How do you make dinner on a cruise ship even better? Give passengers more choice in when they can dine.

Traditionally, Royal Caribbean has offered two traditional dinner times on its ships, where guests are seated at around 5pm or 8pm. The set dinner times have been a crowd pleaser, but for some people it has always felt either too early or too late.

Royal Caribbean wants to fix this by adding a third dinner time. It may seem like a simple change, but the cruise line thinks it will greatly improve the guest experience for anyone in the dining room, even if you don't select this time.

Royal Caribbean Blog got an exclusive update that coming this year, there will be a third dining time that will be added in-between the first two times.

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage Linken D'Souza thinks the addition of a middle dining time will give guests, "more choice and variety and flexibility for their vacation."

"We're just trying to create more convenience, variety and options for our guests."

The exact time for the new seating will depend on the ship and itinerary.  It could start around 6:45pm - 7:30pm, depending on what the guest feedback is from early testing.

Mr. D'Souza said they've tested it out already on Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean is methodically rolling it out across the fleet. There isn't a set schedule yet, but Mr. D'Souza believes by the end of the year all the ships will have the additional dining time. It won't be done all at once, instead, the new option gets rolled out ship by ship.

More choices and a better cruise

At the heart of the decision to add a third dining time is the drive to improve the guest experience. Mr. D'Souza was adamant how much his team focuses on making dining better.

This idea seems to have born out of guest feedback Royal Caribbean received where traditional dining times weren't ideal, but switching to My Time Dining didn't work either.

My Time Dining offers flexible dining times, but many cruisers enjoy having the same wait staff and table assignment every night. 

"Guests who dine in the dining room love to have the same server, love to have the same table," Mr. D'Souza explained. "And a lot of people want to be able to choose that time, but they're not able to because the traditional dining times are taken. So they end up in My Time Dining."

Read more: My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

Based on early testing, guest satisfaction is higher as a result of the change, "The people who are now in this new third seating, they are rating us higher than any of the other experiences that we had, whether it was early, late or My Time."

"So we're actually seeing the highest ratings for these guests out of anybody who is dining in the dining room."

There's no menu change, no alterations to dinner on a cruise ship other than adding a new time.

"This is purely about improving the experience...None of it is impacting the guest, there's no structural changes. There's no menu changes. It's all about operational."

Evolution of dinner on a cruise

In considering the changes Royal Caribbean has made over the past few years, there's a definitive path the cruise line has taken in gradually improving dinner on a cruise.

When Royal Caribbean revisited the dining room menus in late 2022, they wanted to improve dinner by making it more predictable and not a two hour affair.

In December 2022, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said that a top complaint from passengers had been how long dinner can take some times. 

Mr. D'Souza said at a land-based restaurant, customers want dinner to take about 60-65 minutes, and since a cruise is vacation, that number would skew a bit longer.

The result was a concerted effort to make dinner speedier so that it would regularly come in at around 75 minutes.

With a more efficient Main Dining Room, there was now an opportunity that did not exist before to insert an additional middle dining time.

Should you choose My Time Dining or traditional dining?

There are good reasons to choose a set dining time or a flexible dining time for dinner in the Main Dining Room, and it all depends on your preferences.

Both options are included in your cruise fare, so the key is to understand how each works to determine which fits with your habits.

You will select a dining preference when you book a cruise. It's one of the early decisions to make as part of the booking process.

Traditional dining will have the same table number, wait staff, and table mates every night of your cruise. With this new choice, there will be three dining times to pick from:

• Early
• Middle
• Late

When you arrive for your cruise, your table number and deck will be marked on your SeaPass card so you know your dining time and location.

Each evening, you'll go to the Main Dining Room at the assigned time and head directly to your table. 

You could be seated with other passengers at traditional dinner. It depends on how big your travel party is, and which table they assign you.  Yes, you can request to have a table just for yourselves, but there's no guarantee it will be granted.  In my experience, the staff is usually good about accommodating such requests.

As Mr. D'Souza alluded to, the reason why some people prefer traditional dining is because they enjoy getting to know their waiters (and the waiters getting to know your preferences), as well as not having to worry about getting a reservation for dinner. Your table will be waiting for you each evening.

Alternatively, you can select My Time Dining, which offers the choice of what time you eat dinner.

The appeal of My Time Dining is you can choose a different dinner time depending on the schedule. If you have a shore excursion on day three, you could select a later dinner time so you have sufficient time to shower, rest, and get dressed before dinner. Then the next day, you could eat earlier.

With My Time, there's the choice of either showing up and waiting for the first available table or making a reservation in advance. It's a lot like going to a restaurant on land. 

Usually there are two lines for My Time Dining: those with a reservation, and those without. People with a reservation get priority for the next available table. Anyone without a reservation will still be seated, but they may wait longer if the dining room is busy.

How do the menus differ between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining, if at all?

The menus for My Time Dining and Traditional Dining are the same, offering the same dishes each evening. You don't have to worry about missing out on any dishes because you select either of the seatings.

Can guests switch between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining during their cruise?

Guests can request to switch between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining, but this is subject to availability and may not always be possible. 

