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Royal Caribbean isn't done revealing new features coming to Utopia of the Seas.
Its potentially last Oasis Class cruise ship is about a year away, and we know of a new dining concept coming to the ship.
While aboard the President's Cruise sailing on Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider, gave a presentation about Utopia of the Seas.
According to Mr. Schneider, Utopia of the Seas will feature The Spare Tire, the line’s first food truck-style eatery.
It will be located on the pool deck, and Royal Caribbean previously disclosed it would serve up, "handheld favorites".
Royal Caribbean's plan for the pool deck is to create a resort-style experience that draws guests to a relaxing day. The five pools on Utopia provide both lowkey and upbeat fun.
There will be resort-style and sloping beach-entry pools, including the three pools and three Lime & Coconut bars at the center of the pool deck.
This is second all-new dining experience revealed coming to Utopia of the Seas.
Previously, Royal Caribbean announced a new immersive dining experience that will create a classic train car motif that serves meals.
Inside the faux train cars, which will be decorated and built to the specifications of actual train cars, diners will encounter a handful of tables placed next to windows with digital displays, where footage of destinations will flash by.
It will be located on deck 4 where Izumi is located on other Oasis Class ships.
We also know about a number of other restaurants coming to Utopia of the Seas. In fact, Utopia will have more than 20 dining options.
Izumi and Izumi in the Park will be located in Central Park, featuring a convenient, new window that serves up fresh sushi and Japanese-inspired sweets. Next door is a reimagined Izumi restaurant, with double the teppanyaki tables and new al fresco seating.
Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar spans two stories and has a menu of authentic Italian dishes. There's even a new outside terrace – Gio’s Terrazza – that overlooks the Boardwalk neighborhood.
El Loco Fresh and Cantina Fresca will have Mexican-inspired street food and drinks.
Solarium Bistro is a returning restaurant concept open for all meals that serves up Mediterranean food and salads.
More returning favorites on the menu include The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar, Windjammer buffet, Hooked Seafood, and Chops Grille.
Utopia of the Seas will debut in July 2024 and enter service offering short cruises to The Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Florida.
Royal Caribbean will change its traditional playbook by starting off a new cruise ship with just short cruises, which the line hopes will capitalize on the short cruise market.
The inaugural voyage is scheduled for July 22, 2024.
Two kids were photographed sitting on the balcony of their cruise ship.
The blatant breaking of safety rules for cruise ships demonstrates how passengers doing things they're not supposed to do has the greatest potential for injury.
The unidentified kids are seen sitting on top of the balcony in their cabin, having climbed up on the balcony railing first.
The photo was posted on Facebook in a cruising group, with the photo attributed to Liz Pride.
The Carnival Cruise Line Miami blog posted the caption, "Where are the parents?" inferring a lack of supervision.
It's not clear which cruise ship this photo was taken from, but it certainly resembles Royal Caribbean's Radiance Class ships.
One reader believes it is from Serenade of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean's guest-conduct policy says, "Sitting, standing, laying or climbing on, over or across any exterior or interior railings or other protective barriers, or tampering with ship's equipment, facilities or systems designed for guest safety is not permitted."
Breaking the rules can result in being kicked off the ship at the next port.
In past similar incidents, guests have not only been kicked off the ship but also banned for life from the cruise line.
A woman that stood on her balcony railing in 2019 was banned for life.
As soon as the photo started making rounds online, cruise fans were outraged at both the behavior of the kids, as well as the lack of supervision by the parents.
Kelly Hatfield-Lampton wrote, "And THAT is how people fall overboard."
Lisa Babcock wrote, "OMG!! Hello!! Where are the parents??"
Many could barely look at the photo because it made their scared just thinking about the possibilities, "I am getting anxious just looking at this picture," said Danielle Benton.
Tanya Walker said, "Perfect example of how you go overboard in a ship!"
What the kids did in this photo was incredibly dangerous, and the sort of reckless behavior that gives the cruise industry a bad name.
