I think Royal Caribbean has arguably one of the best loyalty programs in the cruising industry.

The Crown & Anchor Society is the cruise line's program that rewards cruisers for showing loyalty to Royal Caribbean. After just one cruise, you can start earning points towards different tiers of status with the cruise line. 

As someone who has cruised almost exclusively with Royal Caribbean for my entire life, I am currently a Diamond Plus member of the Crown and Anchor Society. Reaching this status a few years ago, the program’s lucrative benefits are a huge selling point when I look to book future cruises. 

Notably, the complimentary daily drink vouchers are a huge perk of having Diamond Plus status. I receive five daily drink vouchers each day of my cruise; for my husband and I, this saves us hundreds to thousands of dollars on each cruise. 

We also enjoy discounted internet, free laundry service, a complimentary photo, BOGO specialty dining and more as Diamond Plus members.

Although I love cruising with Royal Caribbean, I was been eager to try sailing on sister-brand Celebrity Cruises for quite some time; however, I wasn’t sure if the onboard experience would feel lackluster without some of the lucrative benefits that I’m used to receiving on Royal Caribbean. 

Because Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are owned by the same parent company, the two cruise lines actually have a status reciprocity program. Celebrity’s Loyalty Match program allows cruisers to receive comparable benefits from Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Program when sailing on Celebrity cruise ships. 

On my recent 4-night spring break sailing, I used my Royal Caribbean loyalty perks onboard Celebrity Silhouette for the first time - and it saved me a lot of money. This was my first cruise with Celebrity, so I didn't know what to expect. 

Here’s how the programs compared and how much money the benefits saved me. 

To start, Elite status is the highest tier of Celebrity's loyalty program, Captain’s Club, that you can receive through the reciprocity program. 

Royal Caribbean’s three highest tiers of loyalty - Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle - can only receive Elite member status on Celebrity Cruises through the reciprocity program. To reach Elite Plus or Zenith status, you must earn points by sailing on Celebrity’s cruise ships and earning the status. 

Similarly, Captain’s Club highest members - Elite Plus and Zenith - can only receive Diamond status when sailing on Royal Caribbean cruises.

It's important to note that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises each have their own points structure. To reach the next tier with Celebrity, I would need to earn at least 750 Captain’s Club points on my own; however, I’d continue to receive Elite-level benefits through reciprocity until then. 

Below is a breakdown of how Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor status translates to Captain’s Club status with the reciprocity status match program. 

Technically, I boarded Celebrity Silhouette as an Elite member with 0 Captain’s Club points, as I had not sailed on a Celebrity Cruise before.

When booking this cruise, I wanted to make sure I received the benefits I was entitled to. Enrollment in Celebrity’s loyalty program, Captain’s Club, was seamless. 

Anyone who is in enrolled in either Royal Caribbean’s or Celebrity’s loyalty programs will automatically receive benefits while sailing on either cruise line. 

Celebrity’s website states that anyone in Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor program that is not enrolled in Celebrity’s Captain’s Club program should confirm enrollment before booking their cruise. I decided to call the Loyalty Service Desk to make sure I was enrolled in Captain’s Club before booking my first Celebrity cruise. 

Calling Celebrity Cruises was easy and they quickly confirmed my enrollment in the program. The agent also provided me with my Captain’s Club number at this time. Investigating further, I actually found the Captain’s Club number on Royal Caribbean’s website under Profile -> My Loyalty. I believe this is automatically populated, but I would suggest confirming your Captain’s Club number before booking your cruise. 

I provided the Captain’s Club numbers for both me and my sister when booking the Celebrity Cruise through our MEI travel agent. I was able to login to Celebrity’s travel portal and it showed my Elite status in the profile already. 

Once we boarded Celebrity Silhouette for our weekend cruise, we found an info sheet in the cabin with information about our Captain’s Club Elite membership benefits. 

Although the benefits are not necessarily one to one, we were pretty pleased with the Elite benefits that were listed on the sheet. It was a relief to see the Elite status on my SeaPass card and knowing that my benefits transferred correctly. 

Most importantly, I was happy to see on the benefit list that we would still receive complimentary drinks through Celebrity’s happy hour for Captain’s Club members! In addition, we were invited to join Captain’s Club Coffee Lounge everyday from 8am to 10am in Tuscan Restaurant. This was described as a coffeehouse style breakfast with snacks and pastries. 

The info sheet also stated that there would be a Captain’s Club Celebration on the final night of the cruise. This invitation said we could join the exclusive event for live music, drinks and special appearances from the Captain and Senior Officers.

Finally, we were invited to a Private Departure Lounge during disembarkation from 7:30am - 9am in Tuscan Restaurant. 

One of the first things I always do when I board a cruise ship is purchase internet for the entire voyage with my loyalty discount. 

Although disconnecting on a cruise is so relaxing, I simply need to have internet for my remote jobs. The flexibility of being able to work anywhere is incredible, but I do need to have high-speed internet purchased when I sail on a cruise to ensure I keep up with work when necessary. 

I am still holding out hope for the day that Internet is free on cruises, especially considering I can get free high-speed internet at almost anywhere these days!

On Royal Caribbean, as a Diamond Plus member, I receive two free days of Internet onboard or a $50 discount for the entire voyage. For this reason, I usually wait to purchase my Wi-Fi until I am onboard shorter cruises to ensure I get my discount, unless I can get a better price in the Cruise Planner beforehand. 

For a 4-night cruise, it’s usually around $51.98 for me to have high-speed internet on Royal Caribbean, as it’s priced at $25.99 per day. 

Unlike Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises provides a percentage discount on Wi-Fi packages; sadly, high-speed internet is more expensive at $35 each day. As Elite members, we received a 30% discount on our Internet package, which I purchased on the first day. 

Unfortunately, high-speed Internet on Celebrity was almost double what it would cost on a 4-night Royal Caribbean cruise! I received a $42 discount, but it was still nearly $100 for the duration of the 4-night voyage. 

Shockingly, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have the exact same Wi-Fi coverage through satellite-provider Starlink. 

In this sense, the price discrepancy between the two cruise lines is quite confusing for me. I was paying nearly double for the exact same provider coverage.

On a longer voyage, the 30% discount would be more sizable (in dollars) than the static $51.98 discount received on Royal Caribbean; however, the increased cost of $10 more each day on Celebrity will likely wash out any major savings when comparing the two. 

For example, a recent 12-night cruise on Royal Caribbean cost me $259.90 for the high-speed service with a savings of $51.98. On Celebrity Cruises, the same Internet would cost me $294 with a savings of $126. Although the savings is more, the overall cost of Internet is still higher. 

I’ve actually wished that Royal Caribbean would provide a bigger discount on longer cruises for top-tier loyalty members. When I take a 12-night cruise, it would be great to receive a 30%-50% discount on internet service, although any discount is still awesome. 

Technically, you have the potential to save a lot more money with Celebrity’s Captain’s Club internet discounts, but the increased cost of coverage needs to be taken into consideration. The internet coverage was consistent with what I’ve experienced on Royal Caribbean cruises, which is expected since the provider is the same. 

Another great perk on our Celebrity cruise that saved us a lot of money was the nightly happy hour with complimentary cocktails. 

Paying for cocktails and alcohol on a cruise can get very expensive. Not to mention, drink packages can nearly double the cost of your cruise and you have to drink around 5 cocktails each day to breakeven. 

Celebrity does not offer the easy-to-use drink vouchers like Royal Caribbean for loyalty perks. Instead, the cruise line has a nightly happy hour that serves complimentary drinks from 5pm-7pm.

This is very reminiscent of Royal Caribbean’s old happy hour in the Diamond and Concierge lounge, which was phased out after the pandemic and replaced with daily drink vouchers.

The happy hour was not limited just to a certain lounge. We were able to enjoy complimentary drinks from a set menu throughout the cruise at almost every bar, except the Craft Social and World Class Bar. 

On the set menu for happy hour, you could choose from a variety of simple cocktails and liquors. The bars specifically set out the menu each evening from 5pm-7pm. Throughout the cruise happy hours, we probably enjoyed 10-12 cocktails between the two of us. 

At a minimum, this saved us at least $100-$120 on our cruise! You can have unlimited cocktails during happy hour, so I will definitely choose a later dining time on my future Celebrity Cruise to take advantage of this happy hour. 

My sister and I enjoyed multiple cocktails each evening during happy hour and most enjoyed Sunset Bar. On our final evening, we sipped on a fruity concoction from the bartender while listening to live music while we sailed away from Nassau and back to Miami. 

Oddly, the first day of the cruise was excluded from the Captain's Club happy hour, which was a bit of a bummer.

During the first day of our cruise on Celebrity Silhouette, we were bummed to find out that there was no happy hour for Captain’s Club members that evening. 

The flyer in our cabin specifically stated that the Captain’s Club Cocktail Hour was excluded on embarkation day for whatever reason. Excluding embarkation day isn’t a huge deal, but when compared to Royal Caribbean’s daily voucher allowance that starts on the first day, it is notable. 

On a longer sailing, it also isn’t that big of a deal; however, we were only sailing on a 4-night cruise, so that meant we had only three evenings to take advantage of our benefits, so it was a bit more restrictive in that sense.

Instead, we purchased martinis at the famous Martini Bar on the first night of the cruise while we watched the bartenders perform impressive tricks with the martini glasses.

The martinis were not cheap, as they were $17 each including gratuities. We decided just to have one drink in anticipation of our happy hour kicking in the following evening. We loved the atmosphere of the Martini Bar and enjoyed the DJ playing music throughout the evening. 

Each morning, we could choose to dine at Tuscan Grill for Captain’s Club coffeehouse breakfast, which included cocktails and specialty coffees.

On the third morning of our cruise on Celebrity Silhouette, we decided to try out the Captain’s Club breakfast to see what was offered. This was located in Tuscan Restaurant, which is a specialty dining venue. 

I was thrilled to see I could get my morning latte during the coffeehouse breakfast - and even more excited to see mimosas, Bellinis and Bloody Marys on the menu. The breakfast menu was small with simple offerings like pastries, oatmeal and bagels. 

Receiving a free morning latte saved me $7 - something I wish I had known on the first morning of the cruise. I paid for my specialty coffee the first two mornings in the buffet and could have come here instead.

While I wasn’t necessarily in the mood for a mimosa on this morning, I was excited to see complimentary morning cocktails on the menu. Theoretically, I could have drank way more for free each day on this Celebrity cruise compared to my 5 drink vouchers on Royal Caribbean.

Between the unlimited cocktails, complimentary specialty coffee in the lounge and the nightly happy hours with cocktails, there would be absolutely no need for a drink package on Celebrity for me. 

On the final day, we enjoyed complimentary access to the Persian Garden thermal spa with our Elite status. 

One of the coolest perks with our Elite benefits was complimentary access to the Persian Garden thermal spa. We were able to access the thermal spa during one port day of the cruise as Elite members. We opted to do this on the final day of our cruise while we were docked in Nassau.

When I asked how much a daily pass during a port day would cost to the thermal spa, we were told it’s normally $39.95. 

For the two of us, this was a savings of $80! Whether we would actually pay this much to enjoy the thermal spa is up in the air, but I absolutely loved the ambiance and experience. We relaxed in the warm thermal chairs while also trying the different showers, saunas and steam rooms.

To my knowledge, this is not something offered on Royal Caribbean; but, it’s a perk that I really did enjoy on my Celebrity Cruise. 

As Elite members, we also could have received other benefits such as a free scoop of gelato, complimentary laundry, discounts on photos and more.

Elite members receive a slew of benefits onboard Celebrity cruise ships, including some that we didn't even have time to pursue. 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling my best on the final evening so we didn’t make it to the Captain’s Club exclusive event. I wish this had been hosted on another evening so we could see what it’s all about, but we will save that for a future Celebrity cruise!

Since this was a short 4-night sailing, we didn’t utilize all of the Elite benefits that we were afforded. We had to squeeze in as much as we could! On a weekend getaway, it’s not necessary for me to do laundry most of the time. We also didn’t take a singe professional photo, and this is not something I would pay for even with a 40% discount. 

