When it comes to a Royal Caribbean cruise, eating is one of the best things about this sort of vacation because of all the different option you have.

There are familiar dishes, crowd favorites, and a lot of international flare too to the food served around your ship. Out of the many options you can consider, there's one cuisine that I love and I'm not alone: Indian curries.

Whether in the Main Dining Room or at the Windjammer buffet, there's bound to be at least one Indian dish available, and many times there's more than one.

One select nights, the Windjammer buffet actually expands to offer an Indian themed night of choices.

These Indian curry dishes are all the rage on Reddit, with diehards littering the thread with compliments about how good it tastes and how it's been a favorite for many years among cruisers who recognized it as a lesser-known great choice. One comment even exclaims, "The Indian food on the ship was their best food they had!"

Personally, I've been ordering Indian dishes ever since my first Royal Caribbean cruise. Not only do I enjoy this cuisine, but I find it flavorful and a healthier option in some cases.

Why so many people order Indian food on their cruise

Royal Caribbean tries to offer a wide array of cuisines to satisfy the needs of their customers, and that includes dishes from all over the world.

For many years, Indian curry was useful not just because it was popular, but because it was a good vegetarian alternative option to offer.

But Indian food has become more popular over the years, and it's offered every day on the Main Dining Room menu.  There's an Indian dish, along with a vegetarian alternative listed on every day's dinner menu.

Examples include chicken curry, chicken korma, saag, butter chicken, and more.

Adding to the quality of the food is the undeniable fact there are many Indians that work on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. With such a large population onboard, the attention to detail of the food is important as many times foods served to guests are also offered to crew members.

Reddit user sastrid posted, "I used to work for Royal Caribbean, and the staff Indian food was amazing. Made for Indians, by Indians."

Royal Caribbean cruises that depart from Southampton, UK typically have even more Indian food offered because of how culturally interwoven food from from the Indian subcontinent is in the UK.

In a different Reddit thread, the question was posed what is the best complimentary food on Royal Caribbean not to miss, and the top upvoted result was Indian food.

"Indian night in the windjammer was incredible. Every dish was super delicious and flavorful," wrote avazah.

"All of the Indian food on board is phenomenal, but the vegetarian Indian entree is exceptional even by those standards," added crazypurple621.

What you should try

Assuming you've never had Indian food before, there's a few good starting points.

First and foremost, curry is not inherently spicy.  There's a common misconception that all Indian food is very spicy, but that's not the case. 

In my experience, the curry served on the menu is often mild in order to be palatable to a wider audience.  There are various garnishes you can add in to make it spicier, but the food is pretty tame in terms of heat.

If you've never had Indian food before, there are two dishes I would recommend trying first: Butter chicken or chicken curry.

These are two basic Indian curries that have a pleasant flavor, no vegetables, and lack any spice that might be too much for a newbie.

It's a very tasty choice that satisfies without venturing too far out of most people's comfort zone.  Both are essentially chicken in a sauce, and it pairs extremely well with the white rice that comes with it.

I like to eat the chicken first and then pour the rice into the remaining curry, but maybe that's just a me thing.

I also think the chicken korma is quite good, but it has a bolder flavor and more vegetables with it.

You'll find either of these curries served in the Main Dining Room or Windjammer.

Speaking of vegetables, the vegetarian curries are usually my favorite. I will absolutely have multiple servings of aloo gobi anytime they have it, which is a curry mixed with cauliflower and potatoes.

It's healthy and really tasty, with good textures.

The one curry I never, ever got a taste for was dal.  

Dal comes in a few forms, but it's a vegetarian side dish that's just something I never got the taste for because of its consistency, I think.

One great thing about a cruise is you can feel free to taste and try food without fear of wasting it. Royal Caribbean will encourage you to do this, and there's nothing wrong with ordering it and getting something else if it's not to your liking.

Skip the bread

I might get hate for this, but the one thing I never liked on Royal Caribbean was the naan or roti bread.

On land, I'd order that every time, but I've always found the Indian breads that accompany a curry tough and almost stale.

Reddit user Joatboy agrees with me, "I do find their naan to be the major weak point on those days. It's always like a pita."

You can try it yourself and see, but I usually leave it to the side.

While Royal Caribbean's cruise terminal in Miami is arguably the best in terminal experience of any out there, the traffic has become a real problem.

Passengers on recent Royal Caribbean cruises departing from Miami have received emails about free bus transfers, even if they paid for them already.

Ships like Icon of the Seas or Symphony of the Seas depart from Terminal A in PortMiami, and it appears traffic is bad enough that the cruise line is offering ways to consolidate the amount of vehicles getting there.

"Since we're expecting heavier traffic than usual on debarkation day, we're now offering complimentary transfers," an email sent to passengers on Icon of the Seas sailing departing March 15.

Royal Caribbean is offering these free transfers, even though people already paid for them, "Because you've already booked and paid for your return trip to the airport, we'll be refunding your reservation and rebooking you on a complimentary shuttle back to the airport on debarkation day."

A similar message was sent to guests booked on Symphony of the Seas sailing from Miami, "How would you like a transfer to the airport on us? Yeah, that’s right, ON US!" 

"We’d like to offer you a complimentary transfer to either Miami International or Fort Lauderdale airport after your cruise to make sure you enjoy every moment of your time with us."

Royal Caribbean offering free rides to the airport seems to be a push to get more passengers to use mass transportation, rather than rely on more vehicles.

These emails have been sent to passengers on specific sailings close to the departure date, so there's no way to know exactly if it will be offered on future sailings as well.

"Crazy traffic"

When you talk to cruisers, they see the issue Royal Caribbean appears to be addressing.