Cruise ships are designed to have balcony railings at such a height that prevents someone from accidently slipping and falling over. These railings are right around chest height on the average person on open deck areas and cabin balconies. They are placed intentionally to ensure passenger safety.
The risk of fall only occurs when someone is doing something they're not supposed to, such as climbing on furniture to access the top of the railing.
Accidental overboard situations occur when the safety precautions are bypassed. This can occur because someone is inebriated, or simply attempts a stunt.
In other situations, some people choose to jump off a ship purposefully in order to cause themselves intentional physical harm.
Celebrity Cruises revealed the dining experiences for its next new cruise ship, Celebrity Ascent.
Ascent will launch later this year and be the next in the Edge Class of cruise ships.
While this will be the fourth in the class, Celebrity will have some culinary differences from other ships.
Celebrity Ascent will feature redesigned restaurants, immersive dinners, expanded food and drink menus, including a new whiskey tasting, and a plant-based multi-course dinner.
Here's a look at the dining choices you can expect on Celebrity Ascent when she launches.
The second installment of Le Voyage will be opened on Celebrity Ascent.
Le Voyage is the creation of world-renowned-chef Daniel Boulud, and it provides guests with fine dining from his favorite places around the world.
There will be an all-new design to the restaurant featuring a new chandelier, captivating neutrals, plush banquet seating, and gold tones throughout.
Guests will experience a global menu crafted by Chef Boulud himself that offers dishes from his personal travels and favorite places around the world.
There is also a Chef's Table option to rent out a private, 6-seat dining room that treats diners to a multi-course tasting dinner complete with exceptional wine pairings.
The iconic Eden venue found on all Edge Class ships will have three levels of sensory experiences completely wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows.
You'll find a casual lunch café, a cocktail bar, an entertainment space, an outdoor terrace and a signature restaurant in just one venue.
The signature restaurant will have a new seven-course plant-based tasting menu. Each dish features ingredients that have been sourced from their original place of origin and presented in the most natural state.
Menu highlights include dishes like the Golden Beet-Tomato Ceviche, Ajoblanco Panna Cotta, Roasted and Glazed Celeriac Steak, and Dry Rose Petals Masala Curry. Enjoyed as a tasting menu, or a la carte, diners can also opt for organic and vegan wine pairings.
All Edge Class ships have four main dining restaurants instead of one main dining room, with each offering a different style of cuisine and signature dishes.
Ascent will have these dining rooms:
The Cosmopolitan will have a new design inspired by the culture of champagne, featuring a new layout and seating throughout.
Combined, the four main dining restaurants offer travelers more than 84 different dishes to choose from.
You'll still find other great dining choices at Le Petit Chef, Fine Cut and Blu.
At Le Petit Chef, each dinner features a multi-course menu that is brought to life by colorful and fun animations of a tiny chef who tells the story behind each dish. Each course’s animation ends with a digital version of the dish, followed by the real-life dish placed seamlessly in front of the diner for a wow-worthy experience.
Some new to Ascent will be an all-new four-course dining show told in the style of a fairytale as the tiny chef comes across a mysterious magical cookbook with whimsical recipes full of surprises.
At Fine Cut Steakhouse, there will be a new dish – the Lemon Poached Lobster Tail with melted leeks, shiitake mushrooms, lobster ravioli and a house made beurre Blanc sauce.
Guest staying in Aqua Class can dine al fresco for breakfast or dinner in Blu’s new outdoor terrace space.
Ascent will have a new exclusive partnership with WhistlePig Whiskey. Ascent will feature two hand-selected barrels made exclusively for Celebrity Cruises. A
vailable at Craft Social, guests can enjoy a Special Bespoke Barrel Aged 12 Years and Special Single Barrel Aged 10 Years, either as a la carte options or as part of a tasting flight that also features WhistlePig PiggyBack 100 Proof Bourbon (Aged 6 Years), WhistlePig 10, and WhistlePig 12.
