I cannot believe today is already the fifth day of my cruise on Anthem of the Seas! Today we docked in La Coruña, Spain, a medium-sized city in Spain’s Galicia region, located directly above Portugal. With green hills, dramatic ocean cliffs, and small beaches dotted throughout coves in the landscape, La Coruña was a gorgeous place to spend the day.

The cruise port is conveniently located in the center of town, so we were able to walk off the ship and immediately start exploring.

One trend I've noticed on this cruise is that while ships dock at 8AM, the ports are very sleepy until at least 9 or 10. When we got off the ship around 8:45, cafes were only starting to open and the town was really quiet.

Breakfast and ocean views

I decided to skip breakfast on the ship today in favor of dining at a local cafe in Spain. While I go on cruises fairly often, it's not everyday I can enjoy breakfast in Spain!

Samantha and I stumbled upon the Praza de María Pita, a large public square lined with historic buildings, restaurants, and cafes. Here we enjoyed pastries, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a cafe con leche.

Like every port we've been to so far, we arrived with no plan of how to spend the day. What's great about cruising to European ports is that the infrastructure caters to pedestrians, meaning you can explore most ports without worrying about needing buses, taxis, or boats to get around.

We came across a beautiful waterfront pathway which first led us to a small beach. After relaxing at the beach, we continued along the path. This turned into one of the most beautiful coastal walking trails I’ve ever explored.

Located at the very northwest corner of Spain, La Coruña’s landscape and rocky, treacherous coastline is breathtaking. One of the city’s most iconic landmarks is the Tower of Hercules, the oldest surviving lighthouse in the world. With a height of around 180 feet, the lighthouse towers over the coast and was quite impressive to see.

The walking trail was the perfect place to spend a sunny morning in Spain, but all the walking quickly made us hungry!

Lunchtime in the city

Because La Coruña is a quiet town, we decided to have a relaxing, long lunch in port. We stumbled upon a local restaurant with a menu del día (menu of the day). For €10.60 each, we enjoyed two glasses of tinto de verano (a sweet wine drink), a pasta and egg appetizer, bread, a Thai rice dish, chocolate pudding, and coffee. It was an amazing deal and the food was delightful!

We sat outdoors for around 2 hours, taking in the culture and views of La Coruña. One fascinating fact about Galicia is that the native language of the region is Galician, which is actually more closely related to Portuguese than Spanish. Around 2.5 million people speak Galician, and you’ll hear both languages when visiting La Coruña.

Our day in port finished with a brief stroll back to the ship along La Coruña's waterfront. I relaxed on one of the city's park benches in front of the harbor for a bit before getting back onboard.

La Coruña impressions

La Coruña is definitely the sleepiest town we have visited so far on this itinerary, but I loved the relaxed vibe of the city. I’m honestly not sure where most passengers from the ship went today because everywhere we visited was uncrowded.

If you’re happy to wander through beautiful walking trails, visit the Tower of Hercules, and indulge in Galician cuisine, La Coruña makes for a tranquil port day. While it may not offer as many tourist attractions and activities as a city like Valencia or Barcelona, I loved being able to walk around and learn more about Galicia’s culture and landscapes.

After three port days in a row, I would say that this itinerary works best for those who are more interested in visiting small towns over Europe’s biggest, most touristy cities. If it’s your first time visiting Europe, you may prefer an itinerary to cities like Rome, Nice, and Naples to see attractions such as the Colosseum, Pompeii, etc.

If you’ve already seen those places, though, venturing to smaller, lesser-known towns will offer the opportunity to see these countries from a new perspective and connect more with local culture rather than quickly hopping from attraction to attraction.

Because I’ve already visited many of western Europe’s big cities, this cruise itinerary is exactly what I was hoping for! I probably never would have thought about visiting Galicia, for example, and now I am already itching to go back.

Back onboard

I was back onboard around 3:30 and took around two hours to relax in my stateroom before heading to dinner.

We enjoyed another dinner in the Main Dining Room tonight. I think this is the most I have ever eaten in the Main Dining Room on a cruise! While I often opt for a quick dinner at the buffet after port or the occasional specialty restaurant, it’s been nice to feel “spoiled” every night in the dining room.

After ten cruises, I still can’t believe how fancy it feels when the waiter brings out the scraper to clean crumbs off the table before dessert. I ordered pesto tagliatelle and cherries jubilee for dinner tonight and they were both delicious!

A well-anticipated event was scheduled after dinner: my first Broadway production on a Royal Caribbean cruise!

So far, I’ve been on three other Royal Caribbean ships with Broadway shows (Oasis, Harmony, and Independence of the Seas). Each time, the Broadway show was canceled due to omicron or crew injury. Because of this, I was super excited to watch We Will Rock You in the Royal Theater on Anthem of the Seas.

We Will Rock You tells the story of the battle between the Bohemians and an oppressive establishment. While the Bohemians want to uncover the freedom of rock n’ roll, the futuristic establishment tries to oppress anyone from playing and discovering history’s greatest music.

Let’s just say my mind was blown by the incredible performance; it is by far the best show I’ve seen on any ship yet! I now understand why everyone raves about Royal Caribbean’s Broadway shows. The 2-hour production was extremely high-energy, with classic rock n’ roll tunes that turned the theater into a giant party.

The cast was beyond talented as well, with the best vocals I’ve ever heard on a cruise ship! I usually find it difficult to understand Royal Caribbean’s more abstract entertainment shows, so I loved having an easy-to-follow storyline mixed with wonderful live music. Samantha and I might see the show again tomorrow because we enjoyed it so much.

Tomorrow is a much-needed sea day after three busy port days in a row!

More Anthem of the Seas Live Blogs:

Anthem of the Seas Live Blog - Day 1 - Embarkation

Anthem of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day

Anthem of the Seas Live Blog - Day 3 - La Rochelle, France

Anthem of the Seas Live Blog - Day 4 - Bilbao, Spain

Today is the fourth day of my 7-night Spain & France cruise on Anthem of the Seas. We docked in Bilbao, Spain this morning and I woke up eager to explore the largest city in the Basque Country.

What is Bilbao?

Bilbao is the most populous city in Spain’s Biscay province, located in the north-central part of the country. Bilbao is located in the Basque Country, an autonomous community in northern Spain and southern France (near the Pyrenees), and is one of the oldest ethnic groups in all of Europe.

It’s said the Basque people arrived in Europe around 5,000 years ago, and they have maintained strong cultural identity and culture despite countless invasions and outside influences over the years.

In fact, Basque language (called Euskara) is a language isolate, meaning it has no relation to any other known languages spoken around the globe today!

While technically the Bilbao cruise port, cruise ships actually dock in Getxo, a city on the coast just eight miles from downtown Bilbao.

Surrounded by lush green mountains, my first glimpse of Getxo made me even more excited to see what northern Spain has to offer.

First impressions of Bilbao

I disembarked the ship around 8:45AM and boarded a shuttle bus that would bring passengers to Bilbao’s city center. The shuttle bus was €10 for roundtrip transportation (payable in cash) and left directly from Bilbao’s cruise terminal. While it’s possible to reach Bilbao via metro from Getxo, the shuttle bus was very convenient and took around 25 minutes to reach the city.

Upon arrival in Bilbao, I walked a few minutes to the Estuary of Bilbao, a waterway flowing through the city center.

The first thing I noticed was the Guggenheim Museum, a contemporary art museum known for its otherworldly architecture, which is one of the main tourist attractions in Bilbao. While I did not go into the museum, I was certainly impressed by the look of the outside!

The pathway along the Estuary of Bilbao is really nice, with wide walkways, cycle paths, and plenty of spots to sit and enjoy the view. I walked along the path until I arrived in Casco Viejo, Bilbao's historic old town.

Casco Viejo adventures

Quite different from the modern architecture found at the Guggenheim museum just a short distance away, Casco Viejo was lined with narrow streets packed with restaurants, shops, and bars.

I stumbled across Mercado de la Ribera, a two-story food hall and market in Bilbao. While I wasn't feeling particularly hungry, the local dishes looked too amazing to pass up.

Spain is known for tapas, but in the Basque Country these small plates are known as pintxos. Pintxos are traditionally designed to be eaten with one hand, with a toothpick placed in the center of each pintxo. As opposed to tapas, which are generally part of a larger dish, pintxos are a miniature dish of their own.

All the pintxos looked divine, but I ordered the classic tortilla de patatas (potato omelette) and gratinado de cuatro quesos (4 cheese bake). The cheese pintxo was my favorite of the two, and it had such a robust and unique flavor that I wished I had been hungry enough to order another!

I enjoyed the pintxos with a glass of fresh squeezed zumo de naranja (orange juice).

I also walked around the market, which is set up with plenty of stalls selling produce, meat, breads, and pastries. As someone with a huge sweet tooth, I could not pass up the dessert stall.

After walking around Casco Viejo for another hour or so, I decided to head back to Getxo.

Discovering Getxo

Bilbao's city center is connected to Getxo via a direct metro line, so I decided to take the metro back instead of the shuttle bus. While I had already paid for the shuttle, I did not want to wait around for the bus to return. The metro would also drop me off directly in Getxo’s city center as opposed to the ship.

After a 25-minute metro ride (€1.90), I arrived in Getxo for the second half of my day exploring northern Spain.

Getxo is known for the Bizkaia (Vizkaya) Bridge, a 148 ft. transporter bridge and UNESCO world heritage site. Built in 1893, it is the world’s oldest transporter bridge, which connects the towns of Getxo and Portugalete without disrupting ship traffic.

