In 2010, Royal Caribbean and Starbucks signed a licensing agreement to open Starbucks locations on select cruise ships. It's become a popular way to enjoy made-to-order espresso beverages and Frappuccino blended beverages ever since.

Many cruisers are happy to discover there's a Starbucks on their ship, and it adds a new option for coffee beyond what Royal Caribbean offers.

Not all Royal Caribbean ships have a Starbucks location onboard, but many do (especially the newer ships). 

However, it can be somewhat confusing how it all works given that Starbucks is not included in your cruise fare and the rules about how you can use your Starbucks Rewards are different than on land.

Here's what you need to know about the Starbucks and Royal Caribbean partnership, including how to redeem free Starbucks Rewards drinks.

Is Starbucks coffee included in the price of my cruise?

No, there is an extra charge for any food or drink you order at a Starbucks kiosk.

Royal Caribbean drink packages do not include Starbucks drinks ordered from the licensed kiosk. Similarly, the coffee punch card does not work at Starbucks kiosks either.

There is one exception, and that is if you are a Star Class guest.  Star Class guests get complimentary drinks at a Starbucks kiosk.

There is complimentary coffee available at many other venues around the ship.

How do I pay my Starbucks food or drinks?

You'll need to use your SeaPass card to pay for any item you order at a Starbucks kiosk.

Alternatively, you could use your Starbucks app to pay for an order.  You cannot redeem Starbucks Rewards onboard to pay for items purchased onboard.

You don't need to have a WiFi package to use your app to pay.  Starbucks has its own internet connection to verify the funds available on your card. They will let you know if/when your account is empty.

Even if you have WiFi, you cannot use the mobile order (order ahead) functionality while on any ship.

Can I receive and redeem my Starbucks benefits on a Royal Caribbean ship?

You are indeed able to use your Starbucks card for purchases, and you will gain stars for those purchases. However, you cannot claim rewards for the stars you've accumulated, including the free birthday drink. 

This is commonly how licensed Starbucks locations operate, such as a Starbucks found in a supermarket or highway rest stop. 

Can I use a Starbucks gift cards as payment onboard? 

Yes, you can use a physical Starbucks gift card or a digital one in your Starbucks app to pay for food or beverages.

Is the Starbucks menu onboard the same as a Starbucks at home?

Mostly, yes. Starbucks kiosks on a Royal Caribbean ship get re-supplied every voyage, and you will find the same seasonal beverages offered, such as Holiday red cups, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and the like.

They serve all the standard stuff, such as brewed coffees, refreshers, lattes, macchiatos, and Frappuccino's.

One notable exception is Starbucks locations on Royal Caribbean ships do not offer coffee beans for sale.

How is the Starbucks served at Cafe Promenade/Cafe Latte-tudes different than the coffee at a Starbucks kiosk?

It can be confusing to distinguish between the two, but Royal Caribbean also serves Starbucks brewed coffees, lattes, and Frappuccinos at Cafe Promenade or Cafe Latte-tudes and this is different from the kiosk.

The Starbucks drinks served at Cafe Promenade or Cafe Latte-tudes still cost extra, but they are included with a Royal Caribbean drink package. Likewise, Diamond drink vouchers also can be redeemed for drinks here.

You can use your SeaPass card to pay for drinks here, but not your Starbucks app. 

One other distinguishing factor about the Starbucks drinks at Cafe Promenade is you can have them with a shot of alcohol added to it.

Which Royal Caribbean ships have a Starbucks kiosk?

These are the ships with a Starbucks kiosk:

• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Icon of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas

Are there 'Been There' mugs for Royal Caribbean ships?

Yes! Each  of the 10 Royal Caribbean ships that have a Starbucks kiosk sell a mug that represents signature features onboard.

The price for a mug is $16.95.

If I want regular coffee, can I get it onboard without paying?

Yes, there's complimentary coffee served at a variety of locations on any Royal Caribbean ship.

Youu'll find coffee served every day at Cafe Promenade/Cafe Latte-tudes/Cafe @ Two70, dining rooms, Windjammer, specialty restaurants, and select bars and lounges.

It's official: Royal Caribbean will bring Doc Brown, Marty McFly, and Biff to sea.

Royal Caribbean Blog was the first to report on the new musical being licensed by Royal Caribbean last month, but the cruise line confirmed it on Monday.

"Blast to the past and introduce the entire fam to Marty McFly’s high-flying adventure, as Back to the Future: The Musical travels straight from Broadway to Star of the Seas, coming summer 2025," is what Royal Caribbean posted on social media.

