Royal Caribbean will launch its own streaming service for a subset of its cruise passengers going on the world cruise.

The Ultimate World Cruise will take 274 nights on Serenade of the Seas that will visit more than 150 destinations in 65 countries and 11 great wonders of the world.

Passengers could book either the entire 274-night cruise or one of four 2-3 month segments.

It will be Royal Caribbean's first cruise that goes around the world, and a voyage that long is bound to have some down time.

The service, called Royal Flix, will stream movies for guests to watch that are sailing on the world cruise.

There's no cost to use the streaming service as long as you've purchased a Royal Caribbean WiFi package.

Read more: Royal Caribbean WiFi: Guide to Internet at sea

One guest on the cruise posted a screenshot of the service that has a bare bones interface serving up films.

The service is not available off the ship. Guests simply connect to Serenade of the Seas' internet and access the service.

There's no indication if Royal Flix will make it to other Royal Caribbean cruise ships, or even if it will remain available once the world cruise is complete.

Offering a movie streaming service is one of many pluses Royal Caribbean has added for this length of a cruise.

All guests participating in the Ultimate World Cruise, or one of the segments, will receive the an unlimited drink package for each guest, wash and fold laundry service for up to three bags per state room per week, Gratuities and Voom surf and stream for two devices per stateroom.

The cruise begins in Miami on December 10, 2023 and through September 10, 2024.

Royal Caribbean's first world cruise ever

Up until now, Royal Caribbean never offered a world cruise. In fact, it rarely offered long voyages. Most of its cruises tend to be less than two weeks.

Royal Caribbean is best known for weekend and week-long cruises in the Caribbean, Europe and Alaska.

Even among the cruise lines that offer world cruises regularly, Royal Caribbean's is longer than most.

Most world cruises visits 20 or 30 countries and takes three or four months.

Royal Caribbean's will visit more than 150 destinations in 65 countries and 11 great wonders of the world.

"How many more times would I have this opportunity?"

Pat Bell lives in Anchorage, Alaska and jumped at the opportunity to book this world cruise for the entire duration.

He'll be sailing with his wife Carmela, and they've been married for 25 years.

Up until this cruise, the longest cruise they had taken was a 10-night cruise for their honeymoon.

"I can always find a thousand reasons why I can't do a cruise this long, but I will always kick myself in the pants for not grabbing the opportunity," he said when I asked him why he booked this cruise.

"Plus, how many more times would I have this opportunity to do something like this?"

When I asked him what he is most excited for on this cruise, he replied, "the stories, meeting new friends, and the adventure of seeing the world."

There are certainly challenges with being away for this long.

He is a small business owner, who also has up to 36 apartments to manage, "We are blessed to have our oldest son take care of our house, the apartments, and do the accounting work for our business."

I asked what sort of concerns does he have with such a cruise this long, and he mentioned things like cell phone coverage, medical emergencies, rough seas, not packing enough, and having access to money.

"I'm sure there will be more changes as we travel on this adventure. Just need to go with the flow and enjoy the stories that will come from this adventure. Good and bad."

I also asked about medications and managing his health on the cruise, "We are lucky we don't have to take any medications, but Royal Caribbean says to make sure to bring medications and prescriptions, which can be filled in other countries.

"We did buy a small medical kit to take with us and a blister kit for all the walking we will be doing. We also purchased Geo-Blue medical insurance in addition to our travel insurance."

He mentioned there will be a dentist onboard the ship.

"What attracted me to cruising the world with Royal Caribbean was all the places they plan to go, where I don't have to unpack and repack each time we move to another city.

"Plus, Royal Caribbean is packing a lot of port stops in this 274-day cruise. I believe our longest days at sea is only 5 days in between ports. Also, I get to try the local food while still having the cruise ship meals as my comfort food."

I asked what his plans are for the cruise on shore, and he said there are seven complimentary world wonders tour: Chichen Itza Ruins (Cozumel, Mexico), Seal Bay (Falkland Islands), Machu Picchu (Peru), The Great Wall of China, Taj Majal (India), Petra (Jordan), and The Roman Colosseum (Italy).

He said they were recently informed that Crown & Anchor Society is giving them four additional free excursions to Montevideo (Uruguay), Taiwan (China), Ephesus (Turkey), and Cork (Ireland).

Everyone wants to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise, including getting a deal on their drinks.

A Royal Caribbean drink package is expensive, so it's natural to want to limit how much you spend. While drink packages offer the convenience of unlimited beverages during your entire cruise, the upfront cost gives some people pause.

Unfortunately, some people think they can "beat the system" and devise ways to cheat Royal Caribbean's drink package. It's one of those they want their cake and eat it too situations, where the prices and rules regulating the drink packages compel some to look for ways around it.

Trying to cheat the package can get you in serious trouble with the cruise line, and you risk various penalties. 

We've heard all the excuses why circumventing the rules is okay to do: it's expensive, requirements for all adults to buy it if one does, a need to buy it for the entire sailing, and more. The reality is it's Royal Caribbean's decision on what the rules are, and it's not negotiable.

I don't recommend trying any means of cheating Royal Caribbean, and I'm only sharing these methods as a warning of what not to do because you can get in serious trouble.  Consider yourself warned.

Share drink benefits

The oldest and most common way people cheat the drink package is to buy the drink package and then order drinks for others who don't have the package.

Royal Caribbean is quite clear that the drink package benefits are only for the person that buys them, but some people still do this.

If you're caught sharing drinks with someone who doesn't have the same drink package as you, you risk having your entire drink package purchase cancelled without a refund.

Remember, bartenders have seen it all and you're far from the first person to sneak drinks to someone else. Moreover, there are cameras all around the ship.  So the chances of being caught is quite high.

Sneak booze onboard

There are so many videos on TikTok showing how to sneak alcohol onboard your ship as a way to save money and avoid buying a drink package completely.

Royal Caribbean prohibits you from bringing beer or liquor onboard at all. It's one of the prohibited items not allowed.

TikTok is full of cruise hacks to show anyone how to smuggle booze onboard.

The most common strategy is to fill bottles of mouthwash or shampoo to conceal it. Another way is to put the booze in a flask and hide it on your body as you embark the ship.

Other crazy ideas include liquid-holding bras, fake beer bellies, umbrella or binocular flasks.