Wine aficionados will be happy to know three of Celebrity Ascent’s venues were recognized at the 2023 Wine Spectator Awards, with Le Voyage and Tuscan being recipients of the “Best Of” Award of Excellence, and Fine Cut becoming an Award of Excellence winner.
The Grand Plaza Martini Bar is situated under The Chandelier, a breathtaking light fixture-meets-art installation that comes alive each night during the iconic Flair Bartender Shows.
The Martini Bar on Ascent will feature an expanded new menu, offering classic martinis, fruit-infused creations, and tantalizing desert martinis.
Celebrity Ascent will hold 3,260 passengers at double occupancy.
Celebrity Ascent will begin cruises at the end of November 2023 from Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades for its inaugural Caribbean season.
There will be a 4- and 3-night preview sailing on November 22, 2023 and then November 26, 2023. Ascent will then begin with her maiden 7-night Caribbean sailing on December 3, 2023.
One of the most intriguing questions out there is if Royal Caribbean will ever build a smaller cruise ship.
Royal Caribbean is known for its big ships, and the line has steadily been building bigger and bigger cruise ships over the last two decades.
While the new massive ships certainly garner a lot of attention because of how big they are, there is still a role that smaller cruise ships can play.
Speaking at the the President's Cruise event on Allure of the Seas on Monday, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley answered a question from the audience regarding a smaller ship.
Haley Evans from Living Adventures Travel Agency, shared a video clip of Mr. Bayley being asked about a smaller ship.
"We are excited about Icon, but we were wondering the other ports where you can't have these large ships at, are you going to make other smaller ships."
Mr. Bayley was quick to admit that the smaller vessels in the fleet are starting to show their age.
"We recognize that we have classes of ships now that are, you know, getting a little up there in the years," he responded.
While he didn't mention them, the Vision Class and Radiance Class cruise ships are the smallest of Royal Caribbean's ships and usually get sent to ports that can't handle big ships.
The first Vision Class ship was launched in 1995 and can accommodate around 2400 - 2700 passengers. Depending on the ship, they range between 73,817 GT and 82,910 GT.
The Radiance Class can also handle around 2400 - 2700 passengers and are 90,090 GT.
As for if Royal Caribbean had plans to replace these ships, or simply build new smaller ships, he was non-committal.
"It is something that's certainly deeply in our consideration and our planning at the moment that we have a lot of conceptual work going on."
"I think when we're ready we can we can announce steps that will take to to do just that."
He went on to talk about the fact Royal Caribbean is always looking to the future, and new ideas are constantly being considered.
"The brand has always been in kind of growth mode and we've always been building and engineering and designing new classes of ships," Mr. Bayley explained.
He then was sure to say nothing is confirmed at this time, "It's very much in the forefront of our minds. We understand that we need to think and act on this."
"But we're in no position to make any statements or comments about it for obvious reasons."
Royal Caribbean's official order sheet only has the three Icon Class cruise ships and Utopia of the Seas ordered. There are no other orders placed for Royal Caribbean International ships according to Royal Caribbean Group filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mr. Bayley's comments seem to indicate they are at the very least thinking about what the future may hold, but he certainly did not comment or allude to a long-running rumor for a new smaller ship.
For years, cruise ship passengers have heard from crew members on Royal Caribbean vessels refer to a new class of smaller ships, known as the Discovery Class or Project Discovery.
It's been a rumor circulating among cruise fans for years. As late as May 2023, the Captain of Radiance of the Seas said a new ship and class similar in size to the Radiance was being planned to be named Discovery of the Seas.
Whether or not these rumors come to fruition of not, the idea of a smaller ship coming in the near future is of great interest to cruise fans.
Happy Sunday! We hope you are having a great weekend! Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and catch up on all the Royal Caribbean news from the week!
When Icon of the Seas debuts in January, she's going to change the cruise industry.
Not only will Icon be larger than any other cruise ship, but she's going to introduce a variety of innovations and shifts in what to expect from a Royal Caribbean cruise.
