The biggest cruise ship in the world has made a name for itself in many ways, but it also stands out in a gastronomical way.

Ever since Icon of the Seas first started sailing with paying passengers, the Windjammer buffet on embarkation day served up an upgraded offering.

In addition to the usual buffet fare, there's also been filet mignon, lobster tail, and shrimp.  These delicacies are usually not offered in the buffet due to their higher cost.

On Icon of the Seas' inaugural sailing, the buffet had these items and this was in line with Royal Caribbean's traditional approach to celebrating the maiden voyage of any new cruise ship.  But with other ships, the embarkation day lunch menu would drop those upgraded items after the initial sailing.

I boarded Icon of the Seas for a 7-night Caribbean cruise on June 29, and was pleasantly surprised to see the steak and seafood were still available.

As you walk into the Windjammer on embarkation day, there is a selection of freshly grilled filet mignon steaks on the first buffet line. along with lobster and shrimp.

Further into the buffet, there was more seafood to be found.  Flanked by ice carvings, there's a wider selection of lobster, muscles, shrimp and more.

It's impressive to see this high quality seafood available to guests as part of the included cruise fare.  Moreover, it's unusual in my experience to see that food offered in a buffet setting.

I had heard from other cruisers that Icon was still serving this food, so I was curious if it would still be offered by the time our sailing began.

When the food was first offered on Icon's inaugural, most cruisers assumed it was a one-time offering for the inaugural. I shared photos of it on the Royal Caribbean Dining Facebook group and while impressed, a lot of commenters felt they would not be able to enjoy it too.

The sort of comments I saw were:

"Zero percent chance this presentation makes it to a single revenue sailing."

"That won’t ever be on a normal sailing"

"You'll never see this. Special cruise for sure."

Given the past history, you can't blame folks for being a little pessimistic.

Can you expect steak and lobster tail on your Icon of the Seas cruise? Possibly.

Royal Caribbean has never announced or confirmed the fact Icon of the Seas serves these items is part of a menu change or upgrade for the ship.  It's certainly not offered on the embarkation day buffet lunch on any other ship in the fleet.

I would consider this a bonus for anyone with an Icon of the Seas cruise coming up. Don't bet on it being there, but you might want to reconsider where you go for embarkation day lunch if you do sail on Icon soon to check if it's still being offered.

More food you should look for on Icon of the Seas

While the Windjammer menu isn't among the top marketed new foods on Royal Caribbean's newest ship, there are lots of other good choices to look for while onboard.

The Aquadome Market has been a revelation as a new food hall concept for Royal Caribbean, and it should be a must-eat spot at least once a day.

My favorite of the five booths is Feta, which has Mediterranean cuisine.  The gyros are the favorite of Paul Fortin, Senior Director of Culinary Operations for Royal Caribbean.

The gyros are made on the spot when you order it, and it's the sort of food you don't typically find on a cruise ship.

If there's one specialty restaurant on Icon that flies under the radar, it's Pier 7, and that's largely because it's located in the family area of the ship.  Don't let the nearby carousel and splash zone dissuade you from trying it, because I really liked the food here a lot.

Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, talked a lot about how much he likes the Korean fried chicken at Pier 7. I gave it a try when I sailed on the inaugural and already Pier 7 just to be able to eat that again on this current sailing I'm on.

Lastly, I was impressed by the upgraded steak choices at Chops Grille.

There's waygu beef, Porterhouse, and a Tomahawk steak (among other choices).  The extra cost these steaks have serve up the sort of steaks you'd find at a high-end land restaurant.

While having an upcharge for an extra-cost restaurant is not ideal for cruisers, I do think the choices are a great upgrade to the menu.

You'll find cruises advertised all over the internet, television, and even in the mail, but not every offer is as good as it sounds.

There's nothing wrong with trying to get a good deal on a cruise. After all, we all want to save money and if you can really net a fantastic price, then you get the satisfaction of conquering the low price challenge and a great vacation in one.

The problem is there are sometimes deals that look really good, but in reality, are a problem. They could be a scam, or it could be simply setting you up for disappointment. In either case, you'll be upset and wish you could do it over again.

If you run across a really good cruise price and can't believe your luck, keep these lessons in mind.

Free cruise offer mailers

The saying "nothing is free in this world" holds true with cruise bookings too.

Obviously if you earned a free cruise through the casino or maybe you reached Pinnacle Club status with Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society, then you are indeed getting what you agreed to.

What I'm referring to here are offers for a free cruise in exchange for something, like attending a seminar or signing up for a vacation club.

