Thinking about booking a cruise, but aren't ready to commit yet? It's now easier to buy yourself more time to think it over.

Royal Caribbean has updated its policy regarding courtesy holds to give guests more time before it expires.

A courtesy hold allows a guest to hold a booking with no deposit.

This hold allows the guest to hold not only the cabin, but also the promotional pricing.

Travel agents were sent an update that indicates as of October 28, 2024, the maximum allowed courtesy hold period has been increased to 5 days. Any booking created before October 28th will be honored under the existing option date policy.

The exact length of time you have under a courtesy hold depends on how far in advance you are booking:

• 0 hold days for sailings departing within 0 to 30 days
• 1 hold day for sailings departing within 31 to 45 days
• 2 hold days for sailings departing within 46 to 90 days
• 5 hold days for sailings departing within 91 days or more

The new five day policy is available if you book on your own or with a travel agent. Here's an example of the five day hold available for a cruise in December 2025:

The cruise line says the change was made to make things simpler, "This change is designed to simplify the booking process across all channels, ensuring that both you, as the advisor, and your guests have access to the most accurate inventory across our fleet."

They also said they hope more time will provide, "a more streamlined booking experience, making your bookings easier to manage, and encouraging your clients to finalize their reservations earlier."

In order to avoid a cancellation, payments need to be made prior to 11:00 PM EDT. If no payment is made window expires, the reservation is automatically cancelled.

Why place a hold instead of making a deposit

There are a few good reasons to place a hold on a cabin before booking a cruise.

Placing a hold locks in the price, which means you have more time to decide to book the cruise.

You not only get to hold the price, but also any promotions that come with the price, such as kids sail free, onboard credit, et al.

All too often, cabins get booked up before someone can decide on if they want to cruise.  This ensures more time to get vacation time approved from work, pet setting, and other considerations you may need to secure before being ready to book.

Another advantage of a hold is you can investigate which add-ons are available to book, such as drink packages, shore excursions, and more.

Unlike a booking, there's no money at play. This means it's easy to lock in a price of a cabin for a short period of time to decide later.

Courtesy hold vs deposit

You might be wondering what the differences and advantages are to placing a hold or a deposit on a sailing.

A courtesy hold requires no money down, but only lasts up to 48 hours before it expires.  

A deposit requires at least a few hundred dollars down, but ensures that cabin is yours until you cancel or if you fail to make final payment date.

Both a courtesy hold and a deposit secure the price and promotions at the time of booking.

If you cancel a hold, there's no penalty or money to be refunded. A cancelled deposit means potentially money to be refunded and/or money lost due to a penalty from a non-refundable deposit type.

You should think of courtesy holds as a way to give yourself more time to think about booking without losing a specific cabin and/or price.  

Deposits ensure the room is yours until final payment date, albeit with certain rules depending on which deposit type you choose (refundable or non-refundable).

If your sailing is already past final payment date, then full payment will be required at the time of booking.  A courtesy hold would still allow you to reserve a room temporarily without money down.

The first half of Royal Caribbean's deployment plan for a summer European cruise in 2026 is now available to book.

A week after the cruise line revealed its Alaska 2026 cruises, a new batch of sailings for Europe are out as well.

Royal Caribbean is splitting its European deployment into two segments, so expect more ships to be posted in January 2025. 

UPDATE: The cruises are now available to book.

A variety of different itineraries will be offered throughout the region. You can cruise to Northern Europe, Norway, the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, and more!

So far five cruise ships will sail around Europe between April and October 2026, including Harmony of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas.

Here's a breakdown of which ships will be deployed to Europe and where they will be sailing from:

Harmony of the Seas will arrive in Europe in May, offering cruises from Barcelona, Spain around the Western Mediterranean on 7-night voyages.

Harmony will visit destinations in France, Spain & Italy.

Liberty of the Seas will call Southampton, England home in 2026 and offer cruises of varying lengths that visit Spain, Portugal, Northern Europe, Norway and more.

There are even a couple of 2-night cruises for quick getaways. Most of Liberty's sailings will focus on Northern and Western Europe.

Of particular interest is a 9-Night Solar Eclipse sailing that will put visitors right in the path of a solar eclipse. The total solar eclipse will take place on August 12, 2026.

Odyssey of the Seas is back in Europe again for summer 2026, based out of Civitavecchia, Italy.

The ship will visit destinations in Greece, Italy, and Turkey.

Royal Caribbean will bounce Brilliance of the Seas around Europe, homeporting her in Civitavecchia, Italy, Ravenna, Italy, Barcelona, Spain, and Athens, Greece.

There are a wide variety of itineraries to consider on Brilliance, including visits to the Greek Isles, Adriatic, French Riviera, and more.

