Cruise ship cabins are found on almost every deck of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, but is it a bad idea to reserve on the lowest deck?

Royal Caribbean cruise ships of all sizes have cabins on the lowest deck passengers can access, which is usually deck 2.  On Royal Caribbean's biggest ships (Oasis and Quantum Class), it would be deck 3.

Crew members have cabins in even lower decks, but the passenger decks begin at deck 2.

Here's what you should know about booking a cabin on deck 2 of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

About cabins on deck 2

When you book a cabin, Royal Caribbean allows you to select the exact cabin you want. This includes rooms on deck 2 on most ships.

While there is a deck 1, there's no cabins down there.  So the lowest deck you can stay on is deck 2, except for Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships on deck 3.

There are two types of staterooms on the lowest passenger deck: inside and oceanview cabins.

Inside cabins have no windows or views outside of your room.

Read more: Why you should book a cruise ship inside room

Oceanview cabins have either a porthole or large window that looks out to the ocean. The window doesn't open or move, but it does provide natural light and a peek outside.

Even at deck 2, oceanview cabins are above the water line.

Read more: Inside cabin vs. oceanview cabin: Are the differences worth an upgrade?

One variation you may find of cabins on these decks are larger oceanview rooms, which Royal Caribbean calls "spacious oceanview rooms".

Another type of cabin are cabins designed for solo cruisers, such as the Studio Ocean View on Deck 3 on Harmony of the Seas.

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

You won't find any balcony cabins or suites on the lowest passenger deck.

Is deck 2 on a cruise ship bad?

Should you avoid a cabin on deck 2 or 3 of a cruise ship? Or are these hidden gems?

By far the best reason to book a stateroom on the lowest deck is it will probably save you money.

Inside and oceanview rooms are typically the cheapest cabins, and since most guests would pick a cabin on a higher deck, prices tend to be less on the lowest deck.

Another advantage of staying on a low deck is the lack of movement you may perceive.  The common piece of advice regarding avoiding seasickness is booking a cabin on a low deck, mid ship. 

Since deck 2 (or 3) is the lowest decks you can book, those sensitive to motion sickness may find these low decks beneficial. 

You may also feel like a genius by having a cabin on deck 2 when you return to the ship after a shore excursion.

There's always a wait for the elevator to get back upstairs, but those staying on the lowest decks can take a short walk back to their room.  After a long day on land, it's nice to get back to your room (and in the shower) sooner than later!

If all of this sounds great, here are some reasons to avoid cabins on deck 2.

As mentioned, there's only inside and oceanview cabins on the lowest deck.  If those types of rooms aren't your favorite, then this won't work for you.

By being on a low deck, you're also relying on an elevator more than people on a higher deck.  Royal Caribbean ships that have 14, 16, or even 18 decks mean you're either taking long walks up and down the stairs, or waiting more for an elevator.  Someone on a higher deck, could more easily "commute" between their room and popular public decks.

Sometimes noise can be an issue, since your cabin might be near crew areas where work is done throughout the day and night. Light sleepers may find this especially problematic.

One thing to look at is what is one deck above and below your cabin to ensure there aren't public venues nearby.

Should you book a cabin on the lowest deck of a cruise ship?

Ultimately, booking a room on the lowest deck of your ship isn't necessarily a problem, but you should be okay with the disadvantages.

The primary reason someone would want to book a cabin on deck 2 or 3 is because of the price. Since these tend to be the most inexpensive cabins you can book, it's hard to overlook the price.

Even with the additional reliance on elevators, the price savings you can get outweighs the potential commute times required to get around the ship. But if you're the type of person that spends a lot of time in their room, then a low deck location may not matter.

I really like the convenience cabins on a low deck have to the main dining room and casino.  

While most guests may end up booking a cabin on a higher deck, the cost savings alone may make it a smart choice.

Royal Caribbean Group ships sailed at 102.1% capacity in the first quarter of 2023, but that doesn’t mean what you think it means. 

There’s no doubt the cruise industry rebound from the 2020-2021 shutdown is in full force. 

After struggling with restarting operations, things are quite good for the “big three” cruise companies: Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Carnival Corporation. 

In fact, business is so good that the average cruise line occupancy rates for the first quarter of 2023 for these lines either exceeded or came close to 100%. 

• Royal Caribbean: 102.1%
• Norwegian Cruise Line: 101.5%
• Carnival Cruise Line: 91.0%

If seeing those kind of numbers looks like a bad thing because it means their cruises are oversold, it’s actually not that case and a misleading statistic.  

What does 100% occupancy rate mean?

Let's start by defining what it means when a cruise ship sails above 100% capacity.

That sounds like the ship is oversold or some people don't have a cabin, but you have to understand how occupancy rates are calculated for cruise ships.

The cruise industry sells cabins on its cruise ships based on double occupancy. This means the line assumes two people will be in each cabin that is booked.

Each cabin has a capacity number, and it varies depending on the stateroom's category, as well each cruise line's methodology.

But when a cruise ship cabin planned for 2 guests adds a third or fourth guest (i.e. kids sharing a room with their parents), the capacity of that cabin exceeds 100%.

In fact, if you look at stats of a cruise ship, you'll see the ship's capacity (at double occupancy) and max capacity (when every extra passenger is included).

When you see Royal Caribbean had 102.1% occupancy rate in the first quarter of 2023, that means there were third and fourth passengers in those cabins occupying the room, which was beyond the standard double occupancy minimums.

High occupancy rates aren't new

These occupancy rates aren't a new phenomenon by any means. In fact, it's the norm for the cruise lines.

Prior to 2020, it was quite typical for cruise ships to sail above 100% occupancy rates, with the mainstream lines typically sailing between 103 - 107%, depending on the ship and line.

The cruise industry has traditionally followed a business model built around managing bookings to ensure ships are always full.

In 2019, the last full year of sailing before the pause, Royal Caribbean Group had an overall occupancy rate of 108.1%.

• 2019: 108.1%
• 2018: 108.9 %
• 2017: 108.4%
• 2016: 106.4%
• 2015: 105.1%

As cruise lines restarted operations in 2021, occupancy rates were about half that, with some ships even starting out at 30% occupancy rate.  These rates were meant to get the ships back into service slowly. The intent was never to stay at those rates, as it would not be profitable for the line.