If the dining choice you want is unavailable, be sure to ask to be put on the waiting list. If you're on the ship already, ask to speak to the head waiter to see what they can do to accommodate the change.

Are there any differences in the dress code requirements for My Time Dining compared to Traditional Dining?

The dress code for both dining options is the same, adhering to the ship's overall dress code for the evening, which can range from casual to formal depending on the night. 

Royal Caribbean has posted its new 2025-2026 deployments for the Short Caribbean and Los Angeles cruise markets.

Short Caribbean cruises, as well as those departing from Los Angeles, in 2025 and 2026 are now available to book. 

For the first time in recent memory, two Royal Caribbean ships will offer sailings from California to Mexico, ranging from 3 to 8 nights: 

• Navigator of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas

Additionally, the following ships will make short Caribbean sailings to the Eastern and/or Western Caribbean:

• Wonder of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas

The new sailings are available to book immediately.

If you're ready to begin planning your next vacation, here's a breakdown of what is offered. 

Short Caribbean sailings

Wonder of the Seas

The second largest cruise ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas, will begin offering short cruises on September 1, 2025.

Royal Caribbean shook up the short cruise market when it announced Utopia of the Seas would enter service with just short cruises.  Both Utopia and Wonder are Oasis Class cruise ships and among the largest ships in the world.

Typically, big new cruise ships sail 7-night cruises, but Royal Caribbean wants to dominate the short cruise market by offering weekend sailings on its best ships in a bid to attract new cruisers.

Wonder will continue offering 7-night cruisers from Port Canaveral until the end of August, and then moves to Miami to start the 3- and 4-night cruises.

Utopia of the Seas

Utopia of the Seas will continue offering short cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Select sailings include stops at Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Short Caribbean voyages are ideal for those seeking a shorter getaway or who might be new to cruising and cannot commit to the idea of spending a week on a ship. 

Jewel of the Seas

It's not just Royal Caribbean's big ships getting into the weekend cruise market, as Jewel of the Seas will also offer 3- and 4-night Bahamas cruises.

Jewel will sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida between April 2025 and October 2025 to offer weekend cruises.  This means Jewel will remain in the United States instead of going to Europe for the summer of 2025.

Liberty of the Seas

When Jewel of the Seas concludes her short cruise sailings, Liberty of the Seas will pick them up.

Liberty will offer cruises from Port Everglades between October 2025 and March 2026. Sailings will visit Nassau, Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Mariner of the Seas

If you'd like to take a short Caribbean cruise from Galveston, Mariner of the Seas has sailings for you.

Mariner will offer primarily 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises that visit ports in Mexico. There's also a few holiday cruises in December that are 7-nights for Mariner.

With Mariner of the Seas making short sailings to the Western Caribbean from Galveston, it's also convenient for those who live nearby and don't want to have to pay for airfare.

5-night cruises will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, while 4-night voyages will only visit Cozumel. 

Freedom of the Seas

In addition to Wonder of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas will offer short cruises from Miami.

In April 2025, Freedom wraps up her tenure in Fort Lauderdale before shifting back to Miami.

Freedom will sail 3-6-night cruises, with a 9-night sailing over New Years 2026.

Enchantment of the Seas

Short cruises from Tampa will be available on Enchantment of the Seas for the entire year. There's a mix of 4- and 5-night getaways to the western Caribbean and The Bahamas. 

Highlights of the destinations in store include Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Costa Maya, Nassau and Roatan, plus a lineup of vacations that visit Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Cruises from Los Angeles

Quantum of the Seas

Quantum of the Seas will be homeported in Los Angeles year-round offering cruises to Mexico and Catalina Island. She will be the biggest cruise ship Royal Caribbean has ever based on the west coast.

Rumors had been swirling about a second ship being added to the LA market, and it turns out the rumors were true.

Taking a cruise from the West Coast promises stunning coastal landscapes, world-class cuisine, and vibrant ports of call, such as Cabo San Lucas, which is a popular cruise port as well as a land-based vacation spot. It's known for having a party atmosphere, wildlife, and unique rock formations. 

Note that when visiting via cruise ship, you'll have to tender from the ship to shore. You'll have to wake up early to collect your ticket, so you do not waste the day onboard. 

On longer sailings from Los Angeles, you'll visit Cabo San Lucas, whereas on shorter ones you will sail to the nearby Ensenada, Mexico and/or Catalina Island.

Read more: Guide to weekend cruises: Tips for taking a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise

Navigator of the Seas

Navigator of the Seas returns to Los Angeles for another season to split the Mexican Riviera sailings with Quantum.

Navigator will still offer short 3- and 4-night cruises, but lean more into the longer sailings that go further south down the Baja Peninsula.

Navigator has been in the LA market since cruises restarted in 2021.

Upcoming deployments

The remainder of the posted deployment schedule covers cruises to China, Australia, and Singapore through April 2026. They're set to be released the weeks of March 11, April 8, and May 13, respectively. 

It's important to remember that the sailings could be released at any point within that week; they're not bound to be published on the first day of the listed week.

For example, Singapore cruises are set to launch the week of May 13; however, they could be released on May 16 or 17. 