Explorer of the Seas will homeport in Ravenna, Italy and sail primarily 7-night Greece & Adriatic cruises.

When will the rest of Europe 2026 cruises be released?

Phase two of the deployment will be coming in a few weeks.

Expect the remaining ships sailing to Europe in 2026 to be revealed the week of January 27, 2025.

Cruise fans may want more exotic itineraries and/or newer ships in Europe, so it's possible Royal Caribbean will mix things up with its remaining deployment plans.

Next deployment delayed

There's been a change in Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule for its next release.

Instead of a release next week, they will combine Summer & Yearlong Caribbean and Northeast cruises and post all of them during the week of November 18, 2024.

Don't read too much into this change. The deployment schedule usually gets altered a couple of times each year.

• Week of November 18, 2024: Summer & Yearlong Caribbean; Northeast April 2026 – April 2027
• Week of January 27, 2025: Europe Cont.
• Week of February 17, 2025: Short Caribbean & West Coast
• Week of March 31, 2025: Australia
• TBD: China & Singapore

What are the best months to take a European cruise?

In general, the best months to cruise the Mediterranean and Greek Isles are May, June, September, and October. While outside of the peak summer season, these months see more favorable weather. Plus, you'll find fewer land-based tourists at popular attractions. 

You are more likely to spend time visiting cities, rather than lounging on the beach like you would if you were taking a cruise to The Bahamas or Caribbean. Walking around ports Rome, Athens, and Barcelona can be uncomfortable in July and August. 

Because of the cooler climate, the summer months see lower temperatures in Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Iceland. You'll also have the most daylight. 

Related: When is the best time to go on a cruise?

More about European cruises:

• 7 tips for a great Royal Caribbean Baltic cruise
• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• 7 mistakes & 3 things I did right on my Royal Caribbean Norwegian fjords cruise
• I’ve been on 3 European cruises, and I see people making the same 12 mistakes: here’s how to avoid them
• UK vs. US cruising: What are the main differences?

If and when Royal Caribbean orders a new cruise ship to be built, it probably won't be ready until 2028 or later.

New cruise ships are just about the most exciting thing in the cruise industry because of all the excitement and hype they generate. It's akin to your favorite sports team signing the next big thing to play for them.

Naturally, there's a lot of intrigue surrounding new ships and Wall Street is equally interested to hear about new ship order plans as much as cruise fans.

During the Royal Caribbean Group earnings call on Tuesday, cruise line executives were asked if they were effectively done with any new ships showing up before 2028.

Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty thought about the question and said he believes all the ships that could be ordered in time for 2027 are probably done, and maybe even into 2028.

"I think for the most part, you certainly have seen all of our orders through 27 and maybe even into 2028," he said in response to the question.

He danced around the question a bit, as he wanted to emphasize the company was focused on slowly growing its fleet, and not seeking any kind of rapid building program.

"I will say that we heavily subscribed to moderate yield growth, moderate capacity growth, and good cost control."

"So on that moderate capacity growth standpoint, we continue to to look to moderately grow our fleet, moderately grow each of our brands."

A new smaller cruise ship

While the question covers every brand within the Royal Caribbean Group family, cruisers may be aware of Royal Caribbean International's not-so-well-kept secret of plans to build a new smaller cruise ship.

Referred to as the Discovery Class, it's a proposed plan to replace Royal Caribbean's aging smaller ships: the Radiance and Vision Class.

With the Vision Class ships approaching 30 years old in age, not only is the timing ripe, but the ships have a notable gap in experience between them and the newer ships that have launched in the last few years.

Officially, nothing has been confirmed or revealed regarding the Discovery Class ships. However, there have been subtle hints.

As recently as August 2024, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about them.

He indicated a new ship class was coming in the next three to four years, and was perhaps the most candid about the idea so far.

"We’re working now on another class of ship called Discovery Class. So, that’s going to be super exciting. That’ll come in about another 3 to 4 years from now," he said in an interview.

Doing the math on that quote, three to four years from now is 2027-2028, which is right around the time period Mr. Liberty indicated could be the new timeframe for a future ship order.

What ships Royal Caribbean has on order right now

There are a number of new cruise ships confirmed and ordered to come out in the next few years.

Star of the Seas is under construction in Finland, and will begin sailing in August 2025.

Star is the second Icon Class cruise ship, and will follow-up on the tremendous success of Icon of the Seas. It will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida and offer 7-night Caribbean cruises.

In 2026, a third Icon Class cruise ship will join the fleet.

There's no name yet for this ship, and we know virtually nothing about it yet. Royal Caribbean's tendency is not to talk about new ships beyond the next new cruise ship.

