Using a knowledgeable and helpful travel agent can take the stress out of planning a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation, which can be a complicated and overwhelming task for the first-timer.  

As a Royal Caribbean veteran, it is easy to forget the common questions and concerns those new to cruising and/or Royal Caribbean struggle with, such as what the difference is between the ships, leveraging discounts, what stateroom to book and more.  It is because of these sort of questions (and a whole lot more) why there is serious value in using a travel agent.

Why use a travel agent

The first and biggest reason to use a travel partner in planning your Royal Caribbean cruise is the service.

Imagine having someone with a wealth of knowledge about Royal Caribbean that can help you with your particular circumstances, preferences, and needs.That’s what a good travel agent provides. It’s a back-and-forth dialogue, and they’re there to hold your hand and give you personalized advice.

Travel agents that specialize in Royal Caribbean are often fans of the cruise line too and enjoy planning their own trips and want to share their knowledge with others.  When you seek out a travel agent, an agent with great knowledge of Royal Caribbean is critical to helping you have a better cruise experience.  Royal Caribbean has spent an incredible amount of time and resources to help educate agents in what Royal Caribbean offers and it all ends up benefiting you.

Given these folks' experience with the brand, that translates to guests as having someone "in their corner" that can provide advice and firsthand knowledge of the destinations they are helping to book.  Not only that, they are the ones that sit on hold with Royal Caribbean so you do not have to, and they are the ones constantly comparing new promotions to see which benefit you the most.

Beyond that, there is no cost to you.  A good travel agent is paid commission by Royal Caribbean on the cruises they book, so you are not paying anything extra.  

It is really a win-win scenario for everyone: you get great service, Royal Caribbean books another cruise and the agent gets paid by the cruise line. Arguably, the biggest "winner" is you.  You have one contact who gets to know you, is responsive to your requests & questions, and feels a vested interest in making sure you have a great trip. You don’t call Royal Caribbean, wait on hold for an interminable amount of time, and have to deal with any of the footwork of booking it on your own.

This is especially important in today's world of cruising, where you have specialty dining reservations, shore excursions, WOWbands and more.  Your travel agent is a liaison between you and Royal Caribbean, putting out fires and fixing problems that may arise. They save you headaches and stress in solving these problems because they are your buffer between all of that.

With all of that said, some folks argue they prefer to have total control over their vacations or simply enjoy spending hours reading blogs like this one (and thank you to those of you cannot get enough of this sort of content).  

Even if you are someone that prefers to "do it all" on your own, it might make sense to book through a travel agent so that they can monitor discounts and be your aide in case a situation should arrive, while you can focus on the "fun" stuff, like researching excursions and booking specialty dining. Most vacation planners are as hands on or off as you specify, and it’s pretty easy to let them know what expect of them and what you’d like to do yourself.

The other important truth about travel agents is they will find you the same prices as you can on your own.  In fact, travel agents are more likely to save you money compared to doing it on your own.  Travel agents not only have access to the same fares you can see on Royal Caribbean's web site, but they may also have access to group cruise rates within their agency network, or be able to offer you other booking promotions in addition to what Royal Caribbean offers. 

These days, we are all trying to save money so we have more of it to spend on another vacation (or maybe just more money to spend onboard).  What I love about using a travel agent is they price out various promotions Royal Caribbean offers and then tell me what is the best option.  I especially enjoy when I get up in the morning and check my email to find a message that the latest promotion has already been applied by my travel agent and I saved some money. It is that kind of hustle, knowledge and trust that really makes using a travel agent a no-brainer for me.

Picking a travel agent

If you are convinced that a travel agent is the right choice for you, then there are a few things to consider when choosing one.  

First, you should contact a couple of agencies with some general inquiries to find one that you can "connect" with.  Specifically, you want to find someone that understands what you are interested in, is knowledgeable and responds to your needs.

It should be pretty easy to tell based on their first email or two whether they’re someone you want to work with, but if you’re still unsure, request a quick phone call. You are trusting this person with your vacation and (potentially) will communicate with them a lot, so you should make sure they aren’t impersonal or will treat you like a number. This is typically a total non-issue, as most travel agents I have encountered are incredibly pleasant and enthusiastic, but it’s good to double-check if things don’t seem right from the get-go.

