A city as world-renowned as Paris is not something to pass up visiting ever, but is it worth it to spend just a few hours there on a 3 hour bus ride each way?

I had never been to Paris, but when my Royal Caribbean cruise ship offered a visit to Paris during my 7-night Anthem of the Seas cruise, I was too intrigued not to give it a try.

The "catch" with this tour is the extreme distances between where the cruise ship docks and the destination.  In the case of Paris, it's about a 2.5 hour ride each way without traffic or any stops along the way.

These sort of extreme bus tours are common for cruise ships, because the allure of visiting these special places is too great to ignore.

I had done a similar 2 hour each way bus tour to Bordeaux, France earlier in the week, and came away loving the city.

The issue is does the transportation time back and forth outweigh the experience in Paris.

The beginning of a long travel day

Our day began at 8:40am when we reported to meet up for the tour.  Like all shore excursions, they typically begin in the theater of the cruise ship.

Once our tour was called, we boarded coach buses to begin the journey.

The seating is quite tight, and I found the leg space to be very sparse.  That's fine on a short journey, but after a couple of hours it gets uncomfortable, especially if you're big or tall.

The ride was uneventful, with a pit stop at a gas station along the way.  Unfortunately, we were delayed an extra 10 minutes because one couple took longer to return.  This can happen on any group shore excursion, but every minute counts in Paris.

Arriving in the city, there was weekend traffic to contend with and we were dropped off right at the Arc de Triumph at 12:20pm.

Our tour escort informed us to return back to the bus at 3:45pm so we could depart at 4pm.  That's just about 3.5 hours of total time to enjoy Paris.

A short window to do a lot

It was a bit overwhelming deciding what to do once we got to Paris given it was already lunch time and we only had a few hours.

I opted to simply walk and see as much as I could on foot in that timeframe.

My goals were to see a few sights, eat some local food, and grab souvenirs for the family back home.  

I purposefully skipped museums or tours just because I could not afford to spend 2 hours at just one activity. 

I found tickets for the Musée d'Orsay, which is a fabulous museum dedicated to French art, but I'm not nearly into art enough to make that worthwhile. It's a microcosm of the larger issue in having so few hours in a city like Paris. 

I started at the Arc, stopping only to snap a few photos before power walking down the Champs-Élysées. I think it benefited me that I grew up near New York City, so the Fifth Avenue vibe of this area was lost on me and I was okay bypassing it.

I was pretty hungry, so I made a few stops for food to power me through my day.

I found a kebab place for a quick (and cheap) bite to eat, followed by tracking down a great French coffee shop across the River Seine.

I followed that up with a chocolate croissant and a baguette.  I felt I ticked those necessary boxes, although it would have been nice to actually sit down at a cafe or restaurant.

A passing rain shower halted me in my tracks for about 15 minutes before I decided to brave the weather and duck in and out of souvenir shops.

The rain passed, and I got the Eiffel Tour.

Once again, no time (or tickets) to go up and get a view.  Rather, I circumnavigated the park around it and got my photos.

While a museum has a lot to offer, I really feel monuments like the Arc de Triumph or Eiffel Tower can easily be seen, photographed, and then moved on from.  Maybe that's my weird take.

By now I had less than 2 hours left, and I crossed the Seine again on a mission to pick up a few more souvenirs and find a restroom.

Even though I was alone and was able to power walk a lot, it was difficult to find time to even crack open a smidge of what Paris has to offer.  It reminded me a lot of Washington D.C. back home, in the sense there's just so many places to go see.

I considered a hop on, hop off bus tour, but didn't think the timeframe I had to work with was worth it.  If I had 2-3 more hours, it might have changed that equation.

I made it back to the bus right on time with a few minutes to spare, souvenirs in hand, and an empty bladder.

Worth it if this is your only opportunity

There's no question a shore excursion like this is not the way to see Paris, but for a lot of people, this may be their only opportunity.

I had never been to Paris before and I really wanted to go. Plus, I'm not sure when my next opportunity will be to visit Paris.

In addition, if I didn't go to Paris, I would have been relegated to touring Le Havre, where my ship docked.  While I'm certain Le Havre is a nice city, it's not Paris. And I fear I would have had FOMO the entire day from having not gone and regretted wasting my chance.

One critique of the tour was we got back much earlier than I anticipated.  Our bus got us back to the ship exactly at 7pm, but all aboard was not until 9:30pm.  

The main reason I booked this tour instead of taking the train on my own was for the piece of mind I would not miss the ship if we were late coming back. However, we could have easily had another 1-2 hours in Paris and that would have added so much value.

Ultimately, a 3.5 hour visit to Paris with 5-6 hours of bus rides is not ideal and not convenient. However, it's better than nothing and a good taste of what the city has to offer.

Your better bet is to visit Paris before or after your cruise, and get a few days to explore.  Couple that with a few days in London and you have a great European vacation!

Can a free tour really compete with a shore excursion offered by the cruise line?

My 7-night Anthem of the Seas cruise would take me to the Spanish town of La Coruna, and I was looking at ideas for what tours to book.

Usually I book a shore excursion through Royal Caribbean or simply explore on my own. Before I could pick one of these options, one of our readers, Leeor, emailed me with an alternative.

"I thought you might want to try a free walking tour for Bilbao and Coruna," he wrote in his email after hearing about my cruise plans.

"Those tours are with local guides who love their city, are tip based, and are a great way to make the most out of a short visit. They usually last about two hours and my wife and I always do one when we first get to a new European destination."

I have to admit, I was skeptical because I worried how good a completely free shore excursion could really be. However, it sounded like the perfect introduction to a port I've never been to before. Plus, it was only 1 or 2 hours, so it was a very low barrier to entry.