A fourth Icon Class cruise ship will launch sometime in 2027.

After that, we'll get a new Oasis Class ship in 2028.

Royal Caribbean also has options to build a fifth and sixth Icon Class ship. 

Options are like reserved slots at a shipyard, which means a cruise line can activate that option later and still get the ship in the construction pipeline.

The marketing is definitely working at Royal Caribbean, with more people than ever cruising, especially new cruisers.

Royal Caribbean Group shared the results of its third quarter in 2024 on Tuesday, and one important metric to note is how many people that have never cruised before.

Speaking to Wall Street analysts on a conference call, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty gave an overview of consumer spending and delved into some interesting facts about who is cruising.

Not only is his company seeing incredible growth, but demand is soaring as well.  And that demand is coming more and more from new cruisers.

In the third quarter of 2024, Royal Caribbean Group carried 2.3 million passengers across all of its brands of lines, which include Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and SilverSea.

That's more than they had in the same quarter of 2023 when 1.9 million passengers cruised.

"The majority of our guests this year are either new to cruise or new to brand," Mr. Liberty shared in the call.

Before you assume it's just rookie cruisers booking, loyal customers are also booking, "at the same time our loyalty guests are up 20% compared to last year."

Spending big on cruise add-ons

Regardless of who books, a lot of people are then going right in and spending even more money on additional experiences for their cruise.

The cruise fare includes the basics, but there are lots of other options to consider.  Shore excursions, internet access, beverage packages, spa treatments, and more are some of the things people tend to book.

Mr. Liberty explained, "Once booked, guests are quickly engaged with us and buying on board experiences at higher speeds, translating into higher satisfaction rates and higher onboard spend. "

The term "onboard spend" refers to the category of purchases a customer makes that are above and beyond the cruise fare booking.

He indicated more than 70% of customers are purchasing onboard activities before they sail. Compared to a customer that waits to book their cruise extras onboard, Royal Caribbean Group is seeing people that pre-book spending more than double.

Part of their success in getting almost three quarters of their customers to spend extra are the ways they entice their customers.

"Half of our onboard revenue in the third quarter was purchased through our AI driven pre-cruise channels," Mr. Liberty said.

This comes in the form of specialized sales, promotions, and advertisements that target specific customers.  It could be a generic sale, a promotion targeting senior citizens, or opportunistic holiday promotion.

Who is cruising right now

Royal Caribbean Group is seeing a very healthy consumer looking to book cruise vacations, and they're skewing younger and younger.

"American households are wealthier than ever, with continued wage growth and low unemployment driving strong consumer spending," Mr. Liberty declared during the call.

Specifically, they are seeing Millennials, families and active cruisers all excessively booking on both leisure travel and specifically cruise travel.

"Our addressable market is growing and we are attracting more new customers into our vacation ecosystem, particularly younger demographics."

Royal Caribbean's research shows that consumer spending on leisure has grown a lot faster than most other spend categories over the past 12 months, with spend on travel increasing at a faster pace than other leisure categories.

They believe this trend will continue over the next 12 months, with leisure travel spending growing by more than any other leisure category.

Consumers are paying more too

Not only is the business demand strong, but there's a clear indication customers are willing to pay more for it.

Mr. Liberty was candid in discussing the pricing trends his company employs, "the trends show that we continue to be able to elevate demand, elevate pricing each day."

"We continue to see strong volumes [of] the customers willingness to pay more."

Why? Mr. Liberty thinks their product is so compelling and demand for a cruise vacation, in general, is so robust, that it's viewed as a must-do.

"I think that the cruise experience is now considered to be a very mainstream vacation product. And there's still a significant value proposition versus land based vacation."

Do elections matter to cruise bookings?

There was an interesting question asked by one of the analysts if the upcoming U.S. election has any impact on demand for booking a cruise.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley debunked any sense that the election cycle, or who wins, makes a difference to his company's bottom line, "We've gone back and done the analysis over literally decades, and it may be there may be a little bit of volatility during the week of the election, but over when you spread it over a longer period, there's effectively no impact on bookings as a result of elections, no matter which way they go."

Royal Caribbean Group is on a roll with another great quarter, and even better outlook for the days to come.

The company shared its third quarter financial results, which were better than expected.

Net income for the third quarter was $1.1 billion, compared to Net Income of $1.0 billion for the same period in the prior year.  The company also reported total revenues of $4.9 billion.

The driving force behind its strong quarter was higher prices on last-minute cruises, continued high demand for cruise extras, and lower costs due to timing.

Another factor was balance sheet actions taken in the third quarter resulted in lower interest expense and the company's return to its pre-Covid unsecured balance sheet.

