It's going to be easier to skip the crowds with a new shore excursion option from Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean is now offering skip-the-line shore excursions with its Royal Signature Excursion options.

In addition to traditional shore excursions, there are a handful of shore excursions in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe that come with additional amenities.

These tours could include small group sizes, premium transportation, or elevated food options.

The idea is to not only offer great tours, but add a premium level to them for those that value paying more to enjoy a first class experience.

"From dipping their toes into cliffside hot springs in Santorini to sipping crisp champagne as their catamaran glides through crystal clear Caribbean waters — this is where unforgettable begins," is how Royal Caribbean describes the new offering.

Sights and benefits

In any cruise port a ship visits, there's always a bit of shopping guests do between cruise line excursions and things they can do on their own.

Royal Signature Excursions are a new batch of premium choices that cover three key areas: cultural sights, authentic experiences, and all-star benefits.

These tours seek to immerse you in local culture and are work with third-party operators who know the places, the people, the language and the culture.

The way they intend to make it stand out even more is to offer elite touches such as premium transportation, skip-the-line privileges, insightful local guides, intimate small group sizes, gracious service and more.

You can book these elevated tours now

Here's a list of all the Royal Signature Excursions to try:

Caribbean

• PHILIPSBURG, ST. MAARTEN
  • Orient Beach, Prosecco & Gourmet Lunch
  • Small Group Brewery & Distillery Tasting Tour with Bites
  • St. Maarten Small Group Island Exploration with Lunch
  • Small Group Open Bar Carnival Immersion & Plane Spotting
  • Small Group Johnny Cake Baking Experience & Guavaberry Sips
  • Anguilla and Meads Bay Beach Day: Bubbly & Lunch
  • Catamaran Sail with Champagne Plus Beach Break & Lunch
  • Small Group America’s Cup Sailing Regatta
  • Small Group Foodie Tour: Flavors of St. Maarten
• BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS & NEVIS
  • Taste of St. Kitts: Wine Sampling, Local Treats & Beach
  • St. Kitts: Power Catamaran, Snorkeling & Unlimited Drinks
  • Ultimate Twin Island Catamaran Sail & Sip with Lunch (Nevis & St. Kitts)
• CHARLOTTE AMALIE, ST. THOMAS
  • St. John Beach Escape: Trunk Bay with Snorkeling
  • Ultimate St. John: Kayak & Snorkel
  • St. John by Sea: Catamaran, Champagne & Snorkel
  • Cas Cay Small Group Adventure: Kayak, Hike & Snorkel
  • Flavors of St. Thomas: Small Group Tasting Tour

Alaska

• JUNEAU, ALASKA
  • Small Group Taku Glacier Lodge by Seaplane & 5 Glaciers with Lunch
  • Small Group Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Ride & Dog Sledding
  • Small Group Helicopter Tour to Juneau Icefield
  • Small Group Kayaking Tour & Alaska Wildlife Whale Watching
  • Small Group Tour of Norris Glacier by Floatplane, Paddle & Hike
  • Small Group Whale Watching on Luxury Yacht
  • Taste of Alaska: Orca Point Lodge, Wildlife Quest & Meal
• ICY STRAIT POINT, ALASKA
  • Epic Whale Watching & Seafood Sampling
  • Ultimate Adventure: Small Group Whale Watching & ZipRider
• SITKA, ALASKA
  • Wildlife & Otter Spotting with Alaskan Canapés
  • Wildlife Expedition Cruise, Homestead Adventure & Treats

Europe

• FLORENCE/PISA (LA SPEZIA), ITALY
  • Truffle Hunting and Tuscan Farmhouse Lunch
  • Architectural Wonder: Pisa Guided Tour & Leaning Tower Climb
  • 3 Town Tour: Paradise Gulf by Land & Sea with Lunch
  • History of Florence: Accademia Gallery, Piazza del Duomo & Lunch
  • Explore Cinque Terre: Three Villages & Italian Lunch
  • Cinque Terre Vineyard: Wine Tasting & Scenic Coastline Drive
  • Small Group Adventure: Cinque Terre Villages & Motorboat Tour with Lunch
  • Gulf of La Spezia by Land & Sea: Portovenere and Lerici Small Group
• NAPLES, ITALY
  • Small Group Pasta Making: Sorrento & Gragnano with Lunch
  • Small Group Day Trip to Pompeii, Positano & Sorrento with Lunch
• ROME (CIVITAVECCHIA), ITALY
  • Rome by Tuk Tuk: Small Group Sightseeing Tour
• MYKONOS, GREECE
  • Farmhouse Wine Tasting & Mykonos Walking Tour
  • Day in Delos: Small Group Tour & Mosaic Workshop with Lunch
  • Small Group Mosaic-Making: Expert Handcrafting Workshop
  • Small Group: Luxe Catamaran Day Trip, Greek Lunch & Aegean Swim
• SANTORINI, GREECE
  • Santorini Catamaran & Swim: Small Group Tour & Lunch
  • Santorini Catamaran & Swim: Red Beach and Hot Springs with Lunch
  • Santorini Small Group Kayaking & Seaside Picnic
  • Thirassia Winery Tasting & Blue-Domed Santorini
  • Unforgettable Wine Tour: Stunning Santorini Views, Tasting & Fira
  • Chill & Savor: Perivolos Beach & Gourmet Lunch

How much do these tours cost?

If all of this sounds wonderful, you can expect premium pricing to go with it.

An upcoming sailing on Oasis of the Seas that visits St. Maarten in October had these prices.  This is to give you an example of ballpark prices:

• Small Group Foodie Tour: Flavors of St. Maarten: $148 (originally $199) per guest
• Small Group America's Cup Sailing Regatta: $103.99 (originally $139) per guest
• Catamaran Sail With Champagne plus Beach Break & Lunch: $125.99 (originally $169) per guest
• Anguilla and Meads Bay Beach Day: Bubbly & Lunch: $433.99 (originally $579) per guest
• St. Maarten Small Group Island Exploration with Lunch: $193.99 (originally $259) per guest
• Small Group Brewery & Distillery Tasting Tour with Bites: $148.99 (originally $199) per guest
• Small Group Open Bar Carnival Immersion & Plane Spotting: $73.99 (originally $99) per guest
• Small Group Johnny Cake Baking Experience & Guavaberry Sips: $95.99 (originally $129) per guest

The discounted prices is a reflection of a pre-cruise sale available at the time of this article's publishing.  It's likely the original price is the onboard price you could expect.