You can cross the bridge two ways: through a large moving platform (for pedestrians, cars, bikes, etc.) or through a pedestrian walkway at the top of the bridge. For €10, I purchased a ticket to visit the top of the bridge for a scenic walk across the water.

The tickets are roundtrip, but are just one-way for the upper walkway. Therefore, I first traveled on the bridge from Getxo to Portugalete via the larger platform. Upon arrival, I enjoyed a tasty snack of churros con chocolate.

My return journey was nothing short of exciting. After an elevator ride up the bridge, I admired the views, architecture, and history of the structure, which is unlike any bridge I’ve seen before. The views of Getxo and Portugalete were amazing from up high, and I even caught a few nice views of Anthem of the Seas.

I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in Getxo's harbor enjoying the comfortable (while slightly chilly) weather. Walking back to the ship from downtown Getxo was a breeze, with a pedestrian pathway along the coastline.

I also got to chat with an Anthem of the Seas crew member, Fernando from the Philippines, on my walk back! He was filming a video for his YouTube channel.

An evening onboard

Having multiple port days in a row is definitely tiring, so I took a short rest in my stateroom once I got back before getting ready for dinner.

Samantha and I enjoyed another meal in the Main Dining Room tonight and the quality and service were up to par. My one "complaint" with the Main Dining Room is that I have absolutely no self control over the bread basket and tend to get full before my main course even arrives!

I was feeling super tired from my day walking around Bilbao and Getxo, so I spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the Solarium and catching up on Royal Caribbean Blog work at Vintages (yes, a wine bar makes for a great office) before heading to bed.

Tomorrow we are in La Coruña, another Spanish port, which is located in the country's Galicia region! I am loving this itinerary so far, so I can't wait to see what the other ports have in store.

My first day in France was everything I could have dreamed of and more! I try not to have expectations when I cruise, but I'm sure if I did have expectations, they would have been blown away today.

As I walked to the Windjammer for breakfast this morning, Anthem of the Seas was arriving in La Rochelle, a small coastal city in southwestern France around two hours from Bordeaux. I've never been to France before, so I couldn't wait to get off the ship and experience the country's culture, history, and cuisine.

Part of the reason I picked this cruise itinerary was to visit lesser-known ports in Spain and France. While I'm sure I would have had an amazing day if visiting somewhere like Barcelona or Nice, the idea of visiting towns I had never heard of before was intriguing.

Samantha and I got off the ship around 8:30 and boarded a 15-minute shuttle bus from the industrial port to La Rochelle's city center.

I immediately found myself in awe of the quaint cobblestone streets of La Rochelle. The town is undeniably cute, and while I've visited plenty of seaside towns before, wandering through La Rochelle almost felt like a fairytale! It was a lovely first impression of France.

My first stop was a local bakery for a pain au chocolat. Not much makes me happier than chocolate, and enjoying a chocolate croissant in a charming French town? Yes, please!

Fueled on sugar, it was time to get active and see more of this picturesque port.

Cycling La Rochelle

I'm a big fan of renting a bicycle while in port as it allows you to see so much more than you can see on foot. La Rochelle is extremely bike friendly, with car-free paths throughout the city and along the coast.

There were two options for renting a bicycle. The first was through the town's public bicycle transport system. Dotted around La Rochelle are bicycle stations where you can rent a bicycle and pay as you go. I initially tried to reserve this option, but had trouble receiving the SMS verification code to my American phone number.

Therefore I went with the second option, a bicycle rental from Greenbike, a local shop. For €11, I rented a beach cruiser for 4 hours, and Samantha and I took off on our bicycles.

The cycling was gorgeous and brought us on fully car-free cycle paths around the coastline just south of La Rochelle's historic center. We stopped along the way for photos and to enjoy the sunny beach views.

After around two hours of leisurely cycling and stopping at nearby beaches, we made our way back to downtown La Rochelle for lunch. The town was more lively in the afternoon than it had been when we first arrived.

An ode to crepes

Having never traveled to France, I was looking forward to tasting local cuisine beyond the delicious pain au chocolat I enjoyed earlier in the day.

When walking around town, we came across a cute alleyway lined with shops and restaurants. The incredible smell of savory crêpes caught our attention when strolling the alleyway, so we immediately decided to dine at Crêperie L’epi de Blé.

I ordered the set meal, which came with a savory crepe, beer, and chocolate dessert crepe for €14. I settled on the ratatouille crepe, which is a buckwheat crepe with a cheese and vegetable filling and topped with a fried egg.

I've never tasted anything quite like this crêpe. In fact, after years of travel through Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia, this is undoubtedly on my list of the best meals I've ever had. I cannot stop thinking about how delicious it was, and I've opened my phone to look at the picture I took of my crêpe at least 20 times today. 

Strolling around La Rochelle

While Samantha stayed at the crêperie for an iconic afternoon of reading and sipping local rosé, I decided to explore more of La Rochelle on foot.

I walked in the opposite direction of the harbor to see what local life is like in town. We were in port on Sunday, so it was noticeably quiet with most shops closed, but plenty of locals were dining outdoors and shopping at the local produce market.

My impression of La Rochelle is that it is a port where tourism has not overtaken local life. It felt quaint and authentic even with the influx of passengers from Anthem of the Seas. I enjoyed the local feel of the town as opposed to a huge city, especially when visiting for only a few hours.

I spent the last hour or so in town sitting by the harbor, enjoying the sunshine, and watching life go by in downtown La Rochelle.

Back onboard

Not much is better than spending time in your stateroom after a busy day in port, so we relaxed for an hour or so before dinner. We had dinner in the Main Dining Room tonight, with the warm bananas foster a highlight of our meal.

After a terribly cloudy day yesterday, I took advantage of today's sunshine with a post-dinner walk around the pool deck. The primary reason I'm onboard is to film a full ship tour of Anthem of the Seas for the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel, so I spent a while collecting footage of the ship.

La Rochelle is the first of three port days in a row, so Samantha and I took it easy tonight with a frozen mojito in the Solarium followed by a game of cards in our stateroom.

Tomorrow we arrive in Bilbao, Spain!

La Rochelle: Overall thoughts

I had a wonderful day in La Rochelle and it got me even more excited for the next three ports on this itinerary.

Everyone in town was extremely friendly and welcoming. While I do not speak much French, every local I encountered in the historic center spoke some English. I think I'll have to start studying French to experience the country more in-depth!

France had never been on the top of my travel bucket list, and I often find myself traveling to other European countries like Italy and Spain. After today, though, I cannot believe I waited so long to experience small-town France.

Shore excursions are definitely not needed in La Rochelle as the town is extremely walkable and plenty of tourist sites (museums, a castle, etc ) are found right in the city center. There were also plenty of activities for kids to enjoy, from a carousel to a playground, merry-go-round, bungee trampoline, and nearby beaches.

More Anthem of the Seas Live Blogs

Anthem of the Seas Live Blog - Day 1 - Embarkation

Anthem of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Sea day

Today is the second day of my cruise on Anthem of the Seas, and it is a sea day as we make our way to La Rochelle, France.

We are sailing through the Bay of Biscay today, a patch of sea that has been feared by sailors for hundreds of years. Due to its exposure to the open Atlantic waters, the bay often encounters treacherous weather conditions and swells making ports inaccessible.

While we did not encounter treacherous seas like many unlucky sailors in the past, the sea was far from calm and the weather was quite dreary throughout the day. There was no rain, but was quite cloudy and chilly outside. I'm hoping we encounter more sunlight later on in this cruise!

Despite traveling west, the ship's time shifted one hour forward today to match with Spain and France's time zone. I took it easy this morning with a small breakfast at Cafe @ Two70 while catching up on blogging.

I had reserved a 12PM lunch at Jamie's Italian on this cruise, so I was looking forward to a delicious Italian meal! While I plan to eat primarily at complimentary dining venues on this cruise, I did treat myself and my friend Samantha to lunch at Jamie's with onboard credit I received when booking the sailing.

Jamie's Italian is my favorite Royal Caribbean specialty restaurant, and we ordered quite a few dishes to try. Starting our meal was the black truffle arancini, ultimate garlic bread, and burrata.

For the main course, I ordered my go-to dish of eggplant parmagiana and penne pomodoro. Samantha loved her baked lasagne and truffle tagliatelle.

I was far too full, so I took my dessert (Amalfi lemon cheesecake) to go!

The meal was fairly quick, with us in and out in a little over an hour. The food was up to par (and maybe even a bit better) with Jamie's Italian on other ships, and our server Ronald was fantastic!

Funny enough, Jamie Oliver himself was onboard Anthem of the Seas for the day yesterday to work with the staff on training and quality! It definitely paid off as the meal was delightful.

After lunch I decided to test my luck with my Crown & Anchor Society free play money at the casino. I quickly turned $8 into $30, but I am not much of a gambler, so I decided to cash out my winnings instead of losing it all.

Following today's (extra large) winnings, I took a walk around the pool deck to get some air. I fully expected the pool deck to be nearly empty, so I was extremely surprised to see a ton of guests "sunbathing" under the cloudy skies!

I've never seen so many guests on the pool deck during a dreary weather day in the Caribbean, so it was fun to see the cultural differences in attitude toward far from ideal weather.

