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Cruise ships are massive ocean going vessels packed with lots to do, but how fast can they really go?
To move a ship as large as Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class cruise ships requires a combination of power generation and efficiency. After all, the easier something is to get going, the less energy required overall.
If you have seen a modern cruise ship up close, they are quite large and can move from port to port, and even continent to continent.
Here's everything you may have wondered about cruise ships and their speeds.
Depending on the exact ship, cruise ships can get up to a good speed given the need.
Cruise ship speeds are measured in knots, and one knot is 1.15078 miles per hour on land.
Royal Caribbean says its cruise ships go as fast as 18 to 20 knots, depending on the specific ship and itinerary travelled. This is equivalent to 20 to 23 miles per hour on land.
But how fast can they get up to if they needed? During her sea trials in 2016, Harmony of the Seas' top speed was in excess of 25 knots, making her the fastest cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet at the time.
The reality is ships never approach their top speed because it's just not good for fuel consumption.
Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain explained that it makes more sense to cruise at a lower speed, "We would never go at that speed."
"The real objective is to go 18 or 19 knots much more efficiently, (and) the thing that makes it able to do that also makes it faster."
According to Fain, the fastest speed that other Royal Caribbean ships is under 25 knots.
In order to measure a ship's top speed, they calculate an average that takes into consideration going with and against the waves in the ocean. The weather plays a major role in how fast a ship could travel, just like how an airplane's top speed can depend on how strong of a tail or headwind it encounters.
Similarly, a ship's displacement, condition of the hull and propeller, or draft can all factor into a ship's top speed.
Looking at a massive cruise ship, it looks to be challenge to move the ships at almost any normal speed, so how do they do it?
The secret in managing speed versus fuel efficiency is in the ship's engineering.
Over the years, cruise ship design has seen improvements of the hull design and other design tweaks meant to allow the ship to move at faster speeds. As an example, Harmony of the Seas is 20% more efficient than Oasis or Allure of the Seas, thanks to improvements in hydrodynamic design, a new type of engine and product enhancements
One example of using science to help ships be faster is via the installation of an air bubble system under the hull. Tiny bubbles stick to the bottom of the ship's hull so the ship literally is sailing on a cushion of air.
This air lubrication system allows the ship to float on air, with millions of tiny bubbles created under the hull to reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency.
Essentially, every improvement means cruise ships can go faster with the same fuel use or the same speed with less energy.
Because Royal Caribbean cruise ships are meant to be pleasure vessel (as opposed to ocean liners that are designed to get passengers from one port to another), speed is not a major objective for these ships.
But fast speeds are still needed in the case of an onboard emergency, or to outrun bad weather.
By most accounts, the fastest ship is/was Cunard's Queen Mary 2, with a top speed of 30 knots, or 35 mph. She was just a tad slower than sister vessel Queen Elizabeth 2, which ad a reported top speed of 32 knots.
Instead of the diesel-electric configuration found on many ships, Queen Mary 2 uses an integrated electric propulsion to achieve her faster-than-average speeds.
Beyond those Cunard ships, many contemporary cruise ships clock in right around Harmony of the Seas' top speed of around 25 knots.
Not only do cruise ships rarely travel at their fastest speed, but they often go much slower.
There can be many reasons why a cruise ship slows down, and it's not just to save fuel. Certainly fuel consumption can play a major role in determining what speed to travel at, but other conditions can dictate a slower speed.
One common reason is a short distance between ports of call. Cruise ships are scheduled to arrive in port at a certain time, and each hour they spend in port costs the company money in docking fees. As a result, a ship will reduce speed so they arrive exactly at the time they are scheduled to dock, and not earlier.
On sea days, it is common for a ship to slow down to follow favorable weather so passengers can enjoy the sunshine. This is especially the case when the distance to the next port is short.
Sometimes, the Captain will even slow a ship down to everyone can see a sunset or other passing scenery.
In some places around the world, government regulations require cruise ships to travel at a slow speed.
Of all the mistakes a first-time cruiser could make, some are very easy to avoid because they are likely the easiest to identify as a pitfall.
I've shared lots of advice on how to avoid cruise mistakes over the years and most of these mistakes are the sort of problems new cruisers would have no idea exist until it's too late.
But there are plenty of mistakes that don't require years of cruise experience to identify as a fault.
I've certainly overlooked these mistakes as a given, but it's important to remember that plenty of people new to cruises try this sort of vacation every day, which means it's important to cover these topics too.