Many of these ideas are tedious to set up, cumbersome to execute, and could you get in serious trouble with the cruise line.

Easy hacks to save money on a drink package

Trying to get around Royal Caribbean's rules is a recipe for ruining your vacation.

However, there are some legal ways to "cheat" the Royal Caribbean drink package using a few creative strategies.

Bring your own wine

You're allowed to bring one bottle of wine (or champagne) per adult on embarkation day, and this can save you a lot of money.

Bringing your own wine means you can pay retail price for your wine, instead of the prices the cruise line sells them for onboard. Plus, you can bring your favorite brand of wine, rather than being limited to what is on your ship.

Royal Caribbean supposedly charges a corkage fee to open a bottle of wine ($15 corkage fee per bottle), but in my experience it is rarely enforced.

Nonetheless, bringing your own bottles of wine can save a lot of money if all you're interested in is wine.

Book your drink package early and reprice

Did you know when you buy a drink package before the cruise, you can always take advantage of a lower price later?

The tried-and-true strategy for getting the lowest price for a Royal Caribbean drink package is to keep checking for lower prices up until embarkation day.

Royal Caribbean runs drink package sales all the time, and there's always some kind of a discount applied.  The key is to know when to buy the drink package before your cruise and periodically check for a lower price.

My advice is ignore the advertised percentage off that you see, and look at the total cost when you add it back to your cart as if you were buying it again.

If the price is lower, you can easily cancel your original purchase and then immediately re-buy it at the lower price.

Using this strategy, you can easily save hundreds of dollars.

Call Royal Caribbean to ask for a different drink package

One reason people want to cheat the Royal Caribbean drink package is because they think it's unfair that another adult in their cabin has to get the alcohol package if they get it, but there's a workaround to it.

If you try to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package on the website, you'll notice Royal Caribbean forces you to buy it for all the other adults in the same cabin.

You can call Royal Caribbean and let them know the other adult(s) in your cabin do not want the drink package, and instead, they'll allow them to buy the Royal Refreshment package, which includes just non-alcoholic beverages.

This will save a lot of money for someone who cannot or does not want the full unlimited package.

Book adults in separate rooms

If you're taking advantage of one of my favorite cruise cabin hacks and booking two or more cabins instead of putting everyone in a single cabin, be sure to assign adults in different cabins.

As an example, let's assume you have two adults and two kids and you're going to book connecting cabins because it gets you more room, separation from your kids, and an extra bathroom at a lower price than a suite.

Instead of booking the kids in one cabin and the parents in the other cabin, book one child with each parent in the room.  That way, when you go to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, it won't force the second person to buy it because minors don't have to get a drink package!

Don't worry who's technically booked in which cabin. Royal Caribbean doesn't care which cabin you actually stay in, just that you're booked.

Look for free drinks around the ship

Another strategy is to rely on some of the free drinks you can get around your cruise ship.

Throughout your cruise, there will be different events held where you could get free alcoholic beverages.

Every cruise is different, but there are a few events common to almost every Royal Caribbean sailing:

• Art auctions have free champagne
• Top Tier events for Crown and Anchor Society members have complimentary beverages
• Liquor tasting events
• Extra cost brunch events that include champagne

This hack works best for someone that wants to be more opportunistic in how they save money and get free drinks.

Tip the bartenders

I think you should always tip waiters and bartenders for good service, but there's an added possible benefit to this gesture.

Some bartenders might give you a free drink after you tip them. Never expect a free drink as a result of offering them gratuity, but it has been known to happen.

It works best when you get to know a particular bartender or waiter and order drinks from them throughout your cruise. 

I would not expect to get many free drinks this way, and giving them a tip is about rewarding their service.  Make sure you're clear on that this isn't a quid pro quo situation.

Drink in ports of call

Odds are cocktails and beers are going to be cheaper on land in the ports of call you visit than on the ship.

If you limit your onboard consumption and spend more on drinks on land, your money will go further.

There's usually a myriad of bars near the port where your cruise ship docks, and plenty more in the surrounding area. There are beach bars, restaurants, and even carts selling drinks that could be significantly cheaper than what you'll find on the ship.

Moreover, you'll have a wider selection of drinks. This is especially important to beer drinkers who covet having access to different brands or beer types.

Order a bottle of liquor to your cabin

Royal Caribbean sells a limited selection of liquor that you can have delivered to your cabin.

There's only a few brands, and it comes in a small quantity meant to use for mixing with a soft drink, but this could be just what you want in lieu of a drink package.

If you go to the Royal Caribbean Gifts and Gear website, you'll find a few liquors to buy (as well as wine and beer brands):

• Bombay Sapphire
• Bacardi Gold
• Absolut Vodka

You'll get a 375 ml. bottle delivered to your stateroom, along with some cans of soda to mix with it.

Gamble enough to get free drinks in the casino

An interesting strategy to get free drinks on your cruise instead of buying a drink package is to spend that money in the casino.

Royal Caribbean has a customer loyalty program specifically for the casino, where if you accrue 2,500 points or more in the casino, you'll move to the Prime level and be able to get unlimited free drinks in Casino Royale for an entire year.

Read more: I gambled enough in Royal Caribbean's casino to get free drinks and a cruise

You get points depending on how much you wager gambling. There isn't an exact calculation, but the more you wager, the more points you earn.  Moreover, you'll earn points faster playing slot machines than table games because slots can be more easily tracked.

Gambling responsibly is more important than free drinks, but if you were going to spend time in the casino anyway, this could be a way to double down on your casino habit and get free drinks as well.

If you're ready to dine in elegance and style, Royal Caribbean has the perfect new restaurant for you.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is set to debut in early 2024, and among the many new concepts is a high-end supper club.

The Empire Supper Club was announced months ago, but reservations were not available.  Today, Royal Caribbean opened up reservations to the general public.

Prices across multiple Icon of the Seas sailings list it at $200 per person. Bookings are available immediately from the Cruise Planner website.

If you have the Unlimited Dining Package, you can pay an additional charge of $130 to eat at the restaurant.

Deluxe Beverage Packages, Crown and Anchor coupons or Star Class guests, can enjoy this experience at the standard cover price.

It's arguably Royal Caribbean's most elegant restaurant to date, and will serve multiple courses while music is played. The cruise line says you can expect an evening of, "evening of glitz and glamour" with your meal.

