Believe it or not, you can get a free Royal Caribbean cruise. For reals.

Free cruise offers always sound suspicious, and with good reason. There are plenty of scams on the internet that promise free cruises, but there are also some sanctioned ways to get a free cruise.

What constitutes "free"? Essentially, an offer to not pay anything more for the cruise fare (other than perhaps taxes and fees).  That is not to say you may not have to spend money elsewhere in order to qualify for a free cruise.

In addition, a free cruise means you will still have to pay for cruise add-on costs, such as gratuities, shore excursions, drinks, etc. Plus there are other travel expenses that may be required to get you to and from the cruise.

Here is what you need (in addition to a little bit of luck) to snag a free cruise.

Casino offers

If you gamble enough in the casino on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you can qualify for a free cruise (as well as other offers and discounts).

Casino Royale recognizes its top spenders, much like Crown and Anchor Society gives rewards to people who cruise the most.

If you can spend enough in the casino on a few cruises to qualify for entry into the program, free cruises are one of the perks regularly offered to members.

The best way to get into Casino Royale as a member is to speak to the casino host once you get on a cruise and ask to be tracked in order to join the program.

Organize a group

If you cruise with enough friends or family, you could get a free cruise for yourself too.

Typically a group can be created if 16 full-fare guests in eight staterooms are booked with the same travel agent. If so, you can qualify to be the tour leader (sometimes called tour conductor) and create a group.

By creating a group with the Royal Caribbean groups department, the tour leader can earn a percentage of the cost of all the rooms that can be redeemed towards the cost of your cruise fare.

The amount of credit you get depends on what your friends or family book.  The more they spend on the rooms, the more you get in tour conductor credits.

You could also just pocket the money or apply it in other ways to the cruise.  

Being a tour conductor is one of the best ways to spend as little as possible and get a free cruise among all of the methods outlined in this post.

Read more: How to get cheap cruise deals

Credit card points

Depending on the credit card you have, there may be an option to pay down the cost of a cruise or even earn a free sailing.

The Royal Caribbean credit card is the simplest way to earn free cruises. Spend enough on your credit card to earn points, and with enough points saved, you can redeem the points for a free cruise.

Other credit cards partner with various outlets to provide ways to redeem their points for travel, including cruises.

Using credit card points to redeem a free cruise is rarely a great value in terms of credit card point strategies, but it is an option for anyone with a lot of points.

Read more: How to book a cruise with your credit card reward points

Contests

On some rare occasions, there are actually free cruises offered in contests.  

Royal Caribbean will infrequently offer a contest for a free cruise, but they are few and far between.

More commonly, you may find local radio stations or car dealerships offering a free cruise from time to time.

The bottom line is contest to offer free cruises are very rare, but they do exist. It is very important to be leery of any free offer, especially offers you see on social media. Double check the entity offering is legitimate and not a copycat information collecting scam.

Mobile games

There is a free game you can play on your computer or mobile device called MyVegas, which from time to time offers free cruises and onboard credit.

Playing MyVegas means choosing between different games, such as blackjack or slots, and winning points that go towards your profile.The games reward you for getting to the next level.

If you play the game regularly and earn enough points, you can actually cash out the points for special offers, including free cruises or onboard credits. MyVegas offers these kind of offers for other cruise lines as well, including MSC or Norwegian Cruise Line.

The availability of a free Royal Caribbean cruise will vary and is not always available as an option.

Read more: 5 Royal Caribbean things you had no idea existed

Bingo

Royal Caribbean gives away cruises as part of the grand prize in some bingo games on a ship.

Instead of a cash prize, passengers can compete to win a free cruise sailing if they were to win bingo.

There are terms and conditions to which sailings and ships apply to the free cruise, but is indeed free cruise fare for at least two passengers for a sailing you can pick.

In the void of cruise ships being able to sail, there has been plenty of speculation by cruise fans on what might happen in the near future.

While sharing opinions of what is happening in the cruise industry is not new, unfortunately a lot of these rumors get repeated enough that it seems to be referred to as fact in some discussion boards.

