur of the Seas for another adult getaway.

2. Spectrum of the Seas

Perhaps the most unique ship on my list, Spectrum of the Seas is another excellent Royal Caribbean ship for adults. Back in July 2019, I sailed to China and Japan onboard Spectrum of the Seas, which was the first Quantum Ultra Class ship. It was unlike any Royal Caribbean cruise we had taken before!

You don’t read or hear much about Spectrum of the Seas, as she predominately operates only in East Asia; however, she is one of Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ships that has so much to offer for adults. As the largest ship on my list, Spectrum of the Seas clocks in at 169,000 gross tons and holds 5,622 guests at maximum capacity.

To start, Spectrum of the Seas offers some incredibly rare itineraries throughout Asia. For those destination-focused cruisers, this Quantum Ultra Class ship is one to consider for her itineraries alone. You can find sailings throughout Asia, including ports of call in China, Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea.

In my experience, sailing on Spectrum of the Seas was a cultural experience in and of itself. The ship was designed to cater to the Asian market, giving her some distinctive attributes compared to other Royal Caribbean ships. The entertainment was top-notch with headliner production shows like The Effectors, Showgirl, and Silk Road.

You’ll also find a variety of specialty and complimentary dining restaurants onboard. Most notably, there are ten specialty dining options aboard including Wonderland, Jamie’s Italian, Chops Grille, Izumi, Sichuan Red, and Teppanyaki.

Additionally, you won’t have to fight the chair hogs during your cruise because the top decks are not jam-packed like other sailings. It was always easy to find an outdoor chair if we wanted a little bit of sun, ensuring a relaxing experience. I recommend booking a sailing when kids are in school - September to July - to ensure a quiet cruise.

3. Mariner of the Seas

Moving back to smaller and older cruise ships, Mariner of the Seas is one of my all-time favorite cruise ships as an adult. While the ship caters to cruisers of all ages, the Voyager Class cruise ship just received the Royal Amplification treatment worth $120 million. 

Mariner of the Seas is a modestly sized ship, measuring 138,000 gross tons and holding around 4,000 guests at capacity.

I’ve sailed on Mariner of the Seas multiple times and it never gets old! I first sailed on Mariner of the Seas in elementary school, followed by an exotic Southeast Asian itinerary to Thailand and Malaysia with my husband. Last year, I sailed on Mariner of the Seas twice for a fun getaway cruise to Mexico with friends and family.

To start, I love The Bamboo Room, which is a unique bar that was added to Mariner of the Seas during her Royal Amplification. The tiki bar is Polynesian-inspired with a special menu of tiki-themed drinks - it’s the perfect place for adults wanting to indulge in a variety of cocktails.

Also, Mariner of the Seas has a nice selection of complimentary and specialty dining options. For adults wanting to indulge, the specialty dining selection on Mariner is more than sufficient. In fact, her Royal Amplification also brought three new specialty restaurants: Playmakers Sports Bar, Jamie’s Italian, and Izumi Hibachi and Sushi.

Not to mention, I love the entertainment on Mariner of the Seas, especially the ice skating performances. Adults can spend time in the adults-only Solarium on Mariner of the Seas. Similar to other ships, I recommend booking a sailing during the school year to avoid too many kids onboard. Avoiding holidays and spring break will help mitigate the number of families onboard too.

4. Serenade of the Seas

As an adult, I’ve spent more time on Radiance Class ships than any other in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. This is mostly because Royal Caribbean’s Radiance Class ships sail on the more far-flung itineraries.

My husband and I sailed on Serenade of the Seas in 2021 on one of Royal Caribbean’s first post-pandemic cruises. Perhaps I am looking back with rose-colored glasses on that experience, but Serenade of the Seas was a great choice for adult cruisers.

During our sailing, there were very few kids onboard, which has been the case for almost all of my Radiance Class sailings. Serenade of the Seas is one of the smaller ships on my list, measuring 90,000 gross tons with 2,490 guests at capacity. You won’t find much for kids to do on this medium-sized ship, detracting families from booking their next trip on Serenade of the Seas.

The ship’s smaller size allows her to dock without restriction in most ports, unlike Royal Caribbean’s larger ships. This doesn’t mean you can’t find Royal Caribbean’s classic bars, lounges, and restaurants onboard for adults to enjoy.

Both of my experiences on Serenade of the Seas were memorable with one cruise to Alaska and another sailing across Northern Europe visiting 8 different countries. Adults looking to sail on Serenade of the Seas will appreciate the vast array of itineraries to book, from Alaska to the Caribbean, Panama Canal, and Europe.

In fact, Serenade of the Seas is currently sailing on Royal Caribbean’s first-ever Ultimate World Cruise. Those wanting an unparalleled Royal Caribbean experience can still book segments throughout Europe for this summer and into fall.

5. Rhapsody of the Seas

Looping back to Vision Class ships, I’m going to finish the list with another controversial pick: Rhapsody of the Seas. This old cruise ship was built in 1997 and represents a significantly different cruising era than the new mega-ships we see being built today.

I sailed on Rhapsody of the Seas a few years ago with my husband for our honeymoon. We sailed from Venice to Croatia and the Greek Isles. Given her small size of 78,000 gross tons, she can only hold around 1,900 guests at capacity, which creates a more intimate cruising experience.

Unlike Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships, Rhapsody of the Seas doesn’t have any flashy onboard thrills or attractions. You can peacefully sit on the top deck enjoying the ocean breeze without the commotion of waterslides or splash pads.

As one of the smallest ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, Rhapsody of the Seas was an excellent choice for us when we were newlyweds sailing on a budget. Even as an older ship, she was in good condition for sailing. The ship had everything we needed for a comfortable cruise without the distraction of kid-friendly thrills, leading to very few kids onboard. 

For a port-heavy itinerary, I would highly recommend Rhapsody of the Seas for any adults!

Just recently, Royal Caribbean Group announced enhanced benefits for their new Loyalty Status Match program. With the updated program, guests receive more equivalent loyalty perks across the cruise line’s three bands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and SilverSea Cruises.

While all three cruise brands are owned by Royal Caribbean Group, each cruise line has its own loyalty program. With status matching, you can receive similar perks regardless of which cruise line you sail with. However, the benefits between the programs are not identical and points earned on each cruise line are separate.

As a Diamond Plus member of Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Status, I was ecstatic about this announcement. The newly announced changes would go into effect just a few days before my recent cruise on Celebrity Apex. I couldn't believe how perfect the timing was!