Step into the sophisticated style of this intimate space and embark on an eight-course journey. Traditional American fare like oysters Rockefeller and modern renditions like Wagyu New York strip topped with shaved fresh truffle transcend eras and expectations. Each musical number and every libation is carefully curated and perfectly paired to complement each course, from upbeat "Beyond the Sea" to a bittersweet Campari spritz. 

The combination of live music with the jazz band, along with the premium menu is what's going to distinguish this restaurant from other specialty restaurants.

Tony Abou-Ganim has worked with James Beard Award-winning chefs, Bellagio and more to come up with the meals and cocktails.

It's an intimate dinner experience, where table sizes are limited to parties of 2 to 4. If your party is larger than 4 people, you'll be seated at separate tables.

What's included with Empire Supper Club

For the price, you might be curious what you get.

Each meal is an eight-course experience, where you'll enjoy a cocktail paired with the music being played by the jazz band. Non-alcoholic options are available upon request.

There will be a three-piece band playing to provide entertainment.

There will be appetizers such as oysters Rockefeller deliciously dressed with chorizo béarnaise, sundried Roma tomatoes and micro basil.

Royal Caribbean's lists an entree as Wagyu New York strip, topped with fresh truffle and coupled with fondant potatoes, sautéed morels and green peppercorn sauce.

When you get to dessert, you can look forward to the Chocolate Beehive, comprised of a trio of ganache layers, salted caramel toffee and mango sauce.

Gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegetarian options available.

Special rules for the Empire Supper Club

There's also a set of expectations if you choose to dine at the Empire Supper Club, which are important to consider before booking.

Timing

Doors open 10 minutes prior to the start of the meal, and the cruise line implores guests to be on time to ensure the programming is set correctly.

Royal Caribbean says the meal will last 2-3 hours, and to plan your evening accordingly.  In my opinion, that means don't ask for a quick meal to make a show.

Dress Code

Formal wear is required to dine at Empire Supper Club.

Suggested attire include suit jackets, slacks, cocktail dresses, formal pantsuits, and formal jumpsuits.

An array of suit jacket sizes will be available for guests who may need to borrow one.

Age restrictions

There is no age limit or restriction to dine at Empire Supper Club, but Royal Caribbean says the experience is designed for adults.

Pricing remains the same for guests opting for non-alcoholic beverages.

A different dining experience, and a different price

If you're quick to compare the price of the Empire Supper Club to other Royal Caribbean specialty restaurants, the cruise line would tell you that this is unlike anything else offered.

The price of $200 per person is more than double many other specialty dining venues on Icon of the Seas, but those restaurants are not in the same league as Empire Supper Club.

The combination of premium food, paired cocktails, and live music, put Empire Supper Club in a different category of dining. It's intimate nature, dress code requirements, and inflexibility with changes to the menu are indications that this is not just another dining experience.

Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, said this restaurant is something completely different from what we may have seen in the past, "Empire Supper Club is what I would say is the most elevated dining experience we've created at Royal Caribbean."

He referred to it as a, "full immersive dining experience".

"It really is an elevated food experience that's tied together with a really elevated beverage experience."

Sometimes picking a cruise ship to sail on can feel like picking your favorite child: you don't have one, but sometimes you prefer one over the other for different reasons.

It can be daunting to choose between different cruise ships for a vacation, and even I can sometimes find myself second guessing the decision.

I recently sailed on one of Royal Caribbean's smallest cruise ships for a few important reasons, and it provided me an affordable cruise to the places I wanted to visit, even if it did not have all the bells and whistles of other ships.

Radiance of the Seas is the oldest Radiance Class cruise ship, having launched on June 15, 2000.  Cruise ships that reach the 20 year plateau are becoming far more commonplace than it used to be, so age is not the factor it used to be in evaluating how good a cruise ship is.

Read more: Why you can't trust online reviews of cruise ships

Radiance is also on the small end of Royal Caribbean's fleet.  She has a capacity of 2,501 guests and a length of 961 feet.  Compared to new cruise ships, like Wonder of the Seas, she is in a different category of cruise ship layout and feel.

Ultimately, I picked Radiance of the Seas because it was the right cruise ship for what I wanted: an inexpensive getaway cruise to ports of call in Mexico from a convenient homeport.

Here's why my cruise on Radiance of the Seas ended up being a great choice.

Inexpensive last-minute fare

It seems like a last-minute cruise deal is getting harder and harder to find because of rising cruise prices.  Royal Caribbean is seeing exceptional demand, and that means there's less incentive to offer a lower price.

I booked this cruise exactly 31 days before embarkation, and got a Category 4D balcony stateroom for $1,390.79 (including gratuities), plus $50 onboard credit.  

Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

This was a 5-night cruise that visited two ports of call in Mexico, Costa Maya and Cozumel.

I could have gone with a category 2V inside cabin instead for $1,063.79  (including gratuities), plus $50 onboard credit.  I decided the extra $300 was worth having a balcony and more space.

Read more: 8 reasons a balcony cabin is worth it to book on a cruise

I didn't set any records for the lowest cruise fare ever, but considering I booked the cruise just a month before sailing, I think it's a pretty good price for a last-minute cruise in 2023.

At the time of booking, there were very few options that worked for the timeframe I wanted, but more important, I was going to pay more for them too.

Cruises from other ports around Florida had higher prices and worse cabin choices.

My cabin had lots of space, and the private balcony was so nice to have on the two sea days we had.

I was in cabin 8516, located near the forward elevator bank. There were no noise issues to contend with, and it was very convenient to have an elevator so close by.

Not only does a balcony cabin get natural light from the sliding glass door, but I was able to spend time on my balcony with the fresh air or a view from in my room if it got too hot.

Convenient homeport

Radiance of the Seas is spending the winter cruise season in Tampa, Florida, and it's one of my favorite ports to sail from because of how easy it is.

Tampa does not get the bigger cruise ships that you'll find in South Florida or even across the state in Port Canaveral, but it's such an easy process to cruise from there.

Besides the fact I can make the drive in a little over an hour from my house, the port is set up with a valet parking option that costs just $15 more than parking in the cruise terminal garage. 

The terminal itself is a no-frills embarkation experience, and I've always found it to be quick and easy. 