Occupancy rates had been a little sluggish in 2022, but Royal Caribbean saw improvement as the year progressed. Load factor for the year averaged 85%, although load factor climbed to 95% in Q4 with a high of 110% on peak December holiday sailings. 

In 2023, it's become clear based on booking rates that consumers have no hesitation about booking a cruise vacation again.

Why occupancy rates above 100% isn't a problem

While you may see figures about higher occupancy rates in the media, the reality is that's what the ships are designed to handle in the first place.

Using Royal Caribbean as an example, their ships are built with thousands of cruise ship passengers in mind.  Venues are designed to accommodate a lot of passengers, and activities and entertainment are strategically listed to keep passengers moving around and not all doing the same thing at the same time.

Given the occupancy rates for the years preceding the cruise industry shutdown of 2020, you can see the 2023 occupancy rates we are seeing are more in line with what's normal.

When ships restarted sailing in 2021 and 2022, it set an outlier situation with some lines at less than 50% occupancy.

What about the oversold cruises?

You may have also read about oversold cruises, and that's a different and unrelated situation.

There's been reports of a handful of Royal Caribbean cruise ships that were oversold, with the cruise line asking passengers for volunteers to change sailings in order to free up space.

On those sailings, that isn't related at all to the occupancy rate.  Rather, that's a problem with the cruise line's inventory management selling too many cabins.  

From what we can tell, they're isolated incidents stemming from a mistake with Royal Caribbean's internal selling mechanism.

For an oversold Wonder of the Seas cruise in April 2023, the line informed guests, "We’re sorry to inform you that due to an unexpected inventory error, your scheduled Wonder of the Seas April 30th, 2023 sailing is currently oversold. We’re aware that this may cause disruption to your booking, so if your travel plans are flexible, you may be able to take advantage of our special offer."

It's important to understand occupancy rates have nothing to do with if a particular sailing gets oversold, because of how cruise lines count passengers in a cabin.

Summer 2023 is here, and that means a lot of families want to escape somewhere fun, relaxing, and memorable.

With the cruise ship experience returning to pre-2020 levels of occupancy, market reach, and ship deployments, this year is likely when a summer cruise vacation sounds like a great family trip idea.

Royal Caribbean expects this to be a big year, with demand the highest it has been in a long time. "Demand for our brands is outpacing broader travel due to a strong rebound and an attractive value proposition," is what Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty told investors recently. 

That means planning a summer cruise this year could be a challenge given how cabins are filling up and prices for a cruise might not be much of bargain.

If you're still thinking of taking a summer cruise, act quickly and consider the following destination ideas to get you started.

Navigator of the Seas from Los Angeles

If there's a best kept secret of cruises from the United States, it's Royal Caribbean's ship on the west coast.

Navigator of the Seas sails short 3- and 4-night cruises for easy getaways, along with occasional 7-night cruises down the Mexican Riviera. As a recently amplified Voyager Class cruise ship, Navigator of the Seas boasts plenty of amenities, restaurants, lounges, and onboard activities to keep cruisers busy.

A Pacific Ocean cruise from Los Angeles means you can see a different side of Mexico from what you may have already seen on a Cozumel visit on previous cruises. Western Mexico has more wildlife viewing opportunities, such as whales and seals.  There's also beautiful historic, cobblestone-street towns you can explore.

Pueblos Mágicos (Magic Towns) are small towns recognized by the Mexican government for their culture, history, and charm. There are currently 132 pueblos mágicos in Mexico, several of which are located nearby cruise ports in the Mexican Riviera, including Sayulita and Todos Santos.

Mariner of the Seas from Port Canaveral

I love the value proposition Mariner of the Seas represents, and she sails a good variety of cruises to mix up your choices.

Sailing from Port Canaveral, Mariner of the Seas is conveniently located close to the Orlando area.  

The great thing about Mariner of the Seas are the variety of itineraries.  In summer 2023, there's eastern, western, and southern Caribbean cruises you can choose from, along with Bermuda sailings.

The Bermuda cruises are especially intriguing, since you still get to visit Royal Caribbean's private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, along with the must-see spots in Bermuda.

An easy destination to wander around, Bermuda is a mix of English tradition with local culture. Its rich history, natural beauty, and geography make it unique among other islands.

Ovation of the Seas from Seattle

While you might think beach and sun for a summer vacation, don't forget about the other amazing summer spot: Alaska.

A Royal Caribbean Alaska cruise is a must-do for anyone that's never been, because of the majestic beauty this area of the world is known for.

Visiting the 49th state means viewing incredible scenery, tasting delightfully fresh cuisine, and experiencing Alaska’s unique history firsthand.

Read more: Why an Alaska cruise is worth it and you should go there

Ovation of the Seas sails from Seattle, and she is the newest Royal Caribbean ship to offer Alaska cruises in 2023.  Plus, sailing from Seattle is an easy city to reach for most Americans with ample flights.

More about Alaska cruises

• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?
• What Is an Alaska Inside Passage Cruise?
• What to pack for a cruise to Alaska?
• Top 10 tips for planning your Alaska cruise
• 6 mistakes & 3 things we did right on our Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska

Radiance of the Seas from Vancouver, Canada

If you're sold on the idea of an Alaska cruise but want to get a cheap Alaska cruise deal, then Radiance of the Seas might be the ship for you.

Sailing from Vancouver, Canada, Radiance offers 7-10 night cruises that you can also combine with a land tour to further extend your Alaska explorations.  These land tours are add-ons that take you further in-land to places, such as Denali.

Radiance of the Seas sails open-jaw sailings, meaning it begins in one port and concludes in a different port.  This makes getting to and from your ship a bit tricky, but demand is lower for these sailings and it represents very competitive prices.

Anyone that has cruised a lot to Alaska will tell you these open-jaw cruises have the best Alaska itineraries in terms of the ports you'll visit.

Anthem of the Seas from Southampton, England

Whether you live in the UK or fancy a flight across the pond, Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas is a great choice for a European vacation.

