One thing I really love about a cruise is when you can share the experience with friends and family, and it's one of the best kind of vacations when you're accounting for different ages.

When I've taken a land vacation with my extended family, it seems inevitably some people end up "doing their own thing" because what others are doing isn't to their liking.  And that usually means more separation from everyone because of distances involved.

I find a cruise vacation lends itself more towards being together, and even when you're not, you're never too far away.  Royal Caribbean is in that sweet spot for large families because they have lots for kids, parents, grandparents and weird uncles to enjoy.  It doesn't lean too heavy into one particular demographic.

I don't necessarily want a vacation where my entire family feels like we're "joined at the hip", but it's still important to feel like we spent time together.

Regardless of which type of vacation you pick, it's not easy balancing the needs of every family member and everyone coming home satisfied at the end of the trip.

Planning a multigenerational cruise

I think it's important early on to get buy in from everyone involved.

When you're picking the cruise ship, dates, itinerary, and travel arrangements, you want to make sure everyone is on the same page.

One of the top challenges of planning a family trip is not defaulting into the "travel czar" for everyone.  You don't want the family thinking one person has taken over the trip planning and it's become "their trip".

While some degree of decision making will ultimately need to be made by one person, the more you can include others in the decision making process, the better it ends up going.

Cruises are great because families have options for staterooms, depending on their budget.

Read more: Ways I Save Money on Cruises With Family

An easy idea to make this work is to start the planning process the next time your family is together.  Christmas, Thanksgiving, someone's birthday, or any time you can have the principles in the same room makes for simpler choices and less passive aggressive texts later.

Everyone's family dynamic is different, but the more inclusion you start off with, the better you are later.

Work with a travel agent

You know what starts more arguments among family members? Money.

Everyone has grandiose visions of that perfect family trip, but handling money is not pretty. You don't want to be the "bad guy" reminding everyone to pay, and you definitely do not want to be a middle man for taking payments.

My advice is loop a travel agent in as soon as you want to book so they can deal with collecting payments and making other arrangements.

Not only can a good travel agent ensure everyone is paid up and there's no confusion about who owes who money, but they could be a great asset as well.

If you book enough cabins, you might qualify for a group discount.  Even if you don't, travel agents have access to special rates that could save everyone money.

Read more: 10 secrets Royal Caribbean travel agents wish you knew

Plus, travel agents are there to take care of any problems anyone encounters with the cruise line.

One you think a multigenerational trip is possible, I'd contact a travel agent to get the ball rolling.  

Read more: 7 Best Royal Caribbean cruise ships for Kids

Plan on time together at least once a day

One secret to a great multi-gen cruise is not planning out every minute of every day.  

Some of your family will be up at dawn, and others will emerge around lunch.  Don't worry about trying to be together all the time.

Instead, plan on having one time per day you are together, and I think dinner is the perfect opportunity.

Not only will everyone be awake for dinner, but it's the perfect time to see everyone and talk about what everyone did.  Plus, the Main Dining Room is conducive to handling large groups.

Beyond that one time together a day rule, make it clear there's no hard feelings for what happens the rest of the day. It's their vacation as much as yours, and sometimes you want to do your own thing.

To help avoid drama later on related to "I didn't know you were doing that", a group text is a good idea (along with paying for an internet package for at least one person per family).

Read more: Royal Caribbean wifi guide

Book shore excursions early

Once you have a cruise booked, I think the next thing to tackle are shore excursions.

It's not easy finding tours that work for everyone, but you'll want to start on it before some of them start to sell out.

Beach days are the simplest and most popular choice for a multigenerational trip, so that's always an easy starting point (especially in the Caribbean).

Read more: 11 of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean

No matter which tour you pick, it's also good to split the costs evenly. If someone wants to pay for the entire family, that's fantastic, but if not, plan on everyone paying for their share so that there's no arguments later who paid for what.

Going back to the first tip, you'll also want to get buy in for which shore excursions you pick. It's not a big deal if some family members do their own thing, but I find a tour I do with everyone feels a lot more special.

Focus on what will make memories

After you get home and the trip is over, the most important takeaway will be the memories you make.

What that means is having first experiences that create family bonding moments with memories. The sort of things that happen that everyone talks about for years later because it was funny, loving, or just a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A lot of families elect to buy matching t-shirts for the trip. Not only is it something to wear together on the first day of the cruise, but you can wear it for months or years later.  It's like a rock concert shirt that commemorates that you were there.

Beyond souvenirs, focus on things you can all do together. While there's no guarantee going to the CocoCay waterpark or singing karaoke will make a memory you'll think about for the rest of your life, it's more likely than just not doing anything at all.

I've rented a yacht in St. Thomas on one trip and while not cheap, it's been a tour we've talked about a lot over the years because we had an epic day.

When I cruise with my parents, I've noticed they much prefer big family dinners where we can all sit together and share stories. 

Mixing in different opportunities to foster memories is a good priority for any multigenerational trip.

Royal Caribbean's drink packages offer unlimited beverages during a cruise, but the question is how much can you practically consume every day.

The premise of a drink package is pay a flat fee to enjoy as many cocktails, beers, glasses of wine, coffees, and bottles of water as you like during your cruise.  Drink packages have become incredibly popular with cruisers, and the average price has steadily gone up over the years.