I arrived for my noon check-in time (which I picked from the Royal Caribbean app) and there were no lines at all to contend with. All they had to do was check paperwork and send me on my way.

While the embarkation process is just as easy at other Florida homeports thanks to Royal Caribbean's utilization of its app to speed up the process, the folks working in the cruise terminal have done their best to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Lots of dining choices

Given how old Radiance of the Seas is, I was surprised how many dining choices it has.

There are four different specialty restaurants on Radiance of the Seas, plus the Chef's Table.

• Chops Grille
• Giovanni's Table
• Izumi
• Samba Grill

When you're choosing between a small or big cruise ship, often the variety of dining choices is one consideration as big ships are known for having more.  

However, with four specialty restaurants in addition to the complimentary Windjammer and Main Dining Room, I was impressed by the variety.

Whether you decided to eat at any of the specialty restaurants or not, it's nice how many options there are on a ship of Radiance of the Seas' age and size.

Ports in Mexico

A major reason I wanted to go on Radiance of the Seas was for the opportunity to sail to Mexico.

Anecdotally, it seems like there are far less cruises going to Mexico than the Eastern Caribbean. Or at least, I keep subconsciously choosing Eastern Caribbean routes.

I wanted a cruise that went to the Western Caribbean so I could review my two favorite beach shore excursions: Maya Chan and Paradise Beach.

Plus, I really enjoy cruises that go to Mexico because of the food.

At home, I eat plenty of Mexican food, but there's nothing like getting the real thing in Mexico. I enjoy the beautiful scenery there as well, but Mexico's food is my favorite among any Caribbean port.

An additional benefit to Radiance of the Seas was the amount of time we had in port.

In both Costa Maya and Cozumel, we were docked for the full day.  As an example, in Costa Maya we were in port from 8am to 5pm, whereas Mariner of the Seas came in on the same day, but did not arrive until 11am.  They did stay until 7pm, but in my experience so many businesses close up once you get to around 5pm.

Being that Radiance of the Seas was closer to Tampa, our distance was shorter than a cruise from Eastern Florida, and I loved having a full day in each port of call.

Fastest internet at sea

If having fast internet on a cruise ship is important to you, Radiance of the Seas is a great choice.

Royal Caribbean's investment in Starlink internet service has been a game changer, especially now that they seemed to have optimized their networking to better handle the traffic.

I was first blown away by how well Starlink worked when I was on Serenade of the Seas last month, which is another Radiance Class ship.

On Radiance of the Seas, the internet was almost as good as Serenade, but so much better than just a few months ago when I was on other, larger ships.

As someone that relies on the internet heavily, it was so nice to have a reliable connection for the entire cruise.

It's not too early to book a Royal Caribbean cruise for 2025 or early 2026.

Royal Caribbean has released its new 7-night Caribbean cruises for the 2025-2026 Caribbean season.

In addition to the 2025-2026 Icon of the Seas cruises already released, Royal Caribbean posted cruises on six other ships.

The new itineraries are loaded into Royal Caribbean's website and available for immediate booking. 

Here's a breakdown of what's new.

Adventure of the Seas will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida and offer 6- and 8-night Caribbean cruises.  Some will go Western, while longer ones will visit the Eastern or Southern Caribbean.

Grandeur of the Seas will be based in Tampa, and offer 7-night cruises to The Bahamas and Western Caribbean.

Harmony of the Seas will sail from Galveston, Texas and offer 6, 7, and 8-night Caribbean cruises.

One change with this itinerary is you will be able to sail from Galveston and visit Perfect Day at CocoCay in addition to ports in Mexico, if you sail on the 8-night cruises.

Icon of the Seas will continue to be based from Miami, Florida and alternate between 7-night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day at CocoCay and 7-night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day at CocoCay itineraries.

Independence of the Seas will offer 7-night Caribbean cruises from Miami, Florida.

Oasis of the Seas will be based from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and offer 6 and 8-night Caribbean cruises.

Rhapsody of the Seas will split her time between Tampa and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

While in Tampa, Rhapsody will sail to the Western Caribbean. In San Juan, she will offer cruises to the Southern Caribbean.

More Caribbean cruises coming next month

As you can see, there's still pieces of the deployment puzzle left to be unveiled, and we can expect more cruises to be released in early December.

Royal Caribbean will release the second phase of its 7-night Caribbean cruises during the week of December 4th.

What does that mean exactly? No one is exactly certain.

There's speculation among cruise fans Star of the Seas sailings will be released in this phase, with the expectation she will be based out of Port Canaveral. Royal Caribbean has made no confirmation or announcement in regard to its plans for Star of the Seas.

Star of the Seas will be the second Icon Class cruise ship, and could become the world's largest cruise ship if she is built slightly larger than Icon of the Seas.

The only facts we really know about Star of the Seas is that it will start sailing sometime in Summer 2025.

When will the other 2025 itineraries be released?

More Royal Caribbean cruises will be posted in the coming months.

• Week of December 4, 2023: 7-night Caribbean (Phase 2)
• Week of February 12, 2024: Short Caribbean, Los Angeles & Northeast 
• Week of February 19, 2024: Long Caribbean

Keep in mind the sailings could be released at any point within that week, and not necessarily on the first day of the listed week.

Why it's a good strategy to book a cruise now for 2025

It might seem crazy to book a cruise today for over two years from now, but it's one of the best money-saving strategies out there.

Cruise ships book quickly, and the more cabins that sell out, the higher prices go. So booking a cruise now can lock in a better fare than you might find next year.

Moreover, booking early gives you the choice of almost any cabin on the ship.

Certain highly desirable cabins, such as suites, get booked faster than others.  You could get the perfect room now that satisfies what you're looking for in cabin location, category, or size.

Read more: Royal Caribbean suites guide

Combine the lower prices with bargain hunters looking for suites, and you'll find a lot of veteran cruise fans booking up highly sought after cabins on popular sailings, such as holidays.

Planning on booking a 2025 cruise? These stories will help:

• 5 things to look for before you book a cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• Should I take a short or a long cruise?
• Why you shouldn't book the cheapest cruise you can find
• The best time to go on a Caribbean cruise

While nothing has been officially announced by Royal Caribbean, the rumor of a new smaller cruise ship is still floating out there.

