Can you believe January is half way over? That means we are all getting closer to our next Royal Caribbean cruise!

This week, there was plenty of Royal Caribbean news, including the big entertainment reveal for Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean pulled back the curtain on all the entertainment planned for Harmony of the Seas, which includes two musicals: Grease and Columbus, The Musical!

There are also new shows in the AquaTheater, Studio B ice skating rink and new parties and shows across the ship (the 90's party really has us excited).

There was plenty more Royal Caribbean news, so let's jump right in.

Royal Caribbean News

• Sadly, 21 guests were involved in a car accident during a shore excursion in Falmouth.
• Deck-by-deck look at the changes coming to Liberty of the Seas.
• Our guide to enjoying specialty restaurants for lunch.
• We shared the top 5 different staterooms you should consider for your next cruise.
• Royal Caribbean announces its 2015 travel partners of the year award recipients.
• Answers to the most common Royal Caribbean unlimited alcohol package questions we see.
• Four Royal Caribbean features that were inspired by something outside the company.
• Our five best money saving tips for getting a Royal Caribbean deal.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 128th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, we are previewing our upcoming group cruise on Allure of the Seas.

In this episode, Matt and Annette share the plans for the second Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise and why they think, this will be a really fun event.

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.

How you can support Royal Caribbean Blog

So many of our readers have reached out to us to ask how they can help the blog and we are introducing the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders for just that reason.

The Insiders group is a way readers can contribute to Royal Caribbean Blog and help fuel some of the really amazing ideas, projects and new content that we have lined up.

As a way of saying thank you for your contribution, there are some fun rewards for being a member of the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders.

Becoming a member of the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders is completely up to you and you can cancel at any time. No questions asked! 

As always, thank you for visiting Royal Caribbean Blog and being a part of our community!

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Cruise Deals App shared 18 money saving cruise secrets, including one from us!

Royal Caribbean has 4 cruise experiences for any budget.

If you want some extra space on your next Royal Caribbean cruise and do not mind a little extra price, then be sure to check out a Category TS Two Bedroom Suite on Brilliance of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Deborah Wolfe shared with us these photos of her stateroom from her recent cruise in December.

Photos of this room come to us from stateroom 7672.

Walking in, guests will find a spacious living room includes dining table, vanity, chairs, and double sofa bed.

Each suite also has floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors leading to your expansive private veranda.

There is a guest bedroom with two twin beds that convert to a queen-sized bed, two upper Pullman-style bunk beds, dresser, and private bathroom with shower.

Two Bedroom Suites have a master bedroom with two twin beds that convert to a queen-sized bed, walk-in closet, and large private bathroom with tub and shower.  

The two bedroom suite measures 532 square feet in size with a 195 square foot balcony.

Royal Caribbean is kicking off a special weekend sale that promises fares starting at just $799 for three of its most popular cruise ships, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas.

The three day Special Weekend Spring Sale runs between January 15 - 18, 2016 and is valid on Oasis, Allure and Anthem sailings departing April 1-June 30, 2016.

For eligible sailings on those ships, guests can enjoy

• 50% off cruise fare of second guest who must be booked in the same stateroom as a first guest who books at full fare
• 50% reduced deposit
• Onboard credit for bookings made Jan. 15-18, 2016 on Oasis, Allure and Anthem of the Seas sailings departing April 1-June 30, 2016
  • $75 for interior
  • $125 for ocean view
  • $250 for balcony
  • $350 for suite categories
• All other sailings (excluding China sailings) will receive this onboard credit
  • $50 for interior
  • $100 for oceanview
  • $200 for balcony
  • $300 for suite
• ​25% cruise fare savings for 3rd and 4th guests booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests

​BOGO is combinable with the adjoining OBC, 3rd and 4th Guest Savings, Crown & Anchor discounts and NextCruise offers; BOGO and 3rd and 4th Guest Savings are not combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military). OBC Offer is combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, BOGO) and NextCruise offers. OBC is not combinable with Crown & Anchor discounts. All offers are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, weekly Sales Events, Net Rates, Shareholder Benefits.

Offer available to residents of United States and Canada.

Picking the stateroom for your Royal Caribbean cruise means picking your home for 3, 4, 7 or even more nights and there are plenty of options to choose from onboard, but there are some categories that can be easily overlooked that are worth your time.