I was also very satisfied with the complimentary dessert offerings in the buffet and dining room that I never craved gelato from Cafe al Bacio; however, my sister did receive her free scoop on the last day and felt it was the same quality as we were served in the buffet. 

Although Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises do not offer identical benefits, it’s still worthwhile to enjoy the reciprocity perks.

The most important loyalty benefits that I receive on Royal Caribbean include the discounted internet and complimentary daily drinks. I also enjoy the BOGO specialty dining and free professional photo, although these are not make-or-break benefits for me.

Most notably, our biggest savings came from not having to pay for cocktails or specialty coffee - other than our martinis on the first night. We loved the nightly happy hours hosted throughout the ship and appreciated the flexibility of going to almost any bar onboard. 

Additionally, receiving a 30% discount on Internet was appreciated, although the cost of internet was unexplainably more expensive. 

We also enjoyed our complimentary visit to the thermal spa during the ship’s visit to Nassau. Since we’d been to Nassau many times, enjoying the spa was a great way to enjoy our afternoon and do something more relaxing onboard the ship.

Overall, I was pleased with the Elite benefits on my Celebrity Silhouette cruise - and it saved us a lot of money. The savings would certainly compound on a longer Celebrity cruise with the reciprocity status matching, which is something to keep in mind. 

I just finished sailing onboard Celebrity Cruises for the first time - and I absolutely loved it. 

As a very loyal cruiser with Royal Caribbean, I’ve always been intrigued by Celebrity Cruises. Both owned by Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity seemed like the cooler and older sister to Royal Caribbean. 

From my research, Celebrity Cruises offered a more grown-up approach to cruising while still being fun and trendy. The cruise line is more destination-focused than Royal Caribbean and aims to provide an accessible approach to luxury for adults. 

While researching spring break cruises, I was shocked to find a relatively cheap cruise onboard Celebrity Silhouette. This cheap sailing was 4-night weekend sailing to Key West and Nassau, with one sea day to explore the ship. 

This cheap cruise was $846 for two people and even included $100 onboard credit. I couldn’t say no to this deal for a more upscale cruise line and easily convinced my sister to join me. We enjoyed a spring break cruise last year on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas, so we were eager to compare the experiences on our first Celebrity cruise. 

Here’s how our cheap Celebrity cruise compares to Royal Caribbean. 

When it comes to trying a new cruise line, I think it’s very important to have realistic expectations.

I’m always eager to try a new cruise line, as I firmly believe there is a cruise line out there for everyone. Each cruise line has its own unique style and onboard experience. 

Since I grew up cruising on Royal Caribbean with my family, this has always been an obvious choice when I go to book a cruise. I’ve had wonderful experiences with Royal Caribbean throughout my life. Not to mention, their Crown & Anchor loyalty perks easily persuade me to keep coming back and their cruises are reasonably priced. 

Because Celebrity Cruises is owned by the same company as Royal Caribbean, this cruise line has enticed me more than others. As I’ve gotten older, Celebrity Cruises has appealed to me more because it caters to the adult experience. My husband and I have no children (unless you count our dogs), so it feels like Celebrity is a good fit for this stage in our lives. 

As someone who is very destination-driven when booking cruises, Celebrity’s itineraries to incredible destinations like Antarctica, India and Egypt, are pretty irresistible!

For my first Celebrity cruise, my expectations were heavily influenced by my parents, who just returned from their very first Celebrity cruise together last month. On an 11-night sailing to the Panama Canal on Celebrity Edge, my parents (age 62) said they really enjoyed their experience, but they felt young onboard their cruise!

They warned my sister and I that we might be youngest people onboard our cruise; my sister is 25 years old and I just turned 28 last month.  Our parents said we might even get bored by some of the entertainment since they found most of the performances featured music from their era. 

With this in mind, my sister and I were prepared for a more laid-back and relaxing spring break experience onboard. In all honesty, we can have fun on any cruise ship so we were more excited than anything just to see what Celebrity had to offer. 

Although Celebrity caters more to adults, I was very curious to see what type of demographics would be onboard this cheap spring break sailing.

Anyone who cruises often will tell you that spring break cruises will inherently have more families and kids onboard - but would that hold true for a more upscale, less kid-friendly cruise line?

Much to my surprise, we initially saw quite a few families onboard. I had always envisioned that a Celebrity Cruise would be mostly adults, and my sister and I were prepared to be on the younger side of the demographics.

I knew Celebrity offered childcare, youth programs and teen clubs, but I was under the impression that kids were allowed onboard, but the Celebrity Cruise experience is not catered towards them. 

Without water slides, splash pads, trampolines and zip lines, there really isn’t much for kids to do for fun activities onboard a Celebrity cruise ship when compared to Royal Caribbean.

Bumper cars, rock walls, and FlowRiders are replaced with craft bars, plushy loungers with ocean views and and an open lawn with real grass on Celebrity. 

This is where my expectations were totally wrong. While Celebrity Cruises is adult-focused, it is not exclusively adults-only.

During our 4-night spring break sailing, we saw many families and tons of kids onboard from the start. 

The first people we met in the elevator had two small children - and they said this was their very first cruise! I was shocked that a family with young kids wouldn’t choose to sail on Royal Caribbean instead, which arguably has way more to do for children on almost every ship in its fleet. 

Personally, I would recommend Royal Caribbean to any family looking to take their first cruise, as their cruise ships have much more to do for children of all ages. I had wonderful experiences as a kid on Royal Caribbean growing up. 

The first night at dinner, we were seated at a table for two in the main dining room. A family of ten sat directly next to us with kids as little as five. The table on our other side had a very fussy toddler - every single night of the cruise.  

Dinner involved many screams from the kids we were surrounded by. I never thought I’d be hearing an entire table sing Baby Shark on a Celebrity Cruise nor did I think we would hear screaming toddlers during our dinner. My sister and I laughed as we recalled our parents saying we would be the youngest people onboard!

I truly didn’t expect these demographics on our cheap Celebrity cruise - and my sister and I were far from the youngest onboard. 

Given the cheap price of the cruise and the subsequent timing with spring break, this definitely attracted more families than expected. I noted that Celebrity does not offer these 4-night sailings year round and only features these itineraries during the winter and spring break. 

More than likely, our spring break cruise attracted more families and kids than a normal Celebrity cruise. Luckily, we only found the kids to be a little bit distracting of our experience in the main dining room. 

I wish the tables around us had taken advantage of Celebrity’s childcare options so everyone in our area of the main dining room could enjoy a distraction-free meal. 

My sister and I really enjoyed the more laid-back and chill vibes onboard Celebrity Silhouette.

Celebrity Silhouette had plenty of activities happening throughout the ship, but overall we really enjoyed the laidback, chill vibes onboard. My sister and I aren’t big partiers or major drinkers, so this cruise style was the perfect fit for us. 

We were impressed by all of the thoughtfully designed spots onboard Celebrity Silhouette to relax and chill. The Solarium had big plushy loungers with towels perfectly folded; we spent almost every day in the Solarium relaxing. 

Throughout the ship, you could find daybeds and large loungers to sit in. I didn’t feel like there was a problem with chair hogs and the staff seemed pretty attentive with enforcing the 30-minute policy. 

Last year on Mariner of the Seas during our spring break cruise, we struggled to find chairs near the pool. And you could forget about snagging a coveted daybed in the Solarium! This was never the case of Celebrity Silhouette. We were always able to find chairs and even the luxurious seating was available throughout the cruise. 

We enjoyed sunset cocktails at Sunset Bar, which was arguably our favorite place onboard. Sunset Bar has a European flair with tons of cool spots to chill. We listened to live music as the ship sailed off into the sunset from Nassau. 

The Lawn Club, which features real grass, was another lovely spot on Celebrity Silhouette. If we were looking to enjoy open-air or peace and quiet, we could always rely on The Lawn Club. The nearby Lawn Club Grill would have been a cool place to have dinner one night, but a 4-night cruise simply isn’t long enough to enjoy everything. 

I joked that the grass looked a bit like my own yard while my husband was gone on his last deployment with a few patchy spots, although I don’t have the excuse of keep grass alive on a moving cruise ship. 

The food and service onboard Celebrity Silhouette felt top-notch, regardless of the type of sailing we were on. 

Even though this sailing was just a 4-night spring break itinerary, we still felt like Celebrity brought top-notch service and food, leaving us really impressed. 

During other spring break cruises I’ve taken, these sailings have always felt a bit more chaotic. I think a party crowd can lead to more chaotic cruise experience in general, especially when cruise ships are sailing at full-capacity, which is typically during spring break. 

Last year, our sailing on Mariner of the Seas was super packed and we noted that food and service took a small hit because of it. This didn’t dampen our experience of course, but it was certainly something we noted.

We felt that the food served throughout Celebrity Silhouette, whether that was breakfast in the Oceanview Cafe buffet, dinner in the main dining room, or grabbing a snack at the legendary Cafe al Bacio, everything tasted delicious and high-quality. 

I never felt like our ship was overly crowded and the crew members did not appear to be overwhelmed. Celebrity Silhouette felt appropriately staffed, which has not always been the case in a post-pandemic sailing. 

Celebrity Silhouette had stellar entertainment onboard that perfectly fit our demographics.

In the evening after dinner, we listened to fabulous live music while sipping on martinis from the Martini Bar. The bartenders are known for all the tricks they can do with the martini glasses and shakers. 

We noted that Celebrity Silhouette had wonderful live musicians and seemed to perform music that everyone would enjoy. 

The headliner shows were fabulous onboard as well, including the main production show Cosmopolitan. We sang along to all of the music, which ranged from Rihanna to Eminem. I laughed aloud when the performers quoted an iconic line from The Devil Wears Prada, “By all means, move at a glacial pace, you know how that thrills me”.

I belted out the words to Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball and become unexpectedly emotional during the closing song of On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons, which always reminds me of my semester abroad experience. 

Everyone loved the performance. I thought some audience members might personally know a few of the performers with how they were dancing and cheering for everyone. It was a really fun atmosphere. 

Late into the evening, Celebrity Silhouette hosted headphone disco and full-moon parties on the top deck. 

Two of the evenings, my sister and I went to the top deck of the cruise ship to check out the big parties happening late into the night. The headphone disco was packed with people dancing around all of the pools as the DJ bumped tunes. 

The second party was a full-moon party, which featured one of our favorite bands onboard playing live music. Nothing was rowdy or wild by any means, but everyone was having a fabulous time dancing under the stars as Celebrity Silhouette sailed through seas that resembled sheets as glass. 

As the nights came to a close, we found solace in our spacious inside cabin.

To cash in on our cheap deal, we ended up booking an inside guarantee cabin for this sailing on Celebrity Silhouette. We were shocked by how spacious and modern our inside cabin was compared to any inside cabin we’ve had on Royal Caribbean. 

One evening, we even returned to a beautiful, fresh rose from our wonderful stateroom attendant. We found our inside cabin to be functional and stylish. The beds, which we ended up separating, were very comfortable as well. 

Unfortunately, we were located at the very front of the ship, directly next to a ‘Crew Only’ door. I was worried about the ship's motion since this cabin was pretty far forward on the ship, but I really should have been worried about noise.  

Being this close to a mysterious ‘Crew Only’ door meant we were woken up at 5:30 each morning by a slew of different thumps and clinks. A little white noise and earplugs helped with this, although I definitely didn’t sleep as well as I had hoped. 

We loved our first Celebrity cruise and already can’t wait to plan another one. 

Our quick 4-night sailing was just a taste of what Celebrity Cruise has to offer and we really loved what we experienced onboard Celebrity Silhouette!

At the end of the day, 4-nights really isn’t enough to get a full-picture of a cruise line. Each sailing can be different depending on when you sail, where your itinerary is going and how long your sailing is. Longer sailings normally attract more retirees because they don’t have to worry about being away from work while shorter cruises tend to cater to a younger demographic. 

