There are a few common, but avoidable, mistakes that new cruisers tend to make and I bet if you ever did them, you'd never make the same one again.

There are so many lists of travel mistakes people make during the cruise, from minor gaffes to major problems.

As an example, getting sun burned is something that happens to the best of us, no matter how many times you swear it will never happen again.

However, I think there are a few blunders that if you made them, you'd almost certainly never make again.

Fly in same day your cruise sets sail

The worst mistake you can make is never making it to your cruise ship at all because you were delayed arriving.

A lot of travelers will fly to the city their cruise ship departs from, but unfortunately flights get cancelled or delayed. If that happens to you and you miss the ship, you paid for a cruise you won't actually go on.

The boarding window on the first day is limited, and the ship will not wait for you if your flight plans cause you to be late.

Moreover, you're not entitled to a refund from the cruise line because of that situation.

On the Royal Caribbean message boards, twangster illustrated how recently two separate groups  at the Seattle airport missed their cruise because they tried to fly in the same day it began.

"Yesterday as I was in the process of working with a gate agent to find new alternatives for a delayed Seattle flight I saw two separate groups explaining to other gate agents they are going on an Alaskan cruise and now they were going to miss their cruise.  There was nothing the gate agents could do, there was no alternative flights to put them on. "

What you should do to avoid this mistake is never fly in the same day your cruise begins.  

Always plan to arrive at least one day before your cruise so that a travel delay doesn't mean you can't make the ship. If you're flying overseas for a cruise, I'd make it at least two days before the cruise.

Yes, there's the added cost of an extra hotel night, but the peace of mind it comes with is completely worth it.

Overpaying for things onboard

It's eye opening how much more cruise add-ons cost once onboard the ship versus if you pre-purchased them at home.

Whether it's a shore excursion, drink package, or WiFi plan, it all costs more onboard.

The best example is the Royal Caribbean drink package, which routinely costs more than $100 per person, per day when purchased on the ship.  At home, it's regularly $20-$30 cheaper per person, per day.

Read more: Drink package guide and advice

Internet packages are another easy place to save money, because there are no discounts once you get onboard.

I bought a 1 device internet package for my upcoming Utopia of the Seas cruise, I would only pay $23.99 per day, saving $4 per day. 

There are sales and discounts on pre-cruise purchases all the time, which means you could easily save hundreds of dollars if you bought it before the cruise.

Even if you're late to the game and check to buy these things just a few days before your cruise begins, you will save money instead of buying it onboard.

Being late back to the ship

Every time I've seen a video of a cruise ship passenger frantically running back to the cruise ship because they're late, I always swear it won't ever be me.

Your cruise ship is in port for a set few hours, and the all aboard time is a set time for you to be back onboard. Or else.

The cruise ship might wait a few minutes, but the Captain has to adhere to their schedule and depart on time. There's very little wiggle room for delays.

Passengers returning late could be from a variety of reasons: lost track of time, traffic delays, injury, got lost. Regardless, if you venture off the ship on your own, then it's your responsibility to make it back to the ship on time.

If you go on a Royal Caribbean shore excursion that was purchased through the cruise line, then the ship will wait for that tour.

I wouldn't go as far as to say not to venture off the ship without a cruise line excursion, but you do need to manage your time.

I recommend planning to arrive back to the ship about 2 hours before the all aboard time. That way, if there is some crazy delay, you'll likely be back with time to spare.

Not putting phone into airplane mode

The silent cruise mistake you won't know about until you get home is probably in your pocket.

Everyone has a cell phone, and if you bring your phone onboard without putting it into airplane mode, you can bet you'll end up with a giant bill.

A woman in the UK went on a Caribbean cruise and ended up with a £1186.59 bill because her phone was roaming for the entire trip.

When your phone is out of it's normal operational area, it tries to use other carrier's networks, and that comes with very high roaming rates.

Even if you aren't actively using your phone, you could get a big bill because most phones use the network even while idle to check for updates or messages.

There's a very simple way to avoid this costly cruise mistake, and that's to put your phone into airplane mode as soon as you get onboard.

Once your phone is in airplane mode, it cannot use other cellular networks (but you can still use WiFi).

Needing travel insurance when you don't have it

No matter how cautious you are, eventually everyone gets sick, hurt, or encounters unforeseen circumstances.

There are all sorts of reasons you might need to cancel your cruise at the last minute: sudden onset of an illness, loss of employment, major accident, death of a family member, and more. 

Once you're past the final payment date, there are major penalties for canceling your cruise. If you want to cancel just a few days before the cruise, there's not going to be any money returned to you, other than port fees and taxes.

Travel insurance is an affordable add-on cost that protects you against many common reasons people want to cancel a cruise. 

You can buy it through Royal Caribbean, through your travel agent, or even shop for it on your own.

Royal Caribbean cruise ships are floating destinations with so many different fun activities onboard, even if it's one of their smaller ships.

There are almost 30 ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet of ships today, but they're not all copies of each other. Every ship has its own array of options, and the smaller and older ships certainly have a different feel from the megaships.

Often someone considering a cruise vacation will hesitate to book a smaller ship out of concern they might be boring or not as impressive. The truth is even the smaller Royal Caribbean ships are still quite large, and they're designed for a big market.

Before you write off a smaller ship, here are my picks for the best things to do on Royal Caribbean's smaller ships that are easily overlooked.

Best things to do on a smaller Royal Caribbean ship

Movie theater

On the Radiance Class cruise ships, there's a dedicated movie theater onboard.

All Royal Caribbean ships show movies by the pool on a big screen, but you're subject to the weather conditions outside. Plus, there are only limited showtimes.

The Cinema on Radiance of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, and Serenade of the Seas is an enclosed theater with perfect viewing conditions for a movie, with continuously running showtimes.

And just like the pool deck, there's no cost to going to the movie theater.

Intimate lounges and bars

You'll find fantastic bars on the smaller Royal Caribbean ships that have a different feel to them on bigger ships.

There's a Schooner Bar on every Royal Caribbean ship, but you haven't truly experienced the Schooner Bar until you've tried it on a Vision or Radiance Class ship.

The Schooner Bar is massive and features a much more pronounced nautical theme to it. Plus, the layout of the room is so much better than on the bigger ships.

Equally impressive are two bars within the Centrum atrium area.

Vintages Wine bar actually faces the ocean and has beautiful windows to see out of, which adds to the ambiance.

At the base of the Centrum is the R Bar, and it's the perfect lounge to enjoy a drink entertainment. Given the bar and the stage are together, it's an immersive lounge experience.

On the Voyager Class ships, I love the layout of the English pub.  To be honest, it's much better on Mariner and Navigator of the Seas. The other ships have an odd triangle shaped bar layout.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Viking Crown Lounge on the smaller ships.

Royal Caribbean has gone away with this signature lounge on its newest and biggest ships, but the small ships still have it and it's my favorite spot to enjoy a view and a drink from inside.

Hidden viewing deck

My favorite place for sailaway can only be found on the smaller Royal Caribbean ships.

If you're on a Radiance, Voyager, or Freedom Class cruise ship, you can go out to the helipad on the bow of the ship.

Access is available by walking all the way forward on the outside promenade deck, which is either on deck 4 or deck 5.

The views here are incredible, and it's the best spot to watch your ship pull into port or sail out of a port.

More relaxed pool decks

If you want a classic cruise ship pool experience, the pools on smaller ships are where it's at.

The pools on smaller shops are a bit more peaceful in the sense there aren't water slides, splash zones, or multiple pools to contend with.  In short, it doesn't have the hustle of the megaships.

That isn't to say there aren't events, because you'll still find a bellyflop competition and world's sexiest man competition. But I think you'll find the pool deck a bit more chill.

Moreover, I think the Solarium on the Radiance Class ships are the best in the fleet in terms of layout, being completely enclosed, and a great bar scene too.

Rock climbing wall

You won't find the over-the-top zany sports deck activities on big ships, but even the small ships have a rock wall you can climb.

The rock wall is arguably the first "I can't believe they put that on a cruise ship" feature when it first debuted on Voyager of the Seas in 1999, and it's available on even the smallest ships.

Included in your cruise fare, you get strapped in and try your best to climb the wall and reach the top. 

It's fun for kids or adults, and it's a great sea day activity.

Thermal spa

On the Radiance Class ships there is a thermal spa you can purchase a pass to, and it might be your new favorite way to indulge.

You purchase a pass that gives you unlimited access to the thermal spa, which is a calming retreat.

