Royal Caribbean UK is kicking off a search for an Instagram user to be the cruise line's "summer intern" and share the cruise experience via Instagram.

The 3 week Instagram Intern-ship will take place over the summer of 2017 and involve, "capturing incredible content and uncovering amazing stories." The successful candidate will be responsible for finding and documenting the extraordinary on a daily basis via Instagram.

Royal Caribbean describes this "intern-ship" as a hybrid between being a photographer, documentary maker and a storyteller. A typical day will see the successful candidate immerse themselves in the extraordinary moments, experiences and stories that take place on land and at sea, and share them with the world via Instagram.

Anyone interested in applying needs to ensure they meet the following criteria

• Skilled in Instagram with extensive knowledge of all 23 filters
• Exemplary ability to capture stunning views, extraordinary experiences, beautiful sunsets and amazing stories on social media
• Available to travel for three consecutive weeks between June –July 2017 to regions including New York, the Caribbean, Asia and the Mediterranean.
• Inquisitive nature, love storytelling and enjoy sharing experiences
• Unbeatable sense of adventure and hunger for the extraordinary
• Own a smartphone
• Note: Photocopying, administrator and tea-making skills are not required

Successful candidates will receive

• Travel package including transport via three company cruise ships
• All travel, accommodation and daily expenses included
• £3,000 in prize money
• Uniform is not supplied. Bring your own swimmers, sandals & shades
• You will be traveling on three cruise ships over a three week period including Ovation of the Seas (Beijing), Anthem of the Seas (New York) and Freedom of the Seas (Barcelona)
• Complimentary access to climbing walls, Flowrider, restaurants, swimming pools, zip wires, water-slides and onboard fitness facilities

If you want to apply, you must be 21 years old and a resident of the UK and Republic of Ireland with a full passport, no criminal record and no travel restrictions. If you meet these requirements, just post your most extraordinary travel photo or short video on Instagram, tagging @RoyalCaribbeanUK and #ExtraordinaryExplorer.

Participants may enter this free of charge competition from 09:00 GMT on 03 January 2017 until 23:59 GMT on 31 January 2017.

Royal Caribbean is kicking off 2017 with a brand new WAVE season promotion with 30% off standard cruise fare for all guests in a stateroom, plus reduced deposit and instant savings.

The new WAVE season sale will become available on cruises booked between January 5 - 31, 2017 and is valid on all sailings departing on or after February 4, 2017 (excluding China departures).

The deal includes

• 30% off standard cruise fare for all guests in a stateroom
• 50% reduced deposit
• Up to $150 instant savings per stateroom
  • Sailings 5-nights or less
    • Interior/oceanview: $25 per stateroom
    • Balcony/suite: $50 per stateroom
  • Sailings 6-nights or longer
    • Interior/oceanview: $50 per stateroom
    • Balcony: $100 per stateroom
    • Suite: $150 per stateroom
• Anthem Free Upgrade - From Ocean View to Balcony on Anthem sailings on or after March 1, 2017. Please note that the "upgrade" will be reflected as "purchase a balcony at the price of an ocean view"
• Crown and Anchor Society Members enjoy an extra discount on Balconies and Suites onboard Anthem of the Seas sailings departing on or after Feb. 4, 2017. Gold CAS members and higher will be eligible for the discount for the tier above them. Pinnacle members will receive an additional $25.

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

Offer available to residents of United States and Canada.

We get a lot of questions from our readers regarding one aspect of what to wear on a Royal Caribbean cruise or another, and so today, we are sharing five dress code questions and answers to help everyone know what to expect on their cruise.

"Do men have to wear suits for formal night or will dress pants shirt and tie be acceptable?" by Shirley Cridland

Men do not have to wear a suit on formal night on a Royal Caribbean cruise.  Suits and ties or tuxedos for men are suggested attire for formal night, however, they are far from required.  The formal night dress code applies to the main dining room (specialty restaurant dress codes always super cede any other dress code, if you happen to be dining there).  