Following the announcement, my husband and I were excited to utilize our new Elite Plus status for the first time. Here was my experience trying out Royal Caribbean’s new Loyalty Status Match program.

With Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society, I receive some very lucrative loyalty perks and benefits

Growing up, my family sailed religiously with Royal Caribbean, allowing me to achieve the second-highest loyalty status with the cruise line. I earned Diamond Plus status back in college and have continued utilizing the loyalty perks ever since.

The status benefits that I use most frequently include the following:

• Balcony discount
• Five free daily drinks up to $15
• Two free days of Internet
• BOGO specialty dining credit
• Diamond Lounge access
• One bag of free laundry
• One free professional photo

These loyalty perks have continued to incentivize me and my family to keep sailing with Royal Caribbean. Not to mention, my husband inherited my Diamond Plus status when we got married, allowing him to receive the same perks as I do.

The daily free drinks alone have saved us thousands of dollars over the years - it’s virtually a free drink package!

Even with these perks, my husband and I were wanting to expand our cruising horizons

Although Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are sister brands, the two cruise lines are distinct and appeal to different demographics. Celebrity Cruises is considered a premium cruise line compared to the family-friendly, more affordable Royal Caribbean brand.

For me and my husband, Celebrity Cruise’s ships and itineraries have become more appealing to us. Since we do not have kids yet, we appreciated the more upscale, adult-focused experience offered with Celebrity Cruises.

For our yearly summer vacation, we booked a 7-night Norwegian Fjord sailing from England to Norway and Belgium on Celebrity Apex. We wouldn’t have to entirely give up our loyalty perks either, which was a selling point for us!

When we booked our cruise, we originally received Elite status in the cruise line’s loyalty program, known as Captain’s Club. With the new Loyalty Status Match program, my husband and I both received a status bump from Elite to Elite Plus.

Similar to Royal Caribbean, this is the second-highest loyalty status in the Captain’s Club. Since we had already linked our loyalty numbers between Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean, the status change was automatic.

I was relieved to see the new status had already updated on our reservation a few days before we flew to London for our cruise. The boarding pass and SeaPass also reflected our new Elite Plus status - elevating our pre-cruise excitement even more.

We received an overview of Elite Plus perks in our stateroom on boarding day

Upon arrival in our stateroom, we received a letter outlining our Elite Plus benefits that we would receive during our cruise. These perks were similar to our Diamond Plus benefits with benefits for internet, drinks, specialty dining, spa, coffee, and more.

We were most excited to see that Elite Plus benefits included nightly happy hour with unlimited cocktails and free specialty coffees each day! Other benefits we planned to use included the 15% discount on specialty dining, 35% discount on internet, and two free loads of laundry.

Unfortunately, the nightly happy hour with unlimited cocktails excludes embarkation day for an unknown reason. Because of this, we immediately missed having our daily drink vouchers that we receive on Royal Caribbean. Loyalty drink vouchers can be used immediately after you board your cruise, which is always the perfect start to vacation.

On the first day of our cruise, we also purchased an internet package using the Elite Plus discount. The Premium Full Package Wi-Fi included two devices for $268.40 with a 35% discount applied. The loyalty discount saved us $144.53!

I appreciated having a percentage discount with Celebrity Cruises compared to Royal Caribbean’s two free days. For longer itineraries, you can save way more with Captain’s Club compared to Royal Caribbean’s static $52 discount for internet.

One of the best perks was having complimentary specialty coffee each morning!

My husband and I both prefer starting our morning with specialty coffee, like lattes or cappuccinos, compared to standard drip coffee. Considering specialty coffee is upwards of $7 per drink, this can add up quickly on a 7-night cruise between the two of us.

Celebrity cruise ships have a lovely coffee shop called Cafe al Bacio, where you can order specialty coffees. Cafe a Bacio also serves complimentary pastries, cakes, and goodies throughout the day.

The barista confirmed on the first morning that we could have specialty coffee for free with our Elite Plus status. There were seemingly no restrictions or limits, except for alcoholic coffees.

Each morning, we would stop by Cafe al Bacio before starting our day, along with a delicious sticky bun to share. This was a perk that would require a drink voucher with Royal Caribbean, so we appreciated the indulgence each morning!

Although we missed having drink vouchers, the nightly happy hour was a great perk

Before the pandemic, Royal Caribbean provided a nightly happy hour with unlimited cocktails for those with Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle status. After the cruise restart, Royal Caribbean changed how loyalty drinks would be served to mitigate crowding in the Diamond Lounge.

The cruise line updated this benefit to include daily drink vouchers, which could be used for almost every cocktail from any bar throughout the day. There was no longer a specific time frame when the drinks had to be used either. Most would agree this was an enhanced benefit!

On the other hand, Celebrity Cruises still only provides a nightly happy hour from 5pm to 7pm each evening for Elite, Elite Plus, and Zenith loyalty members. The perk is nearly identical to Royal Caribbean’s old system.

As such, we planned our days around this nightly happy hour, as we certainly wouldn’t miss out on our free drinks! We only had two sea days with four port stops, meaning most of our time was ashore. Luckily, most of the bars onboard Celebrity Apex participated in the happy hour around the ship.

Read more: Celebrity Cruises Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

We were allowed to order unlimited cocktails from a limited menu, including cocktails like a Manhattan, Apple Martini, Cosmo, Screwdriver, and Sidecar. Other drinks included a selection of beer and wine. Trying the many bars around Celebrity Apex was a highlight of our time onboard!

However, we missed the flexibility of Royal Caribbean’s drink vouchers. While unlimited cocktails during happy hour is definitely a lucrative loyalty perk, I wish Celebrity Cruises would integrate this benefit from Royal Caribbean.

With the 15% specialty dining discount, we splurged on two restaurants during our cruise

One of the bigger perks that comes with Elite Plus status is a 15% discount for specialty dining cover charges. Since Celebrity Apex has some of the best specialty restaurants in the fleet, we were excited to try this benefit.

When we cruise with Royal Caribbean, my husband and I both receive the buy one, get one free specialty dining cover. This is essentially a coupon for 50% off, which we always use! Comparatively, Celebrity Cruises offers 15% off all specialty cover charges, which can be used as many times as you want.

During our cruise, we decided to try dinner at the Rooftop Garden Grill. Although it was freezing outside, the meal was fantastic! The 15% discount saved us around $16.20, with the entire meal costing $91.80.

