A cruise is a great vacation, but how do you plan a cruise for the first time? This isn't a simple task because of how confusing it can be navigating the myriad of options you have along the way.

Shore excursions, drink packages, stateroom types, and dinner choices are just a few of the possibilities, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the entire process.

The good news is that planning a great cruise isn't difficult, but it does take a little bit of extra time to get it right.

I've taken over 70 cruises and reached the top tier of Royal Caribbean's loyalty program, so I have plenty of insight into what goes into planning a cruise.

From how to budget to booking, here's how to plan a cruise.

Planning a cruise for the first time

Before you pick a ship or destination, it makes sense to figure out your budget and time off.

Cruises come with all sorts of prices and lengths. You could do a quick weekend cruise or a lengthy transatlantic. And you'll have to pick the right cabin for your family.  

It makes the most sense to come up with a vacation budget for cost and time off from your daily obligations.

Your cruise budget needs to account for these costs:

• Cruise fare
• Taxes and port fees
• Gratuities
• Shore excursions
• Onboard spending (drinks, wifi, spa, etc.)
• Transportation to/from the cruise ship (hotel, airfare, rental car)

There's more, but those are the big costs you can expect. The cruise fare, airfare, shore excursions and onboard spending are likely the highest costs, in that order.

I think most families have a budget in mind when they plan any vacation, so having that number in your head will help ensure you are tallying up costs before committing to something.

A recurring theme of this post is the importance of using a good travel agent to help plan this with you. If you're thinking, "How could I realistically estimate costs if I've never cruised before?" then this is when a travel agent comes in handy. 

Read more: The best ways to book a cruise

My advice is to jot down prices along the way to ensure you're in the ballpark of your vacation budget.

The other component is going to be your time. If you only have 3 days off of work, that will greatly limit which sailings you can choose. Likewise, a week of vacation time versus two weeks will alter your choices.

If you're flexible with your time, then you should consider the itinerary and what stands out to you the most.

Be sure to factor in how long it will take you to get to your cruise port. If you can drive to your embarkation city, that means less time in transit. But if you need to fly to reach your cruise ship, that will take up at least an extra day of your time. 

Read more: The costly cruising mistake newbies make planning their first cruise

Decide how long of a cruise to take

Now that you know how much money you have to spend, you will want to figure out how long of a cruise to take.

If this is your first cruise, I recommend going on a five to seven night sailing on an Icon, Oasis or Quantum Class ship. 

Plus, Icon Class and Oasis Class ships have the latest and greatest features across the fleet. This includes Central Park, a rock-climbing wall, surf simulators, and water slides. It has the most for families to do, and you're not compromising on what's available to do.

Quantum Class ships have their own assortment of signature areas and activities, such as North Star, SeaPlex, sky diving simulator, rock walls, and excellent youth programs.

The problem with a short cruise is they go by so quickly and for someone new to cruising, it may not provide enough time on ship or on shore to really get a sense of it all. Moreover, on a per-night basis, the cost of a cruise tends to be cheaper the longer the sailing. 

Choose a cruise ship

Royal Caribbean has cruise ships that vary in size, things to do onboard, and where you can go in the world.

These ships are not just built to be big, rather, they are built to be large enough to house all the really cool adventures that await you. Royal Caribbean has built its ships bigger and bigger to offer more and more to its guests.

But before you pick a ship at random, you'll need to think about where you want to go. Cruise ships are deployed to a region of the world for at least a few months at a time. 

European and Alaska cruises run in the summer months, while the Caribbean is a year-round destination. Depending on which region you want to visit along with which month of the year you want to cruise, there will be a subset of Royal Caribbean's fleet you can pick from.

The new Icon Class cruise ships sail to the Caribbean exclusively and are the newest ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet. These ships are aimed primarily at young families, and have a water park, many restaurant choices, and more cabins designed for five or more passengers than ever before. Icon of the Seas started cruising in January 2024 from Miami to the eastern and western Caribbean. Star of the Seas will enter service from Port Canaveral in 2025.

Oasis Class ships are giant ships that have long been the standard for what a family vacation is all about. Each of the Oasis class ships has 7 distinct neighborhoods that have their own look and feel. The neighborhood concept makes getting around easier because areas of the ship do not blend into each other.

In fact, first time cruisers might find the largest and newest Royal Caribbean ships to be an ideal pick because they offer the latest innovations, entertainment, technology and choices.

The Quantum class ships are also quite new, but not quite as large as the Oasis class ships. It can be argued that Quantum class ships were designed with first time cruisers in mind. Just like the Oasis class ships, the Quantum class ships offer a number of Royal Caribbean advancements and some of the finest dining and entertainment at sea.

The Voyager and Freedom class ships are slightly smaller, but offer an amazing value for large ships. They are also dispersed more widely than their larger cousins, and still offer a lot to see and do onboard. Many Royal Caribbean veterans love the Voyager and Freedom class ships for their well-proportioned size, dining choices and activities onboard.

The "sweet spot" of Royal Caribbean pricing tends to fall right in with the Voyager and Freedom class ships because the newer ships have drawn much of the attention, and the other ship's premium pricing means there are some really good deals to be found.

Radiance and Vision class ships make up the smallest ships in the fleet, but what they lack in size, they make up for in port variety, great value and beauty onboard.

While the small ships lack surf simulators and bumper cars, they make up for it in a classic cruise experience and lower price. These smaller ships can get to ports of call that larger ships cannot, as well as offer a more intimate experience in relationship with your fellow guests. 

Many people ask me what is the worst Royal Caribbean cruise ship, but the reality is every ship has its merits, so it is really a question of what do you want the ship to have onboard, and does the ship you are considering have that.

Choose a cabin

Selecting a stateroom is important because it's where you'll spend a lot of time there and don't want to regret the choice every day.

There are five primary types of cruise cabins.

• Interior cabins
• Oceanview cabins
• Balcony cabins
• Junior Suites
• Suites

Balcony rooms are the most popular category, with most ships offering more balcony cabins than any other type of room.

Royal Caribbean prices its cabins based on double occupancy, which means even if you want to sail alone, you're going to end up paying double.

When choosing your cabin, you'll have two cruise rates to pick between: refundable cruise fare and non-refundable cruise fare.

Refundable cruise fare will cost more, but allow you to get a full cash refund if you decide to cancel or change plans before the final payment date.

Non-refundable cruise fare will save money on the total cost, but there is a change fee if you cancel or swap to a different sailing.

More than likely which cabin you want to book will depend on your budget, how many people are traveling with you, and personal preferences.

Book your cruise

There are three ways to book a cruise: directly with the cruise line, using a travel agent, or going to an online travel site.

There are advantages to each choice, but I think everyone should book with a good travel agent. There are so many factors to consider, and an agent that has years of experience booking cruises can make this so much easier.