In a statement, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty celebrated the robust earnings, "Our exceptional third quarter results and increased full year expectations reflect the robust demand for our differentiated vacation experiences."

He's already looking ahead to 2025 as a year where Royal Caribbean will grow significantly more, "We see elevated demand patterns continuing as we build the business for 2025, and although the yield comparable will be a high bar, our proven formula of moderate capacity growth, moderate yield growth and strong cost discipline is expected to continue to deliver strong financial results."

Third quarter results

There were interesting statistics to come out of Royal Caribbean Group's strong quarter.

In the third quarter, across all of the company's brands, the occupancy rate was 111%. This means cruise ship cabins were not just sold out, but more cabins had more than two people in them. 

Royal Caribbean Group saw higher pricing overall, but European and Alaska cruises saw particularly higher prices. In addition, the company made more money through selling add-ons, such as drink packages, WiFi, shore excursions, and more.

Strong demand is a major factor, as Royal Caribbean Group is actually seeing the demand and pricing environment accelerated since last quarter, exceeding 2023 levels. 

"Consumer spending onboard, as well as pre-cruise purchases, continue to significantly exceed 2023 levels driven by greater participation at higher prices," the company said in a statement.

They believe their success is due to vacationers preferring their new cruise ships, existing ships, and private destinations.

"Support our growth ambitions"

Another important success for the company this quarter was the company's return to its pre-Covid unsecured balance sheet.

A balance sheet refers to a company's assets, liabilities, and owner's equity at a specific point in time.

Royal Caribbean Group has spent many months paying back loans, refinancing loans, and structuring its debt to not hinder the company's operations.

Like all cruise lines, Royal Caribbean Group took on a lot of debt during the 2020 cruise industry shutdown to stay in business through a variety of loans.

Royal Caribbean Group CFO announced, "This quarter, we achieved an important milestone of returning to a fully unsecured capital structure while also reducing cost of capital and recapturing a portion of our Covid-era share dilution."

He went on to say this change allows them to, "further support our growth ambitions and expand capital allocation." That's an important indication for cruise fans who are always eager to see their new plans.

Capital spending is the category of expenses the company refers to when it builds a new cruise ship or builds a new private island.

As an example, the next private beach experience was announced during the third quarter to build Perfect Day Mexico, which will open in 2027.

Black Friday is finally on the horizon, and that means potential savings on cruise fares, drink packages, WiFi and more.

While traditionally a Black Friday sale occurs the day after Thanksgiving, which this year is November 29. Royal Caribbean is joining a large list of retailers and companies that gets in on the sale fever.

The specific promotion plan was inadvertently shared, but suffice to say, Royal Caribbean will likely have a big sale leading right up to the mega sale period between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Once Royal Caribbean officially announces the Black Friday promotions, there will be all sorts of saving potential.

Sales on fares and extras

Royal Caribbean's exact Black Friday promotions have evolved over the years, but the general plan is usually to offer a combination of cruise fare and Cruise Planner sale.

We've even seen them combine Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales into a weeklong “Cyber Week Sale”. 

While Black Friday sales are standard within the cruise industry, the best offers typically come during Wave Season (the first three months of the calendar year). That being said, you can expect to see some savings during the cruise line’s Cyber Week Sale.

While there will undoubtedly be sales on extra add-ons you can buy for a cruise, Royal Caribbean has not revealed details on those sales or discounts yet.

Typically the Cruise Planner sale occurs in tandem with the new cruise booking sales, and offers discounts on drink packages, shore excursions, The Key, specialty dining and more.

Here's a look at Royal Caribbean's 2023 Black Friday sale on its add-ons for an idea of what might be in store for 2024.

What types of deals are offered on Black Friday?

The exact deal offered on Black Friday can change by year, but you can expect to see both savings on cruise fares and savings on pre-cruise purchases like shore excursions and dining packages.

Last year’s Black Friday sale on cruise fare allowed guests to save up to $750 in instant savings, plus 30% off everyone in the cabin. 