Consider this a refresher for what not to do in order to cover all your bases and not succumb to an easy first-time cruiser mistake.
The last thing you want to do is be late and your cruise ship to leave you behind. To that point, Royal Caribbean posts the time you need to be on the ship in multiple places and communicates it over the public address system.
To begin with, you'll need to be onboard the ship on the first day of the cruise (known as embarkation day) by a certain time in order to make the cruise.
Whether your travel plans to get you to the cruise ship are delayed, or you simply get busy in town, all passengers need to be onboard the ship by the all aboard time in order to be admitted to the cruise.
Often most passengers are competing to get the earliest check-in time for their cruise, but you'd be surprised how many guests get onboard in the final hour before the ship's gangway is disconnected.
The exact time you must be onboard by depends on the itinerary, but it's usually in the mid to late afternoon.
Similarly, you'll need to be back on the ship by a certain time in each port of call your cruise ship visits during your voyage.
Cruise ships remain docked in a port for a set amount of time and must leave by a certain time to ensure they can stick the planned schedule.
It's quite easy to avoid making this mistake, because times are posted in multiple places.
On the first day of the cruise, pick a time for check-in via the Royal Caribbean app and then get to the terminal at that time. It's okay if you're a little late (life happens), but there is a finite amount of time to get to the terminal before they will deny you boarding because the ship needs to leave.
On days your ship is in port, the all-aboard time is posted in the Cruise Compass, Royal Caribbean app, and signs near the gangway as you disembark.
Always triple-check whether the all-aboard time is based on the ship's clock or the local time.
Read more: What happens if you miss your cruise ship?
If you're disappointed in the cruise ship you're sailing on because it doesn't have a water slide, show, or activity you really wanted to do, that issue could have been avoided had you looked up information about the ship before booking.
Royal Caribbean has a fleet of over 20 cruise ships, and they are not all the same.
While the television commercials you see will show off a variety of fun things to do, these activities are not on every ship.
You don't need to spend hours researching to know what each ship offers. Understanding what features a ship has (and doesn't have) is an easy way to avoid regret later.
After one day on a cruise, you'll start noticing a few people on your cruise walking around with that beet red look to them, and it could have easily been avoided.
Getting a sunburn is never fun, and on a cruise in the tropics, it's quite easy because of how strong the sun is in that part of the world.
When you're on vacation, it's easy to get caught up in the euphoria of the excitement that comes with time away from it all, but you will absolutely regret looking like a lobster later when the after-effects of the sunburn start to kick in.
Nothing ruins your beautiful cruise photos like a giant red sun burn, not to mention how painful it can be to the person who has it.
Be sure to not only pack sunscreen, but apply it early and often.
Read more: 8 cruise ship tips from a former employee
When you leave the country, your cell phone goes into roaming mode and that can be incredibly costly.
On a Royal Caribbean ship, you are outside your cell phone company's service area and that is what the cell phone industry refers to as "roaming." Instead of using your cell provider's network, you use someone else's cell phone tower and network.
In simple terms, this means you'll be charged an arm and a leg to get cell phone access outside the United States.
Instead, just put your phone into airplane mode, which deactivates your phone's cellular antenna.
You can still use the phone while in airplane mode to connect to wifi, take photos, or any of your apps.
Read more: How to use your cell phone on a Royal Caribbean cruise (and not come home to a big bill)
Missing out on a fun activity can be a real downer while on a cruise.
Karaoke, bingo, shows, and demonstrations are available every day of your cruise, but it's up to you to know when it's happening.
It's quite common to hear someone tell someone else about a really fun event they attended and hear the other person profess disdain for being unaware it was happening.
Moreover, some events only happen once onboard. Certain activities may only be offered once or twice, so you'll need to be aware of the schedule to avoid missing out.
All the events of the cruise are listed in the Cruise Compass as well as the Royal Caribbean app. It's a good idea to review the schedule each evening for the following day to ensure you wake up in time for anything you have your heart set on doing. You can even set reminders in the Royal Caribbean app by adding the event to "My Calendar".
It contains important information like the hourly activities, the weather, special happenings, the drink of the day, and information on the ports.
Read more: 10 Tips to save you time on a Royal Caribbean cruise
This tip is just about comfort more than anything else, but I really don't know why people carry their wallets around the ship once they are able to get into their staterooms.
Each cabin has a safe you can put valuables, such as a wallet, into to avoid theft or losing it.
