Royal Caribbean's second Icon Class cruise ship will call Port Canaveral home.

Star of the Seas will begin sailing in 2025 and offer cruises from the popular Central Florida port, located just an hour from Orlando.

The new bookings will go on sale on December 6, 2023.

Star of the Seas is schedule to debut in summer 2025, although its not clear yet exactly when. Royal Caribbean did not divulge when her first sailings will be.

Star of the Seas will be built around the same design as Icon of the Seas, so it will be approximately 250,800 gross tons and carry roughly 5,610 passengers at double occupancy (two passengers per cabin). With crew, the ship could sail with nearly 10,000 people on board.

Read more: Icon of the Seas guide and features

Following up on the already incredibly successful Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas will be the second ship to launch and her position near Orlando is at the heart of Royal Caribbean's strategy to dominate the family vacation market.

Orlando is one of the top family vacation destinations in the world, and Royal Caribbean executives have said they intend to go after this lucrative market.

"The Icon product, along with Perfect Day, with the kind of experiences that we're offering, with the kind of new accommodations that we have on Icon and the experiences that we have for young families, older families and of course couples and singles and what have you, is really squarely standing shoulder to shoulder with Orlando and those kind of destinations," said Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley in 2022 call with investors.

Mr. Bayley sees the Royal Caribbean International brand being more "aggressive" with how it competes with the Orlando attractions, "And what we're beginning to see is us moving certainly the Royal brand into that space far more aggressively."

"We're really focusing on this target market, which is family and of course has many new neighborhoods, including a neighborhood called Surfside, which is absolutely focused on young families and those young families with children six and under travel all year round, because obviously parents can pull their kids out of pre-K."

A game changing ship

Icon of the Seas hasn't started sailing yet, but the market has met it with eager anticipation.

Sales for Icon have blown past the cruise line's expectations, and it's selling faster than any new ship has in the past.

It's about 6% larger than the Oasis Class ships and has two more decks than them too.

The vessel has a groundbreaking indoor AquaTheater beneath an expansive glass dome, a designated area specifically designed for young families, an increased selection of family-centric accommodations (including a unique three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse), a cantilevered infinity pool, and an onboard water park featuring six slides.

Additionally, passengers can enjoy a swim-up bar, an extended suite enclave, and a novel supper club, enhancing the overall experience on board.

It's likely Star of the Seas will have differences, given that Royal Caribbean usually enhances each new cruise ship with changes.  It could be new restaurants, different activities, and almost certainly different shows onboard.

Construction of the new ship began in February 2023 when the keel was laid at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

Royal Caribbean has an order for a third Icon Class ship as well, which has a delivery date in 2026. All three of these ships were ordered and financed prior to 2020.

Does it matter if you pick a cabin on a cruise ship towards the front or back of the ship?

Every ship has many choices of where to pick a cabin, and as you get closer to the sail date, it's likely the rooms mid-ship will sell out first.  Mid-ship cabins tend to be more popular because they're more centrally located and tend to be a better choice for someone who is worried about getting seasick.

Read more: How to beat seasickness on a cruise ship

If given the choice, you might be wondering better off with a cabin more forward or more aft.

What part of ship is best for cruises?

It's a matter of opinion, but there are advantages to picking a cabin in certain parts of the ship.

Cruise ship cabins usually fall into one of three categories: forward, mid, and aft. 

All things being equal, conventional advice is to pick a cruise ship cabin mid-ship so you're equidistant from everything onboard so the distance to get around is minimal.

In addition, mid-ship cabins are ideal for new cruisers because it's the best location to be to minimize the sensation of movement that could make you feel seasick. In addition, having a low cabin helps so you don't feel as much sway.

You may also find a price difference if your cabin is forward, aft, or mid-ship.  Depending on the ship, sometimes the more desirable rooms mid-ship or aft can cost more.

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

Is the back of a cruise ship a good location?

The primary advantage of picking a cabin at the back of a cruise ship is the view you can get.

If you pick a cabin at the very back of the ship, you can enjoy a view of the ship's wake, and these tend to be quite popular with cruise fans.  Not only is it a pretty view, but the balcony can be bigger on the back.

Some special cabins at the very rear corners of a ship might even feature a balcony that wrap around the vessel in an L-shape, giving you views on two sides.

Enjoying a view from the ship's aft can be almost hypnotic because of how alluring the ocean looks when you have nothing in front of you blocking it.

Speaking of views, when your ship is leaving port, having an aft view gives you the best perspective.

Royal Caribbean has caught onto this this trend and announced pricing changes related to aft rooms. Aft facing balconies and Junior Suites are now going to be separated out as new categories.

However, if your room doesn't face backwards and is just a standard room towards the back, you may just end up with the same room as a mid-ship cabin, but with a longer walk.

Movement at the aft is a bit less drastic than a room forward, but still isn’t the most stable place for those who are prone to seasickness.

What are the benefits of being in the front of the cruise ship?

Rooms towards the front tend to be cheaper than other rooms largely because there's less demand for a cabin at the front.

Just like rooms towards the back, it's a longer walk towards the front and most of the signature activities and public areas are further away. 

Plus, the front of the ship gets the most movement of any area. The higher the deck, the more noticeable that rolling and swaying motion tends to feel. That makes it less desirable if someone is worried about motion sickness.

The reason why you might feel more movement at the front is because the front of the ship faces the most wind and direct hits from rolling waves, translating to lots of motion and sea spray. 

Besides a cheaper price, rooms at the very front have a unique perspective.  On many Royal Caribbean ships, you'll find family oceanview cabins at the front that offer significantly more living space without the price of a suite.

Another nice benefit of a front room is it can feel more secluded because there's far less foot traffic.

Celebrity Ascent is the newest cruise ship to debut in the Edge class of ships, and it's name implies it's in a position to move up the ranks of the ships the preceded it.

The fourth in a series of five ships, Ascent is a bit bigger than the first two Edge Class ships (Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex).  She's 20 meters longer and a deck taller.

There are 179 more cabins on Ascent than on Edge or Apex.  At double occupancy, Celebrity Ascent has a capacity of 3,260 passengers. The original Edge Class ships had a capacity of 2,918 passengers.

That extra space means the ship has more room to expand certain venues, such as The Retreat suites-only section of the ship and a larger Sunset Bar at the back of the vessel.

There's other touches as well, and, I was curious to know what makes this ship stand out from the rest.  Having just sailed on Celebrity Apex last week, comparing the two ships so closely together was an intriguing opportunity.

Celebrity Ascent will sail to the Caribbean out of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

Disclaimer: Celebrity Cruises invited me to sail on Celebrity Ascent for a quick two-night preview cruise that was open to travel agents and members of the press. I did not pay for this sailing.

Grand Plaza

As soon as you board Celebrity Ascent, you're going to notice the central hub of activity looks totally different.

The Grand Plaza is the epicenter of everything happening on the ship.  Since the first Edge Class ship, the Grand Plaza has been a focal point for the ship, and with Celebrity Beyond and Ascent, you get a different layout.

