Royal Caribbean has a new ship coming out in 2025 and they want feature the work of aspiring artists on it.

Star of the Seas will enter service later this year and it's one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, which includes a large art collection.

Royal Caribbean is no stranger to art, as all of their ships have rather large collections featured onboard. The art is more than just paintings, in many cases it defines the look and feel of areas of its ships.

The "Artist Discovery Program" is the cruise line's new search for artists across the Caribbean to submit their art for consideration.

Artists that are selected could get as much as $100,000 in commission budget if selected.

The selected winners of the discover program will head to Turku, Finland to work with the Royal Caribbean team in integrating their visions for Star of the Seas.  Finland is where Star of the Seas is currently under construction.

The goal is to promote local artists around the Caribbean and provide them with exposure to grow their craft.

Royal Caribbean International Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider sees this as a tremendous opportunity, "We are excited for this next edition of The Artist Discovery Program and can’t wait to be awestruck by visionary artists across the Caribbean."

"Our goal is to connect our guests to the enduring beauty and creativity of the Caribbean, and this immersive program is a pathway to celebrating and exploring local culture while onboard the next Icon of vacations – Star of the Seas."

How to enter the contest to be considered

In order to be considered for the Artist Discovery Program, an artist must submit the following:

• Five samples of previous works: The work must be original.
• A brief artist statement that helps explain their work, inspiration and other details regarding the pieces submitted.
• A copy of their CV / resume.

You can apply via the program website.

Royal Caribbean wants to commission painting of large-scale murals in four key areas of the ship:

Royal Promenade

Embarkation area

Suite Sundeck Lobby

Suite Sundeck

Joining a collection onboard that includes an array of pieces created by local artists and inspired by the region, each creation will invoke the vibrancy of the Caribbean.

Star of the Seas begins sailing in August 2025

The new cruise ship will begin offering cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida on August 31, 2025.

Star will sail will sail year-round, 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Port Canaveral.  Every sailing includes a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

Star follows up on the incredible success of the first Icon Class ship, Icon of the Seas.

Icon of the Seas blew away expectations when she launched in January 2024 and is not only the biggest cruise ship in the world, but also one of the most popular ones for the amazing features onboard.

The new ship will have 20 decks and manned by 2,350 crew members.

You're going to have to wait a little bit longer for new Royal Caribbean cruises to be released for 2026-2027.

The deployment schedule has been quietly updated this week and the cruise line has added new offerings, while pushing everything back.

The deployment schedule refers to when Royal Caribbean will put new sailings on sale for the first time, and each release is tied to a region of the world for sometime between 2026 and 2027.

Royal Caribbean already released some new cruises in the fall, but took a break over the winter holidays.

Here's when that the new deployment schedule looks like and what to expect.

Updated 2026-2027 deployments

According to the updated schedule that has been distributed to travel agents, there's now a new offering for Singapore that will come first, followed by others a bit delayed.

• Week of February 3, 2025: Singapore
• Week of February 10, 2025: Europe 2.0
• Week of February 17, 2025: Short Caribbean & West Coast
• Week of February 24, 2025: Seasonal Caribbean
• Week of March 10, 2025: China
• Week of March 31, 2025: Australia

Updated schedule

Original deployment schedule

What's different is Singapore is now coming up first. Previously Singapore was listed as "TBD".

"Europe 2.0" refers to a follow-up deployment to the European sailings already released for 2026 that occurred in October.

One other change is the addition of China. Like Singapore, it had a "TBD" distinction, but now is added for early March.

Short Caribbean & West Coast, Seasonal Caribbean, and Australia remain unchanged.

What's been released already for 2026-2027

In case you missed it, there have been some cruises already released and ready to book that came out in the fall.

• Alaska 2026
• Europe 2026
• Summer & Yearlong Caribbean 2026-2027
• Northeast 2026-2027

The deployment schedule could change again

Royal Caribbean systematically puts out new cruise sailings each year, and it usually occurs in the fall and spring.

But this schedule could change again if they need more time to align offerings.

Something else to be aware of is that the releases occur at some point during the week specified. It could be any day of that week and is rarely, if ever, the actual day listed.

Cruise fans will commonly mistake that and assume the new sailings come out on February 10, instead of some day that week.

Something else to be aware of is the sailings get loaded into Royal Caribbean's system slowly, so it's not uncommon to start seeing some sailings pop up on the Royal Caribbean website before others.  Or for travel agents to see new sailings in their backend system before the website.

Often new sailings start appearing on the website around midnight GMT, and usually fill out the schedule by the next morning.

What's missing

If you're thinking big picture, you would remember that in 2026 Royal Caribbean is going to launch a new cruise ship and wonder where that fits into this.

Royal Caribbean's third Icon Class cruise ship will launch sometime in 2026 and her arrival will impact where other ships are sailing from too.

We have very few details about Icon 3. We don't even know the ship's name or where it will sail from.

Formal construction of the ship began in October 2024, and you can't book cruises yet for it.

Historically, Royal Caribbean does not include new ships as part of its regular deployments.  New ships typically have their own deployment release that's independent of the others.

So that means if Icon 3 were to sail in Europe in summer 2026, I would not necessarily expect it to be part of the Europe 2.0 release in February.