Most travel agents specializing in Royal Caribbean are "no fee" agencies, which means it costs you absolutely nothing extra to book the cruise reservation from them (Royal Caribbean pays the travel agent a commission). Here is one such recommended travel agency that specializes in Royal Caribbean. If you are not convinced using a free travel agency that is recommended by Royal Caribbean is right for you, read our post discussing the benefits they offer.

You need to not only pick a ship and date, but also figure out which cabin to book, refundable or non-refundable deposit, which dinner option to book, gratuities, and so much more.

The biggest point of failure for new cruisers is making a mistake in the booking process and regretting it later.

There's nothing wrong with price shopping and seeing what deals you can find. Just make sure you're comparing apples to apples, and consider fees and insurance.

Royal Caribbean cruise checklist

There's a lot that goes into planning your first cruise, and it's hardly a one-size-fits-all approach. Depending on who you are cruising with, where you are going, and the types of ship or cabin you pick, the planning process can differ greatly.

However, there are some basics that are universal to the planning process, so I wanted to provide an easy-to-follow list of what to verify as you move along in the process.

☐ Establish a budget

☐ Decide on a cruise length

☐ Choose which region you want to cruise to

☐ Choose a ship

☐ Choose a cabin

☐ Book your cruise

☐ Consider travel insurance

☐ Book airfare, hotel, and rental car

☐ Research and book shore excursions

☐ Check-in for the cruise 45 days before sailing

☐ Make a reminder to book entertainment and activities before the cruise (30 days before the cruise on Quantum, Oasis, or Icon Class ships)

Equally important are things you bring with you on a cruise. There are cruise essentials, travel documents, and clothing that you'll want to bring.

Read more: Royal Caribbean packing list

Get the RCB Cruise Academy Pro course

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There are over 50 lessons that have the BEST tips, tricks, info, and advice for you to help you enjoy every minute of your cruise. We’ve broken down each step, so you don't have to dig for the right article, video, or forum post.

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First time Royal Caribbean cruise tips

If you can avoid common pitfalls of taking your first Royal Caribbean cruise, then you'll likely set yourself up for a great first sailing.

We've shared lots of cruise tips so you can avoid unfortunate rookie mistakes, and I wanted to highlight some important considerations if you're brand new to Royal Caribbean.

Avoid really long or short cruises

There are a few types of cruises I would steer clear any first time cruiser from to avoid disappointment.

A transatlantic or repositioning cruise is definitely not a good fit for someone taking their first Royal Caribbean cruise. These sailings often have great daily rates, but they're very long sailings with lots of sea days, and that could be simply too much for a cruiser.

Not to mention the fact cruises across the ocean tend to encounter rougher seas, and that means a higher chance of getting seasick.

In addition, skip a short cruise that is less than five nights long.

Three and four night cruises may seem attractive as a first sailing, but you don't have enough time to experience everything. It's a rushed experience, and I doubt you'll feel relaxed. Plus, short cruises attract more of a party atmosphere, which is usually not what a lot of people want on their cruise vacation.

Avoid older ships

Purely as a first time cruiser, I wouldn't recommend booking a cruise on an older ship. 

Simply put, older ships don't offer nearly as much to do onboard as newer ships, and I think there's a higher chance it won't meet a new cruiser's expectations.

Moreover, older ships lack water slides and as many activities, which could make them a poor candidate for a family.

Read more: First time cruise tips for Royal Caribbean

Don't skip travel insurance

It may seem like buying travel insurance for your trip is an unnecessary cost, but it's worth every penny in the scenario you need it.

Travel insurance is more than just "extra health insurance". It's protection in unforeseen situations where it's really no one's fault, but you're stuck with extra costs. Travel delays, accidental injuries in port, car rental damage, or altered itineraries are all scenarios where travel insurance could protect you.

Drink packages are attractive but expensive

I get so many questions if a Royal Caribbean drink package is worth it, and the answer is it definitely can be under the right situation.

Beverage packages are not cheap, but if you can drink enough every day, then they can save money. Remember, how you drink on vacation is different than at home or at a restaurant.

The decision to buy one is not easy, but definitely pre-purchase one rather than waiting to book it onboard to save a lot of money.

Download the Royal Caribbean app and check-in early

The Royal Caribbean app is super helpful, so install it before your cruise.  

Better yet, do the online check-in in the app up to 45 days before your cruise sails to ensure you have the fastest possible boarding process.

Cruises from one port in 2024 will require you to use the Royal Caribbean app to check-in.

Royal Caribbean announced it will require app check-in only for cruises departing from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Traditionally, guests had the option to do check-in via the website, app, or even wait until they arrived at the cruise terminal.

With this new change, anyone booked on an Alaska cruise from Vancouver can check-in only with the Royal Caribbean app up to 45 days before departure or until 9 a.m. local time on the sailing date.

If a guest cannot check in via the app, they have the alternative option to check in once at the terminal.

The Royal Caribbean app has some functionalities for check-in that are not available on the website, including:

• Passport scanning to capture the details of your passport. You’ll still need to present your passport at the terminal, but the data entry is handled for you in the app.
• The ability to take or upload a photo of yourself, which is a security requirement before boarding.
• Reminders to complete a few quick health questions in the app before your cruise.

The news was conveyed to travel agents in a weekly email newsletter.

There was no explanation provided, other than stating, "When your clients check in on the app they spend less time in the terminal and more time on vacation."

At this time, no other cruise ports require the guest to use the Royal Caribbean app only for check-in.

The Royal Caribbean app is available in the Google Play and App Store as a free download.

Higher app prominence

Royal Caribbean's app has become more and more important to the guest experience.

Development of the app over the last few years has accelerated, as its role was first elevated due to a need to offer more contactless options as the cruise industry emerged from the industry shutdown of 2020-2021.

Since then, Royal Caribbean has seen its app as a way to improve the guest experience. Specifically, the app features are meant to expedite processes and simplify things.

Core functionality includes being able to browse ship activities, conduct the muster drill, and a guest-to-guest chat feature.

Royal Caribbean has quietly rolled out an express boarding option in Miami, but it requires the user to complete all the steps of check-in via the app, including scanning the passport.

Read more: The extra step you should take before your cruise for the fastest way on a ship

In 2020, the app was required for sailings from Singapore, but the app has never been required in other ports.

How to check-in with the Royal Caribbean app

Up to 45 days before your cruise begins is when you can start checking in for your cruise. 

Similar to checking in for a flight, the app asks for important travel information that is required in order to sail. By doing the check-in before the cruise, it saves time at the cruise terminal doing exactly the same thing.

To begin the check-in process, you just need to click the purple globe icon at the bottom of the app.