In short, there's no reason to have a wallet on you while you're on the ship. Royal Caribbean ships are cashless, so all transactions are done via the SeaPass card. You won't need credit cards or identification in the regular flow of the day.
There are still a few times cash is needed, such as in the casino or when tipping a waiter, but there's less risk in carrying a wad of cash in your pocket rather than the entire content of your wallet.
Considering most men's wallets look more like George Costanza's wallet than a svelte money clip, you'll feel far more at ease with the wallet safely stowed away in the safe.
There's a fairly long list of things you can't bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and there's always plenty of people who try to bring them anyway.
On embarkation day, security will scan every piece of luggage coming onboard and if they find something you shouldn't have, they will hold your bag.
This means your luggage wont be delivered to your cabin and you'll have to wait several more hours for security to contact you. At that point you'll need to meet security and watch them confiscate the prohibited item until the end of the cruise.
Read more: What can you not bring on a cruise
It's very easy to avoid this issue by reviewing the prohibited items before you start packing for your cruise.
If you forget to pack underwear, you can buy more at near the port, but if you forget your travel documents, you won't be able to go on the cruise at all.
Due to government regulations, you absolutely need to have the proper travel documents with you in order to cruise.
Make sure your passport, birth certificates, and other forms of identification are on your cruise packing list. Then when it's time to leave your house, check again that those documents are with you in the right bag.
One more tip is to keep all your travel documents with you during the cruise ship boarding process. Do not pack these items in the luggage you give the porters.
There's a fair amount of cruise ship lingo, but two terms you should figure out quickly to make navigation easier for yourself.
When facing the front of the ship, port is the left side and starboard is the right.
An easy trick to remember this is "port" and "left" are both four letter words.
Read more: Royal Caribbean cruise ship term glossary
Royal Caribbean has not divulged when its new Starlink internet service will become available, but it's clear work is underway on a number of ships to install Starlink.
Ever since Royal Caribbean announced it would switch its ship-based internet service to SpaceX's Starlink service last month, cruise fans have been eager to know when the service might begin.
RoyalCaribbeanBlog reached out to Royal Caribbean for a schedule of when each ship would get the new service along with a start date for service, but the cruise line did not provide any such schedule.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson did not provide a timeline other than saying, "the Starlink technology rollout will start immediately across all Royal Caribbean International ships."
Royal Caribbean Group promised to get Starlink to ships across all three Royal Caribbean Group brands by the end of the first quarter of 2023.
In the meantime, cruise ship passengers are seeing Starlink installation crews around many ships laying the foundation for the new service to start up.
We reported at the beginning of September seeing Starlink added to Independence of the Seas, although the service has not yet become operational as of the writing of this article.
According to readers, more ships are getting work done with teams onboard.
RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Michael Fenstermaker shared a photo from Allure of the Seas this week.
"There is a team of contractors aboard the Allure of the Seas planning the routing for the installation of cables to support the Starlink antennas," he said in his report.
Wayne Henderson is sailing on Enchantment of the Seas and also spotted a crew onboard.
"I'm currently on Enchantment in Halifax and they are installing the receivers on the forward section," Mr. Henderson said via email.
Over on Liberty of the Seas, Karen Fraser shared photos of the crew installing satellite receivers on that ship.
The short answer is no one really knows yet outside of Royal Caribbean when Starlink will become available on cruise ships, but the rumor mill has plenty of thoughts.
"They are already installed on the aft section and I was told it'll be operational in about 3 to 4 weeks," is what Mr. Henderson heard on Enchantment of the Seas.
Another reader, Jeff Robinson, is on Independence of the Seas and heard it will be a few more weeks, "Voom is on its last month of contract and when the month is over, Starlink."
If having interenet access on a cruise vacation doesn't get you excited, you might be in the minority.
Just like anywhere on land, having reliable and fast internet access has become a way of life and not just for those looking to do some work while at sea.
Society has become more reliant than ever on having internet access, and on a cruise ship, the internet is the way to stay in contact with the outside world.
Whether texting or calling family, checking on the latest updates on social media, or tracking sports, casual internet use is a major need for a lot of travelers.
And then there's the contingent of vacationers who do have a need to keep up with work while on vacation, or prefer to work remotely from somewhere else.
Up until now, Royal Caribbean's internet service had been hit or miss, depending on the ship you sailed on and the region of the world you visited. All but the newest ships had mediocre to poor internet speeds, and even the new ship internet access was generally slower than internet access on land.
