My parents are 64 years old, and they’ve been cruising together for over 30 years. One of their first cruises was aboard Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Seas — they’ve been hooked ever since!

Furthermore, my parents didn’t slow down their cruising after having kids. My sister and I were just toddlers on our first family cruise. I was three years old, and she was only 18 months old when we sailed on the now-retired Big Red Boat.

As a family, we’ve cruised together around the world over the last three decades. Even as adults, my sister and I still prioritize cruising with our parents. Their love of cruising has transcended generations, as I love to cruise with my husband and friends!

Now in their retired years, my parents are cruising more than ever. In fact, I’ve been encouraging them to cruise even more while they’re young and able! Their most recent sailing was a culturally immersive, repositioning itinerary from Singapore to Tokyo on Anthem of the Seas. In the last few years, they have cruised to Australia, Indonesia, the Panama Canal, Colombia, Greece, Italy, and across the Caribbean.

Although my parents would hesitate to call themselves expert packers, they do have a list of must-pack items for every cruise. If anything, my mom is an over-packer who stresses about strategically packing to make sure she doesn’t forget anything.

I asked both of my parents to provide a list of essential cruise items, and some of their top picks were surprising. Here’s their tried-and-true packing list of 10 things they bring on every cruise.

Note: Royal Caribbean Blog receives a small commission if you purchase any products from the links below. This costs you nothing extra, but it does help support the website. Thank you!

1. Games: Cribbage Board, Five Crowns, and Deck of Cards

Cruises have plenty to do for activities, but sometimes you just want to play your go-to card games. For this reason, my parents never cruise without their favorite games to play together. 

Their classic sea day activity is a competitive game of cribbage in the Solarium. They used to bring their full-size cribbage board, but my sister recently gifted them this travel-sized cribbage board for Christmas. They love how small and compact it is when they’re tight on luggage space.

My parents also make sure to pack a regular deck of cards and our favorite family game, Five Crowns. Although you might find a standard deck of cards on the ship, it’s a good idea to bring any games that require a special deck, like Five Crowns. Thankfully, card games take up very little space in your luggage or cabin.

2. Over-the-Counter Medication

Most cruisers will tell you to pack an assortment of over-the-counter medications, and my parents definitely agree. One of their top cruise essentials is a small pharmacy kit with a variety of medications and first-aid items. You never know when you’re going to get sick, and you don’t want to be stuck paying outrageously high costs on the ship.

My parents pack cold and flu medicine in their pharmacy, along with cough drops, zinc supplements, sleep aid, pain relief, and allergy relief. 

This was particularly handy during our last cruise when my dad had a long-lasting cough that turned into an infection. He was thankful for all the medication we had on hand, as he didn’t need to visit the local pharmacies in places like Vietnam or Taiwan. In addition, my mom randomly packed a small, reusable ice pack for this cruise, but it ended up being a lifesaver for my dad's bruised rib muscles. 

Like my parents, I have a designated pouch for my small travel pharmacy where I keep all of my must-bring medication. In the same way, make sure you bring extra prescription medication in case of flight delays or unforeseen circumstances.

3. Soap and Sanitizer

Staying healthy is a top priority for my parents when they travel. Nothing dampens a vacation like a nasty cold or stomach bug!

It might seem like a niche item, but my parents pack a small bottle of liquid hand soap to keep in their cabin. My mom usually grabs a bottle from the dollar store before each cruise and either leaves it behind for the cabin steward or throws it away at the end of the trip.

While some cruise ships provide liquid hand soap in the cabin bathroom, Royal Caribbean only provides a measly bar of soap for cabins. Obviously, this will get the job done. However, my parents prefer having a liquid hand soap for cleaning their hands, as it’s vitally important on a cruise to keep your hands clean!

In addition, my parents bring plenty of hand sanitizer and sanitation wipes to use during their vacation. Hand sanitizer is in my mom’s purse at all times, and she’s constantly using this to keep her hands clean.

However, my mom never leaves her cabin without her travel-sized pack of sanitizing wipes. Whether she’s on an excursion or heading to the pool deck, she prefers to use her disinfectant wipes when hand washing isn’t available.

4. Variety of bags

My mom considers herself the “bag lady” — and she’s become infamous for her wide selection of bags she brings on a vacation. For every cruise, my mom makes sure to have a variety of bags to use throughout her trip.

One of her must-have bags is either a fanny pack or crossbody to hold her belongings during days ashore. Depending on the excursion and destination, she prefers to use her crossbody because it can hold more of her daily necessities. However, having a fanny pack is more convenient and comfortable.

My mom also packs a cute handbag to use on the ship in the evenings. Sometimes, she doesn’t want to haul around her crossbody on the ship, especially when she only needs a few essentials. Her SeaPass card, phone, and disinfectant wipes fit perfectly in her evening purse.

If she’s planning to spend busy days ashore, my mom also likes to pack foldable drawstring bags. While not super comfortable, drawstring bags take up minimal space in her luggage. They’re also very versatile to use, either during her time exploring ports of call or around the ship.

For longer trips, my parents will even pack an empty bag that they can use as checked luggage. My mom loves to shop during her cruises, often coming home with much more than she left with. Having a small bag that can hold a little extra weight can help mitigate overweight bag costs or the need to purchase an additional suitcase.

Finally, my mom always brings a small stash of sandwich baggies, which she considers a cruise essential. She uses them for all sorts of things, like packing a snack for an excursion or keeping cash dry by the pool.

5. Cash and Small Bills

The need for cash while traveling is becoming less important these days, with most destinations accepting credit cards or Apple Pay. Of course, while you’re onboard during your cruise, your SeaPass card will act as your credit card. Even so, my parents always make sure to have cash with them when they cruise.

First, they’ll provide cash tips to the cruise porters after arriving at the terminal on embarkation day. In addition, my parents always have cash on hand while exploring ports of call. This is good practice, as you never know when you might need cash. My parents rarely exchange for local currency, as US dollars are widely accepted in many ports. In this way, small bills are especially useful for quick purchases at shops that don’t take cards or for tipping tour guides who go above and beyond.

More importantly, my parents use cash for onboard tips. Throughout the cruise, they’ll use cash tips for bartenders who provide excellent service. While my parents pay their automatic gratuities too, they also prefer to provide cash tips at the end of the cruise. Normally, they provide cash tips to their waiters in the dining room and stateroom attendant.

6. Magnetic Hooks

Many cruisers swear by magnetic hooks, but my parents didn’t hop on this bandwagon until recently. Now, they never cruise without their magnetic hooks!

Because cabin walls are typically magnetic, these hooks can be used around the stateroom for a variety of purposes. Cruise cabins are notoriously small, and hooks can help keep the cabin organized and reduce clutter.

My parents mainly use their hooks to hang hats, bags, and light jackets around the cabin. On longer cruises when they’ve packed more, the extra storage becomes even more useful. Plus, the hooks are compact and easy to travel with.

7. Duct Tape

While slightly unconventional as a must-have, my parents both agree that packing duct tape is an essential for cruising. This can be a lifesaver in many different scenarios, and it’s proven useful multiple times during their travels.

On our last cruise, for example, my mom’s suitcase had a ripped front pouch. My dad used duct tape to patch it up for the flight home, preventing it from getting worse in transit.

According to my parents, duct tape is great for fixing loose straps, broken zippers, or even securing last-minute baggage tags before heading to the port. You never know when you might need some sturdy tape! You can even bring one of these travel-sized packs of duct tape to save on space. 

8. Chip Clips

Another must-have item for my dad is a small assortment of chip clips. Sometimes he brings a few clothespins or refrigerator clips from home, but he especially likes magnetic clips that stick to the cabin walls. He uses magnetic clips to keep excursion tickets, cruise planners, and immigration forms organized and easy to find.

These clips also come in handy for doing laundry in the cabin, as you can use the bathroom clothesline to hang up wet items. Of course, clips are great for resealing open snacks or bags of cough drops, too. During our most recent cruise, my parents actually used their chip clips to secure the blinds shut at night. If the ship was rocking slightly, this ensured their curtains kept any light from entering the room.

Some might prefer to bring bigger towel clips, which can be used on the pool deck or beach to prevent your towel from blowing in the wind. These are versatile to bring on a cruise too. For instance, my sister and I used her large towel clips to keep our blinds closed while sleeping on our recent cruise. It worked perfectly!

9. Pillow

While certainly not necessary for everyone, my dad never cruises without his own pillow from home. Instead of relying on the pillows provided by the cruise line in his cabin, my dad packs his favorite pillow in his checked luggage.

Of course, bringing a pillow from home takes up a bit of extra space in his suitcase. But, since his packing style is pretty minimalist (especially compared to my mom’s overflowing suitcase), he has the room to spare in his luggage.

My dad says nothing compares to your own pillow, and he sleeps much better with this comfort from home. To ensure his pillow doesn’t get mixed up with the cruise line’s selection, he makes sure to use a differently-colored pillowcase to help the cabin steward differentiate.

10. Layers

Even when sailing through the warm, sunny Caribbean, my mom always packs a few extra layers. She never boards a cruise without at least one or two lightweight sweaters to wear around the ship.

She says the air conditioning can feel especially cold in places like the main dining room and the theater. Since she hates feeling chilly, she always brings a sweater with her in the evenings, just in case.

Packing layers is important for most cruises, as the weather can be unpredictable and change frequently. This is especially important if you’re cruising to destinations like Alaska, Norway, Iceland, or even Northern Europe. Weather in these regions can shift quickly, and you don’t want to be without a rain jacket or pair of pants when temperatures drop.