It also had many discounts offered on pre-cruise add-ons, including the following:

• Beverage: Up to 50% off
  • Refreshment Package: 35% off onboard prices
    • 50% off for Kids (12 and younger)
  • Classic Soda Package: 35% off onboard prices
    • 50% off for Kids (12 and younger)
• Shore Excursions: Up to 50% off
• Internet: Up to 55% Off
• The Key: Up to 40% Off
• Specialty Dining: Up to 45% Off
  • Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 14N sailings: Discount varies by ship.
  • Chops Grille — Lunch: 40% off onboard prices
  • Giovanni's Table — Lunch: 40% off onboard prices
  • Hooked — Lunch: 40% off onboard prices
  • Izumi Hibachi Experience — Lunch: 20% off onboard prices
  • Jamie's Italian Restaurant — Lunch: 40% off onboard prices
  • The Mason Jar — Brunch: 40% off onboard prices
  • Lunch at Hot Pot: 40% off onboard prices
  • Lunch at Sabor: 40% off onboard prices
  • Lunch at Wonderland: 40% off onboard prices
• Spa: Up to 30% Off
• Gifts & Gear: Up to 45% Off
• Photo Packages: Up to 65% Off
• Onboard Activities: Up to 50% off
  • All Access Ship tour: 25% off onboard prices
  • Casitas Sea Day: 20% off onboard prices
  • Casitas Port Day: Discount varies by ship.
    • Up to 40% off onboard prices
  • Ocean View Day Bed – Sea Day: 20% off onboard prices
  • Ocean View Day Bed – Port Day: 40% off onboard prices
  • North Star Extended Experience: 20% off onboard prices
  • FlowRider: 20% off onboard prices
  • FlowRider Private Lesson: 20% off onboard prices
  • RipCord by iFLY Two Minute Experience: 20% off onboard prices
  • Escape the Rubicon: 20% off onboard prices
  • Mission Control: Apollo 18: 20% off onboard prices
  • Observatorium: 20% off onboard prices
  • Sprinkle Time Cupcake Decorating Class:
    • Up to 25% off onboard prices
  • Sip.Tour.Brunch.: 25% off onboard prices
  • Cooking Class Guacamole: 15% off onboard prices
  • Introduction to Pickleball Clinic: 40% off onboard prices

When will Royal Caribbean's Black Friday sale be announced?

Royal Caribbean typically releases its Cyber Week Sale information once we get closer to Thanksgiving. Last year, the sale for pre-cruise add-ons began November 9 and the sale on cruise fares began Wednesday, November 23.

At the very least, we can expect a sale over the week of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, extending into Cyber Monday.  How early and for how long the deals last will is unknown.

You can still take advantage of a better price on cruise add-ons

If you’ve already purchased add-ons like an internet package or spa service for your upcoming cruise, be sure to check the price of the add-on under the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale.

If the price is lower, you can cancel and rebook the add-on with no penalty up to 48 hours before your cruise date.

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Coinciding with new itinerary releases

Not only is Black Friday and Cyber Monday a popular time to book a cruise, but they conveniently take place around the same time new 2026-2027 cruises go on sale.

The Northeast, Summer & Yearlong Caribbean sailings will go on sale the week of November 18, 2024. It covers sailings between April 2026 – April 2027.

Royal Caribbean originally had Summer & Yearlong Caribbean and the Northeast sailings coming out separately, but travel agents were advised the deployment schedule has been updated to push the Caribbean deployment back a week and combine it with the Northeast deployment.

Traditionally, new sailings going on sale is the perfect time to get in on the lowest prices before inventory starts to be sold off and prices rise.

Royal Caribbean is taking a precautionary measure to avoid bad weather by switching itineraries on its newest ship.

Guests sailing on Utopia of the Seas for a 4-night Bahamas cruise that boarded on October 28 were informed their voyage would need to change destinations.

The original plan was for Utopia to visit Nassau, Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Due to "adverse weather" predicted for their voyage, the cruise line changed plans so the ship will go to it's private destination in Haiti, known as Labadee.

Emails were sent to passengers and their travel agents the day before the cruise began to inform them of the change, "Along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we've been monitoring some adverse weather along our intended path."

"In order to steer clear of any inclement weather conditions, we'll need to cancel our visits to Nassau, Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay, and we'll now enjoy a visit to our private destination, Labadee, Haiti instead."

This is the second time Utopia has visited Labadee unexpectedly in the last few weeks. Earlier in October, Hurricane Milton forced the ship to deviate there.

Royal Caribbean apologized for the last-minute change in plans, "We're terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather - the safety and well-being of our guests and crew are always our top priority."

Any pre-purchased shore excursions for Nassau or CocoCay will be automatically refunded in the form of an onboard credit to passenger's SeaPass accounts. 

These credits can be used anywhere onboard, and any remaining, refundable amounts at the end of the sailing will be reimbursed to the card on file in up to 14 business days from final disembarkation. 

Cruise ships visiting Haiti again

Utopia of the Seas' visit to Labadee this week is one of many ships that recently began sailing again to the private destination.

While Labadee is in Haiti, it's in a remote area of the country and walled off from the mainland.

Royal Caribbean suspended visits to Labadee in March after Haiti suffered political unrest and gang warfare.