Anthem sails from Southampton, England, and it's a short train ride away from London. 

Anthem of the Seas has made a name for itself as one of the premier cruise ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet. She debuted in 2015 and combines first class style, exquisite dining and original entertainment productions to provide an incredible cruise experience.

This 4,180-passenger ship offers a lot of entertainment and dining onboard, and is best known for some of the headliner attractions, such as bumper cars, the observation pod that takes guests 300 feet above sea level, and a skydiving simulator.  

The beauty of Anthem's summer deployment in England are the different itineraries you can choose from in 2023:

• Spain & France
• Mediterranean
• Spain & Portugal
• Norwegian Fjords
• 7-night cruises
• 14-night cruises

Having a variety of choices is great, and given how easy it is to get to London for most people, Anthem of the Seas is a ship worth sailing on.

Rhapsody of the Seas from Haifa, Israel

A new embarkation port for Royal Caribbean, Haifa, Israel gives you a Greek Isles bucket list cruise along with a pre- or post-cruise vacation to the Holy Land.

Royal Caribbean recently began offerings cruises from Haifa, and this port puts you right in the heart of the eastern Mediterranean with more Greek islands to visit than you can manage.

And since Haifa isn't a traditional cruise port to sail from, we've often seen some of the best Mediterranean cruise prices around.

Sailings this summer will visit ports in Greece and Cyprus, including Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos and Athens, Greece and Limassol, Cyprus.  

If you're looking to maximize your time in the Greek Isles, Rhapsody of the Seas is going to check-off a lot of choices.

Wonder of the Seas from Port Canaveral

Forget the places you can go, the cruise ship is the destination to many cruise fans!

Wonder of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship and Royal Caribbean's newest ship. This means you're going to find the very latest and greatest that the cruise line has to offer.

While you'll also visit beautiful Caribbean beaches, the ship has a ton to see and do.

It has 16 passenger decks, which are divided into eight neighborhoods. It's a cruise ship that appeals to active families, couples and friend groups.

Like the earlier Oasis-class ships, Wonder will offer multiple main pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court and even a zip line. And that’s just on its top deck. Inside the vessel, you’ll find more lounges, bars, restaurants and shops than you can imagine, plus a huge casino, spas and theaters.

Liberty of the Seas from Bayonne

If you're from the Northeast United States, there's no reason you can't find a great cruise vacation in your backyard.

Royal Caribbean's summer deployment of cruise ships to Bayonne, New Jersey offers a little of something for everyone, but you'll find interesting itineraries and lower prices on Liberty of the Seas.

Liberty of the Seas sails from the New York City area, with sailings to Canada, New England, Bermuda, and the Bahamas.

Looking for more information on Royal Caribbean’s destinations? Start here:

• 25 things you need to know for your first day on a cruise ship
• 2023 Royal Caribbean Cruise Planning Guide
• Things I've done that I'll never do again on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• 7 things worth checking again on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• 6 things you may not have tried on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• 15 countries you didn’t know you could cruise to on Royal Caribbean
• The best cruise itineraries for every type of traveler
• 10 Royal Caribbean cruise destinations not to be missed
• Ultimate Mexico Cruise Guide
• 30 best European cruise tips

Happy Sunday and unofficial start to summer! Temperatures are rising, and so is the pace of cruise news to share with you this week.

Royal Caribbean gave us a first look at more than 20 dining venues we can expect on Icon of the Seas.

Among the new venues includes a new Empire Supper Club that will serve an eight-course menu, and is arguably the most elegant dining venue Royal Caribbean has ever offered.

Royal Caribbean’s first food hall will also be coming to Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean increases suite deposit policy
• New Royal Caribbean Starbucks 'Been There' mugs coming this summer
• Royal Caribbean will increase price of travel insurance policy
• What is a cabin attendant on a cruise ship?
• Your really dumb cruise ship shore excursion questions answered
• Royal Caribbean posts job opening for a new Chief Meteorologist
• 7 mistakes & 3 things I did right on my Royal Caribbean Norwegian fjords cruise
• Royal Caribbean cruises in July 2023: What to expect

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 499th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, reviewing Matt's Norway cruise.

Matt took his first European cruise, which was a 7-night cruise to Norway on Anthem of the Seas. He talks about what he liked and didn't like about the cruise, and how a European cruise compares to a North American cruise.

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.

New RCB Video: Your really dumb cruise ship cabin questions answered

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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 — Your really dumb cruise ship cabin questions answered — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

I walked through Royal Caribbean's new food hall concept

Icon of the Seas will have the first food hall on any Royal Caribbean cruise ship, and it looks like a great change for the line.

At Royal Caribbean's headquarters in Miami, Matt was able to tour a prototype of the new AquaDome Market to get a sense of what the cruise line has in mind.

From new cuisines to how the food will be served, it's a first-look at what you can expect when you get onboard.

Royal Caribbean vs MSC Cruises: what I liked & didn't like

Jenna tried her first MSC cruise to compare it against her Royal Caribbean experiences.

Sailing on MSC World Europa, she wanted to see how similar or different the line is to Royal Caribbean, and what she enjoyed about it too.

After 7-nights onboard, Jenna came away with a list of what she liked, disliked, and what surprised her about her first MSC cruise.

Alaska vs Norway cruise

How similar is a Norway fjords cruise compared to an Alaska cruise?

Having sailed both, Matt came up with the aspects of each kind of cruise that are the same, and in what ways are they totally different.

Both destinations are certainly going to be colder than the Caribbean or Mediterranean, but they aren't exactly the same type of cruise either.

Carnival Mardi Gras vs Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas

Love big cruise ships? Here's a battle of the titans of the two largest cruise lines.

Carnival's Excel Class and Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships are the largest ships in their respective fleets, and bring a mass-market appeal that aims to provide as many choices as possible on a cruise ship.

Allie has sailed on both Carnival Mardi Gras and Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas to see what each ship does better.

Royal Caribbean is dropping a Starbucks cruise ship collection that you always wanted.

The Starbucks "Been There" mugs is a fun way to commemorate a visit to a specific place, and pretty soon you'll be able to get one for the coffee stores you visit on Royal Caribbean's ships too.