The Royal Caribbean entertainment team is working alongside the musical’s original creative team to bring the musical to the Royal Theater stage on Star, and after two successful weeks of auditions in London and NYC, the team is excited to begin rehearsals in the next year.  

The show on Royal Caribbean's ship will be a reworked 100-minute version of the show. Royal Caribbean is working alongside the original creatives from the musical to make the iconic production come to life.

This includes:

• Bob Gale, Screenwriter/Co-creator of the film
• John Rando, Director of the Broadway musical
• Chris Bailey, Choreographer of the Broadway musical

Like Royal Caribbean's other musical productions, the cost of the show is included in the cruise fare.

Star of the Seas is under construction and will debut in August 2025.

Star of the Seas will be the second Icon Class cruise ship, and similar in size and features to the record breaking biggest cruise ship in the world, Icon of the Seas.

What is Back to the Future The Musical about?

Inspired by the 1985 film from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, the musical tells the story of teenager Marty McFly, who is unintentionally sent back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean created by Dr. Emmett Brown. The show’s book is written by Bob Gale, with original music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard. It also features well-known songs from the movie, such as “The Power of Love” and “Johnny B. Goode.”

It's a relatively new show, having made its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House in March 2020.

The West End production opened in London September 13, 2021, and subsequently won the Best New Musical Olivier Award.

It opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre in August 2023, and continues to play there today.

The musical is also currently playing a North American national tour, and will open a Tokyo production in 2025.

Star of the Seas debuts in 2025

Royal Caribbean will homeport Star of the Seas at Port Canaveral, with her first sailing scheduled for August 31, 2025.

Her first cruise will be a Western Caribbean sailing calling at Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas; Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan Island, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico.

The 248,663-gross ton Star of the Seas is under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland and is slightly smaller than the 250,800-gross ton Icon of the Seas.

There will be eight distinct themed neighborhoods on Star of the Seas, including the popular Central Park and Royal Promenade. It will also feature Thrill Island, home to the largest waterpark at sea, named Category 6.

If you prefer a quieter pool day, Chill Island has multiple pools spread across three decks. There's also live music performed daily, and food options nearby.

Young families will enjoy a special area of the ship dedicated to them at Surfside. In Surfside, Splashaway Bay and the Playscape will get new features. The Water's Edge pool will be more kid focused. The kids clubs will get updates too.

Don't worry, there's an adults-only area on the ship at the Hideaway that has a great infinity pool.

At the AquaDome neighborhood, you'll find shows inside the Aquatheater. There's also great dining choices and amazing views to enjoy.

If you're like a lot of people, you want to enjoy your cruise vacation without tipping the scales when you get home.

Dining on a cruise ship is one of the top reasons people book a cruise in the first place (along with the destinations your ship will go), but keeping the pounds off on your holiday is just as important as being at home.

You'll find on any cruise ship many choices of places to eat and food to choose from.  If a cruise ship is like a floating city, then it has a very large restaurant district.

But there’s a habit that might be driving your weight up post-cruise up without you even knowing it. So we’re here to pinpoint the one clear thing you can do to bring your numbers down. Keep reading.

Stick to your eating habits at home

Because there are so many choices of food and places to eat, the bad habit you're likely to pick up on a cruise is stopping to eat at many of them.

Snacking on a cruise ship seems to be far more common on a cruise than at home, because it's all readily available and so much is included.

It could be a frozen yogurt cone at the pool deck, plate of cookies at Cafe Promenade, or couple slices of pizza at Sorrento's, but it all adds up.

While this isn't to say you shouldn't snack or indulge on a cruise, the key is to not over eat between meals. Eat when you are hungry. Stop eating before you are full.

In some cases, a lot of extra weight is gained because of either consuming a lot of extra calories, or they're retaining a lot of water from all the extra salt that their body isn't used to.

Speaking of things you probably do at home but not on a cruise is drink water.

If I were to ask our readers what's the first thing they want to do when they get on a cruise, the answer is likely to celebrate the start of vacation with a cocktail, beer, or glass of wine.  

There's nothing wrong with that, but not drinking enough water adds up quickly. A lot people gain weight because of water weight from salty food and alcohol.

If plain water that is included with your cruise fare isn't to your liking, you could opt for the flavored waters they have at select dining locations, such as the Windjammer or Cafe Promenade.

Or you could bring water drink mixes to enhance the flavor of the water included with your cruise fare. (Contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use).

Strategies to not gain weight on a cruise

Here are more tried-and-true ways to avoid weight gain on your cruise.

Walk and take the stairs whenever possible: While your first instinct may be to hop in an elevator, the more you can walk, the more calories you can burn to offset the sweets and snacks.