True to its name, Royal Caribbean is best known for delivering unforgettable vacations throughout the Caribbean. Even with a heavy presence in North America, Royal Caribbean offers cruises around the world to Europe, Australia, and Asia.

In the last two years, Royal Caribbean has noticeably expanded its footprint in Asia, adding more ships to the region to keep up with growing demand from Asian travelers. In particular, Royal Caribbean will expand its presence in Hong Kong next year with new itineraries, ranging from short “cruises to nowhere” to port-immersive itineraries to Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

According to the cruise line, much of this surge is being driven by Gen-Z and Millennial cruisers who are seeking adventurous, experience-focused vacations. 

Notably, Royal Caribbean has seen a growing interest in longer, port-intensive itineraries across Asia. This is a stark contrast from the cruise line’s prior strategy in the region, which mainly focused on short getaway cruises and a few weeklong itineraries.

In all, three vessels in Royal Caribbean's fleet will be sailing across Asia through 2027. These include Spectrum of the Seas (Quantum-Ultra Class), Navigator of the Seas (Voyager Class), and Ovation of the Seas (Quantum Class).

Originally built to serve the Asian market, Spectrum of the Seas sails year-round from Shanghai, China, and Hong Kong. However, both Navigator of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas operate seasonal itineraries in Asia.

This trend isn't unique to Royal Caribbean. Asia has been experiencing a "global tourism boom" over the last three years according to the Economist, with particular interest in countries like Japan, Vietnam, India, and Thailand.

To meet this increased tourism demand, Royal Caribbean is offering more diverse itineraries aboard more cruise ships in the coming years. This includes longer itineraries throughout Asia aboard some of its most innovative cruise ships, featuring culturally-rich and immersive ports of call. 

After taking four immersive cruises in Asia over the last eight years, I can see why Royal Caribbean is betting big on this region.

To start, cruising is a convenient way to explore the continent.

Back in 2017, my husband and I visited Asia for the first time after booking a Southeast Asia cruise on Mariner of the Seas. We were broke college students, but the 7-night cruise to Thailand and Malaysia was only $500 each!

While airfare to Singapore was more expensive, we spent less than $2,000 each for a 12-night trip to Asia. Some excursions through the cruise line were only $30 for a full-day tour! We worked all summer to save up for this whirlwind adventure. 

Most people thought we were crazy to embark on such an exotic itinerary for two 21-year-olds, but a cruise was the perfect choice for us. Since we had never been to the continent before, the convenience of cruising, combined with the affordable price, made it an easy choice for the two of us. 

We were able to visit multiple countries, including an overnight stay in Thailand, while still enjoying all the familiar comforts of the ship. My husband and I spent our long days ashore experiencing the local culture before returning to our air-conditioned, comfortable, and safe cabin each night.

It was the perfect balance of vacation and cultural immersion for us without being too overwhelming or stressful. We loved being able to relax on the ship each night instead of worrying about transportation or logistics between each country. 

Since then, I’ve returned to Asia three more times - all by cruise ship.

After my memorable experience visiting Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia with Royal Caribbean, I couldn't wait to book another Asian cruise with my family. 

Seeing the Great Wall of China was on our family’s bucket list, and we were eager to book one of the few longer itineraries to Japan offered by Royal Caribbean. My parents love to travel, but they also value and appreciate the luxuries of a cruise ship. This is especially true while visiting more far-flung ports of call. 

For this reason, cruising was the best choice for our family vacation, as we could return to the familiarity and comfort of our cruise ship while still exploring Japan and China each day. 

We climbed the Great Wall of China in Beijing before taking the famous bullet train to Shanghai and boarding Spectrum of the Seas. After five days independently exploring in China, we were excited to board the ship and settle into our cabin for the upcoming adventure to Japan. 

Within the last year, I’ve returned to Asia twice on unique repositioning itineraries with Royal Caribbean Group. Last fall, we cruised with sister-brand Celebrity Cruises from Sydney to Singapore with stops along the Australian coast and two days in Bali, Indonesia.

Although our adventure-packed days in Bali were unforgettable, we were always relieved to return safely to our cruise ship, Celebrity Solstice. Having downtime aboard the cruise ship allowed us to comfortably decompress from the jam-packed days exploring Indonesia. 

And finally, last month, I returned to Asia once again so I could sail with my family on Anthem of the Seas. This repositioning itinerary departed from Singapore and concluded in Tokyo, with port stops in Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan. Our itinerary alternated between full days exploring the ports of call and sea days to recoup and recharge.

For this cruise, we opted to book excursions exclusively through Royal Caribbean. One of the perks of cruising is having the option to book excursions with reputable companies, especially while exploring unfamiliar destinations. Because we had never visited these ports in Asia before, we decided cruise-sponsored excursions made the most sense.

We trusted the excursions offered by the cruise line would be safe, and we weren’t disappointed. We also appreciated the added assurance that we wouldn’t miss the ship’s departure. This alleviated stress during the excursions, allowing us to enjoy our time together ashore as a family. 

Read more: I spent $6,773 to cruise on Anthem of the Seas. Here's what everything cost, from $251 internet to $2,302 flights

Every country in Asia has its own distinct culture, and a cruise lets you experience that diversity all in one trip.

After taking four cruises through Asia, I’ve been able to experience the distinct cultures, traditions, and customs across many different countries. It’s hard to compare Singapore's modernity and opulence with the luscious rice fields in Indonesia or floating villages on the outskirts of Phuket in Thailand. The quaintness of Jeju Island in South Korea was vastly different from the scooter-packed streets in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

By cruising to Asia, I’ve had so many diverse, culturally-rich experiences across the entire continent. Each destination was vastly different from anything I had experienced before, and I loved being able to have even just a glimpse of their local culture during my cruises.

Of course, some will say one day isn’t enough time to truly visit a country. This might be true for some, and some countries do deserve more extended visits. But, I’ve found that even a short stay can give you a meaningful first impression and help you decide if it’s a place you’d like to explore more in the future.

There are some countries that I can’t wait to return to, like Thailand and Singapore. For other destinations, like Hong Kong, a short visit felt sufficient for seeing the city's main sights. I want to see as much of the world as I can, and cruising allows me to embrace that variety, one destination at a time!

I’m a longtime fan of Royal Caribbean, but most of my sailings have been to the Caribbean, Europe, or Alaska. Although I had cruised to Asia before, our itinerary was filled with entirely new ports of call. In addition, it had been nearly six years since my last visit to Asia.

Sailing through Asia was a completely different experience than visiting familiar ports in the Caribbean or Europe. From the planning to extensive preparation and even onboard experiences, this cruise in Asia was unlike any other I had taken before.

For this cruise, I traveled with my sister and parents, as we had always wanted to visit these ports of call. During our 12-night repositioning cruise from Singapore to Tokyo, we visited far-flung destinations like Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.

In fact, Royal Caribbean is continuing to expand its presence in Asia, offering a wider range of itineraries to meet growing demand. The cruise line is especially focused on offering longer, more port-intensive itineraries through the region, like this repositioning cruise. 

But if you’ve never cruised in this part of the world before, you’ll likely encounter some unique challenges and surprises along the way, both onboard and while ashore. While this itinerary was absolutely incredible, I learned some very interesting lessons along the way. 

This kind of cruise involves more planning and logistics than your typical Caribbean cruise. Like any vacation, not everything went as we had planned. From cultural differences to onboard challenges, here are five things that I wish I knew before my Royal Caribbean cruise in Asia. If you’re taking your first cruise to Asia, these tips can make you feel more prepared for your culturally-immersive vacation.

1. I wish I had taken more time to learn about Vietnam’s history

History was never my strongest subject in school, so I’ve never been especially well-versed in it. Because of this, I enjoy learning about a country's history as I explore it, as I believe seeing history firsthand makes it much more engaging.

Our first port of call was Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, and the city was preparing for its 50th anniversary of reunification. Preparations were underway for a major national celebration, and locals were already gathering around the Reunification Palace, proudly taking photos in front of the historic building. I was trying to learn about Vietnam’s history on my phone throughout the day, and I wish I had researched before arriving.

My dad, a U.S. veteran, never served in Vietnam but has many close friends who did. Visiting the city with him and walking through sites that once played pivotal roles in the war was deeply emotional for him. I could see how much it meant to him to witness these historic places. At the same time, I realized how little I truly knew about the Vietnam War beyond surface-level facts.

I wish I had spent some time learning about the history of the countries we were visiting, especially Vietnam. Having some historical context would have made my experience even more meaningful, especially seeing how emotional the experience was for my dad. This visit served as a powerful reminder that history is more than what you learn in a textbook.

2. Bring plenty of cash, including local currency

It’s a good rule of thumb to bring cash onboard your cruise. Whether you’re shopping at local markets in port or tipping crew members onboard for excellent service, having cash on hand is essential.

For this cruise, I only brought U.S. dollars and chose not to exchange for any local currency. Throughout most of the cruise, this wasn’t a problem—nearly everywhere we went, including markets in Vietnam and Hong Kong, accepted credit cards or U.S. dollars.

That all changed when we reached Japan. We took public transportation from the Yokohama port into Tokyo, and credit cards seemed to be widely accepted, until our return trip.

Read more: I spent $6,773 to cruise on Anthem of the Seas. Here's what everything cost, from $251 internet to $2,302 flights

We thought we had successfully made it back to Yokohama, until we went to exit the train station. Apparently, our tickets needed a fare adjustment because we didn’t purchase the right route.