You will find many men opting for a collared shirt and nice pair of pants.  So Shirley's alternative idea of a shirt, tie and dress pants are certainly acceptable.

"Are dress slacks and a dress shirt considered formal night clothes or do I need a jacket also? I do not believe in tuxedos" - Manuel Pataca

Absolutely, dress slacks and a dress shirt are more than enough for formal night.  Jackets are rarely required dress wear anywhere on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

"How formal is dress code on formal nights?" - Louis

This is a pretty common question that gives many first time cruisers anxiety about what they should wear on a cruise.  As you might be able to tell from the answers above, it is not nearly as formal as one might imagine, given the use of the word "formal."

Essentially, Royal Caribbean's dress codes are relative terms. There are three possible dress codes you will encounter onboard:

• Casual
• Smart Casual
• Formal

All of them are suggested dress codes, and by no means required.  When it comes to formal dress code, it is suggested guests dress up the nicest of any of the evenings onboard.  There is, however, no requirement for what exactly does and does not constitute formal wear.

You will see other guests in suits, long dresses and even a few tuxedos or ball gowns.  A majority of guests tend to wear collared shirts (with or without ties) and cocktail dresses. If you prefer a more relaxed formal night motif, a polo shirt and slacks for men will suffice, as will a nice blouse and skirt or pants for women.  There is no fashion police to look for what guests are wearing, and entry to the main dining room will only be denied for those wearing "pool clothing" (tank tops, hats, etc).

"How close to my cruise date can I book a tuxedo?" - Robert Rayner

Royal Caribbean provides tuxedo rentals for guests to use on its cruises via the tuxedo rental website, but you will need to make reservations in advance of your cruise.

Ideally, you will want to reserve it as far in advance as possible to ensure they have your size available.  Tuxedo rentals are also available onboard the ship, but will be subject to availability. They carry a good stock on every ship so chances are very good they will have what most sizes.

"There are two options for a tuxedo rental, but our cruise is only 4-nights, so getting two shirts seems pointless. Are there cheaper options?" - Brian Leather

The pre-cruise tuxedo rental options are a standard offering that is available fleet wide.  I understand your concern, and you could alternatively rent or purchase a tuxedo prior to your cruise from somewhere other than through Royal Caribbean.

Before your cruise, shop around and see what is available in stores near your home. If you plan to use it more than once it is probably cheaper to buy. Remember, you do not need to spend a fortune on a tux.

Happy New Year! We wish everyone a very happy new year, and a year filled with plenty of Royal Caribbean fun.

It was a quiet week overall, but we heard from plenty of our readers about new sunbeds that are available for rent on Anthem of the Seas.

These sunbeds are located near North Star, and are available to rent for $150 each (plus 18% gratuity).  The sunbeds come with a bottle of Moët Chandon Ice Imperial, and offer a dedicated spot to enjoy near the pool throughout the day.

Many of our readers voiced their opinion of value of these sunbeds, so be sure to share your thoughts too.

Royal Caribbean News

• Our list of the top 10 Royal Caribbean stories of 2016.
• 25 must-read Royal Caribbean dining secrets.
• We shared the best Friday Photos of 2016.
• Photos of the Christmas decorations around Anthem of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 178th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where we list ideas of things you might not consider packing for a Royal Caribbean cruise.

In this episode, Matt talks about the various events onboard that may necessitate packing other items you have not considered.  Also, Matt discusses the items on Royal Caribbean's prohibited items list.

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

USA Today counted down the top cruise stories of 2016 (Harmony of the Seas made the list).

Royal Caribbean has packing tips for a cruise by style expert, Sydne Summer.

Totally Tourists has an interview with Oasis of the Seas' Food & Beverage director.

Cruise Hive named Harmony of the Seas the best new cruise ship of 2016.

The Street looks at a partnership between Royal Caribbean and Mattel to target kids and teens through online content.