What I would expect is a special announcement of Icon 3's name, homeport, and what date the public can start booking sailings.

What you should be doing now while you wait for new deployments

With just a few weeks left until Royal Caribbean releases the rest of its deployments, there are some things you could do now to prepare.

My advice is let your travel agent know what sort of sailings you're interested in and the time frame so they can jump on it when it becomes available.

We don't know which ship will sail from a particular port or dates, but you can make educated guesses and then your agent knows what you're looking for so you can book it quickly.

One of the top reasons to book a cruise as soon as they become available is to get one of the highly desirable cruise cabins that sell out quickly.

Plus, booking a cruise as early as possible is one of the best ways to save money on a cruise. 

In general, cruise prices are lowest when they are first put out and then get more expensive as cabins get booked up.

Planning on booking a cruise in 2026-2027? These stories will help:

• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• What is the best time to cruise to the Caribbean?
• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?

You booked an amazing cruise, but the U.S. State Department has issued a travel warning for the place you're scheduled to go.

This scenario plays out a lot because cruise ships tend to visit countries around the world that have their issues.

Should you cancel? Will Royal Caribbean change the itinerary?

One vacationer is booked on Jewel of the Seas for a cruise in April wrote on Facebook, "Has anyone read that there is a travel warning for Belize City, Belize?"

"What are your thoughts? Should I be sacred?" is what this person wrote, and it's a commonly asked question related to many other ports.

Here's what these warnings mean and how they apply to your cruise.

What are these warnings about?

The United States State Department has warnings for Americans traveling around the world, and they use different levels to convey how concerning the issues are.

These warnings are all listed on the State Department website, and are updated as needed.

A Level 1 warning is the lowest warning, and it's described as "Exercise normal precautions."

Level 2 is a step up, and changes the wording to be "Exercise increased caution." 

In both cases, the government wants Americans to be less cavalier than usual, and to be aware of the minor issues that have flared up recently.

Many countries have a Level 1 or Level 2 warning, including the United Kingdom, Greece, Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland, and Canada.

When you get to Level 3, the warning changes to "Reconsider Travel".  And then you have Level 4 of "Do Not Travel".

These are more serious warnings that alert Americans to terrorism threats, war, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, high crime rates and other personal security issues.

Countries with the Level 4 warning are ones that are either known for having a history of internal strife or enduring wars, such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Burma, Syria, or Lebanon.

Will the cruise line change plans because of the warnings?

Usually, cruise lines don't change their plans, even for a Level 3 or 4 warning.

That might sound strange, but the reality is these warnings apply to specific areas of the country and not necessarily where your cruise ship will visit. Violent crime rarely involves tourists.

That isn't to say the warning isn't important, but the places tourists go aren't necessarily where the problems occur.

In the case of Belize, the warning was related to violent crime on the south side of the city.  When reading the warning, the State Department clearly says, "This area (south of Haulover Creek Canal and continuing south to Fabers Road) does not overlap with the typical tourism areas. "

Most shore excursions in Belize City actually take place in the ocean, surrounding jungle, or caves. According to Viator's list of Belize City tours, nearly all of them took place in the jungle, around ruins, or on the water. 

Most importantly, Royal Caribbean has a team that monitors safety issues around the world.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said, "The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority."

"At all times, we remind guests to remain aware of their surroundings while ashore and follow all State Department guidelines. 

"Should any changes be required, guests will be notified directly."

Essentially, the decision to change an itinerary depends on the specific situation in that country and how it impacts tourism areas.

Is it safe to go if there's a travel warning?

Travel warnings shouldn't be ignored, but they aren't a reason to cancel your plans either.

There's risk with almost anything you do, and that extends to travel.  Of course, that risk also applies to cities in our own country too.

Many countries have had travel warnings for many years, and the State Department re-issuing similar warnings is not new, per se.

If you are truly concerned, you don't have to get off the ship. There's no requirement to go on a shore excursion.

The tour operators that Royal Caribbean partners with are vetted by the cruise line for safety, and if there's unnecessary risks involved, the tour is cancelled. 

An example of this was when a ferry boat sank to Blue Lagoon in The Bahamas.  Following the incident, cruise lines pulled bookings until the tour operator addressed safety issues.  

In a more extreme example, Royal Caribbean suspended visits to its private destination of Labadee for many months until it was determined their ships could return again.

The purpose of these travel warnings is to give travelers insight into issues occurring in these countries.

Labadee, Haiti has a "No Travel" warning!

The most notable travel warning has to do with Haiti because that's where a lot of Royal Caribbean ships visit.

Haiti has a Level 4 warning, and the country's issues have been well-documented in the news.

The State Department warning states, "Since March 2024, Haiti has been under a State of Emergency. Crimes involving firearms are common in Haiti. They include robbery, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings for ransom. Kidnapping is widespread, and U.S. citizens have been victims and have been hurt or killed."

That's lead to a lot of concerned cruisers who have sailings that visit Royal Caribbean's private beach in Labadee, which is a small peninsula in northern Haiti.

It's important to remember where Labadee is located, as it's on a peninsula walled off from the rest of the country. There is a large wall and barbed wire fence between the property line and the outside, and Labadee has its own private security.