Royal Caribbean has featured licensed Starbucks locations on its ships for over a decade, but there's never been a mug you can buy for the ships that have a location.

That's about to change this summer when the coffee giant and cruise line put forward their own Starbucks merchandise.

A total of 10 mugs will become available, one for each ship that has a free-standing Starbucks kiosk onboard.

• Icon of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas

While Starbucks drinks are served on many more ships, only a ship with an actual Starbucks kiosk will have a Been There mug.

The design of the mugs are not copies of each other. Each of the mugs has on the mug the sort of activities and signature features of the ship.

For example, you'll find Spotlight Karaoke on the Oasis of the Seas mug, and iFly on Odyssey of the Seas.

This is consistent with the Been There mugs, which depict landmarks from the city or location the Starbucks kiosk is located in.

Royal Caribbean doesn't have a firm date set for the mug, but expects them to launch sometime in late summer.

The plan is for these to be available no later than the end of August, although ships still in Europe may have a delay and the mugs might not become available until the ship returns to the United States.

Royal Caribbean Director of Beverage Operations, Ed Eiswirth, talked about the design and launch of these mugs, "We're planning on having him in on ships in August."

"They all have specific iconic photography for each ship, so they're all slightly different."

The expected price for each mug is $16.95, and it will not be included with any Royal Caribbean drink package (which is the case with all Starbucks kiosk offerings).

Mr. Eiswirth also confirmed that only each ship will have their specific mug, so if you want to collect them all, you'll have to go on each of the ten cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean fans excited for the new mugs

If early reactions are any indication, these Royal Caribbean "Been There" mugs will be quite popular.

Photos of the mugs first appeared on the Royal Caribbean Dining Facebook group, and excitement for the new launch was near unanimous. 

"I’m sooooo excited!," shared Darren Wolner. "I’ve been hoping for this forever! I have more “Been there” series mugs then I care to admit."

" I collect these for different land based locations so this will be cool," Rob Johnson added.

"Oh my goodness, just picked up Miami and Orlando ones in April and now I need these," is what Clare Kinnear posted, and it is the sort of sentiment many readers had of happy to see this, but also thinking about what's needed to collect them all.

"I have a huge Starbucks mug collection. This is bad 😂😂 I’m excited for this," is what Ashley Harbridge shared, probably while taking a break from planning her next Disney World trip.

Kelly Bellovary, wrote likely what Royal Caribbean wants to hear, "Now we have to plan more cruises!"

Over 10 years in the making

Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to launch a ship that had Starbucks onboard.

The Oasis Class ships introduced the concept with Allure of the Seas had the first "Starbucks At Sea". 

The partnership was a response to cruise ship passengers that wanted signature made-to-order espresso beverages and Frappuccino blended beverages while on vacation.

Since then, Royal Caribbean has steadily offered Starbucks on most of its new ships, as well many refurbished ships.

Most ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet do not have a kiosk, but do serve Starbucks beverages from the ship's proprietary coffee house.

Royal Caribbean will have its first food hall on Icon of the Seas, and I had the opportunity to preview this new venue.

The AquaDome Market will be a series of five stalls that offer different quick-serve cuisines, and it's a new choice for Royal Caribbean.

Read more: Royal Caribbean will offer swanky supper club and food hall on new Icon of the Seas when it launches

Food halls are a relatively new concept in the cruise industry, and Icon of the Seas will be the first cruise ship under the Royal Caribbean International brand to offer one.

AquaDome Market will be located in the AquaDome neighborhood, which is another first for the cruise line.  This is an area of the ship enclosed by a massive glass dome on the front of the ship.  Nearly everything about this area is different, from the theater's location, being fully enclosed, and this new eatery.

In preparation for the launch, Royal Caribbean set up a mock-up in its Innovation Lab at the cruise line's headquarters in Miami, Florida, and invited me come see their plans first-hand.

Walking us through the set up was Tim Klauda, Royal Caribbean's Vice President for Product Development, and Valentina Madinabeitia, Product Development Product Owner.

This prototype helps Royal Caribbean "fill in the gaps" that concept art and virtual reality cannot completely convey. Because AquaDome Market's space is more challenging, the team built out more of the space to work through the details

What is the AquaDome Market?

AquaDome Market will be a new complimentary venue at the front of Icon of the Seas that has five food stalls you can choose from.

The five choices include:

• Creme de la Crepe (French crepes)
• Mac's (Macaroni and cheese)
• Feta Mediterranean (Greek cuisine)
• GNGR (Asian cuisine)
• Toast and Garden (Sandwiches and salads)

You'll be able to access the AquaDome Market from the pool deck to make it convenient for anyone that wants to stop in and grab a quick bite to eat.

"We've never had like a food hall concept like this," Mr. Klauda explained. "You're seeing food halls pop up all over the place, so that's not a new concept. But for us, doing it this way and where it's positioned forward."

Being all the way forward helps spread crowds out too. The Windjammer buffet is in the rear of the ship, and El Loco Fresh also towards the aft.  So Royal Caribbean wanted something towards the front of the ship that's easy to access from the pool deck, and bring guests into the AquaDome neighborhood too.

Designing a food hall

Mr. Klauda explained there are many challenges to creating a space for a new food hall, especially within the AquaDome.

"The reason this will be challenging is it's right up against the glass. And so as we've got all this awesome food and all of these options, which is what our guests want, how many people can really pack in there, and get to the food and get in a line? And how is that going to work and how do we queue?"

For this reason, they built out all five stalls of the Market in order to get a better sense of the layout and flow for guests and the crew members.

"We're still working through some of the details, but without this, we'd be solving this after the ship's built."

The team wanted to know how tight the space would be, and can the menus be easily seen by guests and would the queues work well.

One early lesson they discovered were sight lines, as Ms. Madinabeitia explained being able to see each station was an issue, "we realized that when you're looking at this hallway, you really have to be like in front of each one to realize what each one is."

"So we are debating on does the sign come to the side? Those are all the things that by building this type of mockups, we catch before we're on board."

Something else this prototype gives is a chance for the team to experiment with the space. 

