Royal Caribbean has added two more of its vessels to its schedule of ships to receive refurbishments in 2016.

Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas are now appearing on the 2016 refurbishment schedule.

There is no word yet on what changes are coming to either ship.  

Royal Caribbean just wrapped up its Liberty of the Seas refurbishment and has a busy year ahead with changes coming to the ships.

To countdown the launch of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, we're blogging about one aspect of the ship each day for 99 days. Check back each day for something exciting to read about this new ship.

Royal Caribbean's Oasis class ships have been known for offering guests a lot of dining options and Harmony of the Seas will continue in that tradition by offering a new restaurant to the Oasis class.

Wonderland is an imaginative take on specialty dining, where the experience is just as important as the food offered.

READ YESTERDAY'S POST ABOUT ULTIMATE ABYSS

Since Wonderland debuted on Quantum of the Seas, guests have fallen in love with the creative aspect of this specialty restaurant.

On Harmony of the Seas, guests will find the first two-story Wonderland restaurant, where guests can enjoy totally inventinve and "maddeningly delicious" cuisine.

Based on artist renderings, it also looks like Royal Caribbean will make this new Wonderland even more intriguing to look at, with a great deal of different decor choices.

Once in Wonderland, guests can enjoy six exciting themes from the menu: Sun, Sea, Ice, Earth, Fire and Dreams.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we celebrate 99 days of Harmony!

The port of Brisbane, Australia has proposed a brand new cruise terminal that is capable of supporting cruise ships 300 meters long with about 6000 passengers on board.

Photo by Port of Brisbane Authority

The $100 million cruise ship terminal concept is proposed by the Port of Brisbane Authority and backed by Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines.

If approved, it would be built by the private sector without the needing for public funding. 

Brisbane's current cruise terminal can only support ships as large as 270 meters, but cruise ships these days are getting larger and larger.

We're counting down the days until Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas debuts, with our 99 days of Quantum countdown.  Each day we will post something about this amazing new ship.

Ultimate Abyss

Guests onboard Harmony of the Seas can look forward to a brand new thrill: a story drop on a brand new slide called, "Ultimate Abyss."

Ultimate Abyss will be the tallest slide at sea and also an epic adventure.

READ YESTERDAY'S POST ALL ABOUT GREASE

The Ultimate Abyss is more than 150 feet above sea level and offers side-by-side slides that send guests down 10 decks at a rate of 9 miles per hour.

Launching onto the ride from a glass platform, guests can take one last look at the Boardwalk 10 decks below before climbing onto a customized mat and taking the plunge into the depths of the daunting slides. Spontaneous audio effects within each tunnel create a multi-sensory thrill for daring guests willing to test their mettle while traversing 216 feet through the one-of-a-kind slide duo. The Ultimate Abyss is made up of two separate cylinders, a reflection of one-another, each with a diameter of approximately 2.6 feet and constructed of stainless steel.

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope your day is filled with chocolate, flowers and a Royal Caribbean cruise! We are spreading the Royal Caribbean love with our look at all the Royal Caribbean news from this week.

Unfortunately, the big news this week was word of Anthem of the Seas running into a large winter storm in the Atlantic that saw wind speeds over 150 miles per hour and waves over 30 feet in height.

Following the storm, Royal Caribbean made the decision to return Anthem of the Seas to her homeport early and offer its guests full refunds.

The ship sustained mostly superficial damage, but an onslaught of media attention painted the story very negatively.

Royal Caribbean apologized for the incident and added it has created a new weather team at its headquarters to provide additional assistance to ships in determining the severity of storms.

There is a lot more Royal Caribbean news to share...

• Liberty of the Seas returned to service after a month-long drydock.
• Some of the water slides opened on Liberty of the Seas this week.
• A new Royal Caribbean sale begins this week, with 30% off all fares.
• Here is a look at one of the big artwork pieces coming to Harmony of the Seas.
• Our list of the top decadent Royal Caribbean snacks.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 132nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and we're talking about Royal Caribbean's Royal Promenade

In this episode, Matt talks about what the Royal Promenade is, what it offers guests and why he thinks it is such a great spot onboard for so many activities.