Moreover, there has not been any fighting or civil strife anywhere near Labadee.

It might seem like a genius move, but booking two shore excursions on the same day is better idea than it really is in practice.

I received an email a week ago from a podcast listener who is headed on a Western Caribbean sailing and wanted to know if she should try to book two excursions on the same day.

"Is it possible to do two excursions from one day?" she asked. It seems like a good way to maximize time in a port, but there's more to a day ashore than I think some people consider.

I often joke that some tours sound better while you're sitting in air conditioning on your couch than in practice.  As an example, that hike through the jungle sounds lovely until you realize it's going to be a hot and humid day to start with, along with bugs, and those shoes that weren't as comfortable as well as you thought.

A lot of vacationers go on a sailing that takes them to places they may only visit once, and they want to seek out the really fun activities that they can tell everyone at home about when they return.

While booking two shore excursions on the same day might seem like a good idea, I think it's actually a mistake waiting to happen for a few important reasons.

There isn't as much time in port as it seems

To begin, time management while on shore excursions is not straight forward.

In order to go on two shore excursions on the same day, you'll need to schedule them so that one ends before the next one begins without being late.

It's not unusual for a tour to run late, or for the meeting point to not be factored into the overall length of the excursion.

Plus, you may want extra time on the end of your first tour to do something else, like shop.  Many excursions end in an area where there are many shops, or include photo opportunities.

You would not want to risk losing out on the other tour you have booked because you didn't make it there on time.

It's harder to know precisely when one tour would conclude with confidence so you could get to the next one.

What time your ship arrives and leaves is misleading

In my experience, you don't have as much time in port as you think you do.

Your itinerary lists what time your ship will be in each port of call, but those hours aren't when you actually be off the ship.

The arrival time you see is the estimated time the ship will pull into port.  At that point it has to line up with the pier, tie its lines, and get cleared by local authorities to disembark passengers. Getting cleared is sometimes very quick, while other times can take a while. It all depends how thorough the local authorities want to be in investigating everything is as expected.

Then at the end of your day in port, the time listed is when the ship is scheduled to depart, which means you're expected to already be back onboard the ship.

Realistically, you'll want to be back on the ship much earlier than the all aboard time.  So in practice, that shaves off an hour or two from your day in order to be back on the cruise ship with plenty of time to spare.

Both issues shave time off your total time in port, and that leaves you with less time to work in multiple shore excursions.

You're going to be more tired than you think

Assuming you have plenty of time for two excursions in one day, I think in reality you might not have the energy for both.

It's easy while at home to assume you can do it all, but tours are taxing, even basic ones.

When you're wet from rain in Alaska or under the hot Caribbean sun, the amount of energy you have is going to wane.

Buses are uncomfortable, walking on uneven pavement and cobblestone roads hurts, and you probably had to wake up early for the first tour. 

Trying to do two excursions is going to be pretty darn tiring.

It can dilute the value of what you paid

One of the most common places I see people trying to work two tours into one day is at Royal Caribbean's private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Often guests will book admission to the Coco Beach Club or Hideaway Beach, and then also book a jet ski tour or zip line adventure.

I think the most egregious example are people that book a cabana and admission to Thrill Waterpark.

The issue here is you're taking away time from one activity that you paid for to go and do another, and I think that reduces the value of what you paid.

Avoid the temptation to double dip with activities and enjoy the primary one all day.

You'll have time for more activities

While I'm advocating not booking two shore excursions for the same port day, that doesn't mean you can't include something else before or after one tour.

Most tours leave you with time to work something else in, and in many cases, there is a natural fit related to the tour or where you're dropped off.

There might be a beautiful beach you could head to and unwind for the rest of the day. Or you might stay in the city or two to do some shopping or sightseeing.

In my experience, some tour operators will give their guests the choice of going back to the ship or being dropped off at a popular area.

And if you're spent after one tour, you can head right back to the ship for a well-deserved shower and nap.

With just one excursion booked, you have more flexibility to see how you're feeling, and include a DIY adventure.

Plan another port visit instead

If you really are tempted to try two excursions on the same day, that might be a sign you should plan another cruise.

Repeating the same itinerary isn't counterintuitive at all.  It's actually a really good way to enjoy these amazing places and see more of them.

Of course that means you'll have to wait to come back again and there's the cost that comes with booking another vacation, but having another trip to look forward to is the best way to get over the post-cruise depression that comes when your vacation ends.

One tour is the best plan, but keep the option for exploring on your own

If you're someone that is thinking about doing two tours on the same day, I recommend sticking to just one tour and leaving your day open for additional exploring after.

I just don't think the logistics of working in both tours makes a lot of sense, especially x factors such as transportation, fatigue, and proper timing.

The anxiety and effort required to make it all work just isn't worth it.

If you do have plenty of extra time, I think you will find many options to consider on your own that give you peace of mind and flexibility to go with it.

Royal Caribbean named its private island in The Bahamas "perfect", and the moniker certainly holds up if you've been there to experience it.

Ever since Perfect Day at CocoCay opened in 2019, it's been a revelation as to what a private cruise line beach day can be because of all the options offered.