The Wall Street Journal highlights Royal Caribbean's work with AwesomenessTV to target teens.

Cruise Habit answers the question if using a travel agent is a good idea for booking a cruise.

Happy Friday! This is the last Friday of 2016, and for this edition of Friday Photos, we decided to go back through all of this year's Friday Photos posts and find our favorite photos to share once again.

Photo by Beci Mahnken

Photo by Daniel

Photo by Krisztina Benko

Photo by Denny Allen

Photo by Earl McGrath

Photo by Zoltán Marton

Photo by Justin

Photo by G.Spindler

Photo by Dave Rimington 

With 2016 nearly complete, it's time to look back on the year and see which news stories generated the most interest.  There's no doubt that 2016 was a busy year for Royal Caribbean and so it is interesting to see which stories rose to the top of people's interest.

This year's top ten list is based on the Royal Caribbean stories we feel generated the most buzz and interest.  There's some stories that made the top ten list that surprised me and others I'm more surprises did not make the list.  Let's dive in!

Anthem of the Seas ran into an unexpected storm

In February 2016, Anthem of the Seas was beginning a normal cruise from the New York area to somewhere much warmer when it ran into a winter storm off the coast of the Carolinas, which generated waves of over 30 feet and hurricane force winds. As you might imagine, that caused quite a bit of motion onboard the ship and even some minor damage.

At first, the plan was to continue with the sailing but the news of the encounter with the storm generated a ton of negative coverage in the media, and Royal Caribbean decided to cancel the remainder of the sailing and offer refunds to guests.

This event was as noteworthy for the storm it encountered, as much as the negative publicity the event generated. Luckily there very few injuries, and Anthem of the Seas was back in operation very quickly.

Harmony of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas arrived

Royal Caribbean took delivery of two new cruise ships this year, which made for a very busy spring.

Ovation of the Seas, the cruise line's third Quantum class ship, was delivered to Royal Caribbean in April 2016 and then promptly headed to Southampton, England, where she offered a few quick cruises. Following those getaway cruises, Ovation began a 52-night “Global Odyssey” cruise that culminated in the arrival to her homeport in Tianjin, China.

Just one month later, Harmony of the Seas was delivered to Royal Caribbean, and she spent the summer in Europe before heading to the United States in November 2016.

Political protests in Haiti prevent Royal Caribbean guests from going to Labadee

The year started off with a series of unexpected protests in Royal Caribbean's private destination of Labadee.  Civil unrest related to the Haitian political situation caused some locals to protest in the waters of Labadee. 

Royal Caribbean decided to skip the scheduled stops in Labadee because of the protests. Although the protest was peaceful in nature, Royal Caribbean felt it was clear that if the protest continued, there would be a significant impact on our guests’ ability to enjoy Labadee.

The protests continued for a few more days before subsiding, and cruise ships were able to resume visits shortly thereafter.

Three Oasis class ships met in one place

It was an undeniably fun sight to witness Royal Caribbean's three Oasis class cruise ships meeting each other for the first (and perhaps only) time.

The three ships rendezvoused off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida in a celebration of the arrival of Harmony of the Seas to her new homeport of Port Everglades. It was the kind of cruise eye candy that any Royal Caribbean fan relished seeing.

Royal Caribbean abandoned Dynamic Dining on Anthem of the Seas

Filed in the "I cannot believe it actually happened" category, Royal Caribbean dropped the bombshell news that it decided to abandon the Dynamic Dining concept on its ships.

Guest feedback proved to be too loud to ignore, and Royal Caribbean decided to offer on Anthem of the Seas My Time Dining program, with traditional and flexible options, as well as introduce new, upgraded dinner menus.

The decision to change how guests dine on Anthem of the Seas marks a tremendous reversal in fortunes for the Dynamic Dining program, which at one time was arguably heralded as the future of cruise ship dining. Nonetheless, the cancelation is a great example of how important guest feedback is to Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean announced Icon class ships

Royal Caribbean made a big impact with the announcement it was ordering two new cruise ships that would be powered by liquefied natural gas and fuel cell technology.