They usually come with a free cruise postcard in the mail. It's addressed anonymously with no return address, and of course it's completely unsolicited.

These are notorious for high-sales pressure opportunities to lure you in with the promise of a "free cruise" to get you to buy a timeshare or some other investment. Suffice to say, these are a really bad idea because of the issues associated with false pretenses and getting sucked into a major cost. There are so many stories of victims who sought a free cruise, but ended up with timeshares and travel clubs they never wanted.

The other free cruise we see offered a lot are giveaways, either online or in the mail.

While Royal Caribbean does sometimes offer a free cruise giveaway, they are very limited and it's more likely what you're seeing is a scam.  This is especially true on Facebook, where you see a post advertising if you like a post or join a group, you'll be eligible for a free cruise.

And then there's the old school free cruise giveaway you might have seen at a pizza parlor or other restaurant where you fill out a card and drop it in a box for your chance to win. Not only are you not winning a free cruise, you're signing yourself up for a lifetime of spam calls.

If you see an offer for a free cruise, be extremely skeptical. My advice is completely ignore it, but if you wish to learn more, be sure to ask questions and search the internet for more information about the company or opportunity so you can determine if it's a scam. Never attend a timeshare presentation or travel club in the hopes of receiving a free cruise gift.

A great price on an old ship

I've had so many friends reach out to me and tell me about a great price they got on a Royal Caribbean cruise for their family, and it's largely because they booked an old, small ship.

To be clear, there's nothing wrong with Royal Caribbean's older ships.  They offer classic cruise vacations, and plenty of people enjoy them. But they might be the wrong cruise vacation for you.

Read more: Why you shouldn't avoid older and smaller cruise ships

While it's true some of the lowest cruise prices are often found on Vision or Radiance Class cruise ships, you should be very aware of what you're getting with one of these ships, and more importantly, what you're not.

Older ships lack the bells and whistles found on Royal Caribbean's newer ships.  If you've seen a Royal Caribbean television commercial lately, pretty much all the fun things you see there are not on these ships.

This is primarily a problem for families who may be expecting waterslides and lots of top deck activities to keep their kids (and even parents) occupied.

Read more: 15 free things to try on your next cruise

No matter which Royal Caribbean ship you pick, be sure to look up what features and amenities it has so you're clear on what you can expect onboard.

Not all Royal Caribbean ships have a Broadway show, waterslides, laser tag, or bumper cars. If there's a particular activity you absolutely want on the ship, double check the ship has it before you book. Don't book a cruise purely based on price.

Cruise ship cabin upgrades

Royal Caribbean offers passengers the opportunity to bid for a stateroom upgrade, with the promise you could pay significantly less to move up to a larger cabin.  

When you look at the prices to bid, it can be very tempting to roll the dice on upgrading your cabin, but before you do, you'll want to keep a few things in mind.

When you bid for an upgrade, you're basically telling the cruise line if an unsold cabin is left, you'll take it for that price. Just because you can place a bid, does not mean there's actually a cabin to upgrade to.

More importantly, you're giving up a few things with the upgrade that you might not like later.  

First, you can't pick your cabin location if your bid is selected. This means you might end up with a cabin all the way forward, which might be a problem if you're more susceptible to motion sickness. Or your room might be under a public venue that is really noisy. If you're traveling with friends or family and want to be near each other, there's no way to do RoyalUp and remain near them.

Another reason to think twice before bidding to upgrade your cabin is it's going to cost you money, and that's additional money from what you originally booked.  If your vacation budget is tight, skip the upgrade and save that money for shore excursions, restaurants, or drinks onboard.

Read more: 17 ways people waste money on ships

A very low advertised cruise fare

When you start price shopping for a cruise, it's so easy to find a great rate advertised, but keep in mind there are lots of extra costs that you can expect later.

Travel websites selling cruises usually advertise the base fare, which sounds like a great price.  The problem is that is far from the out the door price.

Many times these prices omit taxes, port fees, and travel insurance.  When you actually get to the point of booking the cruise, you'll notice the final price has gone up much more than what you first saw.

As an example, our staff booked a $99 cruise fare.  While each person did pay $99, they total cost was $486.50, or $234.25 per person.

Read more: 11 cruise fees you should know about before booking

The good news is is this practice might be going away. Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines announced due to a new law, they'll be included port fees and taxes in their advertised prices.  

The change goes into effect July 2024, but that doesn't mean third-party websites will do the same.  