The tours do not list exactly how many people constitute a small group.

How to book a Royal Signature Excursion

You can book any of these tours from the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner website or the Royal Caribbean app.

There's no difference in booking these tours compared to any other one, with the added filter you can use to find them.

This was a busy week with Royal Caribbean news, and we have a summary of all of the news from this week to make certain you did not miss any of it.

After nearly failing a health inspection, Royal Caribbean made a lot of changes on one of its ships.

Symphony of the Seas scored one point above "unsatisfactory" in a recent CDC inspection, which has raised a few eyebrows.

As a result, sweeping changes were made to address the problems.

Royal Caribbean News

• Alaska Senator pushing to suspend law requiring cruise ships visit Canada
• Royal Caribbean is bringing back a luggage perk its customers loved
• 7 changes to make how you cruise once you hit Diamond status
• 8 tips I swear by to make crowded sea days better
• 5 things you're missing from Royal Caribbean's suite lounge
• How different cabins on Utopia of the Seas compare
• The rules for adding people to your Royal Caribbean cruise
• Try these 9 tricks for better sleep on a cruise ship

New RCB Video: 3 Cruise Excursions to NEVER Book & 3 to BOOK!

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 — 3 Cruise Excursions to NEVER Book & 3 to BOOK! — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.

I tried the adults-only beach at CocoCay, but it wasn't worth the cost

Allie bought passes to Hideaway Beach, paying $86.50 each her and her husband to try it out.

While the area was uncrowded, she thought the price was too high for what she was charged.

If timed during a good sale, it could be a great value.  But she thinks it cost her too much.

New ban in Caribbean port is surprising a lot of cruise passengers

Roatan made a new rule the prohibits a popular shore excursion activity.

New regulations have been added to cut down on the “over manipulation of wildlife," including, "carrying and holding animals for exhibition and taking photographs."

This has an impact on shore excursions where guests can interact with monkeys, sloths, and other animals.

The entree worth ordering, according to Reddit

There's all sorts of great food on any Royal Caribbean ship, but the internet thinks one particular dish is the best choice.

Indian food is available at both the Main Dining Room and Windjammer buffet everyday, and it's the top recommendation among various Reddit threads about which foods are best to order.

"The Indian food on the ship was their best food they had!"

Royal Caribbean tries to fix port problem with free bus offer

Traffic has become a real problem in Miami at its cruise terminals, so Royal Caribbean is trying to fix it.

Passengers on upcoming cruises are getting offers from the cruise line for a free bus ride to the airport, even if they already paid for one.

Heavier traffic around the cruise terminal is prompting Royal Caribbean to offer this in an effort to reduce congestion.

Getting to Diamond level in Royal Caribbean's loyalty program literally changed how I enjoy my cruises.

I think Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society is the best cruise line loyalty program in the industry because of how lucrative it is, especially at the upper tiers.

I made it to Diamond status many years ago, and have since reached Pinnacle Club. The higher the tier, the better the benefits and it's encouraged me to cruise even more.

You don't need to get to Pinnacle to enjoy the best benefits, because Diamond level is the sweet spot for the perks available to guests.

Diamond level requires 80 points, which is about 12 weeklong cruises in a standard cabin. You could get to Diamond faster if you book a suite or cruise solo.

Once you get there, here's what I'd change about cruising to maximize the benefits.

You can possibly skip the drink package

It's incredible that Royal Caribbean gives all of its Diamond members four free drink vouchers per day to use on pretty much any drink.

For a lot of people, this is just enough beverages to warrant not buying a costly drink package.

If you're a casual drinker, or someone that doesn't buy that many alcoholic beverages, relying on your Diamond drinks could be a much better value.

Kids get them too, and it's the reason I've never bought my kids a drink package ever.

While I get six free drinks for being a Pinnacle Club member, I do occasionally still buy the drink package when I can take advantage of a good sale.

Ironically, your Diamond status can actually get you some of the lowest prices on a drink package with some of the recent sales I've seen offered before the cruise begins.

Nonetheless, the Diamond vouchers have saved me a lot of money over the years, and it's easily the top benefit.

Take a free photo souvenir every cruise

Souvenir photos are a great way to capture a memory from a particular trip, and I like getting at least one to have for home.

Because we cruise a lot, we don't take that many onboard photos, but it's still nice to get them on formal night or when there's a good backdrop available.

This is especially important with our kids, as cruises have become milestones in them growing up. Each cruise is kind of like a way to remember a special age or occasion.

Plus, your spouse or partner gets one too, so effectively we get two photos per cruise to take for free.

Strategically use free internet day

Diamond members get one free 24 hour pass of internet access, so you can use that to your advantage.

Never use it on the first day, because by the time your ship leaves port, you still have cellular coverage for most of the day.

Ideally, try to stagger your free day so it's used on a day when you can get the most use of it.  Sea days seem to be the best idea, because I'd hate to be off the ship on a shore excursion when I have internet access.

Just like the photos, your spouse gets a free day too.  Same for kids.  So spreading it out and sharing the login is a good strategy.

Gamble away free money

Whether you're a gambler or not, everyone likes free money.

Diamond members get a few extra dollars to gamble with their freeplay onboard.

Everyone gets a few dollars of free play to use in Royal Caribbean's casino on the first two nights of the cruise. It's enough for just a few spins on a slot machine, but it's true when they say, "you can't win if you don't play".

You never know - you could turn that $6 into hundreds!

Hang out more in the Crown Lounge

Every Royal Caribbean ship has dedicated space just for you, and I'd start going there instead of public lounges.

The Crown Lounge is open to Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club members. It's open 24 hours a day, with snacks and drink service during certain times.

