Carnival Cruise Line announced a massive overhaul to its loyalty program, and it appears Royal Caribbean won't make the same change.

While speaking on Utopia of the Seas during the line's annual President's Cruise event, Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley was asked about the future of the loyalty program.

He took the opportunity to mention Carnival's changes and then call it out as a direction he doesn't want his cruise line to take.

"Carnival announced changes to their loyalty program," Mr. Bayley said at the event, which was met with a chorus of boos from the audience.

"And that is exactly what we're trying to avoid," he then said, and that was met with a round of applause.

His comments come after Carnival's change sparked a great deal of concern that Royal Caribbean might do something similar.

What Carnival is doing

Beginning June 1, 2026, Carnival will implement a new  loyalty system that will change how points are earned and status retained.

In short, it will move to a more dynamic, spending-based model similar to airline frequent flyer programs. 

Known as Carnival Rewards, guests earn stars based on cruise and onboard spending, as well as purchases made through the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.

Moreover, status is no longer lifelong. Tier levels will reset at the start of each new two-year earning period.

Since then, Carnival walked back some changes, likely due to negative customer feedback.

Loyalty matters

The reality is loyalty to Royal Caribbean works for both customer and company.

During Royal Caribbean Group's second quarter earnings call earlier this year, Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, talked about how Royal Caribbean is doubling down on its commitment to its guests, stating that loyalty is a "two-way street." 

"Loyalty is very important. I think people want to be recognized. They want to not just be recognized for their spend today, but be recognized for all that they have done in the past," said Liberty.

Working on improvements to the program

Mr. Bayley's comments about Carnival's changes came after a cruiser asked him about improving the Crown and Anchor Society so that points could be earned interchangeable between Celebrity and Royal Caribbean.

He explained how there is a leadership team within the company that regularly reviews the program and works on solutions for the future.

"You'll see over the coming months and year or two that things will continue to improve in terms of accessibility, simplicity, making it easier to sail between the brands, get offers, this type of thing," he said.

He admitted there isn't yet a clear vision for if or when they'll get to one program across both brands.

"Ultimately, we have not defined this yet, but ultimately we are going to get to a one platform database of our loyalty members for Royal Caribbean Group."

"I don't have the exact timeline. And I think we've had this discussion before, and we've maybe over the last couple of years, we started this journey with loyalty two years ago."

Not tipping over the apple cart

While simplifying loyalty programs may seem like a good idea, he also said their team is concerned with making changes that cause more problems than they solve.

"I think we're incredibly sensitive to not tipping over the apple cart," Mr. Bayley explained.

"We don't want to make decisions that maybe are short term benefits and then and then upset our loyal team members."

He also said technically, it's a difficult task to merge things. Merging data between different platforms and databases with the overlap.

"Our aim is to make everybody happy and and also benefit the company in terms of the shareholders and etc., etc.. So we're going to get there and just, you know, try and be a little patient."

If you're ready to book a summer 2027 cruise or a cruise into early 2028, we now know when you'll be able to do that.

Royal Caribbean has shared the dates it will put new sailings on sale that go beyond the current set of sailings.

Typically, Royal Caribbean puts out new sailings to book at two periods of the year, and it appears they'll stick to the same schedule.

The first batch of new sailings will open up in October, meaning we are just weeks away.

Week of October 20, 2025

• Region: Alaska
• Sailing Time Frame: May 2027 – September 2027

Week of October 27, 2025

• Region: Europe
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2027 – October 2027

Week of November 3, 2025

• Region: 7-Night & Short Caribbean Year-Round
• Sailing Time Frame: March 2027 – April 2028 

Week of November 10, 2025

• Region: Northeast, California & Texas
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2027 – April 2028

Week of November 17, 2025

• Region: Seasonal Caribbean
• Sailing Time Frame: April 2027 – April 2028

TBD

• Region: Australia
• Sailing Time Frame: October 2027 – April 2028

TBD

• Region: China
• Sailing Time Frame: October 2027 – April 2028

TBD

• Region: Singapore
• Sailing Time Frame: October 2027 – April 2028

To better explain some of the terminology, here's what you need to know:

• 7-Night & Short Caribbean Year-Round: Cruise ships that are deployed all year to the Caribbean.
  • Does not include ships that visit the Caribbean part of the year
• Seasonal Caribbean: Ships that split their time in the Caribbean. Usually they're in the Caribbean for winter, then Europe in summer.
• Northeast: Cruises that begin from New York, Baltimore, or Boston

It's also important to know Icon 4 will not be part of this deployment release. New cruise ships will open their sailings for booking on a different schedule.

What to know about the deployment schedule

Today's announcement is Royal Caribbean's best estimate when new sailings will be available to book.

It's important to note the new bookings are available to book at some point in that week, but not necessarily on that Monday.