It includes access to heated stone lounge chairs, a dry sauna, a wet sauna, and a rainforest shower room.

Special itineraries and ports

Just as important as the features available onboard the small ships are the places you can visit on them.

The itineraries are far more varied on a smaller cruise ship, giving you the opportunity to visit more exotic and/or interesting places.

Smaller ships can visit the Greek isles and ports along the Adriatic Sea.  They can also take you much further north in Alaska to see more of the Last Frontier.

You'll also routinely find longer sailings offered on small ships.  As an example, the big cruise ships sailing from Galveston, Texas just offer cruises in the Western Caribbean, but Jewel of the Seas has 11 night cruises that go to the ABC islands in the Southern Caribbean.

Similarly, Royal Caribbean bases small ships out of San Juan, Puerto Rico that can visit more ports along the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

If you're looking for something more than the same itineraries, you could find them on a small ship.

Tips for making the most of a cruise on a smaller ship

The first thing you may notice about picking a smaller ship is the price tag, because older ships cost less than megaships.

Comparing the price of Grandeur of the Seas or Brilliance of the Seas to Icon of the Seas, and you'll see a stark difference.  The money saved means you can afford a nicer cabin or even another cruise booking.

If you're someone that usually books a balcony, keep in mind there are far less balconies on older ships, so book them early to ensure yourself of a cabin category you prefer. This is especially true on the Vision Class ships.

If you booked a smaller ship for the itinerary, be sure to focus on your time on land.  Plan out and book in advance great shore excursions so you can maximize the opportunity.

If you want a smaller ship but don't want to compromise on what you love about big ships, the Voyager Class is probably the sweet spot for you.

Royal Caribbean cruises are not all-inclusive, so if you're new to cruising, you might wonder what is included in your fare.

Your cruise fare includes some thing that have no additional cost, including a lot of activities, food, entertainment, and destinations. But there are plenty of optional add-ons that cost extra.

Royal Caribbean realized some of its guests prefer to add extras on to their core cruise experience. As a result, Royal Caribbean created cruise add-ons like specialty dining packages, drink packages, fitness classes, and more. These add-ons come at an extra fee on top of the cruise fare.

It can be helpful to have an idea of what is and is not included in your Royal Caribbean cruise to make your time at sea and in port stress-free. Here’s a breakdown of what is and is not included in your cruise fare.

Accommodations

Accommodations are included in your cruise fare, with a stateroom exclusively for your use. 

Depending on which type of stateroom you book, the exact size, amenities and layout of the room will vary.  But at the very least, your cruise fare includes your own private room and bathroom.

In general, staterooms can accommodate between one and four guests, with two guests per room being the most common option.

Gratuities

Guests sailing on Royal Caribbean have two choices when it comes to gratuities for service-oriented crew onboard. They may elect to prepay gratuities prior to the cruise, or have gratuities automatically charged on a daily basis to their SeaPass account. Cruise fares in some countries, such as Australia, include the gratuities with your cruise fare.

As of November 11, 2023, the daily gratuity amount is $16.00 per guest, per day for those guests in standard accommodations.  Guests in suites will pay $20.50 per person, per day in gratuities.  

Purchases and services rendered onboard a Royal Caribbean ship will have gratuities added at the time of purchase.  If you buy a drink, get a massage at the spa, or eat at a specialty restaurant, you will be charged an 18% gratuity automatically.  Your receipt will display the cost breakdown.

Drink packages and specialty dining packages will be charged an automatic gratuity upon purchase of the package, which means no additional gratuity is required when taking advantage of the package benefits (i.e. ordering a drink at a bar with a drink package).

In addition to the gratuities listed earlier, there are opportunities to give crew members an additional tip for excellent service.  Even crew members who receive an automatic gratuity can receive additional gratuities if you feel it is warranted.

Meals & Snacks

All Royal Caribbean cruise fares include most meals and snacks onboard your ship and at any private destination you visit (such as Labadee or CocoCay).  This means there will be ample opportunity to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks without additional cost.

The exact venues included with your cruise fare will depend on the ship you sail on, but here are some venues found on nearly every Royal Caribbean ship:

• Main Dining Room, the hub of dining on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It is open for breakfast and dinner every day, and for lunch on sea days.
• Windjammer buffet, Royal Caribbean’s signature buffet featuring a wide assortment of cuisines, dishes, and flavors. It is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.
• Solarium Bistro, a Mediterranean-style restaurant open for breakfast and dinner on Oasis and Quantum Class ships
• Grab and go spots for food, such as Aquadome Market, Cafe Promenade, El Loco Fresh, Sorrento's Pizza, Boardwalk Dog House, Park Cafe, Cafe @ Two70, etc. These are casual venues with quick service meals, and the selection of grab and go venues changes by ship.
• Johnny Rockets (for breakfast on Oasis Class ships only)

There is an extensive amount of complimentary dining options on a Royal Caribbean cruise. It’s easy to go an entire cruise by eating at only the restaurants included in your cruise fare. Plus, Royal Caribbean maintains excellent food quality in all of its dining venues, complimentary or specialty.

You may find a few extra cost items on the Main Dining Room menu, such as a filet or lobster.  These items are available for free on cruise ship formal nights during your cruise, but come at an extra cost on other nights.

Royal Caribbean offers its guests pizza at some of its restaurants and buffets, as well as at Sorrento’s on the larger ships. Pizza at these locations is included in your cruise fare.

Soft serve ice cream can be found near the pool deck and is in operation for most of the day. The Windjammer and Main Dining Room also offer their own selection of hand-scooped ice cream.  Some Royal Caribbean ships offer Ben & Jerry's ice cream, which has an additional cost.

In addition to complimentary dining, Royal Caribbean offers specialty restaurants which come at an extra cost. Specialty restaurants follow either a cover charge or a la carte pricing model.

Here is a list of the specialty restaurants in Royal Caribbean’s fleet.  Specialty restaurants vary per ship, with some smaller ships offering 2-3 specialty venues and large ships offering up to 7 or 8 different restaurants.

• Johnny Rockets, Americana fare with burgers, fries, and milkshakes
• Chops Grille, the classic Royal Caribbean steakhouse
• Giovanni's Table, a traditional Italian restaurant
• Sabor, a Mexican-style restaurant with a tequila bar and build-your-own tacos
• Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, a Japanese teppanyaki and sushi restaurant
• Jamie's Italian, a modern take at Italian cuisine
• Samba Grill, an all-you-can-eat-meat Brazilian rodizio
• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, modern Italian cuisine featuring a pizza and pasta menu
• Wonderland, a unique, molecular dining experience themed by the tales of Alice and Wonderland
• Portside BBQ, with a selection of barbecued meats and comfort food like mac and cheese, cornbread, and baked beans
• Chef's Table, a 6-course tasting menu where each course is paired with a different type of wine
• 150 Central Park, an elegant venue focused on locally-sourced ingredients
• Hooked Seafood, a seafood restaurant with oysters, fish sandwiches, lobster rolls, and more
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, a sports bar with standard bar food including nachos, burgers, and chicken wings
• The Mason Jar, a southern style restaurant with separate brunch and dinner menus
• Empire Supper Club, a three-hour meal that combines live music with a culinary adventure
• Royal Railway, an immersive dining experience set on a classic train

Specialty restaurants offer cuisine options not otherwise available onboard your ship, as well as an opportunity to indulge in meals that you may prefer to enjoy at your own pace. 

In addition, the ambiance is usually enhanced at these locations and the prices charged are not exorbitant. Even though Royal Caribbean’s complimentary dining options are very good, specialty restaurants can be a great way to enhance or splurge on your cruise. Dining at specialty restaurants can also be a nice way to celebrate a special occasion.

Drinks

Royal Caribbean provides a selection of beverages included in your cruise fare.  These drinks are available at any time, and include tap water, tea, coffee, lemonade, iced tea, milk, juices (not fresh squeezed), and hot chocolate.

These drinks are available at a number of locations onboard, such as Cafe Promenade and the Windjammer. Water can be found at any bar onboard as well, and it’s safe to drink the tap water onboard, as it is of high quality.

Alternatively, if you want beverages like alcohol, soda, fresh juices, mocktails, specialty coffee drinks, milkshakes, canned water, and Starbucks, you can purchase them for an additional cost during the cruise.

You can purchase each drink individually or purchase a Royal Caribbean beverage package. There are several types of beverage packages available. A Deluxe Beverage Package gives unlimited access to alcoholic and non-alcoholic specialty beverages. A refreshment package includes all beverages without alcohol, and a soda package includes only soda onboard.