Read more: Everything you need to know about a Royal Caribbean drink package

One user on the Royal Caribbean subreddit was curious how much others were truly drinking every day to make that cost worthwhile.

"Those who get the drink package, how many alcoholic drinks do y'all end up consuming per day and do you drink every day?" the thread asked.

Over 200 responses followed, with cruisers sharing their experiences with Royal Caribbean's drink packages.

Drink counts

The responses to the Reddit thread ran the gamut of possible responses, with some people claiming to have consumed easily over 100 drinks over the course of one sailing.

cat_mom_dot_com answered with her count depending on how into drinking their day was, "20 to 30 on the hardcore days. 5 to 10 on the lowkey days."

Warm-Refridgerator242 explained being on vacation is a different approach than being at home, "I would say I end up having between 10 and 15 drinks a day and I don't typically drink besides on cruises. It can sound like a lot but when you wake up around 8 am and you're up until night you'll end up having a good amount of drinks!"

They added that the appeal of the drink package is the convenience of not worrying about a bar bill later, "I definitely recommend it overall, it's nice being able to get a drink and not worry about if you like it or not because you can always order another. Plus the convenience factor of not having to sign every receipt is nice."

Many of the answers came in between 10-20 drinks per day, with many people saying not every drink contained alcohol. The Deluxe Beverage Package and the Royal Refreshment Package both include bottled water, premium coffee & teas, juices, sodas and other soft drinks.

DoctorHathaway explained how the drink package works beyond alcohol, "I do about 12 alcoholic drinks a day. I also drink about 2 specialty coffees, a bunch of fountain drinks (mostly flavored seltzers), and I usually grab about 4-6 bottles of water from the bar."

If the drink counts sound high, many were quick to point out that the potency of Royal Caribbean's drinks did not seem very high. Many people said the bartenders measure the amount of liquor dispensed and that resulted in drinks not being as potent as you might expect.

"It’s worth it for the convenience"

The overwhelming consensus among those that responded in the thread was no matter how much they consumed per day, the drink package value was worthwhile.

When you buy a drink package, the cost includes the drinks and gratuity, along with the ability to sample drinks.  There's no penalty for not finishing drinks.

Ginsengii shared that while they did not drink a lot, the freedom it provided was worth the cost, "I don’t think my husband and I will “get our money’s worth” in terms of literal cost per drink, but to me, it’s worth it for the convenience. "

"I’m someone who would hem and haw over spending the extra money on a second drink at dinner or skip out on the mimosa at breakfast if I had to make the decision to pay for it in the moment. By buying the package, I am able to fully relax and not worry about costs because everything is prepaid."

"It might not make total sense, but it works for me."

Practical-Money-7982 talked about how having a drink package changes how they cruise, "For me the package is always worth it no matter how much I drink."

"I have more fun when I'm drinking as I have trouble loosening up. If I don't buy the package I will not drink at all because I'll have to justify $15/drink which I will not be able to."

The break even point

While there were some flaunting daily drink counts, many were also looking at how much they had to drink to make the drink package cost worthwhile.  

Justifying the drink package price was about determining how much they had to drink each day to end up spending the same amount if they paid for drinks on their own.  Royal Caribbean drink prices are about $7.99 for a beer, $10-$14 per cocktail, and $3.50 for a soda.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing for its drink packages, so the price varies from sailing to sailing.  And there are pre-cruise discounts if you buy before the cruise begins.

Read more: How much is a Royal Caribbean drink package?

OhWhatsHisName calculated it was very easy to get your drink package value back without going too heavy into alcoholic drinks, "I can get fancy coffees in the morning, milkshakes and other fruity drinks throughout the day, bottled waters for excursions, etc. so factor those in, then to break even for the alcoholic drinks that's not even 5 a day, so that's 2 alcoholic drinks at lunch, 3 at dinner, which is very easily hit."

Jane_Marie_CA also found 3-10 cocktails a day combined with juices, soda, iced lattes, and smoothies made the package a good buy, "my break even point is somewhere between 4-5 cocktails a day when I factor my non booze consumption."

Some felt it wasn't worth it

While most of the people in the thread celebrated the virtues of a drink package, others lamented the purchase and couldn't justify it.

Gat0rJesus felt having the drink package made them drink more than they would otherwise, "We got it and had to drink far more than normal to make it worth it."

MaroonCanuck added, "The sheer caloric intake of some of these posts 15-20 drinks a day. Oh my heart hurts."

For a few people, the up front cost made them think twice, "Average 8-10. It was fun. Prob won't do it again, though. Will just pay out of pocket or bring some on board," BrushYourFeet said.

A cruise ship passenger may have gone overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, reports online say.

According to a post on Reddit, guests aboard Explorer of the Seas were awoken to rescue efforts at 5am on Friday.

"They turned the ship about and launched multiple boats and had spotlights looking into the ocean. I could hear high pitch sounds coming from the distance. I fear someone may have gone overboard," wrote Aramedlig.

Later in the thread, the same user posted, "Confirmed it is a man overboard. They just made an announcement."

Explorer of the Seas is sailing a 7-Night Greece & Croatia itinerary that set sail from Ravenna, Italy.  According to the report, the ship was between Dbrovnik and Zadar, Croatia when the incident occurred.

Another Reddit user on the same sailing added more details regarding the rescue efforts. 

"They have several local ships on either side and about 6 of the onboard fast rescue launches out," wrote Harleys-for-all.