When you look at the price of any cruise, be sure to account for these extra costs you're going to have to pay.

As someone that cruises for a living, there are a few things I'd never buy for my cruise.

There are many choices in what extras you can purchase for a cruise. Many are aimed at adding convenience, or simply an experience you cannot otherwise enjoy. 

To be clear, I'm not someone who shy's away from spending money on add-ons.  There are many I've come to relish, and some I pick up once in a while.

In my opinion, the items on this list are either cruise add-ons I think overall are not worth it, as well as some that simply do not mesh with my style of cruising.  Consider this a glimpse into my thought process, and perhaps it's something consider before you purchase something in the Cruise Planner.

Arcade credits end up being wasteful

I have two kids, but I never buy the pre-purchased arcade credits prior to the cruise.

Royal Caribbean sells arcade credit packages that save a few dollars off the total price, but my issue with arcade credits is how you actually get to use them.

You won't know which arcade games are actually on the ship until you board, which means your kids might love or hate the options there.  More problematic is the fact quite often there are a subset of arcade games that are out of order.

It's not unusual for a handful of games to be broken, thus reducing the choices available.

The other problem is that all games have different credit requirements, and I've found with the arcade packages you end up with unused credits and it becomes a challenge to use them all.

Instead of buying arcade credit packages, I'll just swipe and play games a la carte.  It ensures I don't have any leftover credits, and there are games to play my kids actually enjoy. Plus, if we run out of time or just never make to the arcade, I'm not worried about losing that arcade credit investment.

Photo packages are restrictive

I think a photo package might be a good purchase for larger families, but it's something I stopped buying.

I have no issue with the photo package value, but I've found we stop taking that many professional photos while we cruise. On an average cruise, if we take two or three photos, it's a miracle.  This is partly because we cruise often enough we aren't worried about getting photos since we can always get another later, and partly because of the long lines in the evening for photos.

The other lesser known detraction of a photo package is someone in your cabin needs to be in the photo for it to be included.  Meaning, if you're traveling with friends or family, unless one person from your cabin is in the photo, that would not be included in the package, even though they are part of your traveling party.

If you're new to cruising or do not cruise very often, a photo package can be a great purchase. But I stopped buying it.

Bus tours are disappointing

Of all the shore excursions you can take, a bus tour is arguably the least worthwhile purchase.

Bus tours sound like it could be a good way to see a port, but you're going to be in a large group and the bus may not stop at the places you want to stop at.  Moreover, the time you have at each stop inevitably is either too short or too long. What if you want to linger longer and explore more? Or completely skip that tourist trap souvenir shop near the scenic view?

Plus, you may not need a bus tour to enjoy your day. You could take a cab, walk and explore on foot, or book a smaller tour without the crowds.

I don't like the idea of animal encounters

My views on the use of animals for purpose of tourist meets has changed, and I don't have any desire to book a tour involving captive animals.

I'm referring to dolphins and other marine wildlife that you can meet in an enclosure.  I have no problem with whale, bear, or other animal watching tours in the wild. 

Besides the crazy high prices charged for these excursions, I find issue with them and won't book any.

The Key isn't as good as it looks

Royal Caribbean's VIP program to get you special benefits for a price simply sounds better than it really is.

I have found repeatedly guests can achieve similar results on their own with a bit of advanced planning, and I think the money is better spent elsewhere.

Priority embarkation on embarkation day? Just get an early check-in time when check-in times become available 45 days before the cruise starts and you'll be among the first to board the ship.

Chops Grille lunch on embarkation day? Book it on your own.

Priority for signature activities? It's always for the less desirable activities (Flowrider, rock wall, etc) and the times are never convenient. It's either early in the morning or around dinner time, and these are times when lines are naturally shorter anyway.

The appeal of The Key is to buy it and then not have to do anything else. It includes WiFi, and sometimes the price is barely more than buying just the WiFi package. But I think the benefits look better on paper than they are in practice.

Casitas are pricey and distant

No one likes to compete for a deck chair on a sea day, but casitas are expensive for what you get.

Beyond the price, I think casitas are located too far away from the actual pool (usually they are on the upper pool deck) and the have no walls, which means there isn't always shade provided.

The price is cheaper on port days, but you probably don't need to worry about finding a seat at the pool on a port day because so many other passengers are off the ship.

I find Up, Up, and away balloon ride to be unreliable

The chances the Up, Up, and away helium balloon ride is actually operational the day you visit Perfect Day at CocoCay are pretty low.