Guests will commonly misconstrue the new cruises to come out on the exact day, rather than at some point during the week.

When the new sailings are available, it is common for the new itineraries to be entered into the booking system first, and the website second. This means in some cases cruises are bookable earlier if booked over the phone or with a travel agent, even if they do not appear on the website.

Recommendations for how to prepare for new deployments

The deployment schedule is a good warning to start thinking about new cruises you might be interested in booking.

One of the best ways to get the lowest price on a cruise is to book as soon as the new sailings first go on sale.  So it's a good idea to have a plan of which itineraries you'd be interested in potentially booking.

Moreover, if you're interested in a stateroom category that usually sells out, booking early has another advantage.

Once you have an idea of which sailings you're interested in, I'd reach out to a travel agent to coordinate plans.

It's common for the new sailings to be loaded into Royal Caribbean's system slowly, and sometimes it may become available to book in the backend system before the public website.  This is one of the many ways a good travel agent can make your life easier.

Royal Caribbean is just months away from opening its first beach club, and it's expected to be an incredible beach option for cruise guests.

Opening in December 2025, Royal Caribbean is trying something totally new with a private beach day experience available exclusively to Royal Caribbean passengers (and local Bahamians). It's not a private island day, but instead offers an optional purchase for the day.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is described by cruise line executives as "the ultimate beach day" and progress is moving swiftly now with construction taking a rapid pace.

While the official opening with paying guests should begin around December 21st, a ribbon cutting event will take place on December 13, 2025.

I was invited by Royal Caribbean to tour the active construction site and get a sense of the scale of the plans they have, along with an early glimpse of what a day here is all about.

Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Chief Product Innovation Officer, walked with me through the area to describe what we'll eventually see.

Tender ride to get to the beach club

The new beach club is a short tender ride away from where cruise ships dock. 

Guests that purchased a pass will walk halfway down the pier to a meeting location. Currently, it's a generic white building where tours meet, but in the future, it will be the embarkation point for these tenders.

Royal Caribbean built a fleet of colorful tenders to take guests to the beach club and back. The tender rides are included in the admission, and they run continuously all day.

Tenders will drop off at one of two spots. Given the 17 acre size, it's not very wide but is quite long and choosing the right stop may save a lot of steps later.

When complete, there will be a a 43-foot Crown & Anchor logo, even taller than the one on the side of Star of the Seas.

Three neighborhoods, three experiences

The beach club will blend modern amenities with a sense of history.

"The design idea is super fun. It’s kind of a lost Bahamian beach club, as if it’s been around for 50 years. You’ll notice it, the colors are gorgeous. The experience is going to be really tremendous."

The new beach club has three primary zones.

Chill Beach

The idea here is to provide a serene area for enjoying a day in the water.

Compared to Party Cove, this lacks the energy of that neighborhood, but that doesn't mean this is a quiet area either.

"The beach is just stunning," Mr. Schneider explained. "The cabanas will be stunning. The pools will be stunning. This is the chill beach pool. Every pool has a swim-up bar."

Party Cove

If you want music and dancing with your beach day, head to Party Cove.

It will be home to the world's largest swim-up bar, and has a two level party building.  At the top is the DJ, with rentable party zones on either side.

"This thing is an engineering marvel. There’s really only one manufacturer in the world who can bend steel in this arc," Mr. Schneider pointed out.

Family Beach

Envisioned as an area for kids and parents to enjoy together, Family Beach still has great beach and water, but steps down the party atmosphere.

"Stunning beach, great cabanas, gorgeous views. Great zero entry swimming pool on both sides. 

This is also where you'll eventually find the Ultimate Family Cabana.

The foundation for it is all we see today, but Mr. Schneider thinks it's going to be jaw-dropping for anyone willing to pay for it, "kind of that really premium, opulent, over-the-top cabana experience with some dedicated slide and dedicated plunge pool."

Lots to eat and enjoy

Beyond the pools and beach, there's still a lot to enjoy around the beach club.

Admission into the beach club gets you food and drink included, as it's an all-inclusive experience.

There are three Paradise Grill locations, where you can order from, "a great mix of Bahamian-inspired food as well as American classics."

I was particularly happy to hear all the pools will be heated, which is important on those winter cruises.

Moving forward with construction

Construction hasn’t been without setbacks. Schneider noted how Hurricane Erin forced rework on certain parts of the site.

"The storm surge brought the ocean up onto the island. And so we’ve had to make some adjustments. Some of the things you build, you have to rebuild before it’s even open."

According to Schneider, about 500 people are working on the island and progress is starting to take a rapid pace.

Come for the beach, stay for the views

In walking from end to end of the club while in various stages of construction, one thing is clear: Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will be a stunning location for a beach day.

Throughout my visit, I saw crystal clear blue water around me, and the foundation for what I think will be an amazing pool day too.

The scale of this beach club is much bigger than I expected based on renderings and aerial photos.