"Another opportunity is that the team has the opportunity of also doing rotating specials daily," Ms. Madinabeitia explained. "There's a lot of flexibility and options that could be brought into the space."

While Royal Caribbean intends the AquaDome Market to be complimentary when Icon of the Seas launches, they could experiment with extra-cost options too.

In terms of how it will work, guests will walk up to the stall they want to order food from and place the order and wait for the food to be prepared. There won't be pagers to indicate when the food is ready, because they want the experience to be fairly quick.

"The balance is how customized can I be and still keep up speed so that I can get something, get it handed me pretty quick," Mr. Klauda said.

"If they have to stop and prep and it takes two minutes, this will never be successful. So looking at those options are some of the things we worked through."

In addition, certain halls will be more customizable than others. Ms. Madinabeitia compared GNGR will be more like a Chipotle ordering experience where you choose your base, protein and toppings, whereas Mac's will be more of a set menu.

Sampling the AquaDome Market food

In addition to testing out the physical space, Royal Caribbean is also testing out the food that will be served to guests in AquaDome Market.

Within Royal Caribbean's headquarters is a test kitchen, where a team of chefs work through the various food choices to find the right selections and ingredients to include.

Royal Caribbean's Vice President of Food and Beverage, Linken D'Souza, walked us through this ultra-secretive space to share a glimpse of what they have in mind for the menus.

Designing the food hall was about evolving the cruise line's offerings, "We always want to give something interesting, exciting," he said in talking about the new dining venues on Icon.

"And on the ship as amazing and big as Icon is, that means having food in more places than we've ever had."

We saw examples of food from each of the new food stalls, along with the chance to try a few out ourselves. Mr. D'Souza cautioned us that the menus are still a work in progress, so you may not see these items when Icon launches.

Creme de la Crepe: Strawberry, Nutella, caramelized banana with salted caramel

GNGR: Sweet and sour chicken

Toast and Garden: Monte Cristo sandwich

Mac's: Pizza macaroni and cheese

Mac's: Pulled pork mac and cheese

Feta Mediterranean: Traditional style Greek pitas

One goal for these foods was to give guests something different than they see in other venues.

Mr. D'Souza thinks the AquaDome Market will offer more made-to-order choices for passengers, "It's more about providing a more curated experience for the guests. A more built for you experience."

"Obviously we have large venues, like the Windjammer, where we make some things to order, but the volume is kind of ready for the guests to grab and go. And so this is really about being able to make it a little bit more special."

The variety of choice really stands out to Mr. D'Souza, "what I like about it is you have the ability to walk in and at breakfast, get a monte Cristo for breakfast. And come in for lunch and have a pita, or come in at dinner and have some Chinese food."

For families, he thinks this will be a big win, "especially if you have a family of 5 or 6, you go in and not everybody wants to eat the same thing. You have the choices, but you don't feel like you're at a buffet."

An interesting anecdote from the test kitchen story of the food development was the mac and cheese.

As it turns out, over 500 hours of time has been developed so far to get the mac and cheese sauce consistent and, of course, tasty.

Why so long to get the sauce right? It's all about consistency. 

Paul Fortin, Senior Director of Culinary Operations, explained why it's important, "Consistency. The sauce has to coat the pasta. What sauce is going to coat the pasta properly? All the pastas are specifically done for the sauce, not just for the shape that it is."

A cruise ship visit to Alaska and Norway is an ideal way to get a taste of what each of these beautiful parts of the world has to offer, but how do they compare to each other?

I recently took my first cruise to Norway and very quickly the comparisons to Alaska emerged.  Given both are cold weather cruising destinations, the parallels are obvious.  

However, the more I dug into my Norway cruise, the sooner I saw that while they both are located in the upper latitudes of the globe, they are not as similar a cruising destination as you might expect.

An Alaska cruise and a Norway cruise should be right at the top of your must-do list because of how beautiful these parts of the world are, but they aren't exactly the same.  I found far more differences between the two regions than I anticipated before I ever cruised there.

Between my Alaska cruises and my Norway cruise, there are a few important considerations if you are interested in picking either locale for a cruise ship vacation.

Ideally, you'll book a cruise to both Alaska and Norway so that you can enjoy both for what they excel at, but if you're in the market for only one cruise, here's what you should know.

Getting there

Until transporters from Star Trek are invented, getting to Norway or Alaska for your cruise may sway your decision considerably.

As an American, getting to Alaska for a cruise will always be easier and cheaper than Europe for a Norway cruise.

Flights to Seattle are plentiful across the United States, and while airfare prices are generally higher than ever, a domestic flight to Seattle will always cost less than a flight to the United Kingdom.

Even if you consider an Alaska cruise that begins in Vancouver, it will probably be cheaper than getting to Europe.

Of course, if you live in Europe (or closer to Europe than North America), then a Norway cruise could be quite affordable in terms of flying to where the ship departs from.

Airfare in Europe tends to be quite cheap, especially if you can take one of the various low-cost European carriers, such as EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, or Norwegian.

Similar to price, flights will be shorter depending on which embarkation port you live closer to. 

Many savvy travelers will save their credit card points for a European vacation to help take the sting out of airfare.  In fact, investing in a business class flight could also make sense with credit card points.

An Alaska cruise will take me about 5-6 hours to fly to, whereas a flight to London will come in at 8 or 9 hours from Florida.  If you live in the Northeast United States, flight times between New York and Seattle and New York and London aren't that far different.

Ultimately, unless you can drive to Seattle or Southampton, you're probably going to need to fly and it will be a multi-hour ordeal that adds a hefty cost too.

Advantage: Tie

Scenery

On the surface, Alaska and Norway seem to have similar topography and scenery, but I found that not necessarily to be the case.

Fjords can certainly look similar to a glacier inlet that you'd find in Alaska, but I found when you're not in a fjord, Norway isn't as majestic looking as Alaska.

No matter where you are in Alaska, you're going to be nearly surrounded by tall peaks and an open landscape. I was blown away by the beauty of Alaska from my first visit, and the scale of the mountains and countryside around you cannot be properly conveyed until you see it.