If you're only climbing or descending a few decks, taking the stairs is a really good idea and alternative to crowded elevators. 

My personal strategy is up to 3 decks going up, I'll take the stairs.  Around 5-6 decks going down, and I'll opt for the stairs.

Start with a salad and glass of water at the buffet: Before you grab a plate and hit the Asian stir fry station, try to fill up first on a salad and some water. It will temper your appetite so you might eat less overall.

Beware the liquid calories: I find it's easy enough to skip the cookies and cake, but it's the sugary drinks that add up quickly and without you noticing as much.

Instead of a tropical drink, order low-calorie spirits like vodka. Pick a light beer instead of a traditional one, or opt for a spritzer.

Don't feel obligated to eat or drink your money back: Live your best life on a cruise and indulge, but don't come at your cruise as your attempt to eat because it's included.

Don't join the "clean plate club": Enjoy the food, but don't feel like you're obligated to eat everything they serve you.

There's no penalty if you don't finish everything on your plate. At the buffet, use it as an opportunity to try a wide range of foods, not to stuff yourself silly.

A little bit of weight gain is normal

While you might not want to gain weight, one mantra to remember is you are on vacation and a few extra pounds won't be a problem.

If you're indulging here and there and not being overly gluttonous, you'll probably come home with just a handful of extra pounds.

A great deal of that extra weight could be water weight as a result of the salty foods and cocktails, so it could go away after a few days.

Looking to book a 2025 cruise in Europe? You could easily save hundreds or thousands of dollars extra if you book your flights through Royal Caribbean.

While you may know that Royal Caribbean offers bundled airfare you can purchase through its Air2Sea program, you might not know how lucrative it can be.

Air2Sea is a convenient way to purchase a flight after you book a cruise. It's available in all markets, but I was shocked how much cheaper it was by booking through the cruise line instead of directly with the airline.

For my 2025 European group cruise (you're invited to join us), I had originally booked my flights directly with Virgin Atlantic.  But when my travel agent ran the numbers through Air2Sea, I was able to save over $2,000 for my family of four and I got a more convenient flight option.

I was curious if I was lucky, or there's really something to the offer, so I asked MEI Travel to run a few example flights to compare prices booking through the cruise line or through the airline.

Up to $500 off flights

Royal Caribbean advertises savings of up to $500 off airfare for Alaska and European select sailings.

It's available for Alaska and European sailings departing between April 11 - October 27, 2025 and must be booked between September 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025.

The fine print says the exact savings depend on destination and airfare type:

• Europe
  • $200 USD per person for Economy and Premium Economy Class seats
  • $500 USD per person for First and Business Class seats
• Alaska
  • $100 USD per person for Economy and Premium Economy Class seats
  • $200 USD per person for First and Business Class seats

How much can you really save?

I've seen plenty of advertised offers where the "deal" doesn't match up to reality very well, so I wanted to see put it to the test.

I asked MEI Travel to run airfares for flights from New York and Los Angeles to London for the dates of our group cruise next year.

I then ran the same flights through Expedia to see how much they were charging.  

I was curious to see if the savings were substantial, or was it a case where only some flights really got you a deep discount.

Flight 1: New York to London non-stop

Depart June 19, 2025 from JFK to LHR

• Standard Economy Class/ Main Cabin
  • Air2Sea: $843.31 per person
  • Expedia: $1,037.31 per person
• Delta Premium Select Class
  • Air2Sea: $1546.31 per person
  • Expedia: $1,726.31 per person
• Flagship Business Class
  • Air2Sea: $2,811.31 per person
  • Expedia: $3,291.31 per person

Flight 2: Los Angeles to London non-stop

• Economy Class/ Main Cabin
  • Air2Sea: $1,393.31 per person
  • Expedia: $2,775.01 per person
• Delta Premium Select Class
  • Air2Sea: $2,872.31 per person
  • Expedia: $3,052.31 per person
• Delta One or BIZ Class
  • Air2Sea: $5797.31 per person
  • Expedia: $6,277.31 per person

In every situation, Air2Sea saved hundreds of dollars, even in economy.

Given that every price is for one ticket, if you multiply the discount by how many people are in your travel party, and you can net even bigger savings.

In my case, I cancelled my booking with the airline and re-booked with Air2Sea.

There are other benefits to booking a cruise with Air2Sea, such as the fact you can add an Air2Sea flight that remains refundable until final payment due date and it doesn't cost anything to make the booking.  

If you find a better deal cancel the Air2Sea reservation before final payment due date at no cost.  If fuel costs surge or flight cost jump unexpectedly the Air2Sea booking can suddenly be a great deal.  