This isn't being built to be a Royal Caribbean beach, rather, they have set their sights on it being the flagship example of its new "ultimate beach day" concept.

With heated pools, iconic structures, diverse neighborhoods, and Royal Caribbean’s trademark flair, Schneider made clear this will be far more than just another stop in Nassau.

I think the difference maker for this beach club over any other excursion choice around is this club will incorporate all the lessons learned from Perfect Day at CocoCay. Given how wildly popular CocoCay has been, there's a good chance lifting and using that experience in Nassau should be a win for passengers.

The goal is simple: deliver an incredible experience that offers cruisers something heads-and-shoulders above what's available in Nassau today.

Day passes begin at $139 per person

The cost to get in will start at $139 per person, per day for a day pass, but expect prices to go up from there based on demand.

As an example, my January 2026 visit is priced at $250 per person, per day.

You could spend more and rent a cabana or a party deck to include more people with your day, along with reserved amenities.

When the club is fully operational and ready to admit guests, they expect it to host  about 1 in 3 Royal Caribbean guests in Nassau.

In the first weeks, expect capacity to be lower as they ramp up the operation.

Royal Caribbean has placed an order for a new megaship, and laid the groundwork for its next generation of cruise ships.

In a press release today, Royal Caribbean Group said it placed an order for a fifth Icon Class ship, and added an option for a 7th ship.

The Icon Class ships are the biggest in the world, measuring an 250,800 gross registered tons and can carry a maximum of 7,600 passengers. There are 28 different stateroom categories.

The deal was signed with Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, where all the other Icon Class ships have been built.

Icon 5 will be delivered sometime in 2028.

Prior to today's announcement, there were options for a fifth and sixth ship in the Icon Class.  Going forward, they have options for a 6th and 7th ship.

Shop options are essentially reserved slots at the shipyard, that buy the cruise line time to decide if they want to actually build it while not losing their place in line, so to speak.

New class?

Included in today's announcement was a mention of a new class of ship.

"This multi-year agreement strengthens Royal Caribbean Group's relationship with Meyer Turku, one of the world's largest and most modern shipyards specializing in cruise ships, and readies Royal Caribbean Group for a new, game-changing class of ship beyond Icon."

We don't know what that means, as the company didn't share any other details beyond the prepared statement.

One possibility is it refers to the long rumored Discovery Class ships. Or it could be another project for one of the Royal Caribbean Group brands. Cruisers will have to wait a bit longer to get clarification.

To date, Royal Caribbean International hasn't announced any new ship classes beyond the Icon Class. However, it's strongly hinted at a new ship class to come.

Known as the Discovery Class, it's group of new ships that is in the design phase where the company is dreaming up possibilities.

Earlier this summer, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & Service, Vicki Freed, talked about the plans.

"The Discovery Project is our next new class of ships, following the Icon of the Seas, and the Star of the Seas, and the Legend the Seas. And we're in the design process now."

"We meet on a regular basis with the architects, with the designers...the ops team and the hotel operations, food and beverage. And so it is a top secret design at this point."

She then went on to say, "It's an exciting project. It'll be a new class of ship.

"In true Royal Caribbean style, it will be special, it will be innovative. And I think it'll be something that'll be a home run from the beginning."

A long-term agreement for more ships

Royal Caribbean's announcement is significant because it secures a deal to build ships at Meyer Turku into the 2030s.

The new timeline for ship deliveries looks like this:

• Legend of the Seas: 2026
• Icon 4: 2027
• Icon 5: 2028
• Oasis 7: 2028

In a statement, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said, "As we continue to reimagine the future of vacations, we are excited to continue collaborating with Meyer Turku to grow the Icon Class - a first-of-its-kind series that delivers exceptional vacation experiences - and position us to usher in a new era of innovation that will disrupt the vacation sector through 2036."

It's an interesting quote since officially the orderbook goes through 2028, but he mentions 2036.  That very well could be the timeline for delivering the first batch of Discovery Class ships.

Royal Caribbean is in the midst of a building blitz that combines new ships and destinations.

Not only do they have orders for new ships, but they're also expanding their land presence with new private beach clubs and experiences.

There are plans in place to open a beach club in Nassau, Bahamas later this year, followed by a beach club in Cozumel, Mexico next year.

Then there's the massive Perfect Day Mexico opening that will add a second Perfect Day experience to the Caribbean portfolio.

After that, they'll shift to the Pacific and open a new experience in Vanuatu to offer more for Australian and New Zealand itineraries.

Of course, there are possible other projects on the horizon too to match their rumored ship ambitions.

Oasis of the Seas was the first of Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class, but Wonder of the Seas introduced so many improvements to these ships.

Both ships are among the largest in the world and are in the process of shifting to shorter Caribbean cruises in a move meant to attract more new cruisers.