For each guest, there are three sections to complete:

1. Travel Info
2. Arrival Time
3. Health & Safety

Starting with Travel Info, you can use the drop-down arrow under "Scan your passport" to select the desired document type.

To scan the passport, the app will start the camera on your device. Aim the camera at the information page of the passport. Line up the bar on the screen with the bottom two lines of information of the passport. This is called the “Machine Readable Passport Zone” (MRZ).

You have the option to take a selfie photo with the app. You could skip it, but you'll then need to take the photo at the cruise terminal. Alternatively, you can return later in the app to upload a photo as well.

There is other required information, including your country of residence and where you were born.

You can also enter your Crown & Anchor Society loyalty number on this screen.

Following that, you will need to enter your home address, emergency contact information, and add a credit card for onboard expenses.

Section two allows you pick from an arrival time. This is when you can select a time to arrive to the cruise terminal on embarkation day.

The final section is to be completed within 24 hours of embarkation, and has a health questionnaire to fill out.

That's it! You'll have a SetSail pass at this point that you can use to check-in when it's time to go to the cruise terminal.

Royal Caribbean is ahead of schedule with its next new cruise ship and wants to get it in service faster.

Guests booked on the inaugural sailing of Utopia of the Seas were informed on Tuesday that there will be a new first sailing.

Inaugural sailings are a big deal to be on, as it's both a badge of honor to be able to be say you were onboard. Plus, they are a big celebration too.

The inaugural sailing was scheduled to be on July 22, 2024, but Royal Caribbean will be adding an extra voyage prior.

The new inaugural sailing is 3-night weekend cruise on July 19, 2024. Utopia will then continue with her previously scheduled sailings after, which would be the July 22 sailing.

Why the change? Royal Caribbean said in an email the new ship will be ready sooner, "Utopia of the Seas is ahead of schedule and arriving at Port Canaveral earlier than originally planned."

Anyone booked on the original inaugural sailing of Utopia of the Seas will have opportunity to move their booking to the new inaugural 3-Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise on July 19.

How to move to the new sailing

If you were booked on the original inaugural and want to transfer to the new voyage, there are options available.

Royal Caribbean is offering guests the chance to move to the exact same stateroom currently booked – at no additional cost to you.

The cruise fare rate will be prorated for the change from a 4-night to a 3-night cruise, meaning, Royal Caribbean will provide a 1-day cruise fare refund. It's only available for changing to the new date.

If selected, the booking will be transferred to the new sail date by March 19th, 2024.

Otherwise, guests can remain on the July 22 sailing as booked.

Guests have until March 12th, 2024 to select the offer. If you are booked on the July 22 sailing and do absolutely nothing on your part, you'll remain on that sailing.

Moving to a weekend cruise for her inaugural

It's almost fitting that Utopia of the Seas is moving her inaugural to a 3-night weekend cruise, as that is the focus of the new ship.

Utopia will be Royal Caribbean's first new Oasis Class ship to start cruises with short 3- and 4-night cruises instead of 7-night cruises. It's a flip of the script for the cruise line, because usually older ships operate weekend cruises.

The change is a concerted effort to attract first-time cruisers, who are leery of going on any cruise ship for a week.

The idea is to offer short cruises on its newest hardware so that anyone who is considering a short cruise as their first sailing will see a clear delineation between what options are out there.

Read more: Five moves Royal Caribbean is making to overhaul its weekend cruise business for the future

Utopia will be the second new Royal Caribbean cruise ship to launch in 2024, following up on Icon of the Seas.

Icon has drawn a substantial amount of attention for being the biggest cruise ship in the world and ushering in a new category of vessel.

While Utopia is about 7% smaller than Icon, she is still packed with plenty for passengers to do to keep them busy.

On the top deck, you'll find three pool areas, an aqua park for kids, surf simulator, zip line, basketball court, and 295-foot dry slide down the back of the ship.

The Royal Railroad will feature a classic train motif that delivers a mixed reality experience. After prototyping the train car experience at Royal Caribbean's Miami headquarters, the team feels confident it will deliver an incredible new option for passengers.

Izumi has been moved up to Central Park, which is a first for the Oasis Class. Izumi will also have a new pickup window which allows quick grab and go offerings for guests.

Park Cafe will have a new evening terrace experience, which the cruise line hopes will invigorate evenings in this neighborhood.

Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar has been relocated into the deck 11 and 12 former Wonderland location.

Speaking of food, there will be a food truck on the pool deck, and a tiki bar on the Royal Promenade.

Read more: Utopia of the Seas restaurant and dining guide

Another inaugural cruise change

This is the second Royal Caribbean cruise ship to have her inaugural sailing change in just a week.

Last week Royal Caribbean announced the first sailing for Star of the Seas would be pushed back by two weeks.

Star of the Seas will be the second Icon Class ship and launch in 2025. Instead of her first cruise being on August 17, 2025, the new inaugural sailing was pushed back to August 31st, 2025.

The reason for the delay was not specified, other than noting, "after a review of the work that remains to be done, we’re unfortunately forced to delay the ship’s delivery date."

Just like Utopia, guests booked on the original inaugural cruise of Star of the Seas were given the chance to move to the new sailing with no penalty and cruise fare price protection.

We take our kids on a spring break cruise every year because it's not easy to find times of the year when the school calendar and mild Caribbean weather meet.

One of the top reasons we cruise on Royal Caribbean is the fact it's a family cruise line, and the experience is welcoming to kids as much as adults.  Plus, there's opportunities to enjoy time together, as well as time for just the adults.

When you hear the term, "spring break", you might think of a wild party, but Royal Caribbean's ships tend not to get that raucous.  Most of the college spring break groups end up on 4-night cruises because they are cheaper, and having experienced those cruises, it's a far cry from a week at Panama City beach.

Read more: Spring break cruise on Royal Caribbean

Nonetheless, don't expect your cruise ship to be empty, as plenty of families take advantage of the built-in time off from school to take their family on vacation. To be fair, all cruise ships sail full these days. The difference is how many other families will be onboard, along with spring breakers.

If you're taking a spring break cruise, here are a few strategies for navigating the crowds.

Take a longer cruise

In general, you can expect to find less families on longer sailings, including the spring break college kids. 

Most of the college spring break passengers will flock to 4-night cruises because they're short and cheaper than the 3-night cruises.

We've generally found the 7-night cruises to have less college kids than the short 3- and 4-night cruises.  You'll find more families on longer cruises, and that tends to have less of a party atmosphere.

If you really want to avoid the party scene, opt for pretty much any cruise longer than 7-nights during this time of year. Once you get to past a week, the average age tends to shift older because of the time off required is more than many families can afford to take.

