Happy Memorial Day weekend!  We're starting this weekend with our readers' favorite Royal Caribbean cruise photos.  Each week we invite our readers to share their photos with us!

Our first photo this week is from John Bamber of Freedom of the Seas off the coast of CocoCay.  

Carl Green sent this photo of the sunset, as seen from Radiance of the Seas while heading back to Sydney from a 14 night cruise around New Zealand.

Here is a photo of Independence of the Seas on embarkation day, taken by Jeff L.

Caroline just returned from her honeymoon on Harmony of the Seas, and took this photo at the honeymooner's gathering event onboard.

Next is a photo of dinner from Wonderland on Harmony of the Seas, taken by George Alcazar.

Here is a shot of the sunset at Bermuda dockyard, taken by Jenn U.

We round things out with this photo by Paul Collins of Oasis of the Seas docked next to a few other, relatively smaller, cruise ships in Nassau.

We want your Royal Caribbean photos too! Use this form to send us your favorite photos and we will include it in an upcoming blog post.

Royal Caribbean is offering up to 30% off certain Cruise Planner purchases during its Memorial Day Pre-Sail Savings sale.

Guest that log into the Cruise Planner will find certain items discounted.  The exact discount available will vary from sailing to sailing, but we spotted the Royal Refreshment package discounted 30% off, along with similar discounts for many spa treatments.

Based on the countdown timer, the sale expires at midnight on Sunday, May 28, 2017.

Royal Caribbean has added a new combo offer for guests to purchase, that combines the ulimited soft drink package with the unlimited internet package.

Dubbed, "Classic Soda And Voom One Device," this new offering costs $19.00 per guest, per day and can be purchased via online prior to a cruise, via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner.

If a guest were to purchase the Classic Soda Package and Voom one device internet package separately, it would cost them $8.50 + 14.39 ($22.89) per person, per day.

The Classic Soda And Voom One Device plan is similar to the Deluxe Beverage Package and Voom One Device plan, which has been a popular choice for guests that want to get the unlimited alcohol package and Voom internet plan together.

Thanks to Royal Caribbean Blog message board reader FManke for spotting this new option.

Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Episode 199 is available for downloading, and this week we have an exclusive interview with the Godmother of Harmony of the Seas, Brittany Affolter.

Brittany shares with us the story of how she came to be the Godmother to Harmony of the Seas, and shared a review of her recent sailing aboard Harmony.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 199. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Stitcher or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!

Royal Caribbean started its Memorial Day Sale, with 30% off all guests, plus instant savings that can be stacked with other offers Royal Caribbean is currently offering.

The Memorial Day Sale requires cruise must be booked May 24, 2017 7:00AM EST to May 31, 2017 11:59PM EST and applies to cruises that depart on or after June 24, 2017. Offer excludes China departures.

The Memorial Day Sale includes

• 30% off the standard cruise fare for all guests in a stateroom; all stateroom categories.
• Instant savings
  • $25 off per stateroom for interior and oceanview on sailings 5 nights or less
  • $50 off per stateroom for balcony and suite on 5 night sailings or less
  • $50 off per stateroom for interior and oceanview on sailings 6 nights or longer
  • $100 off per stateroom for balcony and suite on 6 night sailings or longer

Oasis Class Savings

Also, bookings made between May 24, 2017 through May 31, 2017 at 11:59PM on Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas sailings departing on or after June 24, 2017 are eligible for an additional dollars off determined by stateroom category booked:

• $50 off per stateroom total for interior and oceanview
• $150 off per stateroom total for balcony
• $300 off per stateroom total for suite

Kids Sail Free

Additionally, Kids Sail Free offer provides free cruise fare of third and higher guests who are 12 years or younger as of cruise departure date, booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests in a triple or quad occupancy stateroom on 5 nights or longer sailings that depart between Sep. 1, 2017 - Dec. 14, 2017 across Bahamas, Caribbean, North East Caribbean, Bermuda, Coastal and Canada itineraries.

Kids Sail Free excludes sailings departing on or between 11/16/17 – 11/26/17.

Maycation 30% is combinable with adjoining Dollars Off, Kids Sail Free, Crown & Anchor discounts, NextCruise offers and Shareholder Benefits. Dollars Off and Kids Sail Free is not combinable with Crown & Anchor discounts or Shareholder Benefits. Maycation 30%, Kids Sail Free and Dollars Off are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including but not limited to, restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, and Military), Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, and Net Rates.

Offer open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. 

Starting today, Oasis of the Seas is rolling out a new offer for guests to enjoy a featured margarita and an appetizer for one low price.

Royal Caribbean Blog blogger, Michael Poole spotted this new offer that is beginning today on Oasis of the Seas.  Every day, from 3pm - 6pm, guests can get one Bar Bite and one Featured Margarita for $12.

Bar Bites

• Guacamole

• Chicken-Stuffed Jalapenos Wrapped in Bacon

• Shredded Beef Short Rib Taco

Featured Margaritas

• Sweet & Spicy

• Avocado

• Jalapeno-Cucumber

The staff at Sabor say this new deal begins today, and will be available until further notice every day.

In addition, Sabor is also offering a la carte priced guacamole for $7 if purchased from the Sabor bar.

Sabor recently changed to a cover charge cost recently, where guests must pay $19 to enjoy all the food on the menu.

Casting a watchful eye on the world's weather around the clock is a tall order, and James Van Fleet is the meteorologist for the job – the first of its kind in the cruise industry. Royal Caribbean’s Chief Meteorologist develops forecasts for the cruise line’s fleet of 24 ships. Translating technical data into digestable information is second nature for Van Fleet, who’s a veteran TV meteorologist with more than two decades of experience. With his guidance, captains have the added support to continue making informed decisions and delivering the best possible vacation experience for the cruise line’s guests.