The Up, Up and Away helium balloon takes guests 450 feet above the ground, providing the highest vantage point in The Bahamas. While this sounds really neat, it rarely operates.

The balloon seems to require near perfect weather conditions to operate, and it's quite rare to see it working.

The reason I don't buy it is because you can't count on it, and I'd hate to pass up something else in favor of the balloon.

If you want to try your luck, I'd skip buying it in advance and if you spot the balloon in the air on the day you visit CocoCay, head over and buy a ticket on the spot. There's less disappointment in that scenario.

Watches are notorious for being a poor value

I have yet to buy a watch on a cruise, but stories from other cruisers will likely ensure that never happens.

Many people have a watch addiction, and you'll find plenty of watches in the onboard jewelry stores. The problem is how much they are actually worth.

There are lots of stories of guests feeling bamboozled after buying a watch on a ship.

Just like the art auction, I think you should buy something because you think it will look nice to own, and not primarily for an investment.

A small fire on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas caused a temporary power loss.

Icon of the Seas docked in Costa Maya, Mexico on Tuesday afternoon when guests reported the ship lost power while docked.

UPDATE: A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson confirmed there was a fire and a brief loss of power, but all necessary safety procedures took place, and teams were able to extinguish the fire quickly. Backup power was the first the activate, followed by main power.

The ship is proceeding as scheduled, according to the spokesperson.

Reports flew in online quickly of the event.

Reddit user reddituid posted, "I'm on the ship. The power went out for 20 minutes. Calls on the intercom were Bravo Bravo Bravo, then later instruction 23. Crew are at emergency stations."

The code of "bravo" indicates fire.  It's a way to easily share with crew members what incident is occurring, so that they can respond quickly.

An hour or so later, the same person wrote, "Everything back to normal. Power was out about 20 minutes, people not able to board or leave for an hour, and crew at muster stations for 60-90 minutes. No official announcement what the incident was."

X/Twitter user @mkntze shared a real-time thread of updates, "Some type of mishap on #IconoftheSeas while docked in Costa Maya.  Crew responding to emergency instructions, and we’ve had intermittent power outages.  First emergency calls were for forward engine rooms.  Gangway activity suspended."

"Crew announcement on #iconoftheseas indicates an “incident” in the lower technical areas.  Several unconfirmed reports of possible fire in an engine area.  Multiple emergency crew announcements over PA, but using code words so as not to panic guests."

The ship's gangway was temporarily closed during the incident, but @mkntze shared that gangway activities resumed shortly thereafter.

Another update added that clearly something had happened, but it did not seem serious, "passed 2 crew in fire suppression gear.  They appeared to be done with whatever work they had been doing, not moving with a sense of urgency.  Crew members have been calm and it feels like things are getting back to normal."

On Reddit, AlterEgo_Persuasion recapped their experience onboard:

We were going through security at the gangway to get back on the ship when all of the crew at the metal detectors walkie talkies started blaring “BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO” and crew seemed a bit unbothered until the leader of the group yell “GO! GO!” I guess the crew had been doing drills throughout the morning and were confused to the legitimacy of the call coming over their radios.

We were able to eventually get onto the ship once one crew member was given the okay to perform manual searches. We did hear over the radio that two hose crews were enroute.

We felt better being on the ship knowing that the crew is highly trained! Happy all is back to normal and I can get a drink!

Fire on a cruise ship is a serious matter

Fire is the biggest threat to cruise ships because of how quickly it can spread. 

Fires on cruise ships are rare, but it's one of the most dangerous problems that could occur, so mitigating the threat is why the line prohibits so many household items from being brought onboard. It's why you can only smoke in designated areas, and will never see lit candles onboard.

Furthermore, it's why crew members train for fire drills repeatedly to ensure they know what to do in case it actually happens. They are evaluated on their response by both their supervisors as well as in quarterly evaluations by the United States Coast Guard.

Just like on land, incidents do occur and the vast majority of times there is a fire onboard, it's for something minor such as a fire in the oven, overheating wires, or even just the smell of smoke.

While a lot is included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare, there are extra costs that can add up to your final bill.

The base cruise fare you pay includes your cabin, most meals, and entertainment.  It represents an excellent value, and it's attractive to many people who want to try cruises for how much you get.

However, a Royal Caribbean cruise is not all-inclusive and there are things that will cost extra. Some may surprise you, but it's part of the modular approach to cruise ship pricing.

While you may not be shocked to see a spa treatment or souvenir costs extra, there are fees that will encounter that are not as obvious.