The cruise terminals in Miami aren't in the city, but rather located on Dodge Island. This is inbetween Downtown Miami and South Beach, and it's a small piece of land where cruise ships and cargo ships go to dock.

"Just got on Independence in Miami and can attest to the crazy traffic," wrote reddit user happyinbentonville.

User juliaguuullliiaa added, "it took me an hour and a half to get to the port today when it was only supposed to be 30 mins."

Royal Caribbean offers cruises out of different terminals in Miami, but Terminal A is the one used for its big ships, like Icon.

These are some of the biggest cruise ships in the world, with Icon of the Seas alone able to handle up to 7,000 passengers when the ship is totally maxed out on capacity.

Ride share services are a very popular way to get to or from the cruise terminal, but they add much more traffic.

Add to that a lot of cruise ships, and it's a recipe for a swath of people.

On February 8, a record-breaking 10 cruise ships were docked in Miami on a single day, with close to 68,000 passengers on board.

When you add a lot of cars on a single road to get in and out of Terminal A, it's a recipe for traffic. 

"The drive was 5 miles but took 45 min with traffic," posted Rich Klepacz on Facebook.

Brian Hill posted, "The traffic flow to the ships is ridiculous! I go quite often and have spent over an hour getting round to pick up people I can see waving to me!"

Liz Romeo added, "That is the main reason I don’t like cruising out of Miami."

Options for getting in and out of Miami

Passengers have a few options for getting home after their cruise from Miami.

Bus service is offered to the major airports nearby, and can be purchased through Royal Caribbean or on your own.  

It's been my experience you can hop on a bus to go to the airport on the spot when leaving the cruise terminal, as there are people standing outside the terminal with signs advertising bus options.

Ride share services and taxis are also available, with the taxis stationed near the exit of the terminal, while ride shares are closer to the luggage drop off areas.

You could park your own car in the parking garage, which has a daily fee to park there.

Finally, you could rely on someone picking you up.

You have a Royal Caribbean cruise booked, but what if you want to add someone to your reservation?

It's fairly common to have travel plans change, especially when trying to plan a vacation many months in advance.

Royal Caribbean cruise fares are priced out per person, and each person has their own cost within any cabin.  Sometimes a Kids Sail Free deal can negate the fare for children, but there are restrictions in place too.

If you want to add someone to your cruise, the ability to do so and associated cost truly depend on a few different conditions. Sometimes, it's not possible and other times it may incur hefty costs.

How to add additional people to your Royal Caribbean cabin

In order to add someone to your cabin, there are a few prerequisites:

• The change must be made before the ship's manifest is finalized (usually about 72 hours before the cruise begins)
• The cabin must be designated as being able to accommodate the total capacity of your party
• There must be enough life boat spaces for the new person

Changes are allowed up until a few days before a cruise begins, but you may find other issues preventing it from going forward with the change.

Each Royal Caribbean cabin has a maximum capacity. Regardless if you think you could fit that person into the room, it's impossible to add additional people beyond that particular cabin's capacity.

The number of passengers allowed in a room is linked to the number of seats in life rafts and muster stations.

As an example, if you originally booked an oceanview balcony cabin designed for two people but want to add a third person, you'd have to upgrade to a different category oceanview balcony cabin that can accommodate three people.

Whether your cabin can handle the additional person or not, you're going to incur a new cost.  Often, that cost can be prohibitively expensive.

When you make a change to a reservation and add someone, you will have to pay the prevailing rate and not the rate you booked everyone else at originally.

Even if you're making the change sufficiently before the cruise begins and you're okay with the price change, it may not be possible to add someone to a reservation because of maritime law.

If the lifeboat capacity for your muster station is full, Royal Caribbean would not allow you to add that extra person. Regulations related to safety at sea is quite strict, and cruise ships cannot load in more people than can be safely handled in case of an emergency.

Assuming there's no issues with any of these restrictions, then you can add the extra person to your reservation.

You would have to pay for the extra person's deposit and cruise fare, as well as port fees and taxes.

The simplest thing to do is call Royal Caribbean or your travel agent and ask them if it's possible and what the cost would be.

You'll need to call Royal Caribbean or your travel agent to make this sort of a change.  It cannot be done online.

Swapping people is very easy

If you just want to change one person for another, then this is quite easy.

You can always name swap people without any change fees or extra costs as long as it's done before the ship's manifest is submitted and at least one person from the original reservation remains on the booking.

You just have to have your travel agent make the name change, and it's usually quite an easy task.

Usually extra passengers cost less overall

One silver lining to adding extra passengers is they probably won't cost as much as you did to book.

Royal Caribbean's cruise fares are based on double occupancy, and the bulk of the cost is centered around the first two passengers in a cabin.

Often the price for third, fourth, or more people in the same cabin drops quite a lot.

The catch is if you change cabins.

If you booked a cabin for two people and now want to add a third person to your room, you'd have to upgrade your cabin to a higher category that can accommodate three people.

Cabins for two are plentiful and the most common type of cabin on the ship.  There are less cabins for three people, and because they sell out faster, prices tend to be higher.

In fact, this is why sometimes an inside cabin for three people costs more than a balcony cabin for two people.  Revenue management software automatically adjusts rates based on supply and demand principles. 

When many interior cabins are booked because demand is high, it's quite common to see rates increase to the point they are equal to or more than ocean view and sometimes even balcony rates. 

Adding people if you bid for a cabin upgrade

Let's assume you win a bid to upgrade your cabin to a lovely larger cruise ship cabin with the RoyalUp program.  Could you add an additional guest since you now have more space?

