From horticulture to high diving, Royal Caribbean International’s crew members bring their many passions on board the ships they work on. While their job titles run the gamut, what they have in common is that they live the adventure they create for their guests. With the opportunity to meet new people every day and step foot in a new country nearly as often, it’s no surprise Royal Caribbean has a crew that's passionate and committed to bringing incredible vacations to life.

Royal Caribbean announced today it is the only cruise line in the world with onboard PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) Five Star Dive Centers, which allows guests to become certified scuba divers as part of their vacation.

Royal Caribbean’s partnership with PADI offers plenty of options for guests, regardless of experience. Whether a newbie or experienced diver, Royal Caribbean offers a range of programs from a 30-minute Try Dive program, for those just wanting to get their feet wet, to PADI’s Reactivate™ Program for certified divers wanting a refresher; prices starting at $29 and $59 per person, respectively.

Those seeking the ultimate scuba dive vacation can enroll in PADI’s Open Water Diver course to earn their complete scuba diving certification, starting at $599 per person. The premiere scuba course begins at home with the online course using either the PADI Touch™ app for mobile devices or PADI eLearning® online for desktop and laptop computers, leaving more time for the fun of scuba diving while on vacation.

Once on the high seas, divers will test the waters in the ship’s pool before heading out to complete the four mandatory, open-water training dives in some of the world’s most spectacular underwater surroundings. The training dives will be split among two different ports of call, allowing for maximum sightseeing in the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean or South Pacific. Upon returning home, guests will be certified scuba divers able to plan and execute dives on their own and have the stories to share about the aquatic world they’ve recently discovered. 

Guests looking to immerse themselves in the beauty of the ocean and wonder of marine life can book their PADI course before boarding through the Cruise Planner, or while on board at one of the Royal Caribbean-exclusive PADI Five Star Dive Centers found on 10 ships across the fleet, including Oasis-, Freedom- and Voyager-class ships, as well as Quantum-class’ Anthem of the Seas.

"For the past 16 years Royal Caribbean has worked closely with PADI to develop our onboard dive program," said Roberta Jacoby, managing director, Global Tour Operations at Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. "No other cruise line offers the opportunity for guests to become PADI certified scuba divers as part of the cruise, making it an ultimate dive trip as well. When guests sign up for the PADI Open Water Diver Course, they receive first-rate training and diver certification, performing their own scuba dives amidst the beautiful and serene waters of multiple Caribbean destinations and the South Pacific."

Each week we summarize all of this week's Royal Caribbean news in one post, just in case you missed any of it. Lots of things happen in your life during the week, so this is your opportunity to catch up on everything Royal Caribbean.

The big news this week came from the rumor mill, with some compelling indications of what Royal Caribbean's next cruise ship will named.

First, a blog post from the FlowRider company specifically referred to Oasis IV as Symphony of the Seas.  Then a few days later, a construction photo shows the same name being prepared on the ship's hull.

Royal Caribbean has made no official announcement regarding what its fourth Oasis class ship will be named, but many believe she will be named Symphony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean News

• Here is how to get a discount on a Royal Caribbean drink package.
• Five things to love about Navigator of the Seas.
• All this week, we have been LIVE blogging from Majesty of the Seas.
• New photos of Ovation of the Seas in Sydney are quite beautiful.
• Want to do something besides sit at the beach in Labadee? Here are six ideas for fun activities.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 181st  episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, which provides an overview of what Labadee offers.

Royal Caribbean's private destination of Labadee is a highlight for any cruise, and on this episode, Matt looks at what there is to do in Labadee, what to expect on shore, and tips for a fun day.

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

Penn State University has a look at two Royal Caribbean crew members who graduated from Penn State.

Cruise Dudes Podcast interviewed a listener who recently sailed on Allure of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean shares how its cruise ships save energy.

Everyone loves a good beach day, but sometimes you want to branch out and, to borrow a phrase from a past Royal Caribbean marketing campaign, get out there. Royal Caribbean's private destination of Labadee is well-known for its amazing beaches and serenity, but for those that want a little more active fun, here are some suggestions for what to do on your next visit there.

Ride the longest zip line over water

As soon as you step foot onto Labadee, you will likely notice the zip line cables extending down from the top of a nearby mountain, which seems to draw many guests who want to experience it for themselves.

The Dragon's Breath zip line takes you 500 feet above the beach as you reach speeds of 40-50 miles per hour. The zip line is 2,600 feet long and begins atop lookout mountain, and will take you above the ocean and land.

Arawak Aqua Park

If your idea of a good time is jumping, falling and canon-balling into the ocean off giant inflatable objects, then Arawak Aqua Park is perfect for you.  While there is plenty of time spent in the water, unlike a day at the beach, this aqua park is all about expending a ton of energy in this fun marine playground.