Royal Caribbean did not divulge technical details about the Starlink service onboard, such as what kind of speeds guests can expect or how much bandwidth each ship will receive.
They did say passengers should expect to use streaming services and make video calls once deployed.
Another big question is price.
No pricing has been shared for Starlink, and it remains unknown what price changes, if any, will occur as a result of the switch to Starlink.
When Royal Caribbean tested Starlink on Freedom of the Seas earlier this summer, they did not alter the prices during the trial period.
Read more: I tried Elon Musk's Starlink internet on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship
Many readers seem to think prices will go up as a result of the upgrade, but the company has not commented on pricing.
A lot of cruise ship passengers will drive to their port of embarkation, whether with their own vehicle or in a ride share and you might be wondering how to get there.
Cruise ship terminals are usually well-marked and have a reasonable amount of signage to indicate which exit they are located at, but it can be confusing which one is the right terminal.
Even in this age of mobile apps providing GPS directions to just about anywhere, if you don't pinpoint the right spot, you may end up driving in the wrong direction.
In an effort to provide a simple list of cruise ship terminals and associated parking information, here is what you should know about where to go at each of the major cruise ports Royal Caribbean sails from in the United States and what the parking situation is like at each port.
PortMiami has two possible cruise terminals Royal Caribbean sails from: Terminals A and G, but you'll probably end up sailing from Terminal A.
In fact, Oasis Class ships always sail from Terminal A.
Address
Terminal A: 2000 N Cruise Blvd, Miami, FL 33132
Terminal G: 1103 N Cruise Blvd, Miami, FL 33132
From Miami International Airport (7 miles):
From Ft. Lauderdale International (26 miles):
Royal Caribbean Terminal A Garage rates as of January 15, 2022:
Other garages and lots:
The cruise terminals in Fort Lauderdale are known as Port Everglades, and Royal Caribbean has two terminals it sails from: Terminal 18 and Terminal 29. Generally, most ships sail from Terminal 18.
Passengers should follow the port’s digital signage upon arrival to guide them to the correct terminal.
Address
Terminal 18: 1901 SE 19th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
Terminal 29: Port Everglades Terminal 29, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
From Fort Lauderdale International Airport (5 miles):
From Miami International Airport (30 miles):
Rates are $15 USD per day for the regular vehicles and $19 for the oversized vehicles (rates subject to change without notice by the Port Authority).
Port Canaveral is the name of the port area that Royal Caribbean markets as Orlando, and it's where you'll find ships sailing primarily out of Terminal 1.
When there are multiple ships, Royal Caribbean will use other terminals as well, such as Terminal 5.
Address
Terminal 1: 9050 Discovery Rd, Port Canaveral, FL 32920
Terminal 5: 9245 Charles M Rowland Dr, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
From Orlando International Airport (MCO):
Approximately 45 minutes west of Port Canaveral.
Royal Caribbean's home port in Texas is in the coastal island of Galveston, where Royal Caribbean is transitioning to a new cruise terminal in November 2022.
Address
Cruise Terminal 2: 2702 Harborside Dr, Galveston, TX 77550
New cruise terminal: 1028 Harborside Dr, Galveston, TX 77550
From Hobby (HOU) Airport:
From George Bush International Airport (IAH):
There are three parking lots available and can be booked in advance directly from the Port of Galveston’s website.
There are three lots at Cruise Terminal 3: the North Lot, South Lot, and Pier 14 Lot.
Length of Cruise | Economy Lots Park and Ride | Express Lot & SMP Parking Garage Park and Walk (NO SHUTTLE) |
|
Four Days | $65.00 | $80.00 |
|
Five Days | $70.00 | $90.00 |
|
Six Days | $80.00 | $105.00 |
|
Seven Days | $95.00 | $120.00 |
|
Eight Days | $110.00 | $135.00 |
|
|
| |
Unlike other cruise lines, Royal Caribbean sails out of New Jersey instead of New York City. The good news is it's easier to get to without city traffic.
Cape Liberty is in the Port of Bayonne, just a few minutes from Newark International Airport.
There is just one cruise terminal in Cape Liberty, so it's easy to find where to go.
Address
4 Port Terminal Blvd, Bayonne, NJ 07002
From Newark International Airport (9 miles):
From NJ Turnpike north or south:
Parking fees are $25 per day including all taxes for the parking garage at the terminal.