The more you know in advance of your cruise means there is less to be surprised by later on.

Gratuities

With the exception of Australia, Royal Caribbean does not include gratuities for crew members in its cruise fare and you'll be expected to pay it later.

Royal Caribbean charges an automatic gratuity to every passenger, regardless of age, that covers the services provided by your stateroom attendant and dining room staff. These crew members work extremely diligently to ensure you have a great cruise experience, and the gratuity is a way to recognize their hard work.

Decades ago, gratuities were paid by hand in the form of cash at the end of the cruise and it was always a bit awkward. To make it simpler, these have become automatic to be charged to the guest. 

If you were to book a cruise and then do nothing else, you'll see a daily charge of $18.00 per person, per day for standard cabins and $20.50 per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above. 

The best way to avoid paying gratuities onboard is to pre-pay them prior to the cruise beginning. Simply ask your travel agent (or Royal Caribbean if you booked directly with the cruise line) to add it to your account.  This ensures you pay the gratuities before the cruise begins and there are no surprises once onboard.

Before someone comments on this post and points out you can go to Guest Services to remove gratuities from your account all together, it's important to note that ability is so that the guest can then turn around and pay gratuities in cash "the old fashioned way".  It is not meant as a money-saving strategy.

Internet

When you're on a cruise ship, expect to have to pay to use the internet on mainstream cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean.

Unlike hotels on land, the cost of satellite internet is significantly higher. Internet on land relies on cables, whereas cruise ships don't have that ability.

Internet access on Royal Caribbean will cost you about $22.99 for one device at a time onboard, although you can get a discount if you pre-purchase it on Royal Caribbean's website.  Likewise, there are WiFi discounts offered for Crown and Anchor Society members.

You could avoid internet charges by waiting until you get to a port of call to use the internet. Quite often there are restaurants, bars, or cafes that include free internet for their visitors. Some cruise terminals offer complimentary WiFi as well.

Another option is to book a suite (Grand Suite or higher category suite) on an Oasis, Icon, or Quantum Class cruise ship.  Suites on these big ships include a complimentary one-device internet package for each guest in the cabin, regardless of age.

Onboard attractions

Royal Caribbean is known for the amazing things you can do on a cruise ship, and some come with an extra cost.

There are private lessons at the Flowrider surf simulator, rides on the North Star, and private karaoke sessions that all have an extra cost.

The good news is you can avoid these extra costs by taking a more DIY approach.

The Flowrider has plenty of complimentary sessions throughout your cruise. While you won't have an instructor, the crew members working are happy to offer tips and advice when it's your turn.  A few falls and you'll probably pick it up.

Read more: I learned how to surf on a weekend cruise

North Star costs money if you go for a ride while the ship is at sea, but it's complimentary while in port.  In my experience, there's no reason to pay for the sea day sessions.  You'll get a very similar experience while docked in port.

Newer Royal Caribbean cruise ships with private karaoke rooms can be rented at Spotlight Karaoke, but this is a luxury you don't need to buy. In the main venue, karaoke is complimentary, so you just need to sign up for a turn.

Some onboard activities have no workaround to the cost, such as the escape room or Crown's Edge experience. If you really want to try these, you'll have no choice but to pay them.

Room service fee

Royal Caribbean charges for room service to have food delivered to your cabin, and it's a $7.95 service fee with a 18% gratuity that brings the total price to $9.40. This is per order, not per item.

The continental breakfast has no service fee, and it offers toast, bagels, coffee, donuts, cereal and more. It's perfectly suitable for a light meal.

If you really love room service, then you could book a suite. Grand Suites and above include room service as part of the suite experience.

Specialty restaurants

No matter which cruise ship you sail on there, there will be a few restaurants that have an additional cost to dine there.

Read more: How does specialty dining work

The appeal of these restaurants are cooking styles and/or food quality you cannot find elsewhere on the ship.

Before you assume these restaurants are necessary, you shouldn't overlook the included restaurants. Most people find the Main Dining Room, Windjammer buffet and other included options satisfactory and an enjoyable experience too.

While there's nothing wrong with choosing to pay extra for a specialty restaurant meal, be aware there is more than enough food included with your cruise fare that you do not have to pay for the extra cost restaurants.

Read more: 7 reasons to eat at specialty restaurants instead of the Main Dining Room on your cruise

If you think you will eat at a specialty restaurant, be sure to pre-book before the cruise because there are discounts offered regularly off the onboard price.