The good news is you can add people to your bigger room after winning a RoyalUp bid, but it's considered a reprice when adding people so it would be at the prevailing room rate.

Moreover, if you had another cabin booked prior to the bid, you can't just combine your two bookings into the new one you got with the upgrade. 

Of course, the people booked in the second room could remain in that room "on paper", but sleep and enjoy the nicer room with you.

Alternatives to adding someone to your cabin

Besides trying to add someone to your room, there are other options you could explore.

Booking an additional room is one option, and depending on prevailing rates and how many unsold cabins there are left, this could be feasible.

Even if you're trying to add a minor, they're allowed in a room by themselves if that room is adjacent or connecting to the parent's room.

If not, this might be a good opportunity to bring granny or another adult since the price for one person or two people in a standard cabin is going to be about the same price because of the single supplement fee charged to solo cruisers.

Another idea is to simply upgrade everyone to a suite.

Even after final payment date, Royal Caribbean is usually good about allowing you to spend more money and move up to a higher cost cabin.

Suites often have the highest capacity of any single cabin. Of course, a suite won't be cheap, especially if you're trying to do this closer to your sail date. Plus, suites tend to sell out first.

I can tackle the day so much better if I've had a good night's sleep, but a being on a cruise vacation means a different bed and sleeping conditions.

I've found I sleep pretty well on cruise ships overall, but I've had to tweak a few things to make it more conducive for a good night's rest.  I think that's partly because I want to adapt my cabin to how I like to sleep at home.

Getting proper rest is important to just about anyone, and you shouldn't have to settle for poor sleep simply because you're not at home. I think a lot of people view vacation as an opportunity to relax and rest up with plenty of sleep.

As your ship moves through the ocean in a bed you're not used to, it can be an adjustment to acclimating to it all.

I wanted to share the tips and tricks for sleeping better on a cruise that have worked for me and our readers.

Make the room colder

If you ask my wife, I keep our cabin like a freezer while we cruise.  That's partly because I sleep so much better when it's cold in my room.

Your stateroom will have air conditioning controls, and I'd recommend turning the air conditioner down so it's as cold as you're comfortable with a few hours before you go to sleep.

This is especially important in the summer when the Caribbean sun is stronger and can really heat up your cabin, even if the balcony door is closed.

A good strategy is to make the room as cold as you can before you leave for dinner so there's sufficient time for it to cool down.

You should also draw the curtains to help darken the room so it can cool down even faster.

Mattress topper

Did you know you can make your bed even softer by asking for a mattress topper?

I prefer a firm mattress, but plenty of others like their beds to feel much softer.  If you're someone like that, then there's an option to help.

You can ask your stateroom attendant for a mattress topper as soon as you meet them on the first day of the cruise.

Depending on the ship, they'll either have an actual mattress pad to insert below the sheet or a comforter that does the same thing.

I'd recommend asking for one as early as you can, because there's a limited supply available.

Stick to your sleep routine from home

There's so much excitement on a cruise, but I find when our kids were younger, it was important to keep them on their schedule.

While it's probably impossible to adhere to the exact schedule, the closer you can keep it, the better overall.

It's a good idea with young kids to keep them doing the usual things at as close to the normal times as possible, including taking a shower, having a glass of milk, or reading in bed.

Don't be shy about asking for what you need

In addition to the mattress topper request, you should ask if you need other extras in your room to help you sleep.

If you need extra pillows or comforters, your stateroom attendant can get them for you.

Your bed will have a few extra pillows to begin with, but don't assume what's in the room is all you're entitled to.

A white noise machine works well too

A lot of people are used to a certain amount of noise while they sleep, whether it's the hum of an air conditioner, television on, or something else.

You could buy a small white noise machine to bring with you, or download an app for your phone to simulate the same thing. Our readers have recommended “bedtime fan” from App Store.

If you prefer a device, try the LectroFan white noise machine. It's powered by USB, so there's no issue with it being confiscated. (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Pack ear plugs

While a little white noise is good, loud noises really make it difficult to sleep.

There are all sort of sounds inside your cabin and outside that could keep you awake, such as snoring, the ship creaking, hangers clanging, or loud passengers.

I'd recommend buying a pack of disposable ear plugs to have, just in case.

The Flents Foam Ear Plugs fit well, muffle noise, but you'll still be able to hear your alarm go off in the morning. (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Don't pick a cabin near a public venue

You can avoid a lot of noise issues that could disturb your sleep simply by picking the right room.

Tried-and-true cruise advice is to pick a cabin that is one deck above and below other cabins, and not a public space.

Picking a room that's below the pool deck, or above a lounge could result in a lot of unwanted noise bleed.

All you need to do is consult a deck map when choosing a room, and double check that there's other cabins one deck above and below the cabin you're considering booking.

Book an inside stateroom

People that cruise a lot swear the best room to sleep in is an inside cabin with no windows.

Because interior rooms have no natural light, it can get pitch black once the lights are off.

This makes it ideal for sleeping if you're sensitive to light in the morning.  As an added bonus, it won't get hot in there either because of heat coming from the sun!

Plus, an inside room will cost a lot less than a balcony cabin.

Buy a USB fan

One more thing you could buy to bring with you is a fan.

My wife loves to sleep with the sound a fan creating white noise at night. Plus, the fan cools the air.

You'll want to get a USB or battery operated fan, and not one that plugs into the wall.

Your ship will have a limited supply of complimentary fans to use if you were to ask your stateroom attendant, but there are very few of them.  Bringing your own assures you that you'll have one.

It could be getting a little bit easier getting your luggage off a cruise ship and onto your flight home.