We're still six months away, but here's 11 ways Icon of the Seas will change the industry when she launches.
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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 — Things you'll notice when cruising on a new cruise ship — and don’t forget to subscribe here.
Don't be ashamed, we all have some really basic questions sometimes, so it's only fitting to answer them.
We hear many of the same questions over and over again here at Royal Caribbean Blog—we wanted to answer them in one place. While not "dumb" questions, knowing the answers to these commonly asked questions should better help you plan your day on the island.
Check out our answers to your really "dumb" Perfect Day at CocoCay questions.
What are the differences between Royal Caribbean vs Carnival Cruise Line?
Both cruise lines are the largest in the world, and they represent the lion share of cruise bookings. So what makes one a better choice over the other?
Having sailed both lines extensively, Allie shares what you should know about each line, and how the ships compare to each other.
With two new Royal Caribbean cruise ships coming in 2024, you should know the warnings about a brand new cruise ship.
Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas will begin sailing next year, and they both will be loaded with the latest incredible things to do on a cruise ship.
Depending on your flexibility and preferences, being on a new ship when it first starts sailing could be a really good or bad idea.
Does it really matter if you book a big cruise ship or a small cruise ship?
There are advantages and drawbacks to each size of ship, and it's important to know the differences between each one.
Before booking a cruise, you should know if you should choose a big ship or a small ship.
Messi fever has reached Royal Caribbean.
The Argentinian football star, Lionel Messi, has made big headlines with his arrival as the newest member of Inter Miami for the first game of the season in 2023.
Tickets for the first game with Messi playing skyrocketed on secondary markets, with the average price well over $250. There was even one ticket that cost $110,000!
Royal Caribbean celebrated the occasion with a light display honoring the team on Friday morning.
At the cruise line's terminal at PortMiami, Royal Caribbean changed its lights to the same pink color of the team with Freedom of the Seas displaying the iconic #10 across more than five decks as it arrived at PortMiami.
Messi is as big a soccer star as there is in the world, and he signed with the team last week in preparation for the first game against Mexico’s Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The soccer star's arrival will provide a welcome boost on the field for Miami, who have struggled in the MLS in recent weeks, having failed to register a win in their last 11 games.
Earlier in the week, Lionel Messi visited a Royal Caribbean cruise ship to meet cruise line President and CEO, Michael Bayley.
Also joining Mr. Bayley was soccer legend David Beckham, who is a co-owner of the team.
Royal Caribbean is Inter Miami’s Official Vacation Partner.
Royal Caribbean will launch two new cruise ships in 2024, and that might tempt you to book one of the first sailings.
Icon of the Seas will launch in January 2024 and offer 7-night Caribbean cruises. Icon is the first in the Icon Class of ships, and she's being set up as a game changer within the cruise industry.
At 250,800 tons, Icon will be the biggest cruise ship ever built, and will offer more activities on its pool deck than any other ship in history. A water park, sun decks, adults-only pool, sunset view pools and more are coming to Icon.
Not to be overshadowed, Utopia of the Seas will start sailing in July 2024 and while she is the sixth in the Oasis Class, she has a few innovations and new additions coming as well.
Utopia will be the first new Royal Caribbean cruise ship to start off with short 3- and 4-night cruises.
Utopia will have a new tiki bar experience, new dining experiences, immersive dining, and an open deck filled with plenty of activities.
If these new ships sound incredible, you're not alone. Lots of people are taking notice of what Royal Caribbean has in store and there is a sense of FOMO ("fear of missing out") circulating to experience these ships.
Should you book a cruise on a brand new Royal Caribbean ship, such as Icon or Utopia?
Depending on your flexibility and preferences, being on a new ship when it first starts sailing could be a really good or bad idea.
Among the cruise fan community, there's definitely a badge of honor to be first.
After years of hype and teases, cruise fans not only want to sail on new cruise ships, but want to beat their friends to seeing it first.