Royal Caribbean does allow anyone to bring up to one bottle of wine per adult with them onboard a ship.  It must be brought onboard on embarkation day, and is subject to a corkage fee if opened in a public venue.

Room service

Room service on Royal Caribbean is available 24 hours per day, but there is a $7.95 fee per order, per room. As the fee is per room and not per person or per item, you can order as much as you like off the menu and only incur a $7.95 charge.

The continental breakfast option is complimentary and does not have an order fee. Continental breakfast includes items such as toast, yogurt, fruit, coffee, and oatmeal.

Kids club

Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean offers complimentary programming to children between the ages of 3 and 17 years old.  From when Adventure Ocean opens each day until 10pm, there is no additional cost. From 10pm to 2am, Adventure Ocean incurs an hourly cost.

While in Adventure Ocean, kids take part in activities led by the staff. There's a lot for kids to do at Adventure Ocean and the programming is specialized for each age group. It's a mix of learning, play time and socializing.

Select ships have science lab and craft workshop rooms within Adventure Ocean, where kids can participate in staff-led scientific experiments and crafts.

Teens aged 12-17 onboard have access to a complimentary teen club and hangout area.

Children between the ages of 6 months and 36 months old can participate in the Royal Babies & Tots program. Most Royal Caribbean ships offer a nursery, where parents can drop children off throughout the day and evening. Use of the nursery comes at an hourly charge.

Some ships often have an open play area set up during the day, where parents can bring toddlers to play. This is unsupervised play time and the parents must remain present.

Read more: Cruising with kids guide

Activities and Shows

A vast majority of cruise activities are included with your cruise fare.  Your daily Cruise Compass or the Royal Caribbean app will list a schedule of activities offered onboard, and most have no charge. 

Performances in the Royal Theater, as well as the AquaTheater, Two70, and Studio B are included in your cruise fare. Likewise, comedy shows, magic shows, live music, audience participation shows and more are included as well. Even the Broadway shows on Royal Caribbean ships are included in the price of your cruise.

There will be shows each evening, along with additional performances during the day on sea days. Live music is also included in your cruise fare, which comes in many genres and is offered throughout the day at multiple locations onboard.

Other activities like pool games, movies, trivia, dance classes, and scavenger hunts are regularly offered on Royal Caribbean and have no additional charge.

There are some activities offered that have an additional fee, such as some fitness classes, bingo, casino activities, drink seminars, spa services and more.

Signature activities and games

Royal Caribbean offers fun and unique signature activities onboard its cruise ships, the majority of which are included in your cruise fare.  If you watch any Royal Caribbean cruise commercial, you will inevitably see people tackling the FlowRider, rock climbing wall, skydiving simulator, and more.

Signature activities included in your cruise fare include the FlowRider, rock climbing wall, mini golf, waterslides, zipline, the Ultimate Abyss, sports court, SeaPlex, bumper cars, aqua parks (H20 Zone and Splashaway Bay), and ice skating.

RipCord by iFLY, the skydiving simulator found on Quantum Class ships, has both complimentary and extra cost options available. Complimentary time slots often get reserved quickly, so it’s important to reserve a time slot in the Royal Caribbean app as soon as you get onboard the ship.

Also on Quantum Class ships is the North Star observation pod. This activity is complimentary on port days and comes with an extra cost when the ship is at sea.

Fitness and Spa

Every Royal Caribbean ship has a fitness center that offers cardio and weight lifting machines, free weights, and more for no additional cost. Some, but not all fitness classes are included in your cruise fare, such as stretching and ab workouts.

Each Royal Caribbean ship also has a jogging track, which is available to use throughout the day at no additional cost.

The sports court (referred to as the SeaPlex on Quantum Class ships) also offers complimentary use of its facilities, with organized sport games held throughout the sailing.

Outside of the select few fitness classes included in your cruise fare, the fitness center offers extra fee classes for yoga, spinning, pilates, and more. The fitness center also offers personalized training and consultations for an additional fee.

The spa is not included in your cruise fare, and spa treatments, salon services, and day passes all come with an additional cost.

Some Royal Caribbean ships have a sauna, hot tub and/or steam room available for no additional cost. Others have a thermal spa for which you can purchase a pass.

Tours of the spa are available at any time during your cruise and have no additional cost or obligation. In fact, these tours are a great way to learn about what the spa offers.

Pool and sun decks

Access to Royal Caribbean's pools are included in your cruise fare, including the lounge chairs, hot tubs, water slides, aqua parks and more. The Solarium area has no additional cost, but is limited to adults only.

Some areas of the pool deck are reserved for suite guests only.  If you are a suite guest (Grand Suite and above), you will have complimentary access to these areas.  Depending on the ship, the suites-only area can be a small section of reserved lounge chairs or an entire deck area.

Wonder of the Seas has an entire Suite Neighborhood dedicated for suite guests with its own pool, bar, outdoor hangout area, lounge, and restaurant.

Miscellaneous services

The following services and activities onboard are also not included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare:

• Gambling (Including Bingo)
• Art Auction
• Any purchases made in the gift shops onboard
• Shore excursions
• Photographs
• Video Arcade
• Medical Services
• Internet Access
• Transfers (Unless guest has purchased our air/sea package)
• Laundry and Dry Cleaning Services
• Ship to Shore Telephone calls

Going on your first Royal Caribbean cruise may seem daunting, but it's easier than you think if you do the right things.

If you ask someone that has cruised a lot, they'll tell you it's easy, but that's largely based on knowing exactly what to bring, what to do in ports, and the best ways to save money when booking a cruise.

There's no shortage of Royal Caribbean tips, but when you're new to the cruise line, there's a different approach you need to take because some aspects of the experience may be completely different than you expect.

Using tried-and-true advice, you can arm yourself with the proper strategy to have a wonderful vacation.

Here's our best advice for someone who is taking their first cruise on Royal Caribbean.

Verify your travel documents

An easy rookie mistake to avoid is ensure you have the right travel documents for your cruise.

In order to go on any cruise, you need certain documentation and depending on your nationality, where you're sailing from and to, as well as your itinerary, there could be different requirements.

Ideally, everyone will have a valid passport. Royal Caribbean recommends cruising with a passport that will not expire in less than six months for any cruise, and we agree. Passports are the simplest and best document you can have to cruise.

If you're planning a European, Australian, or Asian cruise, you're going to need a passport for everyone, no matter what.

However, there are some cruises where you could cruise without a passport.

If you're an American citizen sailing on a cruise ship that departs and returns to the same U.S. city, then you can cruise with a birth certificate and state issued identification.

Read more: Do you need a passport for a cruise?

Check-in with the Royal Caribbean app

You really should download and install the Royal Caribbean app before your cruise begins.

The app is a powerful tool that makes the entire experience so much easier, and you're effectively doing yourself a disservice by not getting it.

Get the app and install it while you're at home, and then 30 days before your cruise is scheduled to begin, do the online check-in.

You'll want to check-in exactly 30 days early because that's when the earliest check-in times are available, and most people want to get onboard as early as possible.  If you wait, you'll end up with a check-in time in the afternoon.

Read more: 30 cruise ship embarkation day do's and don'ts

Bring a carry-on bag for embarkation day

Plan to have a small carry-on bag to bring with you around the ship on the first day.

When you arrive at the cruise terminal, porters will greet you and take your luggage to be checked and delivered to your cabin onboard the ship. It's a great service, and you should totally take advantage of it.  There's no cost, but a small tip is expected.

In the time between when you drop off your luggage with the porters and the time it gets delivered, you're going to probably need a few items, such as:

• Travel documents
• Cash
• Hat
• Sun glasses
• Sunscreen
• Medication
• Phone charger

Read more: 15 things to pack in your cruise carry-on

There could be more items, but it's a good idea to invest in a small carry-on bag, such as a backpack, small rolling suitcase, or other bag.

Pre-book shows, drink packages, and the spa

If there's a mantra about planning a great Royal Caribbean cruise, it's to plan as much as possible before the cruise begins.

Royal Caribbean makes a great deal of options available to reserve in the months leading up to your cruise, and doing so could save you money and time.

About 30 days before your cruise, shows will be bookable for Royal Caribbean's biggest ships.  If you're sailing on an Oasis, Quantum, or Icon Class cruise ship, you'll be able to pre-book entertainment.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes ultimate guide

If you're sailing on any other class of ship, you won't be able to pre-book shows and that's because there's no need.

You can book shows in the Royal Caribbean app or through the Cruise Planner website on Royal Caribbean's homepage.