Beverages

Just like dining, there are some drinks included with your cruise fare and others that cost extra.

Royal Caribbean includes coffee, water, tea, and flavored water in its cruise fare, so you don't need to pay extra for bottled water or specialty coffees.

If you want soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, you'll probably save money if you purchase those in the ports your ship visits.

Many times the cost of a beer, latte, or margarita is cheaper in the ports you visit than on the ship.

Another option for those that want to enjoy unlimited drinks without the surprise bill later is to buy a drink package. Pre-purchasing one could save you hundreds of dollars later.

Shore excursion prices

Royal Caribbean will offer many shore excursions in the ports you visit, and while these organized tours are a great way to see the place you are visiting, they're optional.

You could very easily walk off the ship and explore on your own. There's no requirement to have a tour booked in order to disembark a cruise ship.

By doing a little research prior to your vacation, you could come up with a walking tour on your own.  Or you could just walk around and see what you can find on foot.

A less-expensive option is to book a shore excursion through a third-party (rather than Royal Caribbean). Sometimes this gets you a similar tour at less of price. Be sure to vet the tour operator and ensure you have ample time to return to the ship before it is scheduled to depart.

Read more: Simple tips to safely take a cruise ship shore excursion

One of the biggest cruise ports in the world is ready to start letting cruise ships plug in to cut down on air pollution.

PortMiami will begin offering shore power for cruise ships, which is a move to reduce emissions.

Royal Caribbean is poised for that to begin, with two of its ships ready on day one when the shore power becomes available.

Both Icon of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas are able to utilize shore power when it's available, and it appears that could come as soon as this week.

Royal Caribbean Group reported in its 2023 Seastainability Report report, 30 ships have shore power capabilities as of year end.

Cruise expert Stewart Chiron confirmed that shore power is coming to PortMiami.

"Ports catching up to cruise industry with ships that can utilize shore power to significantly reduce emissions," he wrote in a post on X/Twitter.

The advantage of shore power is that cruise ships can plug in and shut off their engines, rather than keeping their engines running during turnaround day when a ship concludes one sailing and begins welcoming new passengers onboard for the next one.

Read more: What happens on Turnaround Day on a Cruise?

Terminals AA, A, B, F, and V are equipped with shore power.

The arrival of shore power comes after Royal Caribbean joined five other cruise lines to bring shore power to PortMiami in 2021.

What is shore power and how does it work?

Think of shore power as a way to power cruise ships instead of relying on the ship's fuel and engines.

Up until now, when a cruise ship is docked at a pier, it keeps its engines on and continues burning fuel while docked. This creates emissions, just like any other fossil fuel burning mode of transportation.

Instead, cruise ships will "hook up" to electricity at the port, so that the engines do not need to operate while the ship is letting passengers off the ship and bringing new ones onboard.

There are a number of advantages for both the cruise lines and the local community.

Cruise lines get to save fuel, which means less cost to the cruise line and potentially higher profits.

Furthermore, Royal Caribbean gets closer to its goal of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.

The community endures less air pollution in their skies as a result of the shore power option.

A $125 million investment

Adding shore power to PortMiami was no simple task.

The estimated cost of the Shore Power Program was $125 million, although a portion of that cost came from grants from the Florida Department of Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava celebrated the upgrade to PortMiami, "We continue to implement important initiatives that have kept us ahead of our ambitious goals to reduce emissions, and this new shore power capability will allow our ships to rely on the electrical grid to power our ships while in port."

Specialty restaurants are an optional cost on a Royal Caribbean cruise to enjoy different cuisines and cooking styles, and it could cost you a nominal fee or hundreds of dollars.

Specialty dining has gotten very popular in recent years, with many cruisers electing to dine only at the extra cost restaurants.

While there's nothing wrong with the food options included in your cruise fare, eating at specialty restaurants gives you a greater variety.  Some cruisers say they eat at specialty restaurants because the food quality is better than at the complimentary restaurants.

Read more: 11 cruise fees you should know about before booking

Depending on your ship, the cost to eat at specialty restaurants could be nominal or quite high.  Here's an overview of the specialty dining costs and what to expect when you get onboard.

Specialty restaurant costs

Here is a list of all the Royal Caribbean specialty restaurants and an explanation of the costs to dine there. 

Keep in mind that prices can vary from ship to ship, as well as pre-cruise discounts being offered.

For the a la carte priced restaurants, you can look up Royal Caribbean menus to see exactly how much individual items will cost.

Read more: How does specialty dining work on Royal Caribbean?