While Oasis and Wonder are separated by over 10 years in their debuts, they're still more similar than different.

However, there are notable differences between the two worth considering before you choose one.

Ship overview

Oasis of the Seas was a gamechanger when she debuted in 2009, and it's difficult to properly convey how this one ship completely changed the cruise industry overnight.

Not only was this ship the biggest in the world, but Oasis was revolutionary for its design and how much there was to do onboard.

Oasis measures 226,838 gross tons and can carry 5,602 passengers at double occupancy. 

While that's really big, Wonder is even bigger. Wonder of the Seas was also the biggest cruise ship in the world at the time of her launch. This ship weighs 235,600 gross tons and can carry 5,734 passengers at double occupancy. 

Today, Wonder is the fourth largest ship behind and Oasis is eighth.

Wonder of the Seas currently sails 3 and 4-night cruises out of Miami, visiting the Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Oasis of the Seas is offering 6- to 9-night Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 2026, Oasis moves up to Cape Liberty, New Jersey to offer cruises from the New York City area.

Here's a look at the two ship's statistics, compared:

*at double occupancy

Neighborhoods

Oasis of the Seas introduced the concept of neighborhoods as a way to make it easy for passengers to find their way around massive ships..

The idea is simple: distinguish areas with a common theme so that you'll instantly recognize where you are without memorizing the ship deck plans.

One key difference between Oasis and Wonder is there's an extra neighborhood on Wonder of the Seas.

1. Royal Promenade: Main thoroughfare filled with bars, shops, and entertainment
2. Central Park: Outdoor park with real plants and trees. You'll also find specialty dining, and shopping
3. Boardwalk: Open air section on back of the ship with the Aquatheater, along with classic carousel and restaurants
4. Pool and Sports Zone: Resort themed pool deck, featuring pools, waterslides (The Perfect Storm), the FlowRider surf simulator, and rock-climbing walls
5. Vitality Spa and Fitness Center: A wellness-focused neighborhood offering spa treatments & fitness facilities
6. Youth Zone: Adventure Ocean and teen clubs where supervised age-specific programming is offered
7. Entertainment Place: A district dedicated to evening entertainment, including the ship's main theater, casino,  & ice rink
8. Suite Neighborhood: Only on Wonder of the Seas (and Utopia), reserved area.

Oasis has a suite sun deck, but the expanded Suite Sun Deck on Wonder is truly more impressive and feels more like a resort than simply a reserved area of the pool deck.

I think the Suite Sun Deck is so impressive on Wonder, that if you're considering booking a suite and trying to decide between ships, I'd pick Wonder for that reason.

Dining

You'll find lots of dining choices on both ships, but there are a few key differences.

Each ship has plenty of included restaurants as well as specialty dining. There's sushi, steak, a sports bar, and tropical themed pool bars.

There is room service on both ships, although it has a service fee with it (continental breakfast is free).

In comparing the ships, certain restaurants aren't available on both. You'll find Wonder has a few extra venues not available on Oasis.

It's primarily in the specialty dining where there differences. Oasis of the Seas has Portside BBQ, which is a barbecue restaurant offering turkey legs, brisket, mac 'n' cheese, pulled port and more. It's priced a la carte, although there are combo offerings.

Both ships have a Giovanni's Italian restaurant, but the version on Wonder is updated. This version has a newer menu that offers an expanded menu and updated recipes.

Another difference on Wonder is it has the Mason Jar, a restaurant serving Southern American comfort food, with live music at the popular bar area.

*suite guests only

Staterooms

The choice in staterooms on Wonder of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas are fairly similar, with one notable suite exception.

Wonder of the Seas has 2,867 cabins, while Oasis has just 2,801 cabins. It's a small difference, made up primarily of inside rooms added in places that are public areas on Oasis.

The biggest difference is that Wonder of the Seas has the Ultimate Family Suite, and Oasis does not.

This is a two story epic suite that is designed to wow and amaze just about everyone. It includes an in-suite slide, private jacuzzi, movie room, bunk beds, giant TV, and a LEGO wall.

As you might imagine, the Ultimate Family Suite is quite expensive and often costs as much about $14,000 per night!

If you'd prefer something less expensive, you'll find plenty of other cabin choices.

Both Wonder and Oasis have balcony cabins that overlook the ocean, Central Park, or Boardwalk.

Both ships also have virtual balcony cabins, which include a floor-to-ceiling screen that projects a live view from outside the ship.

Entertainment and activities

Royal Caribbean designed both cruise ships to offer as much as possible onboard, and they won't leave you disappointed with there not being enough to do.

There are shows in three different theaters, live music, pools, casino gambling, surfing, laser tag, and rock climbing abound on both vessels.

One key difference is Oasis of the Seas has a full Broadway show onboard, whereas Wonder relies on shows produced by the cruise line.

"Cats" is performed on each sailing of Oasis of the Seas, and it's included in your cruise fare.  