Floating trampolines, pyramids and water slides await you as you jump, climb and splash to your heart's content. It is fun for kids and adults who want to keep cool while having a lot of fun while enjoying picture-perfect views of the turquoise sea around you.

Parasail

To get a full appreciation of Labadee's natural beauty, one needs to go about 400 feet in the air on an exciting parasailing adventure.

Going up in a parasail provides one of the best views of Labadee, your Royal Caribbean ship, and the surrounding area. Guests take a scenic journey to the parasailing area, where they fly in tandem high above Labadee.  Without a doubt, you will not find another view like this one.

Jet Ski

Anytime I think of jet skiing in Labadee, I am reminding of this classic Royal Caribbean television commercial.

Regardless of your nostalgia, a jet ski ride is the perfect way for anyone that wants to take a high-speed adventure through the waters of Labadee.  This is great for anyone that wants to indulge their sense of adventure and enjoy Labadee's natural beauty with the wind in their hair.

Deep sea fishing

Did you know you can go fishing while in Labadee? Royal Caribbean provides a 3-hour fishing voyage off the coast of Labadee, where your Captain takes you in search of saltwater fish to catch.

Guests embark on a 25.5 foot boat for an opportunity to try to find and reel in various large fish, such as marlin, tuna, wahoo and mahi mahi. 

Alpine Coaster

Located 680 feet up on Santa Maria’s lookout mountain, you will find the Dragon's Tail roller coaster, which is an alpine coaster.  You may have seen these sort of rides at some ski resorts during the summer months. 

Essentially it is a single car vehicle that races down a track at 30 miles per hour and features 360-degree turns as well as dips, waves and curves, you can catch glimpses of the ocean.

There appears to be photographic proof of what Royal Caribbean's next cruise ship will be named.

A photo was shared by Royal Caribbean fan and avid ship construction fan, Lloyd Marchand from the STX France shipyard that shows a piece of Royal Caribbean's fourth Oasis class cruise ship with the outline for what will be the ship's name.

Photo shared by Lloyd Marchand

The letters begin to spell out the rumored name, Symphony of the Seas.  Earlier this week, a partner company accidently posted Symphony of the Seas as the name of the new ship on its blog.

Royal Caribbean has not formally announced the name of this ship yet, although we do know it will debut in Spring 2018.

We have reached Friday, and that means it is time to sit back, and enjoy a batch of lovely Royal Caribbean photos that our readers sent in.  Essentially, this is our weekly Royal Caribbean binging on photos that provide a "virtual escape" back to a cruise ship.

We begin this week's photos with this one by Chris Reardon of a gingerbread village display outside the Windjammer on Allure of the Seas.

D J Epstein took this photo of Grandeur of the Seas, as seen from the tender he rode in Grand Cayman.

Check out this photo by Allen Shaffer of Serenade of the Seas waiting for passengers to return in Akureyri, Iceland. 

Eric Hoefman has a gingerbread village photo of his own, with this one from Anthem of the Seas. That is a lot of gingerbread!

Next is a photo of the Boardwalk on Harmony of the Seas. Ken took this photo, and it looks like another busy day of fun in a very popular neighborhood.

Here is Navigator of the Seas in Cozumel, as seen by Scott Shaffer. One of my favorite ships in one of my favorite ports!

We wrap up this week's Friday Photos with this sunset photo by Greg Moore while onboard Voyager of the Seas.  It was taken near Fiji, while Greg was celebrating his 20th wedding anniversary.  Perfect!

Thank you to everyone who shared photos with us this week, and if you want to have your photos showcased, be sure to send us your best Royal Caribbean photos to be used in an upcoming Friday Photos post.  Have a great weekend!

Royal Caribbean will hold a conference call on January 26, 2016 at 10am to discuss its fourth quarter 2016 financial results.

The call will be available on-line at the company's investor relations web site,www.rclinvestor.com. To listen to the call by phone, please dial (877) 663-9606 in the US and Canada. International phone calls should be made to (706) 758-4628. There is no passcode or meeting number. A replay of the webcast will be available at the same site for a month following the call.

The arrival of Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas to Australia is being met with plenty of excitement and attention from an Australian public that is fully embracing having a brand new cruise ship to themselves.  While not everyone reading this post might be in Australia to take advantage of this momentous occasion, we all can enjoy some beautiful photos of Ovation of the Seas down under.

Royal Caribbean took some wonderful shots of Ovation of the Seas in Sydney harbor, and we just had to share them with all of you.

Ovation of the Seas' arrival into Sydney marks her first summer season of Australia and New Zealand itineraries. She is the newest and largest ship in the region accommodating 4,180 guests at double occupancy and 1,500 international crew members.

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

Episode 181 is available for downloading, which provides an overview of Royal Caribbean's private destination of Labadee.

There is so much to see and do in Labadee, and Matt has a guide to what to expect when visiting Labadee and a look at the various popular options and activities onshore.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 181. 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!