In addition, my husband is a big fan of sushi and wanted to try Raw on 5. We decided to come here for lunch during our first sea day. My husband loved the oysters and the sushi, while my pork belly was just okay. We saved about $5.40, which isn’t anything to write home about but I will take any discount!

Overall, we typically save more on specialty dining with Royal Caribbean’s BOGO discount compared to Celebrity’s 15% discount. We only saved a little over $20 on this cruise with the discount compared to $100 on Royal Caribbean. However, we were always planning to try a few of Celebrity Apex’s specialty restaurants, so the status bump saved us money!

Although not as lucrative, my husband loved the laundry benefit!

Laundry isn’t necessarily an exciting topic - at home or on vacation. Royal Caribbean provides Diamond Plus guests with one free bag of laundry for each cruise. With this, my husband always sends his laundry to be done with our loyalty perk.

He finds the onboard laundry worthwhile when cruising so he has less to do when we get home. It’s not bad logic, and he is always grateful when we get back home and has less laundry to do than me!

So, you can imagine he was excited to see Celebrity Cruises allocated two free bags of laundry with Elite Plus. He utilized both of his free laundry coupons during our 7-night cruise. One bag of laundry on Celebrity Cruises is $50 for a bag, so this benefit was worth $100 to us!

We only used a few of the benefits, but still saved hundreds of dollars with the new status match program

Overall, we were really impressed with Royal Caribbean’s new status match program. I always appreciate being rewarded for my loyalty. Not to mention, my husband had never set foot on a Celebrity cruise ship and he still received the second highest loyalty status with the program.

We ran out of time to utilize all of the Elite Plus benefits on our cruise, such as the Captain’s Club Continental Breakfast, Wine Tasting, and Private Departure Lounge.

However, we were thrilled to save as much money as we did on our Celebrity Apex cruise. I am already looking to plan future Celebrity cruises to continue taking advantage of these loyalty benefits.

An unidentified guest has gone overboard while cruising onboard the world’s biggest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. 

Passengers onboard the 7-night sailing reported the incident on social media as the events unfolded on Sunday, May 26, 2024. Icon of the Seas departed the day prior on May 25, 2024 from Miami, Florida for its current voyage. Guests sailing on the brand-new ship were enjoying a day at sea when the man went overboard. 

According to online reports, Icon of the Seas was sailing to its first port of call, Roatan (Honduras), when the man went overboard. The ship was reportedly sailing north of Cuba when the man plunged into the Gulf of Mexico, around 300 miles from Miami.

(Video shared by @davidcanter on X)

The incident allegedly took place in the morning on Sunday, prompting an immediate rescue mission from the vessel. According to guests onboard Icon of the Seas, a small rescue boat was launched from Icon of the Seas to search for the overboard guest.

(Video shared by @oliveblend to TikTok)

Based on reports from guests onboard, Icon of the Seas' captain made an announcement to guests regarding the overboard incident. Many guests onboard Icon of the Seas were just beginning their mornings when the rescue operation started, with some guests waking up to the captain's unfortunate announcement.

Guests online stated that Icon of the Seas halted its course for approximately two hours to complete the search and rescue mission. Crew members took swift action while the ship maintained its location for the duration of the rescue mission. 

Guests onboard Icon of the Seas were then notified by the captain that the man was successfully recovered, with reports that he was in the ship’s medical center receiving immediate care. 

(Video shared by @davidcanter on X)

The current status of the individual is not clear at this time, as reports online are differing. The captain reportedly told guests the overboard man was "recovered" due to the quick actions of the ship's crew members. 

Videos surrounding the incident from guests currently onboard Icon of the Seas were shared to social media, namely X and TikTok. Footage shows Icon's rescue crew sailing around the nearby waters in a small boat while attempting to locate the man. One video shows guests on their balconies looking out into the Gulf of Mexico trying to help locate the overboard man.

Notably, videos shared to TikTok and X appear to show fairly calm seas and clear weather when the search and rescue mission took place. Overboard incidents that take place at night or in rough sea conditions are not often successful. In this case, favorable sea conditions could have contributed to a successful recovery mission by the crew members. 

(Video shared by @GenAIChad on X)

Details surrounding the incident are limited to onboard reports from guests and the identity of the guest has not been announced. It is unclear at this time why the male passenger went overboard and Royal Caribbean has not commented on the incident. 

According to guests onboard, Icon of the Seas’ itinerary has not been altered due to the unforeseen incident. The ship’s location on CruiseMapper shows the vessel is en route and on-schedule to arrive in Roatan, Honduras on May 27, 2024. 

Overboard incidents are rare, but do happen ocassionally. According to data from the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), guests that go overboard from cruise ships are unlikely to be rescued. 

In a publicized report from CLIA regarding operational instances from 2009 to 2019, there were 212 identified overboard incidents from cruise ships for either crew members or passengers. Of these overboard incidents, only 48 (or 28.2%) individuals were successfully rescued. Based on these findings, around 71.8% of people who go overboard from cruise ships are sadly never recovered or located. 

However, the CLIA report also shows an overall decline in overboard incidents throughout the 10-year period. The overboard incident rate decreased 64% from 2009 to 2019, with an incidence rate of 0.00004 overboard reports per active lower berth in 2019.

The report states, “When compared with the growth in capacity in the industry over the study years, man overboard incidents continue on a downward trend.” 

Additionally, the report states that all overboard incidents are thoroughly investigated to determine cause or motive. According to the CLIA report, “In every case where the cause of the man overboard (MOB) was established following a careful investigation, it was found to be the result of an intentional or reckless act. There were some instances, however, which were impossible to determine a motive.”

The operational report also shares that 66% of overboard instances were from passengers while 33% of reported instances involved crew members. This was also based on the 10-year period of operational data from the cruise lines.

While overboard incidents statistically result in unfavorable outcomes, there have been success stories in recent years. For example, a 28-year-old man survived a harrowing fall from a Carnival cruise ship in December 2022. James Grimes went overboard from a Carnival cruise ship and tread water for 20 hours in shark-infested waters. He survived the incident with a stunning rescue, but doesn’t recall why he went overboard.

Icon of the Seas is currently sailing on a 7-night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day itinerary. The voyage includes two sea days and four port stops: Roatan (Honduras), Costa Maya (Mexico), Cozumel (Mexico) and Perfect Day at CocoCay (Bahamas). The ship was on the second day of its itinerary - a sea day - when the man went overboard.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas launched in January 2024 as the world’s largest cruise ship. The massive vessel can hold 5,610 guests at double occupancy capacity, along with 2,350 crew members. This is the first known overboard incident reported for the new Icon of the Seas. 