If there's a downside to Air2Sea, there is a fee for their services and Air2Sea is essentially your travel agent for the flight.  If you need to do swift modifications to your flight(s) because of some unforeseen problem, you need to go through them vs. just fixing it with the airline directly.  It's like booking a fare via Expedia or other third party.

One other benefit of Air2Sea is in some cases they offer "Assured Arrival" that can help get you on the ship if an airline mess causes you to miss the cruise.  

How do you book a flight with Royal Caribbean?

You can easily browse flights by going to the Air2Sea website after you have a cruise booked.

Alternatively you can call Royal Caribbean 24/7 at 1-844-278-9745 to make your reservation. Or better yet, have your travel agent do it for you.

The Air2Sea program is currently available to guests in the U.S., Canada, and United Kingdom.

Getting a better cruise ship cabin is a fun way to make your vacation even more exciting, in part, because you'll get more space and maybe even more amenities.

I will often book a cruise in a certain category room, but as the cruise gets closer, reconsider my cabin choice.  

Moving up to a better cabin might be a reflection of extra cash to splurge, a lower-than-expected price, or a change in our family's needs. It could just be a whim, but whatever the reason, it's a fun feeling to (try and) get a better cabin.

Here's everything you need to know about upgrading your cabin on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Upgrading your room the traditional way

The simplest and most straightforward way to upgrade your cabin is to ask your travel agent to do it.  Or if you booked with Royal Caribbean directly, give them a call.

You'll compare the price you originally paid to the price of the better cabin, and pay the difference.

Royal Caribbean claims you can make these sort of changes up until the final payment date, but in my experience, they'll always take more money if you want to spend more.  Any payments or deposits you've previously made can be applied to the new reservation.

Upgrading in this fashion means you're subject to the prevailing rates and, there could be different booking incentives too.

Ideally, you'll try this method as early as possible because cabins book up closer to your sail date. Likewise, prices go up as more cabins are sold.  The chances of a last-minute cheap upgrade are unlikely, but not unheard of either.

It's not a bad idea to re-check cabin prices a day or two after the final payment date to see if any cabins returned to inventory because someone missed final payment or cancelled.

The easiest way to see if there's a room available to upgrade to is to do a mock booking on Royal Caribbean's website and see what comes up.  

Prices can change at any time, and inventory moves in real-time.  So you could very well spot a good price, call in the upgrade, but realize the room is no longer available. Be sure to act quickly.

One major advantage of this strategy is you get to pick the specific cabin and location, ensuring you know which room you are getting before paying. Unless, of course, you book a guaranteed cabin.

The disadvantage of upgrading your room in the traditional manner is you are limited to which rooms are available at that moment and whatever prevailing rates.  Plus, as you get closer to the sailing, it's less likely there will be cabins to move up to, especially balcony rooms or suites.

Bidding to upgrade your cabin

Another way to move up to a nicer room is to tell Royal Caribbean how much you'd be willing to spend to hypothetically upgrade in a blind auction.

Royal Up is the name of the program where guests get a choice of different cabin categories you can place bids for, and a range of prices to choose from.

The bid amount is per person for the entire duration of the cruise. Offers are based on two occupants per stateroom - only the first and second guest will be charged. 

Typically you can begin placing bids through Royal Up up to 90 days before your cruise begins, and you can expect an email from the cruise line to inform you of the choice. Alternatively, you can check if you're eligible to place a bid on Royal Caribbean's website.

If you're going to place a bid, I'd recommend doing it right when bids open up, rather than waiting.

The other best time to place a Royal Up bid is if there's a chance a lot of people won't make the cruise, such as a hurricane or winter storm elsewhere in the country.  Those sort of incidents spur last-minute cancellations and might be an opportune moment for a snipe bid.

Bidding for a cabin is a bit confusing because of the myriad of cabin choices and prices. How much should you bid? Will it actually save me money? Are these rooms really available?

When you bid for a room, keep in mind this is your offer to the cruise line if a cabin were to open up, how much you'd be willing to pay. Royal Up is a mechanism to handle unsold rooms or rooms that get cancelled at the last minute.  

As for how much to bid, it almost doesn't matter because winning bids are routinely accepted at all ranges.

Bid what you're comfortable with, and understand that room might not actually be available (yet).

The advantage of bidding for an upgrade is you might save a lot of money compared to if you had booked that same room outright initially. This is especially true if you want to bid to upgrade to a different kind of interior cabin.

Aside from the confusion over how much to bid, I think the top disadvantage of bidding for a room is you will have no choice in where the room is located.

Winning bids get the cabin automatically assigned by Royal Caribbean, which could result in a room near a public venue, or being more susceptible to motion.