Guests on an upcoming cruise received a letter informing them that the luggage assistance program that's been missing for over five years is on its way back.

Royal Caribbean calls it Luggage Valet, and it's an easier way to get bags from ship to airport on the final morning of the cruise.

The service was offered for years, but was cut a while back for sailings from Florida.  It's now being offered again on 7 night sailings or longer sailing from select ports.

"Royal Caribbean is proud to offer airline check-in at sea. Luggage Valet provides the unique opportunity to check in for your flight at sea and allow your bags to be collected, cleared, and sent on to your final destination, while you enjoy the comfort and ease of hands-free travel."

This means you can enjoy your last morning on board without worrying about your bags—just disembark and head to the airport.

How the service works

On all cruises, you can leave your luggage outside your stateroom on the last morning of the cruise to be collected by crew members and subsequently brought to the cruise terminal for pickup.

Luggage Valet offers an easier option for those flying home on select airlines.

You have to enroll in the optional program by filling out a form and returning it to the Guest Services Desk no later than day 3 of the cruise. If you are a Suite, Pinnacle, Diamond Plus, or Diamond guest with access to the Concierge service, you can return the form to the Concierge at either the Crown Lounge on Deck 4 or the Suite Lounge on Deck 17 by day 3 of the cruise.

This service can only be purchased onboard the ship, and cannot be pre-booked before the cruise begins.

In your stateroom you'll get your luggage tags delivered to your cabin to affix to your luggage.

Bags are collected the night before the cruise ends, but passengers don't pick up the bags in the terminal. Rather, the bags are brought to the airport and checked onto your flight.

With this service, you wouldn't see your bags until you land at your home airport and collect your bags from baggage claim.

It's available only at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) or Miami International Airport (MIA).

Guests departing from FLL must have flights that depart between 11:30 AM and 11:59 PM on the day of disembarkation.

Guests departing from MIA must have flights that depart between 2:00 PM and 11:59 PM on the day of disembarkation.

How much it costs

Luggage valet costs $29 per guest plus applicable airline baggage fees.

The cost is charged to your Royal Caribbean onboard account.

Here is a list of which airlines participate in Luggage Valet:

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) – Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

Miami International Airport (MIA) – Delta Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airlines, Southwest Airlines.

Still offered for Alaska cruises too

While the letter distributed to guests this week doesn't include Alaska, it appears it's still offered in Seattle too.

The Port of Seattle website lists Royal Caribbean as a participating partner in its Port Valet program, which is quite similar to Luggage Valet.

This service is offered by the Port of Seattle, and you can sign up online before the cruise begins, or once onboard.  The best part? It's complimentary (excluding any airline baggage fees).

Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, and Royal Caribbean passengers can take advantage of it.

You can use Port Valet if you are flying with these participating airlines: Alaska, American, Delta, Horizon, JetBlue, Southwest, or United.

Why you should use Luggage Valet

The appeal of Luggage Valet is to offer an even easier way to get off your ship and on your way home.

If you've ever dealt with disembarking your ship on the final morning with luggage in hand, it can be a bit of a hassle.  This is especially true with young children and trying to juggle them and your bags.

With Luggage Valet, you don't have any big bags to contend with, and Royal Caribbean thinks that offers less hassle and a more enjoyable experience overall.

Plus, you can totally skip the typically long lines to check luggage at the airport.

Of course there is an extra cost, so it adds to the overall vacation budget.  But the convenience of having your bags taken off the ship and to your flight is lovely option.

Happy weekend! We hope you remembered to Spring Forward! Here’s all the Royal Caribbean news this week!

Royal Caribbean is leaving Baltimore next year.

Plans for new deployments in 2026-2027 confirm Vision of the Seas will shift to Fort Lauderdale in October 2026, and no ship will come to replace it.

There were rumors Grandeur of the Seas would replace Vision, but Royal Caribbean already confirmed Grandeur will be based in Tampa in 2026-2027.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean cancels cruise because of tropical cyclone
• Behind-the-scenes construction photos show off Royal Caribbean's $100 million-plus upgrades coming soon
• 4 reasons to add your Royal Caribbean boarding pass to your Apple Wallet
• 11 things you should know before taking a European cruise
• 10 things to make a day at CocoCay even better
• I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class for the first time

New RCB Video: The controversial new Royal Caribbean cruises loyal customers hate

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — The controversial new Royal Caribbean cruises loyal customers hate — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.

Woman goes overboard on Royal Caribbean ship during 80's cruise

A woman went overboard from the Royal Caribbean ship during an 80's nostalgia cruise this week.

The woman has been identified as Kimberly Burch, fiancée of Faster Pussycat singer Taime Downe. 

Multiple reports on social media from passengers on Explorer of the Seas were posted online. The incident happened around 11 p.m. on the first day of the sailing.

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas inside cabin review

Inside cabins are usually the cheapest room on the ship, but what's it like in one on a brand new ship?

To save money, Elizabeth tried an inside room on Wonder of the Seas and even went as far as to pick a guarantee room to get a better deal.

The cost was $2,292.10, but probably could have gotten even a better price had it been booked further in advance.

Royal Caribbean is starting a new restaurant trend (and we love it)

You'll find a new evolution of restaurants on Royal Caribbean's newest ships.

Known as "eatertainment", these restaurants go beyond the traditional specialty restaurant with making it far more immersive.

You should expect more restaurants delving into this hot trend of going beyond a restaurant by offering experiential dining.

What every aspect of a trip on Wonder of the Seas cruise costs

After sailing on Wonder of the Seas for a week, the total cost of this vacation came out more than $4,000.