Oversized vehicles, such as campers and RV’s, that occupy more than one space, will be charged double the normal rate.
The height restriction of the garage is 7’ 4”. There is an open lot adjacent to the parking garage to accommodate vehicles with height restrictions.
Cruises from Tampa have two possible terminals your ship could sail from: Terminal 2 or Terminal 3.
Luckily, both terminals are adjacent to each other.
Address
Terminal 2: 651 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602
Terminal 3: 815 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602
From Tampa International Airport (10 miles):
Parking will cost $15 Per Day.
A valet option has a one time fee of $20 on top of the $15 daily rate.
Cruises from Baltimore offer a convenient departure for the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States from the South Locust Point Cruise Terminal.
Address
South Locust Point Cruise Terminal: 2001 E McComas St, Baltimore, MD 21230
Traveling from the south:
Traveling from the north:
Parking is approximately $15.00 per night.
Royal Caribbean sails from Smith Cove Cruise Terminal 91 in Seattle.
Address
2001 W Garfield St, Seattle, WA 98119
From I-5 South:
From I-5 North:
General parking is available for $27 per day. Book online at Republic Parking Northwest.
Royal Caribbean offers seasonal cruises from Boston to Canada and New England from the Raymond L. Flynn Black Falcon Cruise Terminal.
Address
1 Black Falcon Ave, Boston, MA 02210
From Logan International Airport (4 miles):
Massport offers Cruise Parking at 492 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210 (Lot D3). Parking arrangements must be made online prior to arrival here.
If you happen to do an Alaska open-jaw sailing from Seward, Alaska down to Vancouver, here's what to know when it comes to getting to the cruise ship terminal.
Address
Port of Seward
Alaska Railroad Dock
Seward, AK 99664
From Anchorage Airport (130 miles):
There is no parking at the terminal. You'll need to contact the City of Seward for parking information.
Royal Caribbean sails from Terminal 2 in New Orleans.
Address
920 Port of New Orleans Pl, New Orleans, LA 70130
For guests being dropped off, not parking:
To pier parking facility for Julia Street Cruise Ship Terminal #2 from Interstate 10 east to Exit 11C:
To pier parking facility for Julia Street Cruise Ship Terminal #2 from Interstate 10 west to Exit 11C:
The parking lot is a within a block of the terminal, and shuttle service is provided if needed. P
Parking rates: 4 day parking is $90; 5 days parking is $110; 7 days parking is $150.
If your Royal Caribbean is sailing from Los Angeles, that means the terminal will be at the San Pedro World Cruise Terminal.
Address
100 Swinford St, San Pedro, CA 90731
From Los Angeles International Airport
Parking is available for $20 a day.
When your Royal Caribbean cruise begins in San Juan, you will sail out of the Pan American cruise terminal, which is across the bay from Old San Juan.
Address
FW52+9V6, Calle Muelle, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico
From Luis Munoz Marin International Airport
No parking available at the terminal. You'll need to find somewhere else to park and then take a taxi or shuttle to the terminal.
Think you're ready to make the change to a suite cabin on your next Royal Caribbean cruise?
The idea of booking a suite comes with nearly as many opulent images to ones mind as it does fear of the larger price tag, but depending on how you like to vacation, trying a suite might not be a bad idea.
Royal Caribbean suites offer more living space, better amenities, and a more inclusive cruise experience. You'll definitely pay more for it, but the old saying, "you get what you pay for" certainly holds true.
For years, I never booked any suites out of concern the price was too high and the notion I didn't need to stay in a suite. As our family grew and our needs and tastes evolved, so did my attitudes towards staying in a suite.
And to be clear, staying in a suite doesn't always mean you have a giant price tag either. There are lots of cruise fans that will attest to the fact there are plenty of deals out there for a suite.
Depending on how flexible and resourceful you are, not only could you begin to live the suite life as a choice, but you might even get a great price on it too.
In my experience, I've found a lot of cruisers start off in smaller cabins and then graduate to suites over the years. Like me, they find themselves at a crossroad of "should I try a suite?"
The choice to book any cruise ship cabin always comes down to weighing the costs of the room versus how much time you'll actually spend in the cabin enjoying the benefits. Certainly a large suite would provide lovely accommodations, but if you're going to be at the pool deck all day, how much benefit will it provide you?
For anyone on the fence about booking a suite, I've come up with five signs it might be time to give a suite a try.
You might just find this the starting point of a wonderful new way to cruise.