Show reservations are complimentary, so you should make a reservation. Keep in mind reservations will go very quickly, so it's likely shows will sell out. If you don't get into a show, not to worry. Standby lines will be available and if you arrive early, you'll probably be able to make it into the show.

Speaking of pre-booking, you ought to pre-book extra cost add-ons to save money. Royal Caribbean has an array of possible things to buy for your cruise, including drink packages, specialty dining packages, WiFi packages, spa treatments, and shore excursions.

To be clear, you will pay more if you wait to book these items onboard the ship.  So if you know you want them, book them before the cruise.

A common question is if it's worth it to buy them, and the answer it depends on the person.  Beverage packages and dining packages can absolutely save you money, provided you take advantage of them to make it worthwhile.

Research the ports you'll visit before the cruise

You only have a few hours in each port your ship will visit, so it's imperative to research the activities while you're still at home.

It's a mistake to try to wing it when you get there because you risk missing out on something better.

In nearly all cases, you'll be in port for around six or eight hours, so picking a tour or a plan to hit up one or three spots is a good idea.

Organized tours are the most popular way to visit any port of call. Royal Caribbean offers its own set of shore excursions you can purchase from the website or the app, but you could also plan to do something on your own.

There are pros and cons to booking a tour with the cruise line or through a third-party. Do your research and have a plan so you can have a really fun day in port.

Book your cruise as early as possible for the best price

Want to save the most money possible on a Royal Caribbean cruise? Book your cruise as early as you can.

Generally speaking, the best price for a Royal Caribbean cruise is when you book as many months in advance as possible.  This is because as cruise ship cabins get booked up, the amount of available cabins drops and prices go up.

Ideally, you'll book your cruise as soon as Royal Caribbean puts the sailing on sale.  Yes, that's two years or more in advance.

By booking that far in advance, not only will you get a low fare, but you can get the exact cabin category you want.  The cheapest cabins and the most expensive suites are the first types of rooms to be sold out and they are both highly desirable.

Read more: The best cabin locations on a cruise ship

Don't bring any banned items

There are things you can bring on an airplane that you can't bring on a cruise ship, many that would surprise you.

Packing for a cruise involves a lot of things that you'll need, but there are a few items you shouldn't bother packing because if you do, Royal Caribbean will confiscated them.

This includes:

• Firearms, ammunition, handcuffs, pepper spray, night sticks
• Coffee makers, clothing irons, travel steamers, electric kettles and hot plates
• Candles, incense, flammable liquids and explosives (including lighter fluid and fireworks), hookahs and water hookah pipes
• Power strip and surge protectors
• Dangerous Chemicals, including bleach and paint
• Drugs (including medically prescribed marijuana)
• Beer or liquors

Some of these may seem self-explanatory, but the appliances and candles are the most commonly confiscated items because people don't realize they aren't allowed due to being a fire hazard.

Don't even bother trying, all bags go through a screening machine and they will see them and take it.

Read more: What can you not bring on a cruise

Fly to your cruise port a day or two early

The single costliest mistake you could make is flying to your cruise port the same day the cruise is scheduled to set sail.

Since Royal Caribbean cruises depart in the afternoon, a lot of newbies will think to book a flight that arrives in the morning on the same day of the cruise.  This is such a dangerous decision, because even a minor delay could prevent you from being able to board the ship.

What you want to do instead is book a flight at least one day before embarkation day so that you can protect yourself against any travel delays. Plus, you'll have more time to explore the city you're in and start your vacation a little bit earlier.

If you are traveling overseas for a cruise, we advise flying in at least two days early not only because of travel delays but to acclimate yourself to the local time and jet lag. Starting your international cruise without feeling exhausted is so important given how port intensive it tends to be.

Bring your own soda and wine

Royal Caribbean won't let you bring beer or liquor on your cruise, but you can bring a limited amount of wine and soft drinks.

Royal Caribbean allows one bottle of wine (or champagne) per adult in the cabin to be brought onboard on embarkation day. In addition, you can bring up to 12 standard cans, bottles or cartons of nonalcoholic drinks.

Bringing your own drinks can save a lot of money on a bar tab.

Read more: Royal Caribbean drink prices

Do the signature activities on the first day

There's a good chance you picked a cruise ship because of the fun attractions available onboard, but so did everyone else too.

Activities like the Flowrider surf simulator, water slides, bumper cars, and sky diving simulators are just some of the top must-dos, so the best time to try any of them is on the first day of the cruise.

Embarkation day is busy, and most people are still finding their way around the ship.  Heck, some might be oblivious these are options to do until later in the cruise.  The water-based activities are perfect for embarkation day because most people packed their swimsuit in their checked luggage.

Grab lunch and then hit up these signature attractions on day one.

Keep your phone in airplane mode

If you want to avoid a giant cell phone bill due to thousands of dollars in cell phone charges when you get home, make one simple change to your phone after boarding.

Cruise ships have a cell phone antenna on them, but they're out of network. When a phone is outside of its normal cellular network, and you try to use a cell phone for calls, data, or texting on someone else's network, you incur crazy high rates.

Many cellular plans (even international plans) do not include calls, texts, or data on cruise ships and they will charge you extremely high roaming rates for such services that will show up weeks later on your phone bill.

The easy way to prevent this from ever happening to you is to put your phone into airplane mode.

If you want to stay connected on your cruise, you can buy a WiFi package, which will let you make FaceTime calls and stream videos over Wi-Fi without using phone data.

You can re-price your cruise and add-ons

We talked about how important it is to book your cruise fare and add-ons early to lock in a good price, but what happens if there's a price drop later?

Anyone can cancel and rebook a Cruise Planner purchase at any time before the cruise begins.  That way, if the drink package or shore excursion price goes down, you can easily cancel and reprice it.

What if your cruise fare goes down? Many people hesitate to book early because they worry about missing out on a better deal later on.

If you're a resident of certain countries (such as the United States or Canada), you can get your fare reduced to match the lower price up until the final payment date.

Use a travel agent to book your cruise

There are many ways to book a Royal Caribbean cruise, but using a travel agent is the best choice.

There are so many decisions to make when booking a cruise as a first timer that you're much better off using an experienced travel agent to help.

A good travel agent will charge nothing extra for their services, and get a sense of your interests, needs, and travel style to help guide you through the booking process, as well as answer questions and deal with problems later on.

In addition, travel agents could spot special discounts or deals you might not find on your own, such as group rates or nabbing extra onboard credit.

Read more: Why first-time cruisers should use a Royal Caribbean travel agent

Things you don't need to bring

We've covered things you should pack, as well as things Royal Caribbean prohibits you from bringing, but we haven't talked about things you don't need to bring at all.

A lot more is provided for you on a cruise ship than at a resort, so you can leave certain items at home:

• Towels (bath, pool, or beach)
• Swim vests
• Walkie talkies
• Valuable jewelry

Either this is provided for you by the cruise line, or it's simple unnecessary.

Watch a ship tour

Royal Caribbean cruise ships are really big, so the sooner you understand the layout, the better.

While you could walk around the ship and get your bearings easily, I think it's even better to watch a walkthrough ship tour video before.

We have our own archive of ship tours you can watch, that take you through every inch of the ship and give you a good idea of where everything is.  It may also alert you to activities you were unaware of onboard.

Plus, I find watching these videos adds to the pre-vacation excitement!

The free food is plenty good

Once you start researching, you're going to see a lot of restaurants you can book for an additional charge, but the included restaurants are pretty good.

It's tempting to go all in with the specialty dining, and it is indeed quite good. But don't assume the restaurants that are complimentary aren't worth your time.

The Main Dining Room has dinner every night, and I think it's one of the best aspects of cruising. Having a sit down meal with your family served by waiters and a menu that changes daily is at the heart of cruising today.

The Windjammer buffet is great for picky eaters, as well as kids. It has the widest selection of food, and it's super casual.

Not everything on the menu is amazing, but I find most of the food ranges between "good" and "very good", and you can save a lot of money by relying on the included restaurants.

Don't forget to relax

There's going to activities day and night, but you really don't have to do any of it.

It's so easy to feel like you need to do it all, and that can make your vacation feel more draining than it should be.

Some days it makes sense to sleep in, hang at the pool instead of doing a shore excursion, or read a book. There isn't a right or wrong way to enjoy your cruise.

Buy travel insurance

I think travel insurance is more than an optional purchase, it's a must-buy.