Most of the day, it's quite empty and it's the perfect place to read, play cards, socialize with friends, or meet cruisers.

There's also a complimentary coffee machine in here that you can use 24 hours a day, and it's a good way to save your Diamond drink vouchers for something else instead of coffee.

Plan cruises around blocks

Some Diamond cruisers will plan out their future sailings in order to time it with a crystal block giveaway.

Once you reach 140 points, you will receive a beautiful crystal block that has the name and photo of your ship.  You will then receive one every 70 points thereafter. 

They are lovely keepsakes, and I use them around the house as bookends, paperweights, and conversation pieces.

It's a good idea to think about your bookings and "do the math" as to when you'll reach every 70 point tier in order to avoid getting the same ship again.

You can now start to cruise with Celebrity

Ironically, reaching Diamond is the perfect time to start cruising with another cruise line.

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are sister brands, and thanks to loyalty status matching, this is the right time to dip your toe into this line.

I think Diamond status coincides well with the equivalent status in Captain's Club, and it's a good opportunity to give Celebrity a try.

I've done a few cruises on Celebrity so far, and it's opened up different options and ways to sail.  While I prefer Royal Caribbean, I can appreciate the things Celebrity does better.

Royal Caribbean's suite lounge is a reserved area of the ship exclusively for passengers that booked a suite, and it's one of the best perks you get with your stateroom.

I love to spend time in the suite lounge to take advantage of the comfortable seating, snacks throughout the day, and complimentary drinks each day.

Access to the suite lounge is only for those that booked a Grand Suite or higher cabin, as well as Pinnacle Club members on sailings where there are not too many Pinnacle members.

With so much happening on your Royal Caribbean ship, it's easy to overlook the suite lounge, especially given it's usually located away from many of the activities and things happening around the ship.

If you happen to be in a suite that has access to the suite lounge, there are five good reasons to stop in each day.

There are three servings of snacks per day

You won't run out of food on a cruise ship, and there's even more waiting for you in the lounge.

Each day there's an assortment of quick bits offered during select hours.  Essentially, there's a breakfast, lunch, and dinner offering.

You won't get a meal, but it's usually something quick and easy for something to tide you over.  It's great for when you get back on the ship or are about to leave and need something quick.

I think the evening hor d'oeuvres are the best option, with various hot items along with fruits, salad, and desserts.

In the morning, there's a few pastries to choose from.  If your cabin is nearby, it might be easier to pop in for something here than going down to Cafe Promenade.

The coffee machine

Speaking of food, I love the complimentary coffee machine they have in the suite lounge.

Each suite lounge has a self-service coffee and espresso maker that you can use 24 hours per day.

Just like the snacks, it's so convenient to have this. Plus, it might save you money as you won't have to pay for an espresso at one of the coffee shops around the ship.

And because it's available 24 hours, you're never too early or too late to get a cup.

The suite concierge offers personalized assistance

Probably my favorite benefit of the suite lounge is the suite concierge, and so few people take advantage of what they offer.

Think of the concierge like your own version of Guest Services, but without the long lines.

Even before your cruise begins, the concierge will email you to welcome you onboard and you can send them any pre-cruise requests you might have.  Dining reservations, cabana location requests, or bedding changes are all things they can assist with.

If you're trying to get into something sold out, they can be a great resource in assisting as well.

I recommend going to the suite lounge on the first day and introducing yourself to them so you can put a face to the name and let them know of any requests you have.

Even if you have nothing special to ask for, they're a friendly face and I've had really interesting conversations about the ship, ports, and fun stories.

During your cruise if you run into any issue, including billing problems, the concierge can help fix all of it for you.

The suite lounge has a full-service bar

Perhaps the top value you can get from booking a suite are the free drinks in the lounge each night.

Depending on the ship you're sailing on, there are select hours when you can order complimentary sodas, beers, wine, and alcoholic cocktails.

The Oasis, Quantum, and Icon Class ships have beer and wine from 11am to 11pm, and then a full bar happy hour in the evening. Other ships just have a happy hour between 5-8pm (or around those times).

Given that the drinks in the lounge are complimentary and there's no limit, for a lot of people it can work in lieu of a drink package purchase.

Some suite lounges have an actual bar, while all of them have waiter service too.

A beautiful view

Even when there's no food or drinks to enjoy, I love going up to the suite lounge for the views.

Because chairs with a view can get quite crowded (especially around the pool), it's nice to grab a book, iPhone, or magazine and head up to the suite lounge to take in the views around you.

Every lounge has large windows, and you can pull the comfortable chairs right up to them and enjoy a great view with plenty of air conditioning.

Spring break is one of the most popular times of year to take a family cruise vacation. Kids are out of school, and it's not too hot and humid in the Caribbean yet.

This year, I'm taking my kids back on a spring break cruise on we're sailing for a week on Icon of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship in the world. That big size means there will be thousands of other passengers with us, as the ship can handle up to 7,000 passengers if they sell every bed onboard.

Even though it's spring break, you won't find the Panama City Beach vibe that would be reminiscent of "MTV Spring Break" in the past.  Royal Caribbean is a family cruise line, and while there are going to be thousands of kids, it won't be as crazy as you might otherwise assume.

Nonetheless, spring break cruises are not only going to be sold out, but quite busy. And with the great weather, there's going to be competition onboard and onshore for all the fun.

Here are some of the tips I've used to navigate the unavoidable crowds on a spring break cruise.

Take advantage of being early or late

One my top tips for crowds on any cruise is to avoid peak times for the things you want to do.

You'll find any Royal Caribbean ship is much quieter early in the morning and late at night, especially around the pool deck.

There's a definite flow to passengers and where they go throughout the day.  The Royal Promenade is usually quiet in the daytime, but gets busy at night.  The pool deck inversely is busy in the afternoon but deserted at night.

It's best to head to the pool or hot tubs early in the morning to beat the crowds that will descend later. If you can get to the pool before 9am to get a chair, you'll find plenty of choices.