They say the grass isn’t always greener on the other side - and that sentiment seems to be true for me when it comes to trying new cruise lines.

After sailing with Royal Caribbean for 20 years, I started to get the itch to branch out. I had taken almost every itinerary available with Royal Caribbean to destinations that interested me the most, including Europe, Asia, Alaska and the Caribbean.

I started to feel tired of Royal Caribbean’s itinerary offerings when I would research my next cruise. In all honesty, I mainly decided to jump ship (not literally!) because of Norwegian Cruise Line’s unique itineraries to more exotic destinations.

However, after so much cruising with Royal Caribbean, I’ll admit that I was excited to see what other cruise lines had to offer. I had only cruised with Norwegian Cruise Line once before - and that had been more than one decade ago.

After these four cruises, I’m seriously reconsidering future sailings with Norwegian Cruise Line. I found that I appreciated and missed Royal Caribbean more than I had anticipated. In fact, I feel like I’m returning to an ex-boyfriend that I dumped.

Now, I resonate more with the sentiment of, “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone." Here’s why I am returning to Royal Caribbean and sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises.

Breaking up with Royal Caribbean

Before this year, I had cruised almost exclusively with Royal Caribbean for most of my life. My family had sailed only a few times with other cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line.

However, Royal Caribbean was our favorite cruise line and my family sailed with the cruise line every year growing up. My sister and I earned Diamond Plus loyalty status in college while we continued to cruise with Royal Caribbean into adulthood.

As a longtime loyal cruiser with Royal Caribbean, I have taken 29 cruises with the cruise line to date. While most of these were around North America, about one-third of these cruises were to international destinations throughout Europe and Asia.

Even as I graduated college and married my husband, we continued to cruise with Royal Caribbean because it felt like home.

However, my husband and I don’t have kids quite yet and the family-friendly cruising style with Royal Caribbean started to appeal to me less. Royal Caribbean’s newest ships are literally packed with thrills and attractions to be the perfect family vacation.

Read more: Which cruise line is best? Fans say why they prefer Royal Caribbean over Carnival

However, I’ve become a destination-focused cruiser as I’ve gotten older. I prefer to sail on itineraries where I can visit new countries, cities and islands. My perfect cruising is checking another country off my bucket-list; unfortunately, cruising repeatedly to Perfect Day at CocoCay wasn’t scratching that itch.

Looking at Royal Caribbean’s itineraries left me feeling bored. On the other hand, I was excited to see how many unique and rare itineraries Norwegian Cruise Line had to offer.

The start of something new

Each cruise line has it’s own appeal, although many have similarities when it comes to the cruising experience as a whole.

However, one of the ways that Norwegian Cruise Line differentiates itself from other mainstream cruise lines is with its epic itineraries. As a major player in the cruise industry, Norwegian Cruise Line has comparable prices with affordable sailings.

While other cruise lines are building ships bigger than anything in their fleet, Norwegian Cruise Line has actually built newer, smaller ships. The cruise line’s new Prima Class has built ships that hold right around 3,000 passengers.

Because of this, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ships can sail almost anywhere in the world without size restriction. You’ll find Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima sailing to more far-flung destinations around Europe.

After seeing the different destinations I could visit with Norwegian Cruise Line, I was ready to figuratively jump ship. I wanted to spend my time and money on a cruise that allowed me to visit destinations on my bucket list.

Last year, I booked a 10-night cruise to the British Isles for October 2023 and an exotic itinerary to Africa in January 2024. Additionally, I booked a 4-night cruise on Norwegian Viva to Key West and a 2-night repositioning cruise from Malaga, Spain to Lisbon, Portugal.

I also appreciated how Norwegian Cruise Line allowed you to book more all-inclusive cruises with included airfare, drink packages, internet discounts and excursion discounts. For example, my 10-night itinerary on Norwegian Star to the British Isles was only $3,000 total for two guests, which included round-trip airfare to London.

Read more: Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean comparison

Constant, last-minute itinerary changes

With four sailings planned on Norwegian Cruise Line, I was most excited for my 12-night cruise to South Africa from Mauritius. The itinerary had stops in Reunion, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa. This was a dream itinerary where I planned to book African safari excursions for each day!

With my cruises booked, I was surprised to see emails start rolling in regarding itinerary changes for my cruises. Of the four cruises I had booked, I began receiving communication from Norwegian Cruise Line about itinerary adjustments for three of those cruises.

Since I booked most of these cruises exclusively for their itineraries, my heart would sink every time I would get yet another email from Norwegian Cruise Line about itinerary changes. At first, the itinerary changes only pertained to my British Isles sailing in October and Key West cruise in December.

My British Isles sailing was revised to include reduced port times in Edinburgh, Scotland and Portland, England. I was disappointed to see Norwegian Cruise Line reduced our time in Edinburgh by an hour, as it was our most anticipated stop.

The 4-night cruise on Norwegian Viva removed Key West entirely and replaced the port stop with Nassau, Bahamas. This was extremely annoying, as I booked the cruise because I wanted to visit Key West.

According to the emails provided by Norwegian Cruise Line, these changes were due to “port congestion." However, there were no other ships scheduled to be in port at the same time as us. In fact, our British Isles cruise on Norwegian Star was the last cruise of the season!

Read more: How does one of Norwegian's oldest ships compare to Royal Caribbean's oldest ship?

Bait-and-switch

The biggest blow came almost immediately after I made the final payment for my 12-night African itinerary. Norwegian Cruise Line sent an email with a totally different itinerary than the original one we booked! I felt like I had been catfished after just making the final payment days before.

The country of Mozambique was dropped entirely from the itinerary, as we had two scheduled port stops here. One sea day was added and adjustments were made to the ports in Madagascar. Again, this was cited as “port congestion” according to Norwegian Cruise Line. I was devastated, as this was one of the reasons I had booked the cruise.

Rumors circulated that Mozambique was dropped due to safety concerns or a yellow fever breakout. These are understandable - and more believable - than port congestion. 

This was the third itinerary I booked to be impacted by port congestion, so I started to grow suspicious at this point. Also, Mozambique was removed from all of the ship’s African itineraries for the season. I have a hard time believing that Mozambique had port congestion for every single sailing over the course of three months.

