A cruise in Europe is unlike a Caribbean cruise in many ways, including things you should bring with you on the trip.

I'm headed to Europe for a 7-night Royal Caribbean cruise to Spain and France, and in the weeks leading up to the cruise, I wanted to make sure I have everything I need.

There are a lot of similarities between a Caribbean cruise and an European cruise, but there are a few items that I think are different or more important to have when going to Europe.

After trying Europe last year, I came away with a few takeaways to apply. Plus, I'm headed to different destinations than last time.

Read more: 7 mistakes & 3 things I did right on my Norwegian fjords cruise

Here's the list of things I bought for my European cruise that I think will greatly benefit me.  This is of course in addition to the usual assortment of cruise packing list items that I think everyone should rely on as well.

eSim

Staying connected is really important to me, and I want to make sure I have a very easy time being able to not only work on this site while on another continent, but be able to easily communicate with friends and family.

Rather than rely on an international cell phone plan from my home carrier, I went with an eSim that covers all of Europe.

When I went to Europe last year, I was turned onto Orange Travel eSims and it worked flawlessly.  

In the old days, you had to get a physical sim card and have your phone unlocked and it was all super cumbersome.  With modern phones, it's all virtual.

Basically, you buy a travel plan that is good for 7, 14, or even 28 days. When you get to Europe, scan a QR code and it downloads the eSim information to your phone and you have a second cellular connection ready to go!

It's really simple, and I bought the 30GB plan that works for 14 days from the time of activation. I think it's probably more data than I need, but I can always top it off if I need more. Total cost is €39.99.

It works in all the countries I'll be visiting, and I can avoid having to constantly try to find a WiFi signal somewhere.

UK/EU power adaptor

One of the best things to pack for any cruise is downright essential on a European cruise.

Royal Caribbean cruise ships don't always have a lot of power outlets, so a USB hub is very useful.  In Europe, you're going to need that and a good power adaptor to go with it.

Between your phone, laptop, and any other electronic you pack, the outlets in Europe are very different.

The EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter (this is an affiliate link, which means I get a small commission but there's no extra cost to you) is great because it's small, and it can work with US, EU, or UK power outlets.  Plus, it has USB outlets on the side!

It's an all-in-one adapter that has 4 USB-A ports (2.4A), 1 USB-C port (3A), and 1 AC socket.

I've been able to bring this on cruise ships and use it around Europe, and it's a solid investment.

Better walking shoes

When I'm at home, I wear basic shoes that are far from perfect for walking, so I needed a better pair for Europe.

Between exploring London and the shore excursions I have planned in France and Spain, there's going to be plenty of walking involved.  Getting a blister or just sore feet sounds is not something I want, so I decided to invest in better shoes for walking.

There are lots of sneakers out there, but I ultimately went with the Nike Men's Sports Low Top Shoes. For the ladies, my friend Sheri recommends the adidas Women's Cloudfoam sneakers. (this is an affiliate link, which means I get a small commission but there's no extra cost to you)

If you do buy sneakers for your cruise, be sure to break them in before the cruise begins.  Don't wear brand new shoes around Europe. Instead, wear them around your house and town so they are worn-in and ready to tackle the old streets of Europe.

Theft-proof bag

Rather than stuff all my personal belongings in my pockets, investing in a good bag that doubles against pickpockets seemed like a good idea.

A lot of travel experts recommend a crossbody bag as something to take with you on shore, and I wanted to go one step further to ensure it is theft-proof.

Pickpockets are a concern in Europe, and while I won't pretend to know how likely a threat, I figure it's better to be safe than sorry.

Ultimately I went with the Wander Plus Anti Theft Travel Bag (this is an affiliate link, which means I get a small commission but there's no extra cost to you) because it can be worn as a crossbody bag or as a sling bag.

I've never worn a crossbody bag, and I'm still traumatized by the fanny pack craze of the 1990s.  So while I won't wear Zubaz pants anytime soon, I'm willing to give crossbody bags a try.

Apple AirTags

I think everyone has a small panic attack contemplating what happens if their luggage would get lost, so that's why I bought Apple AirTags.

Air travel is especially notorious for lost bags, and I would have far more peace of mind knowing where my bags are located.

An AirTag is a small, button-shaped tracking device that weighs just 11 grams. AirTags can be tracked using Bluetooth in the Find My app on my iPhone.