Don't overlook the pool at night. Once 4pm hits, the pool starts to clear out with everyone going to dinner.

Thanks to daylight saving time, the sun is out longer and you can still get a few hours of fun in the sun in the pool with significantly less people around.  Or, just go for a night swim and enjoy a nearly empty pool or hot tub.

The fitness center is best to hit up in the afternoon or evening.  It seems everyone wants to get their morning workout in, so either go extremely early or wait them out and go later in the day when crowds are thinner.

This early or late strategy works at the Windjammer buffet too.

Try to go right when it opens in the morning, or later in the dining period to avoid long lines.

Use Royal Caribbean's app to pre-reserve

If it all possible, pre-book everything you need before the cruise begins.

The Royal Caribbean app allows you to book shows, dining, excursions, and more before the cruise begins.

On its biggest ships, being able to book show times and assure yourself of a spot is paramount. 

You can use the app to book dining and entertainment in advance so you don't miss out on popular experiences.

Pick less crowded alternatives to eat

Crowds for meals can be avoided if you're willing to eat at different places.

The peak times for meals on any ship are:

• Breakfast: 9-10:30 AM
• Lunch: 12-1 PM
• Dinner: 6-7:30 PM

Most ships have good alternatives that go beyond the buffet or Main Dining Room.

On Icon of the Seas, I'm planning to take advantage of a few great venues.  Aquadome Market is the food hall and it's legitimately one of my favorite places to eat on a cruise ship.  The Mediterranean stall is my go-to snack spot.

Then there are great grab-and-go packaged snacks at Pearl Cafe that my kids will eat, and I like taking them up to the pool deck too.

If you need your morning coffee, go to Rye and Bean instead of Pearl Cafe for a much shorter line.

On other Royal Caribbean ships, similar alternative venues include Solarium Bistro, Park Cafe, or Cafe@Two70.

Try the water slides on a port day

Easily the most popular activity on your cruise ship during a spring break cruise will be the water slides.

Instead of waiting in a gargantuan line, I'd recommend picking a port day to hit the slides.

Either identify a day you'll stay on the ship instead of doing a shore excursion, or make shore excursion plans that get you back onboard early and you'll find the lines much shorter for the water slides.

Icon of the Seas has a massive 6 slide waterpark onboard, and my kids will definitely want to hit that up at some point.  If they want dad to come along, it won't be on a sea day.

If your port day plans are already slammed, try to go when people are at dinner as an alternative. The pool deck clears out closer to 5pm.

Plan shore excursions wisely

The spring break crowds will extend to the places your ship visits too, as this is the peak of the Caribbean cruise season with many ships in port.

You'll want to pre-book shore excursions prior to ever stepping foot on your ship. Tours and day passes sell out, so don't leave it to the last minute.

Speaking of tours, I'd recommend researching private or small-group excursions so you can find options that won't be oversold.

If exploring a port on your own, leave early to beat the rush or wait until later when crowds start to thin out.

Piggybacking on the water slide tip earlier, don't be afraid to skip an excursion and stay on the ship instead. Staying on the ship during port days allows you to enjoy amenities with fewer people around.

Book a longer cruise if you want less kids

If you're looking to take a spring break cruise and want to lessen the amount of families onboard, I'd look at a longer sailing.

Royal Caribbean has always been a family cruise line, so there's going to be a lot of kids on any cruise. But there are less on longer voyages.

Certainly any cruise less than 6 nights will have many more families onboard.  In fact, the 4-night Bahamas cruises are typically the ones college kids book.

So try a 7-night or longer sailing to lessen the college party factor.

If you can find something even longer than 7 nights, you'll probably see a shift in the age demographic to something older.

Seek chairs near the ocean, away from the pool

I think a lot of people will say they want to have a view of the ocean, a gentle breeze, and somewhere to sit, and it does not need to be at the pool.

There are great spots with few crowds around the ship, if you know where to look.

On Icon of the Seas, there is fabulous seating outside of the 1400 Bar on the promenade deck.

Many Royal Caribbean ships have chairs on the outdoor deck that's on deck 4 or 5 and if you see more than five people here, that's a lot.

If you still want to be near the pool, I'd recommend chairs on the upper pool deck.

Every Royal Caribbean ship has two decks to the pool area, and the upper deck is always less crowded.  Moreover, if you walk further back or forward, there's many more chairs.

These are great spots to read, take a nap, or enjoy the ocean air.

Throw money at the problem and book a suite

I'm not going to lie, sometimes money solves problems, and the suite perks could be your ticket to less crowds.

Suites will cost much more than a standard cabin, but they get you priority boarding and access to reserved areas other passengers cannot go.

This is so helpful with the pool deck, as there's reserved seating in the suite area on Royal Caribbean ships.  While you will have to still compete with your fellow suite guests, there's far fewer of them.

On the big ships, there's an exclusive restaurant, Coastal Kitchen, which will ensure you don't have to battle the crowds for meals elsewhere on the ship.

To be clear, you don't have to spend thousands more in order to have less crowds.  It's simply an "easy button" if you have the means for it.

I've cruised seven times so far on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, and that's afforded me the chance to try a few kinds of rooms.

The most common type of room I booked was an oceanview balcony because they give me extra living space, a private veranda, and they're not nearly as expensive as a suite.

I also got to try three different suites, which are some of the biggest rooms you can enjoy on a cruise ship.

Suites are expensive, but they're unlike traditional cabins because of how much extra space they have and better perks too.

Here's how the spaces stacked up on the newest ship in the fleet — and which cruise room I liked best for its excellent value.

I stayed in balcony cabins because they were priced well

No matter which ship you're sailing on, it's hard to go wrong with a balcony cabin for the space and price balance it provides.

I stayed in a balcony cabin on three different cruises, including the first voyage I went on even before the ship launched as part of a media event that Royal Caribbean invited me to.

I then subsequently stayed in balcony cabins on two other sailings, including most recently in a connecting oceanview balcony when we booked two of them with my kids.

One advantage of sailing on a new ship like Utopia is you have modern decor and plenty of connectivity. It's such a relief to have USB and power outlets on both sides of the bed, as well as around the cabin.