The LED chandelier is is more central, which really opens up the space and surrounds the deck with a beautiful glow.

If you loved the martini bar before, the new one is expanded is fully circular too.

Celebrity says it's "loftier" and "airier" and I think I was struck by how much different the layout makes in the feel of the venue compared to Apex.

Another nice change is the addition of World Class Bar to the atrium.

This bar is a fan favorite on other Celebrity ships, and has been included on both Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent. It serves up "bespoke cocktails" with great views of the Grand Plaza.

The Annex

When I boarded Ascent, the Annex wasn't even on my radar, but I think this is the sleeper hit of this new ship.

Brand new to Celebrity, the Annex is a private room you can rent for your family to enjoy.  It's multi-purpose, and allows you to customize the entertainment to your needs.

It has the choice of:

• Golf simulator
• Celebration Lounge
• Personal karaoke party
• Game day streaming
• Movie night deluxe

Essentially, it's a place you can rent to have a special enclave for a party, celebration, or retreat.

The cost depends if you're renting it on a sea day or port day, and which private event theme you pick.  Celebrity says it will cost around $200 - $350 for the private event.

When I cruise with family or friends, I love any opportunity to have a special area for just us, and this seems like a great addition.

Sunset Bar

When I went on Celebrity Apex, everyone told me to check out the Sunset Bar. Clearly that message got back to the cruise line, because the Sunset Bar is larger and beautiful.

Views of the ship's wake have always been a favorite of cruisers, and this Sunset Bar doubles down on those views. This is the bar to go to on a sea day to enjoy a view of the ship's wake, the sun rising and setting, and the ocean breeze inbetween.

The theme is labeled as "international beach club ambiance", but I was getting some Spanish Mediterranean vibes sitting here. 

The extra space really makes it feel like a destination, rather than another bar. I love how much more seating there is, and how the bar doesn't dominate the entire space.

Rooftop Garden area

If I think of Celebrity cruise ship, I usually think of their lawn and garden top decks, and Ascent has an expanded area to enjoy.

You'll find more seating, new private nooks, and two new floating pools that are cantilevered over the side of the ship.

When there's not an event happening here, it's a great spot for "I want to be outside without being at the pool". It's serene, pretty, and I like how the area is arranged.

Rooftop Garden Grill has also been re-arranged, thanks to Ascent being a bit longer. It's less protruding into the garden area, and is the perfect sea day dinner.

The Retreat

If you're lucky enough to stay in a suite, Celebrity has greatly expanded its private suite area.

Known as The Retreat, the indoor space is 25% bigger than on Celebrity Edge or Apex.

Think of The Retreat as a suite neighborhood on an Oasis Class ship multiplied to threefold. 

The indoor space features au d'oeuvres, drinks, and plenty of seating. And it's open 24/7!

The personal concierge team is there to assist those in suites that don't have butler service.  The concierge team is split among four hosts.

Outside is more reserved seating for suite guests than I've ever seen on any Royal Caribbean ship.

The Retreat seating encompasses multiple decks, and has plenty of quiet nooks and crannies. Plus, there's a hot tub too.

You don't need to book a suite to have a great cruise, but it sure is nice to have this space if you do!

The Club

I spent less time in The Club than I would have liked on Celebrity Apex, but I think this space is vastly underrated.

As a Royal Caribbean fan, it reminds me a lot of Music Hall on the Oasis Class ships, but on Celebrity it feels much more open.

New for Ascent is "Smoke and Ivories", which is a musical event that is themed to a 1950s cabaret. It features a piano, hand-to-hand fights, tap solos, passionate duets, and aerial performances.

There was also a really neat augmented reality retro video game where people act as the player in the game in the center of the space to play arcade games like Breakout.

The space may not have a snazzy name, but I like the layout a lot.

Cosmopolitan restaurant

It's a small change, but the Cosmopolitan Main Dining Room restaurant has been re-themed.

Celebrity's Edge Class ships have four different Main Dining Rooms, with each having a unique theme. The core menu is the same across all four, but each restaurant has a few appetizers and entrees that are special to that venue.

On Apex, I enjoyed my dinners in Normandie, and this new space looks equally beautiful.

There's a lot of great specialty dining on Celebrity Ascent that gets a lot of attention, but don't overlook the Main Dining Rooms either.

Other notable changes to Celebrity Ascent

I noticed a few other changes Celebrity made with its fourth Edge Class ship.

The intimate and upscale restaurant Le Voyage has been redesigned, and it features a menu created by Chef Daniel Boulud. 

Fine Cut Steakhouse has an expanded seating space, which is larger than on previous Edge Class ships.

This means the restaurant has been expanded to the edge of the ship so that the restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows on one side.

It's been seven years in the making, but the world’s biggest cruise ship is making its debut.

Measuring a staggering 1,198 feet, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas was delivered today at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland and is on schedule for her maiden voyage from Miami, Florida to the Caribbean on January 27, 2024.

Delivery of the ship signifies transfer of ownership of a new cruise ship.

The 20-deck cruise ship has a maximum capacity for 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew members.

Icon of the Seas is delivered

Executives from Royal Caribbean took delivery of the ship at a ceremony at the shipyard.

Construction took over 900 days, and the momentous occasion was met with celebration by both the shipyard and the cruise line.

In attendance at the celebration were more than 1,200 crew members and workers, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer.

Mr. Liberty shared his thoughts on the significance of the delivery, "Today, we are celebrating more than a new ship; it’s also the celebration of the culmination of more than 50 years of innovation and dreaming at Royal Caribbean to create the ultimate vacation experience."

"Delivering Icon of the Seas represents all that can be accomplished with strong partnerships and a commitment to delivering memorable vacations responsibly, and we thank Meyer Turku and an incredible village of skilled partners for joining us on this journey. The memories millions of families and vacationers will make on Icon will be our greatest accomplishment yet."

Mr. Bayley also shared why Icon of the Seas will be a big deal for the cruise line for many years to come, "Welcoming Icon of the Seas to the Royal Caribbean family is a remarkable accomplishment years in the making for thousands of innovators, engineers, architects and designers

"Seven years ago, we had an ambitious idea to create the first vacation truly made for every type of family and adventurer; now, it’s in our hands, and in this final stretch, we’ll bring it all to life for the biggest debut in our history in January 2024."

Icon of the Seas is now on her way to Cadiz, Spain, where it will receive its finishing touches before heading to its year-round home in Miami.

A long journey

Royal Caribbean placed the order for Icon of the Seas in October 2016, but conceptual work for it likely went even further back.

The cruise line has referred to Icon as a "white paper" ship, meaning they started with a blank slate in terms of ideas for this ship.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider described the design process for a new ship as, "never ending."

"You go through a great design process. We've got in our new build organization excellent architects and designers, with partners in the yard who really are focused on the kind of nautical marine side of some of the innovation that we're trying to do."