Since the European cruise season hasn't started yet, you can find some Royal Caribbean ships offering longer cruises. There are 9, 10, and 11-night cruises available in some markets that have less families onboard, as well as spring breakers.

Look for deck chairs in quiet places

Sea days on any cruise are going to busy, but the pool party vibe is going to be present here the most.

If you want to enjoy time outdoors without the party, there are a few good alternative locations to seek.

For those that want to enjoy the sun, look for a deck chair on the pool deck towards the front of the ship. While most of the chairs are around the pool, if you walk forward on the upper pool deck, you can usually find plenty of empty chairs the more forward you walk.

The reason there are empty chairs at the front of the ship is because it's further away from the bars and pools. 

If you just want to be outdoors without any semblance of a party, grab a chair on the Promenade deck on deck 4 or 5 (depending on the ship you're on).  Keep in mind one side is reserved for smoking, so you can always go to the other side.

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

Stay on the ship in port

Since I just recommended avoiding the pool deck, what if you want to be able to swim, splash and enjoy the water slides? Stay on the ship while you're in port.

Many passengers disembark their cruise ship on a port day, and that leaves the pool deck far emptier than on any sea day.

You'll usually have no shortage of deck chairs, space in the pools and hot tubs, and less noise overall.  In fact, the pool band tends not to play until later in the day.

Not only does staying on the ship while you're in port open up the pool deck, it also means avoiding the crowds in port.

It's not unusual for ports to have a lot of ships docked, especially Nassau, Cozumel, and St. Thomas. By staying on the ship, you can avoid the crowded ports, beaches, and shops.

Visiting ports of call is a major part of the cruise experience, but you could opt to pick one port to stay onboard for, and then get some pool deck time while still doing shore excursions elsewhere.

Traditional dining for simplicity

There's nothing wrong with eating at the Main Dining Room for dinner, especially if it makes planning meals easier.

Specialty restaurants on Royal Caribbean are a hot ticket. It seems like more people than ever are buying dining packages, and it's not uncommon for the best times to get booked up quickly.

I always advocate going to make restaurant reservations as soon as you get onboard the ship for those with a dining package, but you could simply forgo the dining package and stick to the Main Dining Room for a great dinner experience.

If you opt for this, pick traditional seating instead of My Time Dining to make everything easier on you. With traditional seating, you have the same table and dining time every night, so there's no extra footwork to do to get a reservation, and there's no waiting for a table when it's time to eat.

Alternatively, you could go to the Windjammer for dinner instead and keep it far more casual. Those sailing on Icon of the Seas for spring break will also have access to the Aquadome Market, which is a wonderful complimentary alternative to the Main Dining Room.

Good candidate for upgrading to a suite

If you'd rather throw money at the problem, then booking a cruise ship suite might make sense for a spring break cruise.

Besides having larger and more opulent cabins, suites come with nice perks that can side-step some of the issues raised earlier in this article. It's kind of like an expensive easy button for crowds.

Staying in a suite means you'll have reserved seating somewhere on the pool deck exclusively for suite guests. 

You'll also get complimentary drinks each evening in the Suite Lounge. On larger ships, there's even a restaurant exclusively for suite guests at Coastal Kitchen.

Read more: 8 advantages of booking a suite on your next cruise

Obviously booking a suite won't be cheap, so you're potentially trading crowds for a larger bill. But if you can afford it, staying in a suite provides access to areas of the ship other guests cannot get to, and spring breakers tend not to be found staying in suites.

Royal Caribbean has been one of the biggest cruise lines in the world since the company began operations in 1968, and it's flipping the script on the short cruise market in 2024.

Through a combination of new cruise ships, redeployments, and investments in the ports they visit, Royal Caribbean wants to raise customer expectations for what a weekend cruise is like and set a new standard for the cruise industry.

The company has methodically positioned some of its most important new ships along side land-side investments, and its recent announcement of new deployments indicate a clear direction: Royal Caribbean wants to target the new cruise market like no other line has done before.

Royal Caribbean is addressing a market need, where new cruisers are hesitant to go on longer sailings, but don't want to sail on older hardware. In following the old saying, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression", Royal Caribbean will put new ships serving up 3- and 4-night cruises instead of traditionally placing older hardware for those sailings.

The new cruise market is single-handedly the largest source of growth within the cruise industry, and capitalizing on sourcing new customers from this pool of growth is how any cruise line can generate the most revenue quickly.

In looking through Royal Caribbean's recent announcements and deployments, it's clear the cruise line is poised to begin a new approach to not only short cruises, but how it attracts new customers.

Utopia of the Seas

The first major focus for Royal Caribbean in appealing to the new cruiser market is to launch Utopia of the Seas later this summer and offer short cruises only.

Utopia of the Seas will be the sixth Oasis Class ship, which are the biggest cruise ships in the world.  The previous five Oasis Class ships all began service by sailing 7-night cruises.

Instead, Utopia will offer 3- and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral in July 2024.

By starting off with short sailings, Royal Caribbean hopes a brand new cruise ship will get the attention of the public, especially when people hear they can sail on Utopia for just the weekend. It's a short commitment, and it gives new cruisers peace of mind that if they don't like cruising, it's only a couple of days.

Royal Caribbean's decision to homeport Utopia in Port Canaveral is another component to their strategy.  Port Canaveral is just under an hour away from the family vacation capital of the world, Orlando.

The company has made no secret that it is targeting the family vacation market, and wants to compete with the Orlando resorts that currently dominate that demographic.

If a weekend cruise is too short, Royal Caribbean has Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas ready as equally compelling alternatives that offer traditional 7-night cruises.

As impressive as Utopia will be, the two Icon Class ships are even more appealing to families.

Icon of the Seas was designed to be the ultimate vacation for a young family, and it has more amenities, activities, and staterooms than any other ship has offered for children.

Read more: Icon of the Seas guide and features

The plan is entice new cruisers with a short cruise, and if they love it, then they'll want to come back for more and there are two Icon Class ships waiting for them.  If a weekend cruise is too short, then they can jump right to Icon or Star. In either case, Royal Caribbean thinks these ships have the right product that no other line can match.

CocoCay expansion

When you take a short cruise from Florida, you're going to The Bahamas and that's where a new cruiser will get to meet part two of Royal Caribbean's master plan.

Perfect Day at CocoCay is the name of Royal Caribbean's private island, and it's been a guest satisfaction grand slam for the company ever since the island's refurbishment in 2019.

A combination of thrills, relaxation, food, and activities galore have made CocoCay the place families can enjoy without much fuss. Since it's Royal Caribbean's private enclave, there's no pushy vendors, one place to find all your tours and add-ons, and lots of included amenities.

Since the island's revamp, Royal Caribbean has slowly expanded what guests can do there during the day. It opened a secluded beach club and earlier this year added an adults-only beach.