While bringing a USB hub with you is a great cabin hack, it's probably unnecessary on a ship like Utopia.

I'm also impressed by how much storage space there is in this cabin.  

My wife and I each had our own giant closet, and there was still a set of drawers and other places to put our belongings.  More than enough space for a weekend cruise.

The price of a balcony cabin for two people on Utopia of the Seas for a 3-night cruise ranged between $1700 and $2000, depending on how in-demand that sailing was.  While that price is significantly more than a balcony cabin on an older ship that is on a longer sailing, the reality is you're paying a higher price to enjoy the very best Royal Caribbean has to offer around the ship.

Of course, the best thing about a balcony cabin is the actual balcony itself!

My wife and I love to go out here for sailaway and enjoy the views without competing for a spot on the pool deck. Plus, it's quieter too.

She prefers a balcony as a quiet reading spot on sea days, and there's enough room for the two chairs they provide to make it feel quite cozy.

When our kids were younger, it was so nice having that extra space for them.  

Ultimately, I still think a balcony is the best value you'll find on any cruise ship because of the space you get compared to what you paid.

It's usually not much more money to upgrade from an interior cabin to a balcony, and I really like the fresh air and views you get with a balcony.

An inside cabin was spacious and comfortable

Inside rooms are the most cost effective cabin you book, and our writer Allie just sailed in one of the smallest cabins on Utopia.

With an inside room, you're usually getting the lowest price and that's exactly why Allie chose this room. It cost just $1,539 for two people on a 4-night cruise.

Located near the aft of the ship, this room may have been the least expensive cabin, but there was enough size for two people to share it. Even without natural light, the stateroom didn’t feel dark or cramped. 

A few things stood out about this room. First, it had a full couch that added somewhere else to sit besides the bed.

Second, the room had so much storage space. Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships have lots of storage space, even if Utopia is only doing short cruises.

Allie also loved how many USB outlets the room had. Regardless of your stateroom type, every cabin has lots of extra plugs to use, "Between our phones, iPads, laptops, headphones, and smartwatches, we utilized most of these outlets during the cruise."

Another win with this cabin was the bathroom.

Instead of a cramped bathroom that you'd find traditionally on older ships, this bathroom felt incredibly spacious. 

The shower alone was quite big and was easily twice the size of those on older cruise ships, providing plenty of room to move around comfortably.

Crown Loft Suite

The first suite experience I had on Utopia of the Seas was for the inaugural sailing when I took my family with me, and we booked a Crown Loft Suite.

Located within the Suite Neighborhood, these are two deck cabins that have some of the best views from any stateroom.

This room measured 670 square feet, which was almost four times bigger than the balcony I stayed in.  That's in addition to the 105 square foot balcony that comes with the room.

That amount of living space is welcome considering I was sharing the room with my wife and two kids.

The layout is the master bedroom and bathroom are upstairs, with the living room downstairs.  The kids share a sofa that converts to a bed.

I love that this room has two full bathrooms, one on each floor.  This makes sharing this cabin with my kids palatable given how much time they spend in there as teenagers.

Because this room was located on deck 18, I really liked how convenient it was to get to the suite sun deck, Coastal Kitchen, or Suite Lounge. 

Royal Caribbean designed the suite area on Utopia (and Wonder of the Seas) to be far more integrated. In fact, I think the suite sun deck is my favorite area of this ship, and I'd often go out there to do work.

This room also comes with the Sky Class suite benefits, which include complimentary WiFi for everyone, access to Coastal Kitchen restaurant, access to the suite concierge and much more.

Of course, suites aren't cheap and they are definitely not going to be a great value on a brand new ship where premium fares are the norm.

I liked that we had a single room for all four of us, but the sleeping arrangement isn't ideal necessarily. 

Ultimate Family Suite

The biggest splurge I ever had on a cruise ship was when I booked the Ultimate Family Suite for a weekend cruise on Utopia.

I had never stayed in this kind of a room because of the crazy high price that it usually has, but on a weekend cruise, the cost was only moderately crazy and I decided to give it a try.

I was worried this would be a "one and done" type room, where the novelty would wear off quite quickly.  Luckily, that was not the case.

The suite spans two decks, featuring three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a large living room, a play area, and a dedicated movie room, providing ample space for families.

Besides being a really big suite, it also has some eye-catching features. These are the things that draw people to book this suite and I can tell you, they are as fun in person as they look in photos.

There's an in-suite slide connecting the upper children's room to the living area, a digital gaming table, a LEGO wall, and a private balcony equipped with a hot tub and climbing area for young kids.

The suite is equipped with multiple gaming consoles, including a PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, and a private movie room offering diverse entertainment choices within the comfort of the suite. 

Best yet, the room is a Star Class suite, so you get the very best perks and amenities, such as the services of the Royal Genie.

It was not just a fun room to stay in, but the best kind of suite to entertain. We knew many friends on this sailing, and Michael Poole, and it was fun having them visit and enjoy the suite with us.

As you might imagine, the downside to this kind of a suite is the price tag. It cost $12,609.08 for the 3-night cruise, making it a significant investment. You could book three sailings on Utopia in a lower category room for that price.

The other issue is the FOMO that comes with this suite.

Given how much fun this suite is and all the things you can do in it, there were many times I was torn between spending more time in the cabin at the expense of missing out on all the great fun Utopia has to offer.

There was nothing like this sort of room, and I doubt I'll stay in one again.  But it was a true memory maker that my kids still talk about fondly.

Two bedroom Aquatheater suite

The final type of suite that I've tried on Utopia of the Seas is the two bedroom Aquatheater suite that's on the back of the ship.

This is usually the least expensive of the Star Class suites, and it's also arguably the best choice for a family because it offers two bedrooms and two full bathrooms. That's a rare combination.

The bathrooms are large, and compared to the loft suite, it was so nice being able to close a bedroom door and have privacy.

There's also a generous living area, and a wraparound balcony. You won't complain about a lack of living space in this type of room.

