A major winter storm is wreaking havoc across the United States, and one Royal Caribbean ship will not return to its homeport on time.

Odyssey of the Seas was scheduled to return to Bayonne, New Jersey on January 26th but will now take an extra day.

"Due to the major winter storm affecting much of the east and northeast US, and the impacts to land-based travel and port operations, we are delaying our arrival into Bayonne by one day," an email sent to passengers booked on the ship read.

The historic winter storm historic has impacts across nearly 40 states and began on Friday.  It's expected to carry through to Monday.

The New York City area is expecting 8 to 12 inches of snow

Odyssey of the Seas is one of the bigger cruise ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet.  It launched in 2021 and is 167,704 gross tons in size. It's the newest Quantum Class ship in the fleet.

There are two reasons for delaying the ship for a day.

First, it allows the storm to move out of the area and for the port itself to be prepared to handle turnaround day on a ship. 

A cruise terminal requires government officials to handle immigration and customs inspection, longshoremen to offload cargo and luggage, parking assistance, port workers, and more.

Second, this allows anyone traveling into the area more time to make it in.

As of Sunday, more than 16,000 flights have been canceled and thousands more were expected to be canceled over the weekend.

"This will allow for the weather to improve and shore-based operations to recover. For many guests experiencing difficulties getting to Bayonne, we hope this relieves some worry as you'll have an extra day to make it there safely," the email said.

This ship measures 1,138 feet in length and can accommodate 4,198 guests at double occupancy.

New sailing schedule

As a result, Odyssey of the Seas will now sail on Tuesday with a modified itinerary.

Odyssey was scheduled to offer a 12-night Southern Caribbean cruise that visited 

• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
• St. Johns, Antigua
• Bridgetown, Barbados
• Castries, St. Lucia
• Philipsburg, St. Maarten

As a result of the delayed start of the cruise, Odyssey will now skip San Juan, Puerto Rico and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

Both of those days will be replaced with sea days.

The new schedule is as follows:

Compensation

As a result of the last-minute change, Royal Caribbean is offering compensation to guests to make up for it.

Technically, the cruise contract that all guests agree to when they book a cruise guarantees nothing in terms of changes, but the cruise line is offering some money back as a gesture of good will.

All passengers will receive a one day refund of cruise fare paid as onboard credit. Any unused credit at the end of the cruise will be refunded back to the credit card on file.

Royal Caribbean will also reimburse passengers for non-refundable, pre-purchased travel fees incurred, such as a hotel, train ticket, or rental car.  

Plus, one night of a hotel stay up to $250 for one night will be reimbursed.

Airline change fees will also be covered up to $200 USD per guest for Domestic, or up to $400 USD per guest for International flights.

• Any pre-paid internet or beverage packages will be refunded for 1-day’s worth of the price paid
• Any pre-paid Royal Caribbean shore excursions booked for San Juan and Charlotte Amalie will also be refunded

Bonus day

Guests sailing on Odyssey of the Seas for an extra day received letters in their stateroom explaining how the extra day will work and what to expect with disembarkation.

"Our plan is to begin debarking guests at 7:00 AM on Tuesday, January 27th in Bayonne. We kindly ask that you stick to your departure group to ensure a smooth and seamless transition to your onward journey."

Passengers that purchased unlimited drink packages will have them extended at a reduced rate:

• Deluxe Beverage Package: $50 USD per person
• Refreshment Package: $20 USD per person
• Soda Package: $5 USD per person
• VOOM Internet: $15 USD per day
• The Key: $15 USD per day
• Unlimited Dining cannot be extended at this time

Guests can go to Guest Services and ask to not have their package extended.

In addition, gratuities will be extended as well by one more day. 

Royal Caribbean has an automatic gratuity they charge guests for each night of the cruise to cover the hard working crew members. That means every passenger in a standard cabin will be charged an additional $18.50, or $21.00 per person in suites.

Live from Odyssey of the Seas

A Royal Caribbean Blog reader, JohnK6404, is onboard the current Odyssey of the Seas sailing and shared the change in plans from the ship.

"Captain Per came on at 2:00 PM and confirmed we will be extended one FULL day and will not be returning to Bayonne now until Tuesday, 1/27, at 6:00 AM!"

"We are so lucky that we do not have to stress over the return trip. I really feel for all of the folks that are dealing with this mess especially those flying in or out!"

He shared a photo of the ship's progress, showing it turning away from Bayonne.

Second Royal Caribbean ship to change itinerary because of this storm

Odyssey is the second ship to have her plans changed from this storm.