You should not bid for a cabin upgrade with Royal Up if you have more than one cabin booked, because there's no way to get the new cabins near each other.

Much has been made recently about cruise ship congestion in Alaska, so Royal Caribbean might have an answer.

Together with an Alaskan Native company, Royal Caribbean Group announced a new partnership to co-develop a new port in Juneau. Goldbelt Incorporated is a urban Alaska Native, for-profit corporation.

Some residents have wanted to limit cruise ship traffic in Juneau, despite the likely negative impact on local businesses. The reason is these locals have found the crowds cruise ships bring to be troublesome.

A resident-written ballot proposition was voted on recently to ban cruise ships on Saturdays, but 60% of voters rejected the measure. Unofficial tallies released by the city found that 2,586 residents voted in favor of the measure and 3,873 voted against it — also a 60% margin.

Royal Caribbean Group's plan would build a new port with the goal of, "strengthening the city's infrastructure while improving traffic congestion downtown and enhancing the local and visitor experience."

The new port would be located on Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act land on Douglas Island. Douglas island is west of downtown Juneau and east of Admiralty Island. It is separated from mainland Juneau by the Gastineau Channel.

The project is called, "The Port of Tomorrow" and it is expected to be completed during the 2027 Alaska cruise season.

The port would have two floating berths overlooking the Chilkat Range. 

Once passengers disembark the ship, they would enter a recreated 1800s Alaska Native Tlingit village, where they "will experience Goldbelt Incorporated shareholders' ancestral history through stories, art, songs, dance, and traditional foods."

The existing port in Juneau includes three cruise terminals: the Ferry Terminal, South Franklin Dock, and Marine Park. In addition, ships may anchor and tender passengers ashore when more than three ships are present.

Fixing the traffic problems

In order to leverage the existing whale watching tour operations, passengers would depart directly from West Douglas Island onto whale-watching tours or shuttle boats to Mendenhall Glacier to counter downtown traffic. 

Estimates are it would remove nearly one-third of bus traffic from Juneau's most congested roadways, from downtown Franklin Street to the Glacier Highway, enhancing the overall guest and resident experience, while also paying testament to Alaska Native culture.

Because Douglas Island is located directly in the major shipping routes alongside Steven's Passage, the proposal has other advantages beyond downtown Juneau. 

It promises an environmental advantage, reducing time, speed, and fuel requirements for ships sailing north to Skagway or west to the Gulf of Alaska, making it the most ideal stop-over for routing to Sitka or Seward.

The capital of Alaska cruising

Juneau welcomes more than 1.6 million cruise ship passengers per year, and on its busiest days, 20,000 cruise passengers arrive at the city.

Nearly every major cruise line that sails in Alaska has a stop in Juneau, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Disney, and Viking.

The Alaska cruise season runs between April and October, but Royal Caribbean ships primarily visit between May and September.

According to Juneau's FAQ on the ballot initiative, in 2023, cruise visitors generated $30 million in direct spending and $3.7 million in revenue for the municipal government on Saturdays.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty told Wall Street analysts during a quarterly earnings call in July 2024 that Alaska was one of his company's most sought-after destinations, "Alaska summer itineraries are performing exceptionally well."

In fact, summer Alaska season represents 6% of full-year capacity for Royal Caribbean Group. The company increased their capacity this year as a result of moving bigger ships into the Alaska market.

The cabin you choose for a cruise is where you'll call home for the entire duration of your voyage, so if there's a problem with it, you'll want to do something about it.

To be fair, most staterooms on a cruise ship are free of noise issues. Over the course of my nearly 100 cruises that I've taken, I can count on one hand the amount of times I've had a noise issue in my room.

However, noise issues do happen from time to time, so knowing what to do is helpful in mitigating the problem quickly.

Noise issues could stem from any sort of sources: mechanical, other passengers, wind, just to name a few.

A Royal Caribbean message board user, Couponz, shared an issue in their cabin on Anthem of the Seas that they encountered, "In my stateroom, I hear this loud banging noise that seems to roll with the side-to-side movement of the ship."

If you run into a similar situation, here's what you should know about handling it.

Assessing the source of the noise

The first thing you should do is try to figure out what's causing the noise and where it's coming from.

You'd be surprised how often the source of a noise problem is something you can fix on your own.  I believe one of the most common sources of noise in a stateroom are the hangers in the closet.

Royal Caribbean provides hangers in every stateroom closet, and they can rattle quite a bit (especially if the ship is swaying a bit).

Or perhaps its glasses clinging together, or something else you've left out that is making the noise.