The ship was originally scheduled for delivery in early 2022, but that was pushed back due to delays brought about by the global health crisis.

Royal Caribbean wasn't alone in facing disruptions in those years, as the entire cruise industry was shutdown for almost two years. Nonetheless, work on Icon of the Seas continued and while the original delivery date may have been pushed back, the revised date held firm and there were no other issues.

While the global health crisis may have been a hindrance, it didn't stop the process according to Mr. Schneider, "The pandemic didn't stop the work. It slowed it a bit and created certain challenges."

Innovations aplenty

Icon of the Seas is two months away from beginning her first cruise, and the ship is primed with lots for families to enjoy.

The ship will begin operating 7-night cruises from Miami, Florida to the Caribbean in late January.

Icon of the Seas comprises eight neighborhoods, one of which is specifically designed for families with young children.  Royal Caribbean is doubling down on the family vacation market, not only trying to attract families that cruise other lines, but land vacationers who never considered a cruise vacation.

Cruise line executives have spoken on how they believe Icon of the Seas will go after the land vacation market that typically goes to a theme park or resort in Orlando, Florida.

The ship will have new types of cabins, a water park, new neighborhoods, and plenty of activities inbetween. It will also offer a bigger array of dining venues, bars and deck-top attractions than any cruise vessel ever built.

You'll find more than 40 restaurants and bars, industry-leading entertainment across the cruise line’s four signature stages and more.

There's 28 different kinds of cabins, including the new three-level Ultimate Family Townhouse. The townhouse comes at a hefty price, with families paying $80,000 for a week to stay in it.

A floating city

Not only is she big, but Royal Caribbean is loading her up with all sorts of new offerings.

There are 8 neighborhoods (one more than the Oasis Class ships), with three of the neighborhoods being an all new concept.

• AquaDome is at the front of the ship, offering 220-degree views and a 55-foot waterfall
• Suite Neighborhood has a Mediterranean restaurant and two-floor sundeck
• Central Park is a five deck open-air park that has living plant walls
• Chill Island has four pools and a swim-up bar
• Thrill Island is where you'll find the Category 6 waterpark, FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, mini-golf course and more.
• Surfside neighborhood designed for young families
• Royal Promenade shopping and entertainment district
• The Hideaway at he back of the ship offering 180-degree views and an infinity pool

Icon is also the cruise line’s first ship that can be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), a transitional fuel. The dual-fuel engines will work alongside a lineup of energy efficiency initiatives and industry-leading environmental programs on board, like the first waste-to-energy plant at sea. Twenty-four percent more energy efficient than the standards required for ships being designed today, the cruise line’s most sustainable ship yet will mark the next step in parent company Royal Caribbean Group's journey to introduce a net-zero cruise ship by 2035.

When will Icon of the Seas sail?

Now that Icon of the Seas is part of the Royal Caribbean fleet, preparations are underway to make sure she is ready to welcome the first guests.

The inaugural sailing will take place on January 27, 2024 from Miami, Florida when Icon of the Seas will sail to the Eastern Caribbean and Royal Caribbean’s private islands of Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas.

She'll be based in South Florida though at least April 2026. By then, however, they'll be another Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas, in service, although it's currently unknown where she will sail from. 

The ship isn't quite ready to welcome passengers onboard.  While construction is complete, the ship needs to be supplied, staffed up, and filled with various amenities to finish the ship.

After taking more than 70 Royal Caribbean cruises, I thought it was time to try a cruise on sister-brand Celebrity Cruises.

Over the last few years, I think Celebrity has raised its notoriety among the cruise industry and its eye-catching Edge Class cruise ships have gotten a lot of people to reconsider booking a Celebrity cruise, myself included.

As someone who loves to cruise on Royal Caribbean, trying a different cruise line seemed a bit strange. I enjoy Royal Caribbean, and there's a reason why I love to cruise over and over with this line. But at the same time, I was curious what the experience would be like to cruise on Celebrity. 

Unlike other cruise lines out there, Celebrity is within the same corporate umbrella as Royal Caribbean International, so it felt less strange to go on another cruise line.

After talking about it for a long time, I booked my family on Celebrity Apex for a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise over the Thanksgiving holiday.

I picked Celebrity Apex because I wanted a new ship, and the Edge Class has gotten so much attention that I felt it would be a great first step forward to try Celebrity.

I was never concerned about having a bad time onboard, but I was curious just how much I would enjoy the experience. Would it feel exactly like Royal Caribbean? Would I fall in love and never want to go back? What would my kids think of it all?

Pre-cruise and embarkation

Everything leading up to the cruise and the check-in process for a Celebrity Cruise felt pretty much the same as Royal Caribbean.

Both lines use the same backend for its app. While there are two different apps, they look and work exactly the same but with a different color scheme.

I did a status match in the months leading up to the cruise with my Crown and Anchor Society status. Both lines will honor your status on either line, with Diamond, Diamond Plus or Pinnacle Club members getting Elite status in the Captain's Club. This is one tier below their upper most loyalty level.

Having Elite status in Captain's Club didn't really get me much value on my cruise, but it was nice to have it, just in case.

Celebrity Apex sails from Port Everglades and the cruise line has its own cruise terminal. It's a beautiful building, and set up efficiently. Certainly in-step with any of Royal Caribbean's newer terminals.

Read more: Who owns Royal Caribbean?

Infinite balcony cabin

In looking at which cabin to book, we went with a cabin category I never would have booked if not for a great deal on it.

Thanks to my friends at MEI Travel, they had a special agency rate on Concierge Class infinite veranda cabins that made it just as cheap to book those rooms as a standard veranda.

It can be a little confusing to understand what Concierge Class gets you, as the name seems to imply you get a higher level of service. Celebrity has sub-classes of cabins that get special benefits, including the Concierge Class and Aqua Class.

In short, Concierge Class gets you an infinite veranda cabin with some additional benefits. The actual cabin is very similar to a normal veranda, but there are some extra perks included.

The main perks of Concierge Class are:

• Priority embarkation and debarkation
• Embarkation day lunch
• Priority dining time in the main dining room
• Canapes and sparkling wine on request
• Upgraded pillow menu
• Concierge service
• Destination seminar
• Umbrella and binoculars during the cruise in your cabin
• Complimentary shoe-shining service
• Extra hairdryer in the stateroom
• Upgraded Hansgrohe rainfall showerhead
• Embossed keyholder and tote bag

That sounds impressive, but most of these perks will likely go unused. The best benefits are the embarkation day lunch, concierge service, canapes and champagne, and priority embarkation.

Because everyone cruises differently, how useful all of this is can vary and we barely used any of the benefits. The canapes were not the sort of food I liked, and I don't drink champagne.

The concierge team was very friendly and welcoming, and did assist with any issues we had, but we didn't have many problems for them. We booked a standard dining time every night pre-cruise, so priority times in the dining room didn't help. And the rest of the benefits either went unused or didn't factor much into the experience. 

I think next time I wouldn't book Concierge Class if it costs more than a regular cabin. 