Earlier this week, Harmony of the Seas cut its cruise short and skipped a port visit to Cozumel in order to return to Galveston, Texas.

"We are tracking the development of a major winter storm expected to impact Southeast Texas beginning late Saturday. In order to give you the best chance at a safe and uninterrupted journey home by avoiding the winter weather impacts to local infrastructure and transportation," an email to passengers read.

The result was to cut its sailing short by a day.

Guests had the choice to stay onboard for the extra day or disembark as soon as it returned.

Happy weekend! I hope you're staying warm and if it's snowing where you are, enjoy the beauty and remember you could be on a cruise instead! In the meantime, I've got all of this week's Royal Caribbean news to share with you.

Royal Caribbean has begun building a new Icon Class ship, with plenty more to go along with it.

Construction officially began on the unnamed fifth Icon Class cruise ship at a shipyard in Finland.

Two other Icon Class ships are also under construction, plus a 7th Oasis Class ship. That means there are four Royal Caribbean cruise ships being built at the same time.

Royal Caribbean News

• Damage to Mexican pier forces Royal Caribbean and NCL ship to skip visits
• China, Japan tensions force Royal Caribbean to make more changes to cruise ship itineraries
• New cruise terminal plans announced for Los Angeles
• Royal Caribbean combo packages: What's included in a bundle and is it worth it?
• I tried Hooked again after years of avoiding it. I was surprised how much better it has become
• Why doesn't Royal Caribbean have overnight visits to its private island
• How to get wrinkles out of clothes while on a cruise
• I visited Norway on a cruise. Our trip would've been better if we had done these 5 things differently
• 8 Ways to meet people and make friends on a cruise
• Royal Caribbean soda package review
• Is a refundable cruise deposit actually worth paying for?

New RCB Video: The tricks to getting your Royal Up bid accepted

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — The tricks to getting your Royal Up bid accepted — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean cancels cruise two days before it begins

Anthem of the Seas will be sidelined and its next cruise cancelled because of a propulsion problem.

An email says, "a technical issue on its last sailing" forced the cruise line to cancel the sailing that was scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

Instead, Anthem will limp home and return to Sydney later than expected.

Winter storm forces Royal Caribbean to end cruise a day early

A Royal Caribbean ship sped back to its homeport earlier than expected to avoid the worst impact of a giant winter storm expected to hit Texas.

The Oasis Class ship skipped a visit to Cozumel and went immediately to Galveston.

The cruise line said it made this choice, "to give you the best chance at a safe and uninterrupted journey home."

Is it rude to skip the Main Dining Room without telling your waiter?

What's the proper etiquette for informing your Main Dining Room waiters if you're coming to dinner the next night?

A lot of cruisers will let their waiters know if they have alternate plans, but there is a raucous debate how out of your way you should go to tell them.

Being polite is important to a lot of cruisers, but it's an interesting debate.

Man found dead in his room on Royal Caribbean cruise sailing from Singapore

A 27-year-old man was found dead in his cabin as a cruise ship returned to its homeport.

The incident occurred on Ovation of the Seas, which had returned to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore.

Police do not suspect foul play based on preliminary findings.

Comparing the Alaska cruise ships in Alaska in 2026

Royal Caribbean will have four cruise ships in Alaska this year, so which is the best option?

The biggest change will be a Quantum Class ship will offer one-way sailings from Seward for the first time, allowing you to combine a land tour with a big ship experience.

Each ship has its pros and cons, so here's what to consider before you book one.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 593rd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, reflecting on the new Points Choice program.

Now that we have the details of how you can earn loyalty points while sailing on other cruise lines, Matt shares his thoughts on what it means.

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

A Royal Caribbean cruise ship experienced a propulsion issue and now the next sailing is cancelled.

Guests booked on Anthem of the Seas for the January 27th sailing received notifications from the cruise line that their sailing has been cancelled because of, "a technical issue on its last sailing".

"Anthem of the Seas experienced a technical issue on its last sailing, and we're returning to begin required maintenance. Unfortunately, we will not be able to complete the needed repairs in time for our 27 January sailing."

"As a result, we are canceling our Anthem of the Seas cruise."

Anthem of the Seas is a Quantum Class cruise ship that launched in 2015 and has a maximum capacity of 4,905 passengers.

According to an email sent by the cruise line, Anthem of the Seas will head in for repairs but the work required necessitates cancelling the next sailing.

The cancelled sailing was a 10 Night New Zealand Cruise from Sydney, Australia.

The cruise line apologized for the cancellation, "we're truly sorry for this disappointing news".