In Norway, cities like Haugesund or Bergen don't have those views or towering vistas.  

While the fjords of Gerainger and Olden did resemble the sort of vistas you'd find in Alaska, it was fleeting once your ship left.

That isn't to say Norway isn't beautiful or scenic, because the country is quite lovely and it's quite unspoiled in many areas. In fact, the Scandinavian architecture makes up for what is otherwise quite bland building style of Alaska.

One might even argue the beauty of the fjords while you're in them makes up for whatever mountainous scenery Alaska has elsewhere. Certainly the sail-in for the fjord evoked very similar views that you'd find in a glacier sail-in. 

The difference for me was the impressive and soaring land around you in Alaska really stood out, and I wasn't quite as struck by the immense elevation of Norway compared to Alaska.

Advantage: Alaska

Culture

Where Norway really shines is the rich culture and history of the country.

You'll find small towns and big cities in Norway to visit during your cruise, and there are thousands of years of history you can explore along the way.

Norway's Viking legacy brings all sorts of opportunities to learn and explore, and it's something that extends even to today. Continuing forward to the last couple hundred of years, you'll find art, history, and a culinary tradition that has made Europe appealing for so long as a destination.

Alaska has a long-standing Native American culture that is fascinating to explore, but that's about where Alaska's cultural appeal ends. The Alaska cruise ports tend to be centered around cheesy tourist spots or shopping. 

I didn't find Alaskan cultural appeal to be nearly as strong as Norway.  It's cities are small, and the entire state is sparsely populated.  Don't expect to find high-end restaurants, evocative museums, or a cosmopolitan feel.

This may be one of the appeals of Alaska, that it relies so heavily on its natural beauty as a reason to cruise there, whereas Norway has its natural wonders, along with population centers you can explore in-depth.

Advantage: Norway

Wildlife

This is probably the most simple comparison of the list, because Norway has little to no wildlife you'd be excited to see.

Alaska is known for the amazing animals you can see there: whales, bears, moose, eagles, seals.  There's more than that, but a major highlight of any Alaska cruise are the wildlife spotting opportunities.

Alaska is home to more bears than any other state. There are an estimated 100,000 bald eagles in the world, with around 30,000 calling Alaska home.  The salmon runs are known around the world for how impressive they are.

Norway, however, doesn't have these sort of animal spotting opportunities. The most exotic animals you'll see on a Norway cruise are sheep and goats. 

Advantage: Alaska

Cost

Neither Alaska nor Norway cruises are going to be the cheapest cruise you can find, but both have shoulder seasons when you can find a deal.

The Alaska cruise season runs from May through September, with the months of June through August representing the peak of the season and the highest prices too.

If you take an Alaska cruise in May or September, you can find bargain basement prices for a cruise, especially the sailings from Vancouver.

Read more: The Best Time to Cruise Alaska Month by Month

Likewise, Norway's cruise season also runs from May through September and it's shoulder season will have better prices if you can sail then.

Both Alaska and Norway aren't cheap once you get there.

Food prices especially are much higher than most travelers might expect. Norway is notorious for expensive food, while an Alaska shore excursion is going to be much more expensive than a Caribbean tour.

Advantage: Tie

Which should you choose: Alaska or Norway cruise?

You should really experience both an Alaska cruise and a Norway cruise because while they both have colder temperatures than the Caribbean or Mediterranean, the each are different enough to warrant separate trips.

Of course, it's not as simple as that for everyone to make happen, given the time and costs associated with both cruises.

In reflecting on my Alaska and Norway cruises, I found the natural beauty and wildlife superior in Alaska, while preferring the cities and history that Norway has to offer.

I found myself more impressed with Alaska's looks, but enamored with the old world appeal of Norway (and Europe, in general).

You won't find a shortage of natural beauty in either cruise, and more than likely a hefty price tag to get to either.  But I can all but promise you the journey will be worth it when you get to experience it all yourself.

Just days after Royal Caribbean's last meteorologist announced he left the company, there's a new posting for a replacement.

Royal Caribbean Group posted on their website a new job listing for the position of Chief Meteorologist.

Last week, James Van Fleet announced on social media he is no longer with Royal Caribbean. Mr. Van Fleet was the first Chief Meteorologist for Royal Caribbean and the cruise industry as a whole.

By employing a meteorologist on staff in a full-time capacity, it assists in tracking hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes, severe rainstorms and winter storm fronts which may require itinerary deviations.

The job listing for his replacement seeks someone who has at least 15 years of experience forecasting the weather along with substantial media and public speaking experience.

"The position is responsible for drawing upon global resources and ongoing innovations in science, planning and presentation tools to support the business to proactively manage the impact of weather on operations, revenues and profits.  This includes interaction with individual ships as well as with corporate senior executives, guests, and engagement with the media and general public.  This position will primarily focus on the safety and comfort of guests and crew through active weather forecast support and operational recommendations.  Will also serve as the primary liaison with weather service providers, government agencies, and academic institutions."

Here's what is listed for the responsibilities of this potential new hire:

• Responsible for providing expert analysis, as accurately as possible, on the timing, severity, and exact location of dangerous weather systems such as hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes, severe rainstorms and winter storm fronts which may require itinerary deviations.
• Relies on prior experience to determine appropriate means of notifying teams of potentially dangerous weather systems.
• Serves as key subject matter expert spokesman for weather situations which are of public interest, including a prominent presence in social media.
• Evaluates weather related technical systems and planning tools for fleet operations and Newbuild projects.
• Liaison with academic institutions and the science community for oceanographic and meteorological data collection and analysis and scientific innovations
• Provides long-term global deployment expertise related to weather patterns and analysis
• Develops and maintains weather training programs and guidance for shipboard teams
• Provides guidance and expertise to support the Energy Performance group for weather-related opportunities for fuel savings.
• Provides weather-related support and guidance to the fleet as needed.
• Identifies and manages metrological training programs, content and education for nautical officers in the fleet
• This position is responsible for the management of fleet weather support services.

The timing of the change in personnel comes on the precipice of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins next week.

Officially the hurricane season runs between June 1 and November 30, although dangerous storms can occasionally form outside those dates.