Having seen so many of these discussions on social media, there seems to be a few of these "predictions" that are passed around as the truth. The illusory truth effect is the tendency to believe false information to be correct after repeated exposure, and there is belief in many circles that this is the case.

Cruises will be shutdown for at least a year in March, so rosy optimism is not expected.  However, it is important to remember what has been confirmed, versus what we still have not heard about.

Here is a list of some commonly shared cruise ship rumors that have not been verified or announced by Royal Caribbean.

You will need to get the vaccine to go on a cruise

Ever since a vaccines became a reality, many cruise fans think the cruise lines will require them in order to get onboard the ship.

Despite the fact no cruise line has officially announced any such policy, many believe Royal Caribbean will mandate guests prove they have a vaccine in order to get on a cruise.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said recently he thinks vaccines will play a critical part in  getting cruise ships back in service one their effect begins to take hold, "Today we envision that the key, but not the exclusive factor, will be the vaccines rather than purely the protocols."

"Although the first cruises will be later than we expected, the resumption of cruising will ramp up faster and be more robust."

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio said his company is looking into whether or not being vaccinated can be required of cruise passengers.

In the meantime, no one knows yet if you will need to prove you have the vaccine in order to get on a cruise, but plenty of people seem to think it will be.

Read more: Royal Caribbean CEO says vaccines, not new protocols, will be what gets cruises going again

Back to back cruises won't be allowed

Ever since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released its rules as part of the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order, there has been concern consecutive cruises would be banned.

The source of this rumor is in the fact the CDC says cruises may not exceed 7-nights.  This has lead some people to believe a back-to-back cruise (two cruises in a row by the same guest) would be prohibited.

Nowhere in the CDC's Conditional Sail Order, or in Royal Caribbean's protocols for cruises in Singapore, does it state guests may not go on a back to back cruise.

Some readers have told me a travel agent was informed by some cruise line that booking back to back sailings was not allowed, although I have yet to see this policy written out.

Read more: What does the Conditional Sailing Order mean for cruises to restart?

Pessimistic predictions on when cruise ships might sail again

In the absence of cruises, plenty of cruise fans have taken to making predictions when cruises might actually restart again.

Like many of these rumors, instead of including the words, "I think" before they share a guess, random dates are presented as fact based on how they feel that day.

Similar to how the stock market goes down when bad news comes out, predictions of when cruises might restart tend to have an optimistic or pessimistic take depending on what else is happening in the world.

Read more: No, nobody knows if the cruise you have booked will actually sail

Guesses when the next round of cancellations will happen

If cruise fans are not guessing when cruises might restart, the other time honored tradition has becoming predicting when the next round of cancellations will be announced.

There has been no consistent pattern to when Royal Caribbean (or any cruise line) announces new cancellations, but that has not stopped many from posting on social media to expect cancellations on Fridays, after 5pm, before 9am, or when the moon aligns with Jupiter.

Just like cruise ships resuming cruises, no one really knows when to expect new cancellations. Royal Caribbean has very rarely given any hint of when to expect more cancellations. 

While there has been a trend when one of the "big three" cruise lines (Royal Caribbean, Carnival or NCL) announce cancellations the others eventually do the same, the exact timing is anything but predictable.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Cancellations - Updates, Refunds & FAQs

What have you heard?

Is there a a juicy rumor that you have seen repeated so many times that most seem to think it will be a fact? Which of these do you think may actually turn out to be true?

Share your favorites in the comments below.

A new year means the official start to wave season, and Royal Caribbean has just released its offer for 2021.

Wave season is an industry term for the time of year when cruise lines tend to offer their best promotion. It traditionally takes place between January and March and is not just an arbitrary time of year to offer cruise deals.

A lot of people typically book cruises in the early months of year as a result of wanting to plan their vacations for later, as well as being influenced by cold temperatures now that compel them to think of a tropical cruise vacation.

In order to take advantage of higher demand, all the cruise lines roll out new promotions and incentives to get their share of the new bookings.

Like all Royal Caribbean promotions, wave season does not necessarily mean the absolute lowest price you will find, but it may mean a different type of offer or add-on.

If you follow the Royal Caribbean marketing process, you are keenly aware there are sales throughout the year, so what makes wave season stand out? Essentially, the sale period for wave season offers lasts longer and you may find bonuses to add-on.