While sailing on Radiance of the Seas this week, Captain Marek Slaby spoke to guests in a question and answer session and talked about the long-standing rumor.

After speaking about the work being done to maintain Radiance of the Seas and a planned refurbishment, Captain Marek referenced a new class of smaller cruise ships.

The Radiance and Vision Class ships are the oldest in Royal Caribbean's fleet, and the fact they are passing 20 years in age, Captain Marek believes there's a need for replacements in the coming years.

"All of these ships are over 20 years of age, and the company realizes that they're not going to be around forever," he explained.

He believes in another five or six years, we'll start to get information on what is being called internally as the Discovery Class.

"There is definitely very advanced talks about when we will start building the class of ships that will be the medium size, anything between 3000 3500 guests, because both Vision and Radiance class are not going to last forever."

Nothing official yet

This isn't the first time we've heard someone within Royal Caribbean speak about a new smaller class of cruise ship.

No new cruise ship orders have been placed with any shipbuilder, so at this stage, it appears any plans are still in an early concept stage.

Over the past few years, there's been similar statements made about the Discovery Class or Project Discovery ships.

Earlier this summer, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley made his first public comments on it.

Speaking at the President's Cruise event on Allure of the Seas, Mr. Bayley saw a need in the future to replace older ships, "We recognize that we have classes of ships now that are, you know, getting a little up there in the years."

He did not mention the new ship class name as Captain Marek did, but he did acknowledge that the company is looking at the future.

"It is something that's certainly deeply in our consideration and our planning at the moment that we have a lot of conceptual work going on."

"I think when we're ready we can we can announce steps that will take to to do just that."

"The brand has always been in kind of growth mode and we've always been building and engineering and designing new classes of ships," Mr. Bayley explained.

He was also quick to point out nothing is official, "But we're in no position to make any statements or comments about it for obvious reasons."

A possible replacement for Royal Caribbean's oldest ships

If the Discovery Class rumors are true, it's likely to replace Royal Caribbean's oldest and smallest cruise ships.

The first Vision Class ship was launched in 1995 and can accommodate around 2400 - 2700 passengers. Depending on the ship, they range between 73,817 GT and 82,910 GT.

The Radiance Class can also handle around 2400 - 2700 passengers and are 90,090 GT.

Compare that to Wonder of the Seas, which is the largest cruise ship in the world today. Wonder of the Seas measures 1,188 feet in length and has a gross tonnage of 236,857 across 18 decks. 

Icon will measure 20 decks high, 1,198 feet long, and 250,800 gross tons, making her 6% larger than Wonder. 

Both ships dwarf the Vision or Radiance Class ships.

The most notable difference that keeps these small ships valuable is the fact they can fit into ports that bigger ships cannot.

Ports such as Tampa and Baltimore are places only the smallest ships can access because of low bridges blocking access to the harbor to larger vessels.

Royal Caribbean has three drink packages, as well a couple of drink bundles you can buy for your cruise.

Getting unlimited drinks on a cruise is a very appealing option, given how many people that go on a cruise ship are looking to relax and not worry about bar bills later on. 

They're a popular choice because you can enjoy beers, wine, cocktails, mocktails, and soft drinks for a fixed price, but they aren't cheap either. Demand for drink packages has only sent prices higher over the years, but there are ways to get a better price and ensure you don't overpay.

It's important to understand what the drink package includes for the price, and how to get the best possible deal by finding the lowest prices.

Royal Caribbean drink package prices

Royal Caribbean uses variable pricing for its unlimited drink packages, which means the price will depend on which ship you are sailing on and the sail date.

In general, newer ships have higher prices for drink packages.  Similarly, cruises over a major holiday and/or during a popular time of year for vacations will see higher prices.

In researching 2024 Royal Caribbean drink package prices, here's what you can expect it will cost:

• Deluxe Beverage Package: $55 to $105 per person per day
• Royal Refreshment Package: $29 per person per day
• Soda Package: $12.99 per person per day
• Water Package: 12 bottles for $39; 24 bottles for $69
• Coffee card: $31 per card

There is also a mandatory 18% gratuity added to the cost of a drink package, which you will see referred to as a service fee when purchasing it.  This gratuity covers any drink you order from a waiter or bartender.

By far, the price of the Deluxe Beverage Package has the widest range of possible prices.  That is largely due to how popular this drink package has become, and with so many different cruises to choose from, the cruise line plays with the price to get top dollar for it.

What is a drink package?

Royal Caribbean has two types of drink packages: unlimited packages and prepaid limited amounts.

The most popular are the unlimited drink packages, which offer a flat cost for as many beverages as a passenger would like in one cruise.

The unlimited drink package benefits are only for the person buying it, and it cannot be shared with anyone else.

The three unlimited drink packages include:

Deluxe Beverage Package

The Deluxe Beverage Package includes all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks per person for the entire duration of a cruise.

It includes:

✅Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
✅Beer
✅Wine (by the glass)
✅Mocktails
✅Premium coffees & teas
✅Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
✅Coca-Cola souvenir cup
✅Bottled still and sparkling water
✅Fresh squeezed juices

The only drinks not included in the Deluxe Beverage Package are top shelf liquors, wine by the bottle, or Starbucks drinks from a Starbucks kiosk.

Since it includes pretty much every drink, it's also the most expensive package and is the only one that has a rule that requires if one adult buys the Deluxe Beverage Package, then all the other adults in the same stateroom must purchase it also. This is to prevent sharing the drink package benefits with other guests.

There is a workaround to this rule, if you call Royal Caribbean and ask for the other person in the cabin to get the Royal Refreshment package instead.  

Royal Refreshment Package

If you prefer to have unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, then the Royal Refreshment Package is for you.

It includes everything the Deluxe Beverage Package includes, except for alcohol.

❌Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
❌Beer
❌Wine (by the glass)
✅Mocktails
✅Premium coffees & teas
✅Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
✅Coca-Cola souvenir cup
✅Bottled still and sparkling water
✅Fresh squeezed juices

This drink package is popular with teens, as well as light drinkers.

Soda Package

For anyone that just wants soft drinks, Royal Caribbean has an unlimited soda package.

This package includes just soft drinks by the glass from any bar, restaurant or lounge.  It also includes the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine on ships that have it.