While the rest of the island is family focused, Hideaway Beach offers an escape for adults who want a break from it all. It's a giant pool party with beach access, and the goal is to give customers somewhere else to consider spending their day.

Just like their cruise ships, CocoCay is meant to offer something for everyone.  There are places to go with young children, teens, and kid-free spots too.

Short cruises on Wonder of the Seas

In March 2024, Royal Caribbean made another strategic move to redeploy Wonder of the Seas to the same short cruises as Utopia.

Wonder is the newest Oasis Class ship after Utopia, and is just two years old.  She will offer three- and four-night sailings out of Miami starting in August 2025.

With Wonder in Miami and Utopia in Port Canaveral, Royal Caribbean now has two of its best ships in the two biggest cruise markets in the world offering short cruises. 

It's the same gameplan that Royal Caribbean has for Port Canaveral, but in Miami. Just like Utopia, Wonder will visit ports in the Bahamas and look to attract more new cruisers than ever before.

Nassau Beach Club

The short cruise market has always been good to Royal Caribbean, but they knew they had a problem with the primary port of call: Nassau.

Royal Caribbean regularly surveys its customers to get feedback on their vacations, and Nassau, Bahamas ranked in the bottom ten percent, according to Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley.

Customers told Royal Caribbean there wasn't anything enticing enough in Nassau, so the line took matters into their own hands.

In 2025, Royal Caribbean will open its first Royal Beach Club, which is an extra-cost all-inclusive beach on Paradise Island, just across the waterway from where Royal Caribbean's ships dock their ships in Nassau.

Unlike Perfect Day at CocoCay, this will not be open to every single passenger. Rather, it will be a limited capacity area reserved just for Royal Caribbean passengers and you'll need to pay to get in.  

The idea is to offer something no other cruise line can in Nassau: a tropical beach day escape with the familiarity of Royal Caribbean. All the benefits of a shore excursion without concern of dealing with a third party.

The Royal Beach Club will have restaurants, pools, cabanas, and plenty of beach space too.

When it opens, the beach club will ensure taking a weekend Bahamas cruise means no compromise, from ship to shore.

Quantum of the Seas in Los Angeles

On the other side of the country is another big play by Royal Caribbean to improve its position.

Quantum of the Seas will sail from Los Angeles starting in October 2025, becoming among the largest cruise ship to ever sail from there.

Quantum will join Navigator of the Seas in offering cruises from LA, and will sail to ports of call in Mexico.

You'll be able sail on 3-, 4-, and 5-night cruises to Mexico and Catalina Island, California on a ship that offers so much more to do than ships traditionally based in this market.

The Quantum Class ships offer plenty of restaurants, bars, theaters and attractions too. There's bumper cars, full production shows, a sky diving simulator, surfing simulator, and observational pod that takes you over 200 feet above sea level.

California cruises to the Mexican Riviera have traditionally been dominated by other lines, but Royal Caribbean is doubling its presence in order to expand its foothold there. By placing a ship as big as Quantum, it demonstrates how much of a difference choosing Royal Caribbean is compared to other lines.

Welcome to March! We hope you are having a great weekend and are ready to sit back, relax and catch up with all the latest Royal Caribbean news!

There's a big change coming to the Main Dining Room.

Royal Caribbean will add a third dining time to its traditional dinner service, which offers a "middle" seating. The goal is to improve the guest experience for everyone in the dining room, and it promises to offer the most choice and flexibility to dinner yet.

A third dining time addresses the problem passengers had of traditional dining times were too early or too late, but switching to My Time Dining didn't work either.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean's 9-month world cruise gets rerouted to Africa to avoid Red Sea
• Royal Caribbean is making more money than it expected. The good and the bad news for cruisers
• Why you should get your cruise cabin serviced in the evening instead of the morning
• Travel insurance for a cruise: Why you need it for a Royal Caribbean cruise
• The Airports Near Port Canaveral Cruise Port: How to get to your cruise easily
• A former bartender answers the internet's questions about what it's like to work on a cruise ship

New RCB Video: 11 things you should never do at a cruise ship buffet

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 — 11 things you should never do at a cruise ship buffet — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.

Star of the Seas maiden voyage cancelled

The planned first sailing of Star of the Seas in 2025 has been cancelled.

The August 17th, 2025 sailing has been cancelled "after a review of the work that remains to be done". As a result, the inaugural sailing will be on August 31, 2025.

Guests booked on the cancelled sailing have the choice of being moved to the new sailing, or a different ship, or get a full refund.

10 lessons learned after trying Icon of the Seas for the first time

Trying a new cruise ship means an opportunity to discover what makes the ship interesting, and inevitably, come away with a few tips and tricks.

Phil Schoen sailed on the brand new Icon of the Seas and was not only impressed, but came up with a list of 10 things he learned while on the new ship that anyone else sailing could benefit from.

From what to pack, to how to maximize the ship's entertainment, Phil shared ten important tips for those going on Icon of the Seas.

A new giant ship is switching to short cruises

There are two notable surprises with Royal Caribbean's 2025-2026 deployments for the Short Caribbean and Los Angeles cruise markets. 

Wonder of the Seas will switch to short three- and four-night sailings out of Miami starting in August 2025.

In addition, Quantum of the Seas will sail from Los Angeles starting in October 2025. Quantum will be the largest Royal Caribbean ship ever to be based in LA.

I tried 4 ship classes since I started cruising. Here's what I like about each

Calista started cruising last year, and has already come up with what she likes about the different types of ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet.

While the cruise line’s ships all stay true to specific branding and design, each class varies a lot when it comes to layout, amenities, atmosphere, and itinerary options.

Each ship class has benefits to choosing one over the other, and Calista shared what stands out about each to her.

15 things you don't need to bring on a cruise

Of all the things you can bring on a cruise, there's a few items you can definitely leave at home.

No one wants to waste precious luggage space on things they don’t end up using during their vacation.

Whether they are prohibited or just not necessary, we wanted to share a list of things not to bother bringing on your cruise.

Is getting cruise travel insurance the right decision for your upcoming vacation?

When you're planning a cruise, there are plenty of costs to consider beyond the cruise fare: shore excursions, drink packages, wifi, and more. Protecting yourself against risk is one of those decisions, and the decision to purchase a plan depends on a few factors.

I've covered the cruise industry for many years, and unforeseen circumstances that lead to a last-minute cruise cancellation are probably right at the top of most common stories I've heard from readers. And it's usually the ones without travel insurance that end up writing a long winded post on a forum why they're stuck.

There are many kinds of cruise insurance policies to consider, so it's not a blanket purchase either. You have to look through the coverage choices before selecting the right one.

To make it simpler to understand, here's what you need to know about cruise insurance so you can pick the right option for you.