Royal Caribbean opened Perfect Day at CocoCay in phases, going back to 2018 when construction on some of the first areas to be completed began allowing guests in.

One of those areas was the Oasis Lagoon, and it's since become my go-to spot, every time we visit CocoCay.

At its opening, Oasis Lagoon was the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean. It covers 33,175 square feet, which makes it enormous.

Whether or not it still holds that title, it's exactly what I want from my private island day.

While I think most people on a cruise prefer the beach, I like a pool day better. I don't have to worry where I walk, there are no creatures lurking, and the water is always refreshing.

Royal Caribbean didn't just build a giant pool, they added the best swim-up bar I had ever been to, complete with seats on both sides.  

Guests can swim up and sit at the bar, or opt to go to the "dry side" and enjoy drinks without being in the water.

There's no cost to access Oasis Lagoon or any of the chairs and umbrellas nearby.

In 2023, Royal Caribbean shared the swim-up bar at Oasis Lagoon is one of the highest rated attractions on the island.

There are also small islands throughout Oasis Lagoon for you to sit at as well, with plants and trees that provide just the right amount of shade.

For years I would immediately go to Oasis Lagoon first on almost every visit because it offered exactly what I wanted from my day. Sometimes we'd venture elsewhere and book a spot at the Coco Beach Club or one of the beaches.  But I always preferred going to Oasis Lagoon.

The one problem I had with Oasis Lagoon was it tended to attract the party crowd because of the DJ that was originally placed near the swim-up bar.

I don't mind a party vibe to my pool day, but it evolved over the years and became more raucous, especially when there were 20 and 30 year olds hanging there.

When it got loud, I either enjoyed it, or moved to a different end of the pool.

A big shift in the dynamic of Oasis Lagoon occurred in 2024 when Royal Caribbean opened its adults-only area, Hideaway Beach.

An even bigger swim-up bar and giant pool was added to this area, and with it, went the DJ.

Royal Caribbean purposefully brought over that party vibe that had grown at Oasis Lagoon to Hideaway.

In their research to create the ultimate day for adults, feedback indicated guests want a drink in their hand with music to enjoy. 

Since the opening of Hideaway Beach, the DJ has been removed from Oasis Lagoon and replaced with a programmed musical setlist.

The result has been the energy at Oasis Lagoon has been more subdued than pre-2024 levels, and I think it's made it better.

Without the DJ to raise the volume, I think the pool has remained fun and enjoyable without feeling like a Vegas pool party.

I'm sure everyone has their own feelings on what is the right level of music, energy, and partying for a pool.  But I think Royal Caribbean has found a new normal for Oasis Lagoon that really meshes well without being overbearing.

To be fair, Hideaway Beach's pool is heated, whereas Oasis Lagoon's pool is heated by the sun and nothing else.  It can be downright frigid in Oasis Lagoon at times.

While Hideaway Beach is newer, flashier, and has limited access, I think Oasis Lagoon is a fun spot to head to, and considering it's included in your cruise fare, it's hard to pass up that value.

My favorite Oasis Lagoon tips and tricks

While enjoying Oasis Lagoon, here are a few ideas to maximize your day.

If you bought a Royal Caribbean drink package, you can enjoy drinks at the pool too.  There's no additional charge, and that's a great way to get your value back from a drink package.

Likewise, if you are a Diamond member or higher in Crown and Anchor Society, the daily drink vouchers work here too.  

And no, you do not need to bring the soda cups with you off your ship to use them at Oasis Lagoon (or anywhere at CocoCay).

Just like at a bar on the ship, you just need to let the crew member know you want to use a drink voucher. 

When you're feeling a little hungry, the Snack Shack is just a few steps away from Oasis Lagoon.

The quickest way to get there is exit the Oasis Lagoon pool on the "right side" of the bar.  When facing the swim-up bar, there's a set of stairs out of the pool on the right side.

Walk past the smoking area and you'll see it across the tram path.  

The Snack Shack is included in your cruise fare and has some of my favorite foods, such as the mozzarella sticks, funnel cake, and the "secret sandwich" that you can only order by name.

If you need shade but don't want to get out of the water, you can find lots of under the bridge that's near the bar. 

There's always shade here, and it's close to the bar, so you don't have to venture far to get a refill.

There are islands and loungers in the water, and they are first-come, first-reserved.

My advice is get off the ship very early if you want to nab one of them.

There are different places you can eat dinner on a cruise ship, but there are compelling reasons to eat the buffet instead of the Main Dining Room.

Royal Caribbean offers different choices in where to eat dinner, including fancy sit down meals, restaurants that cost extra, and casual options too.

Over the years I've eaten at all of them, and I think the Windjammer Cafe is vastly underrated for dinner.  It doesn't come with the level of service the Main Dining Room has, but I think the variety, ease of getting in and out, and flexibility really make it a top choice.

In thinking about where to eat on my next sailing, I had to consider both options and ultimately picked the buffet.  I'm on vacation, and I sometimes I want to relax more and not concern myself the pomp and circumstance that comes with the dining room.

If you're trying to decide where to eat on your cruise, here are the top 11 best reasons to choose the Windjammer buffet instead.