As with any sale, the wave season offer is a good opportunity to price shop and check if your existing bookings qualify for a lower rate, or if you have been eyeing a new booking, seeing where prices stand.

Royal Caribbean's Wave Season offer

Royal Caribbean's Wave Season sale runs between January 5 - 31, 2021 and includes 60% off the second guest, plus instant savings on 2021 cruises.

The BOGO60 offer must be booked between January 5 – January 31, 2021 and is valid on select sailings departing on or after March 1, 2021. 

It includes:

• 60% savings off the price of cruise fare of the second guest booked in the same stateroom as first, full-fare paying guest
• 30% cruise fare savings for third guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests.
• Up to $150 USD per stateroom on select sailings departing between April 1 – September 30, 2021
  • Sailings 5 nights or less, $25 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and Suites
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer, $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies, and $150 for Suites

BOGO60 and 2021 Kicker are combinable with each other as well as promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, instant savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Promo Code driven offers, Free Upgrades, Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. Resident rates apply to select states on select sailings; valid address must be entered at time of booking to redeem savings. Offer is 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, and Net Rates. Promo Code driven offers are based on select ships and sail dates and must be applied at time of booking; limit one promo code per booking.

Offer available to residents of United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and select countries in the Caribbean. 

Royal Caribbean has no shortage of fun things to do on a cruise, and a few of them I have no intention of ever doing again.

Don't get me wrong, more often than not, I find some really enjoyable things to try on a cruise. But just like anything in life, some things do not jive with me.

Some are not to my liking, and other plans backfired after giving it a try.  The good news is I have since learned from these experiences and wanted to share what I came up against to help you decide what to do on your sailing.

Here are the top things I will never do again on a Royal Caribbean cruise in hopes it may save you the trouble as well.

Skip buying travel insurance

When I first started to cruise, I never bought travel insurance because I thought it was a waste of money.  Why should I spend money to prepare for a scenario that will very likely never happen?

I was in good health, relatively young, and had my own health insurance and coverages provided by credit cards. 

It was not until years later when we were on a cruise and my wife did not feel well, that the decision not to buy travel insurance came back to haunt me.  As my wife lay in bed feeling awful, we wrestled with should we seek onboard medical care that will cost us a lot of out pocket, or save money and risk my wife's health.

That choice did not sit well with me, and so I decided to invest in travel insurance from that point forward.

The peace of mind travel insurance offers is worth it to know that if something unforeseen minor or major occurs, your first thought will not be, "can I afford this?".

Travel insurance does not cover everything (be sure to read the policy carefully), but it is something I will never cruise without again.

Read more: Why you should get travel insurance for your cruise

Cruise without the drink package

When Royal Caribbean introduced the drink package a number of years ago, I never thought it would make financial sense to me.

Ultimately what changed my mind is a drink package makes it so easy to budget for a cruise.

Somewhat similar to the travel insurance example, when I do not have a drink package I torment myself mentally with the question of do I need a drink, or can I go longer and save money without it?

I found getting a drink package reduced that sort of mental anguish, and allows me to do what I love to do on a cruise: relax and enjoy my time onboard.

Moreover, the convenience of the drink package and value it provides by including not just alcoholic drinks makes it a slam dunk decision going forward.

By pre-purchasing and taking advantage of drink package sales, I have found a drink package to be a worthwhile investment every time.

Read more: Is the drink package worth it on Royal Caribbean?

Skip pre-paying gratuities

The bill at the end of the cruise that has all of our onboard charges is never something I look forward to seeing, and the option to pre-pay gratuities really helps keep these costs down.

Royal Caribbean gives guests the choice of pre-paying gratuities before the cruise, or having them accrue each evening while onboard.

I never used to mind the daily charges, but they add up and I greatly value the opportunity to make spread out the overall cost of my cruise.  

By pre-paying, there are two benefits: I get to avoid a larger onboard spending bill and I also lock in my gratuity rate.  Royal Caribbean promises to lock in the gratuity rate at the time you pre-pay, which means if the cruise line raises the rate later, you still pay the lower amount.