These ships would represent the first two members of the new Icon class of ships. The Icon ships would likely accommodate approximately 5,000 passengers, but details are still being worked out.

The vessels will be delivered in the second quarters of 2022 and 2024. In the meantime, the company said, it will begin testing fuel cell technology on an existing Oasis-class ship in 2017, and will also run progressively larger fuel cell projects on new Quantum class vessels being built in the next several years.

Royal Caribbean began offering cruises to Cuba

Royal Caribbean had been hinting at offering cruises to Cuba for most of this year, but it finally received the go-ahead to offer sailings in December.

In fact, Royal Caribbean had a very quick turnaround from when it received permission from the Cuban and American governments to offer cruises to when sailings on Empress of the Seas went on sale. As expected, Empress of the Seas was the ship chosen to offer the company's first sailings to Cuba, which will take place in late spring of 2017.

Royal Caribbean will build a new cruise terminal in Miami

Royal Caribbean is making a comeback in Miami in a big way, with the announcement over the summer that it will build a brand new cruise terminal.

Terminal A will open in late 2018 and be able to handle Oasis-class ships (which has spawned a great deal of speculation as to which ship might call PortMiami home).

The new terminal features a cutting-edge design and has been nicknamed the ‘Crown of Miami’ because of its distinct shape. The design evokes the points of the symbolic headgear when viewed from the water; the ‘M’ of Miami when viewed from the east or western approaches; and a sense of waves rising or ships passing when viewed from the terminal side. At night, the terminal’s facade will be lit ensuring that the building makes a striking impression and providing a dynamic addition to the PortMiami landscape.

Changes to the unlimited alcohol packages

Royal Caribbean's drink packages have been quite popular since they were first introduced, but in 2016 we saw some big changes to the offerings that seemed to resonate with many guests.

Prior to 2016, drink packages rarely had discounts to them, but early in 2016 we began seeing a steady stream of discounts for the drink packages if they were purchased prior to a cruise. These new discounts helped "push" many guests over the proverbial fence of making that decision to invest in the package.

In addition, Royal Caribbean revamped its drink package options in September 2016, but simplifying the options available. Three unlimited alcohol packages became just one package and the non-alcoholic packages were also reconsidered. The idea behind the change in the drink package options was to make things simpler to understand for guests and crew.  

Liberty of the Seas received a major refurbishment

Speaking of refurbishments, the revitalization of the year goes to Liberty of the Seas, which added a ton of new activities and experiences including water slides and an aqua park way before Harmony of the Seas had one.

Royal Caribbean regularly uses the Galveston cruise market as a "testing ground" for new ideas that make it to the fleet later on, and Liberty of the Seas was the beneficiary of these new ideas.  Chief among them was the new Tidal Wave water slide, which took a bit longer than expected to get working correctly, but has since become quite popular with guests.

Your thoughts

What did you think was the biggest Royal Caribbean news of 2016? Did we miss one? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Guests on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas can reserve their own special spot on the pool deck that will be just for them throughout the day in a prime spot.

Thanks to Christy McLarty for providing this photo

The sun beds are located near North Star and overlook the pool deck in the North Star Private Lounge area on deck 15. The sun beds offer not just a private chair for you, but they are furnished with added cushions and pillows and come with a bottle of Moët Chandon Ice Imperial.

The cost is $150 per sun bed (plus 18% gratuity), and offers access to it throughout the day. These sun beds are available for all guests to reserve once onboard the ship.

Thanks to Rich Freudenberg for providing this photo

Do you want to reserve one of these chairs? Tell us what you think about this option in the comments!

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

Episode 178 is available for downloading, where we discuss the kinds of things you might want to pack in addition to the obvious things.  