Unfortunately, the ticket machine and customer service desk wouldn’t accept credit cards or U.S. dollars. We could only pay the fare adjustment with Japanese Yen, which we didn’t have.

Mind you, the fare difference was only $0.70 total, and the language barrier only made the situation worse. Thankfully, some fellow cruisers saw us struggling and offered their leftover Japanese Yen for us to use, but not having local currency caused unnecessary stress. If I travel in Japan again, I’ll be sure to have some Japanese Yen on hand.

3. Prioritize getting an early immigration ticket

During a cruise, you might need to complete face-to-face immigration. Depending on your itinerary, some countries mandate that all passengers go through immigration procedures, similar to arriving at an airport.

After arriving in Japan, Royal Caribbean stated that all guests would be required to go through face-to-face immigration. In fact, the cruise line stated the process could take several hours. Everyone was required to have an immigration ticket, as no excursions would be offered. Even if you weren’t going ashore, you would be required to disembark and immigrate into Japan.

The morning of our arrival, immigration tickets were distributed at 9 a.m. Starting at 7 a.m., people started to queue in hopes of receiving an earlier immigration ticket. Luckily, my sister was determined to get an early slot to maximize our short day in port, so she arrived bright and early.

She snagged us ticket #3, and we were able to disembark almost immediately after arriving. The immigration process took hours, with numbers all the way up to #40. We were able to visit Tokyo and return hours later, while others were still waiting to complete immigration!

I had no idea that immigration would be such a time-consuming process, and I am thankful my sister arrived early to get in line. Some people were unable to actually explore Tokyo because immigration took upwards of five hours, and some didn’t realize they needed an immigration ticket.

Booking a Royal Caribbean excursion can alleviate some of this stress. Unfortunately, all Royal Caribbean excursions were cancelled, meaning no one had priority immigration. If you’re needing face-to-face immigration, make sure to arrive early for the immigration ticket, or prepare for a lengthy wait.

4. Book as much as you can in advance

When I plan vacations, I like to strike a balance between scheduled activities and free time. That way, I’m not locking myself into a rigid, minute-by-minute itinerary. Unfortunately, this plan ended up causing some issues during our cruise in Asia.

Although we had booked excursions for every port, we didn’t arrange all of our necessary transfers. To start, we hadn’t pre-arranged transportation from the hotel to the cruise terminal in Singapore ahead of time.

This proved to be more difficult than expected with four people and nine suitcases. We tried to book a private transfer through multiple vendors after arriving, but didn’t have any luck. In the end, we ended up having two cars take us to the port with our luggage in a second car.

Read more: I paid $5,776 for a balcony room on a 12-night Royal Caribbean cruise. Having a balcony was a highlight

We also had a hard time planning our time in Japan at the end of the cruise, not realizing our visit coincided with Golden Week, which is a major stretch of national holidays that brings large crowds and limited availability.

Because our flight was in the evening, we hoped to find a private tour in the morning with an airport drop-off. We were also warned there would be few taxis available at the port. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any luck finding our own transportation and ended up booking a shuttle option through Royal Caribbean.

In the end, I wish we had booked some of these logistics further in advance instead of waiting until the last minute. Had I known we would be visiting Japan during this very busy tourism week, I would’ve arranged a debarkation tour further in advance. Lack of research created some stressful last-minute planning during my cruise that we could have avoided.

5. Obtaining visas was a huge pain

Before embarkation, Royal Caribbean sent an email warning that guests would not be allowed to board without the necessary visas or documentation for every country on the itinerary.

For this sailing, all U.S. residents were required to obtain an electronic Vietnam visa in advance. So many fellow passengers posted online about struggles with the visa process or Vietnam’s website. In particular, people seemed to have issues with the payment portal and receiving failures.

Sure enough, I ended up paying for two different Vietnam visas because I thought my first application had failed. Both of the payments ended up being processed, so my visa was double the cost that I needed to pay.

I warned my parents of the potential issues, so they paid extra to go through a visa service and avoid the headache. This ended up costing them $200 each for the visa service. On the other hand, my sister applied for her visa and received it without issue two days later.

If you need to apply for a visa, even if it’s an e-visa, you should give yourself plenty of time to account for potential delays or issues. Using a visa service could be a viable solution if you run into issues, and you don’t want to stress about potentially being denied boarding for your long-awaited vacation.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guests must attest to their pregnancy status before boarding.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ever wonder how much it costs to cruise, including all the extra costs and related purchases you have to make?

Last month, I embarked on an epic adventure to Asia with my parents and sister. Because of the pandemic, we still had unused cruise credits that we wanted to apply for a sailing. We eventually settled on an incredible 12-night repositioning cruise from Singapore to Japan with stops in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan.

We were ecstatic to find this unique itinerary aboard Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas. This repositioning cruise is part of the ship’s transition between Australia and Alaska, so this particular itinerary is only offered once in the fall and spring.

My family booked the itinerary right after it was available, and we secured two balcony cabins next to one another. Anthem of the Seas had just completed her dry dock in Singapore, so we had fresh beds and carpet in our cabins! Although this Quantum class ship isn’t the newest vessel in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, the 10-year-old ship has aged gracefully and still feels quite modern and fresh.

Because I was traveling with my sister, we were able to split the costs of our stateroom, hotels, and transfers. For my portion of the trip, I paid $6,773 for the entire vacation. With 14 total nights of vacation, the cost was $483 per person for each night of the trip.

Here’s a full breakdown of what I spent for my 12-night Asia cruise on Anthem of the Seas, which includes travel-related expenses, onboard purchases, souvenirs, and transportation costs.

My sister and I split the cost of the cabin, costing me $2,888 for a standard balcony stateroom.

Typically, I prefer booking interior cabins to save money while cruising. Because of this, my sister and I normally book the cheapest inside cabin we can find, although we prefer spending a little extra to avoid booking guarantee cabins.

When we booked this cruise, we were pleasantly surprised to find a reasonably priced standard balcony stateroom. Since my parents always book a balcony cabin, and the only option near them was another balcony cabin, it made sense for us to do the same. We were even able to select a connecting stateroom right next to theirs, so we knew we wouldn’t end up with noisy neighbors.

We reserved cabins 11268 and 11266, located on Deck 11. This was a great spot to stay, and we appreciated the convenient location onboard Anthem of the Seas. 

Read more: Anthem of the Seas Cruise Ship Balcony Cabin: Review, Photos

For instance, we were only a few decks below the Windjammer buffet. Before meeting for our excursions, we could quickly grab breakfast on Deck 14 and scurry back to our cabin to finish getting ready. Nothing ever felt too far from our stateroom, so I would definitely book this cabin again.

Most importantly, the cabin was very comfortable for our 12-night stay and featured a functional, modern design. The bathroom was especially spacious, and the shower was one of the largest I’ve had on a cruise ship.

We had more than enough space to unpack and settle in without feeling cramped. The cabin offered two wardrobe closets, plus ample shelving and drawer space. The connecting cabins were an added bonus—we loved the convenience of moving between the two rooms and sharing the balconies.

The cruise fare was $5,776 for the two of us, which included port fees and taxes. Splitting this with my sister, my portion was $2,888, or $240 per night. This cruise fare is a little higher than I typically like to pay; however, the unique sailing was in high demand, and cabins booked up quickly. A few months later, only suites were available to book for $10,000 each! 

We forgot to prepay our gratuities, which we normally do before embarkation. This resulted in a daily charge of $18.50 to our shipboard account, or $222 total for my gratuities. 

For this trip, the cruise fare and gratuities comprised about 45.91% of the total expenses for this trip. This was the priciest expense of the entire trip, as expected!

I spent $2,302 on flights, which arrived in Singapore and departed from Tokyo.

In addition to the cruise fare, I was shocked by the cost of airfare for this cruise! Because our cruise was departing from Singapore and concluding in Tokyo, I booked a multi-city itinerary. Since it takes more than 30 hours to reach Singapore from Florida, I wanted to have a few buffer days for any potential travel delays or cancellations. This would also give us a few days to adjust to the new timezone before boarding our cruise.

I booked economy seats with Delta Air Lines, which included connections in Atlanta and Seoul, South Korea. The flights were grueling, but I was thankful to receive free upgrades to Comfort Plus on my long-haul segments. Although the extra legroom was welcomed, nothing really makes a 14-hour flight very enjoyable.

I spent $2,302 for the entire flight, or about 34% of the trip’s overall cost. Luckily, this included two free checked bags, which I took advantage of.

Unfortunately, my trip home from Tokyo was more disruptive. My sister and I were stranded in Japan for 24 hours when our flight to Atlanta was cancelled due to maintenance issues. The flight was rescheduled for the following day so they could fix the plane, but we had to spend an additional night in Japan.

Thankfully, we both purchased travel insurance, and these expenses (upwards of $500 for hotel, food, and transportation) were covered.

We booked excursions through Royal Caribbean for about $340 each.

Originally, we had booked excursions for all five port stops of our itinerary, costing around $500 each. Most of these were full-day tours, although we had half-day stops in Tokyo and Jeju Island, South Korea. 

We had never visited these countries before, so we felt Royal Caribbean’s excursions were the best choices for convenience and safety. Additionally, some of the ports were far away from the actual city. For example, Ho Chi Minh was nearly two hours from where the ship docked.

After boarding in Singapore, we received notice that our excursion in Japan was cancelled. Supposedly, the ship couldn’t sail at full speed due to the recent dry dock, so we had to leave South Korea earlier than expected.