While the U.S. government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hasn't released its forecast yet for the 2023 season (it's coming on May 25), a few other institutions have posted predictions.

Colorado State University currently forecasts a slightly below-average amount of hurricane activity in 2023. The university's predicted 13 named storms for the season, with six storms becoming hurricanes. Two of those could become major hurricanes.

North Carolina State University predicted 11 to 15 named storms in 2023, with six to eight becoming hurricanes and two to three growing into major hurricanes.

Replacing James Van Fleet

The new job posting follows the departure of the first Chief Meteorologist, James Van Fleet.

Van Fleet's last day was May 1, according to his post.

Mr. Van Fleet confirmed on social media that he is moving on from his position with the cruise line following six and a half years of working at Royal Caribbean.

Van Fleet started with Royal Caribbean in January 2017 and was a very visible face of the cruise line who explained how weather would potentially impact cruise ships.  He would often record forecasts that were transmitted to guests in their staterooms, along with being posted online.

Most guests found Mr. Van Fleet's forecasts helpful during hurricane season when tropical disturbances would wreak havoc in the Caribbean.

"As far as the guests go, I also want to thank you for all your trust over the years as we've moved you around storms and systems so you would have the best vacation experience," he shared in the video he shared on social media.

Prior to working with Royal Caribbean, he worked as a meteorologist for local television channels in both Tampa and Orlando, as well as stations in Texas.

Your thoughts

Is it important to you for Royal Caribbean to have a Chief Meteorologist? Would you like to see Mr. Van Fleet return to the role? 

Share your thoughts on hiring a meteorologist in the comments on this post!

I had a great first European cruise that took me to the Norway, and much of the week-long cruise exceeded my expectations.

But like all things, hindsight is always 20/20, and if I were to do it all over again, I would have made a few changes to what I did on my first Royal Caribbean cruise to Norway.

With any cruise I take, I like to reflect on the decisions I made for how I could improve the experience going forward.  I certainly hope this is not my last cruise to Norway, so the next time I head there, I can apply these lessons.

Some of these mistakes and good choices are also more universal to other types of cruises, whether in Europe or the Caribbean.  So there may be opportunities for everyone to have a better future cruise experience.

The mistakes

Booked The Key

If you've read this site for any length of time, you know I'm not a fan of Royal Caribbean's VIP program, known as The Key.

In short, I think the benefits sound better than they actually are, and you're better off saving your money. 

However, I feel it important to re-visit certain programs, like The Key, because lots of things change with Royal Caribbean. Plus, I thought perhaps it might be a better purchase in Europe than the Caribbean.

Suffice to say, I came away with the exact same conclusion as before because the program is heavily front-loaded, meaning the bulk of the benefits are for the first day of the cruise.  Plus, the benefits that work for the rest of the cruise left me disappointed.

I could spend this entire article writing about my experience with The Key, but I'll sum it up as follows: many benefits you can achieve on your own without paying for The Key every day of your cruise (i.e. anyone can get early check-in if they plan ahead, you can book a Chops Grille lunch on embarkation day on your own, WiFi packages are cheaper on their own, etc) and the exclusive reserved times at popular attractions are always at inopportune times (either dinner time or too early in the morning).

The only reason I'd recommend The Key is if your cruise had a tender port, in which case being able to get priority for tenders could be really helpful.  On this cruise, we docked at each of our ports.

Not booking the electric car tour

I had a great time in Geiranger and found the scenery stunning.  In fact, it was the first port that I was really impressed with the landscape to the point I thought, "this is something I've never seen before".  

I booked a boat tour of the fjord, but I really wish I had booked one of the electric cars instead.

In Geiranger, you can rent a two-person tiny electric car that has a GPS system built in that offers tours of the surrounding area.  They look funny, but it's a super easy way to get around Geiranger.

There's two reasons why I was better off doing something on land, like a car rental.

First, your ship sails into the Geirangerfjord all morning and you don't get to the town of Geiranger until around noon. So as long as you can wake up and look outside before lunch, you'll see the same scenes the boat tours offer.  

The highlight of the fjord is the Seven Sisters waterfall, but it's so close to the town that you can sleep in and still catch it as your ship passes by the waterfall in the final hour of the sail-in.

Even if you do sleep through the entire sail-in and miss the fjord and waterfall, you can see it on the way out after your ship departs Geiranger!

The other reason I wish I had booked the electric car tour is the photo opportunities.

Depending on which length you book, you can drive up the mountain to Flydalsjuvet or Ørnesvingen view points.  These are the photos everyone wants on their Norway cruise.

To be clear, you could rent one of these vehicles on the spot without a reservation, which is what I ended up doing later in the day, but the problem is everyone wants to rent one in the morning and the lines can be long.

When I stumbled upon the rental, it was too late and there were two lines: one for people with reservations and one for people without.  I gave up on the line in the morning because people with reservations got priority.

I came back later in the day (around 4pm) and managed to get 1-hour rental, but I wish I could have done the extended tour to see more.

Booking Olden hike through the cruise line

I'm not a hiker, but I really enjoyed taking a hike to Briksdalsbreen glacier because it was challenging without being too advanced for a novice.

However, I really could have done this tour on my own without a formal tour.

Being my first Norway cruise and European cruise, I was a bit apprehensive about what to expect on my tours, and I relied heavily on Royal Caribbean's shore excursions.  I think a lot of cruisers feel this way when they aren't totally sure about what to do.

I'm fine skipping tours in cities when I know I can easily get around on my own, such as my day in Bergen.  But I wasn't totally confident in getting around Olden on my own, and booking a Royal Caribbean tour is easy.  

The glacier is located in a national park, and it's perhaps a half hour drive from where cruise ships dock in Olden.

Being such a popular activity and within close proximity to the port, there were a lot of transportation options to get there.  

While booking my excursion to Briksdalsbreen was quite easy with Royal Caribbean, I could have probably saved money by booking an independent tour to get me to and from the park.  

Not doing the sky walk excursion

The one time I had serious FOMO (fear of missing out) in terms of things to do on my Norwegian fjords cruise was when I saw photos from the people that did the Loen Skylift.