Read more: Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise?

Ripcord by iFly

File this under "things Matt personally does not have the talent to do".

When Royal Caribbean announced there would be a sky diving simulator on Quantum of the Seas, I was excited to finally try sky diving without having to jump out of an airplane.  Real sky diving is something I will absolutely, positively never do because it seems entirely too frightening.

When I sailed on Quantum of the Seas, I had my opportunity to see what it was like in a safe environment.  I was so excited that I even volunteered to go first in my group.

Unfortunately, I failed miserably at it and somehow ended up inverted and on the bottom, and I was as disappointed in myself as I was embarrassed.

While I have many talents, coordination is not one of them, and I have written off Ripcord by iFly as one of those "been there, done that" experiences. 

I would never tell someone else not to do it. I just know I will not be with them in line for it.

Plan to be the first person off the ship when the cruise is over

It seems easy enough when planning a cruise to squeeze it in by ensuring I will be among the first off the ship to make a flight home, or drive back in time to get to work.

The reality is getting up early enough to be among the first off the ship is anything but enjoyable.

Not only is waking up early unpleasant, a lot of other people have the exact same idea.  You still end up standing in a line to disembark the ship, and it always seems no matter what early time I get out of my room to get in that line, there are always way more people waiting before me than I expect.

On top of all of that, I end up groggy and tired for the rest of the day, with a nap later in the day to recuperate. 

Instead, I strive to make plans that do not require me to be off the ship quite so early (when possible) to avoid making the last morning quite so miserable.

Stay in the same cabin as my kids

I learned this lesson at an early stage with my children: I love them, but I do not love sleeping in the same room as them.

Just like at home, my kids have different sleeping habits than I do, and I prefer them go to bed at a certain time is not necessarily the same time as me.

In addition, having four of us in one room is usually a tight fit.  There are plenty of cabins for 4 people, but there is not usually a lot of space.  Rooms that do have more living space for a family of four tend to be suites, and those prices do not fit in our budget.

Instead, we book two connecting rooms so that we have a common inside door between my wife and I and the kids.  This way, the kids have their own space, their own beds, and their own sleep schedule.  We turn off the lights, wish them a good night and close the common door.  

Moreover, two rooms means two full bathrooms.  As my daughters get older, this investment is worth every penny.

Getting two rooms is not as expensive as it sounds, and even if we have to move down from a balcony for four people to two inside connecting rooms, the added space is worth it every time.

Read more: Royal Caribbean adds connecting room feature to website search

Try to "wing it" in St. Thomas

I have generally had good luck in ports with walking off the ship and figuring things out as I go, but St. Thomas recently became the exception to that rule.

Due to the location of where your ship docks, a taxi is a must-have and if you want to go somewhere most others do not, getting a taxi became an exercise in futility.

On a cruise in 2019, I wanted to go to a part of St. Thomas no other cruise guests wanted to go. The taxi drivers were unwilling to take me because they could make more money going to higher demand tourist areas.

The result was I abandoned my plans to go there, and in the future, I will make arrangements ahead of time to avoid this issue.

Read more: Guide to visiting St. John on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Sleep in when visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay

If you think Royal Caribbean's private island is another beach day that you can sleep in before going, think again.

Perfect Day at CocoCay is an amazing destination that offers so much now, and the best strategy for getting a great spot and avoid lines is to wake up and get off the ship early.

If you are visiting the water park, being among the first off the ship is an absolute must-do so that you can avoid lines for slides later.

Being off the ship early also allows you to pick the best spots near the pool, beach, or bar.  This is especially important at Oasis Lagoon.

Read more: Do's & Don'ts of Perfect Day at CocoCay

Not bring cash with me to private islands

Labadee and CocoCay are Royal Caribbean's private islands and the cruise line allows you to use your SeaPass card to pay for drinks, excursions and other incidentals.

However, the people working on the island that are not cruise line employees cannot take payment with a SeaPass card.

A few times I completely forgot to bring any cash, since it was a cruise line destination, and ended up having to go back to the ship to get cash for tips.

You will find locals working certain excursions, cabana attendants, tram drivers and more. Tipping is customary in some situations, so having a little bit of cash is a must-do from now on.