With the revised itinerary, we wouldn’t reach Tokyo until an hour or two after our originally scheduled afternoon arrival. Since face-to-face immigration is required in Japan, the delayed arrival and expected slow processing led to the cancellation of all ship-sponsored excursions. In the end, that saved us about $150.

In addition, we received a 50% refund for our excursion in Jeju Island, South Korea. This was already a half-day tour because we had a short stay; however, it was down pouring when we arrived. The cruise line offered guests a full refund if they wanted to cancel their excursion that morning, which I thought was generous.

We decided to take the excursion anyway, and it ended up only costing us about $50. In the end, we agreed the money was well spent on these cruise-sponsored excursions, especially in Vietnam. In fact, we ended up departing late from Vietnam due to a huge traffic jam that delayed other excursions from returning to the ship on time. I bet those passengers were thankful they booked an excursion through the cruise line!

We only spent about $340 on excursions, or 5% of our trip’s total cost — this was one of our cheapest expenses for the entire vacation!

Onboard expenses, including internet and specialty dining, totaled $402.

Overall, I didn’t spend much money onboard our ship. Most of our time was spent exploring ashore, and I took advantage of the complimentary activities and amenities onboard. Prior to boarding, I booked VOOM Surf + Stream internet for $250 - this would provide Wi-Fi access for the entire cruise.

The internet was reliably fast, and I never had issues with connecting onboard. We did experience some blackouts while cruising from Hong Kong to Taiwan, but Royal Caribbean reimbursed us for a few days. 

In addition, our family also decided to treat ourselves to two specialty dining experiences during the cruise. Anthem of the Seas offers a variety of specialty restaurants to choose from, including Chops Grille, Jamie’s Italian, Izumi Sushi, and Wonderland.

We used our Diamond Plus loyalty benefit to take advantage of the BOGO specialty dining offer, choosing to dine at Chops Grille and Jamie’s Italian. On a longer itinerary, I do appreciate the change-of-pace for a more upscale, intimate dining experience.

Both meals were excellent, though service at Jamie’s Italian was noticeably slow. One crew member mentioned the staff was still finding their rhythm again after the ship’s break from regular operations during dry dock, which may have contributed to the isolated experience.

Surprisingly, the main dining room impressed us night after night. We had consistently great food, attentive service, and a smooth dining experience each night. Although this hasn’t always been the case on my recent Royal Caribbean cruises, I was impressed with the main dining room experience on Anthem of the Seas.

I didn’t purchase any drinks during this cruise, as our five daily Diamond Plus drink vouchers were more than sufficient. I enjoyed specialty coffee each morning, followed by a few drinks in the evenings or by the pool on a sea day.

In the end, these onboard expenses were minimal compared to the total cost of the trip. I only spent $402 for internet and specialty dining, or about 5.95% of the entire vacation budget.

For this trip, we spent about $239 each on hotels and transfers.

It’s always best practice to arrive to your cruise port at least one day before embarkation. If your flights get delayed or cancelled, you don’t want to risk missing your entire vacation! When flying internationally or long distances for a cruise, I prefer to arrive two days prior to embarkation.

For this cruise, we arrived two nights before our cruise started, giving us one full day in Singapore and two nights in a hotel. At first, we booked our hotels directly through Marriott. But, I worked with my travel agent, Hayley with Fora Travel, and she ended up saving us $200 on the hotels!

My sister and I split the hotel cost, so my portion was only $164 for two nights at the Four Points Sheraton in Singapore. We had to spend $405 for our unexpected night in Tokyo after our flight was cancelled, as it was last minute and during Japan’s very busy Golden Week. Thankfully, these expenses were covered by the airline and travel insurance. 

In addition, we booked private transfers from the Singapore airport to our hotel, followed by another transfer to the port. We had so much luggage that our transfer had to bring a second car just to transport the suitcases - whoops! Thankfully, we split the cost of the transfers between the four of us. 

In addition, we booked a transfer through Royal Caribbean to the Tokyo airport when we struggled to find any other options. My sister and I spent an additional $90 on transfers after our flight was cancelled, but this was also covered by travel insurance.

I spent about $239 for the hotels and transfers - or about 3.5% of the total trip cost. However, this total would have been much higher if I hadn’t purchased travel insurance for the unexpected costs with the cancelled flight. Take this as a reminder to always have travel insurance!

I budgeted $100 for cash tips, which I provided to crew members on the last night of the cruise.

In addition to the onboard daily gratuities, I also brought cash for tips at the end of the cruise. This is always an expense that I budget for, as I want to ensure the crew members are rewarded for their hard-working service.

We decided to provide additional tips to our waiters in the main dining room, along with the head waiter. All of them provided excellent service for the entirety of the cruise, and we felt it was deserved. Finally, we also tipped our stateroom attendant on the last day for dealing with our messy room for 12 nights!

My sister and I provided cash tips totaling $100 each, which is only about 1.5% of the total trip cost.

Finally, I spent around $280 for in-port purchases and souvenirs.

I’ll admit, I love to shop for souvenirs and treasures during my cruises. Each of these destinations had incredible shops to purchase trinkets and goodies. We first started at the famous Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City, where I found a myriad of souvenirs to bring home.

Our next ports offered even more chances to shop, especially in Hong Kong, where I couldn’t resist splurging. I picked up a stylish leather backpack for just $40 and a knock-off designer purse for $20. I also stocked up on Nespresso pods at a local grocery store for a fraction of the price I usually pay back home.

I also collect Starbucks mugs from each destination that I visit, so I came home with four new mugs to add to my collection. These are each about $20, and I was thrilled to find unique designs from each country.

Surprisingly, we purchased very little food or drinks during our time ashore. Most of our excursions included lunches with massive buffets, so we never felt the need to purchase our own food. We prioritized eating most of our meals on the ship, as Anthem of the Seas has plenty of included dining options to enjoy.

Overall, I spent around $280 on in-port purchases for this trip, or about 4.13% of the trip cost. Most of these purchases were souvenirs, trinkets, Starbucks mugs, and unique treasures. I was thankful for packing a second suitcase to bring home all of my new travel goodies!

In the end, I paid $6,773 for my 12-night Asia cruise on Anthem of the Seas.

Cruise expenses can add up quickly, and even with minimal onboard purchases and add-ons, I still spent close to $7,000 for this vacation with my parents and sister. The biggest expenses for this trip included the cruise fare itself for $2,888 and airfare for $2,302. Both of these categories accounted for 76% of the total vacation cost, followed by onboard expenses and excursions.

I cherish time with my family, especially because my husband and I live across the country from them. This was money well spent, and I loved being able to visit such diverse, culturally-rich ports of call. I’d rather spend this amount of money seeing new places in the world than visiting the same Caribbean destinations over and over again.

Planning a great Royal Caribbean cruise is all about being prepared to do, and knowing when to do it.

You might be overwhelmed about where to start or wondering what exactly needs to get done before you set sail. A little research and preparation can go a long way when planning a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Lucky for you, we’ve created the optimal timeline for planning your Royal Caribbean cruise vacation. This article was inspired by an extensive checklist that was shared on the Royal Caribbean First Time Cruisers Facebook page by Perlyshell RN. 

Please note, this timeline is simply a suggestion for steps to take during your planning process. We recommend working with a travel agent who specializes in cruising to assist with your cruise planning and preparation. 

Personally, we work with MEI Travel for all of our cruise planning needs at Royal Caribbean Blog and highly recommend their knowledgeable and helpful agents.

24 months to 12 months before vacation

Cruise itineraries are released years in advance, so you can start planning your vacation anywhere from 12 months to 24 months in advance. However, some destinations are available for booking earlier than others, it just depends.

During this time, you should also be researching the destination and itineraries that interest you. Start taking notes, reading reviews, watching YouTube videos, and choosing an appropriate budget for your vacation. When choosing your cruise, it's important to select the right itinerary, cruise ship, and cabin for your travel style and budget. Our site offers plenty of helpful guides to choosing the right cruise, especially for first-time cruisers.

Checklist ( > 1 year before vacation):

• Choose your preferred cruise itinerary and book with a travel agent. Ask about group rates and refundable deposits if your cruise is far in advance.
  • You'll need to place a deposit to secure your cabin.
  • Decide if you want early, late or My Time Dining.
  • Pick your cabin category and a specific location.
  • Try for a midship cabin that is away from public areas and surrounded by cabins above and below. Use deck plans to find the perfect location.
• Link reservations with others traveling in your party if you book more than one cabin.
• Monitor pricing and check for repricing opportunities.
  • If the price decreases, you can ask your travel agent to reprice your reservation at the lower rate.
• Research travel insurance options. This is always a smart move, especially if you’re cruising during hurricane season or have potential health concerns.
• Confirm you have the correct travel documents and verify expiration dates, including passport and driver's license. Renew if needed!

6 months to 12 months before vacation

Once you’re within 6 to 12 months of your cruise vacation, you can start making more reservations. This includes airline tickets and hotel reservations, which are usually only available to book about one year before your actual travel dates.

You’ll also want to start solidifying your plans for each port of call during this timeframe, including shore excursions or independent tours. Reach out to any local tour companies to inquire about tours offered if you want to book through a third-party company (which is often cheaper).

Depending on the itinerary, you might be able to book excursions further in advance through Royal Caribbean. It’s best to lock these in as soon as they become available, as you can always cancel for a full refund or reprice for a lower fare if the price decreases.