Just like all insurance, travel insurance is a waste of money until you need it. I think first time cruisers are often naive to the how different medical care is when outside of the country and the lack of coverage your medical insurance offers.

Travel insurance also covers so much more than if you get sick. Hurricanes, travel delays, lost luggage, or a change in your employment, are just a few examples of how travel insurance could be useful.

Read more: Why you need travel insurance for your Royal Caribbean cruise

One of the best aspects of Royal Caribbean's loyalty program is that you can pass your benefits onto your kids, greatly enhancing the value of a cruise.

Cruising with kids is the core focus of Royal Caribbean.  Their family-focused business is at the heart of what they offer on any of their cruises.

Read more: 7 best cruise ships for kids

I have two kids who have been cruising since they were each six months old, and there's doubt we've saved so much money over the years because of our Crown and Anchor perks.

Royal Caribbean awards points for every cruise you take, and whomever has the most points in the household passes their tier onto others in the household, including minors.

This means a newborn could crawl right into a top tier level of Crown and Anchor Society on their first cruise.

Families that will cruise often will find a lot of benefits when they bring their kids.

Extending program benefits to children

Royal Caribbean will extend your Crown and Anchor Society status to your children, and even spouse, living in the same household as you.

There are a few rules, but it's fairly straightforward.

Anyone under the age of 18 will automatically qualify for the top status among the household.  That means if you have Diamond status, but your spouse only has Platinum, your kids would get Diamond level benefits.

Each child needs their own Crown and Anchor Society account before you can match them.

The "catch" is your kids would get your status, but not your points.

Let's assume you never cruise again, your kids would have zero points but Diamond status. So for them to get to Diamond Plus, they'd have to get enough points on their own to move up to Diamond Plus.

Once the kid turns 18, their accounts are no longer linked with yours and now are individual. They retain their Crown and Anchor Society level and must earn points (and tiers) on their own going forward.

When they are 18 their accounts are no longer linked with yours and now are individual. Their account will now reflect the points actually earned from the cruises they took while linked to your account.

Spouses also get your status

Children aren't the only ones to benefit from your loyalty to Royal Caribbean.

If you get married and you or your spouse has a higher Crown & Anchor tier, you can status match to each other. In addition, partners qualify too.  Royal Caribbean isn't particular about if you're married or not, just that you're declaring you are in a relationship with someone else.

You'll need to call the loyalty program at ‭(800) 526-9723‬ and request your new spouse be added in a relationship with you. Alternatively, you could email [email protected] but I recommend calling for faster service.

Just like the kids, your spouse needs their own membership number.

It can take a few days for the linking to complete.

Once it's linked their points tally will appear to be the same as yours, however if the relationship ever ends their points tally will return to what they have accumulated based on their own cruise history. 

There is a limit to family matching with children

Your kids can get your Crown and Anchor Status up the loyalty program ladder, but not not quite all the way.

If you or your spouse get to Pinnacle Club status, which is the top most tier within Royal Caribbean's program, your kids will remain at Diamond Plus.

Pinnacle Club member tier status can only be earned by an individual, spouse or significant other by one of them accumulating at least 700 Cruise Points or more in the CAS program. That means kids must earn that status on their own.

Spouses, however, still get Pinnacle status if their spouse gets it first.

Onboard benefits for kids

Anyone under the age of 18 has their own subset of benefits that differ slightly from what adults get. These benefits work on every cruise, which makes it advantageous to take advantage on every sailing.

The Youth Member Benefits are as follows: 

Gold

• 50% off one scoop of Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Parlor (on select ships)
• SURF+STREAM Internet discount equal to parents' benefit
• Buy 1 movie rental in your stateroom and receive the second FREE
• Spend $15 in Arcade Credits to get $5 off your onboard expense account, or spend $50 in Arcade Credits to get $25 off (applied at the end of the sailing)

Platinum

• 50% off one scoop of Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Parlor (on select ships)
• SURF+STREAM Internet discount equal to parents' benefit
• Buy 1 movie rental in your stateroom and receive the second FREE
• Spend $15 in Arcade Credits to get $5 off your onboard expense account, or spend $50 in Arcade Credits to get $25 off (applied at the end of the sailing)

Emerald

• 50% off one scoop of Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Parlor (on select ships)
• SURF+STREAM Internet discount equal to parents' benefit
• Buy 1 movie rental in your stateroom and receive the second FREE
• Spend $15 in Arcade Credits to get $5 off your onboard expense account, or spend $50 in Arcade Credits to get $25 off (applied at the end of the sailing)

Diamond

• 50% off one scoop of Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Parlor (on select ships)
• SURF+STREAM Internet discount equal to parents' benefit
• Buy 1 movie rental in your stateroom and receive the second FREE
• Spend $15 in Arcade Credits to get $5 off your onboard expense account, or spend $50 in Arcade Credits to get $25 off (applied at the end of the sailing)
• 4 Complimentary daily non-alcoholic drinks up to $14 (excludes Starbucks and Desserted)

Diamond Plus

• 50% off one scoop of Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Parlor (on select ships)
• SURF+STREAM Internet discount equal to parents' benefit
• Buy 1 movie rental in your stateroom and receive the second FREE
• Spend $15 in Arcade Credits to get $5 off your onboard expense account, or spend $50 in Arcade Credits to get $25 off (applied at the end of the sailing)
• 5 Complimentary daily non-alcoholic drinks up to $14 (excludes Starbucks and Desserted)

Pinnacle Club

• 50% off one scoop of Ice Cream at the Ice Cream Parlor (on select ships)
• SURF+STREAM Internet discount equal to parents' benefit
• Buy 1 movie rental in your stateroom and receive the second FREE
• Spend $15 in Arcade Credits to get $5 off your onboard expense account, or spend $50 in Arcade Credits to get $25 off (applied at the end of the sailing)
• 6 Complimentary daily non-alcoholic drinks up to $14 (excludes Starbucks and Desserted)

In case you're wondering, no, adults cannot use their kids complimentary drink vouchers for alcoholic beverages for themselves.

I used to think all rooms on a cruise ship were the same until I stayed in the worst cruise ship cabin I ever had.

It was on Freedom of the Seas and the room was all the way forward near the ship's anchor. Anytime we docked, it felt like a major earthquake and would always wake us up from sleep in the early morning.

Being in a cabin all the way forward also meant we felt more of a sensation of movement, and that lead to seasickness on top of it. It was a valuable lesson in paying closer attention to which cabin I choose.

Picking the perfect cabin location on a cruise ship is critical because it is where you will spend the most time during the voyage. Everyone has different preferences, as some people want a cabin with better views on a high deck, while others want to be near the kids club or buffet for the convenience factor.

With a little bit of extra research, there are important things to know about which cabins you should avoid.

Not looking what is above or below your room

Perhaps the biggest concern is picking a room that experiences "noise bleed", where noise from another venue can be heard in the room.

Royal Caribbean's staterooms do a pretty good job at muffling nearby noise, but no cabin is soundproof.

Before you book a room, look at the ship's deck plans and look what is above and below your stateroom.  Ideally, you want other staterooms on either deck and not public venues like pools, restaurants or other public venues.

Keep in mind that is not the worst thing if there is a public venue on a deck above or below your room, but it is a best practice if you can avoid it.

Room location if you are worried about getting seasick

The sensation of movement affects everyone differently, but it is a mistake to book a stateroom all the way forward or all the way aft if you are prone to motion sickness.

Getting seasick on a cruise is something a lot of first time cruisers worry about, and while there are a lot of easy remedies in case it occurs, picking the right room can greatly help as well.

Ideally, you want to book a stateroom that is on a low deck and centrally located to lessen the feeling of movement. While balcony rooms are a good idea, you want to be on the lowest deck, with a room that is the most midship available.

Try to avoid higher decks, as well as cabins at the very front or back of the ship.

Distance to walk

On the bigger Royal Caribbean ships, where your room is in relation to the rest of the ship is a consideration to account for as well.

The proximity of your room to elevators, pools, Royal Promenade, and other popular areas can play a factor in picking the right room for you.

If you think you might spend a lot of time at the pool deck, picking a room on a deck closer to the pool deck might make more sense to avoid the hassle of going back and forth to your room across the ship.

Similarly, if you have mobility concerns, picking a stateroom closer to the elevator banks would be a good idea.

Trying to put everyone in one room

Families going on a cruise often try to book a room that can accommodate everyone in one room. This may seem like the logical solution, but you should consider booking two (or more) smaller rooms instead.

While there are lot of cabins that can fit 4 people in one room, it may not be the most comfortable situation (plus the fact you are all sharing one bathroom).