Technical issue on its last sailing

Guests on the current sailing of Anthem of the Seas reported the cruise ship coming to a brief halt during its voyage.

A guest on the ship shared this report, "Anthem stopped for an hour In the ocean. "

"Now we are late going back to Sydney and next cruise is canceled."

That same person was told the issue is related to the ship's azipod.

Azipods are multidirectional pods that drive the ship and can be rotated 360 degrees. They are the standard form of propulsion for all of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ships in recent years.

Another person reported that Anthem will be delayed to arrive into Sydney until 4pm on Tuesday.

"I'm on the Anthem right now. We are limping back to Sydney with a bad prop. We were supposed to be there at 6:30am and aren't returning to port until after 4:30pm"

Anthem of the Seas is a 168,666 a gross ton vessel.

It's a large cruise ship, and is 1,141 feet long.

Full refunds

Emails sent to passengers on the cancelled sailing outlined the compensation options for them.

First and foremost, Royal Caribbean is offering a 100% refund, including taxes and fees, pre-paid packages and gratuities, amenities, shore excursions purchased through Royal Caribbean.

In addition, guests will get a 25% Future Cruise Credit to make up for the last-minute cancellation. This credit can be used towards the purchase of a new cruise.

Royal Caribbean is also reimbursing non-refundable, pre-purchased travel fees incurred (such as a flight, hotel, train ticket, or rental car).

• Up to $200 USD per guest for Domestic flight changes, or up to $400 USD per guest for International flight changes
• Up to $250 USD per stateroom for up to 2 nights of hotel accommodations
• Up to $100 USD per person, per day for incidentals

Propulsion issues occasionally occur

This issue with Anthem of the Seas' propulsion is not unheard of with cruise ships.

While all of Royal Caribbean cruise ships undergo regular maintenance work, propulsion problems can still occur. Just like well-maintained cars at home, cruise ships can have engine problems.

In the grand scheme of how many cruise ships operate each week, breakdowns such as this are quite rare.

Other cruise ships have had propulsion issues that forced a cancellation or at least an itinerary change. It's more common for the ship speed to be affected and itinerary changed than the entire sailing cancelled.

I stayed in the worst cruise ship room on one of Royal Caribbean's newest ships and it reminded me the importance of good cabin locations.

While on Utopia of the Seas, I was assigned a room at the front of the ship near the bow. A cabin in this location is susceptible to more movement because it's all the way forward and anytime the ship docked, it felt like an earthquake.

The result was I got very little sleep because I was woken up every morning at dawn when the ship began docking in port. It was a good reminder how important picking a better area matters.

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.

After going on 100 Royal Caribbean cruises, I've come up with my own list of cabins you should avoid.

Cabins above or below public areas

Perhaps the biggest concern is picking a room that is noisy because there's a bar, pool, or restaurant nearby.

Most Royal Caribbean 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.

Cabins prone to movement

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.

I recommend booking a room 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.

Cabins far from the elevators

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.

Cabins with too many people

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.

Cheap cabins

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 

Cabins 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

If you value being able to sleep in, avoid a cabin that is immediately 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

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.

The best cruise I took last summer was my European adventure that brought me around Norway. But not everything went as I had hoped.

I cruised to Norway on three different sailings, including one on Silversea.  It's an incredibly beautiful country, and seeing as much of it by ship proved to be a great idea.

The issue I ran into was despite my planning, not every aspect worked out to my liking.

Still, I had a great vacation in Europe and it was the kind of trip I know my family will be talking about for many years.

Any good trip requires planning, packing, and a good strategy for tackling every day. You don't need military precision, just a smart approach that leverages experience and advice.

Here are five things I would've done differently on a recent cruise to Norway.

Planning out our hikes would have made it much more enjoyable

We thought it would be a good idea to mix in a hike, but for novices, it's not as simple as it sounds.

Hiking is a great way to appreciate the natural beauty of Norway, but there's a fine line between "leisurely" and "strenuous", especially since a lot of hikes are graded by people that do it all time.

While in Molde, we wanted to try out a hike that promised stunning views of the city and surrounding area. 

Our first mistake was implicitly trusting ChatGPT to pick a trail for us, even when specifying we needed something easy for kids. It suggested the Varden Molde Panorama.

However, if we had cross referenced that with a site like AllTrails, we would have seen it's listed as "moderately challenging route" and "takes an average of 3 h 7 min to complete."

The grade of the hike was too difficult for us, and made it barely half way up. We shared in a good laugh after how difficult it was, but I was dejected that we didn't get to conquer it.