Additionally, all itineraries are subject to change without notice.

Royal Caribbean's second Icon Class cruise ship will take a little bit longer to arrive.

On Tuesday, guests booked on the inaugural sailing of Star of the Seas received notification today by the cruise line that the sailing is cancelled.

The 7,600 passenger vessel was scheduled to debut on August 17, 2025 from Port Canaveral.

According to the email Royal Caribbean sent out, the ship will not be ready in time for that sailing, "after a review of the work that remains to be done, we’re unfortunately forced to delay the ship’s delivery date."

"As a result, we must cancel our inaugural 7-Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day August 17th, 2025 sailing."

The new inaugural sailing of Star of the Seas is scheduled for August 31st, 2025.

They went on to apologize for the change in plans, "We’re truly sorry for the impact that this delay has had on your vacation plans."

Royal Caribbean did not specify exactly the reason for the delay in the new ship's delivery, but the fall out will affect those booked on the inaugural.  However, it's not unheard of for a new cruise ship to be delayed because it won't be ready on time.

The cruise industry shutdown of 2020-2021 delayed the delivery of Odyssey of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Icon of the Seas.  Other cruise lines have delayed starts too from time to time with their new ships.

Guests booked on the cancelled August 17th sailing have the choice to be automatically moved to the new Star of the Seas inaugural sailing on August 31.  If selected, guests will be moved to a like-for-like stateroom onboard Star of the Seas. This excludes taxes, fees, gratuities (where applicable), and other non-cruise fare items.

Alternatively, guests can move to the Wonder of the Seas sailing departing on August 17th or the Icon of the Seas departing on August 16th. Guests' original stateroom category price will either be protected at their original cruise fare rate or reduced to the current cruise fare rate (whichever is lower). This excludes taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items.

If that's not satisfactory, guests can be moved to re-book any other Royal Caribbean International sailing, but they'll be responsible for any difference in pricing for your cruise fare, taxes, fees, gratuities, and other non-cruise fare items.

The final option is to cancel and get a full refund.

Guests must decide by March 12th, 2024 which choice they want, or they'll be automatically moved to the new Star of the Seas inaugural sailing.

Star of the Seas follows up on the tremendously positive reception the public has had for Icon of the Seas, which is the first ship in the Icon Class.

When Star does arrive, she will feature the same neighborhoods that offer lots for passengers to enjoy, including Thrill Island, Chill Island, AquaDome, and the open-air Central Park. 

You can expect more than 40 ways to dine and drink, cutting-edge entertainment across the ship’s four signature stages – air, ice, water and theater – and a lineup of activities for adults, kids, teens and the whole family.

Without a doubt, Star of the Seas will have other features that will distinguish her from Icon.  Royal Caribbean typically tweaks a few venues and changes up offerings to make new ships stand out from others in the class.

At 250,800 gross tons, Star won't be bigger than Icon.  Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider talked on the inaugural voyage about what to expect with Star, and the Icon Class will not follow the Oasis Class trend of subsequently increasing the size of each new ship just enough to make it the biggest in the world.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes ultimate guide

"That isn't the case on Icon. Star will not be a foot bigger. It will be 1198ft long. The third ship in the icon class, yet to be named publicly, will also be 1198ft long."

According to Mr. Schneider, there's no point in continuing that pattern, "We don't feel a need to do that right now. Maybe we'll change our mind. Never say never. But that isn't the design intent."

Under construction in Finland

Star of the Seas is being built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, which is where Icon of the Seas was built, along with other ships such as Oasis and Allure of the Seas.

Star should be right around the same dimensions as Icon of the Seas, so it should be about 250,800 gross tons and carry 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 maximum amount of people onboard up to 10,000.

The Icon Class is a deliberate effort on Royal Caribbean's part to appeal to the family vacation market, including as many attractions as they've ever thought of in one ship. 

There's still one more Icon Class cruise ship on order, due in 2026. No details have been revealed yet about Icon 3.

Despite all the challenges of the last few years, the cruise industry is red hot right now. So much so, it is advising its investors to expect a banner year.

Royal Caribbean Group expected 2024 to be a very good year, but it had to revise expectations because business is doing better than it predicted.

In just the few weeks since Royal Caribbean Group reported its 2024 earnings outlook, the company issued an update because of "robust demand."

This is more than good news if you own stock. It points to many trends cruise fans should expect in the coming year and beyond.

The best wave season ever

Royal Caribbean isn't just seeing high demand, it's experiencing the hottest start to the year in its history.

Wave season is the industry term for the time of year between January and March where cruise bookings are usually the highest of the year. The name refers to the fact it acts as a wave to carry business through the rest of the year, similar to how an ocean wave carries water far out to shore.

In a filing on Friday, the company said the first 5 weeks of the year have had the best wave booking weeks in the company's history.

In short, new reservations for the third and fourth quarters are better than the first two quarters by half.  More bookings in 2024 have been made for the year in quantity and pace. On top of that, more passengers are buying extras for their cruise at higher prices.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty explained, "Since our last earnings call, robust demand for our vacation experiences has significantly exceeded our initial expectations."