Second, you will want to make sure they are providing the level of service we mentioned in this post.  Figure out which aspects of the cruise vacation planning process are most important to you and ensure those are things they do.  Not all agencies offer the same services, so be sure the one you are considering will help you in the areas you would like assistance.

Finally, they have to know their stuff.  Ask them questions about their own experience to understand how well they know the brand.  They do not have to have cruised on every Royal Caribbean ship (not even I have done that), but you want them to know their stuff.  

Your thoughts

If you’ve used an travel agent to book a Royal Caribbean cruise, how was your experience? Any other tips you’d like for choosing a travel agent? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!

Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Episode 150 is available for downloading which has a review of a listener's experience on Liberty of the Seas last week.

Podcast listener Rob is back to share his family's experience on Liberty of the Seas.  Rob talks about the recent changes to Liberty of the Seas and how it compares to his previous cruise on Liberty.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 150. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Stitcher or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!

Royal Caribbean announced today it will homeport Ovation of the Seas in Singapore in 2017 for one season.

The announcement was made during Ovation of the Seas’ maiden call in Singapore, where a plaque and key ceremony was held in the presence of over 200 government and industry partners, with Mr Lionel Yeo, Chief Executive of Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Mr Alexander Hungate, President and Chief Executive Officer of SATS, and Ovation of the Seas’ Captain Flemming Nielsen. 

Over her 10 sailings from March to April 2017, Ovation of the Seas is expected to add some 42,000 additional guests to the Singapore cruising scene, and delivering millions through in-port spend. She will offer return trips ranging from 3 to 5 nights to Penang, Phuket, Bangkok (Laem Chabang), and a one-way cruise to Tianjin with calls at Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My) for an overnight, Hue/Danang (Chan May), Hong Kong and Seoul (Incheon).

Royal Caribbean’s Senior Vice President, International, Mr Gavin Smith said, “We’re thrilled to bring one of the world’s most innovative cruise ships to Singapore and the region, and take cruise travel here to new heights.

“Joining Mariner of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas, the addition of Ovation of the Seas means we will have the largest cruise fleet deployment of any brand in Southeast Asia.

He said, “Our investment reaffirms our commitment to Singapore and the region, and the bright future we see for the region’s cruising industry.”

Mr Smith further shared with the deployment of Ovation of the Seas, plus the return of Voyager of the Seas in May and Mariner of the Seas in October, this will increase Royal Caribbean’s capacity in 2017 in Southeast Asia by 30 per cent over 2016. 

Mr Yap Chin Siang, Assistant Chief Executive (Policy and Planning), Singapore Tourism Board, said: “The homeporting of the Ovation of the Seas is a testament to the appeal of cruising from Singapore. It is also very timely - the upcoming Visit ASEAN@50 celebrations in 2017 will highlight the best of Southeast Asia, and cruises offer the perfect way to experience the warm hospitality of the region.

“We also hope that this deployment will spur the region to enhance cruise infrastructure to accommodate more ships like the Ovation. As the lead co-ordinator for Cruise at ASEAN, Singapore will continue to work with our neighbours to develop our region into a preferred cruising destination.”

Royal Caribbean is inviting guests to start a new holiday tradition with the "biggest holiday celebration at sea", starring Santa, his elves and all of your favorite DreamWorks characters.

Throughout December, Royal Caribbean’s Deck the Holidays will offer new events that will be celebrated on Royal Caribbean's ships.

The events planned for the Deck the Holidays celebration include: 

• Snow Days on Deck
• Tree Lighting Experience
• Holiday Movies • Caroling
• Holiday Suites Gift
• Adventure Ocean Arts and Crafts
• Holiday Activity Book
• Family Story Time with Elves
• Holiday Trivia
• Holiday Scavenger Hunt
• Letters to Santa
• Santa Parade with Elves & Musicians
• Santa Appearances with his Elves
• Holiday Theme Stationary
• Cruise Compass Holiday Version
• Adventure Ocean Holiday Compass
• Midnight Catholic Mass
• Christmas Day Catholic Mass
• Interdenominational Christmas Services
• Lighting of the Menorah
• Hanukkah Services with Cantor or Rabbi

Events will be held on all Royal Caribbean ships, and for a full list of events for each ship, consult this guide.

On Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas, we ran across a new event that is as unique as it is new.

Beci Mahnken from MEI-Travel sent us this flyer for a special one-day event at Izumi on Explorer of the Seas.

It is an, "Asian Breakfast Buffet" from 7:00am to 9:30am.  The cost is $25 per guest and includes unlimited

• Assorted Maki sushi
  • Spicy crispy shrimp
  • California Roll
  • Cahmpagne Lobster
  • Cripsy Philly
  • Futomaki
• Assorted Nigiri
  • Smoked Salmon
  • Shrimp Ebi
  • Kani kama
  • Seared tuna
• Chicken & Beef Skewer Teriyaki
• Pan seared shrimp gyoza
• Sitake omellete with dashi and shoyu
• Vegetable fried rice
• Wonton soup
• Ramen noodle station with condiments
• Fruit sushi platter (on ice)
• Beverages
  • Mimosa
  • Hot chocolate
  • Regular coffee/tea
  • Freshly squeezed orange juice

This event is being held on the ship's stop at Tracy Arm Fjord and is something we have never seen before.

Would you be interested in an Asian breakfast buffet? Tell us in the comments!

Happy Sunday! We hope you are having a great weekend and ready to talk a little Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean made a big announcement this week, when it released details on the Adventure of the Seas refurbishment.

Adventure of the Seas will undergo a $61 million refurbishment in October-November 2016.

The ship will receive all-new thrills and enhancements, including new dual racer waterslides, Cyclone and Typhoon, the popular FlowRider surf simulator, and a children’s aquapark, Splashaway Bay. In addition, guests will enjoy a new lineup of culinary and entertainment venues with Izumi Japanese Cuisine, the brand’s signature steakhouse, Chops Grille and Boleros Latin Lounge. The ship also will receive more than 100 new staterooms, a refresh of all existing staterooms and a brand new Suites Lounge for the luxury traveler.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean began a new Kids Sail Free promotion.
• Harmony of the Seas began her summer season in Barcelona.
• Tidal Wave water slide opened on Liberty of the Seas.
• Should first time cruisers choose the Oasis-class or Quantum-class?
• Photos of restuarants and bars on Harmony of the Seas.
• Aerial photos of Harmony of the Seas.
• Our top 4 places to use WOWbands on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
• Our review of Le Galion beach in St. Martin.
• Izumi sushi has been spotted in LIberty of the Seas 'Windjammer.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 149th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where try to answer the question of how much does a Royal Caribbean cruise really cost?

In this episode, we look at the various aspects of a cruise vacation and how to come up with a ballpark-budget of what your Royal Caribbean cruise will cost.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Yahoo! Business has a look at Royal Caribbean's ships in Asia.

Eat Sleep Cruise has the top 6 reasons to visit the SeaPlex.

icelolly has a list of the best restaurants on Harmony of the Seas.

Cruise Critic takes a look at new cruise ships that can still have work being done.

Michael Poole is LIVE blogging from Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. Follow along for updates on all the fun!

Today is our last port stop in Royal Caribbean’s private island Labadee. This island stop has always been one my favorites over the years.

When we arrived at 9am, they have a welcome show on their jet ski’s and boats. If you have a balcony on the starboard side (right side) you will hear them blowing the whistles welcoming everyone to the beautiful Labadee. This is when I really started getting excited about our beach day and ready to get off.

Around 10am we were walking off the ship, and noticed the ferry boat halfway down the pier giving free trips over to Columbus Cove Beach.

The ferryboat is only one way, so you must walk or find the bus going back. This beach is where all the kids jumping floats, they also have a full lunch setup. 

Once we were all settled in our beach chairs, which are included in the cruise I decided it was time for a labadoozie.

These drinks are included in the premium drink package in the small plastic cups. However, you can buy the souvenir cup with the drink package for an extra $2.95 and they will fill it all day.