A single AirTag will cost $29 and a 4-pack costs $99. (These links contain an affiliate link. I earn from qualifying purchases that costs you nothing extra)

It's an easy and affordable add-on for my trip, and I think I'll have less anxiety about my luggage not making it with me.

Read more: I tried AirTags to track my luggage on a Royal Caribbean cruise

One thing I'm not packing: toiletries

Don't worry, I'm planning to shower regularly during my European cruise.  But I won't bother buying them at home and bringing them with me.

First, they take up space in my luggage and add weight.  If they're travel size, not that much weight and space, but it all adds up.

But the real reason I'm not packing toiletries is because I'm always paranoid of them opening/exploding in my luggage.  Sure, I can put them in a zip lock bag, but then we're back to the first issue I talked about.

Instead, I'll buy them when I get to London and then toss them when I'm ready to come home.

And if you're concerned I'll forget or get lazy, the included 3-in-1 mystery liquid in Royal Caribbean's shower is a non-starter for me, so I'll definitely find the motivation to get it.

Hurricane Ernesto has affected the itinerary for another Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

With the storm's anticipated path headed for Bermuda, Royal Caribbean has altered the plan for Liberty of the Seas August 15, 2024 cruise.

The original plan was for Liberty to sail a 9 Night Bermuda and Eastern Caribbean cruise.

Instead, Liberty of the Seas will skip its visit to Bermuda and go west of the storm and south to Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos.

An email sent to booked passengers explained the change, "Along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we've been monitoring the track of Hurricane Ernesto along our intended path. 

"In order to stay safe and clear of this hurricane, we will now skip our visit to Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda, and travel west of the storm and south to Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos. While not the original itinerary planned, we're excited to have an extra day to enjoy Grand Turk with you!"

Any pre-booked shore excursions through the cruise line will be automatically refunded.

The new itinerary includes a visit to Grand Turk twice on consecutive days, followed by the resumption of their original itinerary.  

Cruise lines will alter the itinerary of a cruise ship to avoid bad weather, especially tropical storms. Usually an itinerary change similar to what has happened to Liberty of the Seas is all that's needed.  

It's rare for a cruise to be cancelled because of a hurricane.

The cruise line apologized for having no choice but to change its original plans, "We're terribly sorry for this last-minute change caused by the weather - your safety is our top priority. Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because our ship can quickly move out of the way of any inclement weather."

Liberty of the Seas is a Freedom Class cruise ship, capable of sailing with up to 4,960 passengers at maximum capacity.

Read more: What I liked (and disliked) about my Liberty of the Seas cruise

Liberty of the Seas is still on schedule to return to Cape Liberty on August 24.

Fourth Royal Caribbean cruise ship affected by Ernesto

Liberty of the Seas is the fourth Royal Caribbean cruise ship to change its itinerary this week.

Icon of the Seas had to swap itineraries, going from an Eastern Caribbean cruise to a Western Caribbean sailing.  

Sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Rhapsody of the Seas reversed its port order to avoid the path of the storm and went to Barbados first.

Symphony of the Seas replaced a port visit to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic with a visit to Nassau, Bahamas.

These changes were made before Ernesto had become a hurricane.

Other cruise lines changed their plans too.

Carnival had to alter the itinerary for Carnival Magic and Carnival Pride, and is monitoring the itineraries for the Carnival Freedom and Mardi Gras.

Norwegian Cruise Line had three ships change plans, including Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Sky, and Norwegian Joy.

Hurricane Ernesto's path

The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Ernesto is a Category 1 Hurricane centered about 600 miles south-southwest of Bermuda and is moving north.

The storm moved through Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and it's now past those islands.

While not a threat to the United States mainland, it appears headed straight for Bermuda.

Ernesto is heading north at 13 mph early Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, the hurricane center said.

Ernesto could become a major hurricane by Friday, which means it would have to reach Category 3 or higher.

The National Hurricane Center that Bermuda will see a "dangerous storm surge" that will produce significant coastal flooding and destructive waves. The island nation will see about half a foot of rain and in some areas, up to a foot, possibly resulting in "considerable life-threatening flash flooding."

Royal Caribbean is among the cruise lines already changing their plans due to Hurricane Ernesto.

Royal Caribbean has begun re-routing a number of ships to avoid the path of the hurricane.  

Ernesto was first a tropical storm affecting the U.S. Virgin Islands on Wednesday, but has now strengthened to a hurricane.