After a few rounds of cards in the Solarium, we attended an afternoon "Where in the World?" trivia session at Schooner Bar. We were given a series of clues in order to guess where in the world the trivia host was describing. To my surprise, we did pretty well!

After such a large lunch at Jamie's Italian, we decided to skip the Main Dining Room in favor of a lighter meal at Solarium Bistro.

Solarium Bistro is a Mediterranean-inspired complimentary restaurant served buffet style (with main dishes ordered via a menu). From hummus to falafel, grilled vegetables, and salmon, it hit the spot for a quick dinner. Not many people even know this restaurant exists, so it was relatively empty.

This evening's festivities first brought us to karaoke in Boleros followed by tonight's big band jazz performance in Two70. I love jazz music, and Royal Caribbean always has amazing big band jazz performances, so I was excited to check it out.

Tonight's performance definitely did not disappoint and it has been my favorite entertainment thus far onboard. Samantha and I were both in jazz band throughout high school, so we are total geeks when it comes to jazz music! From the musicians' excellent improvising skills to watching guests dance to the tunes, it was a wonderful way to end our second day on Anthem of the Seas.

Tomorrow we are docked in La Rochelle, France!

Stray observations:

There was a Titanic staircase backdrop for formal night photos tonight.

There are no chairs on the promenade deck aside from the smoking area. Usually there are chairs to sit and watch the view, but I haven't seen any on this ship.

Today is the first day of my first ever European cruise! Over the next week, I'll be onboard Anthem of the Seas for a 7-night cruise, visiting four ports in northern Spain and France. The next week should lead to some fun adventures in La Rochelle, Bilbao, La Coruña, and Le Havre, so be sure to follow along on this live blog!

I arrived in London yesterday after spending the previous few days visiting friends in Edinburgh and Manchester. Upon arrival, I checked into my hotel in the city center, the Hilton London Bankside.

Staying the night in London

When checking in, I was pleasantly surprised with a complimentary upgrade to a suite! We were placed in the hotel's Vegan Suite, a room made with 100% vegan materials. With one bedroom, a living room, full bathroom, and half bath, it was very comfortable and spacious!

I ended up spending most of the evening relaxing in the suite, as I will be returning to London for sightseeing the weekend after my cruise. I realized it's a good idea that I'm never booked in a suite on a cruise ship. If how much time I spent in my hotel suite is any indication of how much time I would spend in a cruise ship suite... I would probably never leave my stateroom!

Suites at the Hilton London Bankside also come with complimentary access to the Executive Lounge, similar to the Diamond Lounge on Royal Caribbean ships. Complimentary soft drinks, coffee, and snacks are available throughout the day and a happy hour is served from 6-8PM with alcoholic beverages and a hot food selection.

The hotel had an impressive breakfast selection as well, with both cold and hot foods served buffet style and cooked to order.

I enjoyed the hotel's location near the river. Tourist sites and plenty of restaurants and bars were just a short walk away, and the hotel was well located for public transit. I’m glad I spent the night in London instead of Southampton, as it was extremely easy to get to the port the next day!

Getting to the Southampton cruise port

Southampton is around 75 miles from London and is easily accessed via train. I booked roundtrip train tickets on the app Trainline for $70. I booked the “Off-Peak Return” ticket which meant I could take any train during off-peak hours. I liked the flexibility of this ticket as I did not have to rush to the station and I can return to London on any train of disembarkation day.

My friend Samantha and I walked around 15 minutes from the London Hilton Bankside to London Waterloo station. Boarding the train is extremely simple, as there is no security and you simply scan your e-ticket at the appropriate platform. The train was comfortable and air conditioned and it was a brief 80 minute ride through the English countryside to Southampton.

When we arrived, we took an Uber to the port. It would have been about a 20 minute walk, but with luggage we figured it was worth the $6 Uber.

My arrival time was slated for 12:30, but when we got to the terminal no one was checking arrival times. In fact, there was hardly anyone at the terminal when we arrived at 11AM! After the quickest check-in process I've had yet, we were onboard and ready to explore the ship.

First impressions of Anthem of the Seas

Anthem of the Seas is a Quantum Class cruise ship and was launched in 2015. The ship is in excellent condition and is basically identical to Ovation of the Seas, which I sailed on to Alaska last year.

In an effort to skip the crowds at the Windjammer, we ate lunch at Cafe @ Two70, one of my favorite quick lunch spots on any Quantum Class ship. Two70 is an amazing venue, both for entertainment and lounging during the day, and it’s my favorite place to relax so far on Anthem of the Seas.

After lunch we opened the Royal Caribbean app to make show reservations for the week. Surprisingly, the only show requiring reservations was Spectra’s Cabaret in Two70. I also made a reservation for the North Star, which is complimentary on port days and $19.99 on sea days.

Our North Star reservation was for 2PM, so we headed to the pool deck after lunch to board the 360 degree observation pod that would take us 300 feet above sea level! The weather was perfect in the afternoon, leading to clear skies and excellent views of the ship from above.

Stateroom impressions

Staterooms were ready at 2PM, so I checked out my stateroom right after finishing the North Star. I booked an interior guarantee stateroom for this cruise and was placed into a deck 9 forward room.

Because Anthem of the Seas is a relatively new cruise ship, the staterooms have plenty of storage and outlets. The decor is modern compared to older ships like Freedom of the Seas, and the room features a virtual balcony, allowing us to see “outside” even from our interior room!

We were able to get our bed separated into two twin beds, which made the room feel bigger due to the extra walking space between the two beds.

Robes, a fruit plate, and San Benedetto water were in the room as a perk of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society. A kettle was also provided for tea and coffee.

Sailaway and dinner

We spent an hour or so relaxing in the room to unpack and chill before a busy evening onboard.

Sailaway was at 5PM, so we headed to the Solarium bridge wings to watch Anthem of the Seas depart Southampton and begin her journey to La Rochelle, France.

After sailaway, we made our way to the Main Dining Room for our 5:30PM traditional dining reservation. Initially we were going to be seated at a table for 8-10 guests, so I asked if we could have a small table instead. To my surprise, we were brought to a 2-person table right by the window! I couldn’t have asked for a better table location, and we spent the meal enjoying views of the Isle of Wight and English Channel.

Tonight’s meal in the Main Dining Room was really tasty and the service was prompt. I noticed the Main Dining Room menu had an Indian curry option and a more traditional UK option available, with Chicken Saag and Guinness Pie. This is just one of many differences I’ve noticed on a UK sailing from the US so far!

Evening activities

We finished dinner around 7PM and spent some time in the Solarium hot tubs. I love the Solarium on Quantum Class ships; the area is spacious, climate-controlled, and has plenty of pool areas and hot tubs to enjoy.

We then spent an hour or so in the pub listening to the live guitarist before heading to Two70 for the venue’s signature show, Spectra’s Cabaret.

The show was extremely similar to Pixel’s Cabaret, which I saw on Ovation of the Seas last year. Combining electronic effects, robotic television screens, projection mapping, dance, and vocals, the show was entertaining… although I could not make out any type of storyline at all.

I feel like the Two70 venue has such impressive, immersive technology that a show with a better storyline would be absolutely incredible to watch. The cabaret shows don’t make much sense to me, although I did enjoy the performance overall and the crew member who played Spectra was excellent!

As the show ended around 11PM, we headed to bed. Tomorrow is a sea day as we make our way through the Bay of Biscay to France!

Stray observations

There are occasionally rail strikes scheduled throughout the year in the UK. Be sure to keep an eye on if there will be any strikes when you plan to travel to port so you can schedule a backup option for arrival to Southampton.

While I frequently encounter small businesses that do not take card payments in mainland Europe, paying with contactless debit or credit cards is the norm everywhere I've been in the UK. Therefore, it is not necessary to take cash out in pounds when cruising out of England.

From my initial observations, I would say the guest makeup is at least 80% guests from the United Kingdom. I didn't see any UK outlets, so be sure to pack either a mainland European or American-style converter if you're coming from the UK.

Determining the best time to book a cruise is a highly debated topic, with some cruise passengers booking years in advance and others preferring to book at the last-minute.

Both options offer their own pros and cons, whether saving money by booking far in advance or coming across a last-minute cruise deal.

While there is no “best time to book a cruise,” it’s helpful to know what to expect if booking a cruise years in advance or just a few weeks before your cruise departs. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of booking your cruise late and early to help determine which option works best for you.

Pros of booking your cruise early

Best prices

The best prices for a Royal Caribbean cruise tend to be found right after Royal Caribbean releases new itineraries, which are usually for cruises departing two years from the release date. Keeping an eye on when Royal Caribbean releases new cruise itineraries is a good idea for those hoping to book a cruise at a lower price.

Signing up for Royal Caribbean’s newsletters and following our blog are two ways to be notified as soon as new itineraries are released, which can lead to some nice savings if you are able to plan a cruise several years in advance.

Read more: 10 tips for saving money on booking a Royal Caribbean cruise

Reprice until final payment date

One of the best benefits of booking a Royal Caribbean cruise early is that you are able to reprice your cruise an unlimited amount of times prior to final payment date. For example, if you initially pay $1,000 for a stateroom and later find the price has dropped to $650, you’ll be able to reprice the cruise and save the difference.

Repricing is not done automatically and requires periodically checking Royal Caribbean’s website to see if your cruise fare has dropped. You can also contact a travel agent to ask if your cruise price has decreased.

Money saved on cruise fare can be put toward amazing shore excursions, dining and drink packages, and onboard activities, making repricing a cruise well worth it.