❌Cocktails, spirits, liqueurs
❌Beer
❌Wine (by the glass)
❌Mocktails
❌Premium coffees & teas
✅Fountain sodas / Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
✅Coca-Cola souvenir cup
❌Bottled still and sparkling water
❌Fresh squeezed juices

It may be a surprise to hear the soda package does not include bottled water.

Bottled water package

While not unlimited, there is the option to buy a supply of 12 or 24 bottles of Evian water to be delivered to your stateroom.

For someone that prefers bottled water, this is a more cost effective way to have lots of bottled water for a cruise with the convenience of having it delivered to the cabin.

Another advantage of the bottled water package is you can share the bottles of water with anyone.

Coffee punch card

If you love coffee, you can get a punch card good for that sailing with a set amount of premium coffee based drinks.

You can redeem the coffee from Royal Caribbean coffee locations, such as Cafe Promenade, Cafe @ Two70, or Cafe Latte-tudes.

It does not work at freestanding Starbucks kiosks.

Like the bottled water package, you can share the punch card benefits with others if you wish.

Are there discounts on drink packages?

Royal Caribbean always offers a pre-cruise discount on its drink packages.  In short, you'll save money by buying it before the cruise rather than onboard.

You can find the discounted price in the Cruise Planner section of the Royal Caribbean website, or through the Royal Caribbean app.

There are sales nearly all the time, which means the price fluctuates throughout the year.  The price you see today may be different tomorrow, next week, or next year. 

Your best bet is to buy the drink package as early as possible, and then cancel and rebook it if there is a price drop.  It's a mistake to wait to see if the price drops first before buying, because sometimes the price goes up and never comes back down.

Read more: How to avoid the most common cruise drink package mistakes

The Deluxe Beverage Package price tends to change the most, with there occasionally a discount offered on the Royal Refreshment package.

You should not expect to see any discounts for the Soda package or the limited quantity drink packages, although it's not entirely unheard of either.

Periodically check the Cruise Planner for new prices to see if there's a better discount.

Keep in mind what someone else paid for the drink package has no bearing on what you can expect either. The dynamic nature of pricing and the lack of a price match program makes comparing drink package prices to someone else meaningless.

Members of Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society whom are at least Diamond or higher can get an onboard discount for drink package purchases, but it cannot be used online.

Read more: The Crown and Anchor perks you should use on every Royal Caribbean cruise

The online discount tends to be about the same or better than waiting to book onboard with the Crown and Anchor discount, so I don't recommend waiting to use it.

Read more: Best Time to Buy A Royal Caribbean Drink Package

What is the difference between the Royal Caribbean drink packages?

In short, what's included is the major difference between any drink package.

The soda package only includes soft drinks, and nothing else. The Royal Refreshment Package includes soda, mocktails, bottled water, coffees, and any other beverage onboard that does not include alcohol, but does not include alcoholic drinks.  The Deluxe Beverage Package includes everything the Soda and Royal Refreshment packages include, plus alcohol.

The three main drink packages are unlimited, whereas the coffee card and the bottled water packages are not unlimited and have a fixed amount of beverages. In addition, the three main drink packages cannot be shared with any other guests, but you may share the coffee card or bottled water package with other guests.

How do you buy a Royal Caribbean drink package?

You can buy a drink package online, onboard the cruise ship, or by phone. No matter how you buy it, you will be charged immediately at the time of purchase the full amount at that point.

I think the easiest way to buy a drink package is online before the cruise begins.  

You can do so by going to the Cruise Planner website and booking it there.  You could book it from the Royal Caribbean app as well, but I find the Cruise Planner site easier to track price changes.

If you prefer, you can call Royal Caribbean by calling 1-800-398-9819 and placing an order with a cruise line representative.

Lastly, you could wait to buy a drink package onboard your cruise ship from any bar or restaurant. There's usually tables set up around the ship on embarkation day advertising the drink package too.

Is a Royal Caribbean drink package worth it?

Drink packages are expensive, but they can save you a lot of money if you are the type of person who can drink enough to make it worthwhile.

The convenience of not having to think about racking up a giant bar bill is enough for some people to warrant buying a drink package. 

Most people try to think if they will drink enough every day of the cruise to save them money compared to if they just bought each drink individually.

The bottled water and coffee card are the easiest drink packages to determine their value.  With the bottled water, you could bring home any unused water so there's little risk in wasting it.  Of course, Royal Caribbean provides complimentary water and coffees and teas, which is satisfactory for most people.

The Refreshment Package is worth it if you can mix in enough beverages every day.  

A $5 latte, $2 bottled water, $7 for a mocktail, and $4 soda adds up every day (plus gratuity), and with an unlimited amount, you could grab extra bottled water, or get a second coffee and really take advantage of the package.

When it comes to alcoholic beverages, the more hard liquor you order, the more the Deluxe Beverage Package makes sense.

If you drink 6-8 cocktails per day, it's worth it to get a drink package. Likewise, if you drink 9-11 beers per day, it could be a good idea too.

That may sound excessive, but people tend to drink differently on vacation than at home.  If you were to order a latte and bloody mary in the morning, two beers by the pool in the afternoon, two glasses of wine at dinner, and then a cocktail or two in the evening, you're pretty much breaking even on the Deluxe Beverage Package.

I think a drink package is worth it if you're remotely in the neighborhood of drinking enough every day, coupled with the convenience of having it all prepaid.

In addition, you can buy a drink package many months before the cruise begins and pay it off on different billing cycle than onboard the ship along with all the other purchases you make onboard.

If you're not planning to drink a lot, skip the drink package and save the money for something else.  You can still have enough of the basic drinks and charge a few drinks here and there without breaking your budget.

Are there any specific brands of alcoholic beverages included or excluded in the Deluxe Beverage Package?

The Deluxe Beverage Package typically includes a wide range of alcoholic beverages, but specific brands may vary by ship and availability. 

Can guests modify or customize their drink package during the cruise, such as upgrading from the Soda Package to the Deluxe Beverage Package?

Guests can usually upgrade their drink package during the cruise, subject to additional charges. 

How does Royal Caribbean handle drink package usage on private islands or ports of call during the cruise?

On private islands, the drink package extends to include beverages at bars and restaurants on the island.