I went ahead and booked my tours through GuroWalk, which lists a few different tours in each of the cities. Sure enough, they're free and all you have to do is book it in advance via the website or app.

The "catch" to these tours being free is you're encouraged to tip at the end based on the quality of the tour.

I booked a walking tour in Bilbao and La Coruna, although the Bilbao tour got cancelled a couple days before my reservation because the guide was sick. I ended up exploring Bilboa on my own and had a great time.

Once the tour is confirmed, you get an email with where to meet and who to look for. Transportation is on your own, but this tour advertised as being good for cruise ship guests and it was a very short walk from where Anthem of the Seas docked to the the statue of María Pita meeting spot.

The confirmation email also has a link to Google Maps to be able to easily get walking directions to where to meet. Because I bought an eSim for this cruise, I was able to easily use my phone around Europe without costly roaming charges.

Sure enough, about 10 minutes before the tour began, the guide was waiting where he said he'd be with an orange umbrella.

Our guide, Cesar, greeted me and said we'd wait for the others. He indicated he expected about 9 of us in total, although only 5 would end up showing.

Cesar lives in a suburb of La Coruna, and he does these tours on a volunteer basis. I asked him how many people usually show up for them, and he said it varies considerably, but the groups are much larger at the peak of summer in June and July.

Joining me on the tour was a solo French tourist and a three people from England on a motor bike tour of Europe.

Cesar had a speaker with him, but did not need it given how small the group was. He started by explaining the significance of the plaza we were meeting at, and why there's a giant statue of María Pita. She's the heroine of the city who helped defeat an English attack in the 16th century.

Cesar carefully explained the details of each site we would visit, pointing out the historical significance, architectural intricacies, and other facts about the area.

Although he apologized for his English, I thought he was very easy to understand and extremely knowledgeable. In fact, I was blown away how much he knew. Being a free tour, I was expecting someone who was a walking Google Map at best, but he knew lots of details and clearly was well-versed in the information.

I was also leery of a glorified sales pitch, but once again, he had no angle or anything he was pushing.

We took a very leisurely pace through the old city of La Coruna, and made at least 9 stops that I could count.

We visited historic churches, military buildings of significance, scenic overlooks, and famous spots.

The tour took 2 hours, although he volunteered to keep going longer. I would have taken him up on the offer, but it was 12:30pm and I was getting very hungry for lunch. To his credit, he provided a Google Map link with all of his favorite restaurants in the area.

At the end of the tour, I tipped him €20, although I observed others were tipping about €10 per person.

I was very impressed by this tour offering, and I think Leeor is definitely right these are great introductions to any European city to get a sense of the place before you venture off on your own.

If you're someone who wants to get a walking tour of a city, GuruWalk seems like a really good choice. 

During our tour, we passed other tours that were significantly larger groups and clearly from the cruise ship. I can't speak to what they may have included beyond the walking tour, but I felt good about my choice in tours.

As an example, the "Historic Old Town Stroll" shore excursion offered by Royal Caribbean costs $50.99 per adult ($30.99 per child) and its description sounds exactly like what we saw on our free tour.

The downsides to the GuruWalk tours are there's no telling how big your group will be, nor who your guide will actually be. And there may only be one or two tours offered that fit for a cruise ship visitor.

Moreover, these are quick walking tours. If you're looking to see more than a few square blocks, a paid cruise ship shore excursion might be a superior choice.

But if you're looking to get a look at what makes the city you're visiting interesting and then go off on your own after, these might be a good option for a city port visit.

Save this blog on Pinterest

I wasn't sure how to approach planning my Royal Caribbean visit to Bilbao, Spain, until I was watching late night reruns on TV.

Some evenings I'll put on a TV show I've seen dozens of times just to have on in the background while I browse the web, take care of family matters, or call friends and family.  A few weeks ago, I had "No Reservations" show on and I thought I should explore a port like Anthony Bourdain would.

Anthony Bourdain is a famous chef turned world traveler, and he documented his journeys by going to a city or region and going beyond the stereotypes. I always appreciated his blend of culture, history, and of course food.

On my visit to Bilbao, Spain as part of my 7-night Anthem of the Seas cruise, I decided to try it out.  I did some research into what Bilbao offers, and found a tour idea from the show's web archive.

More than a museum

This was my first time in Spain ever, and Bilbao is anything but what I expected.

The city transformed itself over the last 30 plus years, to move from an industrial history to a new age city that clings to its Basque traditions.

Basque is an important word, because Bilbao is the epicenter of what's known as Basque country.  Located between Bilbao, Spain, north to Bayonne, France, is a region known as the land of the Basques. This area is best known for impressive architecture, art, and even its beaches.

The Guggenheim Museum that opened in 1997 is probably what most people think of, but there's a lot more to see here.

It's a beautiful city, situated in front of the Pyrenees Mountains, with a mix of medieval history, modern touches, and a people who speak Spanish second behind the Basque language.

A botxo breakfast

The residents of Bilbao is called, botxo, and I wanted to start my day with a typical breakfast they'd have.

I went to a bakery in the old city of Bilbao to find a bollo de mantequilla, which is a brioche-like bun, sliced open and spread with a French buttercream-style whipped mixture.  

Pastelería Arrese had lots of choices, reminding me the tantalizing choices I found yesterday at the boulangerie in Bordeaux.

I couldn't help but sample a few things, including the chocolate-dipped croissants.

To go with it, I stopped at coffee bar next door to get cafe con leche, figuring it would compliment it really well.

While I could have had my usual breakfast on the ship in the Windjammer, it's not often I have the opportunity to enjoy the kind of freshly baked pastries Europe is well-known for.