Why you need travel insurance for a cruise

It's not uncommon at all to hear someone brush off the need to buy travel insurance in the first place because they feel the risks are quite low.

I think many people equate travel insurance with health insurance to some extent. They think about having a heart attack, breaking a leg, or some other incident related to their health.  If they're in good shape and free of pre-existing conditions, why bother?

While cruise insurance does cover health issues on a cruise ship, it is far more likely to be of use beyond a slip and fall.

Travel insurance covers many more scenarios related to you getting on a cruise, especially circumstances beyond your control.  

• You lose your job
• Airline cancels your flight so you can't get to the cruise on time
• Lost baggage along the way
• Death in the family
• Last-minute severe illness

In all of those scenarios, they would occur in the final days or hours before your cruise begins, and if you tried to cancel your cruise, Royal Caribbean would offer you no refund.  

Once you pass the final payment date for your cruise (90 days before your sailing for most cruises), you start incurring penalties if you were to cancel. In the final week before your cruise, there are no refunds for a cancellation. It doesn't matter how good of a story you have, and why it's not fair. 

Travel insurance for a cruise would likely compensate you in those situations.

Then there's the really bad situations that could occur, such as getting severely hurt while on your trip. Car accident, falls, major health incidents, are all the kind of things that could require not only hospitalization, but transport by ambulance or helicopter. While your health insurance covers that at home, when you're out of the country you're likely out of network and the out-of-pocket costs can be outrageous. 

Essentially, travel insurance for a cruise is peace of mind that a calamity will not financial burden you or leave you in a terrible bind.

Types of coverage offered by cruise travel insurance

Depending on which policy you choose, there are a great deal of coverages available with a plan purchase.

A common misconception is that travel insurance is just for medical issues, as it covers much more than that.

Most plans have coverage for the following categories:

• Trip cancellation & interruption
• Medical expenses
• Medical evacuation
• Luggage loss
• Travel delays

There's also some plans that have a "cancel anytime" option, which allows the insured person to have the coverage kick in for a reason not covered by the plan. These are pricier and usually cover up to 75% of the trip cost.

Most people will purchase a single trip insurance plan, where they want coverage for a specific vacation they are taking. There are also annual plans that are ideal for someone that vacations a few times per year.

How to choose the right cruise travel insurance policy

Cruise insurance policies are not all the same, so don't assume you can buy any plan.

You'll want to determine your risk factors and find a plan that matches up well with them.

If you have a medical condition, then it makes sense to find a plan that would cover that. Some policies will include or exclude certain pre-existing health conditions, so be sure to investigate which one works for you.

It's also a good idea to look at what each plan covers for trip interruption, delay, and cancellation. Specifically, what scenarios have to play out for your insurance to cover it. Never assume coverages, because nearly all cruise insurance requires something to occur out of your hands to be grounds for coverage.

It's a good idea to think of situations you're concerned about, and verify your plan would cover it. 

Royal Caribbean sells its own Travel Protection Program, which is actually provided by a third-party company Aon Affinity.  The cruise line doesn't own or operate the insurance, they simply offer it to its passengers as a courtesy. 

There's certainly nothing wrong with Royal Caribbean's insurance plan, but don't assume it's the safest bet for your insurance needs. Moreover, read the policy just like any other policy.

Common exclusions in cruise travel insurance policies

Not every scenario is covered by travel insurance, so you want to double check what is not part of your plan. This means read your plan documents before you travel so you understand what kinds of things are excluded. 

Typical exclusions are:

• Epidemics
• Your decision to cancel a trip before the cruise or flight is cancelled by the carrier
• Illness and injury caused by the use or abuse of alcohol or drugs, or any related physical symptoms.
• Mental or nervous health disorder, as recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, including but not limited to Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, dementia, depression, neurosis, psychosis, or any related physical symptoms. (This exclusion applies only to trip cancellation coverage and trip interruption coverage)

The most common issue with travel insurance is wanting to change your plans arbitrarily, especially during hurricane season.

What usually happens is there is a tropical storm somewhere in the Atlantic and someone booked on a cruise wants to cancel their trip.  The cruise sailing and the flights haven't been changed or cancelled yet by the carrier, but they don't want to go anymore.  

In that scenario, cruise insurance does not cover it, because your trip is still happening. The only situation in which an insurance policy would allow you to cancel at the last minute because you do not wish to sail is a "cancel for any reason" plan.

Tips for comparing cruise travel insurance plans

It's a really good idea to compare plans before buying one. There are many coverages and plan features that are anything but a "one size fits all" situation.

The best way to compare insurance plans is to go through a travel insurance aggregator. They make it simple and easy to see how plans differ, and often do a much better job of explaining what the coverages are without legal speak.

My two favorite options are InsureMyTrip.com and TravelInsurance.com. Both charge you nothing extra to use their services, so it's free to browse. Plus, they offer ways to compare specific plans from different travel insurance companies against each other.

When comparing insurance plans, look at which coverages you want and how much you want covered.  Most importantly, verify what needs to happen for the coverage to kick in. It's a good idea to download the policy PDF document so you can read the fine print.

You can expect to find what percentage of the trip cost will be covered, as well as trip interruption. Baggage loss ranges from $500 to $1,500 per person, while medical evacuation ranges from $250,000 per person to $1 million per person.

You will also want to decide if you want a "cancel for any reason" policy. Adding it adds piece of mind, but it will drive up the cost of your policy, and it usually does not cover 100% of your trip cost.

The cost of cruise travel insurance

The cost of any travel insurance plan is dependent on how much your vacation costs, but the industry standard is around 4% to 8% of prepaid non-refundable expenses.

There are basic plans that are the cheapest, but don't cover nearly as much.  Then there are expensive plans that cover a great deal of possible scenarios that will cost you even as much as 10% or more of your trip cost.

A cruise insurance policy is priced per person, and it depends on:

• Length of the trip
• Age of each traveler
• Number of people needing insurance
• Optional coverages you add (i.e. "cancel for any reason")
• Overall vacation cost

In 2023, Royal Caribbean listed 32 different price points for its insurance, based on the total vacation cost. Its cheapest plan was $39 for a cruise value up to $250 to a $1,799 policy for a cruise costing more than $14,001.

You can get a quote online from any trip insurance provider or broker with no obligation to purchase it.

How to file a claim with your cruise travel insurance

If you ever need to use your policy, there are important things to do so that you can have your claim covered. The U.S. Travel Insurance Association says about 90 percent of claims are honored. 

The first thing to do is call your insurance company when you think you're about to do something that will be covered by the policy. It never hurts to ask to verify the scenario playing out is indeed covered, and what steps you should take along the way. Having the right documentation is important.