What about you?

As you can tell, this list is very subjective to my experiences and I am willing to bet many others have their own set of "never again" things.

On the RoyalCaribbeanBlog message boards, our readers shared some of their top picks for things they will never do again on a cruise:

• Sell expert lecture - Traveler
• Walk to a beach - melmar02
• Take the cruise line shuttle to the airport instead of a taxi - dawnelda
• Snorkeling in Alaska - wstephensi
• Pay cruise line prices for medication - Psycho and Barb
• Get off the ship without a porter - coneyraven

Be sure to share your own experiences in the comments below!

What are the different kind of cabins on a cruise ship, and which is the right one for you?

Your stateroom is your "home away from home" during a cruise, and when you book a cruise, you will have to choose which type of room for your family.

A Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin vary considerably, from compact and utilitarian to lavish and large. There are rooms designed for just one person, and rooms designed for an entire family.

The exact room you need will depend on your budget, preferred location, and type of amenities you want in a room.

Royal Caribbean stateroom basics

Before we breakdown the types of cabins on a Royal Caribbean ship, there is a common distinction that every cabin has across the fleet.

All rooms on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship come with a bed, private bathroom, safe, shower, television, vanity area and closet.

Beyond that, the room you select may offer more amenities, but you should know that a cabin has some basics that you do not have to be concerned about missing out on.

Read more: How to choose your cruise cabin

Inside

Sometimes called interior or inside rooms, these cabins are the smallest and usually lowest cost rooms available.

These rooms can accommodate 2-4 guests (depending on the configuration), and feature no outside view beyond the cabin.  This means no windows, portholes or balcony rooms.

They may be smaller than other categories, but that does not mean they are necessarily cramped either. 

Most guests that book insider rooms cite the lower cost and fact there is so much happening onboard the ship that time spent in the room is minimal.

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

Interior rooms with a view

In addition to traditional inside rooms, Royal Caribbean also has a few variations on the interior room concept.  These are rooms that lack a natural window view outside the ship, but have a feature that offers a view of something else.

Royal Promenade View rooms: These rooms have a bay window that overlooks the Royal Promenade area. Pulling back the curtains allows for a view of what is happening on the Royal Promenade.

Virtual Balcony: A regular inside room that features a floor-to-ceiling HD television that shows a high definition real-time view of what is outside your cruise ship. There is even the silhouette of a balcony dynamically inserted into the view.

Central Park View: A window that offers a view into the Central Park neighborhood, rather than the ocean.

Read more: Unique Royal Caribbean staterooms

Oceanview

The next step up from a standard inside room is an oceanview cabin, which offers a bit more living space and an outside window or porthole.

The porthole windows do not open, but do offer a view of the ocean from you room. The exact size of the window will vary from ship to ship, but it is usually large enough to easily see through without having to be right up close.

These rooms usually cost a bit more than an inside room, and offer natural light.

Just like inside rooms, they can accommodate 2-4 guests.

Balcony

Perhaps the most popular category of stateroom is the balcony room, which offers a private balcony in addition to the standard accommodations.

A private balcony means you can go onto your balcony anytime you want to enjoy the view outdoors, along with the smells, sounds, and weather. Each balcony has a table and at least chairs to sit on.  Some larger balconies even have loungers.

There are a lot of different types of balcony rooms that are broken down by room size and location.

Read more: What are the differences between Royal Caribbean's 1D, 2D, 4D, etc balcony rooms?

Balcony rooms can accommodate 2-4 guests.

Royal Caribbean also has balcony rooms on its Oasis Class ships that offer a view of the Central Park or Boardwalk neighborhoods, instead of the ocean. These balcony rooms tend to be priced a bit lower than an ocean balcony room.

The price for a balcony room is usually affordable, but greatly depends on other factors as well. Many cruisers find balcony rooms to be within their budgets and a desirable choice for the larger living space and open air balcony perk.

Read more: Is a balcony stateroom worth it?

Studio cabins

A lesser-known category of rooms are studio cabins, designed for someone going on a cruise alone.

These are smaller rooms that offer accommodations for a solo cruiser without the usual single supplement fee associated with going on a cruise without double occupancy.