Royal Caribbean announced the teams of adventure squads that are finalists in the cruise line's "The World’s Most Adventurous Squad" contest.

In late March, squads began competing in the contest’s opening round of five challenges chronicled on social media. With themes like “Thrills and Chills” and “Epic Eats,” these challenges ran through April. Royal Caribbean then selected one winning squad for each challenge. Five finalists were picked among a field of more than 3,000 competing teams who entered the contest. Each team is made up of up to four thrill-seekers, and will compete to be crowned the winner in just two weeks.

The contest progress can be tracked at AdventureSquad.com. The finalist teams are

• Cousins of the Caribbean, Winners of the Thrills and Chills Challenge — These competitive cousins are former collegiate athletes, game-changers, and open-minded wanderlusters.
• Hawaii Koa, Winners of the Hidden Gems Challenge — Instagram ‘Pros and Bros’ are self-proclaimed ‘surf & snow animals’ that believe life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
• Bangarang, Winners of the Epic Eats Challenge — This globetrotting team collectively has sampled many of the world’s wonders and believe, ‘You gotta risk it to get the biscuit.’
• Seas the Day, Winners of the Culture Capture Challenge — Calling themselves ‘a couple of couples,’ this crew enthusiastically seeks out the adrenaline rush of serious adventure travel.
• Skallywags, Winners of the Air Land and Sea Challenge — Having brains, muscle, and moxie, these outdoorsy outliers know how to beat attitude with gratitude and plenty of altitude.

From May 27–June 3, the remaining tier of the Adventure Squad contest begins. The Final Five will embark on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas for a seven-day sailing. Beginning in Labadee, Haiti, squad mettle will be tested as teams careen down Dragon’s Breath Flight Line, the world’s longest overwater zip line. A sail to Haiti’s remote Amiga Island, surrounded by white-sand beaches and crystal blue waters, culminates in a kayaking and wave-jet surfing adventure to round out the day.

Next, competitors sail to Falmouth, Jamaica, where they’ll raft their way down three miles of the Martha Brae River on handmade vessels of bamboo. Later, crews get to sample some of the best jerk chicken and pork in Jamaica that’s cooked over the pimento tree wood pits of Scotchie’s Restaurant in Montego Bay. Exploring the exhilarating waterfalls and secret cave of Jamaica’s Blue Hole as well as off-roading on ATVs through the island’s jungle terrain is also on the adrenaline-pumping itinerary. But no worries, squad members get to shake off hard-earned road dust with a refreshing cliff-dive into azure waters.

The final port-of-call will take the eager travelers to the island of Cozumel, Mexico, where they’ll hop a plane to explore the intriguing archaeological Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza. Once there, underground limestone caverns of some of the country’s many cenotes await their inspection. The group will then be treated to restorative handmade tortillas at a private Cozumel taqueria.

At the end of sailing, all five teams will gather in Harmony’s outdoor AquaTheater to hear which group is crowned “The World’s Most Adventurous Squad.” Each winning squad member will be awarded with three Royal Caribbean cruises.

Stay up-to-date with all the Royal Caribbean news from this week with our roundup of all this week's news.

Earlier this week, we reported a new kind of escape room game available on Brilliance of the Seas that will soon make its way to other ships in the fleet.

Puzzle Break CEO Nate Martin spoke exclusively with Royal Caribbean Blog about the work his company is doing to bring new escape rooms to other Royal Caribbean ships.  

The "Royal Mystery" game is a hybrid puzzle hunt escape room experience that is playable by multiple teams at the same time. And it can be played on existing ships in the fleet.

Royal Caribbean News

• Kids Sail Free sale is back for the rest of the month.
• We have a new Symphony of the Seas construction photo update.
• Royal Caribbean pushed back the release of its 2018-2019 Australia sailings until June.
• Royal Caribbean retired its iOS app this week.
• We started two new live blogs: Oasis of the Seas and Empress of the Seas.
• Here are five ways to save hundreds of dollars off your next cruise.
• Our full review of Izumi on Navigator of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 198th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, featuring an interview with Puzzle Break CEO and co-founder Nate Martin.

In this Episode, Matt talks with Nate Martin about the work Puzzle Break is doing with Royal Caribbean and the kind of escape room games that are coming soon to its ships.

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.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Seatrade Cruise News cites a poll that Royal Caribbean is tops with millennials.

CruiseBe has 5 places for foodies on Anthem of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean showed how they use data-driven, predictive analytics approach to fleet operations.

Eat Sleep Cruise shared their top 10 things to do in Havana, Cuba.

Happy Friday to everyone! When the calendar hits Friday, that means we are sharing our readers favorite Royal Caribbean cruise photos!  

Each week we invite our readers to send us their favorite Royal Caribbean photos and we showcase them all right here!

Ken Slusser starts us off this week, with this photo of the deck party on Enchantment of the Seas.

Jin has a shot of North Star rising above Ovation of the Seas.

Here is a beautiful sunset photo, sent in by Catherine Elgie-Peters, from aboard Quantum of the Seas.

Dana and Patricia Hall shared this photo of Vision of the Seas docked in downtown Oslo, Norway.

Check out this photo of Quantum of the Seas in Nassau, Bahamas, just as the sun is setting.  Photo by Naas.

Rob Ruby shared this photo of the sun rising in Sydney, while he was aboard Rhapsody of the Seas.

We round out this week's photos with this shot of Miami in the distance, as seen by John Estok on Navigator of the Seas as the ship was beginning a brand new sailing.

We want to share your Royal Caribbean photos too! Send us your favorite, best, most awesome Royal Caribbean cruise photos by using this form and we will feature them in an upcoming Friday Photos blog post!