"We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by weather," a letter from the cruise lines to guests booked on Icon of the Seas read informing them of the change.

"Your safety is our top priority. Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because we are faster and can move out of the way of any inclement weather."

Icon of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship, and is one of the first cruise ships to change plans due to Ernesto.

The original plan was for Icon to visit the Eastern Caribbean cruise ports of  St. Thomas, St. Kitts and then the Bahamas. Instead, Icon will switch to a Western Caribbean itinerary and visit: Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Roatan, Honduras.

In addition, guests will have an additional two hours to enjoy at the private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

A second Royal Caribbean cruise ship has also had to change itineraries due to Ernesto.

Rhapsody of the Seas is sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico and will reverse its itinerary to avoid the storm.

Rhapsody will start the cruise by going to Barbados instead of St. Croix.  She'll return to St. Croix on Saturday, August 17th.

Ernesto's formation coincides as we are nearing the peak of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.

It started out as Invest 98L, and then became Potential Tropical Cyclone Five. As it moved moved over the warm waters of the tropical Atlantic Ocean it became better organized and eventually became what is now Hurricane Ernesto.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Ernesto is located about 180 miles northwest of Grand Turk Island and about 765 miles south-southwest of Bermuda. It's moving off to the northwest at 16 mph and has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph with higher gusts.

It should become a Category 3 hurricane by Friday.

The storm is likely headed towards Bermuda next.

How Royal Caribbean plans changes

When there's bad weather in the world, Royal Caribbean will always monitor it to ensure their ships avoid it.

Along with Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, the ship's Captain makes the decision for the best course of action.

Tropical Storm Ernesto may not be a weather event for the mainland United States, but it's enough of a threat to change ship plans.

Mr. Setzer posted on Twitter/X on Monday, "Thanks to a deepening upper trough near the east coast, the US mainland threat from what will become Ernesto is very low. The exact details of impacts to the northeast Caribbean are a little less certain but a hurricane strike is unlikely there. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Bermuda around week's end."

In the case of Icon of the Seas, the letter explained changing from an Eastern Caribbean to a Western Caribbean itinerary made the most sense, "Along with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we’ve been monitoring inclement weather along our intended path. Due to the adverse weather, we’ve modified our itinerary to provide you with the most enjoyable sailing experience."

Radical itinerary changes are not ideal for passengers given the original plans they booked, but avoiding the path of a tropical storm is the right decision every time.

One thing I really love about a cruise is when you can share the experience with friends and family, and it's one of the best kind of vacations when you're accounting for different ages.

When I've taken a land vacation with my extended family, it seems inevitably some people end up "doing their own thing" because what others are doing isn't to their liking.  And that usually means more separation from everyone because of distances involved.

I find a cruise vacation lends itself more towards being together, and even when you're not, you're never too far away.  Royal Caribbean is in that sweet spot for large families because they have lots for kids, parents, grandparents and weird uncles to enjoy.  It doesn't lean too heavy into one particular demographic.

I don't necessarily want a vacation where my entire family feels like we're "joined at the hip", but it's still important to feel like we spent time together.

Regardless of which type of vacation you pick, it's not easy balancing the needs of every family member and everyone coming home satisfied at the end of the trip.

Planning a multigenerational cruise

I think it's important early on to get buy in from everyone involved.

When you're picking the cruise ship, dates, itinerary, and travel arrangements, you want to make sure everyone is on the same page.

One of the top challenges of planning a family trip is not defaulting into the "travel czar" for everyone.  You don't want the family thinking one person has taken over the trip planning and it's become "their trip".

While some degree of decision making will ultimately need to be made by one person, the more you can include others in the decision making process, the better it ends up going.

Cruises are great because families have options for staterooms, depending on their budget.

Read more: Ways I Save Money on Cruises With Family

An easy idea to make this work is to start the planning process the next time your family is together.  Christmas, Thanksgiving, someone's birthday, or any time you can have the principles in the same room makes for simpler choices and less passive aggressive texts later.

Everyone's family dynamic is different, but the more inclusion you start off with, the better you are later.

Work with a travel agent

You know what starts more arguments among family members? Money.

Everyone has grandiose visions of that perfect family trip, but handling money is not pretty. You don't want to be the "bad guy" reminding everyone to pay, and you definitely do not want to be a middle man for taking payments.

My advice is loop a travel agent in as soon as you want to book so they can deal with collecting payments and making other arrangements.