I was still surprised to see as many families and kids onboard as we did. I did anticipate a more lively atmosphere because it was a short weekend cruise during spring break, but I was shocked by the number of kids onboard. 

I have a feeling this was an anomaly experience given the timing of our cruise and the price of the sailing, but I am eager to see what a different Celebrity cruise would be like! I loved having a more adult-focused cruising experience with a flair of luxury. 

Packing for your cruise might be a little stress-inducing. There’s nothing worse than getting onboard your cruise ship and realizing you forgot something back home. 

As such, I always have my go-to list of essential things that I bring on my cruise vacations. While packing, I go through my list of everything essential that I need to bring. I am always grateful to have everything on this essential list, even if some of these items are just preventative (like band-aids, seasickness medication and stain remover pens).

Here’s my list of 40 essential things that I always bring on my cruises, along with links to some of our favorite Amazon products.

Please note that we’ve linked items on Amazon, which contains an affiliate link. This affiliate link costs you absolutely nothing extra, but Royal Caribbean Blog makes a small commission if you purchase it. Shop more on our Amazon Storefront!

1. Packing Cubes

I didn’t understand the hype around packing cubes until I tried them for myself last year. Now, I am the biggest fan of these little packing cubes and literally never travel without them.  

Packing cubes help keep your suitcase perfectly organized. I’ve also found that I can simply pack more because they slightly compress everything. Since I often cruise with just a carry-on, optimizing the small space is important. 

The best part of it all? Once you get onboard your cruise ship, packing cubes make it SO much easier to get settled into your stateroom. You can whip out your packed cubes and simply place them in the drawers and shelves of your stateroom. 

Link to Amazon

2. Compression Travel Bags

In addition to packing cubes, I’ve also started to utilize these compression travel bags that are super convenient and easy to use.

Simply pack your clothes inside and roll the bag to release air. These types of compression bags truly save so much space, especially for bulkier items that you need to pack, like your winter coat for an Alaskan cruise! Another reason I love these compression bags is that they will protect your clothes from any water that gets inside your luggage.

Link to Amazon

3. Portable Phone Charger

If you’re going on a cruise, it’s essential to pack a portable phone charger, especially if you’re sailing on an older ship with limited outlets and plugins. Older ships might only have one or two outlets in each stateroom - and they likely won’t be near your bed.

A portable charger is also great for long days spent in port exploring or on an excursion. You won’t want your phone battery to die, so having a portable charger is a must. 

Link to Amazon

4. Apple AirTags

Easily track your cruise items with Apple AirTags - I never travel or cruise without one these days. 

Apple AirTags are tiny tracking devices that you can use to monitor the location of your belongings; you simply use the Find My app on your iPhone to do this. Utilizing Bluetooth technology, these AirTags are the perfect solution for you to place in your suitcase to bring on your cruise. 

After experiencing airport chaos last year and hearing horror stories of bags getting left behind at the cruise port, having Apple AirTags allows me to track my items accurately and in real-time. 

Link to Amazon (or link to 4-pack)

5. Travel Jewelry Organizer

For ladies, packing jewelry can be unnecessarily difficult for cruising. There’s nothing worse than having tangled or damaged necklaces. 

I absolutely love cruising with my travel-sized jewelry organizer. Having a small case for my jewelry makes it easy to travel with. A hard-sided travel organizer like this also ensures that your jewelry will not get damaged while packed away.

Link to Amazon

6. Electronics Organizer

If you’re like me, you travel with quite a few electronics. I probably cruise with more electronics than the average cruiser if I am doing work for Royal Caribbean Blog or Cruise.Blog because I need to pack multiple cameras. 

As such, I purchased this electronics organizer for traveling and cruising - it’s been a total game changer! This organizer has tons of pouches and mesh pockets to keep everything perfectly organized in my carry-on bag and even in my stateroom.

Link to Amazon

7. Collapsable Duffle for Souvenirs

A new essential thing that I’ve started to bring on a cruise is an empty duffle bag. I’ve learned that I always love to shop on a cruise, especially in more unique destinations where I want a lot of souvenirs. I also don’t want to spend my last cruise night strategically stuffing my belongings back into my suitcase. 

This collapsable duffle is perfect because it takes up very little space but it can come in handy when we’ve really helped support the local economies. 

Link to Amazon

8. Reusable Water Bottle

Staying hydrated on your cruise is very important. It’s super easy to get dehydrated when you’re drinking alcohol and spending a lot of time in the sun. In general, traveling dehydrates our bodies.

It’s essential to pack a reusable water bottle for your cruise. I never cruise without mine and I bring it everywhere from my stateroom to the pool deck and off the ship for excursions. 

Link to Amazon

9. Hanging Toiletry Bag

There are a few different cosmetic bags that I travel with, but I absolutely always cruise with my hanging toiletry bag. The bathrooms are so tiny on a cruise ship and counter space is limited. I prefer to have my toiletries hanging in a cosmetic bag on the door to keep the counter less cluttered. 

I've cruised with these hanging cosmetic bags for decades; it especially saved space when I cruised with my family having four of us share one bathroom!

Link to Amazon

10. USB Outlet Extender

If you’re cruising with multiple people in your stateroom, you will likely want more available plugins in your cabin. While newer ships are starting to incorporate more outlets in each cabin, older ships are still limited to just one or two outlets. 

Consider packing this foldable power strip with multiple outlets and USB plugs. This will allow you to charge many more devices.  

Link to Amazon

11. Pop-Up Hamper

This is another cruise essential that I absolutely love! Packing a pop-up hamper takes up very little space in the bottom of your suitcase and fits perfectly in your cruise ship cabin closet when it pops up.

As you have dirty clothes throughout the week, toss them into the hamper so they don’t overtake your closet and clean clothes. 

Link to Amazon

12. Lanyard with Key Holder

Onboard your Royal Caribbean cruise, you will have a SeaPass card to use, which is how you will purchase items onboard and access your stateroom. As such, you have to carry it everywhere!

(Here's a candid shot of my sister and Royal Caribbean Blog social media manager, Angie, wearing her lanyard with our dad)

I prefer to have a lanyard with a card holder that I can take around the ship. This can easily go over my neck as I wander around the ship without having to bring my purse or wallet.

My favorite brand is the Vera Bradley lanyard with a zip ID case; I've used this same lanyard for probably 10 years and it's the perfect balance between functional and cute. 

Link to Amazon

13. Luggage Tag Holders

Printing off your luggage tags is an essential step for preparing for your cruise, but I always find that I never have a stapler or tape to properly add them to my luggage. 

These plastic tag holders are perfect for cruising and it protects the tag from getting ripped off at the cruise terminal. 

Link to Amazon

14. Magnetic Hooks

Your cruise ship cabin is made of magnetic walls, so you should definitely pack these handy little magnetic hooks for your stateroom!

These magnetic hooks are very strong and perfect for a variety of uses, from holding your hats, towels and jackets to decorating your cabin or door. 

Link to Amazon

15. Sea Bands 

As much as we all hope not to get sick onboard our cruise, it can happen to the best of us. I lived on a cruise ship for 100 days and relied on these Sea Bands to keep me healthy and help with potential sea sickness. 

These bands rely on acupuncture practice as a simple and effective way to provide nausea relief. 

Link to Amazon

16. Motion Sickness Medication

In the way of seasickness, it’s essential that you always pack motion sickness medication for your cruise. You never know when nausea will strike when you are sailing at sea. 

I prefer to cruise with these travel-sized containers. Dramamine makes a less drowsy formula, which is perfect for during the day when I don’t want to get too sleepy from the medication. The small container is easy to keep in my purse or bag while ashore too - as bus, boat and taxi rides can all induce motion sickness.

Link to Amazon

17. Travel-Size Hand Sanitizer

Keeping healthy is a top priority when cruising. Illnesses can spread in a variety of ways, especially on a cruise in close quarters. I keep these hand sanitizers attached directly to my lanyard that holds my SeaPass card. 

I find myself sanitizing frequently while I cruise, especially after using the tongs in the Windjammer before indulging in my plate of food. 

Link to Amazon

18. Pack of Laundry Detergent

On a longer cruise, another essential that I always bring is a travel-size packet of laundry detergent. Even though I get a free laundry bag onboard the ship, I am leery of handing off my dirty clothes to be washed onboard because I’ve heard horror stories. 

I lived at sea for 100 days and did my laundry exclusively in the sink and shower with these little Tide laundry detergent packets. It gets the job done!

Link to Amazon

19. Liquid IV Hydration

Staying hydrated is so important when you cruise. In addition to bringing a reusable water bottle, I absolutely always pack these Liquid IV packets - I am obsessed! These are hydration multipliers that you can add to water to boost your electrolytes. 

Personally, I love the strawberry flavor (linked below), but all of the Liquid IV flavors that I’ve tried have been excellent. I can truly tell a difference in my hydration when I use these on a cruise, as I know those mojitos are not doing my hydration any favors!

Link to Amazon

20. Variety of OTC Medication

One essential that I never cruise without is my tiny ‘pharmacy’. In a small pouch, I bring a variety of over-the-counter medication just to have on hand. Because medicine is so expensive onboard and I do not want to buy medication in port, I cruise with a small amount of medication.

It’s essential for me to bring a multi-symptom combo pack of daytime/nighttime cold and flu because it covers a variety of symptoms. Other essential OTC medication that I always cruise with in my tiny pharmacy includes laxatives, Imodium, sleep aid, nasal congestion spray, antihistamine, and cough drops. 

Link to Amazon

21. Mini First Aid and Emergency Kit

You never know when an emergency will strike, even on your cruise vacation! For this reason, I always travel with a mini first aid and emergency kit.

This mini emergency kit includes band-aids, gauze, alcohol wipes, a mini tweezers and so much more. I have peace of mind cruising with this little kit - and it’s the perfect size to fit in a backpack. 

Link to Amazon

22. Wrinkle Release Spray

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to wear a wrinkly dress on a cruise ship! Without an iron onboard due to fire hazard, it’s not uncommon to have very wrinkly clothes.

For this reason, it’s essential for me to pack wrinkle release spray. This travel-sized bottle is perfect for cruising and really helps get out those big wrinkles after I stuff my suitcase full of cruise clothes.

Link to Amazon

23. Swimsuit

This might seem like a no brainer when it comes to essential things to bring on a cruise, but some might not think if they are cruising to cooler destinations, like Norway, Iceland and Alaska, that they do not need a swimsuit.

However, it’s essential for me to pack a swimsuit - even to cooler destinations! Most of Royal Caribbean’s ships sailing to these cooler destinations have a covered Solarium with a heated pool. Additionally, there’s never a bad time for a hot tub. If you’re cruising somewhere cool, consider packing a long sleeve swimsuit to keep warm. 

Link to Amazon

24. Swimsuit Cover-Up

Along with a swimsuit, it’s essential to pack a swimsuit cover-up, or at least something that you can wear between the pool deck, deck and around the ship.

You’ll also need to cover up before you can grab food in the Windjammer on Royal Caribbean ships, so it’s best to always have one on hand. 

Link to Amazon

25. Travel-Size Sunscreen

If you’re planning to spend any amount of time in the sun on your Royal Caribbean cruise, it’s essential to pack sunscreen to protect your skin. 

If I am driving to the cruise port, I pack a bigger bottle of sunscreen for my husband and I; but if we are flying to a cruise, I don’t always check a bag so I love to pack travel-sized sunscreen lotion. In my experience, lotion goes further than spray.

Link to Amazon

26. Moisturizer with SPF

Similar to my travel-sized sunscreen, I always travel with an SPF moisturizer. Even if I am not basking in the sun or actively on the beach, I prefer to wear an SPF moisturizer to keep my skin protected.

Personally, I prefer this tinted moisturizer, as it’s perfect for cruising because it’s protective, easy to travel with and adds a little color to my skin. 