More stateroom options

Booking a cruise early brings far more stateroom options than booking a cruise close to the sail date. The further in advance you book, the more flexibility you have to book the exact stateroom you want.

While most room categories will not sell out very far in advance, certain cabins are more likely to fill up than others. Suite categories in particular are known to sell out, so if you know you want to book a certain suite it’s important to do so far in advance.

The limited studio cabins for solo travelers on select ships also tend to fill up quickly. If you have a certain stateroom in mind, be sure to book early so you don’t end up disappointed in stateroom options.

Excursion options and cruise add-ons

Booking a cruise early will give you the most options for shore excursions and cruise add-ons, which you can book on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website.

While it’s unlikely all shore excursions will sell out, popular tours are more likely to fill up quickly. This is especially true for ports that tend to be further away from the main attractions, such as excursions to cities like Rome or Paris. In these ports, many guests opt to book an excursion directly through Royal Caribbean to avoid traveling several hours to the city from port without the added security of a Royal Caribbean excursion.

The same can be said for Alaska cruises, where popular excursions like whale watching and kayaking are in high demand. Booking early ensures you have the most flexibility in excursion options.

Read more: When should I book my Alaska shore excursion?

Other add-ons, such as dining packages and restaurant reservations, are also better to book further in advance. A limited number of dining packages are sold for each cruise, and sometimes certain packages may disappear from the Cruise Planner closer to the sail date.

If you know you want to dine at a specific specialty restaurant on a certain day or book a dining package, having a cruise booked early will ensure you have the chance to purchase these add-ons.

Repricing add-ons and excursions

Booking a cruise far in advance gives you more time to reprice cruise add-ons before your ship sets sail.

Just like repricing a cruise, you can reprice any excursions or add-ons like dining, beverage, and internet packages. If you notice the price has dropped on something you purchased, simply cancel the add-on on the Cruise Planner website and rebook it at the lower price.

There’s no charge for canceling and rebooking, and there’s no limit on the number of times you can cancel and rebook, so it’s an easy way to save money if you notice a lower price!

Cons of booking your cruise early

Planning for years out

While being able to snag the greatest deals is more likely when booking a cruise far in advance, this isn’t always possible for all guests.

Whether unpredictable school and extracurricular activities with kids, time off work, or family obligations, planning vacations years in advance can be challenging.

While Royal Caribbean offers flexible cancellation policies, especially if you’ve booked a refundable cruise fare, it’s not always worth the trouble to book a cruise far in advance if you’re unsure you can set sail.

Read more: How to cancel a Royal Caribbean cruise

Itinerary and ship may change

While not extremely common, it’s possible that Royal Caribbean’s plans for a particular ship or itinerary can change over time, leading to a cruise with a new itinerary or ship as opposed to what you originally booked. Unexpected events, scheduling changes, ship charters, and other unpredictable scenarios can cause your cruise vacation to change.

Those who booked cruises to northern Europe far in advance with the hope of visiting St. Petersburg, for example, faced itinerary changes in light of political events.

Royal Caribbean can also change itineraries and cruise departure dates without warning. In early 2022, the cruise line announced that several sailings on Mariner of the Seas would be canceled and modified due to “itinerary planning”. While refunds and alternate sailings were offered to guests, there’s always the chance of an unexpected change when booking so far in advance.

Changes are not always bad, though. Those who booked summer 2022 European cruises on Allure of the Seas were automatically switched to Wonder of the Seas when it was announced the ship would replace Allure in Europe for the summer. This meant that passengers who booked on Allure were upgraded to a newer ship at no extra cost!

Pros of booking your cruise late

Now that we've seen the pros and cons of booking a cruise far in advance, what are the pros and cons of booking at the last minute?

Spontaneity

Booking a cruise at the last minute, or even just a few months in advance, can lead to a feeling of increased excitement and spontaneity! Having a last-minute vacation planned can offer a fantastic getaway with little waiting required.

While booking a cruise years in advance is often preferred, it can lead to extremely long wait times. Booking a cruise just a few weeks in advance means you have something to look forward to without much of a wait at all!

Last-minute cruise deals

The best cruise deals can often be found as soon as Royal Caribbean releases new itineraries, but it’s not unheard of to find fantastic last-minute cruise deals.

Royal Caribbean will sometimes lower a cruise fare closer to the sail date if demand is low, leading to low prices for those who can sail at the last minute. These last-minute deals tend to be found during shoulder season and on older, smaller cruise ships, but can offer nice savings for those with more flexibility.

Cons of booking your cruise late

Fewer options

Booking a cruise closer to the sail date offers fewer options overall, from stateroom choices to excursions, ship choices, itineraries, and cruise add-ons.

If you’re cruising on a budget and need to book an interior stateroom, you might be disappointed if interior rooms have sold out close to the sail date. Likewise, if you’re hoping to splurge on a Star Class suite, these rooms are not always available at the last minute.

Read more: Choosing a cabin for your cruise

Cruise add-ons can be fewer and far between closer to the sail date as well. While add-ons like beverage packages and internet will always be available, others, like shore excursions and dining packages, can sell out.

Flight prices are higher

Booking a cruise at the last minute can sometimes lead to great deals and added flexibility, but keep an eye on airline prices before booking.

Airline prices tend to only increase over time, so it’s not unheard of for a flight that could have been $200 if booked months in advance to increase to $400-500 closer to the sail date.

If you’re traveling on a budget, be sure to check airline prices before booking a cruise to ensure you don’t come across any unexpected surprises!

Less time to figure out logistics

If you book a cruise at the last minute, it’s important to consider any logistics you must take care of at home before leaving for your cruise. Whether childcare, finding someone to watch the dogs, or finishing up projects at work, it can be challenging to figure out logistics with little time to spare.

The last thing you want to happen is book a last-minute cruise, especially after final payment date, only to find out there is no one available to watch the dogs (or your kids!) during your vacation.

How far in advance do you prefer to book a cruise? Let us know in the comments below!

Royal Caribbean is one of the most popular cruise lines in the world, offering the latest and greatest in cruise ship activities, design, and itineraries. Whether you’re new to Royal Caribbean or not, it can be confusing to tell Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships apart. So just how many cruise ships does Royal Caribbean have, and what do they offer?

Royal Caribbean currently has 26 cruise ships and has four additional ships on order which will launch in the next four years. The cruise line has six distinct classes of cruise ships, each of which offer differ in layout, size, onboard activities, stateroom options, and amenities. A seventh class will debut in fall 2023 with Icon of the Seas.

Here is the list of ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet:

Vision Class ships

• Grandeur of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Rhapsody of the Seas
• Vision of the Seas

Vision Class ships are the oldest and smallest ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. While considered small by Royal Caribbean terms, they hold nearly 2,500 passengers and offer many of the same amenities as larger ships, including a pool deck, adults-only Solarium, Adventure Ocean kids programming, spa and fitness centers, and specialty dining venues.

Related: All about Vision Class cruise ships

Radiance Class ships

• Radiance of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas

Radiance Class ships are the second smallest class of ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet and are designed to sail in all types of climates, thus offering unique itineraries around the world. There are over three acres of glass found throughout Radiance Class ships, so guests can enjoy views of the ocean from nearly any vantage point.

Related: All about Radiance Class cruise ships

Voyager Class ships

• Voyager of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas

Voyager Class cruise ships are considered “medium” in size, although quite large with a capacity of around 4,000 guests. They were the first Royal Caribbean ship class to feature the Royal Promenade, the main thoroughfare in the middle of the ship. Several Voyager Class ships have recently been amplified with the addition of water slides, new specialty restaurants and bars, and other new activities such as the Sky Pad, escape rooms, and laser tag.

Related: All about Voyager Class cruise ships

Freedom Class ships

• Freedom of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas

Freedom Class ships are extremely similar to Voyager Class ships, but are longer in length, allowing for an additional pool area as well as more retail, food, and bar venues. Many passengers find the Freedom Class to be an ideal size for a Royal Caribbean cruise. While not as large as Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, there is certainly no shortage of excellent entertainment, dining choices, and onboard activities.

Related: All about Freedom Class cruise ships

Oasis Class ships

• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas

The Oasis Class ships were a game changer in the cruise industry, with a split layout that was unlike anything ever seen before at sea. Oasis Class ships feature distinct neighborhoods, from the nostalgic outdoor boardwalk to peaceful Central Park. There are activities for guests of all ages onboard, whether ziplining, ice skating, or catching a show in the AquaTheater.

Related: All about Oasis Class cruise ships

Quantum Class ships

• Quantum of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas

Quantum Class ships combine technology with cruising to bring a modern, state-of-the-art experience to passengers at sea. The Quantum Class has several differences to other Royal Caribbean ships, including a two-story Royal Esplanade, the North Star observation pod, and an indoor skydiving simulator. Quantum Class ships are built for a variety of climates, so most of the ships have an indoor pool in addition to the adults-only Solarium. The SeaPlex can also be found on Quantum Class ships, which is an indoor sports arena with bumper cars, fitness activities, and an arcade.

Related: All about Quantum Class cruise ships

Icon Class cruise ships

The Icon Class will be Royal Caribbean’s newest and seventh class of ships, although little is known about the features, layout, and amenities of the Icon Class. The class will debut in fall 2023 with Icon of the Seas, and will be the first class in Royal Caribbean's fleet to be powered by LNG.

Related: Which Royal Caribbean ships are powered by LNG?