Not only can a good travel agent ensure everyone is paid up and there's no confusion about who owes who money, but they could be a great asset as well.

If you book enough cabins, you might qualify for a group discount.  Even if you don't, travel agents have access to special rates that could save everyone money.

Read more: 10 secrets Royal Caribbean travel agents wish you knew

Plus, travel agents are there to take care of any problems anyone encounters with the cruise line.

One you think a multigenerational trip is possible, I'd contact a travel agent to get the ball rolling.  

Read more: 7 Best Royal Caribbean cruise ships for Kids

Plan on time together at least once a day

One secret to a great multi-gen cruise is not planning out every minute of every day.  

Some of your family will be up at dawn, and others will emerge around lunch.  Don't worry about trying to be together all the time.

Instead, plan on having one time per day you are together, and I think dinner is the perfect opportunity.

Not only will everyone be awake for dinner, but it's the perfect time to see everyone and talk about what everyone did.  Plus, the Main Dining Room is conducive to handling large groups.

Beyond that one time together a day rule, make it clear there's no hard feelings for what happens the rest of the day. It's their vacation as much as yours, and sometimes you want to do your own thing.

To help avoid drama later on related to "I didn't know you were doing that", a group text is a good idea (along with paying for an internet package for at least one person per family).

Read more: Royal Caribbean wifi guide

Book shore excursions early

Once you have a cruise booked, I think the next thing to tackle are shore excursions.

It's not easy finding tours that work for everyone, but you'll want to start on it before some of them start to sell out.

Beach days are the simplest and most popular choice for a multigenerational trip, so that's always an easy starting point (especially in the Caribbean).

Read more: 11 of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean

No matter which tour you pick, it's also good to split the costs evenly. If someone wants to pay for the entire family, that's fantastic, but if not, plan on everyone paying for their share so that there's no arguments later who paid for what.

Going back to the first tip, you'll also want to get buy in for which shore excursions you pick. It's not a big deal if some family members do their own thing, but I find a tour I do with everyone feels a lot more special.

Focus on what will make memories

After you get home and the trip is over, the most important takeaway will be the memories you make.

What that means is having first experiences that create family bonding moments with memories. The sort of things that happen that everyone talks about for years later because it was funny, loving, or just a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A lot of families elect to buy matching t-shirts for the trip. Not only is it something to wear together on the first day of the cruise, but you can wear it for months or years later.  It's like a rock concert shirt that commemorates that you were there.

Beyond souvenirs, focus on things you can all do together. While there's no guarantee going to the CocoCay waterpark or singing karaoke will make a memory you'll think about for the rest of your life, it's more likely than just not doing anything at all.

I've rented a yacht in St. Thomas on one trip and while not cheap, it's been a tour we've talked about a lot over the years because we had an epic day.

When I cruise with my parents, I've noticed they much prefer big family dinners where we can all sit together and share stories. 

Mixing in different opportunities to foster memories is a good priority for any multigenerational trip.

Royal Caribbean's drink packages offer unlimited beverages during a cruise, but the question is how much can you practically consume every day.

The premise of a drink package is pay a flat fee to enjoy as many cocktails, beers, glasses of wine, coffees, and bottles of water as you like during your cruise.  Drink packages have become incredibly popular with cruisers, and the average price has steadily gone up over the years.

Read more: Everything you need to know about a Royal Caribbean drink package

One user on the Royal Caribbean subreddit was curious how much others were truly drinking every day to make that cost worthwhile.

"Those who get the drink package, how many alcoholic drinks do y'all end up consuming per day and do you drink every day?" the thread asked.

Over 200 responses followed, with cruisers sharing their experiences with Royal Caribbean's drink packages.

Drink counts

The responses to the Reddit thread ran the gamut of possible responses, with some people claiming to have consumed easily over 100 drinks over the course of one sailing.

cat_mom_dot_com answered with her count depending on how into drinking their day was, "20 to 30 on the hardcore days. 5 to 10 on the lowkey days."

Warm-Refridgerator242 explained being on vacation is a different approach than being at home, "I would say I end up having between 10 and 15 drinks a day and I don't typically drink besides on cruises. It can sound like a lot but when you wake up around 8 am and you're up until night you'll end up having a good amount of drinks!"

They added that the appeal of the drink package is the convenience of not worrying about a bar bill later, "I definitely recommend it overall, it's nice being able to get a drink and not worry about if you like it or not because you can always order another. Plus the convenience factor of not having to sign every receipt is nice."

