Royal Caribbean is famous for the onboard innovations it offers its guests, including ice skating at sea!

Being in the middle of the Caribbean or Mediterranean does not mean you can't put on a pair of skates and go ice skating like it's December in Minnesota.  

If you want to enjoy ice skating as part of your Royal Caribbean cruise (it's complimentary), here are some important things to know.

Ships offering ice skating

Select Royal Caribbean ships offer ice skating, so be sure you are booked on one of these ships in order to enjoy it

• Voyager of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Sympohony of the Seas

Long pants are required to skate

Regardless of how good or bad you are at ice skating, all guests must wear long pants to skate.

Be sure to pack accordingly, especially during summer months when you may not be thinking about packing pants.

You also should pack a pair of socks to wear with the skates.

Helmets are provided for you

Royal Caribbean requires all ice skaters to wear a helmet while skating.

This is for your safety because with ice skating, you have to not only worry about what you are doing but what others are doing as well.

Falls happen a lot during the course of an ice skating session, so there is no excuse for not being safe.

Have you ice skated on a Royal Caribbean cruise before? Tell us about it in the comments!

Royal Caribbean has posted some new photos that showcase the construction progress being made on its third Quantum-class cruise ship, Ovation of the Ses.

Ovation of the Seas will be debuting in April 2016 and will be offering cruises in Asia and Australia.

These photos were taken at the Meyer Werft ship yard in Papenburg, Germany. All photos are copyright Royal Caribbean International

We're still about 6 months away from the debut of Royal Caribbean's brand new cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas and like so many of our readers, I just can't wait to see everything this ship has to offer.

Royal Caribbean has been holding back some details about the ship to help build up the excitement so today we're going to list the top five things we're excited to finally hear about.

5. Who will be her Godmother?

It is part of maritime tradition for a cruise ship to have a celebratory Godmother, whose job it is to christen the ship officially.

The Godmother is present for a vessel's naming ceremony, where she officially proclaims the ship's name and wishes it safe journeys to all its passengers and crew.

Sister ship Oasis of the Seas had seven godmothers, one for each neighborhood: Gloria Estefan, Michelle Kwan, Dara Torres, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Shawn Johnson, Jane Seymour and Daisy Fuentes.

Harmony of the Seas' other sister ship, Allure of the Seas, had Princess Fiona (from Shrek fame) as her godmother.

4. Abyss slide details

Royal Caribbean has been hinting at what we can expect with the 10-story slide coming to Harmony of the Seas but we do not know everything yet.

Specifically, we do not know what the new slide will look like or where exactly in the Boardwalk the slide will be.

We do know it is a "dry slide" (as opposed to a water slide) and it will begin in the Pool and Sports Zone at the aft of the ship down to the Boardwalk neighborhood below.

3. What will be the Broadway show?

It seems no new Royal Caribbean ship can be launched these days without a Broadway show and we have yet to find out which show from the Great White Way will debut on Harmony of the Seas.

Ever since Royal Caribbean started adding Broadway shows to its ships with Oasis of the Seas, fans have been clamoring for more great Broadway entertainment onboard.

Royal Caribbean has had these Broadway shows call a ship home over the last few years

• Hairspray (retired from all ships)
• Saturday Night Fever
• Chicago (retired from all ships)
• Mamma Mia
• We Will Rock You

2. Shows and other onboard entertainment

Broadway shows are not the only kind of entertainment we want to know more about.  Oasis class ships have a reputation for amazing entertainment and there's plenty more to learn about.

Ice skating shows, AquaTheater shows, shows in the Royal Theater and other kinds of entertainment are always at the top of Royal Caribbean fans priority list.

Looking back on the shows we have enjoyed on the other two Oasis class ships, there are definitely some questions about what we can expect to find listed in the Cruise Compass every day.

1. What will be the other cool surprises?

My gut feeling is that Royal Caribbean is far from done trying to WOW us with what to expect on Harmonyof the Seas.  

This is a company that is always looking to out do themselves, so I'm most excited to read about what amazing new innovations are also coming to Harmony of the Seas.

Perhaps some of these surprises will be covered in the questions asked earlier, but whatever surprises come our way will help shape the direction of Harmony of the Seas and help make this ship stand out in a very competitive market.

What are you most interested to still know about Harmony of the Seas? Tell us in the comments!

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

Episode 114 is available for downloading and this week we are reviewing the beautiful island of St. Maarten.

Matt and Scott are talking about the island paradise of St. Thomas today, where they discuss the popular activities to do in St. Thomas.  Matt and Scott share their favorite excursions and tips for visiting St. Thomas.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 114. 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 has provided a look at its Simulation Training Center at Resolve Maritime Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

The 7,000 square foot training center launched in 2012 and cost $6.5 million, where the bridge facilities have been replicated for a safe place to train Royal Caribbean junior officers on how the real thing works.

The computer simulations displayed on high-definition screens include some 200 ports visited by Royal Caribbean ships, with all their landmarks, buildings and seaside facilities. As various conditions and perils are brought to bear, trainees respond using controls just as they exist on their actual ship’s bridge.