Booking a suite won't save you money overall, but it might include something that does help out your bottom line.
It's no secret that Royal Caribbean's drink packages are more expensive today than they were just last year. With the rising cost of drink packages, you might be tempted to book a suite so that you can still indulge but with a fixed cost.
When you stay in a suite, you can enjoy complimentary alcoholic beverages in the suite lounge during select hours.
Guests in a Sky Class suite or higher (Oasis or Quantum Class ships) can enjoy complimentary beer and wine between 11am and 11pm while in the suite lounge. From 5pm to 8pm, there's a greater assortment of cocktails and alcoholic beverages available.
On other ships, there is a happy hour in the evening where guests can enjoy the same assortment of cocktails and beers in the evening, usually between 5pm and 8pm.
While not as flexible as a drink package, free drinks in the suite lounge can be just enough for some guests to take advantage of and get their bar bill under control without the need for a pricier package.
In fact, the suite lounge experience is a very compelling argument for booking a suite. Guests that stay in suites a lot will tell you they spend a lot of time in the suite lounge for the many amenities you get, including the free drinks.
If you're the type of person who is willing to pay more to get faster results, then a suite might be up your alley.
When it comes to lines, waiting, or simply your time, there are some people who don't mind throwing money at a problem to make it better.
Suite guests pay more, but they'll often have a dedicated and shorter line at the cruise terminal during the check-in process. When it's time to board the ship, they get onboard first.
The suite concierge also makes it easier on suite guests and can book shows and specialty restaurants before anyone boards the ship.
One of my favorite perks of staying in a suite is the suite concierge will walk you off the ship when the cruise is over, saving a great deal of time waiting in line. This perk alone has been a life saver with my kids.
The debate of time vs money is something everyone will have differing opinions on, but if you are the sort of person that values your time more than your money, then a suite might be the perfect choice.
Often a cruiser will dip their toe into the waters of suite life by booking a junior suite.
Despite the name, junior suite cabins aren't actually suites and closer to balcony rooms than anything else. They offer more space and a few perks, but lack the true suite experience.
However, if the limited benefits a junior suite provides is a good first taste of the suite experience, then you might be ready to jump up a full suite.
The price of a junior suite is usually reasonable compared to a balcony, and many people will spot reasonable prices here and there between a balcony vs a junior suite.
So if you sailed in a junior suite and loved it, then you might be ready to level up again and try a suite.
To be fair, everyone likes feeling special, but some people relish in this feeling more than others.
Between the suite concierge, priority experiences getting on and off the ship, and even just a different color SeaPass card, you're going to quickly feel different when staying in a suite.
Suites offer a lot of benefits that have a singular goal: make you feel extra important on the cruise. Some are for comfort, and some are to save you time, but they all work towards separating you a bit from other guests onboard.
You'll find reserved seating on the pool deck just for suite guests. The suite concierge will know your family's name fairly quickly once you get to the suite lounge. Other guests will ask why your SeaPass card is a different color from theirs when you're at a bar. These are all simple things that will make you feel noticed.
Being in a suite isn't an elitist thing, rather, it's a way to splurge and treat yourself to the finer things in life.
Vacation is an escape from the ordinary, and it's nice now and again to step up to a finer holiday.
Forget how you cruise, if you generally opt for first class seats on an airplane, then a suite might be right for you.
Whether you go for first class or just comfort plus, you're paying a premium to get a better experience on an airplane and that sounds like it could be a sign you're ready for a suite.
A first class airplane ticket won't get you to your destination any faster, but you'll enjoy the trip a heck of a lot more than in coach. Similarly, a suite on a cruise ship will get you luxurious accommodations that you will enjoy in between port stops, shows onboard, and various activities around the ship.
First class airfare usually includes priority boarding, complimentary beverages once on the aircraft, and a deluxe seating experience. It's easy to draw a lot of parallels to staying in a suite on your cruise.
Thank you for joining us for this a look at all the Royal Caribbean news from this week. We had plenty to share, so let us jump right in!
Royal Caribbean rewards its repeat customers with a variety of benefits, but which Crown & Anchor benefits are the absolute best?
Depending on your cruising style and preferences, all the benefits may not be useful, but there are certainly a few that stand out as must-use nearly every cruise.
You can expect discounts, vouchers, and even freebies just for having sailed with Royal Caribbean in the past.
The 467th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt reviews his recent sailing on Mariner of the Seas.