Many of the answers came in between 10-20 drinks per day, with many people saying not every drink contained alcohol. The Deluxe Beverage Package and the Royal Refreshment Package both include bottled water, premium coffee & teas, juices, sodas and other soft drinks.

DoctorHathaway explained how the drink package works beyond alcohol, "I do about 12 alcoholic drinks a day. I also drink about 2 specialty coffees, a bunch of fountain drinks (mostly flavored seltzers), and I usually grab about 4-6 bottles of water from the bar."

If the drink counts sound high, many were quick to point out that the potency of Royal Caribbean's drinks did not seem very high. Many people said the bartenders measure the amount of liquor dispensed and that resulted in drinks not being as potent as you might expect.

"It’s worth it for the convenience"

The overwhelming consensus among those that responded in the thread was no matter how much they consumed per day, the drink package value was worthwhile.

When you buy a drink package, the cost includes the drinks and gratuity, along with the ability to sample drinks.  There's no penalty for not finishing drinks.

Ginsengii shared that while they did not drink a lot, the freedom it provided was worth the cost, "I don’t think my husband and I will “get our money’s worth” in terms of literal cost per drink, but to me, it’s worth it for the convenience. "

"I’m someone who would hem and haw over spending the extra money on a second drink at dinner or skip out on the mimosa at breakfast if I had to make the decision to pay for it in the moment. By buying the package, I am able to fully relax and not worry about costs because everything is prepaid."

"It might not make total sense, but it works for me."

Practical-Money-7982 talked about how having a drink package changes how they cruise, "For me the package is always worth it no matter how much I drink."

"I have more fun when I'm drinking as I have trouble loosening up. If I don't buy the package I will not drink at all because I'll have to justify $15/drink which I will not be able to."

The break even point

While there were some flaunting daily drink counts, many were also looking at how much they had to drink to make the drink package cost worthwhile.  

Justifying the drink package price was about determining how much they had to drink each day to end up spending the same amount if they paid for drinks on their own.  Royal Caribbean drink prices are about $7.99 for a beer, $10-$14 per cocktail, and $3.50 for a soda.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing for its drink packages, so the price varies from sailing to sailing.  And there are pre-cruise discounts if you buy before the cruise begins.

Read more: How much is a Royal Caribbean drink package?

OhWhatsHisName calculated it was very easy to get your drink package value back without going too heavy into alcoholic drinks, "I can get fancy coffees in the morning, milkshakes and other fruity drinks throughout the day, bottled waters for excursions, etc. so factor those in, then to break even for the alcoholic drinks that's not even 5 a day, so that's 2 alcoholic drinks at lunch, 3 at dinner, which is very easily hit."

Jane_Marie_CA also found 3-10 cocktails a day combined with juices, soda, iced lattes, and smoothies made the package a good buy, "my break even point is somewhere between 4-5 cocktails a day when I factor my non booze consumption."

Some felt it wasn't worth it

While most of the people in the thread celebrated the virtues of a drink package, others lamented the purchase and couldn't justify it.

Gat0rJesus felt having the drink package made them drink more than they would otherwise, "We got it and had to drink far more than normal to make it worth it."

MaroonCanuck added, "The sheer caloric intake of some of these posts 15-20 drinks a day. Oh my heart hurts."

For a few people, the up front cost made them think twice, "Average 8-10. It was fun. Prob won't do it again, though. Will just pay out of pocket or bring some on board," BrushYourFeet said.

A cruise ship passenger may have gone overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, reports online say.

According to a post on Reddit, guests aboard Explorer of the Seas were awoken to rescue efforts at 5am on Friday.

"They turned the ship about and launched multiple boats and had spotlights looking into the ocean. I could hear high pitch sounds coming from the distance. I fear someone may have gone overboard," wrote Aramedlig.

Later in the thread, the same user posted, "Confirmed it is a man overboard. They just made an announcement."

Explorer of the Seas is sailing a 7-Night Greece & Croatia itinerary that set sail from Ravenna, Italy.  According to the report, the ship was between Dbrovnik and Zadar, Croatia when the incident occurred.

Another Reddit user on the same sailing added more details regarding the rescue efforts. 

"They have several local ships on either side and about 6 of the onboard fast rescue launches out," wrote Harleys-for-all.