I went with souvenir cup option so I could enjoy it longer in the water.

The bar service was really slow at first, as they were still setting up and having some computer issues, but they worked things out. 

Lunch in Labadee 

For lunch today, I ate the beach lunch in Labdee which is also included in the cruise. The lunch opens at 11:30am and closes at 1:30pm.

I would recommend having an early lunch around when they open. I went through the line at 1:15pm and all the food had been picked over and they were out of their ribs.

I went with a hotdog, chicken legs, and rice for lunch.

The lunch here has never been my favorite but it’s not a bad option if you want to stay out on the beach longer.

After another hour at Labadee we decided to head back to the ship to shower up then nap. We could have stayed a little longer, but we were all just so hot. 

Dinner at Sabor 

I know you must be thinking again! We just love Sabor and wanted something a little more casual for our meal before the Quest. 

Dinner tonight was different that my previous times at Sabor. The restaurant was completely full with a wait, which caused the service to get very backed up. Lucky for us, we had plenty of time and plenty of guacamole.

I ordered the $5 guacamole and $5 chicken quesadillas, that combo is my go to.

There were times where we had to walk up to the sabor bar for more water or refill on our margarita, but it doesn’t bother me. 

Quest 

After dinner tonight we at the Quest in Studio B at 10pm, doors open at 9:30pm.

We arrived around 9:15pm and there was already a line forming to go in. My group had been talking about the Quest all week, so we were really excited.

If you don’t know what the Quest is, I’m not going to spoil it for you, just go.

Our team won first place, so we were all very excited. 

After Quest 

 After the Quest, we were all excited and not wanting the evening to end, so we headed to the pub.

The pub was completely packed; I’d never seen any pub so busy before. The live music has been so outstanding all week, it looks like people are coming back and staying. They tend to have a mixture of all types of music types and they do take requests.

After staying here for a while we decided to check out the solarium under the stars pool party. I will say, it looked really fun but after 15 minuets of being outside I was pretty soaked and which I had my swim trunks on. 

That’s a wrap on my Labadee day, tomorrow is our last day at sea…

With the launch of Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas, there is a new ship that can use WOWbands and it got us thinking about the top reasons to use Royal Caribbean's RFID bracelets.

WOWbands allows guests to use these bracelets just like their SeaPass card, but with much more convenience.  They are the latest innovation from Royal Caribbean and incredibly cool.

If you happen to find yourself on a Royal Caribbean ship that has WOWbands, such as Harmony of the Seas, here are the top five places you will find them really helpful.

4. Gym

Those looking to burn off some extra calories on their cruise will really enjoy having a WOWband instead of carrying a SeaPass card.

One constant when it comes to working out is getting sweaty and not having to stash your SeaPass card somewhere makes things much easier.  

Plus, pockets are not common among active wear, so having a bracelet is much more convenient.

3. Casino

The casino on your Royal Caribbean is the place to try your luck, but it seems having to remember your SeaPass card in each slot machine is always a gamble.

The slot machines in the casino allow guests to track their progress and earn points for the money they gamble.  The problem is it is really easy to forget your SeaPass card in the slot machines when you are done playing on that machine.

With the SeaPass card, there is no forgetting your SeaPass card in the machine. Just let the slot machine read your WOWband and you are on your way.

2. At the pool

Just like the gym, when you are ready for a day by the pool, having to carry (and not lose) your SeaPass card is always a challenge, but a WOWband is the perfect accessory.

WOWbands are made from waterproof silicone and can make having access to charging drinks, getting towels and getting back to your stateroom a whole lot easier.

1. Coming back to your stateroom

Eventually, you will have to get back to stateroom and it seems like there are plenty of times you will be returning to your room throughout the day.

With WOWbands, there is no digging for your SeaPass cards because all you have to do is move your wrist in the general direction of the stateroom door reader and you get access!

For parents, who often have their hands full with children, bags or both, WOWbands make things so much simpler.

Where do you like using your WOWband? Tell us in the comments!

Enjoy this LIVE blog from Michael Poole, who is onboard Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas.