Haiti declared a state of emergency on March 3rd, and the country's Prime Minister resigned on March 12th.

Haiti has been under the U.S.'s highest travel advisory possible since March. The U.S. State Department renewed its Level 4 Travel Advisory this September, still telling citizens the country can not help if they fall victim to a crime.

Unfortunately, Haiti is no stranger to instability.  Royal Caribbean monitors the situation in every place their ships visit closely to ensure ships can visit in a reasonably safe manner.

Adventure of the Seas was the first ship to return to Labadee on October 8, and many other ships have visited since.

Keeping cruise ships out of bad weather

Royal Caribbean monitors adverse weather around the world to keep its passengers, crew members, and ships safe.

Royal Caribbean employs its own meteorologist to assist ship Captains in making changes to itineraries.

Instead of cancelling a cruise, ships can simply sail elsewhere and enjoy better weather and safer conditions.

That could mean something as simple as swapping the order of ports on the itinerary, canceling certain calls altogether or switching the sailing region completely.

With hurricane season winding down (there's just about a month left), the risk of tropical storms will lessen. However, it's not impossible for there to be a hurricane.

Historically, November generates one storm every 1 to 2 years, on average. In the past 10 years, the season's last storm fizzled as soon as Oct. 28 and as late as Dec. 7.

Royal Caribbean is well-known for offering family-focused vacations, but they've taken this to a new level with a special suite.

The Ultimate Family Suite is a one-of-a-kind cabin on Utopia of the Seas that is massive and includes just about everything kids, their parents, and visiting friends could ever want in a room.

Essentially, the design of the suite was centered around coming up with just about everything a family would want in a room, and then added a bunch of other options they've only dreamed of.

This isn't just one of the biggest suites on the ship, it also comes with Star Class benefits, which means it has some of the best perks on the ship.

Ordinarily, a suite this big with this much to do is priced well out of my price range, but because Utopia only sails short 3- and 4-night cruises, the barrier to entry was less than if it was a week-long cruise. Plus, I booked it years ago when Royal Caribbean opened up bookings and I scoured the schedule for an opportune time to book it.

For my family of 4, the price came out to $12,609.08 for the 3-night cruise. I paid for it myself, and neither Royal Caribbean nor a travel agency subsidized or paid for the cabin.

Expensive, yes, but in the grand scheme of this particular suite, it was a reasonable price for an unbelieve room. Plus, I was curious to know if the experience really matched up. Was the cabin all schtick? Or would it be the kind of suite I'd actually want to stay in.

I've stayed in some of Royal Caribbean's biggest cabins in the past, so mega suites aren't new to me. I wasn't sure if this room would live up to the hype, and I was concerned I would be disappointed having paid for a lot of fluff, and not a suite that delivered on a good overall experience.

My suite was located on deck eighteen, which is deck reserved exclusively for suite cabins.

Decks 17 and 18 are part of the suite neighborhood, which includes the Suite Lounge and Coastal Kitchen, an exclusive restaurant for guests staying in a suite (and Pinnacles too).

There's a special entrance to the Ultimate Family Suite as you come out of the elevators.

When I tapped my room key card and opened the door, I walked into the living room and instantly recognized this kind of a room was totally different than what I was used to.

The Ultimate Family Suite has three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a large living room, play room, and a movie room.

It has a loft configuration, which means there are two levels. The master bedroom and kids room are on the upper level.

On the bottom floor is the living room, dining area, play area, and a third bedroom with nearby bathroom.

The living room is larger than many livings room on land, and has a giant sofa and comfy chairs that are perfect for watching television, playing video games, or just chatting with friends. There's a PlayStation and Nintendo Switch that come with the room to use.

There's also an expansive digital table where you can not only have meals, but play a variety of video games.  Kids and adults are quickly drawn to trying a game or two.  My kids spent much more time playing with this table than I expected.

Without a doubt the giant slide is the pièce de résistance of this suite. Everyone is instantly drawn to this feature, and it's undeniably fun to go down (over and over again).

My concern with the slide is it would be a one-and-done thing, but my kids went down it every day dozens of times.  They used the pillows that came with the suite as a mat racer, and they enjoyed riding it over and over again.

And yes, adults can go down the slide too. I was impressed how fast you'll head down on it, and everyone that visited the room wanted a try at it.

Underneath the slide is play area, with a great suspended chair.

At the exit of the slide is the movie room, which is about as big as some inside cabins.

There are no shortage of televisions in this suite, but the movie room has no windows, so you can dim it perfectly for movie watching.  Star Class guests get the pay-per-view movies for free, but you could also stream your favorite flicks to the screen.