Checklist (6 months - 12 months before vacation):

• Book airline tickets for pre-cruise arrival.
  • Arrive at least one day before embarkation for domestic flights and two to three days for international flights.
  • Set price tracker on Google Flights to monitor if price decreases.
• Start planning your port visits.
• Book excursions if they are available through Royal Caribbean.
• Reserve hotel rooms if you are arriving before embarkation day.
• Book rental car or local transportation, if needed.
  • Uber and Lyft are typically available in most port cities.
• Check and purchase any pre-cruise add-ons within the Royal Caribbean cruise planner.
  • This includes drink packages, internet packages, spa treatments, specialty dining packages and onboard experiences.
• Make sure your travel documents are in order and passport has at least 6 months of validity.
• Research if you need any visas or e-arrival forms for completion (especially for Asia itineraries)
• Set reminder or mark your calendar for final payment date.
• Find pet sitter or make boarding reservation for pets.
• Confirm if you need any vaccinations or medications for your cruise, meet or schedule doctor’s appointment if necessary.
• Join a Facebook group for your specific sailing.

75 days to 120 days before vacation

Royal Caribbean’s final payment date varies based on the duration of your cruise. We recommend making the final payment before the deadline, especially if you are trying to make any sort of payment around a banking holiday. 

You can also choose to make incremental payments toward your reservation rather than paying the full balance all at once. This is a helpful budgeting strategy that allows you to spread out the cost and pay off your vacation before the final payment is due.

Final payment of the balance must be received at the Royal Caribbean office before these deadlines:

75 Days: 1 night to 4 night cruises

90 Days: 5 night to 14 night cruises

120 Days: 15 nights or longer

Checklist (75 days to 120 days before vacation):

• Make final payment for cruise reservation
  • If you booked with a travel agent, you’ll make your final payment through your agent. Direct bookings can pay on Royal Caribbean’s website.

45 days to 60 days before vacation

Your cruise vacation is getting closer! During these final months after you’ve made the final payment for your reservation, you’ll want to start making final arrangements for your cruise. This includes finalizing reservations, excursions, dining reservations and more.

If you’re cruising aboard one of Royal Caribbean’s bigger vessels, such as Icon Class, Oasis Class, or Quantum Class, you should start making reservations for specific shows online or using the app. These are popular, and you are required to have a free reservation to attend.

You’ll also check-in for your cruise during this timeframe. This requires you to provide proof of citizenship, emergency contact information, flight details (if applicable), and a credit card for your onboard expense account.

Checklist (45 days to 60 days before vacation):

• Download the Royal Caribbean app and make sure your login works.
• Reserve onboard shows (for free) when they become available in the cruise planner or app.
  • Expect to see reservation openings between 45 days - 60 days before sail date.
  • This is only for Oasis Class, Icon Class, and Quantum Class. Other ship classes do not require reservations.
• Check-in for your cruise opens 45 days before sail date at 12pm local time. You can do this online or in the app.
• Choose the earliest arrival time if you want to be onboard as soon as possible.
  • You can select this without entering travel document information by proceeding to the “Arrival” Section
• Solidify your dining reservations, such as Solarium Bistro.
• Arrange and confirm any Main Dining Room requests
  • Email [email protected] to arrange seating for multiple reservations with booking number and names.

1 month before vacation

The month before your cruise vacation is exciting, as embarkation day is right around the corner! Most of the planning for your trip should be done at this point, unless you need to tie up any loose strings or finalize last-minute preparations.

Checklist (1 month before vacation):

• Purchase any cruise necessities or must-have items online
• Shop for any new clothes or toiletries for your vacation
• Buy new suitcases or travel bags, if needed.
• Ensure you have enough prescription medication
• Confirm pet sitter or house sitter arrangements
• Finalize check-in with Royal Caribbean online or in the app
• Make sure your PTO is approved at work

2 weeks to 3 weeks before vacation

Within the final weeks before your cruise, you’ll have a few important items to check off your list. You’ll be continuing to make final preparations and probably starting to pack your bags (or think about packing). This is usually when I do any last-minute errands or shopping before my vacation, as I don’t want to be scrambling at the last minute.

Checklist (2 weeks to 3 weeks before vacation):

• If you prefer, print your reservations and confirmation for airline, hotel and rental car.
• Download Set Sail pass to your phone for embarkation day.
• Print luggage tags for suitcases.
• Download e-documents for reservation. This is available 30 days before sail date.
• Make copies of passports and travel documents, or take a picture on your phone.
• Create packing list with everything you plan to bring

1 week before vacation

It’s the final countdown before your long awaited cruise vacation! After months and years of planning, it can be hard to believe that your cruise is already happening so soon. Enjoy the excitement leading up to your embarkation and get ready for an amazing cruise vacation - all of your planning will pay off!

Checklist (1 week before vacation):

• Start packing your suitcase. Lay out clothes you want to pack and try on outfits.
  • Check themed nights in the Royal Caribbean app, such as white night or 80s night.
• Confirm check-in was complete for cruise and download Set Sail pass to your phone (if haven’t already)
• If needed, call your bank and credit card company for travel alerts
• Get cash from the bank (small bills for cash tips onboard)
• Arrange for someone to pick up your mail or stop mail during your vacation
• Watch a ship tour video on Royal Caribbean Blog’s YouTube channel

1 day to 2 days before flight

Within a few days of your flight, your bags should be packed and nearly ready for vacation! Don’t wait until the last minute to pack or prepare for your travel day, as this will only lead to last-minute stress. I prefer packing the weekend before my travel plans to minimize stress the night or day before my vacation begins.

Checklist (1 day to 2 days before vacation):

• Check-in for your flight within 24 hours. Download boarding pass to your phone.
• Remind everyone to have their documents, IDs, money, and credit cards ready for the vacation
• Confirm you’ve packed everything on your packing list.
• Make sure luggage is ready to go and compliant with airline regulation.
• Check the weather for your itinerary and pack anything deemed necessary (ponchos, umbrellas, rain coats).
• Download entertainment for offline use (Netflix downloads, podcasts, books).
• Set an out-of-office reply at work and personal email.
• Download port maps or guides to use offline.
• Print travel insurance card and know your policy number.

< 24 hours before cruise or cruise day

The day has arrived, finally! All of your planning and preparation will come to fruition, and hopefully your vacation goes off without a hitch. Remember, sometimes things don't go the way we meticulously planned, and that’s okay. Control what you can, and go with the flow if something unexpected happens. Traveling is a great time to practice adaptability.

Most of all, enjoy your hard-earned cruise vacation! You’ve earned it.

Checklist (< 24 hours before cruise and cruise day):

• Charge all electronics, including phone, watch, tablet, headphones, portable charger, and camera.
• Complete health questionnaire on Royal Caribbean app.
• Watch the muster drill video and listen to the emergency horn on the app
  • You’ll need to physically check into your muster station onboard.
• Make sure all luggage and bags are accounted for.
• Secure bag tags before heading to the port.
• Keep all travel documents and IDs with you during embarkation.

Cruising in a balcony stateroom is a luxury that I don't always want to pay for. However, I splurged for an upgraded room on my 12-night cruise instead of settling for a tiny, windowless cabin - and it made all the difference!

I just returned from a culturally-immersive, whirlwind cruise in Asia aboard Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas. This 12-night repositioning cruise departed from Singapore to far-flung destinations in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. 

This wasn’t my first time sailing on Anthem of the Seas. My husband and I cruised on the same ship back in June 2022 when we visited the Canary Islands, Spain and Portugal. 

I was thrilled to be back on Anthem of the Seas, one of my favorite ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. I’ve always been a fan of the Quantum Class overall - it offers unique itineraries and contemporary features while maintaining a manageable, not-too-overwhelming size.

For this bucket-list itinerary, I traveled with my sister, Angie, and our parents. We had rolled-over cruise credit from multiple cancelled and rescheduled sailings, dating all the way back to 2020. The four of us have been wanting to visit these ports of call, and this cruise on Anthem of the Seas fit our schedules perfectly.

Because of the longer itinerary, my sister and I decided to splurge on a balcony cabin. Having a bit of extra space, both inside the stateroom and on a private veranda, seemed worth the upgrade. 

Typically, my sister and I prefer to save money by booking interior cabins. However, I’ve found that newer ships often have more affordable balconies because there are simply more cabins available to book. Fortunately, when we booked the cruise about 18 months ago, the price for a balcony was surprisingly reasonable.

We ended up in cabin 11268 on Deck 11, while our parents booked the adjoining stateroom next door in 11266. It was our first time trying connecting cabins, and we were curious to see how that setup might enhance the experience.

We paid a nightly rate of $240 per person for the 12-night cruise, which is a little pricey.

Roayl Caribbean only offers this unique itinerary in the fall and spring when the cruise line repositions ships between Asia and Alaska. For this reason, the demand seems to be higher due to the limited number of sailings offered.

For the two of us, we paid $5,776.16 for our balcony cabin, or $2,888 each. This includes port fees and taxes, but we forgot to prepay gratuities. This resulted in an unfortunately unexpected cost of $222 by the end of our cruise! I won’t forget again about prepaying gratuities.

We paid around $240 per person, per night for this sailing, which is definitely higher than what we typically spend on a cruise. In fact, it was nearly double the daily rate we paid for a repositioning cruise just last fall with Celebrity Cruises!

Even so, this felt like a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and we decided the splurge was worth it. This proved to be a smart move, as just a few months later, prices skyrocketed to nearly $10,000 per person with only suites remaining.

Our ship had just completed dry dock, so our cabin was recently refreshed.

Cruise ships receive routine maintenance during dry dock, which occurs every five years or so. When we booked this cruise, we hadn’t realized that Anthem of the Seas would be coming out of a 30-day dry dock in Singapore just before our sailing.