There's definite bragging rights to saying you were on a maiden voyage of a particular ship. In the same way someone might wax poetically about having been to a concert of famous band, cruisers love to point out they were there when a new ship launched.
Certainly the first public sailing is more enticing for anyone that feels strongly about getting on a ship first. Similar to how someone might want to see a movie on opening night, getting on a ship first means you can see everything before anyone else. Less spoilers to contend with later, and a way to feel like "you were there".
After all, how great is it to be able to say, "I was on the maiden voyage"?
Every new Royal Caribbean cruise ship introduces something new or different, and if you love innovation, a new ship might be for you.
Even though Utopia of the Seas is the last in the Oasis Class, she will still have new entertainment, and even a brand new innovative and immersive dining experience never before seen.
New ships are a look at what Royal Caribbean has been working on for years, and many of these offerings were secretive for months or years leading up to the ship's launch.
It's impressive to see new concepts that Royal Caribbean has, and in many cases, they re-define our expectations. Some cruisers will go on a new ship and then look at older ships with contempt because they don't stack up to the new level of cruising set forth by a new ship.
Without a doubt, a new cruise ship is a reason to celebrate and the first sailing of a new ship is a giant party.
When Royal Caribbean launches a new cruise ship, it's sort of like an iPhone launch or opening day of a baseball game. There's a lot of excitement and pomp and circumstance surrounding the ship's launch.
You'll find nearly all of Royal Caribbean's top executives onboard to oversee and celebrate the launch.
Likewise, cruise fans that cruise the most flock to new ship launches because it's an opportunity to see friends. Think high school reunion meets birthday party.
Royal Caribbean usually includes extra events on the first sailing of a new ship, along with swag.
When Royal Caribbean launches a new cruise ship, they look to bring in the top rated crew members to help get the ship going.
Any new cruise ship is a challenge to get up and running, because routines need to be set up and systems will need tweaking.
Some crew members relish this challenge, and it gets competitive among crew to get a transfer to a new ship.
Just like how guests like to point out they were there first, many crew members wear it as a badge of honor to help launch a ship.
Because these crew members are the best the cruise line has to offer, you get superior service onboard.
When a brand new cruise ship pulls into a port of call, it's a celebration in and of itself.
Each port is a new stop for a ship on an inaugural cruise so often its arrival becomes a local event. Sometimes it's a small ceremony, and other times there is a big party on the pier and guests are invited too.
It's kind of neat to see the party atmosphere surrounding a new ship spill over to the places you visit.
One of the most common concerns I hear from readers is if a particular ship feels old or dated, and there's no such concern with a new ship.
A new cruise ship has no wear and tear. Every aspect of the ship is still in never-been-used, pristine condition.
Beds are new, decorations are contemporary, and menus reflect trends we are still seeing today.
New cruise ships aren't always totally complete when they launch.
The ship is functional and perfectly safe to sail on, but not every feature or offering may be ready for the first sailing.
There's a lot of pressure to get a new ship out and sailing on time, and sometimes there could be a venue or show not quite ready for the first sailing. This is especially true today, as supply chain issues are still difficult to manage.
Most commonly, the full lineup of shows may not be ready for the first sailing. In some cases, the shows may be performed, but only partially while the cast learns the full lineup.
As an example, Effectors wasn't ready for many months after Wonder of the Seas launched.
Oh, and the price for early sailings is the same whether or not everything is 100% or not.
If you'd be disappointed not to be able to experience every single feature promoted with a new ship because it's not ready yet, a new ship might be worth skipping.
Without a doubt, a cruise on a brand new ship will cost more than other ships.
You'll pay a premium for sailing on a new ship compared to older ships, and sometimes the price gap can be substantial.
Even prices for add-ons, like a drink package or cabana at Perfect Day at CocoCay, will cost more on a new ship.
In speaking with Wall Street analysts, Royal Caribbean has talked about how well Icon of the Seas is selling and at higher prices.