When I told others I was cruising on Celebrity, so many complained about the infinite veranda concept, because they said it ends up just being a big window that sucks all of your air conditioning out instead of being a balcony experience.

As for our cabin itself, I really wanted to love the infinite balcony design. Unfortunately, they were right.

The infinite veranda is a great cabin, with plenty of space for two people. The balcony sitting area means you get more space to use inside the room when the balcony isn't "open."

The problem is you have to weigh whether would you rather have the veranda open and be able to look out and enjoy the breeze, or air conditioning in your cabin for the next hour. On a Caribbean itinerary where the humidity is quite high, this is a much more difficult conundrum.

As soon as you open the verandah, the air conditioning turns off, the cold air escapes outside and everything in your room fogs up almost immediately.

If it's not hot or humid out, then this works quite well. But in Puerto Rico, it was disappointing.

So we just kept our infinite veranda closed for the cruise and we managed to have a good time nonetheless. It was nice having views of the ocean, and the extra space provided by the balcony sitting area was nice to have.

I loved how big the cabin felt, especially the bathroom. The shower was extra large, and there was lots of vanity space.

Read more: Celebrity Cruises guide: Ships, itineraries, tips & more

Plus and enhanced feel

Celebrity's tagline is they embody "modern luxury" and it manifested itself in Apex's look and feel.

Coming from Royal Caribbean, you'll quickly notice drinks served in glasses and buffet plates that aren't made out of plastic. Chairs everywhere have extra padding, drinks are poured freely instead of using jiggers, and the entire experience feels more premium.

It's subtle, but I enjoyed having a more plush feel to it all, in the same way a luxury sedan feels compared to a contemporary sedan.

There are a few areas this really stands out, such as the Oceanview Cafe buffet, the Cafe al Bacio, and the pool deck.

Oceanview Cafe is your standard cruise ship buffet, but the variety of food was quite impressive. There were panini stations, a freshly grilled meat station, more made-to-order cooking stations than I've ever seen, and overall more choices.

Cafe al Bacio is the coffee shop that not only has a variety of coffees you can order by waiting your turn, but there's tables and chairs you can sit at and get waiter service to take your order.

If you can imagine a Royal Caribbean pool deck with the Solarium's furniture throughout the pool deck, that's essentially what Apex's pool deck is like.

I never went on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and wished for these sort of changes, but I certainly welcomed them on Celebrity.

Really good food, especially if you're a foodie

One aspect of Celebrity a lot of readers told me about was Celebrity's food game.

In short, you're going to find a wider variety of foods at any of the restaurants that go beyond what I might expect to find on Royal Caribbean.

I found a lot of these extra choices to lean heavily into the adventurous palate. If you aren't a picky eater, I think you'll find a lot more to consider on a cruise beyond a beef dish, a pasta, a chicken, or some vegetables. 

It really shines with Celebrity's specialty restaurants, and even I was surprised to find duck leg confit, a tomahawk steak cut, roasted trout.

Of course, this assumes you actually would order these items, or you'd stick to similar fare that you'd find on Royal Caribbean.

In my opinion, it's better to have too many options than not enough. So I liked that it wasn't "more of the same" with the food choices.

We ate most nights in the Main Dining Room, which was very akin to the Main Dining Room on Royal Caribbean before its latest menu changes.

There are four dining rooms on Celebrity Apex and each serves the same menu, along with a subset of special dishes unique to that restaurant.

Our waiters gave us a secondary menu that had a copy of what those special items are in the other restaurants, in case we wanted to order off of them. 

Moreover, the waiters were willing to substitute items and order things off the menu. When I asked about an Indian curry dish option, the head waiter arranged to have it every night I would dine there. When my youngest daughter just wanted pasta while dining at Rooftop Garden, our waiter ran downstairs to the Main Dining Room to get it.

Speaking of the menu, it's worth noting that Celebrity still has a Main Dining Room menu that has a classics section, where a subset of the evening menu never changes. This means you can get escargot, French onion soup, and a grilled chicken of every night of the cruise in addition to the rotating options.

Not as much to do onboard as Royal Caribbean

If there was one area of my first Celebrity cruise that made me wish I was back on Royal Caribbean the most, it was the daily activities.

There were activities, shows, and events offered, but far fewer than on Royal Caribbean. There were maybe one or two trivia sessions per day, and at night the offerings really slowed down. 

I'm not a party animal or someone that goes from activity to activity on my cruises, but Apex skewed heavily towards a "let's sit down and relax" vibe. That's perfectly fine, but it made me realize how much I missed having a pub singer, Schooner Bar player, trivia host, or multiple shows to see.

The ship had a silent disco, DJ music, and other typical entertainment of the sort, but there were far fewer sessions.  Many of the instrumentalists would play "coffee house" versions of the songs, which kept the pace slower.

Every cruise line has a stereotype about it, and Celebrity's has historically been that it caters to an older crowd than on Royal Caribbean. I can see some of the truth in how it's a bit tamer in terms of the ship's energy level.

That isn't to say there isn't anything happening onboard. You'll find events in the Royal Caribbean app, but there just isn't as much as on Royal Caribbean.

I can keep myself entertained in the daytime, but I love things to do after dinner and I was disappointed in the lack of options.  We ended up in bed by 10pm on most nights because there just wasn't a lot happening.

Non-smoking casino was wonderful

Win or lose in the casino, the fact the casino on Celebrity Apex was 100% smoke free was fantastic.

On Royal Caribbean's ships, smoking is allowed in the casino, and it tends to become the indoor smoking lounge just as much as a place to gamble and smoke at the same time.

The fact smoking is allowed in Royal Caribbean's casinos doesn't stop me from going, but it was nice a nice change to have the casino smoke-free.

Considering the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates just 11.5% of Americans smoked in 2021, it's clear Celebrity has moved towards embracing 88% that don't smoke.

I'm not here to start a debate about the virtues of smoking, just point out the casino on Celebrity Apex was non-smoking and I really enjoyed it.

Always Included was disappointing

When Celebrity Cruises announced they would offer a cruise fare that bundled WiFi, drinks, and gratuities, I thought it was a godsend. In reality, not so much.

We booked the Always Included fare, which at the time included basic WiFi, drink package, and gratuities. The line has since removed gratuities from this option.

The wifi that's included is abysmally slow and useful for texting and not much else. For my kids, it's fine because they could use a break from the real internet. But for anyone else, it stinks.

Compounding the problem is how much Celebrity charges for their wifi packages compared to Royal Caribbean. To upgrade my WiFi package, I would have to pay an additional $230.93 for one device or $412.93 for two devices. That's on top of the cost of the Always Included package.

The classic beverage package adults receive with Always Included is fine, assuming you drink pretty basic options. I found it very limiting, and worse were the prices the cruise line charges for drinks if you don't have a drink package.

As a Pinnacle Club member in Crown and Anchor Society, I missed my daily complimentary drink vouchers and how nice it was to have that perk. 