Instead, consider booking two connecting rooms that have a common inside door between them.  Not only will this provide more room, physical separation and an extra bathroom, it may not be that much more money than trying to book one of the larger rooms.

Looking at only the price

We all have a limited vacation budget, but looking only at the price when choosing a cruise ship cabin is a big mistake.

You will want to look at more than just the price when choosing a cabin, including where it is located and what is (or is not) included with the room.

Your cabin is one part of the vacation where paying a little bit more for a higher category or better location can make a huge difference in your cruise enjoyment.

Read more: The epic Royal Caribbean suites 

Rooms that have noise bleed

Certain staterooms can have more than normal noise from public venues nearby, and that might be an issue if you're someone that goes to bed early or is a very light sleeper.

Royal Promenade View cabins are available on Freedom Class, Voyager Class and Oasis Class ships and they have cabins that face inward towards the Royal Promenade. Each of these rooms has a large bay window that looks out to the Promenade, but this window is not soundproof.

In the evenings especially, there can be noise emanating from the bars and parties below to your room.

In addition, these windows mean people can see into your cabin, so it's important to always keep the blinds drawn if you want privacy.  This is another reason Promenade view rooms may not be desirable.

On the Vision & Radiance Class ships, the first few cabins from the Centrum can also deal with noise bleed, as the Centrum is home to loud music in the evening.  

Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on any cruise ship

Cabins below the pool deck

A good rule of thumb is to try to avoid a cabin that is one deck below the pool deck.

Music isn't the issue with these cabins, rather, noise from chairs being arranged tends to be heard in the room. In the early morning, crew members re-arrange deck chairs for the coming day. Unfortunately, the noise created by dragging heavy lounge chairs across a deck tends to be heard in the rooms below the deck.

Light sleepers or anyone that enjoys sleeping in could have a problem with rooms in this location, so try to book a cabin with another stateroom above your cabin.

Read more: Guide to Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabins and suites

Obstructed view cabins

It may be tempting to save money by booking an obstructed view cabin, but buyer's remorse sets in quickly.

Obstructed view cabins are rooms that have some physical structure blocking at least part of your balcony or porthole window view. Usually, these are lifeboats.

On Voyager and Freedom Class ships, aft balcony rooms have an obstructed view due to the metal structure on the back of the ship. You can still see the ocean, but it's not completely open either.

Read more: 6 reasons to reject a cruise ship cabin upgrade

Connecting cabins (if you don't also book the connecting room on the other side)

Connecting cabins are a fantastic option for families, but if you aren't booking both rooms on either side of the common door, you're making a mistake.

The issue is the common door between the two staterooms is not soundproof and is actually quite easy for noise to pass through.

While the door will remain locked if you don't know the person in the other room, you're going to hear a lot of what's happening in their room and they'll hear what you're up to as well.

Look at a deck plan before booking any cabin, and avoid booking connecting rooms if you aren't going to book both cabins.

Royal Caribbean offers some of the best loyalty program benefits in the industry, so how do you move up the levels faster?

The Crown and Anchor Society offers rewards, discounts, and special events to its members, and it's all based on which tier you're at. 

Similar to hotel or airline offerings, Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program has different tiers based on how many points you have, with points earned based on travel.

Unlike other forms of travel customer loyalty programs, Royal Caribbean's points never expire.  And that means you can move up to a higher level even if you haven't cruised in a few years.

When you reach Diamond, Diamond Plus, or Pinnacle Club, Royal Caribbean will give you free drinks every day of your cruise, free internet access, laundry services, and even a free cruise.

If you want to get more points to get to a higher Crown and Anchor level faster, there are a few strategies you can employ.

Read more: How to reach Diamond level quickly

Stay in a suite

Perhaps the easiest way to get more Crown and Anchor points is to book a suite.

Royal Caribbean will give you an extra point per night if you book a suite instead of a standard cabin:

• 1 point per night in an inside, oceanview, or balcony cabin
• 2 points per night in a Junior suite or higher

Booking a Junior Suite is often an affordable way to get that extra point, as Junior Suites are not nearly as expensive as the suites that come with full suite benefits.

It's worth noting that Royal Caribbean has begun adding some Junior Suites on their newest ships that have full suite benefits, such as the Sky Junior Suite on Icon of the Seas.

Not only will a suite double the points you will get for every night of the cruise, but they also come with some great benefits to enjoy along the way. I find staying in a suite when you're at a lower Crown and Anchor level is advantageous since there is some overlap between the benefits.

Book a longer cruise

It's simple math: the more you cruise, the more points you earn.  So if you want to accumulate points quicker, book a longer cruise.

Royal Caribbean offers short weekend cruises, week-long sailings, and even cruises that are about two weeks.  Whenever possible, opt for a longer cruise to get more nights in.

Transatlantic cruises are some of the best cruises to rack up Crown and Anchor points because they're usually between 10-14 nights in duration, and priced quite well.  There's less demand for a transatlantic cruise because of the length, number of sea days, and the flight logistics.

If you book a transatlantic cruise and stay in a suite, you could really get a lot of points quickly out of one trip.

The other strategy is to make your cruise longer by not leaving.

Book a back to back cruise, where you book the same ship two times or more in a row. This allows you to sail longer at one time without having to find an exotic itinerary that has the same amount of nights.

Ideally, you'll book a back to back cruise where each sailing has a different itinerary so that you can enjoy different ports on each sailing. However, there's nothing wrong with doing the same itinerary twice. 

This is especially easy with short cruises.  Royal Caribbean's brand new Utopia of the Seas offers 3- and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas.  If you book two sailings in a row, you'll cruise for a week.

Booking a back to back cruise gets you more time on the ship to enjoy what that ship has to offer, and it also stretches your flight value out because you'll be away for more days.

Cruise solo

Besides staying in a suite, if you book a standard cabin by yourself, you'll get an extra point per night too.

Just like staying in a suite, booking a solo cruise gets you more points for every night of your cruise.

The catch is not to book a studio cabin because you won't get an extra point. Select Royal Caribbean ships have cabins designed for solo cruisers, and these would not earn you more Crown and Anchor points faster.

And yes, you can combine the strategies in this post and book a suite by yourself and get 3 points per night.

Booking a suite alone is hands down the fastest path to earning the most Crown and Anchor points. It might seem egregious, but more people do it than you might think.

You cannot buy points

Unlike some other loyalty programs, Royal Caribbean does not allow you to buy points.

There is no mechanism to purchase points without traveling, no matter how few points you need to get to the next tier.

Quite often I'll see posts on the Royal Caribbean message boards asking if they can use a credit card or call the cruise line and buy a point or two.

The only way to earn points in Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program is to sail on a cruise ship.

Avoid bidding for a stateroom upgrade

Be forewarned, if you bid for a stateroom upgrade from a lower category cabin to a suite, you will not get that extra point per night.

Points are based on the cabin you originally booked, so Royal Up will not get you any extra points. 

If you had a balcony or lower category, and then successfully bid to a suite, you would only receive 1 point per night.

Read more: 6 reasons to refuse to upgrade your cabin

Pro tip: Stay in a cabin alone while family is in another cabin

In all my years of cruising, I picked up on a strategy people that cruise a lot to employ in order to get to the highest Crown and Anchor levels.

They'll book one person in a cabin alone to get the extra point, and put the rest of their family in another cabin.

This strategy works best once you hit 340 points so that you'll a “single supplement discount”. With the single supplement discount, instead of paying 200% fare, you’re only charged 150% extra. 

Marcy Miyar employed this strategy by booking Junior Suites alone in order to get to Pinnacle Club status faster.

It's not necessarily a great money saving idea, but the faster you get to the higher tiers, the sooner you get to enjoy their benefits. Once you have the benefits, it opens up a lot of possibilities for maximizing the loyalty program value.

I never advocated for cruising for the sake of status, but it's hard to deny how lucrative it is being a Pinnacle Club member now and that it's added tremendous value to my cruises.

If you take a cruise from Galveston, Texas there's one big difference you should know about on the first day of your cruise.

Galveston is one of the most popular cruise ports, and it is growing quickly in terms of adding new ships.  

However, if you've never cruised from Texas, you might be surprised by the limited drink selections.

Some cruise ports have their nuances, and a Royal Caribbean cruise from Galveston has its own restrictions based on the drinks available.

Limited drinks on embarkation day

The first day of your cruise is always exciting because it signifies your vacation is finally here, and a lot of cruisers like to celebrate with a cocktail or beer.