Royal Caribbean recently announced the Icon Class will be bigger than Oasis Class cruise ships, although it is unclear in what aspect Icon will be bigger. Construction images have been shared of Icon of the Seas as well, including several of a large sphere that has recently been installed on the ship.

More details on Icon of the Seas and the Icon Class are expected to be released soon.

How to pick a ship for your upcoming cruise

While one cruise ship is not inherently better than another, it’s important to look at your preferences and vacation style before choosing a ship for your Royal Caribbean cruise.

If you’re new to cruising, it may seem tempting to pick the cheapest cruise possible. However, choosing a cruise based solely on price is not recommended. Instead, consider the following:

• Ship size
• Entertainment options
• Kids activities and amenities
• Dining venues
• Itinerary choices
• Old vs new ship

Related: Why you shouldn’t book the cheapest cruise fare you can find

Budget does play a factor, of course, but if you're set on having access to activities like water slides or bumper cars, you'll want to look at bigger or recently amplified cruise ships.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a classic cruise experience without all the bells and whistles, an older and smaller ship may suit your vacation needs just fine.

There is a Royal Caribbean ship to fit every style of cruising, so it's important to research ships thoroughly before booking to ensure you don't find yourself disappointed or surprised once onboard.

Related: 8 questions to ask yourself before picking a cruise ship

How big are Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships?

Royal Caribbean is known for building the largest cruise ships in the world. With the exception of the Queen Mary 2 from 2003-2006, a Royal Caribbean ship has held the title of the world’s largest passenger ship since 1999!

Despite this, Royal Caribbean ships come in all shapes and sizes. Vision and Radiance Class ships are the smallest in the fleet, with passenger capacities around 2,500. Voyager and Freedom Class are significantly larger, with capacities around 4,000 and 4,500 respectively.

Related: 12 differences between the big and small Royal Caribbean cruise ships

The largest classes in the fleet are the Quantum Class and Oasis Class. Quantum Class ships can hold around 5,000 - 5,600 passengers whereas Oasis Class ships have capacity for nearly 7,000 passengers!

One of the best ways to get a feel for what each ship looks like is to watch a full video tour of the ship on YouTube. By doing so, you’ll be able to “explore” the ship before choosing which class of ship, or even which ship in a particular class, will work best for your cruise.

Is Royal Caribbean building new cruise ships?

In the coming years, Royal Caribbean will add four new cruise ships to its fleet. Two new cruise ships are currently in construction: Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas.

Icon of the Seas will be the first ship in the new Icon Class. Two additional Icon Class ships have been ordered for 2025 and 2026, but they are not currently named.

Related: What’s new and coming to Royal Caribbean in 2022, 2023, 2024

Utopia of the Seas will be the sixth Oasis Class cruise ship. While details on the ship have not yet been shared, it can be assumed she will share many of the same features as other ships in the Oasis Class, including distinct neighborhoods and entertainment venues like the AquaTheater.

More cruise ships outside of these four are likely to be ordered in the future, but these are the only ones ordered at this point.

 Greetings from Scotland! I’m currently in Edinburgh after spending the past two weeks vacationing in Spain and Portugal, and later this week I’ll be boarding my first of two European cruises this summer. I'll be live blogging my experiences to share with all of you here, offering recaps and insights of what it's like to cruise in Europe!

After 7 cruises in the Caribbean, 1 to Alaska, and 1 to Baja California, it was time to head across the pond to discover all that a European cruise has to offer. Of all the cruises I’ve done so far, I’ve been looking forward to these two cruises the most. While I’ve been to Europe several times before, I’ve never experienced a European cruise, and I’m excited to visit multiple cities and countries in just one week that I may have otherwise never visited.

Cruise 1: Anthem of the Seas

The first cruise I’ll be sailing on is a 7-night Spain & France cruise on Anthem of the Seas. Over the course of the week, this cruise will bring me to the following ports:

• La Rochelle (Bordeaux), France
• Bilbao, Spain
• A Coruña, Spain
• Le Havre (Paris), France

This cruise is a roundtrip sailing departing from Southampton, England.

These ports are located in northern Spain and France, so the culture and lifestyle will be quite different than what you may experience in ports like Valencia, Nice, and Palermo. While I’ve visited southern Spain before, I’ve never been to France or northern Spain. Therefore, every day should bring new experiences and cultural insights to discover.

My friend Samantha will be joining me on Anthem of the Seas! We’ve been friends since the 5th grade but have barely seen each other since she moved to England in 2018, so I am excited for a much-needed reunion while traveling around Spain and France.

Why I chose this cruise

Every time I visit Europe, I tend to travel to Italy. While I absolutely love visiting Italy as I can learn more about my heritage, practice Italian, visit my Italian family, and eat out-of-this-world food, I figured it was time to try something new.

My cruise on Anthem of the Seas will visit less common cruise ports in Europe. While I’ve heard a lot about popular ports like Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome), and Marseille, I do not know much about any of the ports I’ll be visiting on my Anthem of the Seas cruise.

In addition, Northern Nevada, where I live, has quite a bit of Basque influence, with several restaurants, festivals, bars, and museums dedicated to Basque history and culture. I’m excited to learn more about the Basque country while visiting Bilbao.

My plans in port

I haven’t booked any excursions and I don’t plan to do so for this cruise. I generally prefer to explore on my own, especially in Europe where most towns tend to be walkable and offer plenty to see without needing a tour guide.

Plus, Samantha and I are quite happy to simply walk around, hang out by the waterfront, and taste local cuisine and wine in our free time, so there was no need to spend extra on excursions!

The last day of our cruise visits Le Havre, France, otherwise known as the “Paris” cruise port. I find this to be a slightly misleading title due to the fact that Paris is around 2.5 hours away from Le Havre, but that’s fairly common for cruises to Europe.

While I haven’t been to Paris before, I do not think just a few hours will do the city justice, so I do not have plans to travel into the city. Instead I’ll just plan to visit at a later time when I can dedicate several days to exploring Paris.

Instead of Paris, my current idea is to visit the small town of Honfleur located around 30 minutes away from the port of Le Havre. It seems like a small, quaint port city that should make for a relaxing day where I can spend more time exploring as opposed to sitting on a bus for many hours.

My plans onboard

I haven’t sailed on a Quantum Class ship in a while, so I’m excited to get onboard Anthem of the Seas.

I would really like to do the North Star at some point on the cruise as well as RipCord by iFLY. Because these activities are only offered on Quantum Class ships, it’s definitely worth trying them out on each Quantum Class ship!

I also have plans for my first spa treatment onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise and a delicious lunch at my favorite specialty restaurant, Jamie’s Italian. In addition, I am looking forward to seeing Anthem’s Broadway show, We Will Rock You.

Outside of these activities, I plan to spend quite a bit of time hanging out in the Two70 venue, which is one of my favorite places to sit back and relax on any Royal Caribbean ship.

Cruise 2: Rhapsody of the Seas

My second cruise is on one of Royal Caribbean's smallest cruise ships, Rhapsody of the Seas. Departing from Athens, Greece and ending in Ravenna, Italy, Rhapsody of the Seas will visit the following ports on our 7-night cruise:

• Mykonos, Greece
• Chania, Crete (Greece)
• Zakynthos, Greece
• Kotor, Montenegro
• Split, Croatia

My sister Lauren and brother Dominic will be joining me on Rhapsody of the Seas. Lauren and I have talked about visiting Greece together for years, and we are finally getting a chance to island hop the country together!

Why I chose this cruise

My top priority for a European cruise was to book a port-intensive itinerary so I could experience as much as possible in a single week. While I don’t mind sea days, if I am traveling all the way to Europe I prefer to visit as many ports as possible as opposed to spending several days at sea. With five port days and one sea day, this cruise should offer exactly what I am looking for.

I was also interested in visiting not only Greece, but other countries as well. Being able to visit Greece, Montenegro, and Croatia and end the cruise in Italy was simply too amazing of an itinerary to pass up!

I’m also really interested in visiting Croatia. My childhood best friend was from Croatia, so I spent a lot of time hearing Croatian at her house and learning about Croatian culture. I’m excited to finally see the country in person!

I also wanted to end the cruise in Italy to allow for a few nice days of traveling in the country before flying back to the US.

My plans in port

Just like my cruise on Anthem of the Seas, I do not have any plans on shore and did not book any shore excursions. From what I’ve read, most of the ports we’ll be visiting should be easy to explore on foot. We’re also open to take taxis to beaches or wineries, but will likely make decisions on the fly.

I am most excited to visit Kotor, Montenegro. The port looks absolutely stunning, and it’s a country I never thought I would visit before. Sailing into the port should offer fantastic views of the “fjord”, and I’m hoping to do a short hike while in port to see the city from above.

Read more: 15 countries you didn't know you could cruise to on Royal Caribbean

I expect Mykonos will be the port most overrun with tourists, both from cruise ships and land-based travel. I will have to do a bit of research to see which areas to avoid on the island, as this is one of the most visited islands in Greece.

Lauren, Dominic, and I are pretty big foodies when we travel to Europe, so trying local cuisine and pastries will definitely be on the table.

After the cruise, we’ll be spending three nights in Italy before flying back to the United States.

My plans onboard

Because this is my first cruise on a Vision Class ship, I have no idea what to expect! While there may be fewer activities and amenities onboard compared to larger Royal Caribbean ships, I’m excited for the laid-back atmosphere I’m expecting to find onboard.