A day in the market

My next stop was to see where locals get fresh meat and produce, and I went to the largest covered market in Europe.

The Mercado de la Ribera is on the banks of the Nervión River and it's a 100,000 square foot building that sells meats, cheeses, fresh fish, and more.

The market began in the 14th century, and in 1929, architect Pedro Ispizua designed a space that purposefully had open spaces and not a single interior column, so that there would be free circulation of air to whisk away any lingering scents.

The building has stained glass windows, and an Art Deco motif to its exterior. 

I didn't buy anything, but it was undeniably cool to walk through and see all the choices available to buy. I wish I was spending a few days in Bilbao, because I would have loved to grab a few things and cooked something at an Airbnb.

Exploring the old city

I spent most of my day in Casco Viejo, which is the name of the old quarter of the city.

There are a number of gothic churches within this area, and the streets look like something you'd expect to find in an Old European city. Narrow streets with brick and cobblestone roads. It was one of those areas I wandered to see what was around the next corner.

Across the river is Bilbao la Vieja, which is an area that has changed a lot over the last few decades.

The streets in this space are covered with urban wall art, where prestigious international artists  (like Trakabarraka) make their contributions.

While there's new spaces, you'll also find Spain's history inbetween.  It's not uncommon to turn a corner and find an old church or a building facade from centuries ago.

I wrapped up my tour of Bilbao La Vieja with a stop in a local bar that blends history and modernity.

I got to Peso Neto before they started food service, so I had to "settle" for just a cold beer and locals coming and going. 

It's a neighborhood spot serving creative tapas, and I really wish I could have sampled some of the dishes they had on the menu.

Going up Mount Artxanda

The sun was shining and there were barely any clouds in the sky, so I wanted to get the best view of Bilbao.

For just a few Euros, you can take a ride up Mount Artxanda on a 100-year-old cable car that climbs up the mountain.

At the top, is an absolutely stunning view of all of Bilbao and the surrounding area.

I could have sat here for hours to take in the view. Between the scenery, gentle breeze, and comfortable temperatures, it's the sort of place you can't get sick of.

Street food lunch

While Spain is well-known for tapas, I couldn't help myself and stop for my favorite street food in Europe.

Ever since my first trip to Europe last year, I developed a guilty pleasure for doner kebab, which is Turkish dish that consists of seasoned meat cooked vertically, and then shaved off.

You can get it served in a few ways, but usually it's in a pita or a wrap.  

As I walked back from the funicular that took me up the mountain, I saw it and couldn't resist.

It really hit spot, and it might not be the last time I have kebab on this trip.

Urban art

To round out my day, I thought it would be appropriate to see some art in a city known for it.

While the Guggenheim Museum is where most would go to find art, I decided to take a walk through the city and find the various murals by Bada, Fermín Moreno, and Jorge Rubio. 

Urban art is the kind of art someone like myself can appreciate. You can enjoy it without committing to a day (or even a few hours) at a museum.

On my walk, I saw more of Bilbao, including gardens and busy streets. It's a big city, with lots happening and while my feet were hurting after the "short" 25 minute walk, I was glad to have seen more of the modern parts of Bilbao.

I eventually made my way to the Plaza Kirikiño, which features giant murals against buildings. 

The art encompasses 2,200 square meters and is based on geometric and chromatic shapes, related to the architecture itself.

Like so much of Bilbao, I wish I had more time to stop at one of the many bars I passed by to grab a drink and take in the view.

Not the city I expected

Bilbao is anything but a formulaic European city.  It has a blend of old and new, didn't even remind me of a stereotypical European city.

I relished going beyond tapas and the Guggenheim to see more of what Bilbao had to offer.  While I think I would have enjoyed those things as well, I headed back to my cruise ship with a pretty good checklist of new experiences under my belt.

For anyone visiting Bilbao, I'd recommend taking the 20 minute Uber ride from where cruise ships dock in Getxo to take in all that it has to offer. Bring a few Euros, explore what's around the next corner, and come hungry for more.

Bordeaux is seemingly synonymous with wine, but I found a city with so much to offer beyond le vin.

The first port stop on our Anthem of the Seas 7-night cruise brings us to the city of La Rochelle, which is a couple hours drive from Bordeaux.

One of the conundrums of this particular itinerary is to settle for the small city experience or take the time to see a major draw. 

Since it's my first time in France and I'm not sure the next time I'll be able to visit here, it made sense to me to sign up for the journey to Bordeaux.

Bordeaux is a little more than a 2 hour bus ride from where cruise ships dock in La Rochelle.  When you have an extreme distance like that, booking a shore excursion through the cruise line is the only logical option to avoid being left behind because of a travel delay.

Read more: Why booking my cruise shore excursions in Europe with the cruise line was the best decision

Our tour began at 8am and met at the Royal Theater.  Minutes after Anthem was cleared by the local authorities, our tour was the first to be called to go.

I signed up for the "Bordeaux On Your Own" tour, which provides bus transportation back and forth and that's it.

The bus is your typical coach bus with plenty of air conditioning and a bathroom in the back. I liked there were USB plugs at each set of seats, although the legroom was very minimal.

We were dropped off at the Allées de Tourny right in the middle of Bordeaux. We were told we'd have a little more than 3 hours to explore on our own, and to meet back at a designated time.  C'est ca et au reviour!

I specifically booked this tour because I want to explore the city on my own, as I see fit.

Bordeaux is well known for its wine culture, but wine wasn't my main draw. I like wine, but I'm not a "wine person".  However, I warmed up to the wine scene in the city quite quickly.

Wine or not, the first thing I wanted was a really good French bakery and cafe.  It was still morning, and I had this overwhelming desire to try it.