Speaking of documentation, you're going to need proof of a trip delay, cancellation or any event that will incur a claim. Keep any and all receipts, as well as notifications of changes in your plans. Emails and letters concerning a flight or cruise change, letters from a doctor or employer, and medical records are all good to have readily available.

In short, save receipts for everything, and ask for documentation for any medical or travel expenses.

Top travel insurance providers for cruises

There are lots of places to buy cruise travel insurance and plenty of providers, including your cruise line.  Your travel agent may even offer an insurance policy that they recommend using (and can assist you in the event you make a claim). Then there's credit card protections and third-party aggregators.

Royal Caribbean's insurance

Royal Caribbean offers trip coverage that you can buy when booking your cruise.

Cruise line travel protection is usually not the most comprehensive plan available, but it's the easiest to book since it requires a simple check box to opt into at the time of booking.

Third party insurance

There are many different travel insurance companies, such as Travelguard, AIG Travel, Allianz Travel Insurance, and Travelex Insurance.

Third party insurance providers have multiple coverages, and do a good job of including pre- and post-cruise coverage as well. They are especially good if you are looking for extremely cheap or comprehensive plans. In general, you will find a great variety of policies and prices.

These are the sort of policies a travel aggregator website will include.

Credit cards

Premium credit cards usually include travel benefits that resemble a travel insurance plan.

Depending on your credit card, it may provide reimbursement in the event of a flight delay or cancellation, your baggage is damaged, or you have a family emergency that requires you to go home.

The two most popular credit cards offering travel protections are the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the American Express Platinum card.

One "catch" with credit card protections is you must pay for the trip (sometimes completely) with the credit card you want to use for the benefits. You should also compare coverages against a regular travel insurance plan.

FAQs about Cruise Travel Insurance

What specific scenarios are covered under the "cancel for any reason" option in travel insurance policies?

The "cancel for any reason" option in travel insurance policies typically allows you to cancel your trip for reasons not covered by standard cancellation coverage, but there may be limitations, such as a deadline for cancellation and a partial refund.

How do pre-existing medical conditions affect the coverage and cost of cruise travel insurance?

Pre-existing medical conditions can affect coverage and may require a waiver for full coverage. 

Are there any differences in coverage or cost for travel insurance based on the destination of the cruise, such as the Caribbean versus Alaska?

The cost and coverage of travel insurance can vary based on the destination, with some regions potentially having higher risks or costs associated with them.

The importance of being insured on your cruise

It's unlikely you'll ever need cruise insurance, but if you do, then you'll be so glad you bought a plan.  Like all insurance, it's a waste of money until you need it.

Travel insurance varies considerably in coverages, and it's not cheap.  But it provides peace of mind and more importantly, financial assistance should the unforeseen happen to you.  It's more than a glorified medical plan, insurance is protection against major financial strife from an emergency.

Cruise ship plans can change, especially due to the weather or geopolitical incidents that occur in the final week or even days prior to a cruise sailing.  Without insurance, you're on the hook for out of pocket expenses not refunded by the cruise line.

Most importantly, compare plans and policies to determine which is the best fit for you. 

While not everyone may need insurance, it's something I believe is a good idea to have just in case. There are far worse things to spend your money on during your vacation, and the benefits cruise insurance provides can make the difference between a manageable problem and a nightmare.

How do you make dinner on a cruise ship even better? Give passengers more choice in when they can dine.

Traditionally, Royal Caribbean has offered two traditional dinner times on its ships, where guests are seated at around 5pm or 8pm. The set dinner times have been a crowd pleaser, but for some people it has always felt either too early or too late.

Royal Caribbean wants to fix this by adding a third dinner time. It may seem like a simple change, but the cruise line thinks it will greatly improve the guest experience for anyone in the dining room, even if you don't select this time.

Royal Caribbean Blog got an exclusive update that coming this year, there will be a third dining time that will be added in-between the first two times.

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage Linken D'Souza thinks the addition of a middle dining time will give guests, "more choice and variety and flexibility for their vacation."

"We're just trying to create more convenience, variety and options for our guests."

The exact time for the new seating will depend on the ship and itinerary.  It could start around 6:45pm - 7:30pm, depending on what the guest feedback is from early testing.

Mr. D'Souza said they've tested it out already on Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean is methodically rolling it out across the fleet. There isn't a set schedule yet, but Mr. D'Souza believes by the end of the year all the ships will have the additional dining time. It won't be done all at once, instead, the new option gets rolled out ship by ship.

More choices and a better cruise

At the heart of the decision to add a third dining time is the drive to improve the guest experience. Mr. D'Souza was adamant how much his team focuses on making dining better.

This idea seems to have born out of guest feedback Royal Caribbean received where traditional dining times weren't ideal, but switching to My Time Dining didn't work either.

My Time Dining offers flexible dining times, but many cruisers enjoy having the same wait staff and table assignment every night. 

"Guests who dine in the dining room love to have the same server, love to have the same table," Mr. D'Souza explained. "And a lot of people want to be able to choose that time, but they're not able to because the traditional dining times are taken. So they end up in My Time Dining."

Read more: My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

Based on early testing, guest satisfaction is higher as a result of the change, "The people who are now in this new third seating, they are rating us higher than any of the other experiences that we had, whether it was early, late or My Time."

"So we're actually seeing the highest ratings for these guests out of anybody who is dining in the dining room."

There's no menu change, no alterations to dinner on a cruise ship other than adding a new time.

"This is purely about improving the experience...None of it is impacting the guest, there's no structural changes. There's no menu changes. It's all about operational."

Evolution of dinner on a cruise

In considering the changes Royal Caribbean has made over the past few years, there's a definitive path the cruise line has taken in gradually improving dinner on a cruise.

When Royal Caribbean revisited the dining room menus in late 2022, they wanted to improve dinner by making it more predictable and not a two hour affair.

In December 2022, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said that a top complaint from passengers had been how long dinner can take some times. 

Mr. D'Souza said at a land-based restaurant, customers want dinner to take about 60-65 minutes, and since a cruise is vacation, that number would skew a bit longer.

The result was a concerted effort to make dinner speedier so that it would regularly come in at around 75 minutes.

With a more efficient Main Dining Room, there was now an opportunity that did not exist before to insert an additional middle dining time.

Should you choose My Time Dining or traditional dining?

There are good reasons to choose a set dining time or a flexible dining time for dinner in the Main Dining Room, and it all depends on your preferences.

Both options are included in your cruise fare, so the key is to understand how each works to determine which fits with your habits.

You will select a dining preference when you book a cruise. It's one of the early decisions to make as part of the booking process.

Traditional dining will have the same table number, wait staff, and table mates every night of your cruise. With this new choice, there will be three dining times to pick from:

• Early
• Middle
• Late

When you arrive for your cruise, your table number and deck will be marked on your SeaPass card so you know your dining time and location.