These rooms are few and far between, and often book quickly because of demand.  Not every ship has one, and some ships only have a few rooms.

Solo cabins are a good idea if you want to save money while cruising by yourself, but they are sell out so quickly that they may not be available by the time you cruise.

Read more: Guide to Royal Caribbean's Single and Studio staterooms

Panoramic

A relatively new type of room is a panoramic stateroom, which is as large as a balcony room but without an outdoor space.

Instead, the room features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a wide angle of ocean views from anywhere in your room. The windows range between 103-321 inches wide, but rest assured you are getting a very large window.

Not only do panoramic rooms include a great view of the outside, the category VP Ocean View Panoramic Suite actually come with full suite benefits, such as concierge service and complimentary alcoholic beverages each evening.

Read more: Top 5 different staterooms you should consider for your next cruise

Suite

At the top of Royal Caribbean's stateroom offerings are the suite category, which combine luxury and upgraded accommodations.

There are quite a few types of suites that essentially differ based on their location, size of the room, how many people it can accommodate, and benefits.

The lowest tier of suites is the Junior Suite, which is really an "extra large balcony room" because it offers significantly more space without the full suite benefits.

Grand Suites are where the true suite benefits begin, and each type of suite beyond a Grand Suite includes more living space.

The exact type of suites will vary from ship to ship.  On Royal Caribbean's Oasis and Quantum Class ships, there is a special program for suites known as the Royal Suite Class, which offers enhanced suite offerings.

There are a few notable suites that stand out from the rest as particularly enticing:

Royal Loft Suite: On Oasis and Quantum Class  ships, there are some suites that are two levels.  The loft suites come in a few sizes, that can sleep up to six guests, and feature a large window on top of a private balcony.

The split level design means there is lots of living space included in a flashy configuration.

Ultimate Family Suite: Perhaps the most ornate cruise ship suite ever created, the Ultimate Family Suite lives up to its name by offering just about everything a family with kids would want in a room.

In-suite slide, air hockey table, table tennis, giant balcony, jacuzzi and more are part of the room. It is a large space with lots for families to enjoy while at sea.

The Ultimate Family Suite is available on Symphony of the Seas & Spectrum of the Seas.

AquaTheater suite: Available on Oasis Class ships, the AquaTheater suite is a massive room that has a giant wrap-around balcony with views of the ocean and the AquaTheater below.

The outdoor views are what makes this type of suite truly stand out, as you can enjoy views of the AquaTheater shows right from your balcony. There is no need to go down and reserve a seat, and no one to compete with to get out of the Boardwalk once the show is over.

Read more: 5 giant suites you can book on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship

Suites are a splurge that offer the largest cabins on a cruise ship, along with special perks and amenities.  All of this comes at an increased price that usually is significantly more than lower categories of rooms.

The choice to book a suite is almost always about cost, and if your vacation budget can fit it.

What is the best cabin on a cruise ship?

The  best cabin will depend on your preferences and budget.

There is no inherently bad cabin to pick, so it is a matter of choosing the right room that you can afford and would feel comfortable staying in.

Suites are attractive for their lavish offerings, but their price usually precludes them from most people's plans. 

A balcony room is a good mix of space at an affordable price, but you could save a lot of money by going down to an interior room and then using those savings to spend on shore excursions, drink packages or souvenirs.

Ultimately, the decision on the best cabin will come down to price, size, and location. 

Read more: Where is the best place to stay on a cruise ship?

In general, it is hard to go wrong with a balcony room for nearly all first-time cruisers. A balcony room is usually a good value, and includes enough living space with the added bonus of that private balcony so many look for in a stateroom.

If money is tight, consider bumping down to an oceanview or inside room and plan to spend more time around the ship than lounging around in your room.

If you are accustomed to buying first class airfare or bigger rooms at a hotel, then a suite is a great choice.

Welcome to the first week of 2021, and here is your look at all of the Royal Caribbean news you might have missed in the past week.

A group of cruisers on Quantum of the Seas are being investigated by Singapore after they posted photos of themselves not wearing masks onboard.