The couch is like an overflowing sofa made out of the material from your favorite pillow.  I don't know why there's a television behind the couch.

There's even a microwave where you can heat up your own popcorn.

Near door is a bedroom, which is probably best for grandparents, friends, or even older kids. 

It has a king size bed, vanity area, and a view of the pool deck.

A full bathroom is located next to this bedroom, which also serves as the bathroom visitors would use. 

I was impressed by the double sinks and giant shower, that even has a large bench.

Heading upstairs, you'll walk up piano stairs.  Each step plays a note of a classical music selection. Beethoven's Für Elise was what I heard all weekend. Don't worry, there's a way to turn it off if you prefer (or when going to bed).

The master bedroom is similar to other loft suite master bedroom configurations.

There's a king size bed that faces the windows, so you could wake up to a view of the ocean.  It has nightstands on both sides of the bed, with plenty of power plugs.

There is a sitting area and vanity nearby, along with giant closets behind the bed.

The master bathroom features double sinks and a big shower, with rainforest head and opposing shower heads.

Next door to the master bedroom is the kids room. 

There's a fun door that has a "doggy door" for kids to climb through. I was surprised how much my kids opted to go through the hole rather than open the door.

There are four bunk beds, and each has its own television with headphones.  No fighting over what to watch in this room!

There's a full bathroom attached to this bedroom too.

The entrance to the slide is right off the kids room, and they loved this feature. Being able to slide down rather than take the spiral staircase was their preferred mode of transportation.

Outside the cabin is a sprawling balcony space.

The balcony has three main features, and it faces the ocean.

Staying in this suite means you have your own hot tub to enjoy. It can fit four adults reasonably.  Beyond that, and you'll have to start getting creative with where everyone's legs and feet are going.

There's a dining space outside too, so you can have meals delivered here.

And you'll also find a lucky climber feature, which is really fun for young kids. There's a larger version on the Boardwalk, and I guarantee toddlers will never want to leave it.

An equally compelling feature of this suite is the Royal Genie services, which provides VIP privileges to everyone staying in the cabin.

Speaking of benefits, everyone staying in the Ultimate Family Suite gets complimentary access to Thrill Waterpark at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Obviously this is not a cheap room. It's not affordable or a good value. It's designed to be the epitome of splurges and offer one of the most luxurious and fun rooms you could ever find on Utopia of the Seas.

While the price tag is high, it delivers a wow factor and memory making experience that is unrivaled. 

I was more impressed by how much space there was, and how conducive it was to entertaining friends. There was more than enough space to invite friends to visit, and I never felt like we ran out of space.

Speaking of space, having three bedrooms means you could easily share this cabin with another family and split the cost.  It sleeps up to 8 people, and with so much space, it would comfortably sleep 8 people. We joked the movie room's couch is big enough and comfortable enough to become a makeshift fourth bedroom.

If your family wants a lot of space, absolutely incredible features, the best perks, and are willing to spend a lot for it, then you won't regret booking the Ultimate Family Suite.

A 66-year-old woman went overboard from a cruise ship late Tuesday night, and it's being reported she jumped.

Search efforts were made quickly to try to find the woman who was sailing on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas.

TMZ reports that the, "woman jumped from the 14th floor of the cruise ship."

Both the U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Bahamas Defense Force conducted searches, along with Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

Search efforts proved unsuccessful and the operation was called off on Wednesday.

The woman went overboard at 9:40 PM on Tuesday.

Earlier, Royal Caribbean issued a statement, "Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort and is working with local authorities. We are also providing support and assistance to the guest's family during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our guest’s family, we have no additional details to share."

Jump, not fall

A representative for the Royal Bahamas Defense Force made the distinction that the woman jumped from the ship, which is important understanding what happened.

News of someone going overboard into the ocean is enough to scare a lot of people that are unaware of how safe cruise ships really are.

Unfortunately, media reports tend to use the word "fall" to describe the action, which conjures up imagery of a passenger minding their own business when they fall unexpectedly over the side of a cruise ship.

"I'll stress that people don't just fall over the side," said Brian Salerno, senior vice president of global maritime policy at Cruise Lines International Association (now retired). 

"There are railings and they're pretty high. It's almost always the result of an intentional act."

Cruise ships have railings that are around chest height to ensure passenger safety and to prevent someone from slipping and falling overboard.

The situation is either the result of someone intentionally jumping, or being somewhere they shouldn't be and then falling.  As an example, climbing on the railing or standing on a deck chair.

Royal Caribbean's guest-conduct policy says, "Sitting, standing, laying or climbing on, over or across any exterior or interior railings or other protective barriers, or tampering with ship's equipment, facilities or systems designed for guest safety is not permitted." 