One of the best things about Europe is how much there is to see.  As soon as I left the bus, I ran right into Basilique Saint-Michel, which is a Gothic church in the center of the city.

On the bus ride over I researched some places to go, and found a coffee shop and boulangerie across the street from each other that were highly recommended.

The Sip Coffee Bar was my first stop, and I had a cup of iced coffee that was served in a beaker.  Cute idea, and the coffee was so much better than what I could get at home.

I then walked across the street to Boulangerie Jocteur, and I was met with an overwhelming choices of breads, pastries, croissants, and more.

It was one of those places I wish I could bring home a box of goodies, but I also did not want to fill up immediately and ruin my appetite for the rest of the day.

I went with a croissant and baguette.  Basic, sure, but I felt I wanted to start with the hits, and the food did not disappoint.  It probably ruined croissants for the rest of my life back home.

With my belly full, I wanted to do some exploring.  The Old Town area of Bordeaux is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Perhaps the most iconic landmark is Porte Cailhau, which was a gate built to protect the city in 1496. I only walked by the port, but visitors can also climb to the top of the 35-meter tower for unobstructed views of the city.

I then caught sight of the Garonne river, which has a beautiful walkway along the left bank. It's the kind of waterfront walk where you not only get a great view, but you can see so many sights along the way.

It helped the temperature outside was so comfortable, with highs in the upper 80s and no humidity. As someone that lives in Florida, it's always so refreshing when you can spend time outdoors in the summer and not sweat profusely to the point of hating it.

The "Miroir d'Eau" (water mirror) was a fun stop that's across from the Place de la Bourse monument. It alternates a mirror effect and artificial misting in an extraordinary way. 

By now my mind was telling me my readers would hate on me if I went to Bordeaux and didn't have any wine, so I decided to give it a try.

I wandered the streets of Bordeaux for a bit to find a wine bar.  There are plenty of bistros and cafes, but I didn't want to go to a cafe that had a limited selection.

I eventually ran across Coumé Vaï, which serves wine by the bottle and glass, along with cheese and charcuterie options.

I'm not a wine expert at all, so I asked the woman working behind the counter to recommend a couple of wines to try that were from the region.

She picked out two, and I give it a try.

I really liked the flavor of both, with the first being quite fruity and the second extremely dry. 

If I had more time in Bordeaux, I could see myself enjoying a couple of glasses in the evening to wind down the day. 

For lunch, I wasn't sure where to eat because there were so many delicious restaurants. You could not go down a street without running into one or two restaurants that looked really good. I wished I'd had time to try more places.

This may sound crazy, but I went with an Italian restaurant for lunch.  Being in Europe, the food is good beyond the traditional foods of the host country, and in my research, I found a few intriguing Italian restaurants.  As a pizza snob at home, I was drawn immediately to give it a try.

I ended up at Le Murano, which has a large outdoor terrace.  Eating outside at a small table feels so French, even if it's Italian food.

I ordered a margarita pizza, and it was exactly what I wanted. Great food I can't get at home, with unrivaled scenery. 

I would have loved to have more time to go shopping and venture further south. There are many locally-owned boutiques that sell just about everything.

I was mostly in the Saint-Michel "quartier" of Bordeaux, and it's a very cosmopolitan neighborhood along with its rich history.

I especially enjoyed exploring Bordeaux and simply walking to see what's around the next corner. The food scene, charming history, and independent shops really made Bordeaux stand out beyond the wine it's well-known for.

Certainly wine enthusiasts will love it, but non-drinkers can find lots to see too. 

My visit gave me a new taste for all there is to discover in the famous wine region. I would love to come back and spend more time here.  This is, after all, one of the best reasons to cruise because it gives you a taste of what the world has to offer, and you can always come back for more.

My first sea day on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas took me straight through a body of water well-known for having bad weather and rough seas.

The Bay of Biscay is located west of France in an area and north of Spain, and it's not somewhere you might think as being troublesome until you do some research.

The second day of our 7-night cruise was a sea day, taking us to our first port stop of La Rochelle, France. Before we can get there on day 3, we'd need to traverse the bay.

In the morning, there was a consistent and gentle rocking of the ship.  It was clear the seas had a rolling motion to them, and that resulted in motion onboard.

Motion on a cruise ship is not uncommon and it affects everyone differently.  Some people are thrown off by the slightest movement, while others relish a good pitch and roll to the ocean.

I prefer calm seas, but while the motion was noticeable, it was far from the worst I've experienced.

One of the best strategies for minimizing the sensation of movement on a cruise ship is to go to an area on a low deck and mid ship.  I went down to deck 3 for brunch in the dining room.

Anthem of the Seas does not have a Main Dining Room, but rather, four smaller dining rooms that effectively serve as the same thing.  It's a result of an abandoned concept to reinvent the Main Dining Room that ultimately failed.

Read more: Five times Royal Caribbean changed its mind after announcing something

Brunch is not something you see all the time on Royal Caribbean ships in the Main Dining Room, but it's a treat when they do have it.  Frankly, I don't know the impetus for why they offer it on one sailing or another, but I've seen it before without any consistency. 

In order to embrace the spirit of brunch, I ordered an omelet and a burger. Surprisingly, the burger was my favorite of the two.

After breakfast, the movement was noticeably worse, and I assumed this is where the Bay of Biscay gets its bad reputation.

Luckily, the crossing is only one day (and of course the inevitable return back later in the cruise) and while the seas were rough, the weather was quite comfortable.  Partly cloudy with peeks of sun.

I did not have to take any seasickness medication, as I kept myself busy with events.  There's no shame in taking seasickness medication, as there have been times it's affected me.