Next time, I'll need to rely on human advice for picking out a fun, yet not-so-challenging trail to try.

I wish I had spent money on Uber a few times

In the cities we visited, walking seemed like the right idea to get around because the cities are mostly flat and not very large.

However, I regret how much walking we did just to save a few bucks on transportation.

The issue is we'd be full of energy and vigor and ready to walk all around a city. Inevitably, we'd reach our destinations on foot and then realize it's a lengthy walk back.

In Oslo, we wrestled with the notion if we should walk all the way back or pay for an expensive Uber ride. Our group ultimately decided on walking.  I saved money, but I also had sore feet.

The problem with sore feet is you're using those same feet the next day in port, and it all adds up.

I'm not advocating to explore Norway next time by private car everywhere, but I think it if there's a walkable, yet long distance, paying for transportation might be a smarter decision to ensure you can enjoy the trip.

I regret booking a multi-hour bus tour

If there's one shore excursion I instantly regretted, it was a bus tour of the fjords in Olden.

I booked a panoramic bus tour of Nordfjord, and while we did stop at some lovely places, the pacing and length of time on the bus diminished the value.

I think experiencing natural beauty is best with more time spent walking and exploring an area, rather than a 15 minute bus tour.

Bus tours might work for some people, but I despise how slow they move and how little time you seem to have in places you care about.

Worse, our bus tour was late getting back to the ship for the all aboard time. It was a Royal Caribbean excursion, so I wasn't worried about getting left behind.  But on principle it bothered me, and also meant we had no time to grab a souvenir afterwards.

If I could do Olden over again, I would have either booked a small group tour or simply stayed within Olden and enjoyed the stunning lakes there.

Relying on weather forecasts was a waste of time

Every evening my family and I would talk about plans the next day and inevitably we'd check weather forecasts and none of them ever agreed on what we could expect.

After a couple of days, I stopped even checking the weather forecast because they were inconsistent and usually incorrect.

Weather in Norway can best be summed up as, "it might be sunny, cloudy, rain a little, and then back to sunny again."

My advice is plan for a little of everything. Have a lightweight jacket that you can put on if it rains or if its cold, but something you can easily stuff into a backpack.

Dress with a t-shirt and sweater, so you can easily take the sweater off or put it back on.

I certainly would not make or cancel plans based purely on weather forecasts and "go with the flow".

I spent too much money on soda

An Americans, my family is used to having a Coca-Cola with lunch. But in Europe, that's an expensive habit.

A single can of Coke would cost at least 3 or 4 Euros, and that adds up quickly among everyone in the family and across multiple days.

There are two ideas I could have relied on to avoid this unnecessary expense.

First, is to rely on either water provided or bring a water bottle along. Given how much we walked, having water is probably a better choice anyway.

Second, we could have taken cans of soda off the ship with us for a meal.  

We had a beverage package onboard, and it would have been easy enough to stash it in a backpack if the kids really wanted a soft drink with their meals.

Royal Caribbean quietly rolled out a new add-on that bundles some of the most popular cruise add-ons into one combo package.

At first glance, these seem like the "easy button" solution, but at over $100 per person, per day, it's a major up-front investment.  However,  these bundles combine a full-cruise drink package with access to extra-cost areas at Perfect Day at CocoCay or the new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island. 

For the right cruiser, these combos can be a big money-saver. But others may be overpaying for things you might not use. 

Here's what Royal Caribbean's combo packages include, how the pricing really works, and how to decide if one actually makes sense for your cruise.

What's are the combo packages?

Combo packages are an all-in-one bundle that combines a beverage package with entry to extra cost areas of Perfect Day at CocoCay and/or Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.

Instead of buying each add-on separately, Royal Caribbean offers them together at a discounted daily price.

Each of the combo packages are priced per person, per day and the daily price includes an unlimited drink package, and up to two extra cost areas

• Deluxe Beverage Package + Royal Beach Club Open Bar Day Pass
• Refreshment Package + Royal Beach Club Non-Alcoholic Day Pass
• Deluxe Beverage Package  + Ultimate Beach Combo (Royal Beach Club & Hideaway Beach)
• Refreshment Package + Thrill & Chill Combo (Royal Beach Club & Thrill Waterpark)

There are a few things to know up front:

• The drink package applies to the entire length of the cruise, not just beach days
• Beach club and CocoCay access applies only on the port day
• Combos aren't available on every sailing
• Pre-cruise discounts are often tied to sales, casino offers, or loyalty status

They're also not available on every sailing. Primarily you can expect to find them on a sailing that visits either Nassau and CocoCay.