Both ships have amazing performances in the Aquadome, where there are high dive acrobat shows.

I prefer the Aqua80s show on Oasis of the Seas because of the tribute to the music of the 80s!

It's also worth noting Wonder of the Seas has the Vue Bar, whereas Oasis does not.

As its name implies, the Vue Bar offers sweeping ocean views from the pool deck.

Each night you'll find bars and lounges that feature live music. The two ships, however, do vary in entertainment venues. 

Another change between the ships is at the back of the ship, where Oasis has two FlowRider surf simulators, but Wonder has one.

Instead of two FlowRiders, Wonder has a Playscape.  This is an outdoor kids play park.

One difference (for now) is that Oasis of the Seas is sailing weeklong voyages, whereas Wonder of the Seas has transitioned to weekend cruises.

Royal Caribbean wants Wonder to have more of a party vibe to it, making it appealing to new cruisers who want to try it out.

Wonder is nicknamed, "Miami’s New Weekend Wonder" and has 10 next-level parties.

This includes:

• Bring the Beat Back: A Party Through the Decades
• Sailaway Party
• Plunge Day Pool Party
• Royal Kappa Chi (college party)
• Silent Toga Party

Oasis of the Seas isn't a floating library by any means. You'll find lots of parties and events happening. Both ships have themed nights and dance, DJ, and street parties.

Happy Sunday, and welcome back to an edition of our Royal Caribbean news round-up. We'll summarize all the latest news from the cruise line, so just sit back, relax, and read on.

Legend of the Seas will be ready much earlier than originally expected.

Royal Caribbean added 3 new sailings before the inaugural sailing that was previously announced.

That means the third Icon Class ship will enter service almost a month earlier.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean is attracting more young Americans to cruising and building their loyalty
• The biggest cruise ship in the world also has the fastest satellite internet ever
• One easy thing they do to make your cruise better, according to our readers
• 4 Cruise excursions that looked better online
• The 1970s Royal Caribbean cruise meal we wish would return
• Royal Caribbean Amplification schedule: Which ships have been upgraded
• 9 ways to store more in your cruise cabin

New RCB Video: My 10 FAVORITE Royal Caribbean ships in 2025, Ranked

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—My 10 FAVORITE Royal Caribbean ships in 2025, Ranked—and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Fight forces cruise ship to turn around and go back to port

A fight among passengers on Wonder of the Seas was so disrupting that it went back to Miami to kick them off the ship.

There's been no official confirmation by the cruise line, but it appears a brawl onboard lead to the forced disembarkation of a group of passengers.  Police officers were seen on the pier waiting as the ship arrived.

There was also an unrelated injury to a different passenger that required medical attention too.

Deck-by-deck changes coming to Harmony of the Seas

We have a list of every single change coming to Harmony of the Seas in 2026.

Updated deck plans reveal all the changes, upgrades, and additions coming to the ship.

Harmony is one of three ships set to get upgraded next year.

Royal Caribbean quietly added a bar guests said was missing

There's a new bar on Utopia of the Seas to address a need that passengers say was missing.

When the ship launched last year, there was no Vitality Cafe. That omission lead to complaints because it offered healthy drink options not found elsewhere.

Now, there's a make-shift fix for the issue.

The secret cruise deal sheet most people don't know about

Did you know about the Going, Going, Gone deals that get released every week?

It's not well-advertised, but there's a list of last-minute cruise deals Royal Caribbean puts out, but you have to know where to look to find it.

Bargain hunters could land a really good deal with some of the offers.

It seems like a lot of shore excursions look incredible from the comfort of your couch as you're scrolling through ideas.

I think a lot of people hunt for that amazing tour when they look through Instagram or TikTok, and it's easy for photos of these places to look incredible.

I've been fortunate enough to take Royal Caribbean cruises all over the world, including Europe and the Caribbean.

I usually have good luck with finding tours that match up to my expectations, thanks to a lot of research and reading others experiences.

Unfortunately, a few of shore excursions turned out to be duds, because they didn't deliver on the beauty and splendor I expected.

Norwegian glaciers were tiny

On my first cruise to the Norwegian fjords, I was determined to see as much natural beauty as possible, and this took me on a tour to visit a glacier.

I had seen glaciers on my Alaska cruises, so I couldn't wait to see even more here.

Briksdal Glacier (Briksdalsbreen) was the top glacier recommended to see while in Olden, Norway.

I took an hour-long hike and felt disappointed when I reached the viewing point. The reality is this glacier is difficult to see because it's retreated so much.

Unlike Mendenhall Glacier, I found this one to be quite small and I was let down after the hike required to get there.

The lesson in Norway is focus on the fjords, which are fantastic, and save the glaciers for Alaska.

Private island had no shade and no facilities

A private island with no residents and no crowds seems like it should be the perfect kind of Caribbean beach day, but I was happy to go back to the ship when it was time.