When a company files anything with Wall Street, it's important.  For them to adjust forecasts of how much money they expect to make, it shows a significant rise in their business, especially just a few weeks since the forecasts were given.

Don't expect cruise fare cuts

Royal Caribbean Group telling investors it will make even more money than it first advised should be a sign to anyone that going to book a cruise this year there's plenty of other people competing for those cabins.

If you found cruise prices high in 2023 and were hoping for a reversal in price trends, it seems more unlikely now.

Mr. Liberty told investors on February 1st, there are half as many staterooms left in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same time period in 2023.

When you combine sky-rocketing demand at higher prices, there's little impetus to drop cruise fares much.

Cruise fare pricing depends on many factors, not just booking trends. However, it's likely those tailwinds wont compel price cuts like the industry saw in 2020.

Updates and new ships are back

It's not all bad news for consumers, because Royal Caribbean doing better financially has an ancillary benefit.

With Royal Caribbean Group expecting more cash, it means they have more financial flexibility. More cash means money to pay off the massive debt all cruise line accrued during the shutdown of 2020. But it also means they can afford to do more too.

One of the first things Royal Caribbean Group did when things went bad in 2020 was to cut capital spending, which is what the company calls big projects. This includes new cruise ships, refurbishments, and private island development.

As Royal Caribbean Group's financials improved over the last two years, it has started to spend more.  It re-committed to a beach club in Nassau, and built and opened an adults-only expansion at CocoCay.

The best sign that Royal Caribbean Group is ready to spend big again is the fact it placed an order for a new Oasis Class cruise ship. Considering cruise ships cost easily a billion dollars, it's unlikely they would voluntarily take on new debt if they didn't think they could pay it all off.

Moreover, executives let slip they would amplify Allure of the Seas in 2025. Allure had upgrades planned for 2020, but it was cancelled (along with Explorer of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Adventure of the Seas). 

These are all signs that Royal Caribbean Group seems poised to start spending on the things that cruise ship passengers love: new fun and fancy things to do. While nothing is certain, the fact they've started spending on big ticket items that were fiscally impossible just a couple years ago, says a lot.

Book now before prices go higher

If your goal is to go on a cruise this year or in 2025 or 2026, you'll want to act quickly.

Given the trend of prices going up, booking a cruise early remains your best strategy, as opposed to waiting for last-minute deals.

Traditionally, sales on a last-minute cruise were a strategy cruise lines used to fill up ships to avoid having unsold cabins. 

Read more: I paid $99 per person for a Royal Caribbean cruise. Here's what this cruise is like

Just like the reality of price drops being less likely, I think last-minute sales are equally improbable.

Booking a cruise more than a year in advance has always been a tried-and-true booking strategy, especially for new ships when they first become available to book.

As it gets closer to the sail date, more people book cruises and that means less cabins left to book and that tends to drive up prices.

While a last-minute deal isn't impossible, given the current booking environment, I recommend booking a cruise early rather than betting on a good price in the final weeks before the cruise begins.

Arguably the most stressful day of any cruise is the first day when you're trying to get onboard and get so many things done.

Royal Caribbean wants its vacations to be as relaxing and enjoyable as possible, but the reality is the embarkation experience for the first few hours is less than ideal as many passengers use this time to essentially run errands onboard to set themselves up for the rest of the cruise.

Is it a necessary evil or something that could be improved? Royal Caribbean thinks its newest cruise ship can remedy the situation.

Icon of the Seas was designed to be a ship that can take a leap forward in nearly every aspect of the cruise experience. It has new neighborhoods, easier means to get between decks, integration of technology, and lots of new ways to think about traditional experiences onboard.

Before Icon of the Seas entered service, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider, talked about how Icon would re-think boarding day so that it would be less stressful and easier overall. 

The goal is simple: reduce or eliminated crowds and friction for guests.

"Make it easier"

Speaking at Royal Caribbean headquarters in Miami at a meeting in October 2023, Mr. Schneider identified one of the goals of the Royal Promenade on Icon of the Seas was to make the first day of a cruise just as fun as day two through seven.

Up until Icon, the Royal Promenade served as a place for guests to deal with issues that Mr. Schneider referred to as, "transactional" because they were things guests wanted to solve. Issues such as someone forgetting to buy something, set up their internet access, or a question for Guest Services.

"We spent a lot of time researching with guests what their day one experience is," Mr. Schneider explained.

"And what we've learned in that journey is that there is a lot of heavy lifting that the Royal Promenade today takes, that we wish it didn't."

Specifically, Royal Caribbean's feedback from their research was passengers wanted a simpler first day, "The feedback from guests as we did the research to prep for boarding day was that make it easier and easier for me not to have to go to the the booths that you create on only day one that don't exist on day two."

Essentially, the first day had so much going on that it didn't feel like a vacation until day two. Royal Caribbean wants its customers to feel like they are on vacation and enjoying it all from the moment they step onboard.

"They want to start their vacation. They don't want to go find a Voom desk," Mr. Schneider pointed out.

The solution is to allow guests to do more pre-cruise so there's less to do once they board, "The more services that our guests say they naturally would prefer to do pre arrival than do on day one, that we can remove off the Promenade automatically helps."