Just a few weeks later, Matt returned to Mariner of the Seas for another cruise and shares what his experience was like going solo on Mariner.
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.
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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: Rare cruise ship cabins that get booked very quickly!
What's it like if you go on an Alaska cruise in the smallest, cheapest cabin you can find?
The cruise fare for Radiance of the Seas was listed at $240 per person with $293 in taxes and fees.
As someone who cruises on a budget and loves visiting Alaska, Jenna took the leap and booked the cruise unsure of what to expect.
After trying each of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship classes, Jenna has her favorites.
Royal Caribbean has six distinct classes of cruise ships, each with their own layouts, amenities, itinerary options, and onboard atmosphere.
Even though all Royal Caribbean cruise ships share a common cruise line "DNA", they can feel quite different from one another when comparing the ships side by side.
It’s every cruiser’s worst nightmare - arriving late to the port and missing the cruise ship's departure.
Longtime cruisers will tell you they’ve undoubtedly seen instances of cruise ships leaving late passengers behind. If you go up to the top deck at departure time, you might catch a glimpse of passengers running back to the ship.
If there’s one mistake that cruisers should absolutely never make, it’s arriving late to the cruise port. Those who do make this costly mistake will tell you time and time again how important it is to be on time for the ship's scheduled departure.
Planning for a cruise ship vacation means picking out fun and interesting tours while in the ports of call you visit, but when do excursions become available to book?
Periodically I answer questions RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers have sent to the RoyalCaribbeanBlog mailbag to answer for the benefit of everyone.
My family and I are booked on an Alaskan cruise for next August. I am starting to look into planning all of the details of our trip and wanted to know how far in advance Royal usually releases shore excursions for your cruise. Right now I see a few options but not a ton. When do I need to really start checking in and looking for excursions? Thanks in advance for your help! - Katie L.
When I received Katie's question, I realized I've been getting this question asked a lot lately and wanted to share the answer for everyone curious when tours become available to book.
One of the best mantras for cruise planning is book as early as you can in order to get the lowest price. Cruise fares tend to be lower the sooner you book.
Not only does booking a cruise early lock in a good price, but you can also get the perfect cruise ship cabin for your family.
Read more: What's the best cruise ship cabin for my family?
If you book a cruise 9, 12, or 16 months in advance, you may find very few (if any) cruise add-ons to buy.
Read more: When should you buy Royal Caribbean drink package, wifi, tours & other add-ons
If you're like Katie and wondering when shore excursions will appear to book via Royal Caribbean's website, the short answer is "it depends".
Royal Caribbean doesn't have a set time frame when it loads in shore excursions to the Cruise Planner. This is no minimum number of days when tours get loaded, so it's up to the guest to keep checking back periodically.
If that answer doesn't sit well with you, I don't blame you.
My best advice is to check back for shore excursions in the cruise planner around six months prior to your sail date because there's usually a good chance excursions will be added by that point.
Moreover, even if you check back at six months but shore excursions were added many weeks earlier than that, it shouldn't matter in terms of you being able to get the tour you want.
While Royal Caribbean shore excursions can sell out, most people are not booking up excursions half a year before they sail. In my opinion, there's minimal risk by checking back about six months before you sail for tours. Unlike check-in times on embarkation day, there won't be a rush to book things on the first day it becomes available.
If you still don't see tours by the six month timeframe, then check back more regularly as you're more likely to see them added than not.
There can be any sort of behind-the-scenes reason why shore excursions aren't available to book yet, but they'll eventually make it in.
Read more: What to do if Royal Caribbean's shore excursions are sold out
Regardless of when Royal Caribbean loads in shore excursions, you can always book your own tours via independent operators likely much sooner than six months before your sail date.
There's pros and cons of booking a third-party shore excursion, but you might consider browsing these in the interim just to have something ready.
Read more: 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
Most tour operators will allow bookings much further in advance than six months, especially for high-demand locations, such as Alaska cruises.
Not only will booking on your own give you a head start on Royal Caribbean's offerings, you may a greater variety of choices and perhaps a better price.
In addition to waiting for shore excursion to become available, a lot of people want to know if more tours will be added to the lineup.
It's not uncommon to see someone browse shore excursion options on the Royal Caribbean cruise planner site and find the choices limited. When browsing tours many months before the cruise, will there be more tours added by the cruise line?
Royal Caribbean sometimes adds new tours , especially if you checked tours more than a year before your sailing is scheduled to begin.