Another busy week of Royal Caribbean fun just wrapped up, but if you missed any of it, I have a concise look at all of it for you in this weekly news round-up!

Royal Caribbean released its European cruises for the 2025 cruise season.

Six ships will sail around Europe to Norway, the Mediterranean, Spain and more.

Highlighting the season is the return of Allure of the Seas to Europe, along with Odyssey of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean News

• Entertainment lineup coming to Icon of the Seas
• Icon of the Seas finishes sea trials
• Royal Caribbean Hideaway Beach construction update & changes to Coco Beach Club
• Royal Caribbean is sending fewer ships to Europe
• Celebrity Ascent has been delivered
• French shipyard cuts steel for Celebrity Cruises' next new cruise ship
• You'll save money on Royal Caribbean's WiFi internet with this trick
• I spent more than $1500 on a 4-night cruise. Here's what everything cost
• I celebrated Halloween on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, and it's my favorite holiday to spend at sea
• Taylor Swift fans organize group cruise for other Swifties
• 21 best things to do in Bimini, Bahamas

New RCB Video: I spent $1200 extra to stay in this "SUITE" for 7 days

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — I spent $1200 extra to stay in this "SUITE" for 7 days — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 518th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is available to enjoy, where Matt reviews a three-night cruise on an Oasis Class ship.

Allure of the Seas is starting her run of short cruises, and it begs the question of if it's worth it to go on an Oasis Class ship for just a few days.

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

I stayed in a $7,000 suite on Allure of the Seas for just 3 nights

Matt jumped at the chance to try the biggest suite on Allure of the Seas, even if it was just for the weekend.

He took his family on a 3-night cruise and booked the Royal Loft Suite, which cost just over $7,000.

This two level mega suite was big on just about everything, including having a jacuzzi on the balcony and the services of the Royal Genie. What was the room like and did he enjoy it?

Why I'm excited to go on a world cruise for 274 nights

Leah and Steve are just a few week away from embarking on Royal Caribbean's first ever world cruise.

The chance to sail around the world seemed too good of an idea to pass up, so they booked the entire transit.

Going on a cruise for such a long time has its own sets of challenges, but the couple are determined to make it work.

Royal Caribbean's Black Friday sale is here

You can start looking for deep discounts with Royal Caribbean's Black Friday offer.

Some cruisers think this is the best sale of the year, so now is the time to price out all those cruise add-ons.

The sale is active now, and runs through November 24, 2023.

Is a short cruise on an Oasis Class ship a good idea?

Having tried a 3-night cruise on Allure of the Seas, Matt wrestled with the notion of if it's worthwhile to book a short cruise.

Oasis Class ships are packed with so many things to do, so will going on a short cruise leave you disappointed?

Matt gave it a try and found some great advantages of picking a weekend cruise on Royal Caribbean's mega ships.

You can buy Royal Caribbean WiFi for your Royal Caribbean cruise, but there's a way to save money if you need it for more than one person.

By pre-purchasing internet access, Royal Caribbean discounts the price on its WiFi packages, but we've noticed a discrepancy in the pricing structure that could save you up to $125.

This trick assumes two things: you are pre-purchasing internet before the cruise, and you need internet for more than one person.

Buying it onboard or for just yourself doesn't work for this trick.

Instead of buying a one device internet plan for each person, buy a multi-device plan for one person to share with others.

When you do the math, it becomes very apparent that there's a big discount right now from Royal Caribbean's Black Friday sale on multi device plans. Keep in mind this trick may only work while Royal Caribbean's Black Friday offer is active, so act quickly.

When you select who you want to buy a WiFi package for, instead of selecting a one device plan for each person in your group, choose up to a 4 device plan for one person.

Here's a look at the cost savings on an upcoming cruise on Allure of the Seas:

Two devices

$104.97 for a two device plan vs $125.94 for two one device plans

Three devices

$119.97 for a three device plan vs $188.91

Four devices

$125.97 for a four device plan vs $251.88

With the four device plan, you can net 55% off, which is the maximum discount.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader NoobCruise posted about this topic and couldn't believe the cost savings, "If I add the three people on my cruise I will get charged $300+, but if I just sign myself up for wifi and get 3 devices it much cheaper. Why would anyone do it the other way?"

The only downside to sharing an internet package with someone else is remembering to log out of a device so that the next device can log in.  With multi-device plans, it can be confusing which devices are logged in or accidently kicking someone out.

In my opinion, it's a minor issue to deal with in exchange for big savings.

Can you share an internet package?

You might be concerned about sharing an internet package with someone else, but this is allowed under Royal Caribbean's rules.

Internet packages can be shared because they are limited to a certain amount of devices at one time.

With any internet package, after the device limit is reached, a message appears to indicate you need to log out of the other device or force a log out.

Royal Caribbean's drink packages, however, do not allow sharing with other passengers, and this is likely where the assumption that the internet package cannot be shared.

Drink packages don't have a daily limit, whereas the WiFi package has a limit so it cannot be abused.

How to switch devices with a WiFi package

It's very easy to swap devices on your cruise ship.

Once you get onboard the ship, the purchase is preloaded, which means there's no special code to activate it.  Connect to Royal Caribean's WiFi and proceed through the menu to create an account.

Sign in under the passenger that purchased the multi device account. When you do, you'll see a pre-purchased device plan option that you can activate.  You'll know it's the correct one when there's a $0.00 charge at the bottom.

Pick a username and password and that's it.

Then, give the username and password to anyone that needs to have access.

The easiest way to sign out of a device is to open a web browser and go to logoff.com and that should let you know that device is now disconnected from the plan.

You can use an unlimited amount of devices throughout your cruise, but only the amount your plan allows for at one time.

Can I still save if I already bought a WiFi package?

Yes! You can always cancel any Cruise Planner purchase without any penalty, as long as you do it before the cruise begins.

To cancel your original purchase, go into the Cruise Planner and then select Order History from the menu.

Find the purchase you made and click cancel. The refund should come back to your credit card within a few business days.  

Any onboard credit you used for the original purchase will be refunded instantly so you can use it again.

You can then immediately go back and order the internet package using this trick to save the money.

Royal Caribbean's first ever cruise around the world begins in December 2023, and it will be a cruise ship filled with passengers who are ready to globe trot in a new way.