Link to Amazon

27. Beach Bag

It’s essential to pack a beach bag or small backpack on a cruise. Even if you plan to spend most of your time onboard, you will still be hauling things from your cabin to the pool deck, like flip flops, books, sunglasses, cover ups, towels, sunscreen, etc. 

I prefer to use a beach bag or some sort of canvas tote around the ship. A small backpack also works great if you are going ashore as well.

Link to Amazon

28. Kindle

Gone are the days of lugging around old fashioned books on your cruises. Cruising is about the only time I catch up on books that I’ve been wanting to read.

I prefer to travel with my Kindle these days because it takes up way less space in my suitcase than hauling around big books.

Link to Amazon

29. Sunglasses

Regardless of where I am cruising, it’s essential that I pack sunglasses. Even the Alaskan snow can be bright enough to require sunglasses.

I’m a budget traveler, so I prefer to cruise with a cheap pair of sunglasses so I won’t be heartbroken when I, inevitably, lose or break them. 

Link to Amazon

30. Ziplock baggies

It’s essential for me to pack a few empty ziplock baggies for a cruise. These are so versatile, from keeping cash dry at the beach to packing a snack for excursions. You can bring a variety of bag sizes, but sandwich is my preferred. 

Link to Amazon

31. Converter with USB Plugs

Most cruise ships have limited outlets in each stateroom, but it’s common to find European outlets in your cabin. I hated seeing these go unused, so I started to bring a European adapter with USB ports.

These work great for cruises and it's an essential thing for me to bring now. 

Link to Amazon

32. Chapstick (with SPF)

Cruise ships are always very dry, so I’d rather be buried alive than be stuck on a cruise ship without chapstick. I lather my lips multiple times a day, especially when I am cruising. I prefer to bring chapstick with SPF so my lips stay moisturized and protected from the sun. 

Link to Amazon

33. Poo-pourri

This one goes without much explanation, but you know all of that food you eat on a cruise has to go somewhere. That tiny bathroom can really hold a stench for longer than you'd imagine.

It’s essential for me to travel with a travel-sized air freshener to keep in the cabin. 

Link to Amazon

34. Liquid Hand Soap

This one might seem unnecessary, but it’s essential for me to bring a small bottle of hand soap to keep in my stateroom bathroom.

I hate using that little bar of soap and I feel like it’s just a small luxury that’s worthwhile; this is especially true if it’s a longer cruise where I will be planning to spend more time in my cabin. 

Link to Amazon

35. My own shampoo and conditioner

That mystery liquid in the shower onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise? Definitely not my favorite. It leaves my hair stringy and dry. It’s absolutely essential for me to pack my own shampoo and conditioner. 

In addition, if I have enough space, I like to pack my own body wash. If it’s a last resort, I will use the 3-in-1 product for body wash, but I will always have my own shampoo and conditioner packed for a cruise. 

Link to Amazon

36. Rubber Birkenstocks

Since moving to Florida, I purchased a pair of rubber Birkenstock sandals for the beach because my regular Birkenstocks weren't loving all the sun, sand and water. This was a nice upgrade from my $1 Old Navy flip flops.

Now, I never cruise without them! These rubber sandals are perfect for the beach or pool because they dry quickly, but they’re also very comfortable for walking in port too. 

Link to Amazon

37. Onboard Clutch

Ladies will know that it’s essential to have a purse that’s dedicated for evenings onboard a cruise ship.

I don’t want to lug around my daytime purse or backpack when I’m out and about on the cruise ship, so having a small clutch is the perfect solution.

Link to Amazon

38. Tide to Go Stain Remover

These handy little stain removing pens are perfect for cruising. It comes in clutch to have a Tide to Go Stick when my husband or I inevitably stain our cruise clothes. 

Link to Amazon

39. Passport and Vaccination Card

Closed-loop cruises departing and returning to the same US port allow cruisers to sail with just a birth certificate in leu of a passport. It is essential for me to always bring my passport when I cruise, as I never want to be stuck outside of the country without my passport. 

Likewise, I always bring my COVID-10 vaccination certification when I cruise. It might not be required anymore, but I plan to bring it for the foreseeable future. 

40. Extra prescription medication

Itineraries can change at anytime; it’s on the dotted line we all sign every time we book a cruise. Because you never know what could happen, I always cruise with extra doses of my prescription medication. I don’t want to ever rely on the cruise ship or a local port to accommodate my health needs.

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Knowing what to pack for your upcoming cruise can be stressful, especially if you’re a first-time cruiser with Royal Caribbean. From beach days to formal nights, there’s a lot to consider when you're packing for your cruise vacation.

For example, you’ll need to consider where your cruise is sailing to, as certain destinations will have different weather and climates. Also, you’ll want to consider how long your cruise is to pack appropriately for your sailing’s dress codes. The number of sea days can impact what you plan to pack, as you’ll either be spending more time onboard the ship or exploring ports of call. 

In addition, the amount you plan to pack can be impacted by whether you plan to fly or drive to your cruise departure port. If you are flying to your cruise departure port, you will need to consider airline restrictions on luggage. Also, you will need to decide if you plan to check your luggage or travel solely with a carry-on. 

At the end of the day, what you pack for a fun 3-night sailing to the Bahamas will be totally different than what you plan to wear on a 12-night cruise to Norway or 7-night cruise to Alaska. 

Here’s what to wear on a cruise that works for all of Royal Caribbean’s dress codes, including destination-specific ideas. We've also included outfit ideas from Amazon with links to every item within each section.

Please note, these are affiliate links, meaning Royal Caribbean Blog receives a small commission if you purchase any items through the links below, which does not cost you anything additional. Shop more on our Amazon Storefront!

Overview of Dress Codes

Overall, Royal Caribbean’s dress code is fairly laid back with just a few general rules to keep in mind. It’s important to remember that these dress codes apply only to the main dining room. If you plan to eat in the Windjammer buffet for most of your meals, you don’t need to follow these guidelines.

Royal Caribbean outlines their dress code requirements online. You can expect to find three different dress codes on your Royal Caribbean cruise: Casual, Smart Casual, and Formal (or Dress Your Best). 

Shorts are not permitted in the main dining room for dinner for any of the dress codes on Royal Caribbean cruises, other than breakfast or lunch meals. 

Here are a few basic definitions of each dress code according to Royal Caribbean standards. 

• Casual: Exactly as it implies - you are on vacation, after all! Casual dress code implies jeans, sundresses, blouses, and polos are all aligned with being laid back on vacation. Swimwear needs to be kept to the pool deck. Shorts are acceptable for breakfast and lunch in the main dining room.
• Smart Casual: Consider this a step up from typical dinner wear. Outfits for this evening could include collar shirts, dresses, skirts, and blouses or pantsuits. For men, snazzy jackets, sports coats, and blazers are welcome. 
• Formal or Dress Your Best: This is the night you’ll want to dress your fanciest. Consider packing cocktail dresses, evening gowns, ties, tuxedos, or suits for your best black-tie look. 

Packing for your sailing’s more formal evening depends on how long your sailing is. Shorter sailings (3- to 5-night cruises) will have a "Dress Your Best" evening dress code while longer sailings (6+ nights) will have Formal Night onboard. If your cruise is even longer (11+ nights), you could have up to 3 Formal Nights.

Formal Night and Dress Your Best are essentially synonymous. Since shorter sailings are typically the most casual, Royal Caribbean tries to use more laid-back nomenclature. It’s up to each ship’s discretion to determine how many Formal Nights will take place onboard.  

In all honesty, the formal evenings onboard have become more and more casual over the years. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean formal night: What to wear

While I used to go all-out and pack ballgowns and high-heels, I’ve gravitated more towards versatile dresses that can easily be dressed up or down. Perhaps I will curl my hair and wear a little extra makeup on formal night these days. For my husband, he prefers to wear his sports coat or casual blazer rather than a tuxedo or suit. 

This isn’t to say that you can’t dress to the nines in black-tie or evening gowns; rather, it’s truthfully no longer the standard. This is especially true if you’re sailing on a shorter cruise to the Caribbean or Bahamas. 

Now that you have a basic idea of how Royal Caribbean defines its dress codes, let’s take a look at what you can wear for each. We’ve broken these down by destination, along with including outfit ideas for sea days. 

What to wear on your European cruise

If you’re cruising to ports of call around Europe with Royal Caribbean, you’re most likely sailing during late spring, summer, or early fall. The vast majority of Royal Caribbean’s European sailings start in April or May and end in September or October. 

European style features more neutral colors with muted patterns and bright colors. 

Therefore, you can plan to pack casual wear for warmer weather. In my experience, generally, Europeans dress a bit nicer and follow the dress codes more strictly. Even on casual evenings, most guests look very polished and fashionable.

Depending on where you are cruising in Europe can also impact what you pack. Itineraries to the Mediterranean will have warmer weather with higher temperatures, especially in places like Italy, Greece, Spain, and France. 

Northern Europe, including the Baltics, Norway, Iceland, and United Kingdom, will have cooler weather with more chances of rain. Cooler climates can add layers, such as a jean jacket or light sweater.

Casual Wear

Women can look to wear casual dresses, light-wash jeans, and rompers with blue hues to add a pop of color, this is especially perfect for the Greek Islands! These are great outfits that can also be worn during the day while you explore incredible ports like Rome, Paris, and Athens. 

Men should pack a variety of polos and t-shirts for casual nights on a European cruise, along with either dark or light jeans. Similar to women, we've picked hues of blue and white to perfectly align with your Mediterranean cruise.

Women’s Links to Casual Outfits:

Casual Summer Short Sleeve, Black Dress

Tie Back, Ruffle Strap A-Line Flow, White & Blue Striped Dress

White Blouse with Sweetheart Neckline and Puff-Sleeves, Smocked

Summer Short Sleeve Romper, White Stripes

Short Sleeve, V-Neck Casual Midi Dress, Light Blue Tie-Wrap Dress

Levi’s Women’s Premium 501 Skinny Jeans, Light Wash

Men’s Links to Casual Outfits:

Men’s Casual Front Placket Basic Short Sleeve Henley T-Shirts

Men’s Classic Nautica Short Sleeve Performance Polo Shirt: Light Blue

Men’s Dark Wash Levis, Straight Fit

Men’s Light Wash Levis, Slim Fit

White Striped Golf Polo, Quick Dry Casual

Smart Casual

If you are packing for a European cruise with Royal Caribbean, you’ll want to ensure you’ve packed outfits for evenings onboard the ship. Picture sailing away into the sunset from Italy, Spain, or Greece after you’ve had an incredible day exploring in the sun. 

Again, in my experience, Europeans dress more polished and on-trend than anywhere else I’ve cruised. It’s best to pack appropriately with dresses for women and a few button-down shirts for men. 

For women, mid-length dresses are perfect for Smart Casual evenings onboard, along with summery skirts or capris. The whites and blues are perfect for Mediterranean cruises while cooler climates can consider adding a blazer or stylish jacket for Northern Europe. 

Most of the time, men can wear a variety of button-down shirts for Smart Casual nights on European cruises with Royal Caribbean, especially breezy shirts made of linen for warmer sailings. Linen pants are great to pack for warmer months because it's very breathable. 

Women’s Links to Smart Casual Outfits:

Casual Summer Flutter Sleeve Navy Dress, Smocked Waist

Off Shoulder, Casual Midi Dress with High Waist, Light Blue

Bohemian Floral Printed Blue Maxi Skirt with Pockets

Women’s Casual V-Neck Blouse, Bell Sleeve, Royal Blue

Women’s Ease Into Comfort Capri with buttons, White Capris

Men's Links to Smart Casual Outfits:

Black button down smart casual shirt

Khaki Dockers, Classic Fit 360 FlexPants

White and Blue Stripped Button Down

White Linen Matching Set for Men

Formal Night

Of all the destinations you can cruise with Royal Caribbean, you can expect the most participation on Formal Night if you’re sailing on a European itinerary. This has been consistent across all of my European cruises and continues to be the trend. 

Similar to other European outfit ideas, I would encourage you to stick to more neutral colors and save the bright colors and bold patterns for your Caribbean sailing. Of course, these are just ideas for what you could consider wearing on formal night.