In short, you'll pay more for a cruise if you want to get on a new ship. Especially, if it's the first sailing.
New or not, if you are not a fan of big cruise ships, then you can probably skip Icon or Utopia too.
Royal Caribbean has steadily been building bigger ships, and some people prefer smaller ships.
Something else to keep in mind with any new cruise ship is plans can change.
Cruise ship construction is well-thought out, but there's plenty of examples of new ship launches being pushed back.
While there's no reason to believe Icon or Utopia of the Seas will be delayed, we've seen ship launches delayed over the years.
Your cruise vacation is likely a major event for your family, so making it special is important.
Maybe you're celebrating a special event, milestone, or gathering. Cruises tend to be a popular choice for family and friend gatherings.
If you're looking to upgrade your cruise on a small budget, you're in luck.
Among our team of of professional travel writers, we combed through the best budget ideas to enhance your cruise ship sailing to make the trip just a little more special.
My top choice for a way to make a cruise better is spending extra on a better shore excursion.
Your cruise will take you to various ports of call, and you'll find a variety of tours to consider.
One of my favorite shore excursions are day passes to a resort because you get beach and pool access, along with food and drink quite often.
I always check a website like ResortForADay.com to book a day pass. (This link contains an affiliate link that costs you nothing extra to use).
Royal Caribbean may also offer tours worth considering, including lower capacity tours. Smaller groups are another great way to explore with a better experience.
Specialty dining is a popular way to splurge on a cruise, and a specialty dining package can make it much more affordable.
With just a 3-night dining package, you can enjoy a few extra cost meals without a huge extra cost.
Dining packages will cost you much less than trying to dine at the same amount of restaurants individually.
On select ships, you can purchase a thermal suite pass that gives you unlimited access to saunas, thermal seats, rainforest rooms and more.
Only Royal Caribbean's Oasis, Quantum and Radiance Class ships offer a thermal spa.
The exact options will depend on your ship, but usually it includes:
You can buy a pass onboard the ship at the Vitality Spa, and then enjoy as many visits as you like.
Access to the thermal spa is limited, so you'll need to buy your passes as soon as you get onboard.
One big reason to take a family cruise is for all the memories you'll want to make, and photos are still a big way to remember them.
You'll find ship photographers around your ship, primarily in the evenings to take photos of everyone dressed up for dinner.
You could buy individual printed photos, or invest in a photo package.
Each photo package covers any photo that has at least one person in the cabin, regardless of who else is in the photo.
If your group is going to take the time to take photos onboard, a photo package can be a great idea.
A vastly underrated experience are the cooking classes, such as the sushi making class.
The sushi class teaches you how to make a couple different hand rolls, that you get to eat after. I was never one to think cooking classes would be fun, but then I tried it and really enjoyed it.
Read more: Izumi sushi making class on Royal Caribbean
It's a very low pressure class, where you can pretty easily make a few kinds of sushi rolls.
There's also a cupcake decorating class or guacamole fiesta class. The exact classes depend on which ship you choose.
It may be tempting to upgrade your cabin through Royal Caribbean's RoyalUp program, but I think it's a mistake in the sense I think there's a low chance of you winning your bid.
Read more: How can you win that Royal Up stateroom upgrade bid? It's pure luck
While a RoyalUp bid could fall within the $250 limit and certainly enhance your cruise by moving up a nicer room, the reality is the chances of you winning the bid are pretty low.
Essentially, there aren't that many open cabins to upgrade to because Royal Caribbean usually sells its cruise ships out. So you're mostly banking on a last-minute cancellation, especially if it's a suite.
If you're in an inside room and trying to bid to a cabin category that has a lot of availability and less demand, such as an oceanview or balcony, your chances are probably a bit higher at winning a bid since there's more inventory of those types of cabins.
Regardless, I think you should spend that $250 on a sure fire bet, rather than a gamble like RoyalUp.