"We've formed a line in the sea about 2 miles wide and are slowly combing the area."

User lesleyanne_b shared a photo of the rescue efforts, "They’re still actively searching. High speed rescue ship and two tenders, with Croatian ship supporting on starboard side."

Kilo_watt added, "Croatian Coast Guard and Air Force are helping. Our port of call to Zadar today has been canceled."

Screenshot care of Marine Traffic

Based on the ship's path, it's clear it engaged in a series of movements in an effort to locate the passenger.

According to a report by the Croatian newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija, the person in question is, "a young citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."

Explorer of the Seas is a large cruise ship, capable of carrying 4,290 passengers at maximum capacity, along with 1,185 crew members. She is 1,020 feet long and 157.5 feet wide.

The first sailing of Explorer of the Seas took place on October 28, 2000.

Onboard safety precautions

The chances of falling overboard on a cruise ship are extremely low.

Deck railings on Royal Caribbean cruise ships are at least 42-inches high, which comply Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) of 2010.

In addition, there are thick metal or Plexiglas panels or metal bars are positioned under the railings to prevent people from slipping through. 

When a man overboard situation occurs, the media usually reports on it and it leads some to wonder how it could happen in the first place.

An article from The Points Guy points out cruise ships have railings that are around chest height to ensure passenger safety and to prevent someone from slipping and falling overboard.

"The only way you risk a fall is if you're standing on furniture to peer over the side or climbing somewhere you're not supposed to. It's not possible for you to trip over a door frame or slip on a wet deck and fall off of a vessel."

Passengers going overboard are rare

The chances of a cruise ship passenger going overboard are quite low, but it does occasionally happen.

In a report from Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), there were 212 identified overboard incidents from cruise ships for either crew members or passengers between 2009 to 2019. 

Of these overboard incidents, only 48 (or 28.2%) individuals were successfully rescued. Around 71.8% of people who go overboard from cruise ships are sadly never recovered or located. 

The CLIA report also shows an overall decline in overboard incidents throughout the 10-year period. The overboard incident rate decreased 64% from 2009 to 2019, with an incidence rate of 0.00004 overboard reports per active lower berth in 2019.

The report states, “When compared with the growth in capacity in the industry over the study years, man overboard incidents continue on a downward trend.” 

If you believe that time is money, there are ways to spend extra to bypass waits on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

A cruise vacation usually includes shows, activities, shore excursions, and lots of other fun onboard.  However, there are thousands of other passengers who also want to do the same thing.

Sometimes there are short waits, while other times, long lines develop for the very popular activities. You could plan ahead and arrive early, book certain things in advance, or hope for the best.  Or you could throw money at the problem.

Spending more money isn't always the solution and you can have a great cruise without spending more money on add-ons.  But for some people, it's worth it to have a more convenient experience. 

If you value time over money, here are four upgrades you could pay for to wait less and skip lines on your Royal Caribbean cruise.

The Key

Perhaps the most popular way to skip a few lines on your cruise is to buy Royal Caribbean's VIP pass, known as The Key.

The Key is an optional purchase to be made before the cruise begins, where guests get extra 1its.  

Benefits of The Key include priority embarkation, special reserved times at signature top deck attractions, tendering priority, and more.

Buying The Key should save you time with a shorter wait to board the cruise ship, as well as disembarking it.  Guests that buy The Key can also enjoy times at specific attractions on their ship, like the rock climbing wall or Flowrider.

The downside to The Key is you have to buy it for everyone in your group above the age of 6 and you have to pay a daily fee for every day of your cruise. Plus, most of the best benefits are just on embarkation day.

However, The Key is the most affordable option on this list and it will shave off some time.

Book a Suite

Another way to bypass a few lines is to stay in a suite instead of a lower category stateroom.

Royal Caribbean has two tiers of suite experiences: the Royal Suite Class on Oasis, Quantum, and Icon Class ships; and the rest of the fleet. There are more lucrative benefits if you're on a ship with Royal Suite Class benefits.

Read more: Royal Caribbean suites overview

There are a few ways staying in a suite can benefit you by skipping lines.

First, you'll get priority embarkation and disembarkation.  When you arrive to the cruise port, there will be a special line just for suite guests and that is almost always shorter than the regular line. Moreover, you'll board the ship first (if they have not started the embarkation process yet).

Priority disembarkation is my favorite suite benefit, as the suite concierge will escort you off the ship and cut through the usually long line on that final morning. This single benefit has saved me a lot of time and my family's sanity trying to get off the ship after the cruise is over.

Suite guests also have reserved seating at shows to enjoy. It's not always the best place to sit, but they are indeed reserved spots for suite guests (as well as top tier Crown and Anchor members). 

While suite guests do not get any special times at signature attractions like those that have The Key, there is reserved seating for suite guests on the pool deck.  Pool deck chairs go quickly, so it's a nice way to not have to be as competitive for a pool chair.

Some of the suite benefits sound similar to The Key, but with a suite you also get an opulent and expansive cabin.

It's also worth mentioning the suite benefits on Royal Caribbean's newer ships are more lucrative than on their older ships.

Read more: Differences between a suite and a balcony

Use a Royal Genie

If you really want to eliminate as many lines as possible, then you should book a Star Class suite.

Star Class is the exclusive top tier of Royal Caribbean's suite program, and guests in these cabins not only get the largest suites on the ship, they also get the service of the Royal Genie.