Women can wear full-length evening gowns or maxi dresses. I’ve chosen a variety of dresses in the image below with differing necklines, material, sleeve length, and style. Keep in mind, a more casual dress can be dressed up with heels, accessories, and some bolder makeup. 

Men should consider wearing a suit and tie on Formal Night, according to Royal Caribbean’s guide. A long-sleeve collared shirt with a tie, paired with nice dress pants, can also work well on Formal Night. 

Women’s Links to Formal Outfits:

Navy Women’s Evening Formal, Long Dress

Black Women’s Elegant Dress, Off Shoulder, Fitted

Velvet, Dark Green Dress for Women, Bell Sleeve

Royal Blue, Elegant Loose Chiffon Dress for Women 

Alex Evening Women’s Mesh Sleeve Dress, Embellished

Men's Links to Formal Outfits:

Docker’s Men’s Classic Fit, Long Sleeve Signature Comfort Flex Button Down Shirt

Men’s Casual Sport Coat, Suit Blazer

Men's 3-piece, Slim Fit Suit Set, including Blazer, Suit Vest and Dress Pants

What to wear on your Caribbean cruise

Packing for your Caribbean cruise will include bright colors, tropical patterns, and plenty of swimsuits. You’ll be sailing in warm climates and spending your day in the sun or at the beach, so you can plan to wear most of your summer and spring clothes. 

Also, shorter Caribbean sailings, or those with less than 5 nights, will have the most casual atmosphere on a Royal Caribbean cruise - so keep this in mind while packing. Generally speaking, Caribbean cruises are all about relaxing, letting loose, and having fun. 

Here’s a breakdown of what to wear on your Caribbean cruise that works well for each of Royal Caribbean’s dress codes. 

Casual 

To pack for casual nights onboard your Caribbean cruise, women can look to bring bright sundresses, tropical patterns, and colorful outfits. I love to pack my dresses that are bright colors, like pink and yellow - these are just quintessential Caribbean cruise outfits for me. 

For men, this is your time to pack those Hawaiian shirts or fun patterns! Although shorts aren’t permitted in the dining room, pairing these fun patterned shirts with jeans is perfect for a casual night on a Caribbean cruise for men. 

Women’s Links to Casual Outfits:

Women’s Ditsy Floral Plunge Deck, Tie Back

Strapless Casual Summer Dress, Tropical Pink

Women’s Wrap V-Neck Sleeveless Sundress, Red Floral

Women’s Smocked Romper, Tie Sleeve, Smocked Bodice

High Waist, Pattern Beach Linen Pants for Women

Men's Links to Casual Outfits:

Nautica Men’s Coral Polo, Cotton Stretch

Men’s Casual Hawaiian Shirt, Palm Trees

Amazon Basic, Men’s Athletic Stretch Jeans in Black

Men’s Duo-Pattern, Flamingo Button Down Shirt for Summer

Amazon Basic, Men’s Athletic Stretch Jeans

Smart Casual

In all honesty, most Caribbean cruises are very casual for the entirety of the sailing. It’s a fine line between Smart Casual compared to just Casual night, especially on a sun-filled Caribbean cruise. 

For Smart Casual evenings on a Caribbean cruise, consider packing outfits that are just a bit more dressy than what you’d wear for casual night. I've selected a jumpsuit, versatile blouse, floral skirt, and two dresses that would work well with Royal Caribbean's dress code. 

Similarly, men can look to pack some khakis or grey slacks with a button-down shirt. The pink linen shirt is the perfect option for a Caribbean cruise!

Women’s Links to Smart Casual Outfits:

Yellow Puff-Sleeve, Smocked Dress 

Women’s Puff Sleeve, Off Shoulder Pink Dress

Women’s Teal Floral Wrap Midi Skirt

Women’s Ruffle Chiffon Sleeveless White Tank

Women’s One Strap Jumpsuit with Wide Leg

Men's Links to Smart Casual Outfits:

Amazon Basic, Men 5-Pocket Khaki Stretch Twill Pants

Men’s Grey Slim Fit Casual Stretch Khaki Pants

Long Sleeve Men’s Linen Blend Shirt, Button Down

Men’s Navy Button Down, Short Sleeve Shirt

Formal Night / Dress Your Best

During your Caribbean cruise, you can count on having at least one Formal Night or Dress Your Best. Shorter cruises will call this evening Dress Your Best while longer sailings will call it Formal Night. 

Either way, it’s essentially the exact same dress code and implies you should wear your fanciest outfit packed. Caribbean cruises are very casual, so you can probably leave the tuxedo and ballgown at home, if you prefer! 

It’s likely going to be warm; this might be perfect for tanning on the beach or the pool deck, but not great for heavy, satin ballgowns. A shorter, more elegant dress is perfect for a Caribbean cruise on Formal Night

For men sailing on a Caribbean cruise, opt for a collared shirt and dress pants for men. You could also include a tie to dress up the look. 

Women’s Links to Formal Night Outfits:

Women’s Tie Back, Black Summer Formal Dress, Long Sleeve, Elastic Waist

Women’s Long Sleeve V Neck Cocktail Dress, Elegant

Women’s Pink Off Shoulder Pleated Midi Dress

Sleeveless Lace Dress for Women, Blue, Knee Length for Party

Jumpsuit Romper for Women, Tie Front and Ruffle Sleeve, green

Male's Links to Formal Night Outfits:

Casual Men’s Blazer, Sport Coat: https://amzn.to/3YJ3fxt 

Men’s 3-Piece Suit Set with Pants, Jacket and Vest, Slim Fit

Men’s Long Sleeve, Button-Down Collared Dress Shirt

Black Dress Pants for Men, Amazon Essentials, Slim Fit

What to wear on your Alaska cruise

Alaska is known for its stunning scenery - and it’s one of our favorite places to cruise! However, you can almost guarantee that you will run into cooler weather during your cruise. Even in the heat of summer, you can be hit with cold and rainy weather in Alaska. 

Plan to pack layers for your Alaska cruise so your wardrobe is versatile for whatever weather you encounter. It’s going to be colder than any Caribbean cruise you’ve done, so packing requires a bit more planning.

Casual

For Alaska cruises, women should plan to pack casual outfits that can be versatile for daytime outfits or evening attire. You'll be packing bulky clothes and most of what you wear during the day would pass for evening casual wear. 

Women should look to wear sweaters or turtlenecks with jeans or leggings. A long-sleeve dress in the evenings is also acceptable for casual night.

Men should also plan to pack versatile outfits that can work well as evening outfits for Casual Night. Consider packing half-zips, long-sleeve shirts, and crewnecks paired with jeans. 

Women’s Links to Casual Night Outfits:

Grey Long Sleeve Dress for Women with High Waist

Women’s Casual Turtleneck Sweater Tunic Pullover

Long Sleeve Green Dress for Women, Empire Waist, Loose Fit

Amazon Essentials, Women’s Light Wash Jeans, High Rise

Women’s Striped Turtleneck Dress with Button Detail

Men's Links to Casual Night Outfits:

Black Long Sleeve T-Shirt for Men

Men’s Wrangler Jeans, Regular Fit, Comfort Flex, Dark Wash

Men’s Half-Zip, Long Sleeve Athletic Pullover, Lightweight

Long Sleeve Henley Shirt with Buttons for Men, Cotton Shirt

Smart Casual

When it comes to Smart Casual during your Alaska cruise, you’ll also want to consider the weather for your sailing. Again, it’s more than likely going to be pretty cool so you’ll want to pack more of your winter and fall clothes. 

For women, you can look at wearing long-sleeve dresses; even a sweater dress would be perfect for Alaska. You can pair this with leggings if it’s especially chilly. Women can also pack dress pants with a long-sleeve blouse for dinner.

Men should also pack for cooler weather when thinking about Smart Casual Night, such as plaid button-down flannels and crewneck sweaters. Jackets can be layered at dinner or outside during port exploration in the cool Alaska weather. 

Women’s Links to Smart Casual Outfits:

Long Sleeve, Sweater Ribbed Dress with Turtleneck, Green

Long Sleeve, Midi Women’s Dress with Black Top and Pattern Bottom

Green Cocktail Dress with Long Bell Sleeve and Tie Front, Green

Black Jeans by Levi’s for Women, Traditional Jeans

Long Sleeve Blouse for Women, Pleated Sleeves, Sage Green

Men's Links to Smart Casual Outfits:

Men’s Crewneck Sweater, Soft Casual, Long Sleeve

Casual Jacket for Men, Sportswear Bomber Jacket

Amazon Essentials Men’s Athletic, Casual Fit Chino Pants in Navy

Snap Button, Flannel Shirt for Men, Regular Fit, Green Plaid

Formal Night / Dress Your Best

Most Alaska sailings will be seven nights long, so you can expect to have two Formal Nights during your Royal Caribbean cruise. Keeping with our theme of packing for cool weather, we’ve selected a few outfits that would be perfect for Formal Night on your cruise. 

Women can look at packing floor-length dresses with long sleeves. Alaska is also the perfect destination for a jumpsuit with pants or pantsuit to keep warm.

Similarly for men, consider packing dress pants with a long-sleeve collared shirt for the Formal Nights on your Alaska cruise. Suits and tuxedos are also welcomed during these nights onboard.

Women’s Links to Formal Night Outfits:

Women’s Jumpsuit, Wide Leg, Tie Waist

Women’s Winter Dress with Puff Sleeve, Ruffle A-line dress

Dark Green, Women’s Plus Size Dress, Floor Length High Slit

Women’s Wide Leg Dress Pants, Black Chiffon Flow Pants

Women’s Long Sleeve Jumpsuit, Loose Fit in Sand Color

Men's Links to Formal Night Outfits:

Black Dress Pants for Men by Calvin Klein, Slim Fit

Van Hausen Men’s Dress Shirt, Regular Fit, Oxford Fit

Men’s Ski Fit, 3-Piece Suit with Vest, Jacket and Pants. Tie Included

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Situated on deck 6 of Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class ships is a promenade stateroom that’s unlike any other cabin onboard.

Imagine a stateroom featuring cow-themed decor, vouchers for free ice cream and highly-coveted suite lounge access - all for the same price as every other inside promenade stateroom onboard.

Without a doubt, the Ben and Jerry’s suite is the weirdest stateroom onboard any Royal Caribbean ship; and I was lucky enough to experience this bizarre stateroom for myself onboard Liberty of the Seas last weekend.

Found on Liberty of the Seas, along with Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas, the Ben and Jerry’s suite is the only inside cabin suite on any Royal Caribbean ship.

While cabin 6305 might look like a regular ol’ promenade stateroom from the hallway, most don’t realize this stateroom is perfectly situated right above the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream parlor. Open the cabin’s blinds and you’ll find a front row view of two life-size cow’s derriere (or should I say dairy-ere?)

Here’s what it was like staying in the weirdest Royal Caribbean stateroom.

Having never heard of the Ben and Jerry’s Sweet, I did some preliminary research to see what I could expect staying in the promenade “suite.” 

Legend has it that the cow-obstructed views were an oversight from Royal Caribbean during the construction phase of building the Freedom-class ships. Once it was discovered that these massive cows block most of the cabin’s promenade view, Royal Caribbean decided to add a few freebies for guests.

Alas, the Ben and Jerry’s Sweet was born!

After learning about this peculiar promenade stateroom, I found an older article on RoyalCaribbeanBlog that provided some pictures, videos and details about the Ben and Jerry’s suite.

Back in 2011, the Ben and Jerry’s suite appeared to be covered with cow-themed decor from head to toe. From bedsheets and pillows with cow-prints to mini cow trinkets and clocks, the Ben and Jerry’s suite was decked out with decor. The door of the suite even had a special plaque, which surely intrigued other guests onboard.

Booking the Ben and Jerry’s suite was the same price as every other promenade stateroom on Liberty of the Seas

Because of the cabin’s obscureness, it was difficult to find any updated or current photos of what to expect from the suite. With just 3 cabins existing in Royal Caribbean’s entire fleet, the Ben and Jerry’s suite is considered a hidden gem.