You'll want to determine if the noise is coming from outside the cabin, such as in the hallway or a public area.  Or, if the noise is from coming within your room, such as from the ventilation, plumbing, or in the walls.

Creaking is a somewhat common noise issue on a cruise, especially from the ceiling. As the ship moves, panels move to, and there's a bit of give between them. 

Usually the creaking subsides as movement in the ship does.  On some occasions, I've been able to push firmly against the panel to jostle it to a point where it mitigates the noise.

Regardless, figuring out where the noise is coming from helps in diagnosing the cause, and keying crew members into addressing it.

Immediate fixes

Minor noises, creaks, or thuds can happen.  Just like a hotel room on land that has a loud car going by or the wind rattling a window, most of it can be subtle and short lived.

Many veteran cruisers recommend packing certain devices and aids to use if there is a small noise issue, especially to help them sleep.

A good pair of ear plugs can be a game-changer for keeping you asleep longer.

The Flents Foam Ear Plugs come highly recommended by our readers because they fit well, muffle noise, and you can still hear your alarm go off in the morning. (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Another idea is to download a white noise app to your smart phone that can play the music on loop (“bedtime fan” from App Store is one that a reader recommended).

The LectroFan white noise machine is one such device, and it could be what you need to sleep peacefully (and it can be powered by USB). (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Asking for help

When the issue is beyond your control and it's impacting your ability to sleep or enjoy your room, there's nothing wrong with reporting the issue and seeking help.

Your best bet is to start with your stateroom attendant. He or she works in your room every week, so they know problem areas as well as being up on what's unusual.

If your stateroom is not available, you could go to the Maintenance department. There's usually an extension on your stateroom phone for maintenance or housekeeping.  Either one will result in a technician coming out to check the problem.

That's right, there are a team of technicians on your ship whose job it is to keep up with any maintenance issues.  They wear blue uniforms, and they can be by in under an hour to assist.

Once they arrive to the cabin, show them what the issue is and how or when it occurs.  It's best if it can be reproduced, so if it's intermittent, I'd recommend taking a video of it to show them so they can understand it without waiting around.

If the noise is from another passenger, you'll need to get Security involved.  Once again, I advise taking a video when the noise occurs.

Unfortunately, Security can only truly intervene if they are the ones observing the problem happening.  But a video helps and alerts them to a potential issue, and establishes a report that can be acted on if it continues.

How to escalate a problem

Let's assume the noise issue continues, how do you get it resolved?

As I mentioned, it's best to start with your cabin attendant.  They'll either know of a quick fix or get maintenance involved. But if it continues being an issue, you'll want to escalate the issue.

Ideally, you'd speak with the deck supervisor next. This crew member is in charge of the upkeep of all of the staterooms on your deck (or at least a section). To be honest, it's difficult to know who this person is or how to contact them other than asking your cabin attendant to have them contact you.

You could also go to Guest Services and explain the issue.  I would avoid starting with Guest Services, because they'll just relay the info back to Housekeeping and Maintenance as a first step.

When you speak to Guest Services, explain the issue and what you've done to try to remedy it. Be calm and remember Guest Services isn't causing it. They'll do what they can to assist.

You could request a cabin change if the issue seems habitual, but that's not so simple.  Cruise ships sail completely full these days, so it's rare to have open cabins.  However, it doesn't hurt to ask if you truly believe that will bypass the problem. Just understand there aren't a block of empty cabins available.

If you truly feel like you're not making any progress, ask to speak to the Hotel Director. Guest Services will be able to get them for you.

The Hotel Director is one of the most highly ranked crew members onboard, and they oversee everything involving the hotel side of the operation, including your cabin.

Asking for compensation

Should you get money back if there's a real noise issue?

Compensation for a problem is a bit of a gray area, and really depends on the exact situation. I've seen onboard credit given out for minor and major problems, and then not again.

As an example, when we didn't have hot water in my cabin on embarkation day during the afternoon, I received onboard credit, but didn't get any when a rain shower partially flooded my cabin floor.

In many cases, a supervisor or manager will authorize onboard credit or a future cruise credit without even asking. I think this has been the most common scenario that I've been compensated for an issue.

Keep in mind a noise problem in your cabin does not automatically qualify you for compensation.  If something breaks, there's probably a better argument for it.  But noisy neighbors, the weather, and other things out of Royal Caribbean's control may not warrant it.

Nonetheless, there's no reason you can't ask for it if you feel it's warranted. Don't bother asking your stateroom attendant or the maintenance department for it. You'll want to speak with Guest Services or the Hotel Director.  Ultimately, it's at their discretion and there's no legal obligation on their part to offer you any, per the Cruise Contract you agreed to when you booked your cruise.