The Royal Genie is the "easy button" for your cruise, and they can get you access to just about anything without waits.

Not only do you have the regular suite benefits mentioned earlier, but your Genie escorts you onboard the ship at the cruise terminal and is there to get you pretty much anything you want.

You can completely bypass lines for shows, ice skating, laser tag, elevators, and even getting back on the ship.  You just message your Genie with Whatsapp and they'll help you out.

Genies cannot quite bypass every single line (i.e. water slides are still on your own), but it's truly the best choice for anyone that absolutely wants to avoid lines or waits on their cruise and money is not an object.

As you might imagine, a Star Class suite is not cheap.  Often the price for these suites cost five figures, with some of the top suites actually exceeding $80,000.

Private shore excursions

If there's one kind of waiting on a cruise that I personally detest the most, it's waits for a group shore excursion. 

Shore excursions are a lot of fun, but group excursions tend to epitomize the saying, "hurry up and wait". I like to explore things at my pace, and while group shore excursions are quite affordable, I prefer to do things on my own in certain ports.

Booking a private shore excursion could alleviate waits by allowing you to get going and stop and start when you want to.

You could book a private sightseeing tour, or charter a catamaran. There are even Royal Caribbean private excursions you can book through the Private Journeys department.

The downside to a private excursion is the cost.  You'll probably pay much more per person than on a group tour.

A free upgrade: Express Boarding

While everything in our list costs extra, there's an easy way to skip at least one line on your cruise and that's with Express Boarding.

If you happen to sail on a ship that supports Express Boarding, Royal Caribbean will reward you with a faster way to get onto the ship for free.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Express Boarding Review

If you complete all the steps of the check-in process via the Royal Caribbean app, you should get Express Boarding on your SetSail pass automatically.

You'll need to use the app to enter all your information, scan your passport, take a selfie, and answer the health questionnaire the day before the cruise begins.

Read more: Royal Caribbean boarding process walkthrough

It's only available at certain ports and ships, but it's free!

Utopia of the Seas is not only one of Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ships, but she's packed with lots to do.

If you're like me, you're going to want to take advantage of everything Royal Caribbean has added to this ship. There's lots to see, do, and eat onboard, and you only have a few nights to try everything.

Although the cruise fare is likely higher on Utopia of the Seas than other ships doing short cruises, Utopia has some of the best in class features that you won't get on those ships.

Here are five things to consider before you sail on Utopia of the Seas.

Royal Railway is the hot ticket

Royal Caribbean may have outdone itself with its new immersive dining restaurant experience because demand for it has been quite high.

Royal Railway at Utopia Station is more than just a specialty restaurant. It's an adventure through food and story, and a lot of passengers are clearly interested in booking it.

Reservations are slowly rolling out to be able to book it, but you're going to need to be quick to grab one. The combination of high interest to try it along with cruisers collaborating on social media to alert each other when reservations are available is leading to Royal Railway selling out quickly.

My advice is to book a reservation in advance once they become available on the website, even if you have a Royal Caribbean dining package or you're sailing in Star Class.  

You can always get a refund onboard the ship once you point out you have one of those things, and being assured of a spot via this method makes the most sense.

I'd also advise you to join a Facebook group for your sailing to be alerted by others when Royal Railway pops up to book.

If eating at Royal Railway is important to you, then definitely book early and don't wait.

Read more: 7 ways to learn everything you can about your cruise

A lot of the new parties are late night

There are a lot of new parties and events on Utopia of the Seas, and many of them are at night.

Royal Caribbean wanted Utopia of the Seas to offer more to do than its other ships, and it greatly expanded its activities. In addition to the usual Royal Caribbean events, you'll find new pool parties, dance parties, fraternization events, and more.

The new pool events, such as the Plunge Day Pool Party, are still during the day, so there's no concern there. But if you want to experience many of the new events, it's going to be a late night.

These include:

• Toga silent party
• ReZolution Dance Party
• Royal Kappa Chi college party
• Red DJ party
• The Quest adult scavenger hunt

It seems many of the events don't begin until 11pm, and many are only offered once per sailing.  

The key is to look at the schedule ahead of time, and take a nap during the day or load up on coffee so you can make it to the late night hours. Some parties have been going until about 4am.

Plan your port day around CocoCay, not Nassau

Time is limited on a weekend cruise, so if you're going to make plans on shore, do it on your visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

I'm not disparaging Nassau specifically, rather, pointing out which port to prioritize since it makes sense to also have time for all the fun things to do on Utopia.

Utopia of the Seas has a lot to do, and there's a good argument for staying onboard the ship on one of the port days in order to enjoy more of the ship.

Staying onboard the ship means you could enjoy more time at the pool, less of a wait at the water slides, sample a different restaurant, or go down the Ultimate Abyss.

Not only are there a lot of good choices for what to do at CocoCay, but I find Nassau's shore excursions options limiting in the sense of compelling choices. I actually prefer the beaches around Nassau more than CocoCay, but Royal Caribbean has fine-tuned its private island game to a point where it's far more likely to have a fun time ashore.

Don't take this tip to mean you shouldn't get off the ship at Nassau, rather, if you want to do one port day, I'd pick CocoCay.

The Mason Jar bar is underrated entertainment

Royal Caribbean says Utopia of the Seas is the ultimate party ship, but the Mason Jar bar is where you ought to be going every night.