However, you'll find less drinks on a cruise that departs Galveston on the first day.

Texas has its own set of liquor laws that limit the selection on your ship while you're in port and for the first few hours of the cruise.

The drink menu and liquor brands are limited while in Texas waters dues to rules in place by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

What this means is Royal Caribbean has to buy their liquor from a Texas distributer to be able to serve it on the ship while in Texas waters.  Any liquor served has to be served from a bottle which has the Texas tax paid and it carries a sticker to prove that Texas tax has been paid.

As a result, Royal Caribbean purchased a Texas permit so that it can purchase some of its liquor from a Texas distributor allowing them to serve liquor through the drink package while in Texas waters. 

They effectively have two liquor cabinets for ships homeported in Galveston, one for liquor and beer they bought from a Texas distributor, and another cabinet for liquor and beer they bought from another distributor / wholesaler.  When the ship leaves port and reaches international waters, they lock up all the liquor and beer with Texas stamps and bring out the other liquor and beer.

If this sounds crazy, it's not just Texas that has this kind of a law on the books. Both New York and Alabama have similar laws in place.

The law applies until your ship clears the first 12 nautical miles out to sea. Once the ship has moved into international waters, full bar selection opens up.

There is no restriction on non-alcoholic beverages, including mocktails.

The good news is you can still use your Royal Caribbean drink package on the first day of your cruise.

"In Texas Waters" liquor brands

For the first few hours of your cruise, there is a special menu of beverages you can order from until your ship gets out to sea.

Texas Beverage Menu

SPARKLING WINES

• Chandon, Brut, “Classic” $12
• Ruffino, Prosecco $11

WHITE/ROSÉ

• Beringer, White Zinfandel $8
• Château d'Esclans, Rosé $14
• Kim Crawford, Sauvignon Blanc $12
• Robert Mondavi, Private Selection, Sauvignon Blanc $11
• Danzante, Pinot Grigio $10
• Penfolds, Chardonnay, “Koonunga Hill” $10
• Kendall-Jackson, Chardonnay, “Vintner’s Reserve” $11
• Château d'Aussières, Chardonnay “Aussières,” Vin de Pays D’OC $9
• Robert Mondavi, Private Selection, Chardonnay $11
• Conundrum $16

RED

• Castle Rock, Pinot Noir, “California Cuvée” $11
• Terrazas de los Andes, Malbec $14
• Robert Mondavi, Private Selection, Merlot $12
• Castle Rock, Cabernet Sauvignon $9
• Château d'Aussières, Cabernet Sauvignon “Aussières,” Vin de Pays D’OC $9
• Kendall-Jackson, Cabernet Sauvignon “Vintner’s Reserve $11
• Torres, Ribera del Duero, “Celeste,” Crianza $11

SPIRITS

• Tito’s Handmade $10.99
• Absolut $10.99
• Grey Goose $13.99
• Bacardi $10.99
• Pusser’s Navy $12.99
• Kraken $9.99
• Malibu $9.99
• Captain Morgan $10.99
• Jose Cuervo Gold $9.99
• Avión Silver $11.99
• Jim Beam $10.99
• Buffalo Trace $10.99
• Templeton Rye $10.99
• Balcones Rye $13.99
• Balcones Straight $13.99
• Dewar’s $9.99
• Seagram’s 7 $9.99
• Crown Royal $10.99
• Glenfiddich $11.99
• Henrick’s $12.99
• Beefeater $10.99
• Aperol $10.99

BEER - $7.49

• Budweiser
• Bud Light
• Coors Light
• Corona Extra
• Stella Artois
• Shiner Bock

"BEYOND “BEER” - $7.49

• Truly Wild Berry
• Hard Seltzer
• White Claw Mango
• Hard Seltzer
• Topo Chico Ranch Water
• Hard Seltzer

ADVENTUROUS FLAVORS - $14

• Bloody Mary: Vodka with Bloody Mary Mix
• Cozumel Sunrise: Cuervo Gold Tequila, Mango, Lime Juice and Grenadine
• Sirena del Mar: Rum, Vodka, Gin and Tequila with Sour Mix and Topped with Coke
• Tiki Tai: Rum, Amaretto, Orange and Pineapple Juices with Grenadine
• Batuque Carioca: Malibu Coconut Rum, Blue Curaçao and Pineapple Juice
• Passion Exotica: Aperol, Vodka, Passion Fruit Syrup, Lemon Juice and Sparkling Wine
• Queva-Rita: Tequila Blended with Mango and Margarita Mix
• Caribbean Mule: Absolut Vodka, Coconut Rum, Blended with Goslings Ginger Beer
• Painkiller: Malibu Coconut Rum, Kraken Black Spiced Rum, Orange Juice and Pineapple Juice

VIRGIN DRINKS

• Our Complete Selection of Non-Alcoholic Beverages are Available.

An 18% gratuity will be added to your check.

Carnival has a different policy

If you've cruised with Carnival Cruise Line in the past, you should know Royal Caribbean's policy differs.

Just like Royal Caribbean, Carnival has a limited alcohol selection on day one from Galveston.  Most importantly, the CHEERS! Package does not work at all until the second day of the cruise.

If there's a silver lining, you don't pay for that first day of the package since it doesn't begin until day two.

Carnival's soda package (Bottomless Bubbles), however, will still work on the first day.

Another Texas tax to be aware of before you cruise

One other important law to be familiar with is if you want to bring liquor home with you.

If you buy duty-free liquor during your cruise, upon returning to Galveston you have to pay the TABC taxes on each bottle.   Whether or not you are a resident of Texas, you still have to pay the tax.

There is an area setup right after US Customs in the cruise terminal, and if you declare a bottle of duty-free booze you will be directed to visit the TABC tax collectors.  

It's a few bucks per bottle, but everyone pays even if you are flying out of Houston hours after arriving back into Galveston.  

There's nothing quite like an impressive super suite found on a giant cruise ship. These suites are enormous, opulent, and surprising just how massive these cabins can be.

Royal Caribbean is famous for building megaships that capture the imagination, especially the ones that continuously reclaim the title of biggest cruise ship in the world.

Having gone on almost 100 Royal Caribbean cruise ships, I've been able to stay in and tour many of these cruise ship suites.  It's an incredible experience, albeit expensive too.

As a cruise line with the best suites, Royal Caribbean seems to always be looking for ways to add new ways to wow its passengers with what they offer onboard. This includes suites just as much as water slides, zip lines, and other thrills.

Among all the suites I've toured, I handpicked the five that are so over the top you can't help but marvel at it. 

I also included a practical suite in my list, because it's the entry level suite many more people are likely to actually afford.

Ultimate Family Townhouse

Royal Caribbean first made news when it build the Ultimate Family Suite, which was an over the top family suite.  Then they upped the ante with an even crazier suite on Icon of the Seas, the Ultimate Family Townhouse.

This 1,772-square-foot suite is as big as many people's homes, and it lives up to the name of being a townhouse at sea.

It's available on the Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas and it costs at least $80,000 for a week!

What do you get for that price? Enough room for up to 8 people and an in-suite slide, movie room, karaoke machine and a "backyard" with a ping pong table, outdoor seating and a white picket fence.

It's three decks high, and it has a special entrance to the Surfside neighborhood from your suite. There's even a mailbox that you can use to pick up notes.

If you have young kids, there is no other suite that can top this experience for a family.

AquaTheater Suite

I'm not sure you can beat the view that Royal Caribbean's Aquatheater suites offer.

Available in one and two bedroom configurations, these are massive suites located at the very back of Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships.

I love these suites for two reasons. First, the amount of living space is incredible. You not only get a really big living area, but an even bigger balcony.

The balcony on the back wraps around the suite and offers the best views I've ever had on a cruise ship. Truly incredible, and the perfect place to catch a sunset.

Plus, your balcony doubles as a viewing box for the Aquatheater below, which is where you can watch one of the signature shows on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Second, the two bedroom suite has two full bathrooms, making it one of the best suites for a large family to share.

If there's a downside to this suite, it's that it's located at the very back of the ship, and that means a longer walk back to the elevators, as well as not being near the Suite Lounge.

I've stayed in Aquatheater suites numerous times while sailing on Wonder of the Seas, and it sold our family on the suite life because of the equally impressive Star Class amenities you get with the two bedroom suite. 

With Star Class, you get pretty much everything included in your cruise fare, along with the services of the Royal Genie.  It's an game-changing way to cruise.