How much do they cost?

There's a daily fee for the entire duration of the cruise, and it's available to book before the cruise begins.

Like all of Royal Caribbean's pricing, it's based on your sail date, ship, and demand.  That means one person could pay more than someone else on a different ship.

Plus, Royal Caribbean has extra discounts tied to Casino Royale status, or Crown & Anchor status.

Here are example prices for an upcoming Utopia of the Seas 3-night cruise:

• Deluxe Beverage Package + Royal Beach Club: $110.99 per guest, per day
  • $332.97 total for 3 nights per person
• Refreshment Package + Royal Beach Club Non-Alcoholic Day Pass: $74.99 per adult, per day, $27.99 per child per day
  • $224.97 total for 3 nights per adult
  • $119.97 total for 3 nights per child
• Deluxe Beverage Package  + Ultimate Beach Combo: $124.99 per guest, per day
  • $374.97 total for 3 nights per person
• Refreshment Package + Thrill & Chill Combo: $100.99 per guest, per day
  • $302.97 total for 3 nights per adult
  • $227.97 total for 3 nights per child

If you have status with the casino, the Deluxe Beverage Package + Royal Beach Club price drops to $100.99 per guest, per day and the Deluxe Beverage Package  + Ultimate Beach Combo drops to $113.99 per guest, per day.

Combo packages vs buying separately

The obvious question is do these bundles actually save you any money compared to buying it all separately.

Using my Utopia sailing example, here is how the pricing works out for a combo versus booking the items individually. Keep in mind I have Prime casino status discount applied to my offers.

• Deluxe Beverage Package + Royal Beach Club: $302.97
  • Deluxe Beverage Package: $179.97
  • Royal Beach Club Day Pass: $136.99
  • Combo savings: $13.99
• Deluxe Beverage Package  + Ultimate Beach Combo: $341.97
  • Deluxe Beverage Package: $179.97
  • Royal Beach Club Day Pass: $136.99
  • Hideaway Beach Day Pass: $49.99
  • Combo savings: $24.98
• Refreshment Package + Royal Beach Club Non-Alcoholic Day Pass: $224.97
  • Refreshment Beverage Package: $92.97
  • Royal Beach Club Day Pass: $139.99
  • Combo savings: $7.99
• Refreshment Package + Thrill & Chill Combo: $302.97
  • Refreshment Beverage Package: $92.97
  • Royal Beach Club Day Pass: $139.99
  • Thrill Waterpark pass: $64.99
  • Combo savings:  -$5.02

In all but one package, I would save money by purchasing a combo.  Multiply the savings per person, and it can add up.

Are Royal Caribbean combo packages worth it?

Combo packages can make sense for the right buyer, assuming you were already interested in everything the bundle includes.

The cost savings aren't enormous, but it's enough that it's worth buying compared to each item individually.

The better question is, are you interested in everything the combos include?  Meaning, you already planned to buy a Deluxe Beverage Package and you were planning to visit Hideaway Beach, Thrill Waterpark, or Royal Beach Club anyway.

If so, the combo deal offers prepaid convenience and predictable onboard spending.

However, combo packages may not be ideal if:

• You don’t drink much alcohol (or any)
• You prefer free CocoCay areas
• You only want beach upgrades for one person in the cabin
• You’re sailing with kids who don’t need drink packages
• You don’t want to commit in advance

Should you buy a Royal Caribbean combo package?

Royal Caribbean is offering a convenient way to package popular add-ons into one, and it could save you money.

Before buying, I'd recommend doing the math to ensure the combo will actually save you money. These are not automatically a good deal. However, for the right cruiser, they can offer real savings and convenience. 

If you were already planning to buy a Deluxe Beverage Package and a paid beach experience, the combo is often cheaper, but only if you would’ve bought both anyway.

As with most cruise add-ons, it's important to match the package to how you actually will cruise before blindly buying it.

Royal Caribbean has announced more schedule changes for Spectrum of the Seas, with a number of sailings seeing significant changes that eliminate planned stops in Japan.

The impacted sailings are for upcoming departures from Shanghai, China that originally were scheduled to visit ports in Japan.  Passengers have been informed their their itineraries are changing just a few weeks before the sailing begins.

The reason for the changes? It stems from growing geopolitical friction between China and Japan and recent travel guidance from Chinese authorities advising against travel to Japan.

As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process, we’ve modified our upcoming sailing. We’re excited to bring you this refreshed experience and appreciate your understanding, as itinerary planning is an ongoing process that requires cruises to have a certain level of flexibility.