Although I’ve been on many cruises, I’ve never sailed on a ship immediately after dry dock. As such, we were eager to see what was updated or added during this maintenance. According to crew members, all cabins received brand-new beds and carpeting. 

When we boarded in Singapore and made our way to the cabin, we were very impressed with the cabin’s condition. After traveling more than 24 hours to Asia, we couldn’t wait to get settled, unpack our bags, and make this stateroom our home for the next 12 nights.

The balcony stateroom was spacious, modern and well-appointed.

Royal Caribbean debuted Anthem of the Seas in 2015, and we happened to be onboard for her 10th birthday! Despite being a decade old, the ship still feels incredibly fresh, especially in our stateroom.

Our cabin had the feel of something you’d find on one of Royal Caribbean’s latest ships, with its sleek design and contemporary touches. The stateroom was spacious with a thoughtful layout and very little wasted space. For this particular stateroom, our beds were located near the balcony door while the couch and bathroom were closer to the entrance.

The balcony stateroom featured a palette of blue and grey tones, including a blue couch and navy blue accent wall. The geometric light fixtures and textured carpeting added personality to the stateroom without being too distracting. The warm lighting felt inviting and cozy, so it was easy to make ourselves at home.

The layout is better suited for keeping your beds together instead of separate.

Like any cruise cabin, we had the option to keep our beds together in the king configuration or two twin beds. My sister insists on having the beds separated, so we each had our own twin bed. These tiny beds always reminds me of my college dorm room, although the brand-new beds were very comfortable.

Each bed had its own nightstand, but ours were squished together to create one big nightstand. A small bedside lamp was on each side, and my side of the bed had an outlet. I prefer to keep my phone charging during the night, but my phone plug was protruding into my pillow. I know what you’re thinking, first world problems!

This functionality would definitely work better with the beds together, as the nightstand would be directly under the lamp with no spacing issues. Even still, I loved being able to peak out of the balcony each morning when we pulled into new ports of call. I was giddy like Christmas morning when we arrived to Vietnam, and I could watch it all from my bed.

We had plenty of storage to unpack our five suitcases.

We had quite a bit to unpack between our carry-on bags and checked luggage. Thankfully, the cabin had plenty of storage. There were two wardrobe closets in this stateroom: one with hanging space and the other with shelves and drawers. I used one closet with hanging space while my sister unpacked her belongings into the shelving of the other closet. 

Since I brought more clothes, I also took advantage of the drawers built into the vanity. Between the closet space and drawers, everything fit comfortably. We were also able to slide our suitcases under the beds, which helped keep the room clutter-free.

I was impressed with all of the storage available in this cabin. For instance, under the TV, there was a small shelf where we could store smaller belongings. We ended up using this for all of the documents that we received regarding immigration, excursion tickets and daily compasses.

There were multiple outlets and USB ports to keep our devices charged.

For such a big adventure, we had a plethora of devices that needed to be charged daily between the two of us. Cameras, phones, tablets, watches, headphones and more all needed to be charged every night before the following day's adventure. 

I was relieved to find a full charging station built into the cabin vanity, complete with two U.S. outlets and two USB ports. There was also a European outlet, which came in handy with our travel adapter. My sister and I were able to keep all of our devices charged without any issue.

Considering some older ships only have one or two outlets for charging, we appreciated having so many outlets. It’s a small touch, but it’s an important functionality of any cruise cabin.

Having connecting staterooms ended up being a lifesaver.

With my parents in the cabin next to us, we asked our room steward to unlock the connecting doors. He also opened the balcony between the two cabins, so we had one big balcony between our two staterooms.

The connecting rooms were extremely convenient for the four of us traveling together. In particular, my mom ended up sleeping on our couch for a few nights when my dad came down with a nasty cold. She didn’t want to be up all night with him coughing, so she asked our cabin steward to make the couch into a makeshift bed. She was surprised how comfortable the couch was!

Having the connecting rooms allowed for easy access between the two cabins, and my mom ended up sleeping on the couch for nearly half of the cruise. We will definitely look at booking connecting staterooms again in the future.

Our cabin location was convenient and quiet.

Our balcony cabin was located near midship, but closer to the ship’s aft. Located on Deck 11, we found this stateroom to have a central, accessible location. We were near the aft elevators, so we were never too far from our stateroom.

In addition, were only a few decks below the Windjammer buffet. During early mornings before excursions, we were able to quickly grab breakfast and head back to our cabin to get ready.

Most importantly, our cabin was wonderfully quiet - we never heard any noise from the hallway, and our neighbors were completely silent the entire trip. Because our deck was above and below other cabins, we never had to worry about noise from the public venues. There’s nothing worse than being kept awake by a nearby lounge or pool part!

Of course, the balcony was one of the highlights.

Because we normally book inside cabins, it was a luxury to have our own private balcony! The balcony install included two chairs with footrests and a small table to use. During this cruise, we had so much beautiful scenery - from the luscious jungle in the outskirts of Vietnam to the iconic skyline of Hong Kong.

I loved being able to use our balcony throughout this cruise. One morning, I ordered complimentary room service as we arrived into Hong Kong while enjoying my morning breakfast. Later that night, we watched the nightly light show across the bay from our balcony as the ship departed. It was a memory I will never forget.

One of the best surprises about our cabin was being able to share the balcony with the connecting rooms. We hadn’t realized the divider could be removed when you book adjoining cabins, and it made it so much easier - and more fun - to enjoy the space together.

The bathroom was functionally designed, too.

There’s nothing worse than feeling squeezed into a tiny capsule shower on a cruise. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case here. Cruise ship bathrooms have come a long way, and the showers in particular are now much more spacious and comfortable to use.

Like most Royal Caribbean ships, our shower was stocked with the standard 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash combo. For this reason, I always bring my own shower toiletries when cruising. We did receive upgraded amenities because of our loyalty status, but I still preferred using the products I packed from home.

We had no issues with water temperature or pressure in our cabin, but we did hear some complaints from other guests. Some reported having minimal hot water at times, while others experienced very low water pressure in the shower. It may have been tied to the ship’s recent dry dock, but issues like that can definitely impact the overall cabin experience.

Overall, I wouldn’t hesitate to book this cabin again.

For our 12-night cruise, this balcony cabin truly became our home away from home. After long, hot, and humid days exploring culturally-diverse ports across Asia, there was nothing better than coming back to this comfortable and quiet cabin. Whether we were cooling off in the air conditioning, unpacking our souvenirs, or simply relaxing on the couch after a full day of exploring, this stateroom was perfect for us.

I wouldn’t hesitate to book this same cabin again, whether on Anthem of the Seas or any other Quantum Class ship. The layout was thoughtfully designed, the decor was modern, and the location was incredibly convenient for getting around the ship. We also had plenty of storage and connectivity in the stateroom, which is important for longer, port-intensive itineraries.

Having our own balcony was definitely a highlight for this cruise, especially with all of the bucket-list destinations we visited. I don’t think it’s always necessary to splurge on a balcony, but this was certainly worthwhile on this itinerary with unforgettable sights to see.

Cruising is meant to be relaxing and rejuvenating, but nothing derails your vacation quicker than getting sick. No one wants to think about getting sick during their cruise, especially when you’ve spent your hard-earned money and time on a vacation.

Unfortunately, you can still get sick while on traveling. In fact, some might argue that you are more likely to get sick while cruising because you can get run down and exposed to illnesses more easily.

Moreover, sickness seems to spread quickly on cruise ships due to close living quarters. With thousands of people traveling together continuously, cruise ships can become hotspots for germs, bacteria and illness. From the bustling buffets to your crowded shore excursion busses, there are endless opportunities for illness to spread during your cruise.

If you’re wanting to take extra precautions throughout your upcoming cruise, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to help you minimize your risk of getting sick. Here is how you can protect yourself from getting sick on a cruise to ensure you have a safe, fun and healthy vacation!

Wash your hands often

Washy washy! The best thing you can do on your cruise is wash your hands frequently and diligently with warm water and soap.

Most of Royal Caribbean’s newest ships have hand washing stations at the buffet entrance, making it easy to keep your hands clean while eating. 

Germs can spread quickly when everyone is touching the buffet tongs and serving themselves. Of course, not everyone washes their hands as they should. I’ve seen people get offended by the crew member suggesting they wash their hands or sanitize before eating!

You should also wash your hands often throughout your time onboard, especially after using the bathroom. I prefer packing a bottle of liquid hand soap from the dollar store for the bathroom in my stateroom. I find it much easier to wash my hands thoroughly with liquid soap than with using the standard bar soap provided. 

Don’t forget to rest

From exploring ports of call to afternoon trivia, evening entertainment and late-night deck parties, there are plenty of opportunities to be busy during your vacation. Not to mention, I find that I’m up earlier in the morning when cruising to optimize my limited time in port. 

Surprisingly, it’s pretty easy to get run down while you’re cruising. This is especially true if you've flown a long distance and you're fighting jet lag. While it’s tempting to take full advantage of the non-stop fun, don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. Whether it’s squeezing in an afternoon nap, sleeping in on a sea day, or calling it an early night, giving your body time to recharge will help you feel your best and stay healthy throughout the trip.

Use hand sanitizer or wipes

Germs are everywhere on a cruise ship! From the elevator buttons to the coffee machines and excursion busses, your hands are constantly touching germ-infested surfaces. For this reason, I never leave my cabin without hand sanitizer or wipes - and I am constantly using them to clean my hands when a sink is not available. 