Preventative measures for future cruises

In general, there are certain cabins to avoid on a cruise ship as well as the right cabins to choose for a quiet stay.

Ideally, pick a cabin that is one deck above or below other staterooms. Avoid cabins that are one deck above or below a public area, such as a dining room or pool.

Never book a connecting stateroom unless you know the people on the other side of the connecting door.  

Cruise ship cabins are poorly insulated from noise to begin with, but connecting doors are even worse. 

It's totally fine to book connecting cabins when you have both cabins, but don't book a connecting cabin if it's just you in one room. Anecdotally, a lot of RoyalUp bids end up with connecting cabins.

Other typically noisy rooms are cabins that face public areas, such as a Promenade view cabin. 

Royal Promenade View cabins are available on Freedom Class, Voyager Class and Oasis Class ships and they have cabins that face inward towards the Royal Promenade. Each of these rooms has a large bay window that looks out to the Promenade, but this window is not soundproof.

On the Vision & Radiance Class ships, the first few cabins from the Centrum can also deal with noise bleed, as the Centrum is home to loud music in the evening.  

Conclusion

If there's a noise problem in your stateroom, address it early so you can eliminate the problem and enjoy a relaxing rest of your cruise.

I commonly read rants from people that come back from a cruise with noise issues and learn they didn't do anything about it.

A word of warning, be sure to get the issue taken care of onboard.  Some people put up with the noise, and then try contacting Royal Caribbean after the cruise is over for some kind of resolution, especially compensation.

In my experience, getting the issue fixed onboard not only gets rid of the noise, but also is the best way to potentially receive compensation since the crew can assess if the problem is indeed warranting it.

It's likely you will never run into this sort of an issue, but now you'll have the right approach to get it solved.

A 74-year-old man takes his wife that he's been married to for 55 years on a cruise twice a year, and he has no intention of stopping.

Ron Lodowski lives in upstate New York with his wife, Susan, and they love to go on cruises as a way to escape to the tropics and enjoy a carefree trip.

While Millennials lead the post-Covid recovery in travel, baby boomers are increasingly booking trips. That's according to Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty.

In an interview in 2023, Mr. Liberty said Baby Boomers tend to pay more for a cruise (because they prefer higher end accommodations) and they bring their kids and grandkids with them.

"That Baby Boomer is bringing in more of that multigenerational travel, as the grandparents are looking to travel with their kids and their grandkids."

Ron is part of that Baby Boomer generation, and he likes how everything is taken care of on a cruise, "Need a meal? Royal has you covered. Need your cabin or suite cleaned? No problem. Want to see some form of entertainment after dinner? Look no further. Royal Caribbean cruising is one stop vacation shopping."

He didn't start cruising until later in life. His first cruise was in 2008 as a gift to his daughter. While he admits he made a "big mistake" choosing a Carnival cruise as his first cruise, he quickly made the jump to Royal Caribbean and now goes on multiple cruises per year.

"I cruise twice a year, on average, normally, once in March or April and once is September or October," he said.

"Living in the Northeast... these dates tend to extend the warm summer for us instead of having the summer begin in May and end in late August or early September."

I asked Ron for his tips for how to plan the right cruise based on how he likes to cruise with Susan and his family.

Book early

Ron says he picks his cruise based on four criteria: the time of the year, the itinerary, the ship, and lastly the price.

As an example, "With the introduction of the newest Icon and Oasis class ships, the cruise decision based upon ship has jumped ahead of the itinerary."

His first tip for booking a cruise is to book the cruise sooner than later.

"The sooner you book, normally the lower the cruise fare.  If the price does decrease, you can always cancel and rebook as long as it is before the final payment date."

The ability to re-book up until final payment to take advantage of a price decrease is available to residents of certain countries, such as the United States or Canada. It is indeed one of the best ways to save money on a cruise.

"I have done this numerous times and have saved thousands of dollars. Better yet? Have your travel agent do this for you. Their charge is nonexistent, and their service is priceless."

Our team recommends using a good travel agent for the service they provide, as well as the opportunity to save money, just as Ron described.

Splurge

Ron approaches every cruise with a sobering but pragmatic view, "Treat ever cruise like it might be your last cruise."

To that point, he doesn't shy away from spending more on cruise extras.

"Enjoy the specialty dining experience, have that extra cocktail after dinner, treat yourself to a suite with all the suite benefits. Or better yet? Go full out and experience the pampering which you will receive from a Royal Genie. You will never forget it!"

While there are a lot of freebies on a Royal Caribbean cruise, Ron sees cruising as an escape. 