"We've formed a line in the sea about 2 miles wide and are slowly combing the area."

User lesleyanne_b shared a photo of the rescue efforts, "They’re still actively searching. High speed rescue ship and two tenders, with Croatian ship supporting on starboard side."

Kilo_watt added, "Croatian Coast Guard and Air Force are helping. Our port of call to Zadar today has been canceled."

Screenshot care of Marine Traffic

Based on the ship's path, it's clear it engaged in a series of movements in an effort to locate the passenger.

According to a report by the Croatian newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija, the person in question is, "a young citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."

Explorer of the Seas is a large cruise ship, capable of carrying 4,290 passengers at maximum capacity, along with 1,185 crew members. She is 1,020 feet long and 157.5 feet wide.

The first sailing of Explorer of the Seas took place on October 28, 2000.

Onboard safety precautions

The chances of falling overboard on a cruise ship are extremely low.

Deck railings on Royal Caribbean cruise ships are at least 42-inches high, which comply Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA) of 2010.

In addition, there are thick metal or Plexiglas panels or metal bars are positioned under the railings to prevent people from slipping through. 

When a man overboard situation occurs, the media usually reports on it and it leads some to wonder how it could happen in the first place.

An article from The Points Guy points out cruise ships have railings that are around chest height to ensure passenger safety and to prevent someone from slipping and falling overboard.

"The only way you risk a fall is if you're standing on furniture to peer over the side or climbing somewhere you're not supposed to. It's not possible for you to trip over a door frame or slip on a wet deck and fall off of a vessel."

Passengers going overboard are rare

The chances of a cruise ship passenger going overboard are quite low, but it does occasionally happen.

In a report from Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), there were 212 identified overboard incidents from cruise ships for either crew members or passengers between 2009 to 2019. 

Of these overboard incidents, only 48 (or 28.2%) individuals were successfully rescued. Around 71.8% of people who go overboard from cruise ships are sadly never recovered or located. 

The CLIA report also shows an overall decline in overboard incidents throughout the 10-year period. The overboard incident rate decreased 64% from 2009 to 2019, with an incidence rate of 0.00004 overboard reports per active lower berth in 2019.

The report states, “When compared with the growth in capacity in the industry over the study years, man overboard incidents continue on a downward trend.” 

If you believe that time is money, there are ways to spend extra to bypass waits on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

A cruise vacation usually includes shows, activities, shore excursions, and lots of other fun onboard.  However, there are thousands of other passengers who also want to do the same thing.

Sometimes there are short waits, while other times, long lines develop for the very popular activities. You could plan ahead and arrive early, book certain things in advance, or hope for the best.  Or you could throw money at the problem.

Spending more money isn't always the solution and you can have a great cruise without spending more money on add-ons.  But for some people, it's worth it to have a more convenient experience. 

If you value time over money, here are four upgrades you could pay for to wait less and skip lines on your Royal Caribbean cruise.

The Key

Perhaps the most popular way to skip a few lines on your cruise is to buy Royal Caribbean's VIP pass, known as The Key.

The Key is an optional purchase to be made before the cruise begins, where guests get extra 1its.  

Benefits of The Key include priority embarkation, special reserved times at signature top deck attractions, tendering priority, and more.

Buying The Key should save you time with a shorter wait to board the cruise ship, as well as disembarking it.  Guests that buy The Key can also enjoy times at specific attractions on their ship, like the rock climbing wall or Flowrider.

The downside to The Key is you have to buy it for everyone in your group above the age of 6 and you have to pay a daily fee for every day of your cruise. Plus, most of the best benefits are just on embarkation day.

However, The Key is the most affordable option on this list and it will shave off some time.

Book a Suite

Another way to bypass a few lines is to stay in a suite instead of a lower category stateroom.

Royal Caribbean has two tiers of suite experiences: the Royal Suite Class on Oasis, Quantum, and Icon Class ships; and the rest of the fleet. There are more lucrative benefits if you're on a ship with Royal Suite Class benefits.

Read more: Royal Caribbean suites overview

There are a few ways staying in a suite can benefit you by skipping lines.

First, you'll get priority embarkation and disembarkation.  When you arrive to the cruise port, there will be a special line just for suite guests and that is almost always shorter than the regular line. Moreover, you'll board the ship first (if they have not started the embarkation process yet).