It's fast

The cruise ship experience has evolved over the decades, and sitting down for a long meal isn't what some people consider to be a fun experience.

The Windjammer offers a way to quickly grab the food you need and be on your way.  There's no waiting for a seating time, no waiters to deliver your food.  You can eat as quickly as you can serve the food from the buffet trays and sit down and eat it.

It's quite possible to have a full meal in the Windjammer in less than 20 minutes, whereas a "fast" meal in the Main Dining Room would easily take one hour.

Having a fast meal is useful if you want to get to a show or some other activity onboard the ship. Or perhaps you need to make an appointment.

Crew members keep the food supply moving, so there's rarely any long waits.  Occasionally there can be a line for certain foods, but it's not much more than a minute or two.

There are so many different choices

I love how many choices of food you'll find in the Windjammer, especially for dinner.

Royal Caribbean goes well beyond just burgers and hot dogs.  You'll find salads, soups, sandwiches, pastas, carved meats, desserts, and plenty more.

There's usually a set of options that don't change every day, along with a rotating mix of food.

I've found it advantageous to be able to find a wide range of foods every day, because what I'm in the mood to eat can vary.

Plus, I like to mix and match my foods and not limit myself to a single cuisine.

Some of the same food from the Main Dining Room

At dinner Royal Caribbean offers many of the same food that you'll find in the Main Dining Room right in the Windjammer.

It's not exactly the same offerings, but if you're feeling conflicted about where to eat, you can often find overlap between the menus. That means less compromise about what you can choose from.

The added bonus of the buffet is if you want seconds or thirds, you can quickly go up and get some more without waiting.

No dress codes

You're on vacation, so who needs to bother with a different outfit for dinner?

Royal Caribbean has no dress code for the Windjammer anytime of day, with the exception you cannot come in with a wet bathing suit and must wear shoes and a cover up.  That's it.

Eating at the Windjammer for dinner means less to pack, and less prep each evening.  It also means more time to enjoy at the pool or in port because you don't have to get back to your room to get dressed up.

Easier to indulge with lots of food

Let's be real, one major reason people like eating at a buffet is because you can eat as much as you want.

You serve yourself exactly how much you want, even if it's an entire plate full of just one food. I know I've come back to my table at times with just a plate full of Indian curry with zero regrets.

Of course, if we're talking about indulging, the desserts available are probably where most will gravitate towards. Some evenings there are really incredible sweets there, such as funnel cake, fondue station, or personal-sized lava cakes.

Overeating isn't what everyone will do, but sometimes you're in the mood for extra and the Windjammer has that whereas the Main Dining Room does not.

Easier to get a great view

It's so easy to get a table near a window and see what's happening around you while you eat in the Windjammer.

On most ships, the Windjammer is at the very back of the ship and it's surrounded by glass.  Even if you don't get a table right at the window, you can see outside from many tables nearby.

Plus, on Radiance and Quantum Class ships, there's an outdoor seating area at the very back where you can enjoy the sunshine and ocean breeze with your meal.

I never miss an opportunity to dine outside when possible because it's so enjoyable to see right out to the ocean as you eat.

It's the best choice when you had a busy day in port

On a day when you spend many hours exploring a port of call, the last thing I want to do is get dressed up for dinner.

I love to hit up the Windjammer for dinner on a port day when we come back to the ship in the late afternoon or evening. It's so much easier to drop off my things in my cabin, and then head up to the Windjammer for a quick, but satisfying meal.

This is especially true when I'm on a cruise to Alaska or Europe, where it's easy to spend 6-8 hours walking, kayaking, or bussing around town.

Along those lines, I'll often eat my way around the ports I visit.  So having the Windjammer open until 9:30pm or so leaves a late dinner option that goes beyond a slice of pizza.

My favorite place to bring picky eaters

When my kids were younger, the only place I took them to eat was the Windjammer because they were so picky.

Royal Caribbean's buffet does a good job of offering traditional favorites and more adventurous food, but it's definitely a great spot for those that know what they want.

You'll find burgers, hot dogs, and chicken fingers every night of the cruise. Plus, there is usually a grilled meat or two.  And the salads are all build-your-own, so you can customize it the way you want it.

The cooking stations are worth eating here alone

My favorite thing about the Windjammer are the cooking stations, and the chef will make the dish exactly the way you want it.

At breakfast there is an omelet station to make eggs as you'd like them.  I've even seen recently waffles being made on the spot in the mornings on some ships.

For lunch and dinner, there's usually a rotating option and it is a not-so-guilty pleasure of mine to eat here.

I personally could eat the Asian stir fry station food every day, and pretty much did when I was on Anthem of the Seas last summer in Europe.

Fresh food will always be a step ahead of prepared food, and the cooking stations are my first stop in the Windjammer on every visit.

No set dining times

Flexibility is kind at the Windjammer, as you can come in whenever you like.

While the Windjammer isn't open all day long (it takes short breaks between meals to clean and reset), they have longer serving hours compared to the Main Dining Room.

First and foremost, this means you don't have to make a reservation or adhere to a dining time. As long as they are open, you are welcome to go in.

Plus, they serve for long periods of time.  You can get breakfast in many cases right up until lunch, whereas the Main Dining Room offers it for just a few hours earlier in the morning.