We do not have any plans to dine at specialty restaurants, so we will have dinner in either the Main Dining Room or Windjammer. Instead of spending money on specialty restaurants or a dining package onboard, we plan to enjoy a nice sit-down lunch every day in port.

I expect we will spend most of the time onboard tired from long days in port, so we’ll likely hang out at a bar or lounge, listen to music, or play cards to pass the time.

I’m looking forward to sharing my experience on Anthem of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas with all of you over the next couple of weeks! We will also be creating full ship tours of both ships for the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel.

If you’re looking for a relaxing getaway but don’t want to wait months for vacation, consider booking a last-minute cruise. Royal Caribbean’s last-minute cruise deals can often lead to incredible savings, allowing you to visit crystal clear beaches in the Caribbean, historic cities in the Mediterranean, and breathtaking fjords in Alaska on a budget.

Knowing the ins and outs of booking a last-minute cruise fare can help save you money and avoid any mistakes along the way. While last-minute cruises can be tempting, they aren’t always the best choice available for all passengers, and they require much more flexibility than booking a cruise ahead of time.

Let’s go over everything you need to know about last-minute cruise deals to help you make the right decision before booking.

What is a last-minute cruise?

A last-minute cruise is considered any cruise you book past the final payment date for that sailing. Royal Caribbean requires final payment to be made for a cruise at least 75 prior to departure for 1-4 night sailings and 90 days prior to departure for sailings 5 nights or longer.

Royal Caribbean monitors the demand for a particular sailing date and may lower the cruise fare as the sailing date approaches. While last-minute deals do not happen on every cruise itinerary, they can make for some amazing savings on a cruise vacation.

How to find a last-minute cruise deal

If you're wondering how to get a last minute cruise deal, there's a few good considerations.

Be flexible

The first step to finding a great last-minute cruise deal is to remain flexible. If you’re already set on the ship, itinerary, and time of year you want to cruise, it’s probably better to book a cruise further in advance rather than wait for a last-minute deal that may or may not happen.

Last-minute cruise deals are often unpredictable, with deals appearing one day and disappearing the next! If you’re truly looking for the best last-minute deal you can find, you won’t have much choice over itinerary, ship, cruise length, or stateroom options.

Use Vacations To Go

Vacationstogo.com has a "90-day ticker" on their website, providing an extensive list of cruises departing within the next 90 days across major cruise lines. This is an excellent way to quickly search for last-minute cruise deals when you’re flexible on port, stateroom choice, ship, and even cruise line.

The 90-day ticker allows you to filter the results by stateroom type, currency, and price per night. The price per night feature is useful for those looking for the cheapest cruise per day, with some last-minute cruises listed for as little as $40 per day!

Once you find a cheap cruise you’re interested in on Vacations To Go, you can search for the same cruise directly on Royal Caribbean’s website or contact your travel agent to book the cruise for you.

It can be difficult to sort through cruise itineraries, ships, and cruise lines to find the cheapest deal, so Vacations To Go comes in handy when looking for a last-minute cruise.

Look at older, smaller ships

If you’re hoping to sail on one of Royal Caribbean’s brand new cruise ships, such as Odyssey of the Seas or Wonder of the Seas, you’re better off booking a cruise far in advance rather than waiting for a last-minute deal.

Ships in high demand are unlikely to have last-minute deals available, as they’re more likely to be booked further in advance.

Read more: Why you shouldn't avoid older and smaller cruise ships

Instead, take a look at Royal Caribbean’s older and smaller ships when searching for a last-minute cruise. Radiance Class ships, for example, may have better last-minute deals to Alaska compared to Quantum Class ships.

In addition, Voyager and Freedom Class ships come with great savings in the Caribbean compared to the Oasis Class, which rarely have last-minute deals available.

Consider short and long itineraries

A 7-night cruise is the “standard” length of a cruise vacation, offering just the right amount of time for a mix of sea and port days. This is the most common option you’ll see when browsing Royal Caribbean cruises.

Therefore, when searching for a last-minute cruise deal, you might have better luck searching for short (3-4 night) and long (8+ night) sailings.

Itineraries on Navigator of the Seas out of Los Angeles, for example, tend to have regular deals available on both the 3-night and 4-night cruises.

Longer cruises, including repositioning sailings, also tend to have more deals available. A long cruise, especially one that is 10 nights or longer, has less demand due to vacation time required for the cruise. Because of this, it's possible to find last-minute cruise deals on long itineraries if your schedule permits.

Sail during non-peak times of year 

Last-minute cruise deals are more frequently found during non-peak times of year. The peak cruise season in North America and Europe is from May to August, aligning with the school calendar. Peak season is also found during holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break).

Read more: What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?

Outside of peak season, you’re much more likely to find cheaper cruise fares and last-minute deals. Here are some of the best times to find a last-minute cruise deal:

• January and February
• March (before the spring break season)
• April (after the spring break season)
• May
• September and October
• November (before Thanksgiving)
• December (first two weeks only)

Contact a travel agent

Travel agents can be a fantastic resource when trying to book a last-minute cruise.

Royal Caribbean regularly sends information to travel agents about deals on upcoming cruises. Therefore, travel agents may have a better understanding of what ships and sailings are offering last-minute deals.

Read more: Top 5 things to look for in a good travel agent for your cruise vacation

Plus, if a travel agent knows you are looking for a last-minute cruise, they’ll be able to contact you whenever a deal appears to see if you would like to book the cruise.

Sail from a port close to home

While last-minute cruise fares can lead to some amazing savings, these savings can sometimes be negated by last-minute airfare prices. A plane ticket that would otherwise cost $200 when booked months in advance can increase dramatically when booking at the last minute.

Therefore, we recommend looking for last-minute cruise deals closer to your home port than ports across the country (or world). If you live in the northeast, look for deals out of Cape Liberty rather than Los Angeles or Miami.

Likewise, if you live anywhere on the west coast you’re better off searching for last-minute deals from the ports of Los Angeles, Seattle, or Vancouver.

If you do not live within driving distance to a cruise port, be sure to look at airfare prices before booking a last-minute cruise. The last thing you want to happen is to book a cheap cruise only to find out the airfare is astronomically expensive!

Sign up for Royal Caribbean’s emails

An easy way to be notified of last-minute cruise deals is to sign up for Royal Caribbean's emails. If you’ve never been on a Royal Caribbean cruise before, click on the “Deals” tab on Royal Caribbean’s website, scroll to the bottom, and fill out the contact information form.

Once your email is added to the form, you’ll begin receiving emails from the cruise line regularly detailing not only last-minute cruise deals, but information on new activities, ships, and news from the cruise line.

Last-minute cruise cabins

Booking a last-minute cruise deal may come with cheap prices, but stateroom categories will often be limited. If you’re booking a cruise just a few weeks (or days) before the cruise departs, some cabins may be sold out. Whether a balcony, interior, or oceanview stateroom, there’s no guarantee a particular cabin will be available on a last-minute cruise.

If you are hoping to book a balcony, you may find that only interior cabins and suites are available, leaving you to sacrifice on either comfort or budget.

In addition, if you have a particular suite in mind, you may end up disappointed with suite selection on a last-minute cruise. Many suite categories may be completely sold out, leaving you with fewer options to choose from. In fact, it's not uncommon for all suites to be sold out when booking a last-minute cruise!

While you can still have an excellent cruise vacation in a different room category, it might not be the experience you were hoping for in a suite.

Guarantee staterooms

The last-minute deals you see for a cruise may be for a guarantee stateroom. This means that you do not have the chance to select your stateroom location yourself. Instead, you pay for a guaranteed room in a specific stateroom category. Royal Caribbean will then assign you a stateroom close to the sail date depending on which rooms are still available.

Read more: Should I book a guarantee stateroom on a cruise?

There are pros and cons to booking a guarantee stateroom. The biggest benefit is the lower price available, meaning you can save more of your cruise budget for things like drinks, shore excursions, and specialty dining.

There’s also the slight chance of an upgrade if there are no more staterooms available in your guaranteed category. If you booked a guarantee oceanview room, for example, and those rooms are sold out, you could be upgraded to a balcony cabin at no extra cost.

The major downside to booking a guarantee cabin, though, is that you have no control over your stateroom location. If you prefer being midship and close to the action onboard, you may end up in a cabin located very far forward or aft. Not only will this lead to longer walking times, but you may feel more of the ship’s movement in your cabin.

Therefore, if choosing your stateroom is extremely important to you, you will want to make sure the last-minute cruise deal is still available when choosing your own cabin location.

Are last-minute cruises always cheaper?

Booking a last-minute cruise does not necessarily mean you’ll find the cheapest fare. In fact, a quick search on Royal Caribbean’s website shows that many of the cheapest fares listed when filtering the search from “Price: Low to High” are for many months in advance.

Cruise pricing is extremely dynamic and quite unpredictable, so just because a cruise is departing in a few days does not mean the price will always be cheaper than a cruise several months later. In fact, the cheapest cruise fares are usually found right when Royal Caribbean releases new itineraries, which is usually around two years prior to the departure date.

Read more: How to find the cheapest cabins on Royal Caribbean

That being said, it's still possible to find last-minute deals, but you should not expect to always see cheap fares close to departure.

Repricing non last-minute cruise deals

While the prospect of booking a last-minute, cheap cruise fare may seem tempting, it's not necessarily the best way to find a cheap cruise.

Booking in advance can actually offer a cheaper (and more flexible) cruising experience due to Royal Caribbean's repricing policy.