A number of photos show the group posing for photos without wearing a mask and standing less than 1 meter apart, which is a breach of the stringent rules for cruise ships in the region.

Royal Caribbean has received permission from the Singapore government to conduct these sailings, which are pilot cruises that must meet all requirements and guidelines for safe cruising.

Royal Caribbean News

• Vaccine optimism is driving stronger demand for cruises.
• Check out our 2021 Royal Caribbean cruise planning guide.
• Photos: Royal Caribbean cruise ship celebrates New Years Eve.
• A look back at the venues on the now departed Empress of the Seas.
• Mexico is adding a new tourist tax to places like Cozumel.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 387th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, featuring a cruise story about Bryan's Freedom of the Seas cruise.

A lot of things can happen on a cruise, and in some cases a series of unfortunate events can start things off poorly.  Bryan shares how a few early setbacks did not ruin his cruise vacation.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: 15 amazing facts about Royal Caribbean cruise ships

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 — 15 amazing facts about Royal Caribbean cruise ships — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Quantum of the Seas Live Blog

Check out a live report from the only Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailing right now, Quantum of the Seas!

Each day since Christmas, the Singapore Cruise Society have shared with us a live look at what is happening on Quantum of the Seas.

You can catch up on what it's like to be on a cruise ship with all of their updates:

• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day
• Photos: Royal Caribbean cruise ship celebrates New Years Eve
• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 3 - Sea Day
• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day
• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 1 - Star Class cruise begins
• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 4 - Back to Back Preparations
• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 3 - Sea Day
• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day
• Quantum of the Seas Live Blog - Day 1 - Embarkation
• Live Blogging from Quantum of the Seas - Preamble

A photo of a group of guests who took their masks off for a photo has prompted an investigation into cruise ship protocols by the Singaporean government.

Photo by valleyseow

The Straits Times reports a group of guests posted a photo on social media of them not wearing masks, and it caught the attention of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

The guests were on the December 20 sailing of Quantum of the Seas, and posted the photos on Instagram.

In the photos, the group is not wearing a mask and standing less than 1 meter apart.

Photo by valleyseow

The photo is a violation of the STB's CruiseSafe penalty framework , which requires guests to always follow the rules. Penalties by the STB for cruise lines that incur violations include can include fines, suspension of sailings and having their CruiseSafe certification revoked.

The STB confirmed it is investigating, "We take a serious view of any breach in safe management measures on cruises departing from Singapore. The safety of passengers and crew is our priority, and regular on-board inspections are conducted during sailings to ensure compliance."

A Royal Caribbean International spokesman acknowledged the incident, and added that it is investigating the matter. "The recent breach in safe distancing measures seems to have been an instance where a group gathered for some pictures."

Singapore's reputation for taking local laws seriously is well-known around the world, and is a country where spitting or littering on a sidewalk comes with serious consequences.

Royal Caribbean has received permission from the Singapore government to conduct these sailings, which are pilot cruises that must meet all requirements and guidelines for safe cruising.

These first Quantum of the Seas cruises are round-trip cruises from Singapore with no port stops.  They are also sailing at reduced capacity of up to 50%, and open to only residents of Singapore.

For many travelers, a Covid-19 vaccine is a symbol of a coming positive change in the world, and it has many already making plans for cruise vacations next year and beyond.

"With the news of the vaccines being distributed across the country, we are seeing a renewed sense of optimism towards travel," said Beci Mahnken, Founder and CEO of MEI-Travel. "Clients seem ready to have the conversation about options and we are seeing an increase in bookings particularly for fall 2021 and 2022."

MEI Travel is seeing a general trend across the cruise industry, with strong demand for bookings in fall 2021 and 2022.

Ms. Mahnken said the itineraries catching the most attention for new bookings are Alaska and Caribbean itineraries.

The enthusiasm for new bookings next year and beyond reflects something Royal Caribbean has been talking about since the summer of 2020, which is pent-up demand. With so many people giving up their 2020 travel plans due to the global health crisis, most have pushed these plans back to next year in order to make up for lost time.

The one bright spot for Royal Caribbean throughout the entire cruise line shutdown has been the stronger than expected demand for cruises in 2021 and 2022. 