Opens up your nighttime fun

Because you can get in and out of the Windjammer, you can take advantage of all the fun activities onboard your ship.

Each evening there are various events held throughout the ship, and if you're at a sit down restaurant for 90 minutes or more, you're going to miss out on some of them.

I love that I can get a satisfying meal at the buffet and then be right back out to enjoy live music, catch a trivia session, or attend a show. This can be really important on the big ships where the signature show performances are must-sees.

If you're used to eating in the dining room, I think you'll find the evening so much longer when you get back more time after eating at the Windjammer.

Repairs to a broken pier in Puerto Rico's biggest cruise port might finally be complete soon.

Royal Caribbean's biggest ships have been unable to dock in San Juan San Juan, Puerto Rico for months because of an issue with the pier.

Namely, the line's Oasis Class ships have been left without the ability to safely dock there, and as a result, have skipped visits to Puerto Rico and instead gone to other ports of call.

But a new timeline posted by local media indicates repairs could be ready very soon.

El Vocero reports the Coast Guard is revieing the work on the repairs, and it could be ready later this month.

The San Juan Cruise Port said they are working on reopening Pier 3 West, which is the pier that's prevented big ships from visiting.

"According to a statement, the process of reopening Pier 3 West includes collaboration with multiple regulatory agencies to ensure compliance, safety and operational readiness. A team of engineers has completed all necessary structural assessments of the pier and these have been submitted to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for review."

Port authorities are reportedly “moving forward” with a project designed to meet the requirements to accommodate Oasis-class vessels at Pier 3 West.

If all goes to plan, mega ships will be able to return by January 20, "All regulatory and operational conditions are expected to be met by January 20, 2025, allowing the arrival of the larger cruise ships for the remainder of the season."

Royal Caribbean has not commented or announced any expectations yet related to the pier's status.

What happened to the pier

While San Juan has a few piers, only Pier 3 West can handle Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships.

Based on reports, damage to the pier that can handle the biggest ships took place in April 2024 when allegedly it was broken after the MSC Meraviglia was involved, however, specific details are not known.

The loss of a dolphin mooring structure just off the main pier is the primary issue, and the Coast Guard is working on it.

A dolphin is a group of pilings arrayed together to serve variously as a protective hardpoint along a dock.

Repairs and assessment are out of Royal Caribbean's hands, as it's work managed by port authorities and subject to approval by the Coast Guard.

Missed port stops have created controversy

Royal Caribbean's biggest cruise ships haven't been able to go to Puerto Rico since November 2024, and it's stirred up a lot of emotions.

Missed port stops can happen for all sorts of reasons, but some cruisers took exception to the San Juan cancellations because they were always done at the last minute, resulting in an itinerary change.

Moreover, the changes were announced well after the final payment date, which meant cancelling or changing sail dates would result in major penalties. This lead some to be frustrated with the circumstances.

"A total disappointment," wrote Clif809 on the Royal Caribbean message boards.

"I’m disappointed also and feeling betrayed," is what MamaShark added when she learned the pier issues have existed since April 2024.

"I reached out to Royal several times before making my final payment and again this week and was assured there would be no change in our itinerary. Receiving an email with itinerary changes today for our 12/29 sailing is unacceptable."

Complicating matters has been Royal Caribbean has diverted Symphony in all cases away from Puerto Rico and St. Maarten and replaced it with visits to its private beach in Haiti and Falmouth, Jamaica.

Haiti is well-known for dealing with major civil strife and safety concerns that have resulted in the worst travel advisory offered by the United States State Department, Level 4 "Do Not Travel".

To be fair, Labadee is in a remote area of Haiti and is walled off from the country on an isolated peninsula.  Furthermore, visits to Labadee have been regularly occurring for months without incident.

Labadee is not near any urban centers, and Royal Caribbean has been monitoring the situation in the area carefully.

I was surprised how much money you can save on a Royal Caribbean internet package with one change.

No matter which mainstream cruise line you sail on, you're going to have to pay for a WiFi package if you want to use the internet.

While prices for an internet package are cheaper today than they used to be, it's still an expense. Especially if you want to get everyone in your family access too.

You can save money by taking advantage of a loophole in Royal Caribbean's pricing and opting to buy a multi-device plan, rather than a plan for everyone individually.

When you go to Royal Caribbean's app or website to buy WiFi packages for your cruise, you're given the choice of buying a one device plan, or a multi-device plan.

The multi-device plan is probably intended to be for a person to be able to use more than one device at at a time, but there's no restrictions or rules to say someone else couldn't use your internet plan too.

While prices for an internet package will vary by ship, sail date, and which promotion is active, I found this hack almost always is cheaper.

Royal Caribbean incentives guests to pay for more devices by discounting the per-device fee with the more devices you add.

So instead of buying everyone a one device plan, share a multi-device plan with your family.

Here's a breakdown of the cost difference for a 7-night cruise:

• 1 device package: $167.93
• 2 device package: $272.93 ($105 more)
• 3 device package: $398.93 ($126 more)
• 4 device package: $517.93 ($119 more)

If we bought 4 one-device packages, it would cost $671.72. 