Packing for a cruise is a bit of a challenge, and this week, Matt considers the kind of items someone new to Royal Caribbean might not think about packing, as well as items that are prohibited from being brought on a cruise.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 178. 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!

A Royal Caribbean cruise is a family vacation that millions of people look forward to taking each year, and good planning can enhance that vacation experience even further.

After more than a decade of Royal Caribbean cruises, we have perfected some expert tips and advice to get the most out of your Royal Caribbean cruise.

Today, we are sharing our 25 must-read Royal Caribbean dining secrets to ensure you have the best possible cruise experience!

1. Make dining reservations

Simply put, the best way to ensure you get into any Royal Caribbean specialty restaurant that you want is to make a reservation in advance.  You could wait until you arrive onboard the ship, or even chance it to simply walk up and ask for a table, but you are risking the restaurant of your choice filling up.  Make a reservation online via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site or as early as possible once onboard the ship.

2. Do date night on a cruise

Royal Caribbean cruises are the perfect vacation for honeymooners and anyone looking for a romantic evening out.  Plan ahead and treat your favorite person to a signature dinner at 150 Central Park or Chops Grille. Or order ice cream and cookies to your stateroom via room service, or take a ride on the carousel together in the Boardwalk.

3. Don't miss the must-eat items

After years of eating on Royal Caribbean ships, we have amassed our own list of "must-eat" dishes, treats and snacks across the fleet. Fan-favorites, such as the Tutti salad bar, Labadoozie, escargot, savory bites and pretty much anything from Sabor are high priority when onboard a Royal Caribbean ship. 

To read up on our favorites, check out our list of 15 amazing things you can eat on Royal Caribbean article.

4. You can reserve specialty restaurants before your cruise

A very common question we receive is, "when can I start booking specialty restaurants on my Royal Caribbean cruise?" and the answer is "it depends." Generally speaking, specialty restaurant reservations will open up sometime between 90 and 60 days prior to embarkation day on your cruise. The exact time frame will depend on a variety of factors.

The best reason to book dining in advance is to guarantee a spot for you and your family, as well as break up the total cost of the cruise. By booking these activities early, you can ensure you have the time and day that you want all lined up.

5. There are free beverages available throughout the ship

Believe it or not, you do not have to pay an extra dime onboard for beverages on your Royal Caribbean cruise. There are plenty of drinks included in your cruise fare to keep not only your thirst quenched, but also satisfied.

Here is the list of drinks that are included in your cruise:

• regular coffee
• decaffeinated coffee
• tea
• iced tea
• tap water
• milk
• chocolate milk
• lemonade
• flavored waters
• juices (at breakfast, not fresh squeezed)
• hot chocolate (via instant packets)

These drinks are available throughout your cruise at a number of locations, so there will always be somewhere to get something to drink for free.

6. Research your dining options

Royal Caribbean ships offer more dining locations than ever before - everything from upscale dinners, to restaurants serving up burgers and fries. Take your time and research your options, and to that point, Royal Caribbean Blog has a list of Royal Caribbean restaurant reviews to provide a good starting point for learning about each dining choice available.

7. Free breakfast in Johnny Rockets

On Oasis class ships, Johnny Rockets is open for breakfast and it is included in your cruise fare. During breakfast, you will find classic American fare (just like the other meals), including pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, eggs, French toast and more.

Besides the price tag, Johnny Rockets is often a less crowded spot for breakfast, so if you need a break from breakfast in the Windjammer, head over to the Boardwalk and start your morning there.

8. Try My Time off peak hours

Royal Caribbean's My Time Dining allows guests to enjoy dinner on their schedule, but if you want to avoid the dinner rush, try eating off-peak hours.

We have found the most popular times to have dinner in the main dining room while on My Time Dining is between 6:30pm and 8:00pm.

Guests can make reservations for shorter waits, but if you want to truly avoid lines, try to go early or late: before 6:00pm or after 8:00pm.  