It is hard to believe my cruise is already on day 5, it’s flying by fast.

Today we are docked in San Juan from 7am to 2pm.

I’m sad to report I didn’t wake up until 9:30am and my group got off at 7:30am. Since I’ve been to San Juan before I decided to stay on board and just explore an empty ship all morning.

I explored the Boardwalk and even found a monkey out there!

Okay it’s not a real monkey, but he sure was cute. 

Lunch at Park Café 

Since I didn’t eat breakfast I was starting to get hungry, all the lunch options didn’t open until 11:30am. I almost went for Sabor again, but decided I’d go have a big salad in Park Café.

When I arrived to Park Café there was a line, again. It seems that this place has really become more popular over the years because I never recall seeing a line here.

Once you walk in to the left you will see a salad bar, with various toppings. After the salad bar they have pre-made sandwich’s packaged up and small bags of chips.

Followed by the famous roast beef sandwich, my favorite! 

Afternoon on board 

I decided I wouldd go enjoy some time on the pool deck, but I wanted to relax in the solarium.

The solarium on this class ships is really impressive, I like how it’s partly covered with openings to let fresh air come in for a nice breeze. They also have the only freshwater swimming pool on board. 

I’m sad to report when we left San Juan at 2pm we left a family of 4 on the pier, they arrived just minutes before we left.

This is a good wake-up call for myself to make sure I arrive to ship on time and not risk the ship leaving us. 

Dinner – Formal Night 

Tonight was our second formal night, we decided to get ready early and enjoy some pre-dinner drinks in the champagne lounge. This bar is usually very empty but on formal night it’s busy.

Shortly after, we decided we were all a little hungry and didn’t want to wait until dinner to eat, so it’s pre-dinner time.

To do something different we took the Rising Tide bar up to Central Park, then some tapa’s at Vintages.

They have a full menu of the tapa’s you can order starting around $5. They also offer a selection of them for $12-$20, which is great for 4+ people.

Tonight was lobster night in the Main Dining Room and that’s always something to get excited about. The lobster was very enjoyable and they are always willing to bring out more, if you can eat them.

The service has been really good in the dining room, we haven’t had any issues what so ever. I’ll also note one person in our group can only eat gluten free options and the staff has been great about getting him specials items not on the menu. 

Comedy show 

After dinner we had 11pm reservations for the comedy show. I would suggest arriving at least 20-30 minutes before the reserved show time.

There will be two long lines when you arrive, one for reservations and one without.

At 10:55pm they let the standby line start coming in to fill any empty seats. I was actually surprised with the number of extra people got in 20-30, but a large amount also didn’t once it was full.

The show was really funny; they have a host and two comedians, and last one hour. The show is not something you want to take the kids too, as the jokes can push the limits sometimes. Of course, I sat in the front row, seat 1 and was picked on the whole show, but I loved it!

After the show we wrapped up at the pub for a few songs and called it an night. 

Tomorrow is Labadee!

Royal Caribbean confirmed plans for Adventure of the Seas to undergo a $61 million refurbishment in November 2016.

Adventure of the Seas will receive all-new thrills and enhancements, including new dual racer waterslides, Cyclone and Typhoon, the popular FlowRider surf simulator, and a children’s aquapark, Splashaway Bay. In addition, guests will enjoy a new lineup of culinary and entertainment venues with Izumi Japanese Cuisine, the brand’s signature steakhouse, Chops Grille and Boleros Latin Lounge. The ship also will receive more than 100 new staterooms, a refresh of all existing staterooms and a brand new Suites Lounge for the luxury traveler.

We first reported this news back in May 2016, but this announcement confirms the news.

The reinvented Adventure is Royal Caribbean’s fifth ship to undergo revitalization, and at $61 million this will be the brand’s largest investment yet. The massive project will introduce some of the trademark innovations the cruise line is known for, bringing the best of Royal Caribbean onboard.

"We're thrilled to debut an array of new enhancements to one of our guest’s most beloved ships,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “The name Adventure says it all; this ship is packed with action, featuring a mix of signature features and innovations, including thrilling new waterslides and VOOM, the fastest internet at sea."