Breaking the rules can result in being kicked off the ship at the next port.

In past similar incidents, guests have not only been kicked off the ship but also banned for life from the cruise line.

A woman that stood on her balcony railing in 2019 was banned for life.

What happens when someone is overboard?

As is the case with the incident this week on Spectrum of the Seas, the first thing the ship's crew will do is attempt to ascertain when the man overboard situation occurred.

The ship will also contact local authorities to help conduct a search.

In the United States, the Coast Guard is contact, but since this occurred in Asia, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Singapore was the agency Royal Caribbean contacted to assist in the search.

The ship and local authorities will attempt to search an area based on where the person likely hit the water, and where they are likely to be.

A cruise to Alaska is one of the most popular kind of cruises, but which itinerary should you pick?

If you have never cruised to Alaska before, you may find the decision of which ship, embarkation port, and itinerary a tough decision.  There are many considerations when choosing an Alaska cruise, but ultimately the decision may come down to budget, convenience, and time.

Before booking a cruise to Alaska, here is what you need to know about picking the perfect Alaska cruise for your family.

Embarkation port

Royal Caribbean offers cruises from two primary ports, Seattle and Vancouver.

Cruises that go from Seattle are more convenient for Americans, because there are more daily flights to Seattle from around the country, and prices are cheaper since a flight to Seattle is a domestic flight.

Flights to Vancouver can be a little more difficult to get (especially direct flights), but you could always fly to Seattle and take the train or a rental car to try to save money.

Cruises from Seattle are roundtrip sailings that begin and end in Seattle. Many cruises from Vancouver can be open-jaw sailings, which means they begin in Vancouver and end in Anchorage. You could book the next sailing to return to Vancouver, but that would require two weeks. Otherwise, you will have to fly to/from Anchorage.

Be sure to consider where your cruise begins and ends the sailing before booking.

Ports you will visit

Where your ship goes in Alaska is also a major consideration, because there are a few different itineraries you can choose.

Cruises from Seattle tend to visit the more common ports, such as Juneau and Skagway, whereas cruises that begin in Anchorage or Vancouver get to visit more remote ports.

Cruisers that sail to Alaska often will tell you the more remote ports offer a more authentic view of Alaska, with more dynamic scenery and varied wildlife.

Of course, Alaska is stunning from any port you visit, and Juneau and Skagway are still beautiful places to visit and explore.

If you are looking to see the most stunning scenery, a cruise that takes you to further north is the way to go.

Ships and price

Royal Caribbean has four cruise ships offering cruises to Alaska in 2025, and each has a compelling reason to choose either of them.

Anthem of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, and Serenade of the Seas. sail to Alaska in 2025.

The Quantum Class ships (Anthem and Ovation of the Seas) are newer ships, and offer much more to see, eat, and do onboard. They are also priced higher since you are sailing on one of Royal Caribbean's newer cruise ships.

It is important to note that the Quantum Class ships have two indoor pools, one for adults and one for all ages.  The other ships only have an indoor pool for adults.

The Radiance Class ships (Radiance and Serenade of the Seas) are smaller vessels that do not offer all the bells and whistles of the Quantum Class, but are perfectly suited for a port intensive itinerary like Alaska, where the destination is far more important than the ship you are sailing on. 

Moreover, Alaska's constantly changing weather makes outdoor activities on a ship not nearly as important as in the Caribbean.

One other consideration is Royal Caribbean offers land tours that you can add onto Alaska cruises from Vancouver, where you can explore the interior of Alaska before or after your cruise. Land tours are not available with cruises from Seattle.

Generally speaking, the Quantum Class ships will cost you more than a cruise on the Radiance Class ships. The exact price difference will vary from week to week, but you will have to weigh the price versus airfare costs.

Which Alaska cruise should you choose?

Ultimately, the decision on which ship and itinerary to pick comes down to price, dates, and ships.

If you are cruising to Alaska for the first time, many will defer to the Quantum Class ships from Seattle for the convenient travel options to Seattle, ship accommodations, and the fact it is roundtrip.

If you want to see the most authentic and exotic views of Alaska, an open jaw sailing from Anchorage or Vancouver is what you want. You will see much more of the "real" Alaska on these itineraries.

Ultimately, there are no bad choices for which cruise to choose for Alaska. You will find stunning views and really fun explorations in any of the ports. Understanding the differences between the ships and itineraries will ensure you make the right choice for your family.

More Alaska cruise info

Want to learn more about a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska, as well as helpful tips and secrets? Check out these blog posts:

• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?
• What to pack for a cruise to Alaska?
• 50 tips for planning your Alaska cruise
• 6 mistakes & 3 things we did right on our Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska