Royal Caribbean has pushed back once again its plans to release new cruises in 2026-2027.

Just two weeks after revising its deployment schedule, the cruise line has done so again and even delayed one deployment until further notice.

The most recent change affects three specific releases: short Caribbean, seasonal Caribbean, and Australia.

Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule is a plan for when it will put new sailings on sale for the first time, with each release tied to a specific region that will take place in 2026 or 2027.

Some new 2026-2027 sailings were announced already in November and December, but there's been a break for Christmas and New Years.

Here's what's changed and what you can expect.

The revised deployment schedule

The new deployment schedule has changes to three regions, with one now paused until a new date can be found.

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

Revised schedule

First revision

What's changed is short Caribbean has been pushed back to February 24,  and seasonal Caribbean has been pushed back to March 3. 

In addition, Australia has been placed in "TBD" until a new release window can be identified.

Plans to release new Europe, West Coast, China, and Singapore cruises remain unchanged.

Previously released 2026-2027 cruises

Royal Caribbean has released some of its 2026-2027 cruises in fall 2024, and they're available to book immediately.

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

Expect more changes

As we've seen twice so far, the deployment schedule could be altered again. In fact, it will given the pause on Australia releases.

The release of new sailings is part of the cruise line's annual tradition of systematically putting new cruises on sale in the fall and spring.

It's also important to note that when the schedule says a release will occur during "the week of" a certain date, it could be any day that week and is rarely actually on the exact date.

As an example, when Europe 2.0 comes out during the week of February 10, 2025, it almost certainly will not be available on February 10. Rather, it will be posted at some point during that week.

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

Icon 3 announcement is still forthcoming

Something else probably not included in this latest revision to the deployment schedule is when we can start booking cruises on Royal Caribbean's third Icon Class cruise ship.

We know Icon 3 will start sailing sometime in 2026, but the cruise line has not revealed where in the world the new ship will sail, or any other details about it.

The reason why I believe Icon 3 is not part of this updated deployment schedule is because Royal Caribbean usually puts sailings on a new ship out for sale on its own. It's kind of like its own launch event.

It's likely where Icon 3 gets inserted has an effect on other ships. Deployments tend to have a domino effect, where one ship gets moved to a new homeport and other ships get shifted around as a result.

Make plans now before the new cruises are released

While we all wait just a little bit longer for these new sailings, you'll want to start planning to get a jump start on it.

One of the best ways to get a lower price on a cruise is to book as early as you can, and the day new cruises go on sale is the perfect time.

I recommend alerting your travel agent to your desire to book a new cruise when these deployments go live. That way, your agent can get a hold of a cabin immediately.

Of course, we don't yet know which ships will sail from which ports or when they will depart, but having a plan in place now ensures you'll get a room booked quicker when they do release.

As an example, if you want to cruise during a major holiday, there's bound to be a weeklong cruise offered that week.  So you could tell your travel agent to book a balcony cabin on whichever ship is sailing from a certain port over a given holiday.

The other really good reason to book something immediately is if you want a suite.

Suites are almost always the first category of stateroom to sell out on any sailing because they are the fewest types of rooms on any ship.

Celebrity Cruises is about to get into the river cruise market.

The announcement was made on Tuesday morning that Celebrity Cruises, as the company will add a fleet of 10 river ships.

The first river cruise will begin in 2027, and the idea is to bring the cruise line's vision for ocean going vessels to river cruises.

Introducing Celebrity River Cruises

Celebrity has placed an order for 10 ships, and all of them will operate in Europe.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty says half of their guests have experienced or intend to vacation on a river cruise.

Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge spoke about the significance of the announcement in a statement, "Celebrity River Cruises will bring the quality and sophistication of our Edge Series ocean ships to the most iconic rivers, starting with Europe."

"We've redefined travel on the ocean with our best-in-class hospitality, award-winning food and beverage experiences, and elevated design and style. We are thrilled to bring these experiences to the river and combine them with authentic, destination-rich itineraries that will give our guests an experience unlike any other."

By getting into river cruises, Celebrity wants to offer more culturally enriching travel experiences.

Celebrity River Cruises will focus on offering premium experiences, local cuisine, interesting shore excursion opportunities, and 360-degree views of historic cities. 

Plus, the 10 new ships will incorporate design elements from Celebrity's Edge Series ships.

Specific details about destinations, fleet specifications, and excursions will be announced in the coming months.

Disrupting the river cruise market

Celebrity's entry into river cruising is a major move, and it's a sign that demand for river cruising is big enough that Royal Caribbean Group wants in on it too.

Plus, offering river cruises in addition to its ocean going sailings could attract new travelers who prefer smaller ships and land-centric itineraries.

Celebrity has built a reputation for itself offering an upscale, premium ocean going cruise.  They call it "modern luxury" and their Edge Class ships have been exemplary in how their ships emphasize service, design, and innovations.

Bringing this approach to river cruises is how the company hopes to differentiate itself from the market. Plus, they could infuse younger travelers into a traditionally older river cruise demographic.

The river cruise market is currently dominated by companies like Viking, AmaWaterways, and Avalon Waterways. With Celebrity now coming in, it not only grows their own offerings, but also shakes up the traditional river cruise market.

Keeping customers within the brand

Royal Caribbean Group hinted at the possibility of river cruises back in April 2024, when it told Wall Street analysts, "that could be something that we would consider at some point in the future."

Back then, they acknowledged they saw potential to grow their business in the river cruise market.

"River is an area where we do see some overlap, not a lot of overlap, but we do see some overlap occurring," said Mr. Liberty.

The idea behind it was to offer more to their customers so there was less reason to try a different company or vacation.

Mr. Liberty talked about retaining customers during the call, "We remain intensely focused on attracting and keeping guests within our unique portfolio of brands, and providing experiences for all of life's moments."

"We have been very thoughtful about having the right brands and the right segments," he explained and gave an example of how customers can dip between the different companies.

Mr. Liberty indicated they're always looking for ways to get better at what they do, and making their customers aware of ways to cruise within the company ecosystem is one component to their plan.

Royal Caribbean's annual profit largely above analysts' expectations

Royal Caribbean Group also reported its fourth quarter 2024 and 2024 full year financial results on Tuesday.

In 2024, the company had total revenues of $16.5 billion and Net Income of $2.9 billion.

2025 is off to a stellar start with WAVE season off to a record start, according to company spokespeople. Essentially, their bookings are where they've been in prior years, but at higher prices.

In fact, the company expects expected adjusted earnings growth of 23% in 2025.

Robust demand

Net Income for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $0.6 billion compared to Net Income of $0.3 billion for the same period in the prior year. 

Royal Caribbean Group has seen bookings accelerate since the last quarter, resulting in the best five booking weeks in the company's history. 

Guest spending onboard and pre-cruise purchases continue to exceed prior years driven by more customers opting to buy add-ons and at higher prices. Royal Caribbean Group says that's due to their "robust commercial engine."

If thou wants a great vacation, thou shalt follow the most important pieces of travel advice.

I'm asked every week for cruise advice when I host a YouTube live video every Monday night. It's an opportunity to give recommendations to specific situations, but there are certain truths that are applicable to just about everyone.

While some advice is going to vary on how effective or useful it is based on the person, there are a core set of travel guidelines I think everyone should follow because the consequences could be dire for your vacation.

The beauty of a cruise vacation is you don't have to plan a lot to have a great time. However, the more you do plan ahead, the better your experience will be overall and you'll probably save money too. Plus, you're far more likely to avoid common pitfalls.

In thinking about the breadth of cruise advice I can provide, I came up with the 10 most important cruise tips possible that apply to just about everyone. 

I hope these tips will save your sanity, reduce your vacation cost, and get you time back during your vacation.

1. Book your cruise early to get the lowest price

There are a lot of approaches to getting a better price on your cruise, but the one that seems to work the best is to book as early as you can.

Prices tend to go up over time, so if you can book a cruise a year or more in advance, you'll probably get a better price.

Cruise lines price their sailings based on a few factors, but how quickly a ship sells and the amount of remaining unsold cabins are among the top considerations. As more people book a cruise, there are less cabins left and the price goes up.

If you can book a cruise more than 12 months early, you'll be able to take advantage of a wider selection of cabins and competitive prices. 

There are last-minute cruise deals out there, but they rarely line up with the exact week you want to vacation. Worse yet, the choice of staterooms is likely going to be crummy.

For residents of the United States, Canada, Australia, and other select countries, you can re-price the cruise up until final payment date if there's a price drop.

2. Book your flight a day early and your flight home late

One of the worst mistakes you can make is to book your flight the same day your cruise begins.

You never want to fly the same day your cruise is scheduled to depart because a flight delay or cancellation means you could miss your cruise vacation, and there's no refund when you no-show for it.

Instead, fly in at least one day before the cruise begins. For international cruises, I'd bump that up to two or three days ahead of time.

Yes, coming in earlier means extra hotel and incidental costs, but it's better than risking your entire vacation on flights being on time.

There are horror stories of travelers who failed to heed this advice and ended up missing their cruise. It's something I unfortunately see all the time, and it's easily preventable.

3. Buy everything you need before the cruise begins, and re-price it along the way

There are lots of add-ons for a cruise, and you'll want to buy them all before it begins.

Instead of waiting to buy it on the ship, you should buy it before it begins on the Royal Caribbean app or website for two important reasons.

First, you'll save money because Royal Caribbean regularly discounts its offerings before the sailing.

There are sales and pre-cruise discounts offered on drink packages, shore excursions, wifi, and more. So book it when you know you need it and lock in the price.

The second reason to pre-book is if there is a new sale that lowers the price, you can always cancel and rebook it.

If you're thinking why not wait until closer to the cruise to actually book the add-on, the issue is prices can go up.  

By booking early and re-pricing later, you assure you always have the best price.

Moreover, some things will sell out before the cruise begins, such as shore excursions or dining packages.

4. Buy travel insurance for any cruise you take

I know travel insurance is an extra cost, but it's worth protecting your family vacation with it.

Insurance is super useful for many scenarios you never expect to run into, and then it's the best money you ever spent.

Travel insurance covers your medical needs, as well as travel delays, injuries, family obligations, and all sorts of reasons why you need to end your vacation early.

I've see too many situations where a family encountered bad luck and it could have made the issue better with travel insurance to back them up.

5. Do the entire online check-in

The last thing you want to do when you arrive at the cruise terminal on the first day is waste time instead of being on the ship.

Just like an airplane, you can complete the online check-in via the cruise line app to expedite the process when you arrive on embarkation day.

Royal Caribbean wants to get you on the ship as fast as possible, so they've enhanced the app to speed up boarding. 

If you take a few minutes at home to do all the check-in steps, you'll spend less time in the cruise terminal and get on the ship faster.

That means filling in all your personal information, scanning your passport, taking a selfie, and entering your credit card information.

6. Use a travel agent to book the cruise

Do you want to save money and time? Using a good travel agent is a must-do, in my opinion.

The value of a travel agent goes beyond booking the cruise, because anyone can do that.  It's the depth of experience they bring, and ability to find the lowest possible price that are why they're so useful.

While travel agents aren't as popular in other forms of travel as they used to be, they remain quite useful with cruises because a cruise vacation is such a personalized vacation.

There are many decisions related to fare types, cabin selection, discount, ship choice, and more. New cruisers can easily miss an important factor, while those that cruise a lot could benefit from wasting less of their own time going back and forth with the cruise line.

If you've tried a travel agent but didn't like that, that just means you haven't found the right one yet.  It's like a good restaurant, you can't give up eating out completely because you went to one bad restaurant.

Ask friends and family which travel agents they use and recommend, and work with one.

7. Pick your ship based on what you want to do

Too many cruisers pick a cruise based on it being the newest, biggest, or cheapest, without realizing they're picking the wrong ship for them.

There isn't an inherently bad Royal Caribbean ship to sail on, but there might be a better ship for your family.

Every cruise ship is not the same, and they don't all include the same activities, dining choices, or things to do onboard.

So what you want to do is research what the ship has to do, and what it doesn't have, and then pick one based on your needs.

When you chase the lowest price and end up on a small, old ship, it's not going to have many restaurants and very few top deck attractions.

Likewise, the newest ship is going enormous and sail to places you might not care about.

I can't tell you how many times I hear someone was disappointed in a cruise ship because it didn't measure up to the one they expected or sailed on previously. Having the right expectations is important.

8. Find and book excursions before the cruise begins

There are going to be dozens of things to do in any port your ship visits, and it's so much easier to find the right one when you research it from home.

The destinations a cruise go to are among the top reasons anyone books a cruise vacation. With only a few hours in each port, that leaves little wiggle room for disappointment.

My advice is take some time and look up ideas for what to do, and the right tour operator. You can book shore excursions with Royal Caribbean or with a third-party company. There are advantages to both, but you need to do your homework.

9. If your ship allows you to pre-book entertainment, do it

On Royal Caribbean's biggest cruise ships, you'll be able to book tickets to the shows onboard and you really should do it as soon as possible.

There is limited capacity for these shows, and no cost to pre-book, so you'll want to do so.  Usually entertainment opens up about 30 days before a cruise begins, and it's only available on the Oasis, Icon, and Quantum Class ships.

If you're sailing on other classes of ships, you can't and don't need to book entertainment.

Reservations will sell out, but don't let that stop you from going anyway. There's a standby line for each show, and you can usually get in if you arrive at least 30 minutes before the show begins.  Moreover, there can be additional tickets you can book once you get on the ship and connect to the ship's WiFi and then open up the Royal Caribbean app.

10. Be flexible

You can follow every commandment so far and still run into a problem or unexpected issue during your cruise, so it's critical to be flexible.

The spontaneity of a vacation is part of it's appeal, but it's also why sometimes things don't go as planned. 

The key is roll with the punches and not let an issue ruin the rest of your trip.

You'll want to mitigate the problem and speak to a crew member to help, depending on the severity of it.  

But if it's out of your hands, like bad weather, choosing the wrong tour, or wasting money on something onboard, you should chalk it up to bad luck and move on. Grab a drink, sleep it off, or laugh about it and try to make the rest of the trip better.

I've run into very frustrating experiences over the years while I've cruised, but I've made an effort to never let it get to me and become a major disaster. 

Royal Caribbean has given a proper send off to one of its most beloved ship captains.

Captain Johnny Faevelen announced he would be retiring after 50 years of working in the maritime industry, and Royal Caribbean wanted to make sure he was recognized for his hard work.

Executives and friends were on Symphony of the Seas when he was invited to a gathering where the Captain got an official thank you.

"Bittersweet day as we celebrate the legendary Captain Johnny’s retirement," wrote Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley on Facebook.

"50 years of your dedication and leadership at Royal Caribbean will always be honored! We will greatly miss you and your Harley but not too long until we’ll see you cruising on Star of the Seas!"

As part of the celebration, he was awarded his own glitzy "Royal Bling" necklace.  

The crew members chipped in and bought him a personalized motorcycle helmet that he can wear on shore to remember his time as Captain.

The significance of the motorcycle helmet is Captain Johnny is an avid Harley Davidson motorcyle fan and would keep a motorcycle onboard his ships to take on shore for joy rides.

Captain Johnny's favorite cruise memories

After 50 years of working on cruise ships, anyone would be curious what stands out.

He's spent so many years at the helm of the world's biggest cruise ships and been a very prominent figure within the fleet.

Captain Johnny was asked what his top cruise memory was and he picked one from when he was Captain of Mariner of the Seas.

"Top one would be we sailed Mariner of the Seas around Cape Horn," he reminisced in a video.

Cape Horn is the southernmost point  of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and it's a challenging and dangerous place to sail because it's where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. It's considered one of the most difficult yachting challenges in the world.

His second favorite memory was about being the Captain on a brand new cruise ship, "Number two would be taking out seven of the biggest cruise ships in the world."

Among the ships in the list include Symphony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas.

But one memory he treasures a lot is a personal one, "Top memory I have from 50 years is actually when I gave away my daughter. You know, a Captain can marry people, and my daughter and future son-in-law contacted me and said, 'Daddy, can you marry us?'."

"And in doing that, have a Captain's hat on one minute, and then being the father the next one and I could marry them, that's the pinnacle of my life as a Captain with Royal Caribbean."

Cruise fans share their favorite Captain Johnny memories

News of Captain Johnny's departure from the fleet spread quickly, and it seems many cruise fans will miss him.

Many of them shared anecdotes and stories on Facebook.

Chris Birdsong wrote, "My first captain I ever had on Royal! Well deserved retirement, will miss seeing him around the ship."

Fabian Rodriguez posted, "I was fortunate and honored to sail alongside Captain Johnny for several years, sharing wonderful moments as part of the Freedom and Mariner crew. You will be missed Captain. Stay safe and take good care of yourself."

"That Around The Horn cruise on Mariner was also our favorite memory of our own 35 years of cruises... Well done, Captain Johnny," wrote Robert Lorrey.

A career spanning decades of incredible ships

Looking at Captain Johnny's resume, you'll quickly discover an impressive array of ships he has worked on.

He began his journey with the company in 1975 as an Ordinary Seaman aboard the Song of Norway, Royal Caribbean's first purpose-built cruise ship. 

He spent some time working on cargo ships in order to move his career forward, but eventually returned to Royal Caribbean and achieved the rank of Captain in 1994, with his first command on the Nordic Prince. 

Over the years, Captain Faevelen helmed several notable ships, including the Monarch of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, and Symphony of the Seas. 

One thing that always set him apart from other Captains was his style and outgoing personality. He drove a motorcyle, had a Segway that he used around the ship, and even had a pet parrot for a time.

In recent years, he has been open about his battle with melanoma, sharing updates on his treatment and recovery. 

As he steps into retirement, Captain Faevelen looks forward to dedicating time to his family, including his wife, two children, and soon-to-be five grandchildren.

I have to admit I avoided going on Royal Caribbean's old and small ships for a while, but I was persuaded to go on one for a long weekend and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

I had sailed on one Vision Class ship back in 2018, and can't say it was my favorite ship. It felt fundamentally different from the rest of the fleet, and I mostly avoided these ships.

Friends invited me to go on Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas and I eventually agreed to go, but I was leery of what awaited me because I was worried the ship would be disappointing.

Out of 29 Royal Caribbean ships, Enchantment is the third smallest ship in size, and also among the oldest. She was built in 1997 and has a passenger capacity of just 2,416 people.  By today's standards, that's really small.

Nonetheless, it had been six years since my last sailing on a Vision Class ship and my cruising style has changed since then.  Plus, I wasn't cruising with my kids, so I wouldn't be as dependent on family offerings.

This sailing departed from Tampa, Florida for a 4-night voyage to Cozumel, Mexico.  

The right mix of ways to relax

I knew going into this cruise to temper my expectations for what was going to be offered onboard. On any ship you sail on, you have to be realistic about what it offers and doesn't offer. 

While Enchantment of the Seas doesn't have as many bars, lounges, pools, or top deck activities as the bigger ships, it has just enough.

It has a rather large adults-only Solarium, one of the best Schooner Bars in the fleet, and an impressively large casino.

Because this ship was actually stretched by 73 feet (meaning they cut it in half and inserted a new section), the pool deck feels quite massive.  I was impressed how many hot tubs they had for a ship of this size.

Speaking of the pool deck, it has a bar with one of the best views on any Royal Caribbean ship at the Oasis Bar.

The Oasis Bar faces the ocean, which is a rarity on other ships. 

For indoor relaxation, I thought the Viking Crown Lounge was impressive too. 

This is a feature that has changed a lot on other ships, but is mostly true to its original vision on Enchantment.  You should go up here to read a book, people watch, or just watch the world pass by.

Plus, at night this is where the club scene happens.  It's not my thing, but people love it and it's easily overlooked given where it's located.

What you should expect on the smallest Royal Caribbean ships

No matter which cruise ship you pick, you have to go in with the right expectations.

I think part of why I enjoyed Enchantment as much as I did was because I went into it not expecting a ship remotely like Utopia of the Seas or Icon of the Seas.

You won't confuse a ship as old as Enchantment with the newer ones, but that doesn't mean you can't have a good time on it.

The core cruising experience is still here, which means a lot of time in the day hanging out by the pool, watching the ocean go by, and taking in some music or a trivia event along the way. In the evening, there's dinner, a show, and music all around the ship.  

These aren't things that you'll see heavily advertised in a commercial, but I think it's exactly the relaxing long weekend a lot of people want.

On our sea days, I embraced this mantra by grabbing a chair near the pool. 

One evening, I decided to go into the hot tub in the Solarium and found it all to myself. 

The reality is a ship this old is going to have dated decor, basic production shows, and some signs of age here and there. It is what it is, but I try to focus on the things the ship does well rather than look for every piece of rust I can spot.

Enchantment has the basics and it does it well. If your idea of a fun cruise is spending your day at the pool, having a drink at night with a show, music, or gambling, it will deliver on that.

You'll probably save money on a small and old ship

One other important reason to pick a ship like Enchantment of the Seas is the price.

Unlike Royal Caribbean's glitzy new and immensely popular ships, older ships have attractive prices that keep them a compelling option.

In general, cruise prices tend to be lower on older ships.  Newer ships come join the fleet and command premium pricing.  Since the older ones don't have as much to do, there's a tendency to see lower prices for these vessels.

In my case, I was able to get onboard for just $70 thanks to a free cruise offer from Royal Caribbean's casino. 

Friends paid around $600 for a single person in an inside cabin, and those kinds of low rates are typical with Vision Class ships.

While Enchantment doesn't have the top deck attractions newer ships have, it also doesn't (usually) have a high price tag.

Lack of dining options is its downfall

If there's one area Enchantment of the Seas is notably lacking, it's in the dining choices.

Small ships don't have many options to begin with, but Enchantment has far fewer than even other Vision Class ships.

There's only one specialty restaurant on Enchantment, Chops Grille. Other Vision Class ships have an Italian and Japanese restaurant.

On a four night cruise, that doesn't bother me much because it's a short cruise. But the lack of dining variety would be an issue on a longer cruise.

The other issue is the Windjammer is pretty small, and doesn't have any cooking stations.

I liked the food quality in the Windjammer, but I wish there was a greater variety of options.

I certainly didn't go hungry on this cruise, but compared to other ships, the lack of restaurant choices stands out.

Never bored

I found enough to do every day to keep me entertained, and I was never bored.

There was enough going on around the ship, including shows, music, the casino, and of course the pools. The production shows weren't great, but I managed to stay entertained even without them.

Something Enchantment of the Seas has that other Vision Class ships do not is Boleros, and that's because it was added as part of the stretching process.  

And of course the crew members were fantastic.  There are crew members from all over the world, and I love getting to meet them and interact. They're so friendly and welcoming, it makes the cruise fun.

I wouldn't dismiss small ships like Enchantment purely based on its age or size, and I'll look for ways to get back on a Vision Class ship again much sooner than six years.

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.

Royal Caribbean has really big plans for the next few years with new ships, places to visit, and brand new ways to vacation.

With its business doing incredibly well, Royal Caribbean is poised to add new cruise ships and private destinations to its roster.

Not only will these new offerings bring in new business, but the cruise line wants to further distinguish itself from other vacation choices as something truly unique.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean is re-opening an attraction with a new idea
• Royal Caribbean cancels a sailing of one of its cruise ships to complete maintenance work
• What to expect on Royal Caribbean theme nights
• 10 hacks to maximize the cruise casino perks
• 10 things I'd recommend if someone is new to cruise ship travel
• 12 things I always look forward to on every sailing
• Survey says 50% of cruisers dress up for formal night
• Celebrity Cruises just spent $1 billion to order another new cruise ship
• Celebrity Cruises will let everyone vote on the look, food, and entertainment on its next new cruise ship

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 554th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, all about what people that have never cruised before get wrong about cruises.

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.

New RCB Video: What you need to know about Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships

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 — Guide to Oasis Class ships — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

5 things crew members hate when cruise passengers do

Crew members on a ship see a lot, but a few things truly irritate them when passengers do it.

Occasionally, there's something a passenger does during their cruise that can be frustrating for a crew member to deal with.

A list appeared on the internet, and it's a good reminder of what not to do.

Royal Caribbean cancels more cruise ship visits to San Juan, Puerto Rico

It appears repairs to the pier in San Juan, Puerto Rico are not yet complete.

Guests booked on sailings in February 2025 received emails to inform them their scheduled visit has been replaced with other plans.

This is an ongoing issue with the port due to damage to the pier, which prevents Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships from docking there.

A $20 DIY hammock transformed this cruise ship balcony

The best balcony hack might be bringing your own hammock onboard.

One cruiser shared photos of how he brought a cheap $20 hammock on his cruise to add more value and enjoyment from his balcony.

He was able to attach it easily to the beams because there are holes in each beam, which was the perfect size for clamping the hammock onto it.

17 mistakes you can avoid making on cruise ship sea days

A sea day is when you have all day to enjoy everything your ship has to offer, but you certainly don't want to waste them.

I think most people want to get as much out of their vacation as possible, and sea days are when you get the most time on the ship to eat, see, and enjoy it all.

If you want to take advantage of what your ship has to offer, I'd avoid these 17 sea day mistakes.

Royal Caribbean has big plans for new ships and destinations you can book between now and 2028.

One thing that sets Royal Caribbean apart from other cruise lines is their consistent push forward with new ships, private beach expansions, and exciting itineraries.

In fact, there's so much going on with announcements, expansions, and reveals that it's difficult sometimes to know what is opening and when.

To make things easier, here's a concise look at all the big projects Royal Caribbean has up its sleeve in the coming years.

Star of the Seas

Opening: August 31, 2025

The second Icon Class cruise ship is nearly complete, and ready for launch in summer 2025.

Star of the Seas will have her inaugural sailing August 31, 2025 from Port Canaveral, Florida, and it's the cruise ship meant to follow-up the tremendous success of Icon of the Seas.

Just like Icon, Star will offer 7-night cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean. In fact, there will be a lot of similarities to Icon.

Royal Caribbean has not revealed every single detail about Star yet, but you should expect a ship that looks very similar to Icon.  

Some quick differences about Star of the Seas compared to Icon:

• The ships will be exactly the same size, meaning Star will not be bigger
• Back to the Future The Musical will be the featured show onboard
• There will be a few facial recognition cabins
• There will be a family dog on Star
• Surfside will be enhanced to appeal to slightly older kids
• The Supper Club will have a Chicago theme
• There will be one additional hot tub
• The Pearl is being enhanced
• A new restaurant in Surfside to replace Pier 7

You can expect Star of the Seas to build on what made Icon good, and add a few tweaks of its own.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island

Opening: December 2025

Royal Caribbean is working on its first ever private beach club experience, available exclusively to its passengers.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is a shore excursion beach day owned and operated by Royal Caribbean, and it's located in Nassau, Bahamas across from where the cruise ships dock.

Unlike Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee, entry costs extra and it's all-inclusive.

If you buy a pass, you'll be able to enjoy the pools, beaches, live music, island-style barbecues and more. The plan is to create, "the ultimate beach day," for anyone that goes there.

Think of all the best features and ideas from CocoCay, tweak them to be better, and combine it all in one place.

No word yet on pricing, but passes will go on sale beginning in the spring of 2025. The club itself will open sometime in December 2025.

Icon 3

Opening: 2026

The unnamed third Icon Class ship will enter service in 2026, and we know very little about what will be different about it.

One thing that's clear is Icon 3 will be the first opportunity for holistic changes compared to Icon.  Icon and Star both began construction around the same time, so the basic plans for both had to be the same.  With Icon 3, there was more time since the launch of Icon to include fundamental changes.

Royal Caribbean's Product Development team has hinted at changes that might be coming to Icon 3, but we will have to wait and see what they are.

There's no information yet on where this ship will sail from, its name, or any distinguishing factors.

Royal Beach Club Cozumel

Opening: 2026

Royal Caribbean announced plans to build its second beach club, with it being located in Cozumel, Mexico.

Just like the one in Nassau, Royal Beach Club Cozumel will be available exclusively for cruise ship passengers and no one else. It will open sometime in 2026.

We don't know where Royal Beach Club Cozumel will be located, as the cruise line has not revealed where the site of it is located.  

I've heard rumors of a potential takeover of an existing shore excursion beach, but nothing firm.

The driving plan behind this beach club is to offer great beach, pool, food, and service. 

Admission into the beach club will include access to swim-up bars, pools cabanas to rent, snorkeling, kayaking, restaurants, and street markets.

Royal Beach Club in South Pacific

Opening: 2026 or 2027

Royal Caribbean has pivoted from building a Perfect Day experience in Vanuatu to a beach club idea instead.

Details have been limited, but the line has confirmed a shift in plans to go with a new, unannounced beach club project.

Instead of Perfect Day Lelepa, there should be something more akin to Royal Beach Club Cozumel or Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.

In 2024, Mr. Bayley said he expected this beach club to open in 2026 or 2027.

Icon 4

Opening: 2027

In 2024, Royal Caribbean announced it ordered a fourth Icon Class ship, with options to build a fifth and sixth Icon Class ship. 

Just like Icon 3, we know no details about it at all.

Perfect Day Mexico

Opening: 2027

One of Royal Caribbean's most ambitious plans is to open a third private destination for its passengers, and this one is in Mexico.

Perfect Day Mexico will be double the size of Perfect Day at CocoCay, and it's going to be big. They've acquired about 220 acres of land.

It will transform Costa Maya, and encompass everything we love at CocoCay, but more of it.

It will have "an all-new, thrilling waterpark; jaw-dropping pools and beaches; restaurants, bars and more spots for all tastebuds; music; and more."

More details will be revealed in Spring 2025.

Oasis 7

Opening: 2028

There's still at least one more Oasis Class ship to be constructed.

Royal Caribbean placed an order for Oasis 7, with delivery sometime in 2028.

Oasis 7 will enter service about 4 years after Utopia of the Seas did, and that gives the cruise line all sorts of time to implement every tweak, enhancement, and new idea they can come up with from all of the Oasis and Icon ships combined.

Discovery Class ships

Opening: Unknown

Plans for a smaller cruise ship class are still in the rumor phase, but there's been a few hints over the last year.

Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley has alluded and even mentioned the Discovery Class ships as an idea the cruise line has to build a new generation of smaller ships to replace the fleet's aging Vision Class.

Nothing official has been announced, and there have been no orders placed with any shipyards yet.

It's been primarily something mentioned with a wink or a nudge, but there's been enough talk among Royal Caribbean's top executives that it sounds like it could be a reality.

There are all sorts of emotions new cruisers experience in the lead up to their first sailing: excitement, anxiety, impatience, and hope. 

When you're new to cruising, you're probably imaging warm sunny days on the beach, visiting incredible places, and making new memories with your family.

Every week I take questions from new cruisers on our YouTube channel and it's clear to me someone that has never cruised before wants to have a fabulous vacation but is also concerned they might be making a big mistake in the process.

I've been cruising for over twenty years, so I don't go through the same set of emotions anymore that a new cruiser does because of my familiarity with the process. My family has pretty much established our cruise routine.

However, I make my share of mistakes along the way.  Most people learn by experience, and it's part of the process sometimes.

I remember the concerns and internal debates I had early on in cruising as I dealt with the various decisions to be made with a cruise vacation.

If you've never been on a cruise before, I want to share the 10 tips I'd tell anyone new to cruise ship travel to avoid some of my early mistakes.

Use a good travel agent

It might sound strange when you hear people still use travel agents, but they're incredible useful for a cruise vacation.

Because of how personalized cruises are, it's not as simple as booking a hotel room. There are so many considerations: inside or balcony room; Traditional or My Time Dining; Refundable or non-refundable cruise fare.

Plus, travel agents have access to special rates and discounts.

As soon as someone tells me they want to try a cruise, I tell them to get with a good travel agent so they can get started on the right foot. Someone brand new to cruising is bound to have lots of questions that pertain to their situation, and a travel agent can answer so many of them.

How do you find such an agent? Ask friends and family for a recommendation. Here is one such recommended travel agency that specializes in Royal Caribbean. 

Choose your cruise ship based on what is important to you

When you start looking at all the ship options, it's easy to get overwhelmed with the choices.  

To narrow it down, take a step back, and think about what things you want on a cruise. 

New ships are flashy and enticing because they're the latest and greatest.  It's just like an iPhone: the newest model gets all the commercials and attention, but the iPhone from 3-4 years ago still works incredibly well and is cheaper to buy.

Opting for a new ship because it's new means you're paying more for it, and if you don't care there's a water park because you'll never go on a slide, maybe you'd be better off with a different ship.

The other thing to think about is not just looking for the cheapest cruise. 

If you shop by price alone, you might get onboard and realize there are no water slides, Broadway shows, or Aquatheater. 

Research before your cruise starts

The more you know about your ship, places you're visiting, and handy tricks, the better your cruise will be.

Being prepared means you'll waste less time and money and set yourself up for a great vacation. To do that, you just need to start researching your trip.

Don't worry, you don't need to spend tons of time doing this.  It's vacation, not an amphibious landing operation.

A very easy way to get started is hop on YouTube and search for your ship or ports you're visiting and just watch a few videos.

We have our own YouTube channel with ship tours, and tons of tips and advice for a great cruise.

Get travel insurance

Technically, you don't need to get travel insurance, but I'd recommend anyone trying a cruise to buy it anyway.

Travel insurance is more than just glorified medical coverage. It protects you in many unforeseen, yet common scenarios.

• Your flight is delayed or cancelled
• Your luggage gets lost
• You lose your job right before the cruise and can't travel
• Bad weather (i.e. hurricane) delays your ship returning on time
• You miss a port of call because of bad weather
• Death in the family

There are many more reasons to get travel insurance.  Even though you probably won't need it, it's worth the peace of mind that comes with it.  

It's such a handy add-on to have that you really ought to get it.

Get your travel documents in order

Did you know you need a passport to cruise? Or that you could travel with just a birth certificate and state issued ID under certain circumstances?

Either before or after you book a cruise, you want to double check you have the right travel documents to travel.  There's no wiggle room if you don't and you will be denied boarding and lose your money if you don't have it.

Besides verifying you have a passport, verify the expiration dates and renew them, if necessary, now. Or if you don't have one, apply for a passport and get the ball rolling on that.

It's a major mistake to wait until close to your cruise only to realize you're missing something or need to renew it.

Be flexible

In all forms of travel, you need to embrace the mantra of being as flexible as you can.

I won't sugar coat it: something is going to go wrong on your trip.  

If you do a little research and plan accordingly, it's probably going to something minor, like it could rain on your beach day in Cozumel.  Or dinner could take way too long one night.  

The secret is to go with the flow.  Some things are just bad luck, like a rainy day or the bar running out of your favorite liquor.

Even if a problem is more man made, my advice is make the best of it. When my kids throw tantrums and wont cooperate, or my excursion is cancelled at the last minute, I have to take a step back and remind myself I'm on a cruise and a bad day here is better than any day at home.

One time I was in St. Thomas and my plans for the day fell through when I couldn't get a ride to the ferry port for our adventure to a nearby island.  

I was fuming because of how incompetent I felt the logistics were, but I paced for a minute and then went to a nearby bar for a drink. My wife and I sat there and drank together, and we ended up laughing it all off because we realized there was no sense in getting irate over it.

While you shouldn't let major problems just go by, don't sweat the small things either.

Check-in as early as you can for your cruise

Everyone wants to get on their ship as early as possible, and it's actually really easy to do.

All you need to do is complete the online check-in within the Royal Caribbean app right when check-in opens at exactly 45 days before your cruise.

Set a calendar reminder to do you check-in and grab a time for everyone in your group.

So many people are unaware and do online check-in later and get check-in times later in the day.