When we visited Belize for the first time, I read reviews about this great little island to visit called Goff's Caye. 

It's only 1.2 acres of sand, and you need to take a boat to access it.

When we arrived, it was very much a tiny, secluded island. While a tropical oasis like this might seem lovely, I quickly realized having some level of amenities matters more than I thought.

The beach had very little shade, provided only by the few trees on the island. A BBQ lunch was available to purchase, but it was a limited and rather uninspired meal.

The truth is this excursion is meant as a backdrop for snorkeling, which I didn't care for.  I prefer going to a beach for the above water experience.

Oversold beach excursion in Jamaica

Perhaps the worst excursion I've ever taken was to Blue Waters Beach Escape in Falmouth, Jamaica.

The problem with this excursion is it's your typical oversold, under delivering beach day.

Booked through Royal Caribbean, there was a short bus ride to the beach where we arrived and saw many other buses of tourists beat us there first.

The staff assigned guests chairs, and we managed to get one of the last ones. People behind us had to settle for beach chair mats until chairs were freed up by departing guests.

The food was described as, "unlimited food (jerk chicken, pasta) served up by 5-star chefs".  While I'm not a food critic by any means, it certainly was not five-star level food.

Another excursion pet peeve of mine is "free wifi" that is only available in one area and in this case, it was so overused by guests that it became useless.

This might have been a great excursion had it not been oversold to the point that it became frustratingly crowded.

Bermuda beach

A lesson in not taking the easy route is my experience in Bermuda.

We had hit a homerun with going on a sunset yacht tour the night before, so we decided to take it easy and walk to the Snorkel Park Beach Club that is a few minutes away from where Royal Caribbean ships dock in Bermuda.

While it was convenient, that's where the accolades end.

Two chairs and umbrella cost $75, and that doesn't include any food or drink.

Then there's the sand, which is about as coarse and hard as you'll ever find. This is a man-made beach purpose built for cruise tourists. I've heard it was built on a former garbage dump, but I'm not sure if that's actually true.

Admittedly, we went there out of laziness, but we should have put in a bit more effort for a substantially better beach.

When people think about Royal Caribbean's early days, the now departed ships usually get all the attention (and understandably so).

But one tradition you'd find on any of those ships in the 1970s or 1980s was the midnight buffet.

Unlike the restaurants that you'll find all over a cruise ship today, none seem to capture the mystique of the late night gorging and excitement that the midnight buffet offered.

The midnight buffet was a culinary institution on every Royal Caribbean cruise ship until sometime in the 1990s when it was slowly phased away from the lineup. For longtime cruisers, we appreciated the new dining choices, but missed the variety and experience that came with the midnight buffet.

What was the midnight buffet?

Unlike the cruise buffet during the day, the midnight buffet was an event and a meal.

Royal Caribbean referred to it as the "Gala Buffet".

Cruise ships before the mega ship era had a different approach to cruising, and one of the big differences was there was a lot less activities and things to do compared to today.

The midnight buffet served two purposes: feed passengers and give them something to do.

Back then, ships didn't have as many casual grab-and-go restaurants. Specialty restaurants really didn't exist, and it was just the Windjammer and Main Dining Room.

Royal Caribbean called it "a pageant of delicious dishes" and encouraged passengers to bring their camera, because half the fun was seeing how beautiful and excessive the displays were.

Food and more food

Typically there would be more than just a lot of food.  You'd also find ice carvings, fruit sculptures, and chocolate fountains.

Held in the Main Dining Room, guests could actually first tour the area before eating it all. It was an opportunity to take photos and see the carvings of ice, bread, fruit, carved into exotic animals, scenes, ships. No touching or eating allowed.

There would be a period where the dining room was closed, and then at midnight it would re-open for guests to come back in and actually eat.  

It was a combination of dining and performance art.

The midnight buffet lasted an hour until 1am, and you could expect caviar, shrimp, and more.

The best part? It was included in your cruise fare.

Why it disappeared

It's likely two main factors contributed to the demise of the midnight buffet.

First, even the most ardent cruise fans that loved the Gala Buffet recall it being quite wasteful.

There was so much food available, including the various carvings and food displays.  They were fabulous, but also a fabulous waste of food in many cases.

Given it was held at midnight, only a portion of cruisers actually stayed up for it and that meant less demand.

The other reason why the Gala Buffet disappeared is because cruise ships got bigger and added more casual dining options.

Other late-night venues were added, such as Cafe Promenade and Sorrento's Pizza.

Big ships brought with them a different vibe, with a focus on late-night parties, gambling, and events that went well beyond the dining room.

It can be argued that the megaships also placed a greater emphasis on the economy of scale that came with them, and the costs of putting on a midnight buffet didn't make a lot of business sense.