Impacted cruises are sailings between May 2026 and April 2027, and the result has been some sailings shortened, changed routes, or swapping out to alternative ports. All of the sailings are for Spectrum of the Seas.

Spectrum can accommodate over 4,200 guests at double occupancy and operates year-round in Asia with deployments out of Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Emails sent to passengers by the cruise line say the changes as part of "ongoing itinerary planning."

Email copy provided by reb6

Some of the itinerary changes are comprised of conventional port swaps, but on longer sailings that were scheduled to be Japan-centric, the sailings have had to be restructured or truncated.

Among the Japanese ports removed from multiple itineraries are Okinawa, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, and Kumamoto. In their place, Spectrum of the Seas is now scheduled to call on South Korean destinations such as Busan, Jeju, Seoul, and Yeosu, depending on the specific sailing.

However, not every single sailing to Japan has been changed. 

Compensation and options

Depending on how drastic the changes have been to the itinerary, there are different compensation being offered.

This includes partial refunds, onboard credit, and reimbursement of change fees for associated flights and ground transportation, where applicable. 

Guests may also have the option to rebook onto alternate departures that more closely resemble their original itinerary, although space is limited.

More changes after initially announced last month

Today's round of itinerary changes follows similar itinerary updates that occurred in December 2025.

More than a dozen scheduled sailings of Spectrum of the Seas out of Shanghai between January and April 2026 were updated, removing planned visits to Japanese ports in favor of alternate destinations, primarily in South Korea such as Jeju Island, Busan, and Seoul (Incheon).

While Royal Caribbean did not explicitly cite the geopolitical situation, the timing of these adjustments coincides with rising tensions between China and Japan and related travel advisories.

Affected guests received notifications outlining specific port swaps and updated departure details, with the cruise line describing the changes as part of its "ongoing itinerary planning process."

Itineraries originally calling on destinations like Okinawa, Ishigaki, Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima were altered to avoid Japan, reflecting the concerns with travel between the two countries.

Continuing trouble between China and Japan

The issue at hand began in late 2025 when diplomatic relations between China and Japan deteriorated sharply following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments in parliament about the possibility of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces taking action if China were to attack Taiwan. 

The subject of Taiwan and it's sovereignty as it relates to mainland China has been a third rail topic for decades.

China views Taiwan as part of its territory and strongly opposes any suggestion of external military involvement. 

Japan's remarks were interpreted in Beijing as crossing a diplomatic "red line," sparking widespread protests from Chinese officials.

Royal Caribbean has a big year of Alaska cruises planned, and one ship is going to take more passengers farther northwest than ever before.

The 2026 Alaska cruise season will begin in May, and there are four Royal Caribbean cruise ships offering cruises through September.

Before you pick a ship, it's important to know the pros and cons of each, and why you might want to choose one over another.  This is especially important in a region like Alaska, because where you go on the sailing matters a lot.

This year's schedule has a big change, with Ovation of the Seas mixing up the usual order of things and doing something totally different.  But is that the right choice for you?

The largest cruise ship to to combine a cruise with a Denali land tour

A major change for Royal Caribbean this summer is Ovation of the Seas is taking over the weeklong one-way voyages between Seward, Alaska, and Vancouver, British Columbia. 

Going on Ovation means more access to what you can do within Alaska's interior. Sailings include visits across the Gulf of Alaska between Hubbard Glacier and Seward. Ports of call include Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point and Sitka, Alaska.

The advantage of going on Ovation is you can tack on up to six additional nights for land-based exploration that can take you to places such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna and Alyeska. There's even excursions that can take you tundra trekking and glass-dome train rides.

In past years, this was a route for the smaller Radiance Class ships, but Royal Caribbean wants to offer a big, bold choice. Typically, only big ships sail roundtrip from Seattle.  

This is significant change because now you can enjoy a big ship with everything there is to do onboard, while also adding a cruisetour to it. Those preferring megaships won't have to compromise between their preferred ship size and their desired itinerary.

Before you book, you should expect a higher price tag to get to and from this sailing. In many cases, you'll have to book two separate one-way flights, one of them departing from an Alaska city, which often costs more than a simple round-trip out of Seattle or Vancouver. If you’re trying to keep expenses down, that extra airfare can add up quickly.

Another big ship with roundtrip cruises from Seattle

If you're looking for a more convenient Alaska cruise on a megaship, Anthem of the Seas might be the choice for you.

Based in Seattle, Anthem of the Seas will offer 7-night roundtrip sailings to the most popular Alaskan ports.

One thing to look for before you pick a sailing is if a glacier viewing is included.