Over the last few years, Royal Caribbean has been adding different kinds of new stateroom categories to its offerings and these options give guests a greater variety of choice and flexibility in where they choose to stay.

The next time you are booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, consider one of these different stateroom categories, if they are available, that offers something different from the usual.

Panoramic ocean view

Ocean view staterooms are typically known for giving guests a porthole view to the ocean outside, but Royal Caribbean's Panoramic Ocean View Stateroom gives much more of a view.

These staterooms offer a floor to ceiling wrap around panoramic window that is 76 inches high by 103-321 inches wide.  That is a big window.

As you might imagine, the reason to book a stateroom like this is for the amazing views without the balcony view price.  

Panoramic ocean view staterooms are found on Navigator of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

Virtual balcony

Royal Caribbean rethought what an inside stateroom could be when it came up with its virtual balcony staterooms.

A virtual balcony stateroom is an interior stateroom with an 80-inch LED screen that shows live video from outside the ship in ultra high definition.

The screens are 4K ultra high definition capable screens that stretch from floor to ceiling and receive a video feed from the ship's cameras that are mounted at the stem and stern of the ship.

With virtual balcony staterooms, guests can enjoy a balcony experience without the balcony price.

Virtual balcony staterooms are offered on Navigator of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas.

Promenade view

Many Royal Caribbean fans absolutely love the Royal Promenade for everything it offers, and Royal Caribbean capitalizes on this by offering Promenade staterooms.

These Promenade view staterooms have bowed windows overlooking the Royal Promenade, creating an interior room with a view, and they offer the amenities of a standard stateroom.

The bowed windows give the room more room as well as the perfect vantage point for people watching and checking out what is happening on the Royal Promenade.  It doubles as the perfect spot to view the parade!

Promenade view staterooms are available on Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

Family ocean view

Royal Caribbean recognizes some families are more than just 3 or 4 guests and all families can always benefit from some extra space.  Enter, the family stateroom, which serves up a ton of extra space that is perfect for the family that needs to spread out.

Family ocean view staterooms can accommodate up to six people, with two twin beds, sofa and/or Pullman beds. Other amenities include a minibar (except on Vision of the Seas) and sitting area. 

These special rooms are perfect for larger families that want to stay in one room or families with older kids that just need some extra living space.

Family ocean view staterooms are available on Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Vision of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

Studio stateroom

Royal Caribbean has recognized the growing trend of solo cruisers by offering guests studio staterooms on select ships.

These rooms are designed for just one guest and do not carry with them the single supplement that drives up the cost for single cruisers.

There are studio virtual balcony staterooms as well as super studio ocean view stateroom with balcony.

Studio staterooms range in size from 101 square feet to 199 square feet and is the perfect option for someone who wants to cruise alone.

Various studio stateroom options are available on Brilliance of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas.

Have you stayed in any of these stateroom categories? Share your experience in our comments!

Welcome to this week's edition of Friday Photos, where we share our readers' Royal Caribbean photos with all of you.  You can send us your photos by using this form.

To me, this weekly feature is an opportunity to enjoy a quick "mental escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation.  Let's get started with this week's batch!

Our first photo this week is from Michael Brady and it is of Radiance of the Seas anchored off Mystery Island in the South Pacific from January 2016.  I could use this kind of a cruise right about now!

Here is a classic shot of Oasis of the Seas' Boardwalk and Aqua Theater by Shawn Crossley.  It does not matter how many times I see this angle, it never gets old.

Here are Mitch and Donna Smith posing for a photo on the Centrum of Radiance of the Seas.  Photos always come out great when the Centrum is your backdrop.

Let's hop in the Solarium hot tub with this photo by Robert Carpenter from Voyager of the Seas when the ship was in Beijing (Port of Tianjin).  This is the kind of scene I imagine when I need a mental escape.

Rounding out this week's photos is this photo of the view from Anthem of the Seas of New York City, by Frederic.  It's a wonderful town!

Thank you to everyone who sent in their photos this week. Have a great weekend and be sure to send us your photos so we can post them next week by using this form.

Royal Caribbean is reporting 21 guests on a shore excursion from Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas were involved in a traffic accident in Falmouth, Jamaica today.

Today 21 guests from Independence of the Seas participating in an excursion were involved in a traffic accident in Falmouth, Jamaica. 1/3

— RCLcorp (@RCLcorp) January 14, 2016

In the incident, one guest passed away, while three others were treated for injuries at a local hospital.