From the cruise fare to the pre-cruise hotel, drinks onboard, and shore excursions, the total cost of a cruise adds up quickly.

It wasn't the cheapest vacation, but it was worth every penny! 

I'm headed back to Europe this summer for two cruises, and I'll be applying a few lessons learned that I think anyone else trying a European cruise should employ too.

I took my first cruise in Europe in the summer of 2023, and I went back again last year. It's expanded my cruising horizons significantly, and it's probably the highlight of my vacations.  So with a back-to-back cruise planned this summer with friends and family, I want to make sure everyone has a great time.

Prior to ever cruising in Europe, I took a dozens of cruises around North America, but there were some nuances of cruising in Europe that differed greatly from what I was accustomed to.

Royal Caribbean's summer cruise season kicks off in April and May, and it's a busy time when many ships transition from the Caribbean to Mediterranean, North Sea, or English Channel.

Before you head east as well, here are my top pieces of advice for a great time exploring the Old World.

Don't waste time converting currency

One mistake I made even before I left my house for my very first Royal Caribbean cruise in Europe was assuming I needed to get cash.

You really do not need to convert cash to Euros, Pounds, or the local currency of the countries you visit because literally every store, restaurant, and bar you encounter will take a credit card or tap to pay.

What you want to do instead of converting cash is ensure you have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees and bring that instead.

It's easier, faster, and you won't waste time going out of your way to get your money converted.  Plus, you won't come home with foreign currency that will sit in your sock drawer for years.

I was skeptical how many places would take credit cards in Europe, especially street food vendors.  But truly, they all did and I was glad blog readers told me about this so I didn't waste my time.

Booking flights with Royal Caribbean can save you money

I was truly surprised how much money you can save booking a flight with Royal Caribbean.

For my cruise this summer, I booked flights directly with the airline because it was simple.  But I later cancelled it when I saw the price Royal Caribbean wanted.

Royal Caribbean's Air2Sea program allows anyone to book a flight with their cruise, but for Alaska and European cruises, there's bonus savings.

Royal Caribbean will discount flights up to $500 off each ticket for air bookings between made through March 31, 2025 on Alaska and European sailings departing between April 11 - October 27, 2025.

It saved me plenty, and I'd recommend anyone booking a flight to Europe first look at what the cruise line is offering before booking a flight directly.

Get an eSim instead of an international package

I don't remember where I read to get an eSim for my phone, but I'm so glad I did.

Instead of getting an international roaming package from your cell phone carrier, an eSim is a much better approach.

An eSim means you essentially "download" a local sim card to use for your phone while in Europe.  These are super cheap, work in many different countries, and you're a primary network subscriber.  That means if the network is busy, your traffic is prioritized compared to people roaming.

My favorite one to use is Orange sim (this is an affiliate link, that costs you nothing extra but I make a small commission). 

Last year I bought the "Holiday Europe 30GB" plan for €39.99 and it more than covered my needs for the almost two weeks I was there.

I'll be buying this again for my family when we travel in June, and it makes staying in contact simple and affordable.

There's an extra step needed to get to the UK this year

Something new if you're going anywhere in the UK this summer is to complete digital paperwork.

Travelers from the US or Canada need to complete the UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom. If you don't, you could face fines or even be denied to fly.

It will cost you £10 ($13 USD) to apply, and it's all done online.

From what I've heard so far, it's incredibly easy and quick to get approved.

Do anything you can to minimize jetlag

I can't stress enough how important it is to do what you can to avoid getting jetlagged because it will ruin your trip.

Going west to east and skipping ahead 5 or more time zones will wreak havoc with your body's internal sleep clock. If you get jetlagged, you'll be exhausted in the afternoon and wide awake at night.  It could take 3 or 4 days to adjust back, and that's going a good portion of your cruise.

When I went to the UK last year, I committed myself to beating it by not napping on the day I arrived, but it was brutal staying awake because I was unable to sleep on the plane ride over.

Ideally, pick a flight that arrives in the late afternoon or evening local time. That way, you could get to your hotel and go to sleep quickly thereafter.

Moreover, you should give yourself a few days before the cruise begins so if you are jetlagged, you're fighting it off before all your cruise fun begins.  Plus, arriving a few days early means you get extra time to explore the country you're in and guard against a travel delay causing you to miss your cruise.

No matter when you arrive, you really want to acclimate yourself to local time as quickly as you can and unfortunately that means no napping. It's really tempting, but if you can manage to get yourself on local time quickly, you'll enjoy the cruise so much more.

Download a few movies to be able to watch offline

Another hard learned lesson from my past European trips was not having enough things downloaded to watch on my phone.

You never know when the plane's in-flight entertainment might not work, or how boring those long bus rides around Europe can be.

Have a few movies or tv shows downloaded to be able to be watched offline on your phone, just in case.

There's a far greater reliance on public transportation in Europe, and this summer, I've already got a few train and bus rides booked, in addition to my long transatlantic flights.

I regretted not having enough to watch on my first trip over, so I was sure to have a few backup flicks to enjoy.  

My preferred approach is to go through the classic movie section of whichever streaming platform you subscribe to and find Oscar award winning movies you never got a chance to see.  Thanks to boring flights, I've now seen Citizen Kane, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Insterstellar.

I'd have a few movies or shows to watch as a backup, especially if you have kids and find yourself on a long commute.

Download the MBC app

The single best choice I made when I travelled to Europe last summer was downloading the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app.

Everything you've heard about getting through Customs upon return to the United States is true, but this one app made it so much better.

There was a dedicated line for people that pre-file their paperwork with the MPC app, and that line had like 2 people in it when I got there.