By the late 90s and into the early 2000s, the Gala Buffet was extinct.

Why I wish it would come back

I think there's a real need on Royal Caribbean ships for late-night food that goes beyond pizza, and we know Royal Caribbean emphasizes experience over everything else.

In comparing Royal Caribbean to other lines, I think the variety of food served after 10pm is lacking. So I think bringing back this buffet would address that need.

Plus, the Gala Buffet was an event. Guests love those "wow moments" on a cruise, and that's evident when they walk into the Windjammer and there's a large food display, such as a cake or ice sculpture. 

Royal Caribbean is fond of saying their approach to cruise ships is a combination of tradition, evolution, and revolution. So why not tackle a fond cruising tradition that could be evolved to meet the needs of today's cruisers with a fun twist?

Could Royal Caribbean bring it back?

While I doubt we'd ever see the same culinary extravaganza that were present on ships in the 1970s, I do think they could do something more practical.

I'd love for them to have a smaller-scale themed buffet, and offer it once per cruise so it can be a must-see event.

Making memories is at the heart of so many offerings on the ships today, and it's clear the midnight buffet is still one of the most fondly recalled cruising memory from the past.  If it was that remarkable then, maybe it's time to bring it back in an updated form?

Cruisers today love to experience and share it all with friends and family. I think a midnight buffet would be the perfect photo op that translates to Instagram moments. The sort of posts that would get people's attention because they are surprised what you can do on a cruise.

I think this idea is rooted in nostalgia, but considering how often car makers, retailers, and even Taco Bell dips into retro passions, maybe it's time for Royal Caribbean to do the same!

Construction work is moving so quickly that Royal Caribbean will bring its next new cruise ship into service even earlier than expected.

Legend of the Seas will be the third Icon Class ship when it debuts next year. The original plan was for Legend to start sailing August 2, 2026. 

Guests booked on that sailing received an email to inform them that the new ship will enter service sooner than expected.

"We have an important update on the arrival of Legend of the Seas. Our teams have been working diligently to deliver to you An Iconic Family Holiday, and the ship is progressing ahead of schedule."

Royal Caribbean is adding three new 7-night sailings before the August 2nd sailing.

These cruises will depart:

• July 11, 2026
• July 18, 2026
• July 25, 2026

The new inaugural sailing for Legend of the Seas will depart roundtrip from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy on July 11, 2026, and visit:

• Naples, Italy
• Barcelona, Spain
• Palma De Mallorca, Spain
• Provence (Marseille), France

New choices for sailings

Before these new cruises go on sale to the public, anyone that was already booked on the August 2nd sailing will have the first chance to move up to the new ones.

"Understanding that some guests may value being the first onboard, and others look forward to celebrating the inaugural voyage – we want to give you the first choice and the flexibility to switch sailings, add an additional sailing, or stay on your currently booked sailing," the email wrote.

Guests that opt to move sailings will be transferred in a like-for-like stateroom currently booked, based on availability. This is on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Suite guests have one week to take advantage of price protection for the July 11, 2026, sailing only
  • After that, the transfer will be based on the current prevailing rate.
  • For the two (2) additional sail dates, all suite moves will be based on availability and at prevailing rate
• Guests in Interior, Oceanview and Balcony staterooms will have the opportunity to transfer at the prevailing rate

You have until next week to decide

If you want to move and take advantage of one of these earlier sailings, you need to act quickly.

Guests must decide if they want to move their reservation to one of the earlier sailings no later than September 24, 2025.

If you do not make a change by September 24, 2025, anyone booked on the August 2 sailing will remain booked on that sailing, and you can still choose to add the new Legend of Seas sailings based on availability.

Another new ship moving up sailings

This is the second Icon Class ship in a row that has had their first sailing changed and moved up.

Royal Caribbean did this with the launch of Star of the Seas. Eventually, four "showcase sailings" were added prior to the launch of the ship.

In both cases, the reason was the same: construction was faster than expected and the ship was going to be ready earlier.

Star of the Seas was scheduled for an August 31, 2025 debut but ended up having its first revenue sailing on August 16.

Sister brand Celebrity Cruises did something similar with new cruises prior to the inaugural with the launch of Celebrity Ascent and Xcel.

Before its official inaugural sailing, Celebrity Ascent added "pre-inaugural sailings" before its official maiden voyage. 

Xcel is being readied earlier as well, and has a four-night preview sailing beginning November 9, while the The November 18 sailing will still host the inaugural events.

What's new on Legend of the Seas

The new cruise ship is still under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, and there's very little information available on what will be different yet.

Legend will be the third in the Icon Class, and it's expected to be about the same size as both Icon and Star.  That puts the new ship at about 250,800 gross tons and can accommodate approximately 5,610 passengers at double occupancy or up to 7,600 passengers at maximum occupancy.

When you add crew members, that brings the theoretical total amount of people up to 10,000.