When Royal Caribbean released new sailings to book on "cruises to nowhere" aboard Quantum of the Seas in Singapore, the cruise line saw a surge in new bookings.

Read more: Live blog posts from onboard Quantum of the Seas in Singapore

"We were really quite surprised by the level of demand that came into the product of the winter season that we've got it open," Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared during a call with investors in October.

"Within the first two weeks, we had literally the triple demand that we were expecting at rates above what we were expecting."

Royal Caribbean Group Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty confirmed the pent-up demand trend as far back as August, "You see this kind of line as you kind of get into the early to mid part of the second quarter, where there's just strong demand for for the season and beyond."

"It's almost as if the consumer has somewhat kind of focus on that's when it will be. It will be time for them to to deal with this pent up demand that Michael had had talked about."

The other factor driving new bookings is the very flexible cancellation policies the cruise lines have rolled out to ease consumer concerns about changing their mind later. Royal Caribbean's Cruise with Confidence program offers the ability to cancel a cruise up to 48 hours before a cruise sails with no penalty in exchange for a future cruise credit.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Cancellations - Updates, Refunds & FAQs

Ms. Mahnken's advice is to take advantage of the relaxed cancelation and change policies to secure your vacation, "You still have the flexibility to move the date if needed. And if you have a future cruise credit to spend, keep an eye on the book by and sail dates so you don’t miss the boat."

With Royal Caribbean having sold Empress of the Seas, I thought it would make sense to take one last look around the ship before she leaves the fleet.

Empress of the Seas has been sold to an undisclosed party, based in Asia-Pacific and many cruise fans will miss being able to sail on this iconic cruise ship.

Empress of the Seas was launched in 1990, transferred to Pullmantur Cruises in 2008, and then brought back to Royal Caribbean in 2016.

Listen: Royal Caribbean executives share stories from Empress and Majesty of the Seas

As we say goodbye to Empress, please enjoy these photos of around the cruise ship one last time.

Empress of the Seas pool deck.

View of the bow of Empress of the Seas

Windjammer buffet

View alongside the side of the ship

Read more: Empress of the Seas Sold to Indian Startup

Chops Grille specialty restaurant

Views of the Centrum

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Royal Theater

Main dining room

Schooner Bar

Casino Royale bar

Cafe Royal

Boleros

Viking Crown Lounge

Many thanks to Michael Poole and Billy Hirsch for providing these photos.

One state in Mexico has announced it will increase its tourist tax, which may have an impact on cruise ship guests.

The Mexican state of Quintana Roo, which is where the popular ports of Couzmel and Costa Maya are located, announced new $10 tourist tax on foreigners. This news was first reported by the Riviera Maya Times and does not mention cruise ships in the article.

There are no details yet on how the tax will be collected, nor if it applies to cruise ship visitors or not. Typically, cruise lines pay the port a per-passenger tax already when ships visit a port.

The new tourist tax would go into effect beginning April 1, 2021, and is intended to help make up the deficit the area has seen as a result of fewer tourists visiting in 2020 due to the global health crisis.

The tourism industry in Quintana Roo have said they are against this new tax, because they fear it will lead to less tourists willing to visit and opting to go elsewhere.

A letter signed by the country manager of IATA Mexico, and Luis Noriega Benet, president of Canaero,

In a document signed by Cuitláhuac Gutiérrez Martínez, country manager of IATA Mexico, and Luis Noriega Benet, president of National Air Transport Chamber (Canaero), asked to reconsider this proposal contemplated in the 2021 tax package.

Quintana Roo is located on the eastern portion of the Yucatan peninsula, and two popular cruise ports are within the state.  The other port in Mexico that Royal Caribbean cruise ships visit, Progreso, is in the state of Yucatan.

The number of cruise passengers that visited Cozumel has steadily grown over the last few years, and saw 4.57 million passengers in 2019. 

The island is the third-busiest cruise ship port in the world, and is visited by about 1,250 cruise ships each year.

Read more: Things to do in Cozumel on your Royal Caribbean cruise

In November 2019, Cozumel announced its first tax on cruise ship passengers with a 65 cent per passenger tax to pay for security, environmental and civil defense projects.