Priority disembarkation is my favorite suite benefit, as the suite concierge will escort you off the ship and cut through the usually long line on that final morning. This single benefit has saved me a lot of time and my family's sanity trying to get off the ship after the cruise is over.

Suite guests also have reserved seating at shows to enjoy. It's not always the best place to sit, but they are indeed reserved spots for suite guests (as well as top tier Crown and Anchor members). 

While suite guests do not get any special times at signature attractions like those that have The Key, there is reserved seating for suite guests on the pool deck.  Pool deck chairs go quickly, so it's a nice way to not have to be as competitive for a pool chair.

Some of the suite benefits sound similar to The Key, but with a suite you also get an opulent and expansive cabin.

It's also worth mentioning the suite benefits on Royal Caribbean's newer ships are more lucrative than on their older ships.

Read more: Differences between a suite and a balcony

Use a Royal Genie

If you really want to eliminate as many lines as possible, then you should book a Star Class suite.

Star Class is the exclusive top tier of Royal Caribbean's suite program, and guests in these cabins not only get the largest suites on the ship, they also get the service of the Royal Genie.

The Royal Genie is the "easy button" for your cruise, and they can get you access to just about anything without waits.

Not only do you have the regular suite benefits mentioned earlier, but your Genie escorts you onboard the ship at the cruise terminal and is there to get you pretty much anything you want.

You can completely bypass lines for shows, ice skating, laser tag, elevators, and even getting back on the ship.  You just message your Genie with Whatsapp and they'll help you out.

Genies cannot quite bypass every single line (i.e. water slides are still on your own), but it's truly the best choice for anyone that absolutely wants to avoid lines or waits on their cruise and money is not an object.

As you might imagine, a Star Class suite is not cheap.  Often the price for these suites cost five figures, with some of the top suites actually exceeding $80,000.

Private shore excursions

If there's one kind of waiting on a cruise that I personally detest the most, it's waits for a group shore excursion. 

Shore excursions are a lot of fun, but group excursions tend to epitomize the saying, "hurry up and wait". I like to explore things at my pace, and while group shore excursions are quite affordable, I prefer to do things on my own in certain ports.

Booking a private shore excursion could alleviate waits by allowing you to get going and stop and start when you want to.

You could book a private sightseeing tour, or charter a catamaran. There are even Royal Caribbean private excursions you can book through the Private Journeys department.

The downside to a private excursion is the cost.  You'll probably pay much more per person than on a group tour.

A free upgrade: Express Boarding

While everything in our list costs extra, there's an easy way to skip at least one line on your cruise and that's with Express Boarding.

If you happen to sail on a ship that supports Express Boarding, Royal Caribbean will reward you with a faster way to get onto the ship for free.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Express Boarding Review

If you complete all the steps of the check-in process via the Royal Caribbean app, you should get Express Boarding on your SetSail pass automatically.

You'll need to use the app to enter all your information, scan your passport, take a selfie, and answer the health questionnaire the day before the cruise begins.

Read more: Royal Caribbean boarding process walkthrough

It's only available at certain ports and ships, but it's free!

Utopia of the Seas is not only one of Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ships, but she's packed with lots to do.

If you're like me, you're going to want to take advantage of everything Royal Caribbean has added to this ship. There's lots to see, do, and eat onboard, and you only have a few nights to try everything.

Although the cruise fare is likely higher on Utopia of the Seas than other ships doing short cruises, Utopia has some of the best in class features that you won't get on those ships.

Here are five things to consider before you sail on Utopia of the Seas.

Royal Railway is the hot ticket

Royal Caribbean may have outdone itself with its new immersive dining restaurant experience because demand for it has been quite high.

Royal Railway at Utopia Station is more than just a specialty restaurant. It's an adventure through food and story, and a lot of passengers are clearly interested in booking it.

Reservations are slowly rolling out to be able to book it, but you're going to need to be quick to grab one. The combination of high interest to try it along with cruisers collaborating on social media to alert each other when reservations are available is leading to Royal Railway selling out quickly.

My advice is to book a reservation in advance once they become available on the website, even if you have a Royal Caribbean dining package or you're sailing in Star Class.  

You can always get a refund onboard the ship once you point out you have one of those things, and being assured of a spot via this method makes the most sense.

I'd also advise you to join a Facebook group for your sailing to be alerted by others when Royal Railway pops up to book.

If eating at Royal Railway is important to you, then definitely book early and don't wait.