For about a year, Royal Caribbean had teams looking at how they could leverage technology to remove the first day hassle and make it feel more like day two through six.

Is boarding day better on Icon?

With those goals in place, here's how Royal Caribbean implemented fixes for the issues their research identified.

Easier way to connect to the internet

Buying an internet package is becoming more popular on Royal Caribbean ships, especially with the advent of Starlink internet that brings true high-speed internet to its ships.

Some guests struggle with how exactly to access the internet due to a cumbersome process of first creating an account and then logging in.

The Royal Caribbean app on Icon of the Seas features better app internet connectivity. Specifically, if you have purchased the internet package and you have the Royal Caribbean app installed and set up, there's no more captive portal. You instantaneously are connected to Wi-Fi and you don't have to do anything.

While the traditional way of creating an account still exists, I did notice a few times when I returned to the ship after being on shore, the Royal Caribbean app would open immediately to a screen alerting me that I was connected, with the option of purchasing additional device plans.

Guest services chat

Royal Caribbean is using AI to make it less likely that you'll need to wait in line at Guest Services.

Within the Royal Caribbean app is a chat feature that can help answer issues guests may have. The chat feature interacts with an AI bot, who could help reduce the lengthy Guest Services line. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean's clever idea using AI to get help on the world's largest cruise ship

The way it works is you can ask the bot simple questions. You can can ask an AI bot certain questions like "What can my SeaPass do?" and "How do I access Wi-Fi?"

It will also tell you how much the drink package costs, as well as help you add a registered user to your account and opt out of gratuities.

If it can't answer it for you, then it will connect you with an actual agent.

"Being able to text someone from your pool deck chair or your swim-up bar seat is where we'd much rather you be [on vacation]," said Schneider. 

According to Schneider, the new chat system "works beautifully." 

Pre-book restaurants with a dining package

The one improvement I cannot wait for Royal Caribbean to implement is the new option to pre-book restaurants if you have a dining package.

Traditionally if you bought a dining package, you'd have to wait until you got onboard the cruise ship to make an actual reservation. 

Mr. Schneider pointed out the issue of how this makes the first day less enjoyable, "If you book a dine package with us, you can't actually reserve those restaurants ahead of time. So you have to run around on day one of your vacation to figure it out."

The plan is for all dining packages to be reservable so that guests don't have to do go make reservations on the first day. Essentially, it creates the same experience for people with a dining package and those that pre-book a specific specialty restaurant.

This upgrade is not available yet on any ship, but Royal Caribbean says it's a top priority and they hope, "to get it into market as soon as possible, but we don't have a date yet."

Once implemented, expect it on the Icon Class ships and Utopia of the Seas first, with the rest of the fleet getting it later.

Shore excursion desk

How you book and manage a shore excursion on Icon of the Seas is also different.

Instead of dedicating space to kiosks to book a shore excursion, Icon has removed that.  Mr. Schneider pointed out these spaces, like the one on Freedom of the Seas, are largely empty most of the time because guests are pre-booking tours before the cruise or on the Royal Caribbean app.

"If you think of the evolution of spaces, spaces that were really important 15 years ago are no longer important today. And so the notion of transactional kiosks, when everybody books their shore excursion on their phone or pre-arrival, isn't needed."

However, Royal Caribbean didn't get rid of the shore excursion team all together. 

Behind the Pearl on the Royal Promenade is a service lounge experience, where you can go to talk to someone about an excursion. It's run similar to stores on land where you are seated and a customer service agent comes up to you to address your concern or need.

When you walk up, you're entered into their system for the first available crew member to assist you. Your name is even listed on a screen to show where you are in the queue. There's no physical line, so you can sit down and relax until it's your turn.

On my cruise, there was no one else there so I did not need to wait at all, but not having a formal queue seems like it would be easier, especially for families.  

Order photos from the app

A favorite tradition on any cruise is getting your photos taken. While the memories captured through these photos are a fun, going to the photo gallery to order prints was not.

Royal Caribbean recently implemented new functionality within the Royal Caribbean app to be able to review photos you've taken and order them, all within the app.

Just like the shore excursions, there's no digital kiosks on Icon to preview photos. Next to the shore excursion desk is the photo gallery desk to assist with concerns you might have.

Royal Caribbean incorporated many tried-and-true venues, features, and concepts from previous cruise ships, but it also dropped a few that didn't make the final cut for Icon of the Seas.

Icon of the Seas is a blend of innovation and tradition, which means it brought some features from existing ships to this new ship. 

With Icon being a brand new class of ship, it's interesting to note what Royal Caribbean decided to copy from existing ships and which did not. Some have been things you'd find on ships for years, and others were just newer features.

After sailing on Icon of the Seas, I noticed a number of amenities that had been standard on Royal Caribbean's other newer ships were not on Icon. I find it interesting to see trends in the cruise line, and see what direction they're going. Plus, it's a sign of what we can expect with future ships or even upcoming refurbishments.

Digital key

Royal Caribbean's app has gotten more features over the years, but you won't be able to open your cabin door with the app.

While the app does allow you to control the air conditioning settings and even operate the television, the option to unlock your stateroom door isn't there on Icon.