9. Research the Specialty Dining Packages to see if it meets your needs

Many Royal Caribbean guests are opting for dining packages, which allow guests to get a discount on multiple specialty restaurants. Guests can choose between 2, 3, or even unlimited specialty restaurants on their Royal Caribbean cruise with up to 40% off the price if they were purchased individually.

The only caveat to the dining packages is one of the restaurants must be experience on the first or second night of the cruise.  Nonetheless, the cost savings offered by the dining packages is perfect for someone who wants to experience many of the best Royal Caribbean specialty restaurants.

10. Look for alternatives to avoid buffet lines

The Windjammer is the epicenter of any Royal Caribbean ship's dining experience, because it offers the greatest variety of food onboard in a casual, buffet style experience. This popularity can lead to a crowded experience during peak dining times.

The good news is there are great alternative spots available that will keep you satisfied and likely get you in and out a whole lot faster.

These locations include:

• Park Cafe
• Cafe @ Two70
• Cafe Promenade
• Sorrentos
• Compass Deli (Majesty of the Seas only)

11. Communicate food sensitivity or special diets before your cruise

If you have a dietary restriction, special need or just prefer to have your food prepared in a certain way, your best bet is to let Royal Caribbean know about those kinds of requests prior to your cruise.

The best way to do this is by emailing [email protected]; please include in the e-mail the guests' names, booking number, ship name and sail date.

You should also make a quick stop in the main dining room on embarkation day.  There will be a head waiter on duty to speak with, and that person can confirm they have your dietary needs on file and make any necessary changes too.

12. Ask for a specialty restaurant deal

If you are walking around your ship and a waiter from a specialty restaurant asks you if you would like to dine at a specialty restaurant, your next question should be what kind of special can they offer you.

Waiters walking around looking to drum up business for their restaurants can sometimes lead to a discount off the regular price.  This strategy may not always work, but it is worth trying.  Heck, you might even consider going to a restaurant and politely asking if there are any specials or discounts if you want to book something.

13. Bring food from onshore

The ports of call your ship will visit offer a tremendous array of amazing food, but your culinary indulgences are not limited to when you are on shore.  Aside from alcohol, you can bring food back onboard the ship with you to enjoy later. Whether that is a freshly baked baguette, chocolates or something jarred for later, you can take it back with you for enjoyment later in the cruise or back home.

Keep in mind that the United States has strict laws about bringing back certain fruits and vegetables, so be sure to read up on these laws prior to bringing anything home.

14. When in doubt, do not be afraid to ask.

If you have questions about the food or the menu at a restaurant, do not be afraid to ask your server about it. Royal Caribbean offers a tremendous amount of flexibility for the most part when it comes to making substitutions or accommodating dietary needs. They truly want you to be happy, so be sure to communicate any needs to the wait staff. In the main dining room, you can speak to the head waiter about any gluten-free, vegan or other dietary needs.

15. Fill up at the buffet

At the core of any Royal Caribbean cruise is the Windjammer buffet, which offers all-you-care-to-eat choices throughout the day. This is a fantastic choice for families or groups of guests that have wide variations in taste, as well as for picky eaters. For these reasons, the Windjammer buffet can be a wise choice for keeping everyone happy. 

Not only is the Windjammer very accommodating in tastes, it also offers a wide variety of choices and we have found the food quality to be quite good. In fact, some guests will eat exclusively at the Windjammer during their cruise.  That might be a bit much for our tastes, but keep in mind it is available most times of the day and evening.

16. Look for the cooking stations in the Windjammer

In addition to the array of food available in the Windjammer buffet, there are also cooking stations that offer custom-made dishes.  In the morning, this usually takes the form of an omelet station and each evening, there is a different choice offered.  There are custom-made pasta, Asian stir-fry, crepes and more regularly offered. 

Check with the Windjammer wait staff for a schedule of options.  These cooking stations not only offer the freshest food choices, but they will make it exactly to your taste.