Read more: How to prevent seasickness on a cruise

My best advice if you're worried about getting seasick is to be prepared in advance. I always travel with over-the-counter pills I can take to combat it.

My seasickness pills of choice are Bonine.

You could speak to your doctor about getting a prescription for a patch to wear, or preemptively take seasickness medication before the cruise begins and everyday thereafter.

The first event of the day was the Top Tier event, where Royal Caribbean invites anyone with Platinum status or above in Crown and Anchor Society to attend.

It's essentially a big thank you party for being loyal, and I really appreciate they do this to show their appreciation for its customers. It's not an event that will wow you, but if they're going to put on something for guests as recognition, I'll go.  Plus there's free alcohol!

Speaking of Crown and Anchor, I tried something I've never done for my next event.

Cheers with an Officer is a special meal offered for Pinnacle Club guests where there's a special lunch held exclusively for Royal Caribbean's top cruisers.

I had never gone before because I always thought it was too stuffy and I didn't know anyone.  This time, I decided to give it a try, mostly because I'm sailing solo on this cruise and could use some friendly conversation.

I met a fellow Pinnacle Club member, Alice from Wales, who said hello at the Top Tier event and since I'd have someone to converse with, decided to give it a try.

You're seated at a large table with other Pinnacle Club guests and served what is basically the Chops Grille lunch menu. You're also offered glasses of champagne or wine.  All of this is complimentary.

The meal begins with the Captain giving a toast, and we had other officers present to join in.  After the toast, the officers leave and it's a meal with your fellow guests.

Almost everyone was from England at our table, with a couple from Texas and another couple from Germany. As you might imagine at a table full of top cruisers, the conversation was mostly about cruising.

I ordered the salmon and wild mushroom soup.

It was a fun experience, and while I might not go every single time they offer it, I did like the opportunity to talk with other cruisers and have a good conversation with lunch.

After lunch, it was time to get to work on this blog.  There's a 6 hour time difference between France/Spain and the east coast of the United States, so my usual working hours get delayed a bit.

Towards the afternoon, I recorded my YouTube live session from the Solarium.  

I noticed by now the ocean conditions had improved and the motion had subsided considerably. This seems to play right into what people say about the Bay of Biscay, given it can change a lot.

The Bay is Biscay isn’t always rough, and I would not advise anyone to not cruise through it purely on reputation. Most importantly, cruising through the Bay of Biscay is not dangerous.  Royal Caribbean's ships are designed to handle much worse, but the Captain will take necessary actions to avoid any areas that look particularly bad.

For the evening, I decided to hit the casino once more.  It would be a short evening, because I have early morning plans once we reach France.

Royal Caribbean will build more of the world's largest cruise ships.

The company confirmed on Tuesday that it has signed an agreement to build a fourth Icon Class ship, with options to build a fifth and sixth Icon Class ship.

The options essentially mean that while Royal Caribbean has not committed to ordering them, the space is allocated within the shipyard if they decide later on to place an order.

The fourth Icon Class cruise ship is expected to be delivered sometime in 2027.

Royal Caribbean did not announce the ship's name or any new features we can expect on the fourth ship yet.

Just like the first three Icon Class ships, the order has been placed with Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku. The first Icon Class ship, Icon of the Seas, was delivered in January 2024 and Star of the Seas is expected to enter service in August 2025.

A third unnamed Icon Class ship will be delivered in 2026.

Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty issued a statement celebrating the order, “Building on the incredible momentum and market response to the launch of Icon of the Seas and the excitement for its sister ship, Star of the Seas, coming in 2025, we’re thrilled to join with Meyer Turku once again to expand our roster of Icon Class ships and continue our future growth plans.

“Since its debut, Icon has changed the game in vacation experiences and exceeded our expectations in both guest satisfaction and financial performance.”

The new standard in the cruise industry

Ever since Icon of the Seas launched in January 2024, Icon of the Seas has set a new standard that all other cruise ships are judged against.

While new cruise ships generate hype, Icon of the Seas delivered on it with a number of innovations and accolades beyond her size.

The Icon Class ships have the largest waterpark and ice rink at sea, eight neighborhoods to explore, a food hall, and so much more. 

Icon of the Seas measures an astonishing 250,800 gross registered tons and can carry a maximum of 7,600 passengers. There are 28 different stateroom categories.

Matching other cruise line new ship orders

One trend within the cruise industry is placing new ship orders.

Royal Caribbean joins a number of other lines that placed new cruise ship orders this year, and this has been a big year for orders.

The cruise industry refrained from placing new orders over the last 4 years due to the sizeable debt they accrued related to the cruise industry shutdown of 2020-2021.

Carnival Cruise Line placed an order in July for 3 new ships, which was placed a few months after Carnival ordered two more ships for its Excel Class series of vessels. 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings ordered a whopping 8 new ships in April 2024.

No orders yet for its rumored plans

While Royal Caribbean placed an order for more Icon Class ships, it did not order the other ships many have expected.

The Discovery Class of ships is expected to be a new smaller class of cruise ship by Royal Caribbean, with the word "smaller" being a relative term.

Executives have hinted at the project's existence, but nothing has been officially announced or confirmed.

In August 2024, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about the plans in an interview he did, "We’re working now on another class of ship called Discovery Class. So, that’s going to be super exciting. That’ll come in about another 3 to 4 years from now."

Rumors have been circling for years about Royal Caribbean’s upcoming plans to build new ships of smaller size. However, the cruise line has not confirmed many details about Project Discovery.

I've spent hundreds of nights on cruise ships, and boarding a Royal Caribbean ship in a seasonal market like Southampton, England is easier than a lot of full time cruise ports in the United States.

Getting on any cruise ship isn't difficult, but some homeports are more difficult than others.