Rather than paying $167.93 for each person, you're paying less and less with each additional device that you add to a multi-device plan.

The catch with sharing an internet package

There's no question sharing a multi-device internet package will save money, but there's one downside to it.

Everyone will share the same login credentials, and it's easy to accidently disconnect someone else who's already signed in.

When you buy a multi-device package, it allows that many devices as you purchased to be logged in concurrently. 

That means if you have the 3 device package, after 3 devices are logged in, when a fourth device attempts to login, it will disconnect the first device.  

It's not necessarily a big deal, nor a reason not to buy it, but you should be aware of how it works. Additionally, you should have a way to contact the people with access to let them know when this happens to prevent a round-robin series of everyone disconnecting each other.

Keep in mind that you can have as many different devices use your internet package during your cruise, but only a fixed number at once.  You can switch from one device to another device, such as disconnecting from your phone to use your laptop and vice versa.

More Royal Caribbean wifi tips

Now that you're saving money with this internet package hack, here's a few more tips you should know about Royal Caribbean's internet.

Every Royal Caribbean ship uses Starlink internet, which means it's true high speed access at sea.  For many years it was substantially slower, but now it does work pretty darn well.

This means you can use a VPN to conduct work, stream a movie, or make a video call with friends or family. The internet works well enough to support this. It is satellite internet, so intermittent slow downs or pauses in service do happen, but they are rare.

If you buy an internet package, you can use it at Royal Caribbean's private destination of Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas with no additional cost.

Internet access will work while your ship is in Labadee, but there's no WiFi access around the private destination.

Whether you buy an internet package or not, always put your phone into airplane mode at the start of your cruise to avoid costly bills later.

Just recently one passenger didn't do this and ran into a surprise $1,300 bill because of roaming charges.

While in airplane mode, you can still make and receive phone calls and text messages by enabling the WiFi calling feature on your phone.  It's free to do so, and you can set it up and test WiFi calling while at home.

And yes, you can use the Royal Caribbean app without purchasing an internet package at all.

When you get on the ship, there will be an option after connecting the WiFi network if you want to use an internet package or just access the app.

Choose the app, and then your app will work during your cruise.

One person just reached his 1,000th cruise with Royal Caribbean, something that seems impossible to most travelers.

Mario Salcedo is sailing on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas this week and it's an important milestone for the cruise line's biggest fan.

Known by the moniker, "Super Mario", Mr. Salcedo celebrated 1,000 cruises total, and all with Royal Caribbean.

Salcedo hit the 1000 cruise milestone while aboard the 3,286 passenger Explorer of the Seas. The ship departed Miami on January 5 on an 11-night voyage to Panama and the Southern Caribbean.

Super Mario began cruising with an 8-night Western Caribbean cruise on Majesty of the Seas on December 31, 1994. Majesty is no longer in the fleet and has been destroyed, that's how old long he's been cruising.

It's an incredible milestone, but he's been setting and breaking his own records for the most everything with Royal Caribbean for quite a while.

A special event was held on the ship's Royal Promenade to celebrate the occasion with Super Mario himself, along with the ship's senior staff.

"Join us in celebrating the extraordinary milestone of Super Mario completing his 1000th sailing with Royal Caribbean," the announcement said in the ship's daily newspaper.

"He has become a beloved member of our cruising family and Pinnacle Club member in our Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program. He has completed the most cruises on Liberty of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, and this sailing marks his 54th cruise on Explorer of the Seas."

As you probably guessed, he reached and maxed out Royal Caribbean's upper most loyalty level a long time ago.

Pinnacle Club is when you get to 700 points, which would take you 100 seven-night cruises to reach if you stayed in a cabin less than a suite and never sailed alone.

Pinnacles get free internet packages for duration of every sailing, lapel pins, priority embarkation with the suite guests, and daily breakfast at a specialty restaurant.

After every 350 points earned, Pinnacle Club members get a free cruise certificate good for a Junior Suite cabin.

A cruising legend

If you cruise long enough with Royal Caribbean, you'll probably hear someone talk about Super Mario because of how incredible his achievements are within the line.

He practically lives on cruise ships year-round. Most years, he only spends a few days on land.  The rest of the year he's on a ship.

According to Royal Caribbean, he spends about 50 weeks a year on the line's ships.

The only time in the past 20 years he hasn't cruised most of the year was during the cruise industry shutdown of 2020-2021.

In 2022, he hit the 10,000 point milestone with the line's customer loyalty program.

To put this in perspective, Crown & Anchor Society members earn one point for each night spent on a Royal Caribbean cruise, with an extra point per night awarded for staying in a suite or cruising solo in a double-occupancy cabin.

It took Super Mario 870 cruises to reach that number.  But since August 2022, he's taken another 130 cruises in just 29 months.

His favorite itineraries are to the Caribbean, and his favorite stop is the cruise line's private destination in Labadee, Haiti.

How Mario became Super Mario

Mr. Salcedo became Royal Caribbean's top cruiser years ago, but he only got started in 2000.

His family moved from Cuba to Miami in the early 1960s to start a new life in pursuit of freedom and opportunity.

"We are eternally grateful to this country for having welcomed us with open arms," he said about moving to the United States.