Although I’ve cruised many times on Royal Caribbean ships that feature promenade staterooms, or glorified inside cabins that have a window overlooking the lively promenade onboard, I’ve never actually booked one for myself.

I always worried that a promenade stateroom would be too noisy when trying to sleep at night, especially considering how busy the promenade is on any Royal Caribbean cruise. I was anxious to see whether I liked staying in a promenade stateroom and I was grateful to try out this cabin on a short, 3-night sailing.

For this cruise, I’d be sailing with my husband. I warned him about expecting obnoxious cow decor in the stateroom while in the same breath sharing that we would presumably be receiving suite lounge access and free ice cream with the stateroom.  

While boarding, I was confused whether we could board with other suite guests, as we didn’t receive any communication regarding the benefits of our room prior to boarding. As such, we boarded like everyone else so as to not potentially embarrass ourselves. 

Walking inside the stateroom for the first time after boarding, my husband looked to me and said “Uh, I don’t think this is the Ben and Jerry’s suite.” 

Expecting to see an obscene amount of cow-themed decor, we opened the door to cabin 6305 to see a stateroom that initially looked like every other promenade cabin. There was no plaque on the stateroom door like I had seen in older pictures and videos.

I gave a confused look to my husband and went inside the cabin further to investigate.

Once we were inside the promenade cabin, we quickly spotted a framed photo of a cow painting. The quirky artwork confirmed we were indeed in the Ben and Jerry’s suite!

I looked out the window to find the life-size cows right above the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop in the promenade. 

These massive cow structures blocked the majority of our promenade view - and it certainly made us laugh when seeing the cow posteriors for the first time.

On the stateroom vanity, we found a coupon that was titled “Ben & Jerry’s Sweet Guest” with small boxes to check for each complimentary treat. 

The voucher said, “Enjoy a daily complimentary ice cream treat from your friends at Royal Caribbean International and Ben & Jerry’s. Present this voucher at the time of ordering.”

The voucher stated that the coupon was non-transferrable, non-refundable and non-replaceable if lost or stolen. Since the sailing was only 3-nights, the boxes for Treat 4 through Treat 7 were crossed out.

We also found a welcome sheet from the suite concierge welcoming us onboard, writing, “We're thrilled to welcome you to the Ben & Jerry's Sweet onboard Liberty of the Seas for what’s sure to be an unforgettable adventure. This one of a kind stateroom overlooks the Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Shop on the Royal Promenade - and it comes with some pretty cool perks.”

The perks listed on the sheet included a free treat at Ben and Jerry’s on every day of our cruise for all guests staying in the stateroom, along with exclusive access to the Suite Lounge for continental breakfast and happy hour each evening from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. 

I’ve only ever stayed in a junior suite onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, which confusingly enough did not come with Suite Lounge access. We were excited to see what the Suite Lounge was all about and compare it to the Diamond Lounge.

Of course, we couldn’t wait too long to take the Ben and Jerry’s voucher for a spin.

Voucher in tow, my husband and I went to Ben and Jerry’s for a little ice cream treat after boarding and dropping off our luggage. 

Proudly displaying the voucher to the crew member working at Ben and Jerry’s, we inquired about what exactly our “complimentary treat” entailed. The crew member seemed a bit confused at first and didn’t entirely know what would be included. 

We told him that the description said in our room that we could each have a daily complimentary treat, but he still seemed unsure about what the voucher was all about. 

Eventually, he said we could pretty much have whatever we wanted, including any size of ice cream. I opted for a small Phish Food while my husband tried the Cookies and Cream.

After serving up our ice cream, he checked off Treat 1 on our voucher. We were surprised that using the voucher seemed to be confusing for the crew members, as there must be guests on each sailing that have this benefit.

Access to the suite lounge, including complimentary happy hour, was a huge benefit of the Ben and Jerry’s suite.

I’d look at a cow’s derriere (or are we saying dairy-ere?) each day of a cruise if it means I can enjoy complimentary happy hours each evening!

As I mentioned, I’ve never had access to the Suite Lounge. This gal is a cheap cruiser, so I normally stay in an inside cabin guarantee and enjoy my complimentary Diamond + drink vouchers.

We were giddy as we took out our SeaPass cards to enter the suite - I even took my phone out to film us waltzing into the Suite Lounge. We had big smiles until the card reader flashed red over and over again. We tried both cards until we finally accepted our fate that the cards were not going to let us in.

After waiting for someone else to enter, we rode their coat tails and spoke with the suite concierge who assured that he would fix our cards. We enjoyed a few drinks in the Suite Lounge before heading to dinner with others in our travel group.

I was surprised to find that the Suite Lounge has the same assortment of appetizers and snacks as the Diamond Lounge. I always assumed that the Suite Lounge would have a more desirable spread during happy hour, but this wasn’t the case when I went into both lounges on the same night. 

The following evening, our cards still didn’t work, so the concierge issued us brand-new cards to use. While we confirmed they worked for the lounge, we were unable to access our stateroom that night; my husband had to go get us new cards at guest services around midnight. 

With two SeaPasses in my lanyard, it was slightly frustrating to have these issues between the lounge and our stateroom - which were two of the most important places we needed access to!

Luckily by the last evening, we had access to the lounge and statement without any issues. 

The promenade stateroom was indeed noisy, especially at night and during certain events.

We felt there were two major drawbacks of the promenade stateroom: the noise and the privacy. On the plus side, the promenade stateroom feels pretty similar in size to an inside cabin, although it does have two seating booths around the window nook. It was also nice to have a view of something other than a blank wall or a giant mirror.

We had to be very mindful of the curtains being closed while changing, as it would be very easy to forget about onlookers in the promenade. Because the cows block most of the views from our window, we would forget that people could easily look into our window if we weren’t cautious of closing the blinds.

Another major drawback of the promenade stateroom was how noisy it can be in the evenings. I would argue that the promenade had loud music playing each evening until midnight. The final evening of our cruise, my husband tried to go to bed at a reasonable time because we had an early morning flight the following day.

While trying to fall asleep, the 70s disco inferno party started in the promenade. He said it sounded like a concert was taking place inside our cabin and that it was actually vibrating from the music.

He texted me that it was so noisy, “They might as well be performing in our stateroom!” To investigate, he got out of bed to open the curtains and see what was happening. He was taken aback to find the performers were literally standing next to the cows on the small platform right outside our window!

He said he couldn’t close the window quick enough, especially considering he was dressed to go to bed. 

We both agreed we would stay in the Ben and Jerry’s suite again, but probably not any other promenade stateroom.

The perks of the Ben and Jerry’s suite make this promenade stateroom worthwhile, but I don’t think I am sold on promenade staterooms in general. 

Of course, access to the Suite Lounge with complimentary, nightly happy hour is a huge perk of booking the weirdest cabin on a Royal Caribbean ship. Considering the Ben and Jerry’s suite doesn’t cost anything extra compared to other promenade staterooms, it’s truly a great deal.

As a sweets lover, it was a fun daily treat to have Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. It did feel as though the crew members at Ben and Jerry’s didn’t know the rules of the voucher or suite, as we always seemed to get different answers when inquiring.

For example, we asked about whether we could have a milkshake instead of ice cream and it wasn’t entirely clear. On the last day, the voucher was taken after I ordered my daily treat, but my husband hadn’t had the chance to get his.

It was great to have the free ice cream vouchers daily, but I certainly wouldn’t need to have daily ice cream on a longer cruise. The 3-night sailing was perfect for a daily ice cream treat after long days in the Bahamian sun.

Again, I’d happily look at a fake cow’s dairy-ere if it means I get free ice cream and complimentary happy hours with drinks each day. The noise and privacy of the promenade stateroom wouldn’t always be worth it, but the Ben and Jerry’s suite is a must if it’s available!

Have you ever wondered what it’s like for crew members when they join a Royal Caribbean cruise ship? 

Royal Caribbean employs thousands of crew members to operate each cruise ship. With any given cruise, you undoubtedly interact with tons of crew members from all over the world. Without passionate, hard-working crew members, it would be impossible for us to enjoy the cruise vacations that we all love and look forward to. 

Just like any job, Royal Caribbean has an onboarding process for its new crew members. One critical component of onboarding is sign-on day, which is a new crew member's first day of joining a cruise ship. 

Read on to enjoy an in-depth look at what happens when a new crew member joins a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. 

Symphony of the Seas crew member, Chris Wong, shares about his experience as a crew member on his YouTube channel

Chris Wong works onboard Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, one of the biggest cruise ships in the world. 

When he’s not working in the casino onboard Symphony of the Seas, Chris Wong films vlogs for his YouTube channel, Chris Wong Vlogs.

With almost 70k subscribers on his channel, Chris provides viewers with a unique perspective of life onboard for Royal Caribbean’s crew members. 

On his YouTube channel, Chris films everything from day-in-the-life vlogs as a Royal Caribbean crew member to his port day adventures. As a crew member in the casino, Chris has also provided viewers with a behind the scenes look at how Casino Royale works on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. 

Just recently, Chris Wong started his 8th contract with Royal Caribbean on Symphony of the Seas.

In an in-depth vlog, Chris takes viewers along for crew member sign-on day. When new crew members join a cruise ship, they must complete an extensive onboarding process, which includes documentation checks, security training, safety briefings and ship tours. 

Chris chronicles his journey to onboarding Symphony of the Seas, starting in his Miami hotel room

Chris explains to viewers that crew members spend one night in a hotel before sign-on day after traveling from their home country. During Chris' vlog, he is staying at a Holiday Inn Express in Miami.

Royal Caribbean’s crew members are each given their own room at a hotel located near the cruise ship’s embarkation port.

From the sounds of it, crew members aren’t entirely sure if they will be sharing their hotel room until they arrive. Interestingly, when new crew members join a cruise ship, they also do not know if they have a single or double cabin onboard for their contract's living arrangements. 

Of course, most crew members hope to receive a single cabin for their contracts, but aren’t surprised if they need to share their cabin, as is standard for most crew living quarters. 

Since Symphony of the Seas sails round-trip sailings from Miami, Chris was flown from his home country to Miami to board the cruise ship. Crew members of all different jobs and positions onboard at the same time to Symphony of the Seas. 

From the hotel, 130 crew members are shuttled to the cruise port to begin the sign-on process.

Upon arrival at the cruise port terminal, Royal Caribbean crew members begin the sign-on process

Similar to any job, Royal Caribbean requires crew members to have all of their documentation checked before boarding the ship for new contracts. 

Crew members first check their luggage before having their medical forms checked, along with required training certifications. One by one, Symphony of the Sea’s medical team verifies that each crew member’s medical documentation is up to date. 

This process can take a while depending on how many medical team members are verifying documentation; for Chris' sign-on day, just two nurses were looking through crew members' paperwork. 

As of January 2023, crew members are still required to take a COVID-19 self antigen test at the cruise terminal before boarding the cruise ship. The vlog does not specify what would happen if a crew member were to test positive at this point. 

Interestingly, masks are still required for new crew members that join a cruise ship. Chris explains that he will be in ‘soft-quarantine’ for his first 5 days once he boards Symphony of the Seas, which means he needs to wear a mask at all times.

After documents are checked and before officially signing on, crew members also receive their ID cards and cabin keys during this time. 

Once finally onboard, crew members see the cruise ship for the first time and attend mandatory safety trainings

After long lines for documentation verification, crew members can finally board their cruise ship to begin the start of their next contract.

At this time, most will journey to their cabin to see if they won the lottery (i.e. received a single cabin). In Chris’ sign-on vlog, he is ecstatic to discover he does not have a cabin mate and instead has the entire cabin to himself. 

Much to my surprise, the crew cabin is extremely small. With just a bed, sink, storage and small TV, the stateroom is no bigger than my master closet. 

However, Chris’ excitement is evident, as he is pleased to have a flatscreen TV, a bed that is not bunked and space to call his own. 

It’s at this time that most new crew members will check out their new home for the next 7 months and wander around the ship. For Chris, this means checking out the casino for the first time. 

Part of the sign-on process is showing new members where fire exits and extinguishers are located, as the ship’s crew is expected have extensive safety training. Understandably, fires are the biggest safety threats to cruise ships. 

In addition, crew members are required to attend a mandatory briefing called pre-departure safety training during their sign-on process. For Symphony of the Seas, this mandatory training took place in the theatre. 

With no time to waste, crew members settle into their cabins before starting their first work shifts.

Since cruise lines have removed almost all pandemic-related policies, Chris explains in his vlog that there’s no longer a quarantine period for Royal Caribbean crew members. For much of the post-pandemic, crew members were required to quarantine for 2 weeks in a balcony cabin.

As one would expect, Chris shares that he will miss having that required quarantine period, as this was an opportunity to relax a bit after onboarding and sleep off the jet lag. 

Before beginning his first shift, Chris spends some time unpacking and getting acquainted into his new cabin. Presumably, Chris has previously worked in Casino Royale during other contracts with Royal Caribbean and did not need to receive additional training before starting his first shift on sign-on day. 

As such, it would appear that some, if not most, crew members are expected to start work right away on sign-on day. 

After the first sign-on day, all crew members receive a safety training tour of their cruise ship

Regardless of a crew members’ prior experience onboard Royal Caribbean ships, Chris shares that all crew members are required to attend safety and security training when they start a new contract. 

It does not matter how many contracts you’ve had with Royal Caribbean, or whether you’ve been on the same cruise ship before, all crew members must attend this training. 

During this training, a safety officer takes all of the new onboarded crew members around the ship for very important briefing on safety and security. This entails a tour around the ship to locate fire doors, water-tight doors and fire extinguishers. 

Royal Caribbean's crew members are required to complete this important safety training; in the case of an emergency, all crew members onboard a cruise ship are expected to know how to respond to virtually any potential emergency situation. 

During Chris's vlog, we can see two crew members learning how to use a large hose in the case of a fire emergency. 

Although this training was done virtually during the post-pandemic cruising restart, crew members are given the tours in-person now as part of a large group. 

At the end of his first week on Symphony of the Seas, Chris shares that he finally feels settled into his new routine. 

Between working and training, the first week onboard a cruise ship can be exhausting for new crew members. 

Chris states in his sign-on day vlog that new Royal Caribbean crew members can expect to receive extensive training throughout their first week onboard their new cruise ship. Working long shifts and attending multiple trainings is certainly tiring and leaves little time for relaxing and resting. 

Not to mention, most crew members have traveled long distances to board their cruise ship and are still fighting off jet lag. 

By the end of his first week onboard Symphony of the Seas, Chris shares that he feels settle into his new home onboard. Coming previously from Wonder of the Seas, another Oasis-class ship, the transition has been pretty seamless for him. 

Of all his 8 contracts, Chris believes that his single cabin on Symphony of the Seas is the best crew cabin he's ever lived in. 

During the next 7 months, Chris will be working in Symphony of the Seas’ Casino Royale while the ships sails around the Caribbean until moving to Europe this summer. 

If you're interested in learning more about life for Royal Caribbean crew members, including the sign-on process, be sure to follow Chris Wong on his YouTube Channel at @ChristopherWongVLOGS for more videos!

Looking around a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, you’ll undoubtedly see many families enjoying their vacation together.

Cruises are an excellent vacation choice to suit many different travel styles; in fact, it’s not uncommon to see multiple generations traveling together on a cruise ship for this reason.

I grew up as a cruise kid, taking to the high seas with my parents and sister year after year for family cruises. Even into high school and through college, our family of four made it a priority to continue taking cruises and traveling together. 

Being married and living thousands of miles away from home now (my parents in South Dakota and I in Florida), continuing to cruise allows us to have quality time together as a family. My husband is a military pilot and, unfortunately, his demanding work and deployment schedule hasn’t aligned recently with our family cruises.

Now, as I near my 30s in the coming years, I still prioritize cruising with my 62-year-old parents - but it’s a totally different dynamic than it used to be.

We have yet to take a family cruise in my adulthood that hasn’t had its fair share of tiffs, head-butting and even a few tears. Honestly, it seems like the bigger the trip, the more opportunities for drama to arise. 

All this to say, I wouldn’t change it for the world - we love our family unconditionally even when they drive us nuts, right?

In October, I set sail on Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas for a 12-night Holy Land cruise to Israel. This sailing was a bucket-list itinerary for my dad, as he’s dreamed of visiting the religious sites in Israel for the last decade. With the pandemic pushing back our plans, we finally made the trip happen!

My husband was booked originally to join, but (as anyone with a family member in the military knows) those plans had to change with his training schedule. 

It would be just the four of us with my sister and I sharing a cabin and our family of four finding a new groove while navigating this port-intensive, culturally immersive cruise. 

Here are my best tips for other adults looking to survive a cruise with your parents. 

Pack your patience

My best tip for cruising with your parents is to pack your patience - and a lot of it!

With each family cruise we take, I have to remind myself there’s always an adjustment period when the four of us are spending that much time together. Without my husband there to create a natural separation in the family between the two of us and the three of them, the four of us have to get used to each other again.

Traveling and cruising meshes everyone together quickly, but that’s not without a learning curve to adjust to a new dynamic. 

For our family, this means my dad’s always in a hurry and my mom is a notorious worry-wart. I’m the bossy, outspoken older sibling while my sister can be oblivious at times about the plan. I know these things about our family and I have to remind myself to be patient and accept everyone’s quirks. 

My patience was immediately tested as my sister and I flew to Rome from Paris to meet up with our parents prior to the cruise. As we tried to find a meeting point, mom and dad were in a tizzy trying to figure out which terminal they landed in and where their shuttle was picking them up. 

“Here we go” my sister and I laughed to one another as we heard them frantic on the phone, attempting to read signs in Italian about where they were. 

Packing your patience also involves allocating more time than you think for travel and cruising logistics. 

For instance, my dad prefers to get to the airport or train station way before we need to (I’m talking like 3 hours before departure). While I certainly don’t need that much time to catch a flight or train, I would rather be patient and wait additional time at the airport than create unnecessary stress for my parents. 

Similarly, cruising has continued to utilize technology to improve the onboarding experience; however, this requires most passengers to be familiar with their phones and the Royal Caribbean app.

While my parents are pretty tech savvy, be prepared to help with technology to ensure they can keep up. 

Go at you parents’ pace

When you’re an adult cruising with your parents, it’s best to take everything at their pace. Remember, it’s easier for you to slow down than it is for your parents to speed up.

It’s not always easy to come to terms with our parents getting older and seeing their capabilities change over the years. While my parents are still relatively young and healthy in their early 60s, my sister and I try not to push them too much.

We would rather go a bit slower so we can all enjoy our time together than pressure our parents to do more than they are comfortable with.  

For example, while my sister and I loved the convenience of riding electric scooters around Paris before we boarded the cruise, we knew our parents would simply not be able to ride these scooters - nor did we want them to for safety reasons!

Instead, we would take point to order Ubers or taxis for the four of us so our parents didn’t have to navigate these apps or attempt to hail a cab in a foreign country.   

Similarly, we picked excursions and activities that could accommodate our parents with what they were comfortable doing. Pushing them to keep up with us could be a point of contention.

Take time for yourself

There’s nothing wrong with taking some time to yourself when cruising with your parents. Having time to yourself is a great way to ensure you are properly getting your rest and it also ensures you don’t get burnt out.

Personally, I prefer to go to bed earlier than my parents do these days - how the tables have turned!

Instead of forcing myself to stay up late and attend every show, trivia and gameshow in the evenings, I don’t have a problem excusing myself for the night. This alone time is something I enjoy having to myself when traveling with my parents. 

Sometimes I use this quiet time to catch up on remote work, blog for Royal Caribbean Blog or FaceTime my husband. 

Having this time to yourself isn’t selfish - remember, it’s your vacation too. You are getting plenty of quality time together, so you don’t need to spend every waking moment with one another. 

I’ve even had times on an excursion or tour where I didn’t feel like waiting around for my parents while they were slowly meandering or shopping; it’s okay to walk away once in a while to have a moment to yourself and separate from the group.

Plan ahead strategically

Making appropriate plans that everyone in your family can enjoy is another great tip for cruising with your parents. 

While my husband and I might prefer doing independent exploration in port rather than excursions, this doesn’t always work best with my parents. 

On our 12-night Holy Land cruise, we booked 3 full day excursions in Israel and a full-day tour in Santorini. I made sure that none of the excursions required too much walking or hiking on uneven surfaces, as I didn’t want my parents to overdue anything. 

Santorini can be a logistically challenging port because you are not only required to tender from the cruise ship, you are required to take a cable car, donkey or long walk down a lot of stairs. The cable car can get very congested during busy days, which can compound an already stressful situation. 

However, if you book the right excursion that involves coach busses, you can avoid this predicament.

Although my husband and I didn’t have any issue a few years ago doing the stairs at the tender port, I knew this would be very stressful for my parents to deal with the donkey or cable car.

For this reason, I purposefully chose an excursion that utilized coach busses to ensure we weren’t put in this potential situation. 

Planning ahead to ensure everyone is comfortable with the excursions and tours is key for successfully cruising with your parents. Read the warnings carefully and make sure your parents are okay with the tour requirements. 

Set realistic expectations

You know your parents just about as good as anyone, so set realistic expectations with yourself before heading out on your cruise. 

My parents are notoriously bubbly, Midwestern-friendly and very talkative. They can be loud - and we all know it. This can certainly draw attention to our family when cruising, even though they are just being themselves. But, I mentally prepare for this and accept that it's going to happen when we cruise together. 

After traveling a lot on my own or with my husband these days, these are things that I notice more when I am back together with my family. You only ever know your own immediate family growing up, so you are used to whatever that dynamic is. 

These days, my husband and I naturally have our own family dynamic, which can add to the adjusting time when I am cruising with my parents. 

But, this means we always have a lot of fun together laughing, talking and catching up when I cruise with my parents. It might also mean that I have to eat dinner at 5:00pm, though! 

Go with the flow

When I cruise with my parents, I have to remind myself to go with the flow often. 

Sometimes my parents have different interests than I do these days, which is totally fine! It’s tough to please everyone, but this means there will be compromise on how you spend your time both onboard and in port.

While my husband and I might enjoy trying out small coffee shops, eating local cuisine and sipping on a seaside cocktail, my parents aren’t necessarily interested in doing that. They will appease me once in a while, but our cruising styles are a little different. 

I remind myself that if I wanted to do exactly what I’d like to do on a cruise, then I would have simply taken a cruise without my parents. We are there to experience these moments together and that quality time is most important.

Sometimes that means going with the flow if everyone in your family is able to agree on what to do, where to go, etc. 

Also, don't forget that your parents are also adjusting to traveling with you in the same way you are adjusting to cruising with them. When I told my family about this article, my mom joked about wanting to share what their experience is like cruising with adult children!

Enjoy the moments

Time together is precious, especially as you get older. Moving to Florida because of my husband’s military service means that I don’t get to see my parents very often. 

While traveling and cruising with your parents as an adult can come with its challenges, it’s also an incredible opportunity to make new family memories together. It’s hard for me to turn down that quality time with my parents while they are relatively young, healthy and still able to travel. 

Although we can have our inevitable scuffs when traveling, I wouldn’t trade the special moments and experiences we’ve had together for the world. 

I love that my family still enjoys cruising together, even as my sister and I have become grown-adults. 

Seeing my mom with tears in her eyes as my dad stepped into the Jordan River in Israel - something he’s always wanted to do - makes everything worthwhile. 

Quality time with your parents is priceless, and I will continue to prioritize cruising with my family as long as I am able. 

Royal Caribbean has big plans for its loyalty program in 2023, according to the cruise line’s loyalty director. 