No matter how far in advance you book a cruise, you're able to reprice your cruise an unlimited amount of times prior to final payment. If you initially paid $1500 for a 7-night cruise and the price drops to $1200, Royal Caribbean will refund you the difference in fare.

Read more: Do cruise prices drop?

The only downside to repricing a cruise is that you are unable to reprice the cruise after final payment date. Therefore if the cruise suddenly drops in price ~50 days prior to departure, you'll be stuck paying a higher fare than those booking last-minute.

However, booking earlier is recommended. More often than not, a last-minute cruise deal will not occur for your sailing. Extremely cheap last-minute cruises are the exception, not the rule.

Cancellation policy for last-minute cruises

Because last-minute cruises are booked so close to departure, there is not as much cancellation flexibility compared to booking a cruise months or years in advance. Depending on when you book a last-minute cruise, you may have to pay a cancellation charge if you decide to cancel the sailing.

Ranging from 25% to 100% of the total cost of your cruise, cancellation fees can easily reach thousands of dollars. Therefore, it’s important to be 100% certain you plan to cruise before you book a last-minute sailing.

Royal Caribbean has the following cancellation policy, with cruise cancellation charges varying depending on how far in advance you cancel a cruise:

Cancellation charges on 1-4 night cruises

• 75+ days prior to departure: no charge (except nonrefundable deposit)
• 74 to 61 days: 50% of total price
• 60 to 31 days: 75% of total price
• 30 days or less: 100% of total price (no refund)

Cancellation charges on 5+ night sailings

• 90+ days prior to departure: no charge (except nonrefundable deposit)
• 89 to 75 days: 25% off total price
• 74 to 61 days: 50% off total price
• 60 to 31 days: 75% off total price
• 30 days or less: 100% of total price (no refund)

Pros of booking a last-minute cruise

Great savings

If you’re lucky enough to find a cheap last-minute cruise deal, you can have a truly amazing cruise experience on a budget. Saving money on cruise fare can mean splurging on extras like spa treatments, drink packages, or even a higher category stateroom.

Spontaneous vacation

Spontaneous adventures, whether road trips, date nights, or vacations, are a whole lot of fun. Transitioning from normal life to life on a cruise with little notice can be exhilarating. After all, why spend the weekend watching TV at home when you could be relaxing in the Caribbean?

Cons of booking a last-minute cruise

Cruise addons

Booking a last-minute cruise means you are late to the game when it comes to booking cruise addons like shore excursions and dining packages. By the time you book your cruise, you may find much less availability on excursions and dining packages may be sold out.

Prices of cruise addons may be more expensive as well, as you don’t have the ability to book addons far in advance and later cancel and rebook if you see a cheaper price.

Airfare and hotel prices

Booking a last-minute cruise may mean spending more on transportation to and from the cruise departure port. Airfare, rental cars, train tickets, and hotels tend to only increase in price over time.

You’ll also have less choice when it comes to booking a flight schedule and hotel, which can lead to less than ideal scenarios.

Fewer stateroom choices

One of the biggest cons of a last-minute cruise is that fewer stateroom choices are available. How much this matters to you depends on your cruising style, as some passengers spend a lot of time in their cabin and others view the cabin as just a place to shower and sleep.

Booking at the last minute comes with far fewer stateroom categories than booking in advance, which could leave you disappointed.

Logistics can get complicated

If you have pets, figuring out who can watch them while you’re away on short notice is not always easy. If you have kids, it can be difficult to take them out of school at the last minute when homework, tests, and activities are happening throughout the week.

Planning a last-minute cruise can be more complicated for some passengers than others, so it’s important to consider logistics before booking.

More cruise planning resources:

• What to know about booking a Royal Caribbean cruise
• How to plan a Royal Caribbean cruise on any budget
• Top 9 bad mistakes to make on a Royal Caribbean cruise

A Royal Caribbean cruise is a wonderful way to honeymoon. Everything is taken care of for you, from dining to cleaning, entertainment, and transportation.

Being able to sit back and relax with your new husband or wife is a stress-free way to kick off your marriage, but there’s a lot of planning behind the scenes to ensure you have the best honeymoon cruise possible.

From choosing a ship to splurging on a stateroom and shore excursions, here are our top 20 tips for planning a Royal Caribbean honeymoon cruise.

Choose a cruise ship wisely

The first step to booking a honeymoon cruise is choosing which ship will work best for your preferences. Not all Royal Caribbean ships are built the same, varying in size, amenities, dining options, itineraries, and entertainment.

Reading through our guide on each class of Royal Caribbean cruise ships can be a great starting point to determining which type of ships seem most interesting to you. Smaller ships, like Vision or Radiance Class, may not have as many bells and whistles, but offer fascinating itineraries around the world.

Royal Caribbean’s largest ships, like Quantum or Oasis Class, truly follow the mindset that the ship is the destination. From water slides to ziplines, countless bars and restaurants, and unique entertainment venues, big ships offer many amenities not found on other ships in the fleet.

Read more: 8 questions to ask yourself before picking a cruise ship

Each type of cruise ship has its own pros and cons, so determining what you value in a cruise vacation can help you make a decision. Speaking with a good travel agent can be helpful as well, as they will be able to gauge your interests and cruising style to better help you pick the best cruise ship possible for your honeymoon.

Pick the best itinerary for you

Royal Caribbean offers itineraries around the world, from the fjords of Alaska to the beaches of the South Pacific. It’s important to choose your itinerary wisely to ensure you aren’t left disappointed while on your honeymoon.

Beach lovers will be pleased with either a Caribbean or South Pacific cruise, but individual islands can vary in terms of what activities are offered. Reading through reviews of ports and shore excursions can be a solid starting point for picking a cruise itinerary.

Read more: How to choose the right Caribbean sailing

Islands like St. Thomas and St. Maarten offer a totally different experience than the Western Caribbean ports of Costa Maya and Cozumel, whereas some itineraries will focus more on Royal Caribbean’s private destinations than others.

If you’re not a fan of laying at the beach, look for itineraries in more active destinations. Mediterranean cruises, for example, tend to focus more on visiting historical sites, monuments, and towns along the coast.

There is no “best itinerary” when it comes to a cruise, so taking a look at what types of activities you prefer doing when on shore is the first step toward picking the right itinerary for your honeymoon.

Splurge on an amazing stateroom

Say goodbye to interior cabins and say hello to balconies and suites. While it’s totally fine to cruise on a budget, consider splurging a bit more on your honeymoon. It is your honeymoon after all!

A balcony will be especially nice to have on a honeymoon cruise as it provides a private outdoor area where you and your spouse can relax, have a drink, and enjoy each other’s company.

If you’re looking to treat yourself even more, though, look into suite options for a more luxurious cruise vacation. Suites can vary by ship, but they all include benefits such as priority boarding and departure, concierge service, Suite Lounge access, priority dining reservations, luxury bathroom amenities, VIP pool deck seating, and more.

Oasis and Quantum Class ships have the Royal Suite Class, which provides all of the benefits above plus complimentary access to the suites-only Coastal Kitchen restaurant and–depending on your suite category–access to a Royal Genie.

If you're wondering whether or not a suite is worth it on your honeymoon, check out our YouTube video:

{"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/7YmLlsYbjeU.jpg?itok=SLYJfWyf","video_url":"https://youtu.be/7YmLlsYbjeU","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}

Use RoyalUp

While booking the biggest suite in Royal Caribbean’s fleet may sound nice, it’s definitely not in everyone’s honeymoon budget. If you’re looking for the chance to upgrade your stateroom at a lower cost, try bidding through the RoyalUp program.

RoyalUp is Royal Caribbean’s bidding system that can be used to make “bids” on upgraded stateroom categories. If you booked an interior room, for example, and are hoping to upgrade to a balcony stateroom, you can make a bid through RoyalUp. If your bid is accepted, you’ll be placed in the upgraded stateroom category.

RoyalUp is a bit of a gamble, so it’s not recommended to rely on winning a bid every time. However, if you want to try upgrading stateroom categories without spending as much money as booking the stateroom outright, it’s worth a try.

Read more: How to upgrade your cabin on Royal Caribbean

Consider an Alaska cruise for your honeymoon

While the word “honeymoon” tends to stir up images of sandy beaches and palm trees, a cruise to Alaska can be an unexpectedly amazing honeymoon idea.

Alaska cruises are undeniably gorgeous, with mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and wildlife around every corner. Unlike in the Caribbean where days at sea will have views of, well, the ocean, Alaska cruises almost always have picturesque scenery surrounding the ship.

Cruises to Alaska sail through the state’s Inside Passage, so you and your spouse can enjoy a peaceful morning in bed or on your balcony while viewing colossal mountains and glaciers. Alaska cruises make for some unforgettable shore excursions as well, from helicopter tours to whale watching and kayaking.

The weather on an Alaska cruise may be colder than what you’ll experience on a tropical honeymoon, but it offers the perfect excuse to cuddle up with a blanket in bed with your new husband or wife.

Read more: 50 tips for planning your Alaska cruise

Book with a travel agent

Booking a Royal Caribbean cruise with a travel agent is always a good idea, but especially for a honeymoon cruise. With all the stress that comes with planning a wedding, you don’t want to worry about organizing all of the details of your cruise vacation, too.