We love the expansive wraparound balcony, and because it was December when we sailed, it was perfect weather to enjoy being outdoors.

You'll find panoramic ocean vistas from the balcony and a direct view of the AquaTheater. This means you can watch the Aquatheater show, Aqua80sToo, directly from our suite. 

Another advantage of this suite are the service of the Royal Genie.

This gets you all-inclusive dining and beverage packages, and priority reservations.

The main issue with being at the back of the ship is that the suite is a considerable distance from central amenities, which may require more walking. Also, if you're someone that goes to bed early, it would be tough with the noise from the Aquatheater show performance.

We paid five thousands dollars less to stay in the Aquatheater suite compared to the Ultimate Family Suite, which is still expensive, but far more palatable. 

Suites are always a splurge and not for the value seeker.  But there are definitely rationale to choosing one over the other when it comes to the overall cost.

If I had to pick a winner, I'd say my connecting balcony felt like the best bang for my buck

In terms of pure value, I'll almost never overlook two connecting balcony rooms.

As one of my favorite family cruise hacks of all time, it holds up on Utopia.  We get two full bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a fraction of the price tag to get that set up in a suite.

Of course, we don't get suite benefits or amenities, but on a ship like Utopia where there is so much going on during the day and night, it's not the sort of sailing where you'd feel drawn to spend lots of time in your room.

I'd much rather save money on my cabin and then use those savings for a fun time at Perfect Day at CocoCay, like booking a beach cabana.

When it comes to a Royal Caribbean cruise, eating is one of the best things about this sort of vacation because of all the different option you have.

There are familiar dishes, crowd favorites, and a lot of international flare too to the food served around your ship. Out of the many options you can consider, there's one cuisine that I love and I'm not alone: Indian curries.

Whether in the Main Dining Room or at the Windjammer buffet, there's bound to be at least one Indian dish available, and many times there's more than one.

One select nights, the Windjammer buffet actually expands to offer an Indian themed night of choices.

These Indian curry dishes are all the rage on Reddit, with diehards littering the thread with compliments about how good it tastes and how it's been a favorite for many years among cruisers who recognized it as a lesser-known great choice. One comment even exclaims, "The Indian food on the ship was their best food they had!"

Personally, I've been ordering Indian dishes ever since my first Royal Caribbean cruise. Not only do I enjoy this cuisine, but I find it flavorful and a healthier option in some cases.

Why so many people order Indian food on their cruise

Royal Caribbean tries to offer a wide array of cuisines to satisfy the needs of their customers, and that includes dishes from all over the world.

For many years, Indian curry was useful not just because it was popular, but because it was a good vegetarian alternative option to offer.

But Indian food has become more popular over the years, and it's offered every day on the Main Dining Room menu.  There's an Indian dish, along with a vegetarian alternative listed on every day's dinner menu.

Examples include chicken curry, chicken korma, saag, butter chicken, and more.

Adding to the quality of the food is the undeniable fact there are many Indians that work on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. With such a large population onboard, the attention to detail of the food is important as many times foods served to guests are also offered to crew members.

Reddit user sastrid posted, "I used to work for Royal Caribbean, and the staff Indian food was amazing. Made for Indians, by Indians."

Royal Caribbean cruises that depart from Southampton, UK typically have even more Indian food offered because of how culturally interwoven food from from the Indian subcontinent is in the UK.

In a different Reddit thread, the question was posed what is the best complimentary food on Royal Caribbean not to miss, and the top upvoted result was Indian food.

"Indian night in the windjammer was incredible. Every dish was super delicious and flavorful," wrote avazah.

"All of the Indian food on board is phenomenal, but the vegetarian Indian entree is exceptional even by those standards," added crazypurple621.

What you should try

Assuming you've never had Indian food before, there's a few good starting points.

First and foremost, curry is not inherently spicy.  There's a common misconception that all Indian food is very spicy, but that's not the case. 

In my experience, the curry served on the menu is often mild in order to be palatable to a wider audience.  There are various garnishes you can add in to make it spicier, but the food is pretty tame in terms of heat.

If you've never had Indian food before, there are two dishes I would recommend trying first: Butter chicken or chicken curry.

These are two basic Indian curries that have a pleasant flavor, no vegetables, and lack any spice that might be too much for a newbie.

It's a very tasty choice that satisfies without venturing too far out of most people's comfort zone.  Both are essentially chicken in a sauce, and it pairs extremely well with the white rice that comes with it.

I like to eat the chicken first and then pour the rice into the remaining curry, but maybe that's just a me thing.

I also think the chicken korma is quite good, but it has a bolder flavor and more vegetables with it.

You'll find either of these curries served in the Main Dining Room or Windjammer.

Speaking of vegetables, the vegetarian curries are usually my favorite. I will absolutely have multiple servings of aloo gobi anytime they have it, which is a curry mixed with cauliflower and potatoes.

It's healthy and really tasty, with good textures.

The one curry I never, ever got a taste for was dal.  

Dal comes in a few forms, but it's a vegetarian side dish that's just something I never got the taste for because of its consistency, I think.

One great thing about a cruise is you can feel free to taste and try food without fear of wasting it. Royal Caribbean will encourage you to do this, and there's nothing wrong with ordering it and getting something else if it's not to your liking.

Skip the bread

I might get hate for this, but the one thing I never liked on Royal Caribbean was the naan or roti bread.

On land, I'd order that every time, but I've always found the Indian breads that accompany a curry tough and almost stale.

Reddit user Joatboy agrees with me, "I do find their naan to be the major weak point on those days. It's always like a pita."

You can try it yourself and see, but I usually leave it to the side.

While Royal Caribbean's cruise terminal in Miami is arguably the best in terminal experience of any out there, the traffic has become a real problem.

Passengers on recent Royal Caribbean cruises departing from Miami have received emails about free bus transfers, even if they paid for them already.

Ships like Icon of the Seas or Symphony of the Seas depart from Terminal A in PortMiami, and it appears traffic is bad enough that the cruise line is offering ways to consolidate the amount of vehicles getting there.