With all due respect to the Pesky Parrot, English Pub, Schooner Bar, and Red dance party, my go-to evening music spot was the Mason Jar in order to see the Country Trio perform there.

Bryan, Jeff, and Josh put on a great show, and even though I'm not a big country music fan, it's the right mix of new and classic hits that I think anyone can enjoy. 

Equally compelling are the bar menu choices. Be sure to try the PB&J Old Fashioned for my absolute favorite cruise drink.

It makes sense to wander on Utopia and sample a variety of bars and lounges each evening, but I recommend stopping by to see the boys in the Mason Jar.

Secrets I discovered on Utopia of the Seas

I spent over a week on Utopia of the Seas taking in as much as I can, and ran across various tidbits I think would benefit anyone.

None of these are "I can't believe how amazing this tip is" sort of secrets, but I do think you'll have a better cruise if you know about them.

Expedited boarding: You can get on Utopia of the Seas faster with expedited boarding at Port Canaveral. Simply do everything in the Royal Caribbean app, and you can qualify for it and it's free.

You can get coffee at Giovanni's: If the line for coffee is too long in the Windjammer or Cafe Promenade, Giovanni's wine bar has an espresso machine. It might not help you early in the morning, but they're open during the day.

You can order food at Giovanni's wine bar: Another Giovanni's tip is to go to the bar for a snack or a meal. There is a limited food menu you can order from, and this can be great for a quick bite or a workaround if you cannot get a reservation at the restaurant.

The shaved ice isn't covered by a package yet: I love that Royal Caribbean added shaved ice to the Wipeout Bar at the back of the ship near the Ultimate Abyss, but your drink or dining packages won't cover it yet. Royal Caribbean may revisit that rule in the future, but for now, plan to spend extra on it.

Look for espresso martini machines: Utopia is the second Royal Caribbean ship to add espresso martini machines to some of its bars (Icon of the Seas had it first), and it's something espresso martini fans seem to love. I spotted one at the casino bar and Schooner Bar so far.

There are USB plugs at a lot of bars: If you need to charge your devices, look for USB plugs below the bar. The Solarium Bar, Schooner Bar, and Pesky Parrot all had USB plugs below the bar to keep your devices charged.

You can buy Wowbands: Royal Caribbean sells its useful RFID bracelets on Utopia of the Seas. Known as Wowbands, you can buy them at Guest Services for $9.99 each.

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Big changes are coming to Allure of the Seas in 2025.

Royal Caribbean released details on the biggest changes it will make to Allure of the Seas during her upcoming refurbishment.

Like other Royal Caribbean cruise ships that have been updated over the years, Allure will get new restaurants, updates to certain venues, and even some new ideas.

Allure goes in for upgrade work in March 2025 and will re-enter service in April 2025 while in Europe.

Here's everything we know so far about what Royal Caribbean has planned.

Amplified Allure of the Seas

Royal Caribbean says Allure of the Seas will have over 35 places to eat, drink and splash onboard when the work is done.

In total, it's a $100 million-plus upgrade to one of the world's biggest cruise ships that will radically transform the cruise ship.

Redesigned resort-style pool deck

The pool deck on Allure of the Seas will get a refresh that have a more vibrant look and new bars too.

In past refurbishments, Royal Caribbean places a greater focus on ways to lounge and enjoy the area. This includes not only Caribbean inspired decor, but new seating, updated hot tubs, and the addition of The Lime & Coconut pool bar.

The cruise line calls it a resort style pool deck to give the entire area a lift.

The pool deck on Utopia of the Seas is a good indicator of what you can expect with Allure's pools, given Utopia's version has the best in class features right now.

Ultimate Abyss slide

The longest dry slide at sea is confirmed to be added to the back of Allure of the Seas.

The Ultimate Abyss are a pair of two slides perched 150 feet above sea level. They're dry slides, and riders slide down a specially designed mat.

As there are two slides side by side, you can race to the bottom with a fellow passenger.

The slide starts by climbing through the mouth of an entrance designed like an anglerfish predator. The entrance has a glass floor and views of the aft below, which gets your adrenaline pumping even before the slide starts.

It's unclear if it will be longer than the slide on Utopia of the Seas, which measures 259 feet long and is 43 feet longer than on other Oasis Class ships.

Another change will be the addition of shaved ice bar near the entrance to the slide, offering ice in a variety of flavors.

Perfect Storm waterslides

Royal Caribbean will add water slides to Allure of the Seas, and they will almost certainly be just like the slides found on other Oasis Class ships.

The Perfect Storm trio of water slides offer two racer slides and a champagne bowl slide that are included in your cruise fare.  As you slide down any of the slides, you will twist and turn three decks into a splashy finish.

There is no cost to use the water slides.

Splashaway Bay

Splashaway Bay aqua park is the perfect refuge for kids.

Kids will find fountains, buckets, sprays and even slides that they can enjoy all day long.  There's even a special area reserved just for toddlers who are still in diapers.

Pesky Parrot bar

Royal Caribbean's new tiki bar will make it onto Allure of the Seas.

It's a twist on the traditional tiki bar, with an infusion of Caribbean vibes. There's a wide menu of fruit-based cocktails, alongside frozen drinks too.

A fun spot to hang out, this bar offers a vibrant and open spot for guests to enjoy a drink on the Royal Promenade.