He began cruising 20 years ago back when he was 47-years-old and doesn’t seem to have any regrets.

Read more: Life at sea - An interview with Royal Caribbean's top cruiser, Super Mario

In 1997, Mr. Salcedo opened a small business managing investments for clients in 1997. That same year he took his first cruise and fell in love with the experience and began sampling different lines, regions, and itineraries.

Since then, cruising has become a way of life.

Since his first Royal Caribbean cruise in 2000, Mario has sailed exclusively on Royal Caribbean International ships around the world -- that’s 25 years and counting!

In an interview with All Things Cruise in 2021, he said: "I’m so used to being on ships that it feels more comfortable to me than being on land."

"For 23 years. Always on Royal Caribbean...Cruising never gets old."

He said in 2019 he paid about $72,093 a year if he stayed in an inside cabin. 

That number went up to $101,258 for a cabin with a balcony.

Super Mario told told Condé Nast Traveler: "I’ve lost my land legs, so when I’m swaying so much I can’t walk in a straight line. I’m so used to being on ships that it feels more comfortable to me than being on land."

How long will we cruise? As long as he can.

"With so many friends and memories made out at sea over the years, I plan to continue cruising indefinitely so long as I’m in good health and having fun."

Mario's favorite cruise memory

Mr. Salcedo shared recently the answer to what is his most memorable cruise memory.

“Without a doubt, the ‘hurricane evacuation’ cruise onboard Enchantment of the Seas in September 2017.

Hurricane Irma was headed towards South Florida packing maximum winds of 150 mph. Evacuation orders were issued, but there were no flights, car rentals, or hotel rooms. Bottled water and essential items ran out quickly and even gasoline was scarce. Miami’s residents were essentially trapped.

A famous CEO came up with the brilliant idea to offer Enchantment of the Seas to the Miami-based shoreside employees and their immediate families as a means of quick, safe, and free evacuation.

I believe the ship carried nearly 3,000 employees and families as she sailed out of Miami and out of harm's way for a 4-day cruise to nowhere. I may have been the only real guest onboard.  

That sailing gave me the unique opportunity to meet, chat, and socialize with many shoreside employees. It was a new and truly unforgettable experience.

I love the onboard crew, but this unplanned encounter with the shoreside employee population was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.”

Happy weekend! We hope you are enjoying a wonderful and relaxing weekend and managing to stay warm. Now it is time to sit back with a cuppa tea or java, and check out the latest in Royal Caribbean cruise news.

When you finally get into your cruise ship cabin, there's a list of 15 things I'd recommend doing immediately.

Some of the things on the list are about preventing problems later, while others are what you can do to get into "cruise mode" faster.

No matter which type of stateroom you book, it's a good idea to get it situated on the first day so there's less to do later and you can fully enjoy your vacation!

Royal Caribbean News

• Legionnaires' later diagnosed with 2 separate cruise ship passengers after getting home
• Royal Caribbean will change cruise ships based from Los Angeles
• Royal Caribbean drops onboard credit offer for long cruises booked during a sailing
• Utopia of the Seas cruise ship review
• Wonder of the Seas cruise ship review
• Royal Caribbean just added 3 new drink specials to a cruise ship and it looks like a great deal
• Royal Caribbean moved its Italian restaurant on two ships. One was a controversial, but the other has a beautiful setting
• I let my kids roam now on their own on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but I added these 6 rules
• 10 Reasons people end up disappointed with their cruise vacation
• Can you bring water on a cruise? Royal Caribbean rules you need to know
• I tried 8 cruise tips that didn't work as well as I hoped once on the ship

New RCB Video: 5 Things I'll do differently on Royal Caribbean in 2025

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — 5 Things I'll do differently on Royal Caribbean in 2025 — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.

25 Do's and Don'ts for your Royal Caribbean cruise

Ready to start 2025 with the right approach to cruising?

Before you head out to your ship, we have a list of 25 things you should and shouldn't do for your cruise.

From pre-cruise planning to mistakes to avoid on the ship, it's a great list of faux pas and recommendations anyone can take advantage of.

How I find cheap cruises for as little as around $100 a day

It's more difficult than ever to find cheap cruise deals, but they exist.  Assuming you look in the right places.

Sky-high demand for cruise bookings have evaporated many of the deals that used be commonplace, but if you're very flexible and know where to look, there are still good prices out there.

If you want to find a cruise deal, you'll need to be savvy. 

These are 6 of the most overrated tourist attractions I've ever seen

I hate tourist traps because of that feeling that I've wasted my time and money on something truly uninspiring.

There's some debate as to what constitutes a true tourist trap, but in my cruises, I've run across at least 6 places that I knew were overrated wastes of time.

Not everyone will agree, but I feel strongly there are certain places you can visit on a cruise ship that should be skipped.

Cruise purchases vacationers instantly regretted

Have you ever bought something and knew immediately it was a mistake? A lot of cruisers have had the same feeling of remorse related to what they bought on a cruise.

Everyone's tastes are different, but hundreds of past cruise ship passengers shared recently what they bought on a cruise and wish they hadn't. 

Some of the things are commonly cited gripes, while others were a bit of a surprise.