Not all of Anthem's sailings include a glacier viewing day.  You'll know if it does if "Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier" is listed.

The reason why a glacier viewing is preferred is it allows potentially the best viewing of a glacier you can get without boarding a helicopter or seaplane.

Your ship will get as close as safe to the glacier and then proceed to do a 360-degree turn to offer everyone a view. It's incredible to see.

However, how close your ship can get to the glacier depends on the weather and how much ice is in the channel. It's not uncommon to have a glacier viewing cancelled or simply held quite far back.

Just like Ovation, Anthem is a Quantum Class ship and that means there's lots to do onboard. In fact, Anthem of the Seas has the West End musical, "We Will Rock You".

The budget big ship in Alaska this year

Voyager of the Seas may not be as big or new as Anthem, but there's lots to love about this classic Royal Caribbean ship. There's still a big ship feel, and Voyager will sail from Seattle to offer 7-night cruises.

This will be the first year Voyager is in Alaska, but Royal Caribbean has had Voyager Class ships here in the past.

Just like Anthem, not all of its itineraries include a glacier viewing. The advantage of the non-glacier viewing sailings is you get an extra port of call in the port of Sitka. An extra port visit is arguably just as good as a glacier viewing opportunity.

This ship first debuted in 1999 and set the standard for modern cruise ships by introducing features that are still crowd-favorites today, such as the Royal Promenade, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink.

There's also FlowRider surf simulator and Perfect Storm waterslides on the top deck, provided you don't mind the cooler temperatures on an Alaska cruise.

The hidden gem offering round-trip Alaska cruises from Vancouver

If you're looking for something a little different, Serenade of the Seas will offer 7-night Inside Passage sailings from Vancouver that have slightly more interesting itineraries than what you'll find in Seattle.

Embarking an Alaska cruise in Vancouver gives guests the opportunity to sail through Canada’s Inside Passage. As the ship departs the city, guests can enjoy mountain landscapes surrounding both sides of the ship. This provides a sneak peek into the remarkable scenery yet to come.

There are seven different itineraries, including visits to Sawyer Glacier.  Plus, some sailings stop at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Both of these are uncommon places for a Royal Caribbean ship to sail to on an Alaska cruise.

Serenade of the Seas is a Radiance Class cruise ship, which makes her significantly smaller in size and capacity compared to Ovation and Anthem of the Seas.

Her smaller size makes it easy to get around, as well as enjoy views from around the ship.  Radiance Class ships have a lot of glass and outward viewing opportunities from inside.

However, there's far less activities to do onboard. This may be an issue for families or thrill seekers that want a higher caliber of entertainment on their cruise.

How to choose the right ship for an Alaska cruise

I think the ship is secondary to the places you'll visit on an Alaska cruise, but your ship choice shouldn't be overlooked either.

There are three different ship classes in Alaska for the 2026 cruise season, and each has its advantages.

If you want to see the most possible in Alaska, a cruise on Ovation of the Seas is going to be the best choice.

The one-way sailings can be combined with a Cruisetour, so you can visit places such as Denali National Park and Preserve and Banff National Park. It's arguably the best way to see all of Alaska in one trip.

However, if you want to save money while still seeing Alaska, I'd recommend one of the ships sailing from Seattle.

Both Anthem of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas offer roundtrip cruises that will likely reduce the cost of flights because there are many more flights into Seattle than Vancouver.

Anthem of the Seas offers state-of-the-art amenities. The vessel is more modern than Voyager or Serenade, having been launched over ten years after the latter.

Voyager, especially, is a great value because of the ship's age.  But you still get the "big ship feel" and activities onboard.

You should pick Serenade of the Seas for a ship that has more of a laid back vibe. It may not have all the bells and whistles of the Quantum Class ships, but a lot of cruisers that love Alaska pick a ship of this size for the atmosphere.

Serenade of the Seas is fairly small, with just 2,500 passengers, but the places it sails is the best reason to book it.

Departing from Vancouver on a Radiance Class ship means passengers can enjoy a more in-depth itinerary once in Alaska.

Ovation is making a big splash

I think the fact Royal Caribbean is offering a megaship to do the open-jaw sailings for the first time this year, is a big deal.

Historically, this route was relegated to older, smaller ships and it was a bit of a compromise.

If you're going to do one Alaska cruise ever, Ovation might be the best choice to check the box.

If you decide to try Ovation, I'd recommend booking a back-to-back sailing so you can do a roundtrip flight from Vancouver to make your travel plans simplest.