New restaurants

Royal Caribbean did not specify exactly which restaurants will be added to the ship, but a teaser video showed what we can expect at least three new restaurants:

• Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade (specialty)
• Mason Jar southern American food restaurant (specialty)
• El Loco Fresh Mexican fare (included)

The cruise line advertises there will be 20 places to eat onboard, along with 17 bars.

Escape room

If you love a good puzzle, the escape room will challenge you and your team to figure out clues to solve a larger puzzle.

Escape rooms allow passengers the chance to do beat a timed challenge where a specially designed room has all sorts of puzzles and riddles that you must solve in order to complete the proper sequence to "escape" the room.

The theme for the Escape room on Allure of the Seas will be "Apollo 18: Lunar Landing", which is themed to a landing on the moon.

Escape rooms on other Royal Caribbean ships range in duration and theme, but Utopia of the Seas recently debuted an escape room that was just 30 minutes long.

Glow-in-the-dark laser tag

A fun family activity with no extra cost is laser tag.

Guests can put on  special laser tag vests, grab a laser tag gun and head into the arena for a fast-paced team-game that rewards the group that works well together and coordinates their efforts.  

Ultimate Panoramic Suite

First added to Oasis of the Seas, the Ultimate Panoramic Suite offers 914 square feet of space and sweeping 200 degree views from wall to wall and floor to ceiling glass windows.

The Star Class suite has a walk-in closet, and upgraded bathroom with panoramic views of its own.

Kids & Teens spaces

The dedicated areas for kids on Allure will also get an update.

A revamped Adventure Ocean space will include:

• Play Place, the AO Theater
• Hands-on art, science and tech at Workshop
• Physical, interactive games at Arena
• The Hangout
• Dedicated programs for babies and younger kids

The teen club will be updates as well, with the new Social298 venue.

Big ship with big updates

Allure of the Seas launched in 2010, one year after the namesake ship of the Oasis Class. The 225,282 gross registered ton vessel was the largest cruise ship in the world until the launch of Harmony of the Seas and was the second to feature the revolutionizing neighborhood concept. 

Still one of the largest ships in the world, she's able to accommodate over 6,000 passengers on any given sailing and boasts four swimming pools, multiple hot tubs, rock climbing walls, a casino, and more.

Onboard, guests can stroll through the peaceful Central Park, enjoy a jaw-dropping show at the Boardwalk's AquaTheater, or grab a drink at one of the bars in the Royal Promenade, including the Rising Tide Bar that transports passengers from Deck 5 to Deck 8.

Dining options include the three-story Main Dining Room, Sorrento's, Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, the Oasis Class-exclusive 150 Central Park, suite-only Coastal Kitchen, Johnny Rockets, and more.

Though she lacked water slides and a massive dry slide for years, the top decks still delivered an adrenaline-pumping experience, from the dual FlowRiders to the zip line, sports court, and mini-golf course.

Initially, Allure of the Seas was slated to undergo a major renovation in 2020; however, the project was paused due to the pandemic.

Sailing in April 2025

Following her amplification, Allure of the Seas will remain in Europe for the summer 2025 season, a first since 2015. Sailing from Barcelona and Rome (Civitavecchia) on 7-night cruises, vacationers can explore idyllic destinations in Spain, France, and Italy.
After exploring iconic landmarks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa or dining on authentic Neapolitan pizza in Naples, guests can return to one of the largest ships in the world for a night of fun. From dazzling ice skating shows to the theatrical hit "Mamma Mia!" there's so much to be enjoyed onboard.

She will sail on limited shorter cruises, including an inaugural 4-night cruise from Barcelona on April 11, in which her brand-new features will be debuted. Prices currently start at $602 per person for this sailing.

Allure of the Seas will then embark on a 5-night cruise from Barcelona to Provence (Marseille), France; Florence / Pisa (La Spezia), Italy; and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy before settling into her routine weeklong cruises for the remainder of the season.

The one exception is a 3-night cruise from Rome (Civitavecchia) to Barcelona before she makes her way across the Atlantic for a winter season in the Caribbean, offering cruises ranging from 6 to 8 nights. Then, she'll relocate to Galveston, Texas, sailing to the Western Caribbean in April 2026.

Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas is not only the newest cruise ship in the world, but she boasts a number of new features, improved areas, and more to do onboard.  

Don't let the fact Utopia is the sixth Oasis Class ship fool you, there's a lot that's changed onboard the average cruiser may not know about.

After checking out Utopia for over a week, it's clear to our team that Utopia stands out in a few ways.  We dug through all the experiences onboard to share with you some interesting facts and things you might not yet know about this cruise ship.

70% of passengers on a short cruise are new cruisers

Royal Caribbean made the unorthodox decision to start Utopia of the Seas sailing short 3- and 4-night cruises instead of 7-night cruises because they wanted to attract people that had never cruised before.

New cruisers represent the single largest source of new customers for any cruise line, so finding a way to get more new cruisers is the path to financial success.

In Royal Caribbean Group's second quarter earnings report, the company shared an interesting fact about how many people brand new to cruise ships end up on short cruises.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty mentioned that 70% of passengers on a short cruise have never cruised before, "our short Caribbean cruise product is an important entry point for new-to-cruise and new-to-brand with nearly 7 and 10 guests following in these categories and always skewing more toward younger customers."