It saved me so much time in line compared to everyone else, so I'd recommend everyone use it.

What you want to do is submit your information as soon as you land, while you're waiting to get off the plane because there's a small window of time to get through the line with the app.

You don't need to buy shore excursions in most ports

The reality is a lot of places you visit in Europe don't need a formal shore excursion.

Unlike the Caribbean, many ports have you docking in a sizeable city, where you can easily walk off the ship and start exploring. Even in cities where you dock away from the center, there's almost always a complimentary or extremely inexpensive transportation option to get you there. 

It's so tempting to book a shore excursion to "see the sights", but most are glorified bus tours and they aren't cheap. 

While you might not need a formal tour, you should still do some research to find a handful of places to visit while in port.  Then throw it into Google Maps and figure out the best way to see them all.

I found in most ports it's easy enough to get around on foot, or maybe leveraging the city's public transportation system.  I've even used Uber on a few occasions.

To be clear, there's nothing wrong with booking a shore excursion in Europe, but you shouldn't default to booking one as the primary way to see things there. Rather, don't overlook walking around and exploring on your own as an affordable and smart way to see the best things in each port.

If you find yourself in a port of call that doesn't scream a specific activity or thing to do, don't hesitate to simply walk into town and "go with the flow".

Last year I actually tried a "free" shore excursion in one port where I wasn't sure what to do, and it was way better than I expected because the tour guide was very knowledgeable and our group size was much smaller than cruise line run groups.

Sometimes it's easier to ditch a plan, and see what's around the corner.  You might stumble upon a fun bar, explore various neighborhoods, or enjoy a family-run restaurant.

Shore excursions are going to be very expensive

You might experience sticker shock when you start looking at tours offered to book.

This plays in a bit to the previous tip, but shore excursions simply cost more in Europe than the Caribbean.

Sometimes the cost of the tour simple "is what it is", and if you want to tour the beaches of Normandy or get a ticket to the Vatican, you're going to have to pay it.

In the time leading up to your European cruise, I'd recommend budgeting appropriately to save up for it.  Plus, pre-booking tours to lock in a sale is a good idea.

Another money-saving strategy is to look for similar tours that might be a bit cheaper. I've actually searched Google for the name of the Royal Caribbean tour and found third party tour operators that do the same or similar tour.

Knowing a few words in the local language helps a lot

While you'll likely encounter more people than not that can speak English, you really ought to learn a few basic words in the local language.

Knowing phrases like "Hello, please, thanks, excuse me, sorry," goes a long way when traveling around Europe.

It goes beyond being able to communicate, rather, it's a sign of respect that you're at least trying.  

I can speak French fairly well, but just a smile and a friendly "Salut" makes a difference in the disposition of the person you're speaking with.

Packing for Europe isn't easy

I could spend an entire article talking about packing for Europe, but my credo so far has been pack what I think I need while trying to keep it manageable.

The issue with overpacking in Europe is how to manage luggage costs with the airlines, and then dragging your luggage around once you get there.

My advice is it's better to pay luggage fees than get to Europe and realize you really need something (and need to buy more luggage as a result).

We have a packing guide for a Mediterranean cruise you can use a starting point, but I wanted to highlight a few really important things to bring with you that might be different from a Caribbean cruise:

• Really, really, good walking shoes
• UK/EU power adaptor
• Theft-proof bag
• Apple AirTags

All of these links are affiliate links, which means I get a few bucks if you buy something, but it costs you nothing extra.

I read a list of things cruise ship passengers brought with them to Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay, and I think many of these are genius.

I've visited Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas over 20 times, and I thought I knew it all until I ran across this list.

Members of the Facebook group "Coco Cay - The Perfect Day" shared what they've brought to CocoCay to enhance their day. While the usual things were there, a few stood out as things I had never considered bringing.

Royal Caribbean includes a lot in your visit to their island, including beach chairs, umbrellas, food, and access to different beaches. 

While I think you could have a fun time with just you and your towel on the island, I'm a firm believer there's always room for improvement.  And I think some cruisers figured out exactly how to maximize their visit with these items.

Here are 10 unique things to bring to Perfect Day at CocoCay that you might want to pack too.

Baby powder

I had no idea baby powder was useful beyond prevent chaffing, but it's useful at the beach too.

Evidently, you can use it to remove sand from your feet quickly and easily, and it's a great tip for young kids.

After you're done in the ocean for the day and your feet are full of sand, powder the sticky not quite dry areas. 

This helps clothes go back on smoothly so kids can get dressed.

You can buy a bottle for less than $5 on Amazon, making it a super cheap tip.

Spray fan

Most months of the year, you can expect it to be hot and humid when you visit CocoCay, and anything you can do to cool down helps.

A lot of cruisers recommending packing a spray fan to cool down.  Unlike a regular fan, this mists you too.

This fan can be quite helpful when you're going between the ship and shore, or walking around the island.  If there's no breeze, this fan feels amazing.

Plus, you can use it on the ship too when it gets hot out on the pool deck.  Or during shore excursions when it always seems to feel like the surface of the sun.

You can pick one up from Amazon for about $15 and it's something you can bring on every cruise.

Collapsible wagon

If my kids were younger and I was traveling with another family, I think a collapsible folding wagon would be a really smart buy.

As long as you can pack it easily, you could bring a fold up wagon with you to make getting all your stuff from the ship to beach without feeling like a pack mule.

When you have kids, it can feel like you're moving the Army of the Potomac to do just about anything.  Having all the things you definitely need and might need add up quickly, so this hack is a smart way to get around lugging it all yourself.

If you're flying to your cruise, I'd probably skip this one because of the heft and bulk of the wagon and having to check it with the airline.