Spectrum of the Seas was the first Royal Caribbean ship to offer a digital key and control the stateroom television from the app. Most recently, this is a feature available on Wonder of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas.

Admittedly, I always forgot to ever use the digital key to open my door, but it was a nice option to have as a backup if you ever accidentally locked yourself out of your cabin. 

Bionic Bar

You won't find robot bartenders on Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean had made a name for itself with the Bionic Bar ever since they were added to Quantum of the Seas in 2014.  Since then, every new ship had a Bionic Bar onboard. They were even adding it to older Oasis Class ships when they went in for refurbishment.

The Bionic Bar allowed guests to use a tablet to order drinks. They could customize the drink order to their liking, and then submit it for a pair of robot arms to create.

The robots were able to grab a cup, dispense the precise amount of liquor and mix, and then serve it on a conveyer belt back to the guest.

Alas, the Bionic Bar was left behind for Icon. Not only is there no Bionic Bar on Icon, but it's not coming to Utopia of the Seas either.

Like all technology, it ages and new fads come and go. The Bionic Bar was always intriguing to watch and try once, but its repeat value seemed to diminish quickly.

Digital Wayfinders

Another piece of tech that has seemingly reached the end of its life are digital wayfinders.

On every new and refurbished Royal Caribbean cruise ship over the last decade or more, there are large screens at every elevator lobby where guests can view activities, get directions to a particular venue, and other features. 

These interactive kiosks made it so you could walk up to one while on your way to the elevator and get where you needed to go.

Wayfinders were first installed on Royal Caribbean's Oasis and Allure of the Seas ships, and were upgraded over the years as they made their way to other ships. 

You won't find wayfinders on Icon of the Seas, probably because that functionality is included in the more robust Royal Caribbean app we can all use today.  Moreover, app and smartphone use are far more ubiquitous than in past years.

Self-service convenience machines

When I forgot to pack shaving cream I realized Icon of the Seas did not have the vending machines that Royal Caribbean's newer ships have.

On some ships, there are self-service vending machines where you can buy toiletries, beauty products, accessories and more.  There's no fuss with them and rarely a line.

I never relied on the machines, but it was nice to have in a pinch.

Stream to your TV

Of all the things on this list, I probably missed the ability to stream from my phone to my stateroom television the most.

While the televisions in your cabin do have a number of useful features, you cannot stream via Chromecast to your television.

On an evening where you wanted to take it easy and watch a movie or binge a TV show from your room, it was nice to be able to play it on the television instead of my device.

Virtual balcony

Another Quantum Class era innovation didn't come to Icon of the Seas with the virtual balcony cabin.

A virtual balcony cabin was meant to be an upgrade from a regular inside room (as opposed to a real balcony cabin).  Virtual balconies are 80-inch LED televisions that are in inside staterooms on select Royal Caribbean ships that provide live HD views from outside the cruise ship, right into your stateroom.

Read more: Everything you wanted to know about a virtual balcony

It's a neat idea (and something Royal Caribbean admitted they copied from Disney Cruise Line), but like the digital wayfinders, was an aging technology and guest trends had changed.

Moreover, Royal Caribbean introduced a different kind of balcony on Icon of the Seas: the infinite balcony.

Based on the infinite verandas from sister brand Celebrity Cruises, infinite balconies are a twist on the tradition balcony by having the balcony space become more useful living space when an opening to the outside isn't in use.

New restaurant concepts

Any new Royal Caribbean cruise ship will have a different specialty restaurants, but I was surprised certain newer concepts didn't end up on Icon too.

Royal Caribbean works hard to innovate and push boundaries with its dining choices. If there's been one constant over the years, it's the Food & Beverage team has looked for ways to introduce new cuisines, cooking styles, and concepts to its assortment of dining choices.

Some of these new restaurants seem to be heralded by the cruise line as a big deal, and it's not uncommon for a new restaurant to be quickly copied over to many other ships. Playmakers Sports Bar is a great example of this, and Empire Supper Club is already slated to be copied to the rest of the new Icon Class ships coming down the pike.

While Playmakers and Hooked were added to Icon, Mason Jar and Portside BBQ did not. Both of these were new restaurants that were met with much fanfare, but are not on Icon of the Seas.

Of course, Royal Caribbean managed to add a variety of new restaurants on Icon, such as Pier 7, Empire Supper Club, Surfside Bites, and more.

Read more: Icon of the Seas restaurant and dining guide

Traditional bow design

Icon of the Seas is the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to implement a parabolic bow instead of a traditional one.

A parabolic bow is a functional design element that creates a curved indentation in the bottom of the vessel’s hull. 

This new bow design helps increase overall stability of the vessel by shifting the center of gravity forward. In addition, parabolic bows allow the ship to be less likely to capsize or heel. This is due to the bow creating an area of low pressure beneath the ship’s hull. 

I expect the traditional bow will be a thing of the past for any new ships going forward, given the improvements in efficiencies that a parabolic bow provides.

Did I miss any features that Royal Caribbean left off Icon? Let me know in the comments!

It looks like Royal Caribbean may be gearing up to announce a second cruise ship will be deployed to the west coast.