17. Consider booking a dining event

In addition to traditional restaurants, Royal Caribbean offers on select ships dining events, including a Chef's Table experience, mystery dinner and prohibition party.

These events are a fun alternative to a typical mean, and offer entertainment in addition to the food and drink that these specialty restaurants are well-known for offering.

18. Drink packages work at all specialty restaurants

Royal Caribbean's drink packages have become extremely popular with guests, and the good news is the drink package benefits work at specialty restaurants too.

Be sure to ask your waiter about any exclusions, but a majority of cocktails, beers and liquors will be included in the drink package benefits.  This means extra value from a drink package and an opportunity to sample some exclusive beverages available only at specialty restaurants.

19. If this is your first cruise, do not underestimate the importance of specialty dining

Even if you have visions of riding the FlowRider, hanging by the pool and catching a show on your first Royal Caribbean cruise, first time visitors should not overlook the important of planning your meals.

Royal Caribbean dining choices, both complimentary and specialty, offer unique dishes and impeccable service that has the potential to be every bit as memorable as time spent at the pool or onshore. 

20. Room service is complimentary for suite guests

If you are staying in a suite, there is no service charge for room service orders.  

While there is a ton of great food onboard your ship to enjoy, sometimes ordering room service is a great mid-meal snack, breakfast option or take it easy evening choice. Ordering is as simple as picking up the phone and calling in your order.  Soon thereafter, your food order will be brought up to your room and served wherever you like.

21. Have picky eaters?

Many of us go on a Royal Caribbean cruise and would prefer to eat chicken nuggets for every meal than try something new... and that is okay! Royal Caribbean is a safe haven for those with specific likes and dislikes. Check out the menus before you make your dining reservations to ensure there is something that everyone can eat.

Anything on the menu can be served as an entree, regardless of if it is listed as an appetizer, side dish or kids' menu item. Here are a few more tricks and tips for dining with a picky eater on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

22. You can bring your own water onboard

Did you know you are allowed to bring water or other non-alcoholic beverages on your Royal Caribbean cruise?

On boarding day, each stateroom may bring up to two 750 ml bottles of wine or champagne, as long as one guest is of legal drinking age. Corkscrews will be provided for guests to enjoy their drinks in their stateroom. If guests wish to enjoy their wine or champagne in our dining or bar venues, there will be a corkage fee applied.

Guests may also bring non-alcoholic beverages as carry-on items on boarding day. Non-alcoholic beverages may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom. Milk and distilled water brought on for infant, medical, or dietary use are permitted. 

23. Take advantage of dining discounts onboard or pre-cruise

Royal Caribbean is known to offer pre-cruise discounts on various aspects of the cruise experience, including specialty dining.  In an effort to spur reservations, Royal Caribbean will discount specialty restaurant reservations and dining packages to guests that prebook on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site.

Check your Cruise Planner site often, because offers can change from week to week.  And you can always cancel and rebook if prices drop!

24. Include your companions in the dining planning.

Traveling on a Royal Caribbean cruise with picky eaters, disinterested teenagers, first timers, a stressed out spouse? The best way to ensure that everyone has a great time on the cruise is to make them all feel invested in the trip planning. And who does not want to give their opinion on food? Share menus, reviews, and restaurant options with the family or your other traveling companions and get their feedback and favorites. This is an especially great idea for budding chefs!

25. Enjoy eating outdoors

On certain Royal Caribbean ships, there is an outdoor seating option that is available to enjoy a little al fresco dining.

The Windjammer on Radiance and Quantum class ships offers an area at the rear of the ship to enjoy any meal with a fantastic view of the ship's wake.  Also, restaurants in the Central Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods of Oasis class ships also offer outdoor seating.

On any Royal Caribbean ship, food from the Windjammer buffet may be brought to anywhere on the ship, which means the kids can stay in the pool while an adult gets the food and brings it back to the pool area.