Each evening, you'll go to the Main Dining Room at the assigned time and head directly to your table. 

You could be seated with other passengers at traditional dinner. It depends on how big your travel party is, and which table they assign you.  Yes, you can request to have a table just for yourselves, but there's no guarantee it will be granted.  In my experience, the staff is usually good about accommodating such requests.

As Mr. D'Souza alluded to, the reason why some people prefer traditional dining is because they enjoy getting to know their waiters (and the waiters getting to know your preferences), as well as not having to worry about getting a reservation for dinner. Your table will be waiting for you each evening.

Alternatively, you can select My Time Dining, which offers the choice of what time you eat dinner.

The appeal of My Time Dining is you can choose a different dinner time depending on the schedule. If you have a shore excursion on day three, you could select a later dinner time so you have sufficient time to shower, rest, and get dressed before dinner. Then the next day, you could eat earlier.

With My Time, there's the choice of either showing up and waiting for the first available table or making a reservation in advance. It's a lot like going to a restaurant on land. 

Usually there are two lines for My Time Dining: those with a reservation, and those without. People with a reservation get priority for the next available table. Anyone without a reservation will still be seated, but they may wait longer if the dining room is busy.

How do the menus differ between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining, if at all?

The menus for My Time Dining and Traditional Dining are the same, offering the same dishes each evening. You don't have to worry about missing out on any dishes because you select either of the seatings.

Can guests switch between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining during their cruise?

Guests can request to switch between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining, but this is subject to availability and may not always be possible. 

If the dining choice you want is unavailable, be sure to ask to be put on the waiting list. If you're on the ship already, ask to speak to the head waiter to see what they can do to accommodate the change.

Are there any differences in the dress code requirements for My Time Dining compared to Traditional Dining?

The dress code for both dining options is the same, adhering to the ship's overall dress code for the evening, which can range from casual to formal depending on the night. 

Royal Caribbean has posted its new 2025-2026 deployments for the Short Caribbean and Los Angeles cruise markets.

Short Caribbean cruises, as well as those departing from Los Angeles, in 2025 and 2026 are now available to book. 

For the first time in recent memory, two Royal Caribbean ships will offer sailings from California to Mexico, ranging from 3 to 8 nights: 

• Navigator of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas

Additionally, the following ships will make short Caribbean sailings to the Eastern and/or Western Caribbean:

• Wonder of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas

The new sailings are available to book immediately.

If you're ready to begin planning your next vacation, here's a breakdown of what is offered. 

Short Caribbean sailings

Wonder of the Seas

The second largest cruise ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas, will begin offering short cruises on September 1, 2025.

Royal Caribbean shook up the short cruise market when it announced Utopia of the Seas would enter service with just short cruises.  Both Utopia and Wonder are Oasis Class cruise ships and among the largest ships in the world.

Typically, big new cruise ships sail 7-night cruises, but Royal Caribbean wants to dominate the short cruise market by offering weekend sailings on its best ships in a bid to attract new cruisers.

Wonder will continue offering 7-night cruisers from Port Canaveral until the end of August, and then moves to Miami to start the 3- and 4-night cruises.

Utopia of the Seas

Utopia of the Seas will continue offering short cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Select sailings include stops at Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Short Caribbean voyages are ideal for those seeking a shorter getaway or who might be new to cruising and cannot commit to the idea of spending a week on a ship. 

Jewel of the Seas

It's not just Royal Caribbean's big ships getting into the weekend cruise market, as Jewel of the Seas will also offer 3- and 4-night Bahamas cruises.

Jewel will sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida between April 2025 and October 2025 to offer weekend cruises.  This means Jewel will remain in the United States instead of going to Europe for the summer of 2025.

Liberty of the Seas

When Jewel of the Seas concludes her short cruise sailings, Liberty of the Seas will pick them up.

Liberty will offer cruises from Port Everglades between October 2025 and March 2026. Sailings will visit Nassau, Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Mariner of the Seas

If you'd like to take a short Caribbean cruise from Galveston, Mariner of the Seas has sailings for you.

Mariner will offer primarily 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises that visit ports in Mexico. There's also a few holiday cruises in December that are 7-nights for Mariner.

With Mariner of the Seas making short sailings to the Western Caribbean from Galveston, it's also convenient for those who live nearby and don't want to have to pay for airfare.

5-night cruises will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, while 4-night voyages will only visit Cozumel. 

Freedom of the Seas

In addition to Wonder of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas will offer short cruises from Miami.

In April 2025, Freedom wraps up her tenure in Fort Lauderdale before shifting back to Miami.

Freedom will sail 3-6-night cruises, with a 9-night sailing over New Years 2026.

Enchantment of the Seas

Short cruises from Tampa will be available on Enchantment of the Seas for the entire year. There's a mix of 4- and 5-night getaways to the western Caribbean and The Bahamas. 

Highlights of the destinations in store include Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Costa Maya, Nassau and Roatan, plus a lineup of vacations that visit Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Cruises from Los Angeles

Quantum of the Seas

Quantum of the Seas will be homeported in Los Angeles year-round offering cruises to Mexico and Catalina Island. She will be the biggest cruise ship Royal Caribbean has ever based on the west coast.

Rumors had been swirling about a second ship being added to the LA market, and it turns out the rumors were true.

Taking a cruise from the West Coast promises stunning coastal landscapes, world-class cuisine, and vibrant ports of call, such as Cabo San Lucas, which is a popular cruise port as well as a land-based vacation spot. It's known for having a party atmosphere, wildlife, and unique rock formations. 

Note that when visiting via cruise ship, you'll have to tender from the ship to shore. You'll have to wake up early to collect your ticket, so you do not waste the day onboard. 

On longer sailings from Los Angeles, you'll visit Cabo San Lucas, whereas on shorter ones you will sail to the nearby Ensenada, Mexico and/or Catalina Island.

Read more: Guide to weekend cruises: Tips for taking a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise

Navigator of the Seas

Navigator of the Seas returns to Los Angeles for another season to split the Mexican Riviera sailings with Quantum.

Navigator will still offer short 3- and 4-night cruises, but lean more into the longer sailings that go further south down the Baja Peninsula.

Navigator has been in the LA market since cruises restarted in 2021.

Upcoming deployments

The remainder of the posted deployment schedule covers cruises to China, Australia, and Singapore through April 2026. They're set to be released the weeks of March 11, April 8, and May 13, respectively. 

It's important to remember that the sailings could be released at any point within that week; they're not bound to be published on the first day of the listed week.

For example, Singapore cruises are set to launch the week of May 13; however, they could be released on May 16 or 17. 

Additionally, all itineraries are subject to change without notice.