Courtney Brant, who serves as Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society Director, announced recently that Crown and Anchor Society members can look forward to upcoming commemorations and festivities to celebrate the loyalty program’s 25th anniversary. 

These events are planned to take place throughout 2023 as year-long celebrations. 

In the note to Crown and Anchor Society members, Brant specifically mentions that the celebrations will kick off on an exciting note by unveiling new, fresh and redesigned program gifts, along with onboard amenities, to recognize members’ loyalty to Royal Caribbean. 

However, Brant does not specify what these onboard amenities will be or how the program gifts will be revamped in the coming year. 

This could be hinting at the gifts award to Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members, which receive personalized gifts and amenities as part of the loyalty program; however, this is simply speculation. 

According to Brant, the festivities with also kick off with Royal Caribbean’s first-ever Coffee Talk, which is described as a virtual webinar that will be hosted quarterly by the loyalty team. Brant shares that these virtual webinars will also feature special guest appearances from company leaders throughout next year.  

Invitations to join the company’s Coffee Talk virtual webinar will be sent in January, so Brant encourages Crown and Anchor members to keep a lookout for these in the coming weeks. 

Brant also teases more celebrations planned to commemorate the program’s tenure, noting these are just a few of the surprises coming in the new year.

Brant joined Royal Caribbean in May 2022 as the Director of Crown and Anchor Society in a role that gives frequent cruisers a singular point of reference for loyalty communication from the cruise line. 

As an advocate for Royal Caribbean’s valued Crown and Anchor members, Brant expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the memories created among Royal Caribbean’s valued and loyal members within her first year as director of the program. 

Brant also notes how moving it’s been for her to witness the relationships built with one another and even Royal Caribbean’s employees. 

Crown and Anchor Society Overview

Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program, Crown and Anchor Society, is free for anyone to join. Members of the Crown and Anchor society are rewarded and recognized for sailing with Royal Caribbean.

Each night you cruise with Royal Caribbean, you earn one point towards your loyalty status. Those cruising in a suite will earn double points during their sailing.

Members of the Crown and Anchor Society can start to earn points towards loyalty status after just one cruise. When you enroll as a member, you can enjoy exclusive benefits for each cruise you take with Royal Caribbean. 

Some of the most lucrative benefits include priority check-in, onboard discounts, and complimentary drinks each day of their cruise. The higher the tier, the more rewards you’ll receive. 

Members of higher tiers have access to dedicated venues, private cocktail parties and exclusive events when sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise. 

The highest tier of loyalty, Pinnacle Club, even includes a free 7-night cruise. It certainly pays to be "loyal to royal"!

Covid-19’s Impact

The last two years has seen big changes for the Crown and Anchor Society, most of which were driven by the pandemic. Certain amenities and events had to be paused due to restrictions onboard. 

However, some of the changes were seen as welcomed and improved changes, such as the addition of daily drink vouchers. Rather than serving a nightly happy hour with beer, wine and basic cocktails, the daily vouchers (up to $14 each) can be used at anywhere on the ship throughout the day.

These daily drink vouchers are available for Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members of the Crown and Anchor Society, which is certainly one of the most lucrative benefits. 

Planning your cruise vacation often includes the age-old debate of whether or not you should book excursions through the cruise line.

When you arrive to a cruise port, you often have three choices for how to spend your day:

1. Explore the port on your own
2. Book a tour through the cruise line
3. Choose a third-party tour company

When it comes to cruising, I firmly believe there’s a time and place for each of these options. Depending on your budget and length of time in the port, it can be very cost-effective to book a third-party vendor.

There’s also been times on European cruises where I want to visit somewhere that isn’t on the excursion list. Sometimes, it’s way too expensive to book excursions through the cruise line when I can get the same experience for much less with an independent tour company. 

I also appreciate exploring ports by foot whenever possible. Some ports are inherently easier to explore on your own; for example, some ports allow cruise ships to dock right in the city center where you can easily walk around or take a taxi.

In general, I’ve found that European cruise ports are very pedestrian-friendly so we often choose to do our own thing whenever possible. This allows you to have flexibility to spend your day exactly how you want and I love exploring a city by foot.

However, on a recent 12-night European cruise to Israel onboard Odyssey of the Seas, we booked four excursions through the cruise line - and it was the absolute best decision we could have made.

Here’s why I don't have any regrets about booking Royal Caribbean sponsored excursions on our Holy Land sailing. 

Immigration Preference

First (and probably most importantly), the biggest advantage of having a shore excursion through the cruise line was having priority immigration when we arrived in Israel.

Although not common for European ports, Israel requires face-to-face immigration for all maritime tourists. With nearly 4,000 passengers onboard, every single person was required to go through this in-person immigration even if they were not planning to go ashore.

Originally, we had booked a third-party tour through Viator because we had an overnight in Ashdod and we weren’t worried about returning to the port at a certain time.

However, I decided to do some research about immigration in Israel just a few months before we sailed. I discovered that Royal Caribbean tours would receive immigration priority and everyone on an independent tour would need to wait for all cruise line tours to go through immigration first.

Those that were not on a sponsored excursion had to get an immigration number prior to arrival; these were given on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Also, large independent tours that comprised of 30-50 cruisers onboard had to coordinate getting similar immigration numbers so everyone could go through at similar times.

I watched online as many scrambled to change their tour plans and coordinate with their independent guides when they found out about the immigration delay.

For larger cruise ships, immigration in Israel can take four to five hours! We decided to cancel our third-party excursion, watch the cruise portal, and book a Royal Caribbean excursion as soon as a full-day tour opened up.

This was the best decision we made, as we were able to go through immigration promptly at 8:00am. As expected, those who did not have a Royal Caribbean excursion had to wait until 12pm-1pm to get off the ship.

Most of the sites in Israel close near 4pm-5pm, so this really doesn’t allow for much time to see everything the city has to offer.

For us, Israel was the main highlight of the itinerary and we wanted to optimize our 3 days there with full-day tours. Losing half of a day waiting for immigration would have been not only frustrating, but also disappointing.

We heard stories of people who did not get through immigration quick enough and their independent tours cancelled on them - or they were left behind entirely to fend for themselves. We met others who tried to explore the port on their own after getting left behind, but found difficulties trying to do things without a tour guide.

Late Return Guarantee

In addition to priority immigration, another major perk of booking an excursion though the cruise line was having the guarantee that the ship would not leave us behind.

After thinking through our excursions, we realized that we had a lot of driving between all of the sites we wanted to see. For example, visiting the Dead Sea and Masada was more than 2 hours away from the Ashdod cruise port.

Since we wanted to see places that were not close to the cruise port, it made sense to book our excursions through the cruise line. We also found there to be a lot of traffic jams in Israel; our tour guides mentioned that Israeli people love having the luxury vehicles, which congests the road.

On our second day in Israel visiting Masada and the Dead Sea, we found ourselves more than an hour behind schedule. There were tons of tour buses visiting Masada at the same time and only one person was operating the two cable cars that take people up to the mountain top and back to the visitor center.

We waited in line for an hour with people pushing and shoving their way through the crowd. Most were likely scared of being separated from their tours and being stuck 2 hours away from the cruise port.

With our Masada delay, we visited the Dead Sea almost two hours later than anticipated on the schedule. Instead of stressing about getting back to the ship on time, we had a sense of ease knowing the ship would not leave us because we were on a Royal Caribbean sponsored excursion.

We enjoyed our time floating in the Dead Sea instead of skipping it entirely because we were stressed about getting back to the ship on time. 

There were tons of tours that returned late to the ship that evening, so Odyssey of the Seas left three hours later than scheduled.

The same thing happened on our third day when the ship was docked in Haifa. As we were shuffled from site to site, we were about an hour behind schedule. This had us running late and then we hit traffic on the way back to the cruise port.

Again, the ship departed Israel later than anticipated because there were other tours also behind schedule.

I can only imagine the panic that would have overwhelmed us if we had been on an independent tour during this time. Our tour guide said he had never seen the amount of people we saw when visiting Masada. You just never know when things might go amiss in these situations. 

We were very grateful that we were on Royal Caribbean sponsored excursions and did not have to stress about getting left behind in a foreign country.

Priority Tendering

Although Israel was the main draw for us with this 12-night itinerary, we also had port stops in Greece and Cyprus.

Santorini is one of the most popular ports in Greece, along with being a popular destination for travelers all over the world. Its stunning volcanic, mountain landscape makes it a bucket-list destination, but also a logistically challenging port for cruise ships.

During our visit to Santorini, there were five other ships docked during the same time, so it was very busy. Santorini also requires tenders for those wanting to go ashore to the island.

Those who choose to independently get off the ship are tendered from a one end of the ship while excursions through the cruise line launch from the other end. Those independently exploring are brought to Skala, which is a small tender port near Fira.

Since the town of Fira is located up the mountain, you have to either ride a cable car, walk the steps or ride a donkey (yes, really!).

If you’re on a cruise line excursion, you are likely brought to the Athinios port instead where you can take busses throughout the island.

I’ve been to Santorini twice before. My first visit was on a land-visit during my study abroad semester, so I knew the lay of the land. The second time I visited Santorini was on my honeymoon with my husband, in which we chose to independently take on the island with a ferry to Oia and bus ride to Fira.

As young-20-something newlyweds, we didn’t mind the thrill of running down the stairs along the donkeys to get back to the tenders! If anything, it was a fun memory for us after a lovely day on our own time.

However, I knew my parents (in their early 60s) would not appreciate the stress of riding a donkey, the physical strain of doing all the steps, or the frustration of being crowded in a line waiting for cable cars.

After weighing the options, we chose to book an excursion through the cruise line for Santorini. We were given priority tendering to get off the ship and didn’t have to fight any crowds onboard.

The tender brought us to the Athinios port and we were bussed across the island to the Village of Oia, in addition to a stop at a winery and visit to Fira.

Not having to worry about the tendering situation, along with the stress of how we would get back to the tender port from the mountaintop of Fira was a huge relief.

We had a lovely day exploring the island by bus and I was grateful that we didn’t experience any logistical challengers, especially considering how many ships were docked at the port at the same time.

Overall Safety

While Israel is generally considered to be very safe, we did see a few headlines before our cruise that gave us pause with the rising tension in that area of the world.

Speaking broadly, cruise lines do not want to take any major, known risks with their excursions; most of the time, these companies are vetted thoroughly for safety.

When cruise lines market and sell tours, they are inherently accepting some sense of liability when something goes wrong.

Of course, things can happen when you travel whether you’re on a cruise line excursion, exploring a port on your own or traveling with an independent tour company. There will continue to be risks with traveling that you accept when you choose to pack your bags and head out to see the world.

For this itinerary, we felt booking excursions through the cruise line was the best decision we could make for our safety. Since we had not traveled to this area of the world before and we were not familiar with the port or the country, it felt like the most informed decision we could make.

We knew we were paying a premium for booking excursions through the cruise line; yet, it felt like the money was worth it to have peace of mind for our time in Israel.

General Convenience

One of the biggest draws of booking a cruise short excursion with the cruise line is the general convenience you’ll have, especially when it comes to logistics.

It’s so nice to just wake up, have breakfast and meet at a designated spot onboard. There’s very little planning, coordinating and stress involved with sponsored shore excursions.

We also appreciated the flexibility of booking excursions through the cruise line. In this instance, my mom wasn’t entirely sure which days in Israel she wanted to take tours. She considered staying on the ship because she didn’t know how comfortable she felt getting off the ship.

Having our excursions booked with the cruise line gave us cancellation flexibility if she ended up changing her mind last minute and not wanting to join us on tours; you simply walk to the shore excursion desk and the crew members help you from there.

There’s no coordinating with a tour company in this instance, which can be difficult onboard if you have internet troubles or don’t want to purchase an internet package.

At the end of the day, we knew were were also paying a premium for the convenience provided; in this instance, it was absolutely worth it for us.

I wouldn't change anything about the shore excursions we booked through the cruise line during this European cruise to Israel - it was truly the best decision we could make for our family.