I asked Ron what he'd tell someone else his age about why they should try a cruise. He joked, "I would first tell them to turn up your hearing aid" and then said he would explain how a cruise can transport you to amazing places.

"Cruising is an amazing experience. You get to travel to beautiful, scenic places and once onboard everything which you might want, or need is taken care of by one of the helpful crew members"

He also emphasized the importance of meeting new friends on a cruise, "And most importantly, unlike land vacations, where people come and go, when you are on a cruise, people you meet become your friends for life. I speak from experience. "

Book off season

Ron's last tip is to look for off season rates, which can save a lot of money compared to peak season.

As a retiree, Ron and Susan can take advantage of times of the year when there is less demand because school is in session, and thus, families are reluctant go to on vacation.

"Off season rates, January thru March and September thru November are usually much cheaper, so why not take advantage of these months?"

"You're retired, so you have no job or family to interfere with your vacation plans. You deserve it!"

Going on a cruise in the months Ron mentions can be a great time to go on a cruise for those added savings.

While the Caribbean is a year-round destination, booking a trip during one month over another could be the difference in hundreds of dollars.

You'll want to get onboard your cruise ship as soon as possible to get your vacation started. After all, the price you paid doesn't change if you board at 11am or 2pm.

As a result, you're going to want to get an early check-in time to assure you'll board the ship first.

Boarding a cruise ship is somewhat similar to boarding an airplane. Everyone waits for the ship to be cleared and ready to welcome passengers, and then boarding commences in groups.

Usually suite guests go first, followed by other passengers based on different criteria.

But before you can get into the cruise terminal, Royal Caribbean assigns check-in times to every passenger. It's part of the pre-cruise check-in process, and there are limited slots to each check-in window.

Knowing when to check-in for your cruise can be the difference between an early time and one in the afternoon. While a relatively straightforward process, it's important to know the proper steps as well as what to avoid when checking in.

Getting the earliest check-in time

You'll be able to reserve a check-in time closer to your sail date, and it's imperative to be on the ball to get those early time slots.

Royal Caribbean's online check-in opens 45 days before your cruise is set to begin. 

It's slightly confusing exactly what time check-in opens, because it's 45 days at midnight based on the ship's home port time. Meaning, if you live in New York, but your Alaska cruise departs from Seattle, your check-in time opens at 3am Eastern/midnight Pacific.

In my experience, check-in will open up a few minutes past midnight.  It's rarely exactly at midnight, usually five or ten minutes later.

You can do online check-in via Royal Caribbean's website or their app. Trust me, you'll want to use the Royal Caribbean app and not the website.

The primary reason to use the app is when check-in opens, you can skip right to the check-in times and select a time. The Royal Caribbean website will make you first fill out personal information before getting there.

You'll need to reserve a check-in time for everyone in your party.  After you're done and have the times confirmed, you can go back into the app later and fill out the rest of the personal information.

I know what you're thinking, "do I really need to stay up until midnight to check-in?" and the answer is yes, if you want the earliest time.

If you wait until morning, you'll probably have access to the second or third earliest check-in times.  That's far from terrible, and you'll still be way ahead of people that try to do it later. But if you absolutely, positively need to the earliest time, starting the check-in process at midnight is critical.

The earliest check-in times begin around 10:30am or 11:00am. It can vary from sailing to sailing.

Book a suite

The strategy outlined in this article applies to all passengers, but those staying in a suite have one advantage over other passengers.

Suite guests enjoy a flexible check-in window of plus or minus one hour based on the check-in time you reserved.

This means if you had an 11:00am check-in time via the app, you could check-in as early as 10:00am.

If you book a Star Class cabin, your Royal Genie will coordinate with you a specific time you want to arrive and they will work around your preference. It's the ultimate "fastpass" for checking in, but Star Class cabins will easily cost you five figures.

Keep in mind the check-in times doesn't correlate to boarding time.  It simply refers to what time they'll admit you into the cruise terminal to begin checking in.

It should go without saying that spending the extra money to move up to a suite just for an earlier check-in time almost certainly is not a great value.  But it's a lovely perk to add onto the suite experience.

Purchase The Key

There's one other way to get an early check-in by throwing money at the problem.

Royal Caribbean offers a VIP extra-cost add-on, known as The Key.

Guests that buy The Key get a number of added benefits, including priority access into the terminal on Day 1.

You still select a boarding time during online check-in, but a couple weeks before the cruise, you will get an email that tells you you can board with The Key (usually 11:30 after suite guests) or keep your scheduled time. 

I'm not a fan of purchasing The Key, but it's worth noting it could get you checked-in and onboard faster (among other benefits).