Officers here can practice and refine their skills onshore to handle any situation that may occur at sea.

“Most simulators in the world are generic,” says Captain Patrik Dahlgren, Royal Caribbean vice president for marine operations. “This simulator is made up to look and feel and work the same as a real bridge on board our specific vessels. You actually have the physical consoles and all the equipment looks exactly the same as it does on board the vessel.”

There is a new design for the souvenir Coca-Cola cups guests get with their unlimited drink packages that matches Coca-Cola's "Share A Coke" marketing campaign.

The new souvenir cups are available on Royal Caribbean ships when a guest purchases one of the unlimited drink packages.

It is not clear yet when these new souvenir cup designs began being sold, but it is likely to have changed somewhat recently.

These souvenir cups are compatible with the self-serve soda machines on the pool deck as well as the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines. The Coca-Cola souvenir cup has a special chip in it which activates the machine.

Do you like the design of these souvenir Coca-Cola cups? Tell us in the comments below!

Royal Caribbean has released a new batch of photos showing off parts of Harmony of the Seas' construction.

Harmony of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's third Oasis class cruise ship, and will debut in Spring 2016.

The photos were taken in October 2015 at the STX shipyard in St. Nazairre, France. All photos are copyright Royal Caribbean International.

Royal Caribbean appointed Tamara Strauss as its new Marketing Director in the UK and Ireland.  

As part of her new role, Strauss will lead the marketing, communications and distribution teams in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the goal of bringing the Royal Caribbean International brand to a wider audience.  There will be a special emphasis on the guests new to cruising.

Strauss was previously with InterContinental Hotels Group, where she held a number of senior marketing roles and managed a multi-million pound relaunch of Holiday Inn in the UK.

Royal Caribbean UK & Ireland managing director, Stuart Leven, commented on the hiring, "It’s an exciting time to have Tamara come on board as we have high ambitions to take the cruise category and Royal Caribbean in particular to new audiences. I look forward to building on the brand’s success as we continue to target the new-to-cruise audience and launch two new game-changing ships in 2016."

Royal Caribbean will be offering a variety of holiday celebrations onboard its cruise ships in December 2015.

Guests sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise this holiday season will be able to experience some festivities sure to get you in the spirit, such as

• Classic movie screenings
• Guest and crew caroling
• Family arts and crafts
• Cookie decorating
• Special holiday-themed Adventure Ocean youth program
• Upgraded stateroom experiences, including themed and adorned towel animals
• Commemorative seasonal souvenir Coca-Cola cup
• Holiday ice skating aboard select ships

Royal Caribbean ships featuring the Dreamworks Experience will offer holiday photos with Po of "Kung Fu Panda;" Shrek, Fiona and Puss In Boots of "Shrek;" and Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo and King Julien from "Madagascar " who will be adorned in festive holiday outfits. 

In addition, there will be a special holiday character breakfast for kids of all ages to enjoy a meal with Dreamworks characters.

These special holiday itineraries will be featured on cruises departing from home ports in the United States, including:

• Bayonne, NJ
• Baltimore, MD
• Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale)
• Miami, Fla
• Port Canaveral, Fla
• Tampa, Fla
• Galveston, TX
• San Juan, Puerto Rico

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations, Mark Tamis, is excited about the holiday offerings this year, "We are all about bringing friends and family together to share an amazing vacation experience and what better time to do that than during the holidays. We are excited to be introducing many new onboard festivities that will further inspire holiday cheer. With a wide range of innovative onboard amenities and immersive holiday themed experiences, Royal Caribbean cruises are primed to provide distinct experiences that are ideal for families looking to take the stress out of holiday planning by letting them enjoy a memorable Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year’s holiday at sea."

On top of the special celebrations, Royal Caribbean is offering guests the chance to book December sailings through the BOGOHO HOHO! holidays promotion and gift their travel companion in the same stateroom with half off their cruise fare on all open North American sailings. For all eligible sailings departing December 15-31, 2015 or December 15-31, 2016, vacationers also can receive pre-paid gratuities for the first and second guests in the stateroom in addition to half off cruise fare for their second guest.

Cruise Critic released the list of winners in the 2015 Editors’ Choice Awards and Royal Caribbean came away with a few notable honors.

Royal Caribbean won awards in the following categories

• Best Cruise Line for Entertainment
• Best  Cruise Line Suites
• Best Cruise Line for Families

Cruise Critic noted Royal Caribbean's offerings for all age groups at an affordable price stood out as why it took home the family award this year.  

In terms of entertainment, Royal Caribbean's "second to none" onboard entertainment was a big plus.  Broadway shows, Centrum shows and Two70 all contributed to convince Cruise Critic that entertainment was king at Royal Caribbean.

In addition, Royal Caribbean's suites got special recognition for its suites that not only offer lovely amenities but also stand out for the "extensive list of suite perks".

Cruise Critic also specifically mentioned the two-bedroom AquaTheater suites on Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, as well as the two-level Loft Suites on Oasis and Quantum class ships.

The Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards are chosen by Cruise Critic's international team of editors, based on the lines and ships they feel best represent excellence in each of the designated categories. Awards announced October 2015.