Unfortunately, further emails were sent with even more changes to my African safari cruise. This time, port times were reduced for multiple ports of call. The cruise line shared the changes were in the name of sustainability.

“We are committed to providing the best vacations at sea and have been working tirelessly to continue to elevate the quality of our offerings and overall guest experience while driving a positive impact on society and the environment. As we optimize itineraries for fuel efficiencies, we have modified Norwegian Dawn's itinerary as shown below,” said the email.

Missed ports

Although I was already annoyed about the constant itinerary changes, I was still excited for my cruises with Norwegian. Unfortunately, I encountered further disappointment during my highly-anticipated cruises.

To start, we encountered a bad storm during my 10-night British Isles cruise. This caused us to miss two of our port stops in Dublin and Isle of Man, as both of these were tender ports and the waves were too rough to tender. I was surprised to find our itinerary apparently had three tender ports, as this information alone was hard to find on our reservation confirmation.

However, there is probably a reason no other cruise lines were operating this late in the season around the British Isles. Sailing this late in October is risky, and perhaps Norwegian Cruise Line finds taking the risk to be profitable since they have the monopoly.

Missing a port during a cruise isn’t unheard of, as this is also one of the risks of cruising in general. You are at the mercy of the weather and your ship’s captain. But, I have been extremely lucky that I had never had a missed port before with all of my cruising.

Fast forward to January - I am sailing away from Mauritius with an anticipated arrival in Madagascar. History repeats itself that we were unable to dock in Madagascar, although we had already arrived to the port area and everyone was ready to disembark. The entire ship was disappointed and I even saw some shed tears during breakfast.

Luckily, we were able to visit our second port in Nosy Be, Madagascar the next day; however, the captain of our ship warned us that he would be reevaluating whether we could arrive. The weather was iffy and tender operations were quite slow, but I was able to check Madagascar off my bucket list.

I was anxious for most of the cruise about whether we would actually be able to dock in the ports of call on our itinerary. I realized I had never felt this kind of anxiety cruising with Royal Caribbean before, even while sailing to more exotic destinations like China, Thailand, Malaysia, Israel and Lithuania.

Of course, you can encounter bad weather during any cruise. However, Norwegian Cruise Line was the only cruise line operating in these regions during both of these cruises. There is probably a reason other cruise lines opt not to sail this time of year!

Bad luck or a trend?

When it was announced that we would miss our port in Madagascar, I was fed up with Norwegian Cruise Line’s shenanigans. I had flown halfway around the world to have Mozambique removed from the itinerary and now my time in Madagascar was being threatened.

To make matters worse, the onboard gift shop had destination t-shirts for Mozambique. Rubbing salt in the wound! For many guests onboard, including myself, this might have been our only opportunity to visit the country.

Perhaps it was a stroke of bad luck that I had all of these itinerary changes and missed ports with my Norwegian cruises. Regardless, this seems to be a pattern with Norwegian Cruise Line with changing itineraries, dropping ports and shortening port time under the disguise of port congestion or sustainability efforts.

As a new Norwegian cruiser, I started researching this sort of bait-and-switch on cruise forums. Come to find out, many have reported having the same things happen to them. Even worse, most report that Norwegian Cruise Line does not communicate itinerary changes until after final payment dates, which was the case for me.

Although the cruise contract allows companies to make these changes, this started to feel like poor organization and cost-cutting measures. I still do not trust that Norwegian Cruise Line was being honest about the reasons for the changes, especially when sharing the negative impacts immediately after final payment when you are locked into your reservation.

In fact, the cruise line just came under massive scrutiny for butchering an Antarctica itinerary just a few weeks ago. Guests were notified that they wouldn’t be sailing into Antarctica until they were onboard and noticed the itinerary had changed in their apps.

Mind you, I have only once had an adjusted itinerary after booking a cruise with Royal Caribbean. After booking my honeymoon cruise to Greece and Croatia, our sailing had an itinerary change from Dubrovnik to Split. This was a bummer, but we were still visiting Croatia and the change was months in advance.

Smaller qualms

Because I am so destination focused when cruising, these disappointments are enough for me to be extremely hesitant to book further itineraries with Norwegian Cruise Line. This is especially true for any bucket-list itineraries, as it seems like any itinerary booked will likely have further adjustments.

However, I had other qualms about Norwegian Cruise Line that did not impress me. For example, face-to-face immigration was horribly operated during my African cruise. People were literally fighting and screaming to get through immigration - it was unlike anything I had seen before. I've done face-to-face immigration with Royal Caribbean multiple times on various ships and it's always been extremely organized and civil. 

This was just the tip of the iceberg for issues during this cruise. In addition, we had to embark in Mauritius without any sort of terminal. This left us dragging our luggage for hours in a make-shift tent during high temperatures. Many guests fainted or experienced heat stroke.

Our disembarkation in Cape Town was just as chaotic, as we disembarked into a parking lot of gravel. Again, there was no terminal, the wind was causing a minor dust storm of gravel and guests were struggling to walk with their luggage.

The cruise line’s tendering operations were highly disorganized on both of my cruises. We had to wake up hours before arriving to the port so we could wait in line for a tender ticket. I’ve never had an issue getting tender tickets with Royal Caribbean, as they have most often been distributed the day before.

Finally, the entertainment was extremely lacking on all of my Norwegian cruises. I am used to Royal Caribbean having entertainment every evening on a cruise. I found this was not the case with Norwegian Cruise Line, as multiple nights had no headliner entertainment. Perhaps this was because I was sailing on older cruise ships, but even Norwegian Viva only had headliner shows for two of the four nights.

Coming back to Royal Caribbean

Needless to say, the grass wasn’t greener on the other side. I was disappointed with many aspects of my Norwegian cruise experiences, especially related to the itinerary changes and missed ports. It all comes down to trust.

I realize that this disappointment can be true with any cruise line, but four cruises was enough for me to rethink my plans with Norwegian. I have a cruise booked to Asia with Norwegian for next January; however, I don’t trust that this itinerary that I am being sold is the one that will come to fruition.

Although all cruise lines are businesses that need to make money, I feel a little icky about the way Norwegian Cruise Line treated me as a customer. I am hesitant to spend more money booking itineraries that are likely going to change even before I get onboard.

On the flip side, I don’t have trust issues with Royal Caribbean after having good experiences time and time again with the cruise line. Royal Caribbean hasn’t given me a reason to doubt their operations and ethical business practices - I’ve been fairly treated as a customer.