"Since we're expecting heavier traffic than usual on debarkation day, we're now offering complimentary transfers," an email sent to passengers on Icon of the Seas sailing departing March 15.

Royal Caribbean is offering these free transfers, even though people already paid for them, "Because you've already booked and paid for your return trip to the airport, we'll be refunding your reservation and rebooking you on a complimentary shuttle back to the airport on debarkation day."

A similar message was sent to guests booked on Symphony of the Seas sailing from Miami, "How would you like a transfer to the airport on us? Yeah, that’s right, ON US!" 

"We’d like to offer you a complimentary transfer to either Miami International or Fort Lauderdale airport after your cruise to make sure you enjoy every moment of your time with us."

Royal Caribbean offering free rides to the airport seems to be a push to get more passengers to use mass transportation, rather than rely on more vehicles.

These emails have been sent to passengers on specific sailings close to the departure date, so there's no way to know exactly if it will be offered on future sailings as well.

"Crazy traffic"

When you talk to cruisers, they see the issue Royal Caribbean appears to be addressing.

The cruise terminals in Miami aren't in the city, but rather located on Dodge Island. This is inbetween Downtown Miami and South Beach, and it's a small piece of land where cruise ships and cargo ships go to dock.

"Just got on Independence in Miami and can attest to the crazy traffic," wrote reddit user happyinbentonville.

User juliaguuullliiaa added, "it took me an hour and a half to get to the port today when it was only supposed to be 30 mins."

Royal Caribbean offers cruises out of different terminals in Miami, but Terminal A is the one used for its big ships, like Icon.

These are some of the biggest cruise ships in the world, with Icon of the Seas alone able to handle up to 7,000 passengers when the ship is totally maxed out on capacity.

Ride share services are a very popular way to get to or from the cruise terminal, but they add much more traffic.

Add to that a lot of cruise ships, and it's a recipe for a swath of people.

On February 8, a record-breaking 10 cruise ships were docked in Miami on a single day, with close to 68,000 passengers on board.

When you add a lot of cars on a single road to get in and out of Terminal A, it's a recipe for traffic. 

"The drive was 5 miles but took 45 min with traffic," posted Rich Klepacz on Facebook.

Brian Hill posted, "The traffic flow to the ships is ridiculous! I go quite often and have spent over an hour getting round to pick up people I can see waving to me!"

Liz Romeo added, "That is the main reason I don’t like cruising out of Miami."

Options for getting in and out of Miami

Passengers have a few options for getting home after their cruise from Miami.

Bus service is offered to the major airports nearby, and can be purchased through Royal Caribbean or on your own.  

It's been my experience you can hop on a bus to go to the airport on the spot when leaving the cruise terminal, as there are people standing outside the terminal with signs advertising bus options.

Ride share services and taxis are also available, with the taxis stationed near the exit of the terminal, while ride shares are closer to the luggage drop off areas.

You could park your own car in the parking garage, which has a daily fee to park there.

Finally, you could rely on someone picking you up.

You have a Royal Caribbean cruise booked, but what if you want to add someone to your reservation?

It's fairly common to have travel plans change, especially when trying to plan a vacation many months in advance.

Royal Caribbean cruise fares are priced out per person, and each person has their own cost within any cabin.  Sometimes a Kids Sail Free deal can negate the fare for children, but there are restrictions in place too.

If you want to add someone to your cruise, the ability to do so and associated cost truly depend on a few different conditions. Sometimes, it's not possible and other times it may incur hefty costs.

How to add additional people to your Royal Caribbean cabin

In order to add someone to your cabin, there are a few prerequisites:

• The change must be made before the ship's manifest is finalized (usually about 72 hours before the cruise begins)
• The cabin must be designated as being able to accommodate the total capacity of your party
• There must be enough life boat spaces for the new person

Changes are allowed up until a few days before a cruise begins, but you may find other issues preventing it from going forward with the change.

Each Royal Caribbean cabin has a maximum capacity. Regardless if you think you could fit that person into the room, it's impossible to add additional people beyond that particular cabin's capacity.

The number of passengers allowed in a room is linked to the number of seats in life rafts and muster stations.

As an example, if you originally booked an oceanview balcony cabin designed for two people but want to add a third person, you'd have to upgrade to a different category oceanview balcony cabin that can accommodate three people.

Whether your cabin can handle the additional person or not, you're going to incur a new cost.  Often, that cost can be prohibitively expensive.

When you make a change to a reservation and add someone, you will have to pay the prevailing rate and not the rate you booked everyone else at originally.

Even if you're making the change sufficiently before the cruise begins and you're okay with the price change, it may not be possible to add someone to a reservation because of maritime law.

If the lifeboat capacity for your muster station is full, Royal Caribbean would not allow you to add that extra person. Regulations related to safety at sea is quite strict, and cruise ships cannot load in more people than can be safely handled in case of an emergency.

Assuming there's no issues with any of these restrictions, then you can add the extra person to your reservation.

You would have to pay for the extra person's deposit and cruise fare, as well as port fees and taxes.

The simplest thing to do is call Royal Caribbean or your travel agent and ask them if it's possible and what the cost would be.

You'll need to call Royal Caribbean or your travel agent to make this sort of a change.  It cannot be done online.

Swapping people is very easy

If you just want to change one person for another, then this is quite easy.

You can always name swap people without any change fees or extra costs as long as it's done before the ship's manifest is submitted and at least one person from the original reservation remains on the booking.

You just have to have your travel agent make the name change, and it's usually quite an easy task.

Usually extra passengers cost less overall

One silver lining to adding extra passengers is they probably won't cost as much as you did to book.

Royal Caribbean's cruise fares are based on double occupancy, and the bulk of the cost is centered around the first two passengers in a cabin.

Often the price for third, fourth, or more people in the same cabin drops quite a lot.

The catch is if you change cabins.

If you booked a cabin for two people and now want to add a third person to your room, you'd have to upgrade your cabin to a higher category that can accommodate three people.

Cabins for two are plentiful and the most common type of cabin on the ship.  There are less cabins for three people, and because they sell out faster, prices tend to be higher.