Royal Loft Suite

While the Ultimate Family Townhouse might capture most of the attention for being a giant suite, I think the Royal Loft Suite is actually the best suite layout I've seen.

The Royal Loft Suite is available on Quantum, Oasis, and Icon Class ships, although the suite’s layout and features can differ from ship to ship. In fact, I've stayed in the Royal Loft Suite on Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Allure of the Seas, and the Oasis Class ships have the best setup.

It's located on Deck 17 or 18 (depending on which Oasis Class ship you're on), it has its own glass door that stops anyone from even reaching the actual door to the cabin. It's like its own mini-hallway.

You'll find a baby grand piano, wet bar, hot tub, two floors, and floor-to-ceiling windows. It's the kind of suite you can't help but say "wow" when you walk in.

This suite can handle up to 8 people, and we loved the living room. It has a giant couch, lazy boy-style chair, and a pair of hanging rocking chairs.

The upper level is the master suite, with great views of the ocean.  Plus, the master bathroom is sprawling and probably nicer than any bathroom I've seen on land.

On the balcony, there's a private hot tub just for your use next to a bar and more seating.  The balcony may not be massive, but the amenities are second-to-none.

Solarium Suite

When Royal Caribbean launched Utopia of the Seas, they once again moved the bar forward with a massive suite that has no balcony.

The Solarium Suites located above the bridge wings and offer sweeping 280 degree views of the ocean from the large living space.

They feature panoramic views that open up to the ocean breeze at the push of a button.

There's a ton of living space here, and just like the Aquatheater suite, you cannot beat the views.  This time, it's at the very front of the ship and you basically see everything the ship's Captain can.

Junior Suite

While a Junior Suite isn't a true suite because it doesn't all the full suite amenities, I think it's an affordable splurge to get a preview of what the suite life is like on a cruise ship.

To be fair, I think a Junior Suite is more akin to a "really large balcony room", but it does come with extra benefits that are great to have.

In addition to a larger living area and balcony, junior suite guests receive a variety of benefits including double C&A Society points, luxury bathroom amenities, an in-suite Lavazza Espresso Coffee Machine, and priority boarding. 

Those staying in a Junior Suite on Oasis or Quantum Class ships also have access to Coastal Kitchen, the suites-only restaurant, for dinner only.

The reason why we’ve included a Junior Suite in this list is because of its position as an entry-level way to experience what a Royal Caribbean suite experience can offer. A Junior Suite is far less expensive than booking, say, a Loft Suite, so it can be a nice way to “treat yourself” without breaking the bank.

Once you take a single cruise with Royal Caribbean, there are a number of great customer loyalty reward program benefits you receive on every subsequent cruise.

The exact benefits depend on your Crown and Anchor Society level. The more you cruise, the more points you get and your Royal Caribbean benefits never expire. This means you can get more value out of your cruises.

You can expect discounts, vouchers, and even freebies just for having sailed with Royal Caribbean in the past.

Depending on your cruising style and preferences, all the benefits may not be useful, but there are certainly a few that stand out as must-uses on nearly every cruise.

It should come as no surprise that the best benefits are reserved for the top tier members (Diamond and above), but there is still great value even at the entry level.

Let's dive into each membership tier and provide detailed tips on how to make the most of the benefits.

Beverage coupons - All tiers

Whether you are Gold or Pinnacle, you'll get coupons preloaded on your SeaPass card every sailing for drinks.

If you don't have a Royal Caribbean drink package, these beverage coupons can save you money on alcohol, coffees, and more.

• 50% off coupon for any glass of wine, beer, or soda
• 25% off any coffee beverage
• 10% off any wine, beer or soda by the glass

Higher tiers, beginning with Platinum will get a free non-alcoholic specialty coffee with the purchase of a specialty restaurant dinner.

All you have to do is inform the waiter or bartender that you'd like to use your drink coupon and they can apply it on the spot. No physical coupon required.

Casino free play - All tiers

I couldn't believe it when someone told me I could play a few dollars in the casino every cruise, but it's true.

Crown and Anchor members get a range of free play to enjoy, and the exact amount varies depending on a few factors. It's available for the full cruise but if you go during the first couple of days, you get an extra $2.

All you have to do is go to any slot machine in the casino, enter your SeaPass card, create a new PIN and then transfer the money to your personal banker casino account. 

The PIN you need at first is your birth month and birth day in 4 digits MMDD then it will prompt you create a new PIN.  

The process on the machine to transfer the freeplay money is not completely intuitive but once you figure it out it's the same ship to ship.

You cannot cash out the free play, and must play through until you use it up. Any winnings are yours to keep and cash out.

Free/discount souvenir photo - All tiers

While there's no cost to take a photo with the ship's photographers, a single photo will set you back $19.99.

Depending on your tier, you're entitled to either a free photo or big discount.

From Gold through Emerald, you'll get a buy one, get one 50% off photo.

At Diamond, you get one free photo.

These are wonderful keepsakes from the cruise, especially if you can get everyone dressed up.

Balcony discount - Platinum and above

Should you book an inside cabin or is it worth it to move up to a balcony? If there's a discount on a balcony, that might sway your decision.

Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members will receive an increased discount for making a reservation for
a sail date outside of six months.

Once you achieve Platinum status, you can get an automatic discount on any balcony or suite you book.

In many cases, this discount can save a lot of money. The key is to book a cruise more than 6 months in advance, or these rates drop.

Free beverage vouchers - Diamond and above

Perhaps the best known and most valuable benefit are the free drinks Royal Caribbean gives its top tier guests every day.

If you are Diamond, Diamond Plus, or Pinnacle, you can get a set amount of complimentary beverages every day of your cruise, which includes alcoholic beverages.

It's simple enough to redeem, you just tell the bartender you'd like to use your Diamond drink voucher and you pay nothing for the drink.

Read more: How Royal Caribbean's free drink vouchers for Diamond and higher members works

Even kids can get free non-alcoholic drinks if they're a Diamond or higher cruiser.

I'm not aware of any other cruise line that offers its loyal customers free alcoholic drinks in this manner. For a lot of people, it becomes their defacto drink package, and a compelling reason to make it to Diamond.

Free internet access - Diamond and above

Diamond guests get one free day of wifi, while Diamond Plus get two free days of Surf & Stream internet package per sailing. 

If you make it Pinnacle Club, you actually get a free internet package for the duration of your cruise.

The only catch is you cannot pre-book, so you must wait to use it until you get onboard the ship.

BOGO Specialty Restaurant meal - Diamond Plus and above

The jump from Diamond to Diamond Plus isn't substantial, but there are some lucrative benefits to enjoy.

My favorite is the buy one, get one cover charge at a specialty restaurant for dinner on the first or second night of the cruise.

Just like the free wifi offer, you can't pre-book, but I've found it quite easy to redeem.

This is also great to use with family and friends, as you can apply the BOGO offer to other guests that are dining with you.

Free laundry once per cruise - Diamond Plus and above

I always have to remind myself of this benefit, but Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club guests get a free wash and fold laundry bag on 5+ night cruises.

Royal Caribbean offers a Wash and Fold offer to all guests, which comes at a price of $34.99 and allows you put as many small pieces of laundry in a bag as you can for a fixed rate.

This is great for t-shirts, underwear, socks, and bathing suits. You can either use it mid-cruise to replenish your clean clothing, or at the end of the sailing to ensure there's less laundry waiting for you when you return home.

Crown Lounge access - Diamond and above

It's fairly impressive that Royal Caribbean reserves a place on each cruise ship for use by its top tier members.

The Crown Lounge (formerly known as the Diamond Lounge) is part social and part functional.

At its heart, it's a place for Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club cruisers to go to for a private enclave. A lot of cruisers enjoy the social aspect of the lounge, especially in the evening. This is when guests can meet other guests and perhaps make a friend.

A 24 hour coffee and espresso machine is available to use, which can save you money on specialty coffees elsewhere.

The finger foods they have in the lounge each evening are delectable, and there's a breakfast spread too earlier in the day. You won't get a meal here, but it's enough to tide you over.

Where can I see a list of my benefits?

There are two kinds of Crown and Anchor Society benefits: onboard and all around.

Prior to your cruise, you can take advantage of certain benefits simply by associating your loyalty number with your reservation. 

Assuming you put your loyalty number in your reservation when you booked your cruise, you'll receive a letter in your stateroom with your Crown and Anchor Society benefits.

The letter you get onboard the ship in your cabin lists even more benefits you can use:

Gold

Platinum

Emerald

Diamond

Diamond Plus

Pinnacle

Thanks to Twangster for sharing these scans.