As someone who wants to take interesting itineraries to new destinations, I think Celebrity Cruises will be a good fit moving forward. In fact, I have two cruises with Celebrity Cruises this year and one cruise with Royal Caribbean scheduled for next year.

If I am going to spend my hard-earned money and vacation time on a cruise, I would rather sail with a cruise line that has proven itself trustworthy to me. You can find me happily sipping my free Diamond Plus cocktail on the top deck of a Royal Caribbean ship soon!

The current South Pacific sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas is getting cut short due to an unexpected technical issue with the ship’s propulsion. The cruise line has also announced the ship’s following itinerary, scheduled for March 30, 2024, has been cancelled.

According to online reports from passengers aboard Brilliance of the Seas, the ship has encountered technical issues while sailing from Australia to the Eastern Melanesia Islands. This forced Royal Caribbean to cut the sailing short. Due to the anticipated repair times, the subsequent itinerary is also cancelled.

Brilliance of the Seas departed from Sydney, Australia on March 19, 2024 and was set to sail for 11 nights. The original itinerary was meant to be a South Pacific sailing with five ports of call throughout New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

The ship did arrive for her scheduled stop in Lifou Isle, New Caledonia on March 22, 2024. Reportedly, Brilliance of the Seas arrived 90 minutes late due to the technical issue, requiring the ship to sail at a much slower speed than normal.

Crew members allegedly attempted to fix the issue while Brilliance of the Seas was docked in Lifou Isle, but to no avail. Now, the sailing will not be visiting Noumea in New Caledonia or its scheduled stops in Vanuatu, which included the ports of Mystery Island, Port Vila and Luganville.

Brilliance of the Seas was originally scheduled to arrive back in Sydney, Australia on March 30, 2024. Now, the 11-night sailing on Brilliance of the Seas has been cut short to 7 nights with only one port stop. The ship is now scheduled to arrive in Sydney on the evening of March 26, 2024 at 8pm.

In addition, Royal Caribbean has cancelled the March 30, 2024 sailing on Brilliance of the Seas due to the unplanned maintenance, which was a 5-night itinerary to Tasmania. Guests were notified of the cancelled cruise today, March 23, in an email sent from Royal Caribbean.

Compensation Details

In a letter to guests onboard the current sailing, Royal Caribbean detailed the maintenance issue. Also, the cruise line provided information regarding compensation that guests will be provided due to the unfortunate fate of their sailing.

“As the captain previously shared, Brilliance of the Seas is experiencing a technical issue resulting in the ship being required to sail at a much slower speed. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to make our scheduled calls for the remainder of our sailing. Please note, our ship remains seaworthy and safe as we have redundancies in place to keep us sailing,” stated the letter.

All guests will receive the following compensation due to the shortened itinerary:

• 50% refund of paid cruise fare, to be paid as onboard credit
• Future Cruise Credit worth 50% of original cruise fare paid
• Refund of all pre-paid shore excursions for Noumea, Mystery Island, Port Vila and Luganville, to be paid as onboard credit
• Opened up bars with 50% off all drinks, along with a 50% refund to those who pre-purchased drink packages
• Complimentary internet and phone access. Prorated refund for pre-paid internet packages
• Reimbursement for travel fees up to $250 USD for domestic travel and $400 USD for international travel
• Hotel reimbursement of $250 USD per stateroom, per night, for up to 3 nights

Cancelled Sailing

In the communication sent to guests on the March 30 itinerary, Royal Caribbean stated, “As you know, Brilliance of the Seas experienced a technical issue on its last sailing, and we’re returning early to begin required maintenance. Our crew has started working on restoring the system and we’re deploying the best experts.”

Further, Royal Caribbean states that despite the cruise line’s best efforts, the needed repairs to fix the technical issue will not be done in time for the next sailing on Brilliance of the Seas. Because of these repairs, Royal Caribbean has to cancel the March 30, 2024 sailing.

Brilliance of the Seas was scheduled to sail from Sydney, Australia on a 5-night itinerary to Hobart, Tasmania. The impacted passengers are receiving a 100% refund for the sailing. In addition, Royal Caribbean is issuing a 50% Future Cruise Credit for impact guests to be used within one year on a future sailing.

Attempted repair

Guests currently sailing on Brilliance of the Seas have been sharing the ill-fated itinerary on social media, including posts on Facebook, Reddit and TikTok.

As mentioned above, one guest onboard Brilliance of the Seas reported that the ship arrived 90 minutes late to its first port of call in Lifou Isle, New Caledonia. Supposedly, guests were told the late arrival was due to headwinds.

Following the port stop, crew members apparently attempted to repair the propulsion issue while the ship docked in Santa Bay, New Caledonia. Passengers onboard stated that Brilliance of the Seas began sailing away from the Melanesia Islands, which was unusual. At the time, no announcement had been made regarding itinerary changes.

Rumors onboard supposedly began circling among passengers about the ship having a potential engine problem with the propulsion system. Others mentioned that the ship allegedly experienced damage to its azipods. Azipods can rotate 360-degrees and are used to propel cruise ships, allowing the vessel to safely maneuver.

While attempting to repair the propulsion issue, guests reported an announcement was made that their next port of call, Noumea, was canceled. It was unclear at the time if there would be further impacts to Brilliance’s itinerary, although guests onboard noticed the onboard app was showing unplanned sea days for the remainder of the itinerary.

Further, guests reported that Brilliance of the Seas started to sail to Sydney, Australia and away from the remaining ports of call on the ship’s scheduled itinerary. CruiseMapper was also showing Sydney, Australia as the next port of call for Brilliance of the Seas. At the time, no announcement had been made by the ship’s captain regarding the situation.

As the ship began sailing away from the South Pacific islands, guests reported that the captain made a much-needed announcement confirming the new shortened itinerary. In the announcement, the captain supposedly stated that guests would receive letters in their staterooms regarding the matter. In the letter, compensation would be discussed and guests would be provided with more details about the unplanned change.

“Running on one propeller”

According to online reports, guests feel understandably disappointed and upset regarding the situation; in particular, passengers said there was little communication shared until hours after the ship began sailing back towards Sydney, Australia.

One user on Reddit - who is apparently onboard Brilliance of the Seas now - shared, “If you look out the back, we are definitely running on one propeller.”

Another report from a guest online said the Captain explained how the propulsion issue is limiting Brilliance of the Sea’s ability to turn correctly. “So we can go forwards and backwards, but we will need a tug or some manual intervention to turn,” shared the user.