Celebrity has a happy hour for its top-tier members, but it's only two hours and has a very limited drink menu.

Read more: Celebrity Cruises Captain's Club loyalty program info, tips & secrets

More hits and misses

Here's more of what I liked and didn't like about my first Celebrity cruise, in addition to what I mentioned already.

What I liked

Magic Carpet: Essentially a bar that moves up and down the side of the ship, I liked the breeze, views, and seating.

Cafe al Bacio: The coffee house I always wanted on a cruise ship.

Theater with a protruding stage: The theater's stage and digital screen behind it were beautiful and really made the audience feel part of the show. If Royal Caribbean is going to stop paying for musicals that need a traditional stage, this is something new ships should start borrowing.

Ship size & layout: Apex is 1,004 feet long, which makes it slightly longer than a Radiance Class ship but smaller than a Voyager Class ship. It was easy to get around, and nearly all the public venues not at a pool were between decks 3, 4, and 5. It made getting around and between venues very easy and quick.

What I didn't like

Bar service was nearly non-existent: In most bars or lounges, it was very difficult to sit down in a chair and get a drink because no waiters ever came by.

On Royal Caribbean, if you sit at a bar, you'll be inundated by waiters coming to take your order. On Apex, it was the opposite. 

It might have just been our sailing and some bad luck, but other guests I spoke with on the ship reported a similar experience.

Elite Perks: I status matched from Royal Caribbean to Celebrity and being at the second-highest tier didn't really get me much.

In practical terms, there was no reason to really use the benefits provided:

• Access to exclusive daily coffeehouse-style breakfast and Evening Cocktail Hour
• 30% off Wi-Fi package or Wi-Fi upgrade
• 15% off Drink Package or upgrade to Premium pre-cruise
• Complimentary access to Persian Garden (on one port day)
• One complimentary bag of laundry (wash, dry, fold) on every sailing

I did use the WiFi discount, but I did not find as much value as what I might get with Royal Caribbean.

Happy Sunday and Happy Thanksgiving weekend! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday with family and friends! There is a lot of Royal Caribbean news to share this week.

Our team has taken a lot of shore excursions over the years, and we've stumbled across a few in the Caribbean that are definite tourist traps.

There's nothing wrong with a tourist-friendly spot, but some places are just a waste of time because they go so far over the line of being overpriced and underwhelming.

The problem with these sorts of places is you're likely to feel like you wasted your time and could have gone somewhere else better.

Royal Caribbean News

• Crown's Edge on Icon of the Seas costs $89 and is now bookable
• Icon of the Seas size comparison
• The best way to book a cruise, explained
• Adventure of the Seas vs. Voyager of the Seas
• I tried a small ship and here's what I liked about it
• Bionic Bar: Royal Caribbean's cruise ship robot bartenders

Video: 3 Nights Onboard The World's Biggest Cruise Ships

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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 — 3 Nights Onboard The World's Biggest Cruise Ships — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Review: Florida's Brightline Train For Taking a Cruise

I took the new highspeed train that goes between Orlando and Miami to get to my cruise.

While not cheap, Brightline provides a convenient and fast way to get between Central Florida and South Florida without having to deal with the hassle of flying or boredom of driving.

The new train has a lot of conveniences, and makes the transit a lot easier than driving.

Which deck is best on a cruise ship?

Does it matter which deck you pick for your cabin on a cruise?

When choosing the best deck on a cruise ship, you have to weigh several factors to find the perfect choice for you.

If you are traveling with kids, have mobility issues, like to party at the pool, or are sailing to Alaska, the choice of the best deck could vary considerably.

How much cash should you bring on a cruise?

Before you get on a cruise, how much money should you bring with you?

While Royal Caribbean is a cashless ship for most transactions, there are still quite a few good reasons to have cash with you.

Both onboard and off the ship, having at least some cash will make things easier for you.

Icon of the Seas vs Titanic

How much bigger and different is the newest cruise ship in the world versus the most well-known?

Icon of the Seas is about to become the biggest cruise ship in the world, but a lot of people compare cruise ships to Titanic.

From size, to pricing, to activities onboard, here's how different Icon of the Seas is to Titanic.

Icon of the Seas will become the biggest cruise ship in the world when she launches in 2024, but how does that stack up against other ships?

When Royal Caribbean announced it would build a new class of cruise ship, the Icon Class wasn't set to be the biggest in the world.  But those plans changed along the way, and Icon of the Seas will overtake the Oasis Class ships for rank of the biggest ships.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer said it wasn't their intention to build a giant ship, it just organically happened, "We didn’t start with the world’s largest ship. The ship was actually smaller in its initial design. But as we went through the creative journey, we did more research with our guests, and we found that this is what they want."

That might lead you to wonder how much bigger will Icon of the Seas be, and how does she rank compared to other Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

Read more: See how Royal Caribbean ships stack up by size

How big is Icon of the Seas?

Icon of the Seas is indeed really big.   The new ship measures 1,198 feet long with 250,800 gross tonnage and is capable of carrying 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew members. The ship is encompasses 20 decks, has seven pools, and six waterslides that make up an entire waterpark.

If you were to stand Icon of the Seas up on its end, it would be taller than the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas and the Chrysler Building in New York City.

Icon of the Seas is divided into 8 neighborhoods, which are distinct areas of the ship meant to make it easier to navigate.

• AquaDome is at the front of the ship, offering 220-degree views and a 55-foot waterfall
• Suite Neighborhood has a Mediterranean restaurant and two-floor sundeck
• Central Park is a five deck open-air park that has living plant walls
• Chill Island has four pools and a swim-up bar
• Thrill Island is where you'll find the Category 6 waterpark, FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, mini-golf course and more.
• Surfside neighborhood designed for young families
• Royal Promenade shopping and entertainment district
• The Hideaway at he back of the ship offering 180-degree views and an infinity pool

There are over 2,800 staterooms on Icon of the Seas, as well as over 40 bars and restaurants onboard (23 of them are completely new to Royal Caribbean).

Is Icon of the Seas the biggest cruise ship in the world?

Icon of the Seas will become the biggest cruise ship in the world, overtaking Wonder of the Seas by gross tonnage, passenger capacity, and length. 

It's unlikely any other cruise ship will overtake Icon of the Seas, until Star of the Seas debuts in 2025.

Royal Caribbean hasn't confirmed that Star of the Seas will be bigger than icon, but it's been Royal Caribbean's tradition to build slightly bigger ships than the previous one in the class.

How much bigger is Icon of the Seas compared to other ships?

Let's look at Icon of the Seas' specs to see how she measures up to Royal Caribbean's other big ships.