As someone that cruises every month, I've seen just about every embarkation day experience imaginable, and I was pleasantly surprised how easy the process was in Southampton.

I flew to London from my home in Orlando, Florida for a 7-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas that will take me to ports in Northern France and Spain.

I spent two days in London before taking the train down to Southampton.  The train is easy and affordable.  It was about €50 for a first class ticket if purchased in advance, and it's just a one hour and 20 minute ride from London's Waterloo station to Southampton Central.

The train is very efficient and fast. England's roads are notorious for traffic delays, and the train is a great alternative. 

One downside to taking the train is the lack of space for luggage. Regular size luggage that you would check on an airplane do not fit in the overhead bins, and the only recourse was for everyone to shove their luggage in the boarding area between the doors. If I was taking my family, I'd probably have to opt for a car service because of how much luggage we typically have.

Once I arrived at Southampton, it was a short 5 minute taxi ride to where Anthem of the Seas was docked.

While boarding was delayed, the process went very smoothly once it got started.

At first, I was surprised there was no special line for suite guests and Pinnacle Club members.  But it really did not matter, as they efficiently moved guests through security and check-in. The claim that Brits love to queue definitely seems to be true!

What made the process smooth was there were multiple points for the staff to check guests in, both before and after security. Even though no one was verifying anyone's check-in time, the crowd wasn't large enough to overwhelm the staff.

It took me probably 10 minutes at the most to get from curb to ship, and most of that was because I seem to always pick the longest security line, every time.

To Royal Caribbean's credit, once onboard the ship, the embarkation day experience was quite consistent.  Muster stations were open to quickly take care of the emuster check-in, and then it was off to lunch.

I opted to lunch at the Windjammer buffet, primarily because I wanted to enjoy my food outdoors. On most Quantum Class ships, there is outdoor seating at the rear of the Windjammer, and I loved the pleasant temperatures and cool breeze.  The high temperature was in the upper 60s and it was partly sunny. That's like summer weather in England.

While the check-in process was super smooth, the one area that baffled me was when staterooms would be ready. Unfortunately, cabins were not ready until 2:30pm.  Usually cabins are ready by 1pm, or 2pm at the very latest.

I'm guessing Anthem was delayed in getting into port and that backed everything up. Luckily, it did not impact the check-in process too much, but cabin attendants needed more time.

I actually went down to check if the rooms were ready at 1:30, 2, and then finally 2:30.  It took to exactly 2:30 for the cabins to be open to guests.

For this cruise, I booked a standard balcony cabin on deck 7. It's pretty much like any balcony cabin I've stayed in on other ships, and I especially like how much storage space and extra outlets Quantum Class cabins have. Back in 2015 when Anthem launched, this was a really big deal.  Now, we all expect it.

One difference you'll notice in this cabin is the electric kettle.  On cruises from the United Kingdom, all cabins have an electric kettle in the cabin by default so passengers can make their own tea.

A quick power nap later and we were off to begin out journey.

On this itinerary, we'll visit four ports of call: La Rochelle, France; Bilbao, Spain; La Coruna, Spain; Le Havre (Paris), France.

I wasn't sure where I wanted to eat dinner tonight, and decided to take the easy option and go to the Windjammer. If I'm being honest, I looked at the Main Dining Room menu and saw no French Onion Soup, so I skipped it.

The Asian stir fry station in the Windjammer alone made it the right choice.

After dinner, it was time to head to the casino for some luck. 

Since I've already attained Prime status in the Casino Royale program, I'm not chasing points on this cruise and decided to play craps.

Table games, such as craps, are fun, but don't pay out points as well as slot machines do.

I ended up playing with the same money I started with for about two hours, and ended up doubling my money. Not a bad start to my cruise!

Tomorrow is a sea day as we head south.

When I booked a European cruise, I purposefully planned to arrive a few days early so that I could have a better cruise experience.

Cruise experts will always advocate flying in at least one day before a cruise begins, but that tip is primarily about ensuring a travel delay does not prevent you from missing your cruise.  While this is sage advice, there's one other really good reason to arrive early.

When your cruise goes out of an area with significant cultural and historical significance (sorry Port Canaveral), you'll likely want to explore on land as much as ensuring you don't miss the ship.

My 7-night France and Spain cruise on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas was scheduled to depart on a Sunday, but I flew in Thursday night so I could have a few days in London prior to the cruise beginning.

My primary impetus for coming in two days early was so that I would make the cruise, but the opportunity to see London was just as important. In retrospect, I made a few mistakes along the way that I won't repeat on my next visit.

Not starting with jetlag

Probably the single largest concern I had prior to my trip was being jetlagged and it ruining my cruise.

No matter what strategy you have to fight jetlag, the more time you have to acclimate to local time, the better your chances of jetlag not messing up your ship tour plans.

Unfortunately, sleeping on an airplane wasn't in the cards for me on this trip. I read, listened to music, and watched movies. I attempted — and failed — to fall asleep.

Because I booked this cruise as the primary reason for travel, I was more concerned with being optimized for the cruise, than my time in London.  While I would have been disappointed to miss out on time in London, that was always a bonus for my overall trip.

Because I didn't sleep at all on my flight over, I stayed up all day while in England and then finally went to bed after 36 hours being awake.  It wasn't easy, but I felt like I avoided the worst of the jetlag and the morning of my cruise, I was ready to go.

Even if you break every jetlag advice out there, if you have a few days to sleep it off and get yourself set, you'll have a better cruise.

Mistake: Taking the train from the airport

I did a fair amount of research prior to my trip on how to tackle London, and a lot of the YouTube videos I watched implored to use the train between London Heathrow airport and the city.