He also added that 40% of guests who are younger cruisers have indicated that they intend to book a short vacation in the next 12 months.  

Plus, 90% of guests who sail on a short Royal Caribbean cruise intend to cruise again with roughly half planning to return for a longer cruise.

The math points to Utopia of the Seas being a giant magnet for growing the company's customer base.

It’s five times bigger than the Titanic

For some reason everyone likes to compare cruise ships to the RMS Titanic, so Utopia of the Seas is approximately five times bigger with a gross tonnage of 236,473 (the Titanic weighed 46,328 tons).

Utopia is not the biggest cruise ship in the world, as that title is still held by sister vessel Icon of the Seas. Icon has a gross tonnage of 250,800.

Utopia of the Seas has 18 decks, 2,834 staterooms, and it can hold up to 5,668 guests.

Read more: Comparing Titanic vs biggest cruise ship in the world

Sailing short cruises didn't change how Royal Caribbean designed the ship

While Utopia of the Seas is sailing short cruises now, the ship is ready for any itinerary, should the need arise.

I spoke with Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider while onboard the new ship about the design of Utopia, and he said all new cruise ships are built to handle any kind of sailing.

When asked about building a ship for short cruises, he responded, "we design a global ship independent of itinerary."

"We really honed in on designing a global ship that matches what our brand ambition, our brand DNA, and then really what our guests are looking for us to deliver."

So while Utopia of the Seas is scheduled to sail short cruises now, if that plan were to change in the future, Utopia would be ready for it.

The new immersive train restaurant is "an infinite storytelling platform"

If there's been one venue that truly stands out on Utopia of the Seas, it's the new immersive train car restaurant that is arguably the most innovative dining concepts out there.

The Royal Railway is Royal Caribbean's first fully immersive restaurant, which means you feel like you're really in a classic train with a story to match the food and drink you're served.

Read more: Royal Railway is unlike any cruise ship restaurant I ever experienced

Mr. Schneider talked about how Royal Railway is more than just another specialty restaurant, "I don't want people to think about it as a specialty restaurant, because it's not. It's a really meant to be an experience you've never done before."

When you dine at Royal Railway, you'll see that the venue is capable of taking guests through an entire journey with food, visuals, sounds, and even a light-hearted story.

"It is truly is an infinite storytelling platform," Mr. Schneider said in talking about their plans for this restaurant.

Royal Caribbean's research tells them most guests are looking for first experiences, bonding with their family members, and memories with their family.

He believes Royal Railway has plenty of that wow factor to make it something truly special.

21 places to eat, 23 bars, five pools, three water slides and two casinos

If you're worried about being bored on Utopia of the Seas, you can safely disregard that concern because Royal Caribbean has packed the ship with so much to do!

There's sushi, Italian, steaks, burgers, and plenty of snacks to keep you satisfied every day. Utopia has a good blend of included and extra-cost dining spots, and you don't have to go very far to find one.  

Of all the bars onboard, the Pesky Parrot is the most notable because it's a brand new concept.  A tiki bar located right on the Royal Promenade as you walk onto the ship, it has frozen concoctions that go beyond just a pina colada. Plus, it's a fun bar to sit and talk with friends.

You'll find pools, water slides, a surf simulator, rock climbing wall, an escape room, laser tag, mini golf, and that's just on the top deck. 

Royal Caribbean's entertainment is second-to-none because they develop original shows that push limits of what you'd expect to find on a cruise ship.

Aqua80sToo is the show in the ship's open air amphitheater that plays nothing but music from the decade of excess. Not only is it nostalgic, but the performers have some amazing athleticism they put on in each show.

There's also a production show in the Royal Theater as well as the ice skating rink, and I appreciate all the shows are less than an hour to leave you more time to get out and enjoy other activities.

The places your cruise ship visits are among the top reasons people choose a cruise vacation, but there are mistakes and red flags to avoid when in port.

Each port of call has a variety of tours and activities you can do. You could book a tour through Royal Caribbean or something on your own. In either case, you want to carefully vet any excursion before you book it.

As a frequent cruiser, I've gone on all sorts of shore excursions in ports around the world, including the Caribbean, Alaska, and Europe. Most of my shore excursions have been great, but a few turned out to be duds.

It's a good idea to check what's included with the cost of your tour, safety protocols, what time it begins and ends, as well as what you'll actually do during the tour.

Here are the red flags I look for in any shore excursion before I book that could take away from your enjoyment.

Long transit times for a short visit

A shore excursion that involves many hours in transit to leave you with a short amount of time at the actual destination might be worth rethinking.

It's not uncommon to find a shore excursion that takes you to a bucket list worthy spot, such as visiting a major city, exploring Mayan ruins, or viewing natural wonders.

The problem with some of these tours can be you'll spend more time on a bus travelling to and from the site than actually at the place.

Common examples include Chichén Itzá, visits to Paris, or a transfer to Walt Disney World.

Sometimes cruise ships dock in ports significantly far from these places. While it is possible to go and see these areas, it involves a long bus ride.

If this is your only opportunity to ever visit, then perhaps a marathon bus ride is worth it.  Otherwise, save it for a land visit.

Read more: 8 cruise ship shore excursions our readers tried and instantly regretted

No refunds if your ship can't dock

Before you book any shore excursion, read the rules on cancelling.