Gross tonnage

1. Icon of the Seas: 250,800
2. Utopia of the Seas: 236,860
3. Wonder of the Seas: 236,857

Length

1. Icon of the Seas: 1,198
2. Utopia of the Seas: 1,188
3. Wonder of the Seas: 1,188

Total decks

1. Icon of the Seas: 20
2. Utopia of the Seas: 18
3. Wonder of the Seas: 18

Maximum passengers

1. Icon of the Seas: 7,600
2. Wonder of the Seas: 6,988
3. Symphony of the Seas: 6,680

Crew capacity

1. Icon of the Seas: 2,350
2. Utopia of the Seas: 2,300
3. Wonder of the Seas: 1,551

How about other cruise lines? Here's how Icon of the Seas compares to the biggest cruise ships of the major cruise lines.

Gross tonnage

1. Icon of the Seas: 250,800
2. MSC World Europa: 215,863
3. Carnival Jubilee: 183,521

Length

1. Icon of the Seas: 1,198
2. Carnival Jubilee: 1,130
3. MSC World Europa: 1,093

Total decks

1. MSC World Europa: 22
2. Icon of the Seas: 20
3. Carnival Jubilee: 18

Maximum passengers

1. Icon of the Seas: 7,600
2. MSC World Europa: 6,762
3. Carnival Jubilee: 6,631

Crew capacity

1. Icon of the Seas: 2,350
2. MSC World Europa: 2,138
3. Carnival Celebration: 1,735

It can be confusing how to measure a cruise ship, because gross tonnage is a nonlinear measure of a ship's overall internal volume.

What this means in layman's terms is that cruise ships are measured by volume and not weight.  This is because their designs can vary greatly, so it makes more sense to measure a ship in this manner.

At 250,800 tons, Icon of the Seas will measure 6% bigger than Utopia of the Seas, which amounts to a difference of 13,940 GT. 

As you can see, the difference in size between Icon and the Oasis Class ships isn't enormous, but it's enough to call it the biggest cruise ship in the world.

When Royal Caribbean set out to design Icon of the Seas, they didn't have a particular tonnage in mind.  According to Mr. Schneider, they had a completely different goal in mind, "We’ve been working on Icon since 2016–2017, if you go back to our original memo that starts off a new class of ship. Typically, that process is about aspiration. It doesn’t detail things like we want a ship that weighs 250,000 tons."

"Instead, it’s aspirational and rooted in what we would say as a headline. This ship’s headline is: this is the best family vacation on the planet."

And in case you're wondering, Icon of the Seas is about 5 times bigger than Titanic.

All the new features are a bigger difference maker

While Icon of the Seas might not be substantially larger than Utopia of the Seas or Wonder of the Seas, what Royal Caribbean is adding to Icon is more notable.

Royal Caribbean wants this ship to offer more for families to see and do with additional attractions and amenities that the line hopes will attract customers away from land resorts.

The cruise ship's water park, family neighborhood, and staterooms designed for families with five and six passengers are at the heart of this drive.

So far, the demand for a cruise ship this big and with this much to do for families has been a mega hit for the cruise line. It's broken sales records and forced the company to release more sailings earlier than planned in order to meet demand for new bookings.

Getting to your next cruise in Florida could be a lot easier now.

Brightline opened up regular high-speed train service between Orlando and South Florida, with stops at the two major cruise ports. This means you could get to Miami or Fort Lauderdale with ease from the Central Florida region. Of course, residents of South Florida could do the reverse and take the train up to Orlando for a Port Canaveral departure.

The train service offers a much needed alternative to boring car rides and short flights that require a great ordeal of trouble to get through the airport.

Departing from Orlando International Airport, it's a convenient way to get between Orlando and Miami, with stops along the way. There's talk of expanding the route to Tampa as well.

For my cruise from Port Everglades, I took my family on the Brightline to try it out myself.

Departure from Orlando

I live in the Orlando area, so we booked tickets on the train to take us down to Fort Lauderdale for the evening prior to our cruise beginning.

This was actually my fourth time on the train, but first with a lot of luggage and my family.  And this was the first time I was taking the train for the purposes of going on a cruise.

Booking tickets is quite simple via the Brightline website or app and very similar to booking an airplane ticket.

There's two types of fares: Smart and Premium.

Smart is essentially coach, while Premium is described as first class.  With Premium, more amenities are included. The starting price is $99 per person for Smart, and $149 per person for Premium.

Smart seats get complimentary WiFi, leather seats, and power outlets at each seat. 

Premium gets you all of that, plus lounge access, complimentary food and drinks, and extra space with each seat.

We took a car service to the Brightline station at the airport, and were dropped off in front of the building. The reason I did this was because the first time I took the train, parking in the Orlando airport was limited and confusing. There is not good signage where to park for train, as the parking garage is shared with the airport.

Unfortunately, we arrived too late to have our luggage loaded onto the train for us.  Evidently you need to be there at least 30 minutes before departure.

I had purchased Premium tickets for this trip, which included 1 piece of luggage per person. Checked bags for Smart guests would have been $25 each.

After going through a security checkpoint where we sent our belongings through a bag scanning machine, we headed to the Premium Lounge.

The Premium Lounge is a designated area to wait in for guests that bought Premium tickets.  

You not only have reserved seating, but also have access to complimentary soft drinks, water, snacks, fruit, vegetables, cookies, and even self-serve beer.

If you don't have a Premium ticket, there is seating around the waiting area, along with a bar and places to buy snacks or a souvenir.

Boarding doesn't begin until a few minutes before the train is scheduled to depart. About 10 or 15 minutes before the departure time, the doors are opened for guests to board.

Unfortunately on the day we departed, the incoming train was delayed about 15 minutes. 

Once onboard the train, Premium guests are in the first car and everyone else in the other cars. You pick a seat when you book the train and find your seat in the proper car once onboard.

Each seat has multiple power outlets, and the WiFi was plenty fast, although occasionally it would drop out in rural areas. It would return to service quite quickly.

Being in Premium, you're given complimentary snacks and beverages to start once the train departs. It's very similar to first class on a domestic airline: beers, wines, cocktails and choice of chips, chocolate, nuts, and more.

The first three times I took the train for business, I had no issues and it went very smooth with everything on time.  On the train I took for my cruise, the incoming train was delayed and then about 10 minutes after leaving the station, we had to stop on the tracks for about 15 minutes due to let an incoming train pass.

Once we got going, the train really got up to speed. It's capable of doing speeds as high as 125 mph in the stretch between Orlando and the east coast of Florida. It slows down a bit for other parts of the trip, but the company says the train averages 69 mph.

For our meal service, it was a choice of a vegetarian caprese sandwich or an Italian sandwich. 

The food was fine, and since it was included in my Premium fare, I certainly didn't mind at least picking at it and having something to eat until we got to our hotel.

The train makes just a few stops between Orlando and Miami: West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Aventura.

Pricey, but with wonderful convenience

In thinking who is Brightline good for, it's really about weighing convenience over price.

Brightline tickets aren't cheap, but they probably will cost less than an airplane ticket.  More importantly, a train ride has significantly less hassle than the door-to-door airport and airplane experience.

I'm not sure a Brightline train ride is as ideal as replacement for a short plane ride as I think it's meant to be a compelling alternative to driving.