Brilliance of the Seas is now sailing back to Sydney at reduced speed and will take three sea days to arrive back in Australia.

Not many details are available regarding the specific issue with Brilliance’s propulsion system. At this time, all we know the ship’s propulsion is damaged in some way. Brilliance of the Seas has two azipods, which are used to help rotate the ship while maneuvering. The use of azipods has been standard for Royal Caribbean within the last decade.

Scheduled itineraries

Brilliance of the Seas has spent the last few months sailing from Sydney, Australia with itineraries to the South Pacific, Tasmania, Fiji and New Zealand.

Currently, Brilliance of the Seas is scheduled to cruise on an 8-night itinerary to the South Pacific islands on April 4, 2024. This is the last round-trip itinerary from Sydney, Australia before Brilliance of the Seas begins her repositioning journey back to North America.

On April 12, 2024, Brilliance of the Seas is scheduled to begin her transpacific sailing from Sydney, Australia to Hawaii with stops in Tahiti and New Zealand. Throughout the summer and into early fall, Brilliance of the Seas is scheduled to sail itineraries around Alaska.

Currently, the only impacted sailing for Brilliance of the Seas is the cancelled itinerary on March 30, 2024. It’s unclear at this time if more cruises will be cancelled due to the propulsion issue.

Prior propulsion issues

Brilliance of the Seas is not the first ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet to have propulsion issues impact sailings. In fact, sister-ship Radiance of the Seas had ongoing propulsion issues back in September 2023. Both of these ships are Radiance class ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet. Both ships were built back in the early 2000s, making them more than 20-years-old today.

Back in September 2023, Radiance of the Seas had two Alaskan itineraries cancelled due to unplanned technical issues with the ship’s propulsion. Guests had already boarded the ship for their scheduled itinerary on September 1, 2023 only to find out the sailing would be cancelled due to repairs needed with the propulsion system.

Before Royal Caribbean cancelled sailings on Radiance of the Seas, guests on the prior itinerary had stated hearing strange noises overnight while the ship was sailing to Seward, Alaska. 

While Royal Caribbean intended to conduct the subsequent sailing on September 8, 2023, that sailing was also cancelled due to the maintenance problem. The cruise line stated at the time that repairs for the ship were taking longer than anticipated.

Royal Caribbean announced further cancelations for cruises sailing to Labadee, Haiti due to unrest in the country, citing safety concerns.

The cruise line announced today, March 19, that guests sailing to Labadee, Haiti within the next few weeks will have itinerary changes. Guests and travel partners of the cruise line received major updates regarding Caribbean itineraries that were planning visits to Royal Caribbean’s private destination, Labadee.

It appears that cruises through at least mid-April are impacted, although the situation continues to evolve. While Haiti has been under travel advisory warnings for years, Royal Caribbean’s private destination has always been secured given its distance from the country’s troubled capital of Port-au-Prince.

Royal Caribbean International’s Assistant Vice President of Guest Experiences wrote in the communication to guests sailing on the April 14 sailing of Explorer of the Seas, “Due to the evolving situation in Haiti, we’ll now visit Perfect Day at CocoCay instead of Labadee, Haiti. We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change – your safety is our top priority.”

In addition, guests on this impacted itinerary for Explorer of the Seas will enjoy more time in Falmouth, Jamaica. Although changing a cruise ship’s itinerary can be disappointing, it appears that Royal Caribbean is doing its best to replace Labadee with an alternative port of call.

Based on circulating communication shared online, Royal Caribbean has been replacing Labadee, Haiti with various Caribbean ports, including its alternative private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. Other itineraries impacted have rerouted plans to visit Grand Cayman, Bimini, Grand Turk, and St. Maarten.

Many of Royal Caribbean’s ships have Labadee, Haiti as a scheduled port of call in the coming weeks and months. For example, Adventure of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas are all scheduled to visit Labadee in April 2024 and May 2024.

Temporary suspension

While the news is disappointing for itinerary changes, the cancelation of Labadee is not unsurprising.

In an announcement last week, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended visits to Labadee, Haiti for its entire fleet. The decision was made “out of an abundance of caution” due to the evolving situation in Haiti.

At the time, guests onboard Adventure of of the Seas’ March 14 sailing were re-routed from Labadee to Grand Turk, which is located in Turks and Caicos. The port island is used mostly by Carnival Cruise Line, meaning Royal Caribbean ships do not often stop here.

Additionally, guests sailing on Symphony of the Seas’ March 14 sailing were notified that their itinerary would have an additional sea day with extended time in Falmouth, Jamaica. The cruise line announced, “We’ve also added extra time to our visit to Falmouth, Jamaica, so you'll have more time to enjoy everything this beautiful destination has to offer.” 

At the time of Royal Caribbean’s original announcement, the cruise line said it would reevaluate the situation every three days.

Excursion refunds

Similar to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean offers a variety of excursions for guests to book in Labadee. All excursions in Labadee must be booked directly with Royal Caribbean since the port of call is a private destination.

Some of these excursions include beach scapes, visits to nearby Haitian villages, zip-lining, snorkeling cruises, sport fishing, yacht sailing, aqua waterpark, kayaking, jet skiing, and more. Royal Caribbean has daybeds available for renting, along with a number of amenities for guests to utilize during their visit.

Guests with impacted itineraries will receive an automatic refund for any pre-paid Royal Caribbean International shore excursion booked for Labadee in the form of an onboard credit to SeaPass cards. These credits can be used anywhere onboard the ship during the cruise.

Any remaining amount at the end of the sailing will be reimbursed to credit cards on file upon disembarkation, according to the announcement provided to guests with impacted itineraries.

Trouble in Haiti

Royal Caribbean’s private destination is located 130 miles from the capital Port-au-Prince, which has been overtaken by gang violence in recent weeks.

Major violence in Haiti erupted on February 29 when the nation’s prime minister flew to Kenya to push for a deployment of police force to help fight the country’s gangs. In an act of protest, the gangs of Haiti have joined forces to fight against the government. Haiti made global headlines when a mass prison break escalated the already-elevating violence in its capital city.

A state of emergency was declared on March 3, followed by the prime minister’s resignation on March 12. The US Embassy has advices that all US citizens evacuate the country as soon as possible due to the deteriorating state of the small Caribbean nation.

However, the safety of travel within Haiti has been discouraged for a while. In July 2023, the US State Department raised the security threat to a Level 4 due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure.