One change we know about is the supper club will have a Hollywood theme.  The previous two supper clubs on Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas had a New York and Chicago theme to theme.

During her inaugural season, Legend of the Seas will sail from Barcelona, Spain, and Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, marking the first time an Icon Class ship will offer cruises around the Mediterranean. 

She'll then move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, following a 13-night transatlantic cruise at the end of October. Her first sailing from Florida is scheduled for November 11, 2026. 

Beyond that, Royal Caribbean hasn't revealed any information yet on what will be different or new about the ship.

Most people think Royal Caribbean deals are only found in various promotions, but there's a list of the best offers most people don't know about.

Tucked away on the cruise line website is a PDF document that gets updated once a week with the best offers, known as the "Going, Going, Gone" rates.

These are last-minute sailings that have unsold cabins leftover with good prices. Deals can range from "good" to "deep savings", and if you act quickly, you could take advantage of them.

Bargain hunters that have flexibility should start their search with the GGG sales.

The cruise sheet with the deals

Every week on Tuesday or Wednesday, Royal Caribbean updates a list of sailings of heavily discounted sailings.

To be honest, this list is intended for travel agents as a reference to know about good deals, but it's publicly available for anyone to see, you just need to bookmark URL once because it never changes.

You can find the link to the Going, Going, Gone rates here.

These are almost always cruises departing in the next 60 days or so, and it's offered as a way to fill unsold cabins.

For each sailing, there's a listed price for different cabins. Not every cabin category may be available to book, but it gives you a quick reference for the price point.

Where to find the secret list

You won't find the link to the Going, Going, Gone list linked to on Royal Caribbean's website. 

Instead, you just have to bookmark it or Google it each time you want to find it.

What to know before you book

Updated usually on Tuesday, the Going, Going, Gone rates are a static list of prices that are bookable on a first-come basis.

Rates can sell out, and the list won't get updated when that occurs. 

Sometimes there might be one cabin left at the advertised price on the list, so you'll need to act quickly.

You book the price the same way you'd book any other cruise. There's no promo code or special instructions needed.  Going, Going, Gone serves as a heads up that there are lower prices available.

As you'll quickly tell from the sheet, there is a limited selection to choose from on any given week. Only certain itineraries, ships, and categories may be there, and some weeks there could be very few options.

One more thing to know is since these are almost always cruises that are past the final payment date, you'll need to pay the entire cruise fare upfront.

Here are my best tips for browsing the Going, Going, Gone deals and finding the right cruise for you.

• Be Flexible: Dates and ships are limited.

• Check Weekly: New list drops every Tuesday.

• Book Fast: Deals disappear quickly.

• Work with a Travel Agent: They make everything easier, and it's how I always book mine.

• Compare Total Cost: Always factor taxes, fees, and airfare.

Examples of past deals

Our team has relied on the Going, Going Gone rates as a source of deals to peruse.

One example was an oceanview cabin on Freedom of the Seas for 7-nights for just $584 per person. It cost just $1678 total for two people, and saved almost 60% off the previous price.

Another time we found a 4-night cruise on Allure of the Seas listed on Going, Going Gone for $834.36 for two people in a guaranteed interior stateroom. That's just $104 per person, per night, including gratuities and port fees. 

The best deal ever was a $99 per night cruise fare for another guarantee inside room, but this was on Liberty of the Seas.

As you can see, sometimes you have to roll the dice with which cabin you'll get assigned.  Flexibility is so important with these special prices.

By far, the best markdowns are on repositioning cruises or off-season sailings.

I've consistently found great deals on September and October cruises especially, because it's a time of year with slower demand for all itineraries: Caribbean, Europe, and Alaska.

Who should book these deals

While anyone can book a Going, Going, Gone rate, I think certain types of people will benefit the most from them.

Given that these are all last-minute sailings that depart within the next 6-10 weeks, I think those with flexible schedules would be the ideal customer.

Retirees, people that can work remote, couples without children, and aging bloggers might have the time off to make these sailings work the best.

I also think someone that lives within driving distance of the embarkation port would be ideal to book. If you're booking a cruise that leaves in a few weeks, pricey last-minute airfare could offset any savings from the cruise fare.

However, if you have airline or credit card points available, this might be the perfect opportunity to cash those in.  

Regardless, look at the total cost of the vacation beyond the fare before booking.

Bottom line

Royal Caribbean's Going, Going, Gone can be a hidden treasure chest for savvy cruisers, but you'll need to be swift and be open to limited choices.

While the choices of ships, sail dates, and staterooms are going to be limited, there could be good prices available.

I look at this sheet as a bonus opportunity to sneak in another cruise, rather than the primary means of planning out a family vacation. For those types of cruises, rely on booking a cruise early as the best strategy to get a good price.

If you time it well, this little-known secret can turn into your biggest cruise savings.