Read more: 7 ways to learn everything you can about your cruise

A lot of the new parties are late night

There are a lot of new parties and events on Utopia of the Seas, and many of them are at night.

Royal Caribbean wanted Utopia of the Seas to offer more to do than its other ships, and it greatly expanded its activities. In addition to the usual Royal Caribbean events, you'll find new pool parties, dance parties, fraternization events, and more.

The new pool events, such as the Plunge Day Pool Party, are still during the day, so there's no concern there. But if you want to experience many of the new events, it's going to be a late night.

These include:

• Toga silent party
• ReZolution Dance Party
• Royal Kappa Chi college party
• Red DJ party
• The Quest adult scavenger hunt

It seems many of the events don't begin until 11pm, and many are only offered once per sailing.  

The key is to look at the schedule ahead of time, and take a nap during the day or load up on coffee so you can make it to the late night hours. Some parties have been going until about 4am.

Plan your port day around CocoCay, not Nassau

Time is limited on a weekend cruise, so if you're going to make plans on shore, do it on your visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

I'm not disparaging Nassau specifically, rather, pointing out which port to prioritize since it makes sense to also have time for all the fun things to do on Utopia.

Utopia of the Seas has a lot to do, and there's a good argument for staying onboard the ship on one of the port days in order to enjoy more of the ship.

Staying onboard the ship means you could enjoy more time at the pool, less of a wait at the water slides, sample a different restaurant, or go down the Ultimate Abyss.

Not only are there a lot of good choices for what to do at CocoCay, but I find Nassau's shore excursions options limiting in the sense of compelling choices. I actually prefer the beaches around Nassau more than CocoCay, but Royal Caribbean has fine-tuned its private island game to a point where it's far more likely to have a fun time ashore.

Don't take this tip to mean you shouldn't get off the ship at Nassau, rather, if you want to do one port day, I'd pick CocoCay.

The Mason Jar bar is underrated entertainment

Royal Caribbean says Utopia of the Seas is the ultimate party ship, but the Mason Jar bar is where you ought to be going every night.

With all due respect to the Pesky Parrot, English Pub, Schooner Bar, and Red dance party, my go-to evening music spot was the Mason Jar in order to see the Country Trio perform there.

Bryan, Jeff, and Josh put on a great show, and even though I'm not a big country music fan, it's the right mix of new and classic hits that I think anyone can enjoy. 

Equally compelling are the bar menu choices. Be sure to try the PB&J Old Fashioned for my absolute favorite cruise drink.

It makes sense to wander on Utopia and sample a variety of bars and lounges each evening, but I recommend stopping by to see the boys in the Mason Jar.

Secrets I discovered on Utopia of the Seas

I spent over a week on Utopia of the Seas taking in as much as I can, and ran across various tidbits I think would benefit anyone.

None of these are "I can't believe how amazing this tip is" sort of secrets, but I do think you'll have a better cruise if you know about them.

Expedited boarding: You can get on Utopia of the Seas faster with expedited boarding at Port Canaveral. Simply do everything in the Royal Caribbean app, and you can qualify for it and it's free.

You can get coffee at Giovanni's: If the line for coffee is too long in the Windjammer or Cafe Promenade, Giovanni's wine bar has an espresso machine. It might not help you early in the morning, but they're open during the day.

You can order food at Giovanni's wine bar: Another Giovanni's tip is to go to the bar for a snack or a meal. There is a limited food menu you can order from, and this can be great for a quick bite or a workaround if you cannot get a reservation at the restaurant.

The shaved ice isn't covered by a package yet: I love that Royal Caribbean added shaved ice to the Wipeout Bar at the back of the ship near the Ultimate Abyss, but your drink or dining packages won't cover it yet. Royal Caribbean may revisit that rule in the future, but for now, plan to spend extra on it.

Look for espresso martini machines: Utopia is the second Royal Caribbean ship to add espresso martini machines to some of its bars (Icon of the Seas had it first), and it's something espresso martini fans seem to love. I spotted one at the casino bar and Schooner Bar so far.

There are USB plugs at a lot of bars: If you need to charge your devices, look for USB plugs below the bar. The Solarium Bar, Schooner Bar, and Pesky Parrot all had USB plugs below the bar to keep your devices charged.

You can buy Wowbands: Royal Caribbean sells its useful RFID bracelets on Utopia of the Seas. Known as Wowbands, you can buy them at Guest Services for $9.99 each.

Save this blog to Pinterest