Thousands of citizens have been forced to flee their homes due to the violence of the armed gangs.

Royal Caribbean Haiti history

While the cruise line’s operations have historically not been impacted by the trouble, the escalation of gang violence has caused Royal Caribbean to pull the plug. In fact, Royal Caribbean has been operating in Labadee since 1986.

The private destination is a 260-acre resort located on Haiti’s northern peninsula. The area is only accessible by Royal Caribbean Group’s employees and guests of the cruise line’s ships. Labadee is heavily guarded and located in a remote area, essentially isolating the destination from the rest of the country.

Royal Caribbean has a huge fence that protects Labadee from the rest of the country. However, many of the employees that work in Labadee are local citizens that live in remote villages near the port area.

Since Royal Caribbean first began operations in Haiti, there have been a few safety instances. In November 2001, a crew member from Royal Caribbean was attacked on Labadee in an apparent robbery. In February 2004, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended its visits to Haiti due to the political unrest in the country caused by a coup.

When Haiti was struck by an earthquake in 2010, Royal Caribbean announced at the time that it would continue operations in the port. In addition, the cruise line would provide relief supplies and personnel. Royal Caribbean also planned to help fund relief efforts in the country from the earthquake damage.

Would you ever consider pulling your cruise ship cabin's mattress out to the balcony for some elevated relaxation?

A recent post on social media shows two Royal Caribbean guests lying on a mattress while enjoying their balcony. Supposedly, the guests were onboard Allure of the Seas while docked in Perfect Day at CocoCay when they decided to move their cabin’s mattresses out to their balcony for some light reading.

In the photo, two guests can be seen on their mattresses reading books with their balcony door open. The photo was apparently taken while Allure of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas were both docked at Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, on March 13.

The original photo was shared by one cruiser to the Facebook group called Royal Caribbean Cruises. She captioned the post, “Omg really? Wondering if this guy got in trouble? Allure of the Seas looking from Anthem on 3/13 docked @ Coco Cay.”

As expected, the post garnered a massive response from Royal Caribbean fans and cruisers alike. However, many were torn about the concept of moving cabin furniture out to their balcony. While some considered this a genius idea, others were totally against the concept and found it dumb. 

Some users responded that they have also moved cabin furniture out to their balcony

Apparently, moving cruise cabin furniture out to your balcony is becoming more popular among cruisers. Multiple commenters responded to the controversial post by sharing experiences of doing this exact scenario. 

“I pulled the couch cushions out onto the balcony on Harmony of the Seas. It was great,” commented the cruiser. In the photo below, this Royal Caribbean guest can be seen lying on the couch cushions from their cabin with the ocean in the background. 

Along with this guest, another cruiser commented on their own personal experience of actually sleeping on their balcony by moving cabin furniture. “I did this on Symphony of the Seas. Best sleep I ever had. Fell asleep looking at the stars listening to the waves, woke up to the sun rising over CocoCay,” said the commenter.

It should be noted that Royal Caribbean does not have any implicit rules listed regarding this type of behavior. The cruise line does not provide rules regarding how to use cabin furniture, although this latest trend could possibly prompt Royal Caribbean to implement new rules.

"Pretty crappy thing to do, in my opinion"

Of course, the post was not well received by everyone and many were totally against the idea for a multitude of reasons. Most opponents felt as though moving the mattress out to the balcony was a hazard to cleanliness.

“Nah, this is weird. Other people now have to sleep on that mattress that was sitting on an exterior floor. I get those mattresses aren’t the cleanest to begin with, but this is unnecessary. So many people lack self awareness, it’s crazy. There are chairs out there for a reason,” stated one of the top comments.

One follower agreed by commenting, “This is why we can’t have nice things. Like comfortable mattresses.”

In agreement, one cruiser said, “Yeah, I don’t think I want to sleep on a mattress that was sitting on an exterior floor. No harm? To each their own, I guess.”

Along with cleanliness, others commented about the potential long-term impacts of having cabin furniture exposed to the elements by being placed on balconies. For example, some commenters fear that mattresses on balconies could grow black mold from being exposed to moisture.

In addition, others pointed out that balconies are often misty with moisture in the evenings from the sea, even when it doesn’t rain. “The next guests are going to love the humidity and sea air in their mattress," said one responder. 

Read more: 20 rules of cruise ship etiquette no one ever tells you (but should)

However, many social media users found this to be a genius idea

While the idea did not resonate with everyone, others were inspired by the concept of bringing their mattresses to their balconies, stating how comfortable and cozy it looked. Some responders even shared how they were inspired by the idea of moving cabin furniture to their balcony and will be considering the same idea during their next cruise.

“Nothing wrong with that, good idea if you ask me,” responded another user. Another social media user shared, "What a great idea! I will be doing this on my next cruise.”

One person in the comments said how the guests looked to just be relaxing and enjoying the beautiful day reading their books. Another commenter said in agreement, “Looks comfy cozy to me." 

Finally, one cruiser expanded, “Great idea! Maybe plan for a makeshift curtain or something if you have a balcony just in case.” There was also one comment that suggested bringing your own air mattress if you want to sleep on your balcony, so as to not use cabin furniture.

Read more: 9 ways to sleep better on a cruise ship

This isn’t the first time the idea has been shared on social media

(Photo of a guest sleeping on a twin bed, placed on a balcony. Shared from a Reddit under the r/Cruise thread.)

The idea of moving your cruise cabin mattress to your balcony is not a new concept, as TikTok users have been sharing their experiences on social media for a while now.

One user, Sarah Goodwin, shared footage of her moving her cruise cabin mattress to her balcony on TikTok for her followers. She captioned the TikTok, “Next time you go on a cruise, put your bed on the balcony, you won’t regret it. Trust me.”

In the TikTok, you can see her dragging her mattress from the cabin out to the balcony. The viral TikTok, which was posted last year, has nearly 2 million views with 600 comments.

In the video, she lays down the mattress and begins to read her book with the ocean in the background. For clarification, the user commented that she did not do this for sleeping in the evening and she only moved the bed to the balcony for an afternoon. 

One commenter asked, “How did you get it out the door? I struggle to keep it open long enough to avoid getting smacked in the face.” The original creator responded, “With great difficulties!”

Many of the commenters were actually in agreement with the concept, noting how utterly relaxing this could be for people on vacation. However, most agreed that this could only be done for an afternoon and guests shouldn’t be sleeping on their mattresses while out on the balcony.