In addition, cruise ships usually have hand sanitizer stations available across the ship. Whether you’re entering the theatre for the headliner production show or grabbing a slice of pizza, you’ll find hand sanitizing stations pretty much everywhere. Take advantage of these as an extra layer of protection.

Bring over the counter medication

Medication onboard a cruise ship is absurdly expensive, even over-the-counter medication. The onboard store will have inflated prices for basic medication, and it can be painful to pay those high prices!

Instead of waiting until you’re sick, you should be proactive and pack a mini pharmacy for your cruise instead. I have a pre-packed pharmacy pouch with a variety of over-the-counter medication for all of my travels that I always take on my trips. At least once each cruise, I have to break open the mini pharmacy for some medication that I’ve packed.

I like to pack a small travel pharmacy with essentials like nighttime cold and flu medicine, allergy relief, seasickness tablets, stomach remedies, and a sleep aid - just in case. In addition, I always bring extra prescription medication in case I experience travel delays or unforeseen circumstances. You never know when you might get delayed returning home, and I wouldn’t want to be stuck without my daily prescription medication.

Limit sharing drinks and food

This one might be obvious, but it's important to remember. The amount of food available is endless on a cruise ship, so there shouldn’t be as much temptation to share your food or drinks. Even still, my family is notorious for taking sample bites of any entree, dessert or snack that looks appetizing.

Instead of sharing, just order your own to limit the spreading of germs. If you decide to share, make sure everyone uses a clean utensil and never share used utensils. It’s always best practice to not share drinks as well, considering you can be contagious before showing obvious illness symptoms.

Wear the proper sunblock

The quintessential cruise day is spent ashore on the beach or lounging in the sun on the pool deck. But, all of that time in the sun can be dangerous if you don’t take proper precautions. Getting sunburned on your cruise isn’t just uncomfortable and painful - it can also weaken your immune system. An especially gnarly sunburn can totally ruin your vacation, so be sure to pack sunscreen and apply generously.

It’s recommended to use SPF of 30 or more for the best protection in the sun. You should reapply often, particularly if you’re swimming. I prefer to pack a tinted moisturizer with SPF and wear a long-sleeve swimsuit for extra protection. I also love having a sunscreen stick for quick application on my face, neck and shoulders.

Immunity supplements

Another easy precaution to help your support your immune system is taking daily supplements for vitamin C and zinc. These can help contribute to keeping your immune system healthy while you’re traveling. Some studies show that vitamin C and zinc can also shorten the duration and severity of a cold, so they could be good to have on hand. 

Whether you pack traditional supplements or bring along something like Emergen-C, it’s a simple precaution that could make a difference in staying healthy during your cruise.

Non-slip shoes for wet decks

I learned this one the hard way! During my last cruise, I took a bad tumble in the adults-only Solarium with my flimsy sandals because the floor was wet. My tailbone was bruised for the next few days and my neck was sore from the impact.

Cruise ship decks are notoriously slippery near the pool deck. Be sure to prevent these injuries by wearing non-slip shoes for the wet decks. Walk slowly near the pool and keep your eyes out for warning signs when the floor is wet.

Skip the buffet

One of the biggest breeding grounds for bacteria and germs can be found at the cruise ship buffet. With thousands of passengers dining in the same vicinity and using the same tongs, germs can spread easily and quickly.

Buffets are standard on most cruise ships, but they are also prime zones for cross-contamination. Some people also refuse to wash their hands or sanitize before touching the different tongs. I’ve even seen people refuse to use tongs and touch the food with their bare hands - gross!

If you want to play it extra safe, consider using other dining venues where you have a sit-down meal instead of self-serve. In addition, you can also consider splurging on specialty dining for a more intimate dining experience and fewer crowds, which means less exposure to potentially sick guests. 

Stay hydrated

Cocktails on the pool deck and lounging in the hot sun can quickly lead to dehydration during your cruise. Combine that with the salty foods often served onboard, and you may find yourself needing to drink more water than usual to stay properly hydrated.

It’s important to stay hydrated during your cruise to keep your immune system healthy. I always pack a reusable bottle of water to use in my cabin for easy access to water. In addition, I like to bring hydration packets to add to my bottled water for added electrolytes. I rely on these heavily while traveling and cruising! Personally, I prefer the sugar free Propel or Gatorade hydration packets, but LiquidIV is also a popular choice.

Stay up to date on vaccinations

Before setting sail on your vacation, you should also consult with your doctor to ensure you’re up to date on any routine vaccinations that may be recommended for travel. Every year, I make sure to receive my annual flu shots, along with any other vaccines or boosters that I might need.

If you’re visiting more off-the-beaten-path destinations on your cruise, you might need other vaccinations to stay healthy. This could include yellow fever, typhoid or Hepatitis A. Before cruising to Africa last year, I made sure to visit my doctor and ask about any specific vaccinations I might need. Some destinations might even require proof of vaccination for certain shots, so you will want to confirm your destinations' requirements.

Prepare for bugs

If you’re planning to visit warm, humid climates during your cruise, you should consider packing insect repellent to keep mosquitos away. Mosquitos are more than a nuisance, as they can actually carry dangerous illnesses like Zika or dengue fever. This would be one quick way to ruin your vacation!

Consider whether you’ll be exploring buggy areas during your cruise and plan accordingly. When I’m cruising to destinations where mosquitoes are more common, like my recent cruises to Africa or Bali last year, I make sure to pack a small bottle of insect repellent with DEET. Be sure to pack lightweight clothes and plan for buggy areas.

Practice Safe Food Habits

Trying local food during your cruise is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the culture. For some foodies, this is a huge highlight of their cruise. However, you should be cautious when trying food or drinks during your time ashore to prevent food borne illness.

It's recommended to avoid raw and undercooked meats and stick to bottled water if you’re not sure about the local water quality. Also, use your best judgement to eat from street vendors. I typically avoid street food for this reason and rely on the food served onboard the ship instead.

Avoid touching your face

This one is easier said than done, but if you can avoid touching your face, this is a small habit that can make a big difference during your cruise. Touching your face can significantly increase the risk of infection for flu and cold viruses.

Make a conscious effort to not touch your face whenever possible while cruising and traveling. This also includes not touching your eyes, nose and mouth. In addition, avoid biting your nails unless you’ve washed your hands.

Seek medication attention when needed

Cruise ships are staffed with medical staff and have modern medical facilities capable of handling a wide range of illnesses and emergencies. However, there are plenty of horror stories of passengers being billed tens of thousands of dollars after visiting the medical center during their cruise.

Because of this, people are hesitant to visit the shipboard doctor when they might need to. Not to mention, people are often worried they might get quarantined during their vacation. These are valid concerns, but you should always seek medical attention when you think you need it. Your health should always come first.

By visiting the doctor, you might be able to get some medical advice or medication to get you on the mend so you can enjoy the most of your vacation. If you wait too long and your health deteriorates, you could really ruin your cruise and rack up an even bigger bill.

Have travel insurance

In the way of medical emergencies, it’s also a good idea to have travel insurance for additional coverage during your cruise. Whether you receive coverage through your credit card or you purchase a policy, having travel insurance can give you access to medical care while traveling. This can also reduce stress knowing you are covered in an unforeseen circumstance. 

In addition, you are more likely to seek medical care when you have travel insurance coverage. For instance, my dad recently pulled a rib muscle during our cruise. Because he has an annual travel insurance policy, he didn’t hesitate to head down to the medical center on our ship to be seen by the doctor. 

He received a prescription medication to help with inflammation and X-rays for diagnosis. The entire visit was $500, but it was all covered by his travel insurance. The medication alleviated his pain quickly and he was on the mend quicker than suffering longer with pain.

Indulging in delicious food is often one of the highlights of cruising. From homemade pastries to delectable three course meals each evening, it seems like there is never ending food on a cruise! 

Now, it looks like Royal Caribbean is serving a new breakfast food that is quickly becoming a favorite among cruisers. One cruiser posted on Reddit recently about the cruise line’s new homemade cinnamon rolls, stating the pastry has potential to become “a new cult favorite” on Royal Caribbean.

As a cinnamon roll connoisseur myself, I couldn’t wait to see if my cruise would be serving up the newest pastry. Our family can’t resist a good cinnamon roll, and, not to boast, but I make a pretty fantastic homemade cinnamon roll myself! 

I’m currently sailing on Anthem of the Seas on a repositioning cruise from Singapore to Tokyo, and I was thrilled to see the new cinnamon rolls being served our first morning onboard. My mom and I grabbed one of the cinnamon rolls to try with our morning coffee, as they looked promising and appeared similar to pictures circulating online. 

After one bite, we could tell these cinnamon rolls were unlike any pastry we had tried on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Someone needed to do the hard and important work of reviewing these new cinnamon rolls for the site, and I was happy to volunteer! As a lifelong cinnamon roll enthusiast and baker, I’m here to provide you with an in-depth review of Royal Caribbean’s newest pastry, and whether it's worth the hype. 

For starters, the cinnamon rolls seem to be available everywhere breakfast is served.

Because Anthem of the Seas is a Quantum class ship, there are multiple places to dine for breakfast. In addition to the Windjammer buffet, you can find other cafes and eateries serving breakfast onboard. During my first few days on the ship, I was thrilled to find the new cinnamon rolls being served throughout the ship. 

On our first morning, we found the cinnamon rolls being served in Cafe Promenade. The following morning, the rolls were also available in the Windjammer Cafe for breakfast, served alongside other pastries and muffins. The pastry attendant even offered to warm up the cinnamon roll for us, which was a nice touch! 