I found this to be mistake in the sense going on a train with full-size (and heavy) luggage is cumbersome, difficult, and a giant pain.

Not only are there long distances to pull the luggage around, but there are stairs and platforms to traverse that are not easy with a lot of luggage.

The advice is spot on with how to save money, but it's really meant for someone backpacking or traveling with carry-on luggage.

The only saving grace was I was traveling solo, because if I tried to do this with my family, it would have resulted in a lot of tears of frustration.

If you have big pieces of luggage, my advice is spend extra on an Uber ride, car service, or taxi.

Balancing tourist traps & the real deal

If you read enough articles and videos about what to do in London, there's lots of conjecture about what's worth your time or not, and inevitably I found myself weighing the pros and cons of any activity.

Part of my strategy to avoid not falling asleep on my first day in London was to get out and explore.  I knew sitting in my Airbnb rental would just lead to sleep, so I deliberately got out and walked around.

The biggest issue I found is picking things you want to do and how to see the most without succumbing to heavy tourist traps.

Certainly everyone wants to see Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, and the like. The problem is the insane crowds that are there most of the day.

I found it best to take a leisurely walking tour of the area so I could see them, take photos, but not commit to going in for a tour. My rationale is the most notable thing about them is being able to say you saw it and take a photo. What the hallways, portraits, and artifacts found inside are all about is less memorable.

That probably sounds like a cold approach to it, but I wanted to maximize my time and see more. 

I ran across a great tip for an alternative to the hop on, hop off buses.  Those bus tours cost around 40 pounds per person, but instead you can hop on the route number 11 bus for just 1.65 per person and the loop goes by many of the major attractions in Central London.

I also took time to walk along the Thames River on the south bank of the Thames, which gives you great views of the major sights. 

There are inexpensive boat tours you can take, or enjoy a leisurely stroll. The walk between Westminster Bridge and Tower Bridge allows you to see:

• London Eye
• The Shard
• London Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, Hungerford Bridge & Golden Jubilee Bridges
• Southwark Cathedral
• London County Hall
• Shakespeare’s Globe
• Royal Festival Hall
• Houses of Parliament
• Westminster Abbey
• Tower of London

There's so much to see around London, which is why I found it advantageous to take in sights as I passed by.

Mistake: Not prioritizing outdoor activities when weather is good

The stereotype that it's always cloudy and raining in England is not that far off from the truth, so take advantage of good weather when you can.

I had near perfect weather on the first day I was in London. It was mostly sunny, comfortable temperatures, and a nice breeze.  It was very pleasant to be outside and walk around.

While I did do a lot of walking around the Thames river, I wish I had spent more time prioritizing outdoor activities I thought I could do the next day.

The second day was mostly a rain out, and I don't care how motivated you are to see outdoor sights rain or shine, it's miserable being outside in the rain.

I would recommend having a list of what you want to see and do, and double down on anything outdoors when it's nice out.  Save the museums and shows for rainy days whenever possible.

Mistake: Taking the stairs at Covent Garden station

196 stairs or the elevator, and I thought taking the stairs up wouldn't be so bad.

What was I thinking taking the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator?!

Despite the stairs mistake, Covent Garden is a fun area to go I liked all the different vendors selling all sorts of souvenirs. 

Going on a European cruise sounds like the perfect way to see the world, but if you're flying across the Atlantic, it's critical you start the trip on the right foot.

I flew from my home in Florida to London in order to board an Anthem of the Seas cruise departing from Southampton. It's a new itinerary with lots of firsts for me.

The problem is fighting jetlag before it hits so that you're not sleeping away half the cruise while getting acclimated to local time.

Prior to my trip, I read the same piece of advice over and over again: don't sleep until it's bed time so you can adjust to local time.

It's a solid strategy, but you have to consider what time you'll arrive in Europe and how feasible it is to stay awake.

Flight times matter

I thought I hit the jackpot by having a direct flight between Orlando and London, because flying internationally and catching connecting flights seems like a recipe for a disaster.

What I did not take into account was what time I'd arrive in London and how difficult it would be to follow everyone's advice.

My flight departed Florida at 5:30pm (actually it was 6:30pm due to weather and traffic delays), which got me into London at a few minutes before 7am.

This meant I would have to stay awake for about 36 hours in order to follow the strategy.

Oh but Matt, you can sleep on the airplane!

While there might be unconfirmed cases of human beings able to sleep on an airplane, I am not that person. Moreover, the departure time meant my brain thought it was still too early to go to sleep, and I only really started to get drowsy in the final two hours of the flight.

I'm sure some would point out different drug and alcohol cocktails to make me sleepy, but I really hate feeling out of control on a plane. 

Ultimately, the flight time is what mattes the most.  Ideally, you'll get a flight that gets you into Europe in the afternoon or evening, so there are just a few hours to remain awake.

Ignoring jetlag could lead to missing too much of the cruise

The longer you put off adjusting to local time, the harder it is to break the cycle of waking up too early and going to sleep too early.

For an itinerary that's brand new to me visiting the northern coast of Spain and France, I did not want to squander the opportunity by sleeping.

On other trips when I've been jetlagged, I recall how frustrating it would be to wake up around 3 or 4am, and then want to go to sleep for the night in the afternoon. You feel helpless and it spirals quickly.

Plan multiple days before your cruise

While I may have picked the wrong flight, I did make a good decision in how early I arrived before my cruise departed.

Instead of the usual flying in one day before a cruise rule, I arrived in London a full two days before my cruise began.

The idea is to give myself more time to acclimate. Sure, seeing the sights around London is good too, but the cruise is what I'm most concerned about.

Heck, if you have plenty of vacation days, you could fly in earlier than two days and let jetlag happen, but work through it.