Royal Caribbean had originally planned to announce its 2025-2026 deployments from Los Angeles this week, but the cruise line delayed that deployment until the week of February 26, 2024.

In the meantime, the Port of Los Angeles schedule for 2025 shows there will be two Royal Caribbean cruise ships based there.

Quantum of the Seas is listed as scheduled to depart from Los Angeles across dates in the last part of 2025.  The 2026 schedule is not available yet.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Ron Hiller shared his findings with us. Based on what we can tell from the port schedule, Quantum's first cruise out of Los Angeles will be October 2, 2025 and offer a 4-night sailing. Quantum then has an array of 3, 4, 5 and 6 night cruises for the rest of the year. 

Read more: Mexican Riviera cruise guide

Logically, it makes sense Quantum of the Seas could fit into the west cruise market. She's already scheduled to offer cruises to Alaska in 2025.

Navigator of the Seas is also on the schedule, and will continue its normal schedule. 

Royal Caribbean has not confirmed or announced anything yet, so this is all speculation. In the past, port schedules have been good indicators of what Royal Caribbean intends to do.

Official confirmation could come at some point during the week of February 26, with it likely occurring midweek based on when other deployments have been published.

Adding a second cruise ship to the west coast market is a strong indication of the cruise line's commitment to the market.

Royal Caribbean was absent from the LA cruise market for ten years, due to violence in Mexico and dwindling profits. However, they resumed sailing from there in 2022 with Navigator of the Seas.

New deployments for 2025-2026 have been slowly coming out since November 2023, and there are just a handful of deployments left.  Cruise fans can't help but wonder where the remaining ships that have not been deployed will end up.

Quantum of the Seas was one such ship, but Wonder of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas two other notable ships missing from the schedule.

Short Caribbean deployment also delayed

Initially, Short Caribbean cruises in 2025 and 2026 were scheduled to launch around the same time as those from Los Angeles; however, they got pushed back a week.

Short Caribbean was delayed before the Los Angeles deployment was, and now both are scheduled for the week of February 26.

These voyages are ideal for those seeking a shorter getaway or who might be new to cruising and cannot commit to the idea of spending a week on a ship.

Short Caribbean itineraries refer to primarily weekend cruises, as well as 3-, 4-, and 5-night cruises. Typically it's from ports such as Tampa, Miami, and Port Canaveral.

Currently, the only sailing to the Caribbean that's fewer than 5 nights is onboard Allure of the Seas from Galveston. This cruise departs in March 2026 and costs $749 per person, before taxes and fees. 

Read more: Is it worth it to book a short 3-night cruise?

Upcoming deployments

The remainder of the deployment schedule is as follows:

• Week of February 26: Los Angeles & Short Caribbean
• Week of March 11: China
• Week of April 8: Australia
• Week of May 13: Singapore

It's important to remember that the sailings could be released at any point within that week; they're not bound to be published on the first day of the listed week. In addition, the deployment schedule can be changed at anytime.

Anything beyond early 2026 will be released in the next deployment cycle, which typically commences in November.

Royal Caribbean introduced plenty of new features on Icon of the Seas, including a walk-up sushi window.

Sushi has been an incredibly popular dining choice on Royal Caribbean ships ever since the first Izumi location opened on Oasis of the Seas in 2009. Demand for Japanese cuisine has never only increased since then, and Royal Caribbean wanted to make it easier than ever to enjoy it with its newest cruise ship.

Icon of the Seas began offering cruises in January 2024 and one of the revamped venues anyone that has cruised a lot with Royal Caribbean will notice is the new look to Izumi.

Royal Caribbean moved Izumi to the Central Park neighborhood, offering a high-traffic location in one of the most sought-after areas of the cruise ship for guests looking to dine out. Central Park has traditionally been a combination of dining and entertainment, and Izumi is now located across the path from Royal Caribbean's most well-known specialty restaurant, Chops Grille.

Izumi's rise in popularity isn't based on just luck.  Izumi Master Chef Travis Kamiyama has over 30 years experience working in Japanese cuisine, and he provided the inside story of how adding a new and convenient way to get sushi came to be on Icon.

Being given prime real estate is validation to the fact Izumi is a popular and profitable idea, "After 14 years of blood, sweat and tears, we made it. We landed in Central Park. Yeah, so that's a big deal."

"I think the consistency and becoming iconic," he said in talking about Izumi's popularity.

"And it was all by, you know, guests raving about it and all the numbers showing it. And that's what it was all about. It was all purely proven."

Read more: An inside look at how Royal Caribbean's Izumi restaurant went from concept to success

Sushi and bubble cones to go

At the walk-up window, there's two types of food you can order.

The sushi options include a choice of two rolls, plus edamame or seaweed salad. You'll find both sashimi and nigiri rolls to consider.

Rolls are served in a container so you can take it anywhere on the ship. There are tables nearby in Central Park, or you could take it back to your cabin to enjoy.

There's also bubble cones, which has ice cream served in sweet, eggy bubble waffles that are crisp on the outside and cakey on the inside.

They're photogenic because of the toppings you'll get with it, and they're kind of like a milk shake meets ice cream cone.