In my opinion, any tour operator should refund all of your money (including the deposit) if your ship is unable to dock. Whether it's because of poor weather that day or an itinerary change, the refund policy should cover that scenario.

Most shore excursions don't include a refund if the weather is poor, but if you are physically unable to make it to the tour because your ship isn't in port, then they should refund your money.

If you book a tour with Royal Caribbean, this is standard practice.  However, some third party shore excursions you can book on your own may not offer it.

Read more: What to do if Royal Caribbean's shore excursions are sold out

Panoramic sightseeing tours

It might sound like a great tour, but panoramic sightseeing tours may leave you disappointed with time at the places you'll see behind a window.

Bus tours are great if you like a more casual view, or perhaps you have mobility issues. Moreover, never underestimate how wonderful air conditioning is in the summer months.

However, if your goal is to walk around and explore historical sights or beautiful natural wonders, I'd recommend avoiding a tour that advertises how much you can see from the bus you'll be on.

When I've done these sorts of tours, I usually end up frustrated that I didn't have enough time to see the places.  

"Let me give you a tour of the island"

An island tour from someone with a flimsy sign is not who you want to book a tour on the spot with.

When you walk out of the port area, there's usually a group of taxi drivers who want you to pay them to take you on a tour of the place you're visiting. While I doubt there are safety concerns with them, I would not recommend booking a tour with them because of how open-ended that can be.

Without knowing anything about the tour operator, their knowledge of the area, or total costs, I think there are too many variables.

If you want a driver for the day and/or a private tour of the port you're visiting, I'd recommend doing some research ahead of time and booking that in advance.  That way you can do your research online and read reviews and get recommendations for whom to work with.

Read more: Quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own

Museum tours

Museums are a great idea for an activity in port, but you don't need to book an organized tour.

It's easy enough to get to most museums by taking a cab, and then once in the museum, exploring on your own.  

Not only will a museum shore excursion cost you more, but you'll be moving at the pace of the group and without the option to spend more time at the exhibits that interest you.

If you're worried about being able to understand the tour in your native language, there could be audio tours available from the museum or even utilize Google Translate app to be able to instantly translate signs.

Beach breaks

Just like museum tours, you don't need an organized tour to go to the beach.

Sometimes a shore excursion includes a visit to the beach in addition to the primary activity, but if you just want to spend the day at the beach, I'd question the value of an organized tour.

One issue with a beach shore excursion are crowds. If your tour is going to this beach, other shore excursions probably are too, and that's the recipe for a crowded beach day.  Sometimes crowded beaches are unavoidable, but in the Caribbean where beautiful beaches are a dime a dozen, I wouldn't do it.

The other issue with a beach break excursion is it's probably cheaper to book it on your own. 

Do your research and look up taxi rates along with the fees for accessing the beach, resort, or park.

Happy Sunday! We hope you are having a great weekend! Now it is time to sit back, relax, and catch up on all the Royal Caribbean news from the week!

After spending over a week on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, Matt thinks the ship's best in class features really make it stand out.

For just short 3- and 4-night sailings, it's impressive how much there is to do onboard.  The ship has some of the best venues that you'll find on any ship, and there's more activities and parties than ever before.

Don't let the weekend party ship marketing fool you, Utopia is a great ship for a lot of reasons.

Royal Caribbean News

• New Caribbean cruises released for 2025
• I tried every Oasis Class cruise ship, here's how I would rank them
• The best things I ate on Utopia of the Seas
• I paid $30 to try the new escape room on Utopia of the Seas and it was worth it
• I had 2 hours to explore 1,000-year-old Mayan ruins. It was a remarkable experience
• Royal Caribbean makes $137 million Alaska port investment, new beach club director
• European cruise outfits and packing guide for women
• A private karaoke room costs $70 and it was a fun splurge for my family

New RCB Video: All the things I HATE about Icon of the Seas

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 — All the things I HATE about Icon of the Seas — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 540th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, with a cruise review of Utopia of the Seas.

Matt shares his major takeaways from trying Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Why Royal Caribbean's cruise prices will keep rising

Demand for booking a Royal Caribbean cruise is so strong right now that the company expects prices to keep going up.

During the company's earnings call with Wall Street analysts, executives said talked about an upward trend in prices going in to 2025 and beyond.

Royal Caribbean sees its customers are willing to not only book more cruises, but book them at higher prices.

Vintage photos show what cruises used to look like

A cruise ship 40 years ago looked different than what we see today.

Photos from Royal Caribbean cruises in the 1980s reveal the experience is similar, but ships had different offerings too.

There was a midnight buffet, glitter-filled performances, Country Western nights, pirate night and more.

Things you should never do in the suite lounge

The suite lounge is reserved for passengers that booked a suite stateroom, and Matt thinks there are some good rules of thumb to follow in there.

Suite guests and Pinnacle Club members are able to access the lounge, which includes complimentary beverages in the evening, snacks throughout the day, a self-service coffee machine, and plush seating.

It's a wonderful perk for anyone staying in a suite, but Matt cautions what not to do in there.

After 90 cruises, these are the 5 best restaurants (one isn't on a ship)

Dinner is arguably the most popular meal on a Royal Caribbean ship, so Matt ranked the top restaurants in the fleet.

There are a lot of choices of where you can eat on your ship, including restaurants that have an extra cost. 

The top restaurants that stood out among all of them include one that isn't even on a Royal Caribbean ship.