Today, we ordered a few of the rolls from Cafe 270 to have with breakfast, though these seemed smaller than the other ones we’ve had.

In addition, some Redditors report the cinnamon rolls are available through room service with continental breakfast. Continental breakfast is complimentary on Royal Caribbean cruises and includes an option to order pastries. I'll be testing this theory later in the cruise, as I love receiving breakfast to my cabin with room service!

In the Reddit thread, other cruisers have also shared the cinnamon rolls are available in Park Cafe and Solarium Bistro on Oasis class ships, along with the Pearl Cafe on Icon class ships. One responder shared they were able to get the cinnamon roll warmed up at Pearl Cafe.

The cinnamon rolls seem to be popular aboard our sailing. Every time I’ve waited in line to order one, there are a few others looking to do the same. But, I've never had an issue ordering one, so they seem to be stocked!

Royal Caribbean’s new cinnamon rolls are modestly sized and lightly frosted, but they’re not overly sweet.

I'll be honest, I was skeptical if the new cinnamon rolls would live up to the buzz they're receiving online. I love a big, gooey and sweet cinnamon roll - so the bar was high. But, after taking one bite, our family was genuinely impressed with the new recipe. The dough tastes homemade, and one crew member confirmed the rolls are baked fresh each morning onboard. 

In my amateur baking experience, homemade dough can be a little dense, and that holds true here. Royal Caribbean’s cinnamon rolls are more dense rather than light and fluffy. But, this isn’t a bad thing. We prefer the denser texture - and the bread still tastes soft and fresh.

In our opinion, the filling leans heavily into the cinnamon flavor. It tastes like the cinnamon is blended with sugar or brown sugar rather than butter, giving it a bold, sweet kick. Each roll is generously swirled, and after just one bite, you can see the rich, dark cinnamon ribbon running through the layers.

Now, the best part… the frosting! I prefer my cinnamon rolls to drown in overly-sweet, melty frosting. I typically make my cinnamon roll frosting with butter, vanilla, milk and powdered sugar for a sweet finish. 

However, Royal Caribbean’s new cinnamon rolls are finished with a light layer of cream cheese frosting. There might be a touch of lemon in the frosting too, making it a little tangy. Personally, I wouldn’t complain if there was more frosting; after all, I don’t think you can never have too much frosting on a cinnamon roll.

That said, Royal Caribbean’s new cinnamon rolls seem sufficiently frosted without being over-the-top. There is also a small dusting of powdered sugar to add a hint of sweetness. The sweet frosting perfectly complements the bold cinnamon filling and yeasty, homemade dough.

The hype is real — the cinnamon rolls are drool-worthy.

After sampling a few cinnamon rolls during the first few days of my cruise, I can confirm the newest pastry is worth the hype! Our entire family agreed the new cinnamon rolls are a huge upgrade from the cruise line’s earlier attempt at cinnamon rolls.

Prior to this new recipe, the cinnamon rolls left a lot to be desired — they were bland, dry and noticeably lacked in flavor. The pastry was lightly glazed at best and hardly resembled a real cinnamon roll. They didn’t taste freshly made, and in all honesty, I’ve yet to come across anyone who actually enjoyed them.

Now, it’s pretty apparent the cinnamon rolls are freshly made each day onboard. Many commenters on Reddit stated the rolls tasted like they were from a bakery, and I agree wholeheartedly!

One commenter shared, “[The cinnamon rolls] were in Windjammer and Pearl Cafe as well, when I was on Icon [of the Seas]. Pearl Cafe even heated them up for me when asked. Very good cinnamon roll!”

Another user shared, “I ordered the continental breakfast and checked (assorted pastry) and this arrived! I was pleasantly surprised. Icing isn’t too sweet, and good ratio of icing to roll. Thanks for the tip on where to find them!”

“Yeah I ordered a pastry plate for room service breakfast on the Wonder last week and confirm it was really good,” stated another cruiser.

One cruiser commented similarly, “I had one at the Windjammer on Odyssey [of the Seas] on Sunday just before departing the ship. It was very tasty!”

“Yeah, I was impressed too! The danishes were pretty good too. Everything else was basic but ok,” said another commenter.

I agree with the hype these cinnamon rolls are receiving - and I can see how they will become a favorite onboard. Honestly, they’re on par with what you’d expect from a local bakery or even homemade straight from the oven. If you’re cruising with Royal Caribbean soon, be sure to try one of these cinnamon rolls for yourself!

Crew members work very hard on cruise ships, but have you ever wondered how much they make?

Chris Wong is a crew member onboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas working in the casino onboard. He also produces in-depth videos about living and working on a cruise ship on his YouTube channel, Chris Wong Vlogs. In fact, he claims in the video he might be one of the world’s most followed casino hosts on YouTube!

To celebrate his recent milestone of achieving 100K subscribers, Wong wanted to provide insight into his current salary working for Royal Caribbean on his channel. He just received a promotion within the company to a senior-level position in the casino while also posting regularly to his YouTube channel with 107K subscribers.

Wong has been working for Royal Caribbean over the last decade and started his YouTube channel a few years after. Although Wong is currently working on Quantum of the Seas, he previously worked in the casino onboard Icon of the Seas, which is Royal Caribbean’s newest and most innovative ship to date.

The video is extremely insightful, especially for those looking to potentially begin a career working on a cruise ship. Throughout the video, Wong shares a transparent look into his personal finances, and explains why he doesn’t plan to leave Royal Caribbean anytime soon.

Wong shows his first paycheck for $2,890.21, followed by a second paycheck for less.

Continuing in his video, Wong shares how Royal Caribbean pays employees on a biweekly basis. This means each crew member is paid twice per month, but not every paycheck for Wong is the same amount.

In the video, Wong shares a glimpse into his actual paycheck from Royal Caribbean. He shows his first paycheck (with sensitive information redacted) with a total net payment of $2,890.21. This paycheck covers the first two weeks of January 2025, as Wong says he filmed the video back in February 2025.

Next, Wong shares his second payment from January 2025. This time, the total net payment was less at only $1,450.09. This brings the total monthly payment to $4,340.30 for Wong in USD.

He has also blurred out the itemized paycheck, which Wong says includes commission, tips and several other factors. Ultimately, Wong says this is a fantastic salary for him, especially considering the rising cost of living and inflation. He states he wouldn’t be able to make this much working back in his home country of the United Kingdom.

In addition, Wong emphasizes that he has very few bills to pay by living onboard. He said he only pays for his cell phone bill and internet usage onboard. Wong states he will occasionally spend money in ports of call. However, he doesn't currently have any large payments, such as a mortgage or car payment.

Why his pay fluctuates so much

Interestingly, Wong’s paychecks appear to vary drastically, as his first paycheck is about $1,440 more than the second paycheck. What is causing this fluctuation? Wong says there are multiple factors at play that contribute to each biweekly paycheck.

While Wong says he can’t provide too much detail for confidentiality reasons, he says the combination of commission, tips and “a bunch of other things” are factored into each paycheck.

Further, Wong emphasizes that casino host salaries can vary across Royal Caribbean’s fleet depending on the ship and itinerary. Currently, Quantum of the Seas is sailing around Australia, although the ship was previously sailing in Alaska and also spent some time in Asia.

According to Wong’s video, he is actually getting paid less working on this ship compared to his time on Icon of the Seas. The biggest reason for this involves the ship’s destination and tipping culture. 

Wong states that crew members usually have the highest earning potential when sailing from the United States to the Caribbean. Because tipping culture is more prevalent in the United States, crew members often get paid more.

In fact, Wong says he was making more as an assistant casino host on Icon of the Seas sailing to the Caribbean than he currently makes in a more senior position on Quantum of the Seas. The most he was paid for one month working as an assistant on Icon of the Seas was closer to $5,000, according to Wong.

In general, he states that crew members typically earn the most when sailing to the Caribbean. However, each position varies onboard and some are paid differently. Realistically, crew members should plan to earn a smaller starting salary when first beginning their career with Royal Caribbean or any other cruise line.

How are crew members paid?

Wong also shared interesting insight regarding how crew members on cruise ships actually receive the money. When you first board for the start of your contract, Wong says you will be set up with a US-based bank account to receive payment. This is how you will receive your paychecks while onboard. 

This account is given for the sole purpose of Royal Caribbean paying employees their salaries. Crew members are not paid to their personal bank accounts. Once he receives his paycheck in this account, he can do whatever he wants with it.

Why Wong isn’t planning to leave Royal Caribbean anytime soon

At the end of his video, Wong shares that many subscribers often inquire about whether the casino host plans to get a land-based job anytime soon. Ultimately, the answer is “no”.

Between his low living expenses, comfortable paychecks and engaged online YouTube audience, Wong is very happy with his current lifestyle. He states he has been able to save so much money by working on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and doesn’t plan to leave in the near future.

In addition, Wong says he would need to restart his career from the bottom if he pursued work back in the United Kingdom. The casino host questions why he would want to leave a comfortable salary onboard to make less money and have more bills to pay on land. 

Of course, Wong clarifies that he misses his family and friends; however, he is very comfortable living and working on the cruise ship. Essentially, Wong is happy with the life he’s built onboard and online. Between the stream of income from YouTube and his salary from Royal Caribbean, he doesn’t plan to leave the ship life for a “normal job” in the United Kingdom.

Wong says he first started his YouTube channel about five years into his Royal Caribbean career when he was still working in the online retail shops. During the pandemic, Wong says he channel really exploded in growth during the pandemic and continues to be a steady source of income for him. Now, he shares in-depth looks at the crew member lifestyle to his thousands of followers.