150 Central Park

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: $69.99 per adult/$14.99 per child

Basecamp

Price structure: A la carte

Cost: Between $7-$11 for the extra cost items. Some menu items are complimentary

Chef's Table

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: $109.99 per guest

Chops Grille

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: Dinner: $69.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Lunch: $29.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Empire Supper Club

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: $200 per guest

Fish & Ships

Price structure: A la carte

Cost: Between $2 - $10.  Some menu items are complimentary

Giovanni's Italian Kitchen

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: Dinner: $54.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Lunch: $24.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Giovanni's Italian Table

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: $49.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Lunch: $24.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Hooked

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: Dinner: $64.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Lunch: $24.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Izumi hibachi

Price structure: Cover charge. Sushi priced a la carte.

Cost: Dinner: $64.99 per adult, $54.99 per child

Lunch: $39.99 per adult, $29.99 per child

Izumi sushi

Price structure: A la carte or fixed price menu

Cost: Fixed price menu is $39.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

A la carte items range in price. Appetizers between $3-$14. Large plates between $14-$22. Desserts between $5-$6.

Costs are the same for lunch and dinner.

Jamie's Italian

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: Dinner: $54.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Lunch: $24.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Johnny Rockets

Price structure: Cover charge or a la carte, depending on the ship.

Most ships are priced with a cover charge for lunch and dinner. A few ships have a walk-up setup with a la carte pricing.

Cost: Breakfast: Complimentary (Oasis Class ships only)

Lunch and dinner: $14.99 per person on ships with cover charge. A la carte items between $2.99 and $11.00.

Mason Jar

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: Dinner: $49.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Brunch: $34.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Pier 7

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: Dinner: $24.99 per adult, Kids under 12 eat free

Brunch: $14.99 per adult, Kids under 12 eat free

Playmakers Sports Bar

Price structure: A la carte

Cost: Between $7.99 and $29.99 per item

Portside BBQ

Price structure: A la carte

Cost: Between $3.99 - $21.99 per item

Sabor

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: $24.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Samba Grill

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: $44.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Taste of Royal

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: $39.99 per adult, $19.99 per child

Wonderland

Price structure: Cover charge

Cost: $59.99 per adult, $14.99 per child

Two ways to save money on specialty dining

The prices listed are if you were to walk up to the restaurant on your Royal Caribbean ship, but you could save a lot of money on the cost with a little advanced planning.

Royal Caribbean offers two ways to pay less than the listed onboard prices, and in my experience, this is always cheaper than booking restaurants onboard the ship.

Specialty Dining Packages

If you're going to eat at more than two specialty restaurants, a Royal Caribbean dining package is the way to go.

Dining packages offer a bulk discount compared to eating at the same amount of restaurants individually.

Royal Caribbean offers a few different dining packages, but the options will vary from ship to ship. Likewise, the price of a dining package will depend on your ship and sailing.

The Unlimited Dining Package allows you to eat at as many cover charge restaurants as you like on your cruise every day, for lunch or dinner. 

The only limitation with this dining package is at a la carte restaurants, where you are limited to one dining at each a la carte restaurant once per person, per day.  When you dine at an a la carte restaurant, you're given a stipend to use towards the value of items on the menu.

Read more: Guide to the Unlimited Dining Package

Royal Caribbean also offers other dining packages, such as the 3-night Dining Package, or Chops + Your Choice (essentially a two restaurant package with one defaulting to Chops Grille).

You can pre-book dining packages on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner site.

Pre-book individual restaurants

Another way to save money on specialty dining is to pre-book a specialty restaurant before the cruise begins.

Royal Caribbean regularly offers pre-cruise discounts on specialty restaurants. The exact discount depends on your ship, sailing, and the Royal Caribbean promotion running at that time.  You can expect at worst a 10% discount off the onboard price at most restaurants.

Is specialty dining on Royal Caribbean worth it?

While there is plenty of food included with your cruise fare at no additional cost, specialty restaurants offer food you might not be able to get otherwise onboard.

The cost of specialty dining has gone up significantly in recent years, but for many cruisers, they're on vacation and simply want to splurge. 

Read more: 7 reasons to eat at specialty restaurants instead of the Main Dining Room

You can find good values, especially if you eat a lot and are not picky.  Some of the high end choices, like Chef's Table or Empire Supper Club, will cost a lot for a more intimate experience.