A good travel agent will cost nothing extra and will be an extremely valuable resource for you and your spouse before and during the cruise. They can offer advice on itineraries, ship choice, things to do in port, and onboard amenities. If you have any questions or concerns for Royal Caribbean, they will be the ones to contact the cruise line, meaning you won’t have to waste time figuring out your own solutions and waiting on hold on the phone.

Read more: Top 5 things to look for in a good travel agent for your cruise vacation

Book a specialty dining package

While you can enjoy plenty of complimentary dining options on a Royal Caribbean cruise, celebrating your honeymoon onboard is a great excuse to book a dining package. Whether you book the 3-night Dining Package or Unlimited Dining Package, you’ll have the opportunity to try Royal Caribbean’s diverse and high-quality specialty restaurants.

Specialty dining venues cover a wide range of cuisines, from Italian to Japanese and classic American steakhouse fare. Some of our favorites include 150 Central Park if you’re in the mood for an elegant meal or Izumi Hibachi if you’d rather have a more lively dining experience.

If you’re on the fence of whether or not to purchase a dining package for your honeymoon cruise, our video on the pros and cons of a dining package should help you make a decision:

{"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/HSpwxIlXDo8.jpg?itok=6O39FaqR","video_url":"https://youtu.be/HSpwxIlXDo8","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}

Book a beverage package

Just like a dining package, a Royal Caribbean drink package will also enhance your honeymoon cruise. Being able to order wine, cocktails, beer, and spirits without worrying about the cost of each individual drink will make your day to day onboard less stressful. Three types of beverage packages are available: the Soda Package, Refreshment Package, and Deluxe Beverage Package.

The Deluxe Beverage Package is best for passengers who drink alcoholic beverages, as it covers all alcoholic drinks up to $13. Nonalcoholic beverages are included in the package as well, such as fresh squeezed juices, soda, and specialty coffee drinks.

If your honeymoon cruise visits Royal Caribbean’s private destinations of Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee, your drink package will work on shore as well, giving extra value to your purchase.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

Treat yourself to amazing shore excursions

While it’s fun to treat yourself onboard with dining packages, an upgraded stateroom, room service, and spa treatments, don’t forget about booking amazing shore excursions while in port. Royal Caribbean cruises visit some incredible destinations, each of which has a plethora of activities to fit all interests.

It’s important to research the ports you will be visiting and make note of any activities or places that look interesting to you. You want your honeymoon to go as smoothly as possible, so having a general idea of what you plan to do each day will be helpful.

Read more: Guide to picking the perfect Royal Caribbean shore excursion

If you’re in the mood for a fun-filled beach day, an all-inclusive day pass at a resort or a catamaran tour may be of interest. Adrenaline seekers may consider ziplining tours, snorkeling, or scuba diving. History lovers will enjoy visiting Mayan ruins, ancient European cities, and local museums.

If you’re visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay, a day pass at the Coco Beach Club can be a really nice enhancement to your day on shore. If you value having a more secluded, private area to enjoy with your spouse along with a delicious Mediterranean lunch at the Coco Beach Club restaurant, definitely look into spending the day at the Coco Beach Club.

Read more: Coco Beach Club: cost, tips & review

Start a Honeymoon Registry

Why book shore excursions, specialty restaurants, and massages yourself when your friends and family can purchase them for you? Royal Caribbean has its own Honeymoon Registry program, where you can start a registry tailored to your specific cruise ship and interests.

You can register for as many activities, room upgrades, shore excursions, dining packages, and other cruise addons as you wish. Your registry will have its own link, which your friends and family can access to purchase items from your wishlist. Purchases will be “delivered” to you via onboard credit during the cruise.

Reserve a private cabana

If your honeymoon cruise visits Perfect Day at CocoCay, consider reserving a cabana for your day on shore. Cabanas are available around the island, whether at Oasis Lagoon, Thrill Waterpark, Chill Beach, or the Coco Beach Club.

Cabanas offer a private enclave on the island, with seating, hammocks, shade, complimentary beach mats, lockable storage, cabana concierge service, charging outlets, and more.

If you’re really looking to splurge, reserve a floating cabana at the Coco Beach Club. These cabanas feature comfy seating, pool chairs, an over-the-water hammock, waterslide, freshwater shower, drink cooler, and cabana service. They also include lunch at the Coco Beach Club restaurant, which you can enjoy at the restaurant itself or from the privacy of your floating cabana.

Read more: Guide to CocoCay cabanas

If a cabana is too expensive for your budget, a daybed is a nice alternative, although Perfect Day at CocoCay has so many chairs and umbrellas that spending extra money is not totally necessary.

Cabanas are also available at Royal Caribbean's other private destination, Labadee, and may be available in various ports of call as well.

Consider booking a photo package

Once onboard your cruise, you will notice photographers who are available to capture memories of your cruise vacation. Having your picture taken by Royal Caribbean’s photographers is completely free, but purchasing the photos will come at an additional cost.

A photo package can be purchased ahead of time on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website. Prices can vary, but expect to spend around $150-200 for packages with 20-100 photos, which can be delivered in print or digital format.

While you will likely take many photos on your phone, purchasing professional photos onboard can be a nice way to remember your honeymoon and all the fun memories, both onboard and in port, that went with it.

Request a private table in the Main Dining Room

If you’re hoping for a more intimate dining atmosphere in the Main Dining Room on your honeymoon, make sure to request a private table for you and your spouse. With so many passengers onboard, it’s not always guaranteed that you will, by default, be seated at your own private table.

While dining with strangers and making new friends can be nice, having a private table will mean more quality time to spend together.

Treat yourself to room service

Not much feels more luxurious than breakfast in bed with views of the ocean outside your window. Whether pancakes at breakfast or salmon at dinner, ordering room service on a honeymoon cruise is a must.

Royal Caribbean’s room service is not free, with the exception of continental breakfast. However, it comes at a price of only $7.95 per order, per room, so ordering room service occasionally is almost always worth the extra cost for convenience on any honeymoon cruise.

Read more: Royal Caribbean room service guide & tips

Book a spa treatment

A honeymoon is all about treating yourself and enjoying time together as newlyweds. Why not book a spa treatment together to enhance your cruise? Royal Caribbean offers a variety of couples treatments at the Vitality Spa, from a deep tissue massage to aroma stone therapy. Whichever treatment you choose, you’re guaranteed to leave the spa refreshed and relaxed.

If your ship has a thermal spa onboard, this can be another nice splurge on a honeymoon cruise. Thermal spas include hot stone loungers, steam rooms, saunas, and rainforest showers that bring the ultimate feeling of relaxation and luxury to a cruise vacation. Thermal spa passes can be purchased for the week and there’s often a discount if you buy a pass as a couple.

Go on a sunset stroll

All of Royal Caribbean’s ships offer plenty of places onboard to relax with a beautiful view, and heading outside for a casual stroll at sunset is a nice way to spend an evening on a honeymoon cruise.

The outdoor promenade deck or pool deck make for a nice walking path where you can take a few laps around the ship to take in the ocean and sunset views. Sometimes the most romantic of memories on a cruise vacation are found in the simplest of activities.

Purchase The Key

The Key is an addon you can purchase before a Royal Caribbean cruise that gives passengers exclusive amenities throughout the cruise. Benefits of The Key include:

• Priority access into the terminal on Day 1
• Carry-on bag drop off in the Main Dining Room with stateroom delivery
• Exclusive embarkation day lunch in the Main Dining Room with the Chops Grille menu
• Private time at onboard activities such as rock climbing and the FlowRider
• Early access at entertainment venues
• VOOM Surf & Stream internet for 1 device
• Exclusive breakfast on disembarkation day and choice departure

{"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/vccrTtgFIJs.jpg?itok=pbOnsjTG","video_url":"https://youtu.be/vccrTtgFIJs","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}

There are pros and cons of purchasing The Key, but it can be a nice way to enhance a honeymoon cruise. Priority boarding, exclusive time at activities, and private meals can help bring that feeling of exclusivity to your honeymoon and allow you to experience more onboard with less time waiting in lines.

Surprise your spouse with a treat

Another addon that can be purchased prior to your cruise are surprises that will arrive in your stateroom on embarkation day. Plates of chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, chocolate cake, cheese trays, wine, and more are available to purchase on the Cruise Planner website.

Purchasing an item ahead of time means it will be delivered to your stateroom on the first day of the cruise, offering the perfect start to your honeymoon and a nice way to surprise your spouse with a treat.

Fly in the day before your cruise departs

One of our top cruise tips at Royal Caribbean Blog is to never fly to your cruise departure port on embarkation day. It’s always a better idea to fly in the day before your cruise begins. If your cruise leaves Miami on Monday, for example, make sure to arrive on Sunday.

Weather delays, flight cancellations, technical problems, highway congestion, and other unexpected circumstances can cause you to miss your cruise if you don’t leave enough buffer time. Flying in a day ahead of time gives you more wiggle room to catch a later flight or figure out alternate transportation options in case of delays.

It’s better to fly in a day ahead of time and spend the night in a hotel than to miss your honeymoon cruise altogether!

Read more: Why you shouldn’t fly to your cruise the same day it begins

Spend extra time on land before and after the cruise

Our last tip is to consider spending extra time in your cruise departure port before or after the cruise to make the most of your honeymoon. Royal Caribbean cruises tend to depart from cities or areas with many activities, beaches, culinary scenes, and nightlife to explore.

Whether sunbathing in Miami, sightseeing in Barcelona, or visiting Disneyland in California, spending an extra day or two prior to your cruise in your departure port can be a fun way to kickstart your honeymoon.