The drive between Orlando and South Florida is across a very rural part of the state with little to see.  Like all highways, it gets boring quickly and you always have to factor in traffic, weather, or animal crossings that could make the trip much longer.

Having done the drive dozens of times, it's so much easier to take the train and not have to contend with traffic or weather delays.  Plus, I can be more productive during the journey.

The experience from station to station is exemplary. Terminals are bright, new, and easy to navigate. Having grown up with Metro North trains in Connecticut and New York that had drab trains and seemingly ancient and dirty stations, the Brightline experience was remarkably more enjoyable.

I wish the train staff would come around more often to pick up trash.  You're given a sanitary wipe, drinks, snacks, and food, but they would rarely come around to collect trash. Most passengers started using unused seats as somewhere to stash their trash.

I also didn't love how short of a window there is to board.  When they open up the boarding process, you have just a few minutes to get onboard. No time for a bathroom break or to deviate. I wish the train had more time in the station for guests to get situated in their seats.  It wasn't a problem, it just felt rushed.

Bottom line

Without a doubt, I'm a Brightline customer for the foreseeable future because I despised the tedious and boring nature of driving the same route.

It's not a cheap way to go, but Brightline offers pleasant conveniences that make up the difference.

If your goal is to find the cheapest way not to drive to South Florida, Brightline isn't going to be it.  But if your goal is to easily go to your cruise across Florida, it's a heck of a lot easier than flying.

As some that does not want to deal with the long drive and unknown factors that come with traffic or weather, I've found my family's preferred way to go to Miami for a cruise.

There are a few ways you can book a cruise vacation, but what is the best way to book a cruise?

If you do a little research, you'll see cruise fare prices are more less the same when you factor in taxes, fees, and various add-ons.  So why should you book one way or another?

There are advantages to booking a cruise with different outlets and agents. Unlike air travel or hotels, booking a cruise is far more complex and has not gotten as simple as those manners of travel.

This is because of all the personalization that goes into choices you make when picking a cruise.  There's the cabin category, how many people in the room, gratuities, travel insurance, and it all changes if you opt for one cruise ship over another.

Where hotels and flights are looked at as simpler to book directly with the provider, cruise ships aren't as clear cut a choice.

So, what's the best way to book a cruise? Based on our experience through booking hundreds of cruises and feedback from our readers, here's what you should know about each way.

Direct with the cruise line (phone or web)

Pros: Simple approach, full control over your reservation, available 24 hours a day

Cons: No access to special rates, responsibility to manage reservation and changes on your own

Because the public has become so conditioned to book travel directly with the airline or hotel, many first-time cruisers look to book a cruise with the cruise line directly.

You can book a cruise with Royal Caribbean by going to their website or calling their toll-free number and speaking to a representative. In either case, you'll be lead through a series of options.

This freedom in picking a direction and potentially settling on a choice is the greatest weakness with this method for someone that is brand new to cruising.

There are so many choices, as you'll have to pick a ship and sail date, and then narrow down your search to a particular category.  Those three choices alone can be daunting, and you'll have to navigate hundreds of possibilities.

The cruise line website provide little to no assistance in why you should pick one ship, sailing, or itinerary over another.  If you call the cruise line, depending on the representative you speak with, they could be helpful or not at all.  In both scenarios, it's expected you'll know what you want to book, so the onus is on you to figure it all out.

A nice perk of booking with the cruise line directly is you can manage your own reservation. This means you can change who's booked, the sail date, or other details by simply picking up the phone and calling.  Royal Caribbean's website has a few self-service options as well, but many changes to a reservation require a phone call.

Speaking of phone calls, Royal Caribbean's toll-free number can sometimes get very busy. Hold times of over an hour are not uncommon.

With a travel agency

Pros: More "hand holding" for newbies, access to special group discounts and rates, middle man to deal with cruise line

Cons: Dependent on agent to make changes to core agent, not all agents are good, some agencies charge fees

It may surprise you to hear travel agents still exist and they are a very popular way to book a cruise. 

Travel agents work with you to pick the cruise you want, and then do the footwork of getting it all reserved. They will guide you through the process if you're new to cruising, or take down what you want like a dinner order and then process it.

Royal Caribbean pays travel agents a commission, so there's no direct cost to you for using an agency.  Some agencies elect to charge fees for their services, but that's on a case-by-case basis.

When you approach a travel agent to book a cruise, they should ask you a series of questions related to what you're interested in booking and be able to help navigate the dizzying array of choices.

The better travel agents will have years of cruising experience themselves and be able to offer personal advice on what to consider, as well as a deep knowledge of offers available that you might not be able to find on your own, such as group space rates and travel consortiums.

They are a middle man, and the advantage is when there's something to book or change, they are the ones that do the work to wait on hold and make the change. Travel agents also have more self-service tools they can utilize for making changes. 

The downside to this is when you want a timely change, like when there's a price drop or some other time-sensitive reservation to make and you have to wait for the agent to do it. Royal Caribbean will not allow someone who booked a cruise through a travel agent to make a change to their core reservation.  Don't worry, the fun aspects to planning a cruise are still available for you to book (i.e. drink packages, shore excursions, spa appointments, and more).

Another consideration is not all travel agents have the same experience, knowledge, or abilities. Some agents might only be working part time and/or brand new to the industry. Certainly travel agents are just as able to make a mistake as someone booking on their own directly with the line. 

If you can find a knowledgeable and well-respected travel agent, they can be a valuable asset in assisting you throughout the process. This is especially true when there's a problem, such as if the cruise line changes or cancels a sailing, there is a mistake made by the cruise line, or some other unforeseen issue.  The really good agents step up and act on their clients behalf to rectify the situation and make things right.

There are thousands of travel agencies, both online and local to where you live.  Finding a good one is a matter of word of mouth and recommendations from trusted friends. 

Through mega travel websites

Pros: Easy to find pricing, extra incentives to book

Cons: No dedicated agent, flaky support if there's a problem

There are no shortage of travel booking sites where you can book a cruise, in addition to a hotel, car rental, or flight.

To be accurate, these sites are just like any travel agent in that they're a third party that can book a cruise. The difference is how they operate from a customer standpoint.

A nice advantage of these sites are the up-front prices you can find, especially for sailings that have low prices. It's usually easier for the cruises with the lowest prices to surface.

Another reason a lot of people book cruises on these big sites are the extras they offer, including bonus onboard credit, free specialty dining credits and more. These sites can do this because they use part of the commission they get from the cruise line to give back to the client in a credit.

Depending on the site, the booking process may be completely or partially online.  Meaning you might have to get in contact with one of their representatives (read: travel agent) to complete the booking.

At this point, the booking and management of the reservation is just like with a travel agency and you'll be dependent on them to make changes.

Managing a reservation is arguably the worst downside to booking with a travel agent site. You probably won't have the same agent each time, so it's a matter of the round-robin call center you get. Their knowledge can be hit or miss, and during the cruise industry shutdown of 2020-2021, we heard the most reports of clients effectively abandoned by these sites because they stopped operating.