There are five flavors: 

1. Cookies & Cream
2. Rainbow mochi & mocha
3. Beach Umbrella
4. Chocolate Thrill
5. Strawberry Bliss

Chef Kamiyama says Cookies and Cream is the top seller so far, with chocolate thrill and the strawberry bliss right behind it.

In describing the bubble cone, it's more than just another ice cream choice, "It is basically a hot waffle that's bubbly. And then we put a soft serve of ice cream, vanilla or chocolate, which is much creamier than the ones you get for free. And then we have different toppings on top."

Seven years in the making

Royal Caribbean worked on Icon of the Seas for over 7 years. It's what the cruise line calls a "white paper ship", meaning they started with a blank slate and came up with ideas for what they wanted onboard.

One of the overarching initiatives on Icon of the Seas is easy access to food with grab-and-go choices. You'll find this at restaurants like Pearl Cafe or Park Cafe. Likewise, adding an easy sushi option was identified, but it was not going to be easy, "they figured that the most demanding grab and go was sushi."

Royal Caribbean had experimented with offering pre-packaged sushi a few years ago with the Izumi Express concept. On select ships, there was sushi available on the Royal Promenade, but the Izumi in the Park sushi window goes well beyond that.

Chef Kamiyama indicated they wanted a blend of food that would appeal to the cruising market and based their decisions on what was already selling well at Izumi.

One of the biggest Izumi locations yet

Not only is Izumi located in a new area, it's also one of the biggest locations Royal Caribbean has built yet.

"To have finally almost 70 seats on an Icon class or the future Oasis six, that's a huge win for me and for the guests as well," Chef Kamiyama said of the size of Izumi on Icon of the Seas.

For Japanese cuisine lovers, you'll find sushi, hibachi, ramen, mochi and more. 

The restaurant is divided up between a sushi section and the teppanyaki dining, along with the adjacent sushi window.

What to try if you're new to Japanese food

If all this Izumi talk sounds like you want to try it, I asked Chef Kamiyama what he would recommend to a newbie.

"You can't go wrong with the gyoza dumpling... and then also the chicken karaage," were the first two recommendations he had.

As for sushi, he also recommended the salmon lovers roll or the spicy tuna roll as good choices.

Royal Caribbean isn't done building Oasis Class cruise ships.

On Thursday, its parent company announced that an order has been placed for a seventh Oasis Class ship from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique  shipyard.

Delivery of the new ship is expected in 2028.

Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty celebrated the new order in a statement, "While we eagerly anticipate the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas this summer, we’re already dreaming up her sister ship and the next installation in the brand’s extremely popular Oasis Class."

"Across our three brands, we are focused on continuously challenging ourselves to deliver the ultimate vacation experience."

This order is contingent upon financing, which is expected to be completed later this year.

The unnamed Oasis Class ship will follow Utopia of the Seas, which debuts later this summer.

Continuing the legacy

The new order is a bit of a surprise, given that it seemed like Utopia of the Seas was going to be the last in the Oasis Class.

Royal Caribbean ordered its sixth Oasis Class ship in 2019, and then with three Icon Class ships on order (and maybe a new class of ship coming too), it seemed like the Oasis Class was done.

Of course, the Oasis Class ships have been not just a game-changer in the cruise industry, but one of the primary standards that all other new cruise ships are measured against.

Ever since Oasis of the Seas debuted in 2009, these cruise ships have been the incredibly popular with the public.  Their size captures the imagination, and the experience onboard delivers great family vacations.

At an event in 2022, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about how popular the Oasis Class ships have been, "When the first Oasis class ship came out 12 years ago, from the moment it sailed, it has been an absolute huge success. I mean, these these ships deliver from every single dimension."

"And the most important dimension is customer satisfaction. And the ratings that these ships get with the scale that we have is is unbelievable. People love sailing on these ships."

He believes the key to success has been a winning formula that is integral to this ship class, "It's just the breadth and depth, the neighborhoods, the ability to have for a family to come and engage and have fun across all of these different dimensions, but then come together for the evening for a great dinner, and then maybe go out and do all their different things on their own. It really is a winning formula and it's it's just it proves itself time and time again."

Royal Caribbean's future fleet

This new Oasis Class ship is far from the only new cruise ships Royal Caribbean has on order.

Utopia of the Seas enters service on July 22, 2024 and will offer short cruises, the first time an Oasis Class ship will start cruising with just weekend sailings.  It's part of a new strategy by Royal Caribbean to target first-time cruisers and families.

Read more: Royal Caribbean's plan to dominate short cruises

Then there's two more Icon Class ships coming out in the next two years. 

Star of the Seas debuts in August 2025 and will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida to destinations in the Caribbean. An unnamed third Icon Class ship will start cruising sometime in 2026.

Royal Caribbean also has not-so-secretive plans for a new class of cruise ship, which is smaller than the Oasis or Icon Class ships. 

Referred to as the Discovery Class, these ships are reportedly going to be somewhat smaller, so it can replace the aging Vision and Radiance Class ships. Details are scarce, so it's still a guessing game what to expect.  No orders have been placed for the Discovery Class ships.