Inflatable floats

Floaties aren't just for kids.

If you'll spend a lot of time in the water, why not enjoy in style? 

Instead of paying Royal Caribbean to rent a mat, you can bring inflatable mesh floats that you can hang onto or sit in and enjoy the water.

I've found these are very useful in the ocean when you want to hang there and be submerged without kneeling.

Plus, they work at any beach.  So you could use it at other places your cruise visits.

You can get a four pack for just about $20, and that means everyone in your family has one to use.  

Towel clips

Another cheap, but smart buy are towel clips to bring with you.

The idea is you use them to keep your towel in place and not blowing around when the wind kicks up. So when you get up from your chair, your towel remains exactly where it should be.

You can use them not only on your pool deck loungers, but any of the chairs around CocoCay.

It's probably a good idea to get two clips per person at the very least, and you'll be set. 

Sunscreen lip balm

You know to bring sunscreen, but did you know your lips can get sunburned, chapped, or both?

I'll admit it's not something I really think about, but it's a legit issue that could dampen your day to deal with.

Bringing a pack of lip balm that has SPF protection means you won't ruin your beach or pool day.

Full-face snorkel mask

I'm not a snorkel person, but I know so many people swear by full-face snorkels to make it so much easier.

Once again, you could rent snorkel gear from Royal Caribbean, but bringing your own means you can re-use it on future trips and that will save you money.

The advantage of a full-face mask is it's supposed to make set up a heck of a lot easier for novices. There's no breathing tubes or goggles to mess with and try to align.

Heck, some even come with a GoPro attachment so you can show your friends, family, and neighbor Kenny all of your underwater adventures.

Liquid band-aids

Instead of packing regular band-aids, it's a good idea to go with liquid bandages because of the nature of a cruise vacation.

It's easy to get blisters while on vacation from all the extra walking you'll do on the ship and on shore. Plus, if you have new shoes that you bought for the trip, it's even more likely.

The benefit of liquid ones is standard band-aids fall off in the water, and then you have the sting of salt water hitting the wound. Not to mention no one likes to see band-aids 

Liquid bandages do not actually adhere to the skin like traditional ones. Instead, the glue-like substance forms a tough protective barrier to seal out water, dirt, and germs. 

Privacy pouch with lock

When it comes to what to do with your personal belongings, I always just hid my things somewhere around my chair.  But there is a better way.

While I don't think petty theft is a problem at CocoCay, better safe than sorry. To that point, you could get a bag that attaches to your chair so it won't go anywhere.

You'll want a small bag that's water resistant and has a lock so you can put your phone, cash, SeaPass card, and anything else valuable safely away.

Water shoes

While the sand and surf at Perfect Day are quite pristine, there are rocks and things in the water that you'd want to wear water shoes to avoid a squishy or pointy step.

This is especially true at Chill Island, where there's more rocks and crevices. This natural growth is great for snorkeling, but walking in the water could be interesting.

Plus, the sand and walkways can get very hot anywhere on the island during the summer months.  

Don't worry, flip-flops will work just fine if you don't have water shoes. They just tend to be more secure and slip-proof. 

Royal Caribbean posted its last batch of North American sailings in winter 2026-2027 and there are notably no ships sailing from Baltimore.

The cruise line has slowly announced new sailings through early 2027 in a variety of regions since November 2024, and this week's release includes the "Seasonal Caribbean" voyages its customers can now book.

With just Asian and Australian deployments left on the schedule to be released, and all the Vision and Radiance Class deployed elsewhere on the schedule, it appears there won't be any ships sailing from Baltimore for the first time in a while. 

Vision of the Seas had been based in Baltimore for the last few years, but in October 2026, Vision will move to Fort Lauderdale.

Royal Caribbean cannot send any bigger ships to Baltimore because of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge that is too low for taller ships to access the port.

That bridge (and the recently destroyed Francis Scott Key Bridge) have prevented cruise lines from bringing newer and bigger ships to Baltimore because they physically cannot fit there.

Discussions of raising the bridges to new heights to accommodate bigger ships haven't gotten very far, and now it appears there will be a pause in Royal Caribbean service from Baltimore.

There were rumors Grandeur of the Seas would replace Vision, but Royal Caribbean already confirmed Grandeur will be based in Tampa in 2026-2027.

Between October 2026 and April 2027, all the ships that could fit under the bridges into Baltimore are based somewhere else:

• Vision of the Seas: Fort Lauderdale
• Grandeur of the Seas: Tampa
• Rhapsody of the Seas: Tampa
• Enchantment of the Seas: Tampa
• Radiance of the Seas: San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Brilliance of the Seas: San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Jewel of the Seas: Cartagena, Colombia or Colon, Panama
• Serenade of the Seas: San Diego, California

The Baltimore cruises will be officially cut come October 2026

The last scheduled sailing from Baltimore for Vision will be October 17, 2026. It's a 5-Night Bermuda cruise.

Then on October 25, 2026, Vision re-appears in Royal Caribbean's schedule to begin primarily 3- and 4-night Bahamas cruises, along with a few longer sailings.

"I love sailing out of Baltimore.  I sure hope they send a ship back my way," is what Royal Caribbean message board user Gilley wrote upon discovering the news.

Offering cruises from New Orleans

While Royal Caribbean is seemingly stepping away from Baltimore, it's moving right into New Orleans.

Mariner of the Seas will be based there in the winter, offering 7-Night western Caribbean cruises.

The Voyager Class ship will begin sailings from there in November 2026, and continue sailings through April 2027.