In addition, if a guest cancels a tour, suddenly a previously sold out excursion is bookable again.
If you read the first part of this article and made a note to check for new tours around six months prior to the cruise, then be sure to keep checking for new tours in the months leading up to your cruise because it's not unheard of for new tours to be added.
Another scenario you might encounter is the exact tour you wanted to do is no longer available to book because it sold out. Will more spots become available either online or onboard the ship?
In my experience, it's not that Royal Caribbean holds back spots as it is they can add capacity.
Sometimes the Shore Excursion department is able to book additional slots (tours) with their local operators.
More commonly, people cancel their reservations and then an excursion becomes bookable again. In either case, the end-user will never know which scenario has occurred.
If you keep checking online and the tour never re-opens for bookings, you could asked to be placed on a waiting list once onboard the ship.
Wait lists are something the shore excursion desk can assist you with once you get on the cruise ship. I've had fairly good luck with wait lists, but there's no guarantee.
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Have a Royal Caribbean cruise planned for September 2023? Fall is a popular time to sail because of lower prices.
There is plenty happening and changing with cruise ships, so here is a look at what to expect if you are going on a cruise in September.
This post will share important information what you should know before going on a cruise in September. September is the traditional beginning of fall, but it is still a very hot month in the Caribbean. Meanwhile there are also ships sailing to Alaska and Europe.
September is also one of the best months to book a cruise in terms of value. Since school is back in session, there are less families cruising and with it being the peak of hurricane season, demand for cruises dips a bit. The result is competitive prices for going on a cruise.
If you can find time to hop on a ship, September is a great time to cruise and with more ships back in service, there are lots of good options again to consider.
You will find Royal Caribbean cruises sailing in three markets during September: the Caribbean, Alaska, and Europe.
September begins the tail end of the Alaska cruise and European cruise seasons. There are still plenty of cruises in these markets, but the combination of school restarting and cooler temperatures reduce demand for these markets.
In fact, September is one of the lowest demand months of the year for a cruise. This means if you want a bargain, September might be the best month for a cruise.
In the Caribbean, it's still the off season for cruises and the peak of hurricane season means demand tends be lower than almost any other month.
While it may be fall where you live, September is still very much summer in the Caribbean.
Expect typical summer weather in the Caribbean, which means hot and humid weather with passing rain showers at any given time.
If you are looking at the weather forecast for your cruise, don't be surprised if rain is in the forecast every day. All that means is there is a chance for a passing or pop up storm. More than likely you will have plenty of sun, with perhaps a quick downpour.
September is the beginning of the peak of hurricane season, which means the likelihood of a named storm is higher than it was earlier in the summer.
According to the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, 87 percent of minor and 96 percent of major hurricanes occur between August and October, peaking in early September.
Hurricanes are obviously an issue, but Royal Caribbean monitors the weather and will move ships around storms. Fear not: your ship will not go anywhere near a hurricane.
The biggest issue with cruising in September is the last-minute itinerary changes that can occur due to storms.
Read more: What to know about cruising during hurricane season in the Caribbean
Over in Alaska, September begins the end of the Alaska cruise season, although Royal Caribbean extended the season this year by an extra month.
Just like in the Caribbean, September is one of the cheapest months to sail to Alaska because kids are back in school.
In addition, the best time see the Northern Lights in Alaska is in September. September is the time of year when the sun sets earlier during the cruise season, which means the sky gets darker and makes for the most ideal viewing conditions.
Read more: 50 tips for planning your Alaska cruise
And yes, September is also a great time visit Europe for good deals.
September is a popular time to cruise the Western Mediterranean because you can avoid the families and still enjoy warm temperatures.
Depending on if you prioritize weather, a low price, or something else, there are a few good cruise ideas for September.
One advantage of taking a cruise over the first weekend in September is the Labor Day holiday, which means one less day of vacation time required.
Hurricane season may mean cheap cruises, but if you want to mitigate your risk of a hurricane impacting your cruise, try a southern Caribbean sailing.
The ABC (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) islands are in an area that rarely gets impacted by cruises, so it's less likely for a tropical storm to cause an issue. Of course, your ship still needs to get back and forth to this area, so it's not a completely fool-proof plan.
An Alaska cruise in September is a great idea to save money, especially for a last-minute cruise deal. The downside to Alaska in September is it tends to be colder and rains more than other months.
Europe might be your best bet for a September cruise in terms of comfortable weather and prices.