For years I skipped Hooked Seafood on Royal Caribbean ships because I never thought the food was very good, and because I don't eat shellfish.

However, I wanted to go back to Hooked because I made a New Years cruise resolution to make this the year I revisit restaurants I swore off in the past. I figured it was time to give them all another chance, and Hooked as at the top of my list.

I've eaten at Hooked at least two or three times over the years, and I came away with the same thought as Caesar had in the classic film History of the World, Part 1, "Nice. Not thrilling, but nice."

Friends and other cruisers seemed to usually have a similar review that Hooked wasn't bad, but wasn't impressive either.

So when I went on Utopia of the Seas and had the chance to try Hooked again, I wanted to see if this restaurant had improved or changed in any way.

I brought with me four friends who love to eat shellfish, figuring I could lean on their tastes to determine what it's like at Hooked now.

The Hooked menu is different than I remember

Hooked is a specialty restaurant that costs extra to dine at, with a cover charge that includes all the food on the menu.

You'll find the restaurant at the very front of the ship above the adults-only Solarium.  Don't worry, kids can eat here.

As I was seated, I noticed immediately the menu has changed since my last visit.

I recall there being a messy fish sandwich that required a bib to eat, but it wasn't on the dinner menu.  

Looking over the menu, I was impressed by how many choices there were overall.  

Royal Caribbean doesn't limit how much you can order, so you're free to go all out and order as many appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

We had just spent the day enjoying Perfect Day at CocoCay, so my group was ready to eat.  We asked the waiter to bring out one of every appetizer to sample.

Our waiter informed us there were a few specials, including a blackened salmon.

The appetizers were impressive

Since all the appetizers had shellfish in it, I relied on my friends to try it all.

The serving size of each appetizer was much bigger than I expected.  Most are great for sharing, so I'd recommend rethinking how many you'll go for with each.

Here's a look at each of the appetizers:

Calamari

Biscuits

Oysters

Coconut shrimp

Crab cakes

Baked oysters

New England Clam Chowder

According to the group, the best appetizer they had were the raw oysters.

Some were new to oysters, but all of them thought the quality was great and an impressive value considering how many you get.

The least favorite appetizer were the crab cakes.

It wasn't so much that the crab cake were bad, just not that that good. Someone mentioned the texture wasn't what they were used to when they've had crab cakes in the past.

I admit, I sampled one piece of calamari (don't tell my Rabbi). It's hard to ever go wrong with fried food, and it didn't taste rubbery.

I don't think most people order one of everything from the appetizers, but I don't recall another Royal Caribbean restaurant that had such large serving sizes for their appetizers.

This is a great choice for sharing among a larger group. But if you're dining with just you and someone else, consider sharing an app or two.

The best steak in the fleet

I'll go ahead and say it: the filet mignon I had at Hooked was the best filet I've had on any Royal Caribbean ship.

I think it was the seasoning that made this steak stand out.  There was no sauce, just a perfectly cooked steak that wasn't tough and had the perfect texture to it. Soft, juicy, and really flavorful.

Without a doubt it's superior to the filet mignon from Chops Grille, and I think it's even better than the beef tenderloin from 150 Central Park.

Not to be outdone, I also ordered that blackened salmon special and I was really impressed by it.

Once again, the salmon was cooked to perfection and it had really good flavor to it.  

I liked it so much, but almost regretted ordering it because I'm afraid it won't be available on my next visit.

My friends ordered various combinations of steak, lobster, or shrimp.

I'd bet the lobster tail is the most popular option on the menu, and it's a very large tail. Certainly bigger and tastier to what you can get in the Main Dining Room or Windjammer.

As you can see from the photos, the entrees don't skimp on serving portions either. You may like or dislike Hooked, but you cannot argue the serving sizes are anything but generous here.

Hooked deserves to be reconsidered

I couldn't believe I called my wife to tell her I wanted to eat at Hooked on our next cruise, because just the food I could eat was outstanding.

The menu relies heavily on seafood, so if you don't eat shrimp, calamari, or lobster, I think you'll be quite limited in what you can order.

Before our meal, I joked all I could eat was steak and Caesar salad, but having tried it, I'd gladly take that.

The portion sizes are impressive, which makes it easier to justify the cost. 

The onboard price is $65.00 per person for dinner, although you can usually get it cheaper if you pre-book before the cruise.  For my upcoming Utopia of the Seas cruise, I can reserve Hooked for $44.99 per adult.

I went in hesitantly to retrying Hooked, but I was really impressed by how good my food was.  In fact, now I'd love to go back and try it again to see if it's as good the second time around.