Any cruise line marketing department would probably tell you that a cruise vacation is unlike anything else, and that statement is true of many aspects of the vacation, including some onboard experiences.
In fact, I think taking a cruise vacation drew me back time and time again because it's different from land vacations. I enjoy taking a cruise more because it differs so much.
When it comes time to take a cruise with someone who has never cruised before, I then realize there are a few things I do on a cruise that seem perfectly normal there, but would be out of place on a land trip.
These are activities or choices we make as cruise ship passengers that I would not think twice about on a cruise ship, but would scoff at if available on a land trip.
If you eat in the Main Dining Room on a cruise ship, there's a chance you'll be seated with other cruise ship passengers that you've never met before.
It's not a guarantee, but it does still happen that you could be seated with other guests and that has been a norm of cruising as far back as I can recall.
If I was lead to my dining room table to eat with strangers on a cruise ship, I wouldn't think twice of it. But if the same thing happened at a land restaurant, I probably would leave the restaurant.
Outside of teppanyaki or biergarten restaurants on land where sharing a table is common, it's pretty rare on land for that to occur. But on a cruise ship, it's just another day.
Something else I've only ever seen happen on cruise ships is to decorate your cabin door.
A cruise vacation is big deal because it's a trip that will take you to various ports of call, and it's a big trip for many people. To celebrate this, it's become a tradition among many cruisers to decorate their cabin doors.
Guests will bring printed materials, whiteboards, signs, and anything else they can attach to their cabin door via magnets to let anyone walking by their room they are truly excited for this trip.
Some cabin decorations are just a few items to celebrate being on vacation, while other guests will wrap their entire door and cover it with all sorts of knick-knacks.
I really cannot recall ever seeing anyone decorating their Holiday Inn Express hotel room door. Nor would I ever consider that to be something to do in a hotel.
Cruise ships are filled with activities. Every day you'll find a list of things to do in the Royal Caribbean app, including a lot of pool deck activities.
Hotel pools are usually relaxing spaces to enjoy time in and around the water. Cruise ship pools offer that too, but they also mix in bellyflop, best looking men, volleyball, and aerobics competitions.
To be fair, I've seen land resorts offer pool events from time to time, but participation is usually low and it always seems like an afterthought in terms of execution.
On a cruise ship, these pool-based events are major draws and lots of people want to participate.
I'm always amazed the huge crowds a bellyflop competition will draw, along with how many people actively want to try to win.
I know you're thinking, "plenty of people book suites at a land hotel", and you're right, but I think there's a lot more good reason to book a cruise ship suite over any land suite.
On land, a suite is going to be simply a larger room. Maybe it has more living space, extra bedrooms, or even access to a concierge lounge.
Cruise ship suites are also larger than other cruise cabin categories, but they include a heck of a lot more amenities than a hotel suite.
A suite on a cruise ship could include access to a special restaurant, lounge access, priority seating, and special boarding privileges.
To be fair, there's a lot more blurred lines between what you get with a suite on land or sea, but on land, I've always seen a hotel suite as simply something to book because you can afford it. On a cruise, a suite comes with a lot more benefits that enhance the vacation experience.
One of the most difficult concepts new cruisers have to grasp is booking cruises years in advance.
If you want to get the best possible price, secure a rare cruise ship cabin, or lock in a spot on a new ship, you're going to have to book many months in advance. Booking more than a year before the cruise sets sail is commonplace, but booking a land trip that far out is very rare.
You can't even book airfare more than a year in advance, but I can book a cruise for up to two years from now.
The best prices for a Royal Caribbean cruise tend to be found right after Royal Caribbean releases new itineraries, which are usually for cruises departing two years from the release date.
Booking a cruise early brings far more stateroom options than booking a cruise close to the sail date. The further in advance you book, the more flexibility you have to book the exact stateroom you want.
That isn't to say no one books a cruise at the last-minute, but it's far more commonplace to book a cruise more than a year out compared to land vacations.
Read more: Pros and Cons of booking a cruise early vs last-minute