Anyone that wants to dine at specialty restaurants should either pre-book the restaurant or buy a dining package.  Dining packages can slash the price of an extra cost restaurant by as much as half, if you take advantage of what the package offers.

You don't have to pay for specialty dining on a cruise, but if you choose to do so, pre-planning will definitely save you money and make the cost proposition more favorable.

Booking a cruise can sometimes feel like you really have to dig to find the best value for your vacation.

Between the ships, itineraries, cabin types, and embarkation ports, it requires a lot of planning to do it right, and then you have to determine the most affordable option.

Royal Caribbean has new sales every week, and they are a smattering of BOGO deals, percentage off discounts, and freebies.  On the surface, it sounds good, but how do you know it's actually saving you money?

Here's how to know whether or not you're getting a good deal when you book a cruise.

Start tracking prices now to get a baseline

Assuming you know nothing about cruises at all, you might want to start off by simply tracking prices for cruises you're interested in and then seeing how the shift over time.

Cruise prices are specific to the ship and sailing, and it's priced more like airfare than a pair of jeans. The specific sailing on a certain date and vessel could have drastically different prices than the sailing immediately following or preceding it.

If you're more than a year before you'd like to cruise, I'd recommend tracking the price of the cruise for the specific stateroom you want in a spreadsheet or notepad on a daily or weekly basis. 

You'll probably see the most price swings when a new month rolls around, but I've seen prices change daily.

Once you start to get an idea of how much the cruise fare is going to cost, you can start evaluating new offers to determine if it's really making a difference in the cost.

Don't wait too long to pull the trigger on booking a cruise. Just like airfare, as more people book up cabins, prices tend to go up.

You should also leverage a good travel agent to help, because they track a lot of prices for clients on a daily basis. They'll have a good idea of what constitutes a good price for a spring break cruise, or a Christmas sailing.

Read more: The biggest cruise hack you're not doing that has saved me thousands of dollars

Know what 'good deal' means to you

Everyone has their own sense of what's a good deal, so don't get too wrapped up in what others think.  Ultimately, you need to feel good about the price you're getting.

Your vacation budget will be different than someone else, and maybe you are looking to get the best price on a suite, whereas others want an inside cabin. 

I spent $7,000 on a suite because it was a good deal on that type of high-end suite, but some people thought I was crazy to spend that much money on any cruise ship cabin.

Look at a variety of cabin choices across different ships, and start to get an idea of the ballpark you're considering for the cruise cost. Pretty soon you will come up with a number that you're seeing, and a number you'd like to be at before you book.

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

Determine your personal priorities, and start looking for the right price with that context in mind.

What is a great deal to one cruiser may not be to another, because cruises are about being on vacation - and whether your price is good or bad is about your vacation! 

Factor in the specifics of your situation

Just as where a house is located will largely factor into the price, there are a few major factors that will greatly influence the price of a cruise.

Seasonaility: There can be major differences in a price of a cruise (as well as discount offered) from one week to the next.

High demand weeks will see far less deals than other weeks of the year. In addition, whether school is in session can also play a big part in the total price.

You might see deep discounts offered on a cruise in September, because it's hurricane season in the Caribbean and the shoulder season of Alaska and European cruises.  These bonus sales will absolutely save a lot of money, but you need to be aware of the tradeoff you might have in trying to get time off from work or school.

How close to your sail date: You might find a really good deal on a cruise more than 12 months in advance because Royal Caribbean wants to fill up rooms now for it.

Similarly, there could be a good last-minute deal on a cruise sailing in 6 weeks because of leftover unsold cabins.

There's a reason why Royal Caribbean might want to offer a better deal on one cruise over another, and it's usually due to how many cabins they've been able to sell so far, and what their internal forecasts predict going forward.

Room type: Deal is a relative term, and what makes a good price on one type of stateroom might be completely different from another.

I believe you're far more likely to find a cheap rate on an inside cabin with no windows than a balcony. That doesn't mean you should (or want to) stay in an inside cabin.

Read more: Inside cabin vs. balcony room on a cruise ship

Focus on the final price, not the promotion

Royal Caribbean rolls out sales almost every day, and they all sound great until you price things out.

My advice is skip over the name of the sale and what promotion is offered, because it's akin to window dressing. You want to skip right to the final price.

Royal Caribbean offers kids sail free, onboard credit, instant savings and more. They all sound lucrative, but quite often the final price doesn't change much.  Plus, there could be blackout dates that might prevent you from taking advantage of a specific offer.

You can safely skip over the promotion advertised, and plug in the ship and sail date you want and then see the real cost.