Walk and tour the ship on your first day

No matter if you've never cruised or not, I recommend walking around the ship on the first day to better understand where everything is.

I think inevitably you're going to be excited anyway and want to see as much of the ship as possible, but sometimes people get onboard and run into a bar or area that is appealing and neglect to explore more.

I'd recommend spending a little time after you eat lunch to walk the ship's public areas and see where the major attractions and venues are located.  It will make navigating the ship much easier later.

Be more social than you would at a resort

Another major difference between a cruise and a hotel is how much more social people are on a ship.

If I'm at a hotel, it's rare to ever strike up a conversation with other people staying there.  But on a cruise, there's a more communal feel to the experience.

You don't have to be everyone's best friend, but in elevators, on shore excursions, or at the bar, I find people are much more open to conversation.

I've actually met a few people that are now good friends in this manner. I truly believe this is a matter of us being on a cruise rather than on land.

Don't be afraid to ask for help with a problem

Royal Caribbean wants you to have a great cruise, but if you're not, then say something.

I'll see people post online after their cruise problems they had, but it seems like they didn't say anything about it on the ship.

If you're waiter is slow, talk to the head waiter.  If something is broken in your cabin, tell your stateroom attendant. If you notice an issue with how something is being handled, go to Guest Services to inform them.

New cruisers sometimes have this fear they are being a bother, but I think in many cases alerting a crew member to an issue is warranted.

While you shouldn't complain about the weather to a crew member (yes, some people do this), be sure to ask for help when you need it.  

I've seen plenty of cruise ship cabin hacks, but bringing your own hammock is one of the best yet.

Most cabins on cruise ships are smaller than a typical hotel room, but that's not as important given how much there is to see and do around the ship.

Nonetheless, making your cabin a little more comfortable is something most people strive to do.

One cruiser shared his idea for making the cabin better by bringing a hammock and using it on his balcony.

Robert Loeser posted photos from his recent cruise on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas in a Facebook group of his cabin on deck 7.

He booked cabin 7388, which is a corner aft balcony at the very back of the ship.

This room not only features a large balcony, but his seemingly brilliant idea to bring a hammock with him to use it.

In his post he said, "we bought the hammock for $20 on Amazon. It took 2 minutes to install."

Sure enough, the hammock is listed on Amazon for $21.99 and has fast shipping (link contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use but I make a small commission).

He was able to attach it easily to the beams because there are holes in each beam, which was the perfect size for clamping the hammock onto it.

His post generated a lot of intrigue, as many others loved the idea.

Jaclyn Frederick-Atkinson wrote, "I’ve always wondered if I could get away with bringing a hammock!"

"Now that's an amazing balcony," wrote Jamie Brady.

"Im now considering booking back of ship just for those balconies. I've seen so many now," posted Amy Stewart.

Could you hang a hammock on your cruise ship balcony?

Robert's balcony was massive, so there was plenty of space.  But could this work on other balcony cabins?

There's no definitive answer for everyone, as the issue is if your balcony has a spot to tie off the hammock ends.

Other cruisers have reported being able to do so, but it really depends on the specific balcony.

The balcony divider structure usually has a place where you might be able to tie to, but it's another question if it's meant to have any meaningful weight attached to them.

By far it's easier if you book a cabin with a larger balcony space, such as the one Robert has.

You might also be wondering what Royal Caribbean's policy is on it, and I couldn't find a specific rule that allows or forbids a hammock.  

Obviously you're not going to hide a hammock, so the ship's security must have seen it come through. Nonetheless, it's always up to the ship's security team to make spot decisions if there's a concern.

Other creative ideas cruisers have had for their balcony

Bringing a hammock is far from the first idea that to get more use out of their balcony.

We've seen some passengers drag their mattress out to the balcony to sleep outside, sparking a debate if it's a genius or bad idea.

One example was a couple on Allure of the Seas laying on a mattress while enjoying their balcony. Supposedly, the guests decided to move their cabin’s mattresses out to their balcony for some light reading.

Some people think it looks like a fun idea, but others question how dirty the balcony can be and how soiled the mattress can get from just the humidity in the air.

Other ways you can transform your cruise ship cabin

There are plenty of cruise cabin tips you can use, but here are three more that I think make your stateroom feel more like home.

Bring wall magnets

You can put magnets just about anywhere in your cabin, including the ceiling, and it's still one of the best tips I use all the time.

You want to buy the strong magnetic clips that have clips or hooks.

Magnets can help you on cruise ships in so many different ways by keeping belongings off the ground. Storage can be contentious at times, and magnets help keep hats, jackets, swimsuits and other items off the floor, couch, or free of other storage areas.

I like these heavy duty magnets as the ones to bring.

Bring pictures from home

I scoffed the first time I heard this tip, but the more I thought of it, the more I thought it's actually a good idea to bring photos from home to have around your cabin.

I wouldn't bother on a 3-night cruise, but for longer sailings, making your room feel like home is a nice touch.

A twist on this tip is hang photos on your cabin door as a way to decorate the door and get excited about your sailing.

Laundry hamper

I've been taking a laundry hamper with me on cruises and it helps keep the room tidier overall.

For years I just did the mountain of dirty laundry in a corner, but the hamper contains it and just feels nicer.