Ports of call from New Orleans include George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; Costa Maya, Mexico and Falmouth, Jamaica.

New sailings on the amplified Allure of the Seas were also released, with Allure calling Miami home.

Beginning in October 2026, Allure will offer 7-Night eastern and western Caribbean cruises with visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Then in January, she adds a mix of short cruises and long sailings.

Allure of the Seas is undergoing major upgrades currently in Spain, where the ship is getting new restaurants, water slides, and other significant upgrades.

Royal Caribbean is investing over $100 million in the ship to bring her up to par with newer Oasis Class ships.

Rounding out the new deployment is Independence of the Seas will call Miami home in winter 2026-2027.

Independence will sail alternating 7-night cruises to the eastern and western cruises, with many also visiting Royal Caribbean's private island.

Royal Caribbean could return to Baltimore in the future

The decision not to base a ship from Baltimore beginning in October 2026 may be bad news for residents of the midatlantic region that enjoyed that convenience, but it's not to say Royal Caribbean won't ever return.

Each year deployments are reviewed and ships shifted around where it makes the most financial sense for the company to meet the demand of its customers.

Historically, we've seen certain ports gain ships and lose ships.  Los Angeles was without any ships for a decade, and now will have three vessels calling it home.

New Orleans has been a port that sometimes has a ship based there, but not year-round. Similarly there are no cruises from Boston some years.

Some cruise fans are pinning their hopes on a new smaller sized ship to finally be announced.

Known as the Discovery Class, Royal Caribbean has hinted and teased at a plan for a smaller ship design.  However, there's no official word yet on how small or tall the ships will actually be, and if they'd fit in Baltimore.

What's left to be released

The rest of the new deployments for 2026 and early 2027 are for homeports in Asia or Australia.

China cruises will be posted during the week of March 10, 2025, followed by Singapore during the week of March 17, 2025.

The final deployment will be Australia during the week of June 2, 2025.

For cruises in summer 2027 and later, we'll have to wait until November 2025 for those to be posted.

All the excitement of your cruise beginning means you'll want to get onboard as fast as possible, meaning you don't want paperwork to slow you down.

Royal Caribbean has digitized the embarkation process to a point that it's about as smooth as can be from getting curb to gangway, but I've found there's a better way to have your SetSail Pass handy.

The Royal Caribbean app is where you go to conduct online check-in, and it can display the SetSail Pass too, but it can be clunky to get to quickly and in many cases, the app fails to pull up the pass on embarkation day.

After I complained about being stuck in the terminal without my SetSail Pass because the app failed, a number of readers told me I should add it to my Apple Wallet (there's a Google Wallet for Android devices too), and it's been a game changer.

While the Royal Caribbean will probably work, there are several reasons why adding it to Apple or Google Wallet can be beneficial.

Convenience at your fingertips

Having your SetSail Pass available to show quickly speeds up the embarkation process significantly.

You'll have to show it at least four times throughout the check-in process:

• To enter the terminal
• To verify which check-in line you should enter
• To actually check-in
• To scan in and board the ship

Plus, until your cabins are ready and you can collect your SeaPass cards, you'll only have your SetSail Pass to use to purchase drinks onboard.

It's super simple to double tap your phone's side button and pull it up without having to even scan your face.

A backup in case the app fails

For some strange reason, the Royal Caribbean can occasionally fail on embarkation day.

It works just fine in the days and months leading up to your cruise, but I've experienced a number of times where it refuses to pull up the SetSail Pass on embarkation day because of a phantom error.

When this happens, you have to go to the check-in desk and have a physical SetSail Pass printed out instead.  It stops you in your tracks and delays embarkation.  While this only takes a few minutes, I'm too excited to wait around because I want to board.

Most recently this happened to my friend that was cruising with me on Enchantment of the Seas, and he had to go back to get one printed out.  Meanwhile, I had added my SetSail Pass to my Apple Wallet and had no issues.

Faster to pull up when you need to show it

Even if the Royal Caribbean app works flawlessly, it's clunky to access the pass when you don't have it stored in your wallet.

You have to unlock your phone, get to the Royal Caribbean app, and then go to the check-in section to access it.

Considering how many times you might have to show the pass, especially if you're going to be ordering a lot of drinks when you get onboard, it's so much easier and faster to have it in your wallet.

You might be able to see your GTY cabin

There's a little hack with the Apple Wallet that might help anyone that booked a guarantee cabin.

When you let Royal Caribbean pick your room, there's a delay until your room is assigned. It could take days, weeks, or even months for them to assign a cabin to you.

However, you might be able to figure out which room you're assigned earlier with a clever hack that leverages the Apple Wallet.

Cruisers call it "the bar code trick", and here's how it works:

Once you reach the point you can check-in for your cruise, if you have an Apple device, add your set sail pass to your Apple Wallet. 

Below the barcode on the SetSail Pass are a set of numbers. The numbers after the dash represent the cabin you have been assigned.

If you see "GTY" instead of numbers, you truly haven't been assigned yet.  Another sign you haven't had your room assigned yet is if you don't see a muster station on your SetSail Pass, then you almost certainly don't have an assignment yet.

How to add your SetSail Pass to your Apple Wallet

If you're convinced now to use the Apple Wallet, here's how to set it up.

After you complete check-in for your cruise, tap the Check-in button from the bottom row navigation.

Below your travel info, arrival time, and health status is the option to View SetSail Pass.

When you pull it up, click the Add to Apple Wallet button that should be below the barcode.

Tap Add in the top-right corner of the pass preview to add it to your Apple Wallet.

That's it! Now you can double-click the side or home button on your lock screen and you should see the Royal Caribbean pass there.