Fighting jetlag takes discipline

The experts are right. No matter how hard it is, you really want to force yourself to stay awake on the day you arrive until it's bed time in that country.

Unless you're someone who can really get solid sleep in while on an airplane, you should be prepared to acclimate to local time as quickly as possible.

If you're flying many hours for a cruise, that last thing you want to do is sleep it all away. And you definitely don't want to feel tired and groggy when you're awake.

Pick a flight that gets you in closer to bed time, and give your body plenty of time to adjust.

Cruise lines are constantly in a chess match to outdo each other, and Royal Caribbean is betting it has a super move up its sleeve.

Just like how an auto manufacturer might implement a feature not available on other brands vehicles, Royal Caribbean is poised to outdo other cruise lines with an offering they think will get a lot of attention.

Ironically, their next big investment is in the very thing they have traditionally competed against: fun on land.

Two different beach clubs are going to be built, with one opening in 2025 and 2026. These aren't traditional cruise line private islands that are open to all passengers onboard and included with the cruise fare. This will be something above and beyond that.

Royal Caribbean will open its first Royal Beach Club in Nassau, Bahamas in summer 2025, followed by its second beach club to open in Cozumel, Mexico in 2026.

Differences between the mega cruise ship lines can be subtle, but these beach clubs are about standing out from the pack and drawing in new customers with something no one else can offer.

Solving customer needs

Before you step foot in any of these clubs, the rationale for offering a beach club is about targeting two key markets for Royal Caribbean.

The first beach club opens in one of the most highly visited and poorly rated cruise ports in the world, Nassau. 

Nassau consistently ranks in the bottom 10% of customer satisfaction among Royal Caribbean customers, even though it's located close to the United States and many cruise ships visit it.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said the issue Nassau faces is it lacks special things to do that are also original.

Because it's so frequently visited, passengers find the choices of what to do in port limiting and uninspiring.

Royal Caribbean wanted to solve this problem because not going to Nassau really isn't an option.  The line brought more than 1.6 million visitors to the Nassau cruise port in 2023.

In April 2023, Mr. Bayley talked about this need to improve shore excursion choices for their customers, "We want to improve the experience of our guests. We can’t keep selling experiences to people who say we love going to Perfect Day, it’s fantastic, we want to go back, but the Nassau thing, can you guys stop going there? We can’t do that, so yeah, we want to be a part of the solution."

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island

Construction is underway to build and open Royal Caribbean's answer to its customer's issues with Nassau.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will open in summer 2025 on a 17-acre site that is right across from where all the cruise ships dock. Not only is it prime real estate, it's a a shining beacon to every other cruise line what they're missing out on.

Royal Caribbean wants to offer an unparalleled beach experience in a prime spot, exclusively to its customers.

Royal Beach Clubs are limited access and have an extra cost to them. This means only a few thousands Royal Caribbean guests will be able to visit it each day, and it will not be included in the base cruise fare.

About 2,000 people will be able to purchase a pass each day. No word yet on how much admission will cost.

Once inside, guests can enjoy three pools with swim-up bars, live music, two beaches, four restaurants serving local food.

The club is also going to incorporate Bahamian culture in an industry first cooperative effort to give back to the people of The Bahamas with a revenue sharing agreement that gives up to 49% equity.

It's expected the beach club will generate hundreds of jobs between the construction and long-term operation.  Plus, there will be a new tourism levy that will fund reinvesting in the local community. 

Once open, the beach club will offer something fresh and different, not only in Nassau, but among the entire industry too.

Royal Beach Club Cozumel

The second part of Royal Caribbean's plan is to open another beach club in 2026 on the other side of the Caribbean in Cozumel, Mexico.

Cozumel is another traditionally popular cruise port, but unlike Nassau, doesn't have the low rating problem.  However, the club addresses a different need.

Royal Caribbean is investing in many places, including Galveston, Texas.  While Florida may be the capital of cruising, Galveston is quickly becoming a rival hot spot, with newer and bigger ships sailing from Texas.  In fact, Royal Caribbean built a massive new cruise terminal that can handle the largest cruise ships in the world.

The issue with cruises from Galveston has been a lack of port variety. In order to meet the typical week-long vacation window most Americans abide by, cruise ships sailing from Galveston are relegated to the same Western Caribbean cruise ports, including Cozumel.

A Royal Beach Club in Cozumel gives Royal Caribbean passengers something different, and a familiar face in a crowded room of things to do.

Just like Nassau, the beach club in Cozumel will combine great views, with great access to water.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider described the club as having, "great beach, great pool, great food, great service."

The Cozumel club will offer swim-up bars, pools cabanas to rent, snorkeling, kayaking, restaurants, and street markets.

Full details haven't been released yet, but there have been hints both beach clubs are going to truly stand out as more than "just another beach" to visit.

Combining new destinations and new ships

The new beach clubs dove tail right into the launch of three new cruise ships that Royal Caribbean thinks will offer the very best vacation choice in the market.

Icon of the Seas launched earlier this year to become the world's largest cruise ship, and has earned incredible accolades for setting a new standard for cruise ships.

Utopia of the Seas also launched this year, and while not as innovative as Icon, she is arguably the top choice for a short weekend cruise.

Next year, Star of the Seas will join the fleet and sail from Port Canaveral, Florida. The sister to Icon of the Seas, Star will will be a follow-up that seeks to capitalize on Icon's success while introducing a few improvements.

Royal Caribbean seems to think combing the very best cruise ships with the very best destinations is how they'll win over thousands of people who have never taken a cruise before. To borrow a term from the military, it looks like a lot of "shock and awe" to stand out from any other choice.