While the concept of a world cruise is nothing new to the cruise industry, this is Royal Caribbean's first foray into this type of cruise.

The Ultimate World Cruise will take 274 nights on Serenade of the Seas that will visit more than 150 destinations in 65 countries and 11 great wonders of the world.

Serenade of the Seas will sail roundtrip from Miami on Dec. 10, 2023 and through Sept. 10, 2024.

When Royal Caribbean first announced it would offer this cruise, many cruisers jumped at the chance to try it.

I wanted to know why a cruise around the world and a sailing that long was appealing, and what compelled them to book.

Leah and Steve are bloggers that booked the entire transit, and they shared why they booked and how they're planning a cruise of this length.

Why we started to consider a world cruise

A while back when I was in my 20s, I heard about a month long cruise that went to all of the religious centers of the world. Not much compared to the Ultimate World Cruise, but I really wanted to do it. At the time, it was beyond my financial resources.

Since then, it has been in the back of my mind to do a really long, epic adventure like that. So when I first saw the Ultimate World Cruise, I knew I was in. I would find some way to pay for it, because it was that important to me. 

My husband Steve thought it would be a great trip, but wasn’t sure that we could afford it. You see, he started saving for retirement late in life and has been trying to make up for lost time over the past decade. I pestered him by sending him a meme – I’m sure you have all seen it. The older couple in a Gondola in Venice, both sprawled out in the boat and sleeping.

The thousand words that this picture explains are all the reasons you shouldn’t wait until you are too old, and too tired to enjoy traveling and seeing the world. He laughed, but still thought retirement accounts would be a better use of our funds. 

Why we decided to book a world cruise

At the beginning of 2022, we were working in different locations. Steve was in Nebraska, and I was in Guam.

Communication between us on this was mostly texts and video chats. He came to visit me in May, and we had plans for him to join me in Guam permanently in a few months. Which he did in August. And less than 24 hours later, he had a heart attack. That minor event changed every plan we had.

Over the next couple of months we just concentrated on getting him the treatment he needed, and getting our heads wrapped around how are lives were going to change.

It took about three months for the dust to settle, and then that meme came up in my feed again. I showed it to him again, and this time he was more receptive to the idea. 

We did some research online. Called Royal Caribbean and they had a separate line set up for the Ultimate World Cruise, which was a good sign. But the folks answering the phone didn’t sound like they really knew the answers to the questions we were asking.

So we researched travel agents, and started working with one from MEI Travel. With her help, we got a better idea of pricing, were able to establish the date for final payment in order to get a 10% discount and spent some more time talking it over. We contacted our travel agent and made arrangements to make the necessary deposits.

Read more: Why first-time cruisers should use a Royal Caribbean travel agent

Then we started working on transfers for the final payments. Neither of us had a single credit card that would accommodate the entire remaining balance, so we had to get creative. And once the decision was made, we haven’t regretted it a bit. The hard part has been the waiting.

What we've done so far to plan for the world cruise

From our earlier research, we knew that to get all of the benefit of doing the full length cruise, we would need to have Platinum status with Crown and Anchor 180 days before the Ultimate Cruise began. Royal Caribbean was including seven excursions to new Wonders of the World as complimentary for everyone with this status.

Neither one of us had sailed with Royal Caribbean before, so we booked Junior Suites for three, five-day cruises out of Galveston in April 2023. The same itinerary for all three sailings.

We paid attention and learned a lot about cruising. We also had a blast, met some great people, and just enjoyed a relaxing vacation. Steve was already retired. His heart attack made it impossible for him to continue doing the kind of work we had done over the past decade or so. I was still working part-time from home, so I had to wait until my project was mostly finished before I could call myself officially retired. 

That was in September, and since then, we are planning, waiting, making plans, changing plans, and getting ready to be gone for most of a year. 

How we are planning for the Ultimate World Cruise voyage

Now that we have a few weeks to go, and I can taste the excitement. 

Since our embarkation day is now right around the corner, pretty much everything we do revolves around getting ready for the Ultimate World Cruise embarkation day. We are treating it like a deployment or overseas job.

We have to make sure we are healthy enough to be without major medical for 9 months. This means passing basic physical requirements. Eye exams – with two pairs of glasses each, in case one breaks. Teeth exams and cleanings. The works.

We’ve already talked to our insurance provider about getting a “vacation” 90 day supply of our medications, so we will be working on that next week. 

We are arranging shipping of some of our bags with Luggage Forward (This is an affiliate link which costs you nothing extra to use, but we make a small commission).

When people ask how you pack for a vacation like this, there are two options as I see it.

1. Pack for a typical 2 week vacation and buy things as you go.
2. Or overpack.

I – am over-packing.

Read more: Ultimate cruise packing list

We are also getting our home set up with a house-sitter. Forwarding our mail. Checking the online requirements for voting. Getting all of our travel documents together, including our vaccination records.

I am pretty pale even on good days, so I have been attempting to get a base tan before we leave. And my dermatologist has provided some additional items to help. There is nothing worse than starting a vacation with a horrible sunburn when you have all sorts of intense activity excursions planned. 

We don’t have any expectations for things to be much different than any other cruise. Other than the length and that some of our fellow passengers will come and go throughout the trip. There is already some level of disappointment due to current events and how those have changed our original itinerary, but it is perfectly understandable given the circumstances. 

Steve and I have often lived in cramped quarters, and already spend a lot of time together, so no concerns there!

What we are expecting of the Ultimate World Cruise

Since this is a first-of-its-kind sailing for Royal Caribbean, I don’t think anyone really knows what to expect, but we are making some assumptions.

Given the cost and length of the Ultimate World Cruise, we think we will be among the youngest of the crowd. I’m 52, and Steve is 59. A bit younger than the standard retired age.  

There probably won’t be a lot of families with young kids. 

We are guessing the number of people doing the full 274 days will be less than half.  There will definitely be a lot of interesting people to meet.

Steve and I will probably have the lowest Crown and Anchor society status when we first board.

One thing we are hoping for is a less busy gym than on our previous sailings. Steve and I both work out at least 6 days per week and on our last three cruises the gym was so crowded it was difficult to get a decent workout in. If we are correct about the general demographics of the Ultimate World Cruise, I think we will have a good shot at it. But I will have to keep you posted once we set sail!