Royal Caribbean crew members have gone to the hospital in Falmouth to assist.

Royal Caribbean is asking all guests to keep those injured in their thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE: The Jamaica Observer is reporting the tour bus was on its way from the Dunn's River Beach in St Ann.

This week's podcast episode is ready to go, as we present episode 128 of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast for your downloading pleasure.

This week, Matt and Annette preview the plans for the 2016 Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise on Allure of the Seas.

In this episode, Matt and Annette look at the idea behind a group cruise, what special events we have planned for the group cruise and take listener's calls live on the air!

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 128. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS 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 specialty restaurants have become quite popular with guests for the amazing food, expanded variety and excellent values they offer.  While most guests enjoy specialty restaurants at dinner, many are open for lunch too.

Lunch can be a great time to try a specialty restaurant or visit a favorite again because it offers additional slots to eat at the restaurant and often at a reduced price, compared to dinner.

If you are considering a specialty restaurant on your next Royal Caribbean cruise, be sure to look for their lunch hours and keep this information in mind.

Lunch hours

Select specialty restaurants will be open for lunch on your Royal Caribbean cruise, primarily on sea days.

Check your Cruise Compass for specific days and times, but usually you will find specialty restaurants open for a few hours for lunch on sea days.

In almost all cases, advanced reservations via the Cruise Planner are not possible and guests are encouraged to walk up to the restaurant and ask to be seated.

On embarkation day, some ships will have their specialty restaurants open for lunch, while others may not.  

Lunch prices

Generally speaking, specialty restaurants with a cover charge will have a reduced price to dine at them for lunch.

In the past, we have seen these types of prices for lunch

• Giovanni's Table: $20 ($30 for dinner)
• Sabor Modern Mexican: $20 ($30 for dinner)

For restaurants that are a la carte, there generally is no change in pricing.

While embarkation day dinner at specialty restaurants usually offer a 20% discount, the same is not true for lunch.

Lunch menus

The menus between lunch and dinner do not often change much, but the lunch menus can be slimmed down a bit compared to dinner.

At Sabor Modern Mexican, we have seen a few items missing from the lunch menu menu and at Giovanni's Table, a smaller steak was offered with lunch.

At Izumi, some of the non-sushi items are left off the menu.

The exact differences in menu options and choices between lunch and dinner will vary from ship to ship.

Roal Caribban has announces its list of their annual Travel Partners of the Year for the United States of America and Canada.

"Royal Caribbean is delighted to name our 2015 Travel Partners of the Year to recognize these incredibly successful and meaningful partnerships," said Vicki Freed, senior vice president, Sales, Trade Support and Services, Royal Caribbean International. "We are driven by our ongoing commitment to travel agents and are very proud to acknowledge these travel partners who have displayed an exemplary commitment to our brand and achieved significant growth in their business with us. We thank all of our valued travel agent partners for recommending Royal Caribbean to their clients and their important role in creating incredible adventures for our guests."

Royal Caribbean’s 2015 Travel Partners of the Year award recipients are as follows:
 
Chairman's Award for Overall Achievement       

Cruise Planners- An American Express Representative
 
President's Award for Overall Achievement      

Vacation.com                   
 
National Partner of the Year

AAA/CAA
 
Home-based Partner of the Year

Nexion, LLC
 
Online Partner of the Year

Expedia, Inc.
 
Consortia Partner of the Year

Ensemble Travel Group
 
Corporate Incentive Partner of the Year

Maritz Travel Company
 
Luxury Partner of the Year

Virtuoso
 
Loyalty Partner of the Year

CruCon Cruise Outlet Plus, Inc.
 
Marketing Partner of the Year

Avoya Travel
 
Southeast Partner of the Year

Educational Travel Service, Inc.
 
Northeast Partner of the Year

Autism on the Seas
 
Central Partner of the Year

AAA Allied Group
 
West Partner of the Year

Auto Club Enterprises/AAA Travel
 
Canada Partner of the Year

Expedia CruiseShipCenters

Royal Caribbean is committed to providing an expansive and unmatched array of multidimensional entertainment found only on Royal Caribbean. Jaw-dropping, Broadway-style entertainment and unique programming featuring spectacular ice skating, diving and aerial performances wow guests on their cruise adventure.