In fact, this is why sometimes an inside cabin for three people costs more than a balcony cabin for two people.  Revenue management software automatically adjusts rates based on supply and demand principles. 

When many interior cabins are booked because demand is high, it's quite common to see rates increase to the point they are equal to or more than ocean view and sometimes even balcony rates. 

Adding people if you bid for a cabin upgrade

Let's assume you win a bid to upgrade your cabin to a lovely larger cruise ship cabin with the RoyalUp program.  Could you add an additional guest since you now have more space?

The good news is you can add people to your bigger room after winning a RoyalUp bid, but it's considered a reprice when adding people so it would be at the prevailing room rate.

Moreover, if you had another cabin booked prior to the bid, you can't just combine your two bookings into the new one you got with the upgrade. 

Of course, the people booked in the second room could remain in that room "on paper", but sleep and enjoy the nicer room with you.

Alternatives to adding someone to your cabin

Besides trying to add someone to your room, there are other options you could explore.

Booking an additional room is one option, and depending on prevailing rates and how many unsold cabins there are left, this could be feasible.

Even if you're trying to add a minor, they're allowed in a room by themselves if that room is adjacent or connecting to the parent's room.

If not, this might be a good opportunity to bring granny or another adult since the price for one person or two people in a standard cabin is going to be about the same price because of the single supplement fee charged to solo cruisers.

Another idea is to simply upgrade everyone to a suite.

Even after final payment date, Royal Caribbean is usually good about allowing you to spend more money and move up to a higher cost cabin.

Suites often have the highest capacity of any single cabin. Of course, a suite won't be cheap, especially if you're trying to do this closer to your sail date. Plus, suites tend to sell out first.

I can tackle the day so much better if I've had a good night's sleep, but a being on a cruise vacation means a different bed and sleeping conditions.

I've found I sleep pretty well on cruise ships overall, but I've had to tweak a few things to make it more conducive for a good night's rest.  I think that's partly because I want to adapt my cabin to how I like to sleep at home.

Getting proper rest is important to just about anyone, and you shouldn't have to settle for poor sleep simply because you're not at home. I think a lot of people view vacation as an opportunity to relax and rest up with plenty of sleep.

As your ship moves through the ocean in a bed you're not used to, it can be an adjustment to acclimating to it all.

I wanted to share the tips and tricks for sleeping better on a cruise that have worked for me and our readers.

Make the room colder

If you ask my wife, I keep our cabin like a freezer while we cruise.  That's partly because I sleep so much better when it's cold in my room.

Your stateroom will have air conditioning controls, and I'd recommend turning the air conditioner down so it's as cold as you're comfortable with a few hours before you go to sleep.

This is especially important in the summer when the Caribbean sun is stronger and can really heat up your cabin, even if the balcony door is closed.

A good strategy is to make the room as cold as you can before you leave for dinner so there's sufficient time for it to cool down.

You should also draw the curtains to help darken the room so it can cool down even faster.

Mattress topper

Did you know you can make your bed even softer by asking for a mattress topper?

I prefer a firm mattress, but plenty of others like their beds to feel much softer.  If you're someone like that, then there's an option to help.

You can ask your stateroom attendant for a mattress topper as soon as you meet them on the first day of the cruise.

Depending on the ship, they'll either have an actual mattress pad to insert below the sheet or a comforter that does the same thing.

I'd recommend asking for one as early as you can, because there's a limited supply available.

Stick to your sleep routine from home

There's so much excitement on a cruise, but I find when our kids were younger, it was important to keep them on their schedule.

While it's probably impossible to adhere to the exact schedule, the closer you can keep it, the better overall.

It's a good idea with young kids to keep them doing the usual things at as close to the normal times as possible, including taking a shower, having a glass of milk, or reading in bed.

Don't be shy about asking for what you need

In addition to the mattress topper request, you should ask if you need other extras in your room to help you sleep.

If you need extra pillows or comforters, your stateroom attendant can get them for you.

Your bed will have a few extra pillows to begin with, but don't assume what's in the room is all you're entitled to.

A white noise machine works well too

A lot of people are used to a certain amount of noise while they sleep, whether it's the hum of an air conditioner, television on, or something else.

You could buy a small white noise machine to bring with you, or download an app for your phone to simulate the same thing. Our readers have recommended “bedtime fan” from App Store.

If you prefer a device, try the LectroFan white noise machine. It's powered by USB, so there's no issue with it being confiscated. (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Pack ear plugs

While a little white noise is good, loud noises really make it difficult to sleep.

There are all sort of sounds inside your cabin and outside that could keep you awake, such as snoring, the ship creaking, hangers clanging, or loud passengers.

I'd recommend buying a pack of disposable ear plugs to have, just in case.

The Flents Foam Ear Plugs fit well, muffle noise, but you'll still be able to hear your alarm go off in the morning. (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Don't pick a cabin near a public venue

You can avoid a lot of noise issues that could disturb your sleep simply by picking the right room.

Tried-and-true cruise advice is to pick a cabin that is one deck above and below other cabins, and not a public space.

Picking a room that's below the pool deck, or above a lounge could result in a lot of unwanted noise bleed.

All you need to do is consult a deck map when choosing a room, and double check that there's other cabins one deck above and below the cabin you're considering booking.

Book an inside stateroom

People that cruise a lot swear the best room to sleep in is an inside cabin with no windows.

Because interior rooms have no natural light, it can get pitch black once the lights are off.

This makes it ideal for sleeping if you're sensitive to light in the morning.  As an added bonus, it won't get hot in there either because of heat coming from the sun!

Plus, an inside room will cost a lot less than a balcony cabin.

Buy a USB fan

One more thing you could buy to bring with you is a fan.

My wife loves to sleep with the sound a fan creating white noise at night. Plus, the fan cools the air.

You'll want to get a USB or battery operated fan, and not one that plugs into the wall.

Your ship will have a limited supply of complimentary fans to use if you were to ask your stateroom attendant, but there are very few of them.  Bringing your own assures you that you'll have one.