As I said, I really enjoyed my hike to the Briksdal glacier, but I think I would have rather done the Loen Skylift.

The Loen Skylift is located only 6 kilometers from the Port of Olden and takes you from the fjord to the top of Mt. Hoven (1011 meters) in only five minutes. 

At the top, there are amazing views of Mt. Skåla and Lake Lovatnet in the east, Jostedalsbreen Glacier and Olden in the south, and the Nordfjord in the west.

I could have seen the glacier, plus a lot more.

Relied on local food for lunch

I love being able to explore the places I visit on a cruise, especially the local cuisine.

In fact, whenever possible, I'll eat a meal in the place I'm visiting over back on my ship.  While the food is included back on my Royal Caribbean cruise ship, I like to immerse myself in the local culture if possible,

In the towns of Olden and Geiranger, the food choices were quite limited and I regret planning my lunches there.

If you're visiting a city, there's lots of choices, but some ports are quite small towns and don't have a ton of variety.

Of the food available in both Geiranger and Olden, it was primarily pizza, burgers, and pastries.  There's nothing wrong with those foods, but it's too similar to what I can get back on the ship.

In Olden, I found a cafe serving pomme frites, which I thought would be the same kind of Belgian fries I love eating at home. However, these were just microwaved french fries.

The next time I visit these towns, I'll plan to return to the ship for my meals.

Thinking I needed any cash

If you read my pre-cruise post about what I think I need to do on my European cruise to properly plan, I thought I needed to convert my U.S. dollars to local currency.  Not only was I wrong, but there's absolutely no need for any cash in Norway.

Every single vendor takes credit cards, and cash is almost non-existent.

Many Royal Caribbean Blog readers warned me that changing currency was a waste, so I didn't do it and I'm glad I didn't because I would have come home with foreign currency at a loss from the service fees associated with them.

Whether I was in England or Norway, there was no need for cash. Street vendors, gas stations, and restaurants all took credit cards.

Just make sure your credit card has zero foreign transaction fees.

Picking this particular itinerary

Don't get me wrong, I had a great cruise and visited some amazing places.  But in the grand scheme of Norway cruises, I think there are superior itineraries out there.

If you're looking through itineraries, I would point you towards one that visits places such as Flam or Stavanger instead of Haugesund or even Bergen.

My issue with Bergen was we were there from 7:30am to 2pm.  I hate these morning-only visits because so much is closed in the city before 9am, which means a lot of wasted time. Plus, the best (and warmest) weather arrives in the afternoon when it is time to leave.

Similar to how you can't see all of Alaska in one cruise, I suspect Norway may require at least two cruises to see it all.  But I also found in my planning some of the most notable spots were in ports we didn't visit.

Given the timing, this was the only itinerary I could pick that worked with my travel times.  And as I said, I really enjoyed this cruise and the places I visited.

But if I had the choice, I'd definitely consider other Norwegian fjord itineraries to be able to visit ports further north.

Things I did right

Booking a balcony cabin

It seems like the eternal debate of Interior vs Balcony staterooms won't be settled anytime soon, but I think spending extra for a balcony cabin on my Norwegian fjords cruise was worth the extra cost.

Since I was solo on this cruise, I would have usually skipped a balcony room and gone for an inside room because it wouldn't be necessary in terms of space.  However, being able to see the beautiful scenery from the comfort of my room was such a nice treat.

Given that the high temperatures each day was barely in the 50 degree range, many times I enjoyed sitting on my couch inside my room with a view outside via the glass balcony door.

When something caught my attention, or I simply wanted to peek outside, it was so convenient to go out and get a view from my balcony.

On the Geirangerfjord sail-in, I started out on the pool deck to see everything, but it was quite cold so I went back to my cabin.  Here, I could still get great views from inside my room. Plus, when we came to Seven Sisters waterfall, the ship spun around to ensure everyone got a view.

There's no doubt I could have saved some money by booking an interior cabin, but it also helped I was sailing in the shoulder season and the cost to upgrade wasn't much more to get a balcony.

Haugesund fjord tour

Our first port stop was in Haugesund, and I thought I made a mistake booking a fjord tour that was about 2 hours away by bus from the ship.  It turned out to be a great choice.

I booked the Åkrafjord and Langfoss waterfall excursion through Royal Caribbean, and it took us to Åkrafjord by boat.  With the sun shining, it was absolutely stunning to see.

The boat took us slowly around the fjord and right up to Langfoss waterfall.  We got so close the captain actually extended a bucket to get water from the waterfall for everyone to drink.

It was a picture perfect day, and that could have been enough for a great tour but then we had lunch.

I have to admit, I've found every single shore excursion lunch to be pretty terrible.  Usually it's disappointing, mass produced food that leaves you hungry until you get back to the ship.

On this tour, however, the food was really good.

We had lunch at a farm that was right at the shores of the fjord, and the family that owned this farm for centuries prepared all sorts of locally sourced food that was excellent.

We had salmon, goat cheese, breads, stews, and lots of other great eats. The matriarch of the family explained where each came from, and I was impressed.  

I then took my food to a table on the porch outside with a view of the fjord and I wish I could have brought back some food with me.

Bought European sim card

Being the geek that I am, I wanted to stay in contact even when not on a cruise ship, so I bought a sim card for my phone to use and it proved to be extremely helpful during my trip.

I purchased a e-sim from Orange Travel, which is a sim card provide that covers Europe. It worked in England, Norway, Finland, and many more countries too.

Because it was an e-sim, there was no physical card to use. Just pay for it, scan a QR code, and your phone is ready to go.  It comes with a local phone number and plenty of data to use.

The reason why this sim card was so helpful was when you were in port, you had great coverage to manage your day. Whether it was plugging in directions via Google Maps, messaging friends, or checking social media during some downtime, it was worth every penny.

Unlike Alaska, Norway has incredible cell coverage and it worked really well almost everywhere I went.  There was even cell coverage in the fjords!

Your thoughts

What do you think about the mistakes and successes from my first Norwegian fjords cruise? If you have cruised to or visited Norway, what mistakes do you feel you made? Any questions for those taking or considering a Norway cruise? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!