As a vacation package through an airline

Pros: Convenience of booking, possible discount on airfare or travel by bundling, extra airline miles

Cons: Third party support, fees

We see people sometimes booking their cruise as a package deal with an airline because it's an easy bundle.

Not only can you book a cruise with the same people that you need to book your flight with, but you can earn many more frequent flier miles. We've seen cruise specials offer up to 100,000 miles depending on your selected cruise. 

Plus, you might be able to stack the deal with an airline credit card and you can really get a ton of points.

However, airline vacation planners might not be as knowledgeable about the ins and outs of cruises as a Las Vegas hotel. A problem with the cruise line might be better handled with a dedicated travel agent.

Through big box retailers

Pros: Lots of onboard credit, gift card reward just booking

Cons: Must be a member to book, cannot bid for stateroom upgrade

Just like how a big box retailer can save you money on bulk toilet paper or eggs, they offer incentives to book a cruise with them.

They are just like a travel agency, but the difference is the lucrative extras they can provide. Many people that book a cruise with them cite the cash cards they get back for booking, or the additional onboard credit. They rebate their cruise line commission as a way to drum up sales.

The disadvantage of big box retailers are notoriously long wait times to call in to make changes, and the strange fact you cannot bid for a stateroom upgrade.

Costco mysteriously doesn't allow its customers to bid for a room upgrade with the RoyalUp program.

What to ask before you book a cruise

No matter how you choose to book a cruise, before you commit to the reservation, there are a few important questions to ask.

Fees

Be aware up front of any fees or costs for using their services, including cancelling the cruise.

Cruise lines may charge a cancellation fee depending on when you book and which fare type you book, but some agencies or websites will charge their own fee too.

Ask if there's any fee for making a change to the reservation, cancelling the cruise all together, or changing ship or sail date.

What happens if there's a price drop

You should also ask what to do if the price of your cruise goes lower than what you paid.

Royal Caribbean will allow a price adjustment if the fare drops before the final payment date to residents of select countries (i.e. United States and Canada). Nearly any place you book will require you to monitor the price for such a drop, but ask if they monitor it too.

Also ask how to submit a price drop so the agent can process it, and if there are any fees.

Bottom line

You won't pay more to book a cruise through the cruise line website or a third party, but the incentives, extras, and services you receive are what make the difference.

Depending on which option you use to book, you could end up with bonus onboard credit or extras. Any third party you select will also require them to be your gobetween or any cancellations or changes to your reservation.

There are two good reasons to book a cruise with someone other than the cruise line: access to special rates, and extra service.

While the base fares should be the same no matter where you book, group rates are a special way to get even lower rates.  Group rates are hit or miss, so there's no way to really know what they are until you start looking around. And the cruise line will never offer these.

Some sites stand out for just how much you can get back in booking incentives, as well being convenient with the total vacation planning process.

When you choose where to book your cruise, you want to balance the service you get with the incentives they offer. You could get a ton of onboard credit at the expense of slow service when you need changes.

We recommend working with a good travel agency that has been recommended by a trusted source for providing good service and helpful advice. Whether you are a new cruiser or experienced, having someone who knows their stuff and can work on your behalf to troubleshoot any problems you encounter is worth any amount of onboard credit.

Planning a cruise? Start here:

• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?

If you're brave enough to try the most challenging thrill attraction Royal Caribbean has ever conjured up, you can book it now.

The first Icon of the Seas cruise is just two months away, and the ship is full of all sorts of thrills to entice its passengers, including an entire water park, surf simulator, and ropes course that goes over the side of the ship.

Bookings for the Crown's Edge opened on Tuesday for guests to reserve a spot.

Crown's Edge is part skywalk, part ropes course, part thrill ride, and an all-out test of courage.  It's a ropes course-style attraction that goes around the ship's Crown and Anchor logo.

This activity first takes passengers on a ropes course as they walk and balance on different shapes and pathways. Sounds easy? Here’s the catch: you’re walking off the side of the ship with nothing but the ocean below you.

If that doesn’t sound thrilling enough, the walkway drops for the second part of the ride, and you suddenly find yourself swinging 154 feet above the ocean back to safety.

Royal Caribbean thinks it will be the ultimate aerial adventure and a new test of bravery.

The cruise line says the ride experience is approximately 90 seconds and may vary by rider. The full experience will be approximately 15 minutes long, which includes time for gearing up.

To try this thrill, you'll need to pay $89.99 per guest for a spot.

It should come as no surprise that Royal Caribbean is charging for Crown's Edge, as the line confirmed it would be an extra-cost activity back in November 2022.

The Crown's Edge is not the first signature attraction Royal Caribbean has charged extra for.

The cruise line started charging for pool deck casitas, the escape rooms, and North Star observation pod once demand began to exceed available times, and so the cruise line used nominal pricing to help ensure it was easier to get a spot.

Crown's Edge ride requirements

In order to try the Crown's Edge, you need to be at least 6 years old, weigh at least 44 pounds, and be 49 inches tall.

You cannot be taller than 83 inches and weigh no more than 297 pounds.

Planning Crown's Edge

Before it was built, Royal Caribbean was planning out how this thrill attraction would work from it's Miami headquarters.

In their Innovation Lab, Royal Caribbean first built out the safety briefing area where guests will gear up and learn what they need to do to enjoy the experience in a proper manner.

Royal Caribbean Senior Product Owner, Emily Rodriguez, talked about what they get from designing this space in the real world, "in building out this space, I think it helped us understand what that flow would look like, and how to think through all of the small details to how we brand the jumpsuits, how we brand the helmets, and what the photo and video experience would be like."

Royal Caribbean then used tape in their headquarters parking lot to map out to provide the scale of the experience, "We wanted to do here is tape out the experience to understand scale."

The climax of the experience is a drop through portion, which Royal Caribbean described as "pretty scary" when they tested out the drop harnesses with just a 4 foot drop in a warehouse in Bulgaria. 

More thrills coming

Whether you try the Crown's Edge or not, there are lots of other hair-raising thrills waiting for you on Icon of the Seas.

There's an entire neighborhood of the ship called Thrill Neighborhood to house them all.

The Category 6 waterpark has 6 record-breaking slides, that include slides that can boomerang you off a slide’s “lotus leaf wall” over the ship’s edge, or have you wait anxiously for the free fall slide’s “floor” to drop beneath you:

• Pressure Drop: the industry’s first open free-fall slide
• Frightening Bolt: the tallest drop slide at sea
• Storm Surge & Hurricane Hunter: family raft slides which can fit 4 riders per raft
• Storm Chasers: the cruise industry’s first mat-racing duo

The waterpark slides are complimentary.

Icon of the Seas will also have a FlowRider surf simulator, Lost Dunes miniature golf, the Adrenaline Peak rock climbing wall and a sports court.

No cost for these activities either, although there are private sessions you can pay for at the FlowRider.

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