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 Blog Reader Finds

If you are on a Royal Caribbean cruise and spot something cool, new or just fun, share a photo with us on Facebook or Twitter so we can add it to our Royal Caribbean Blog Reader Finds each Sunday!

Ron shared a photo of treats from Cafe Promenade. 

Travis Kamiyama posted this amazing sushi platter.

Kayla Gillman shared this photo of the Royal Promenade on Independence of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean is counting down the days until its brand new Harmony of the Seas debuts and as of today, there are 99 days until that happens, so for the next 99 days we will be posting something every day about this amazing new ship.

Grease

Ever since Royal Caribbean introduced Broadway shows to its cruise ships, guests have been clamoring for more and Harmony of the Seas will feature a brand new Broadway show that has proven to be a classic for years, Grease.

The all-new, never-before-seen stage production, specially adapted by Royal Caribbean Productions, will boast a soundtrack of crowd favorites such as “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” “Born to Hand-Jive,” “Beauty School Dropout” and more.

“Grease is a show that speaks to families of all ages and is sure to get guests out of their seats, singing and dancing, which is why we made the unprecedented decision to have it debut on Harmony and premiere it onboard Independence immediately, starting in July,” said Nick Weir, Vice President, Entertainment, Royal Caribbean International. “As the first cruise line to bring Broadway performances onboard its ships, it’s only fitting that we would also be the first to bring Grease to the hospitality industry.”

The fact that tickets to Grease are complimentary is a big deal when you consider how much Broadway show tickets cost, even if the show is on tour off Broadway.

Royal Caribbean has made a name for itself by offering Broadway shows on its cruise ships, including Cats on Oasis of the Seas, MAMMA MIA! on Allure of the Seas, Saturday Night Fever on Liberty of the Seas and now, Grease on Harmony of the Seas and Independence of the Seas.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we celebrate the 99 days of Harmony!

Friday is here and that means we are showing off some of the wonderful Royal Caribbean photos that our readers have shared with us.  You can share your photos too and then we can share them with the world!

Our first photo is from Murray, and it is of his nephew Kameron giving Explorer of the Seas an Australian welcome on her first port of call in Fremantle.  Gorgeous colors!

Check out this shot of Rhapsody of the Seas at Buzios in Rio de Janiero, Brazil by Renato Rossini.  Interesting contrast between this major cruise ship and the smaller vessels in the foreground.

Zoltán Marton sent us this photo of Serenade of the Seas that his brother sent him.  His brother works on Serenade of the Seas as an assistant waiter.  This photo is from Sydney, Canada, which is located in Nova Scotia.

Here is a fun photo from Dave Rimington of the FlowRider on Navigator of the Seas.  Great form!

Lastly, we have this photo by Denny Allen of him and his wife being prepped for their Labadee zip line excursion.  From personal experience, I can tell you all that this is a lot of fun!

Thank you to everyone that sent in their photos that we featured this week and if you want your photos included, use this form to send them to us!

UPDATE: 3:58PM: Coast Guard officials have said the damaged azipod has been replaced and Coast Guard officials are examining it along with the ship's lifeboats and other safety equipment to see if they meet standards. The ship can safely maneuver with one azipod, Rowe said.

The United States Coast Guard reports that the major storm Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas ran into last week damaged part of its propulsion system.

Glad to be back in port. 1 of the 2 engines was definitely not working at full capacity. #AnthemoftheSeas pic.twitter.com/UUcYeVbBR9

— Jason Keckler (@Keckler12) February 11, 2016

Coast Guard spokesman Charles Rowe says the Anthem of the Seas' left azipod was rendered inoperable during the storm. An azipod is a propeller that's mounted to a steerable pod that contains an electric motor.

According to Rowe, Royal Caribbean informed the Coast Guard prior to the ship returning to its homeport of Bayonne.

Despite the damage, Rowe indicated the ship can safely maneuver with a single azipod.

The Coast Guard says the ship sustained largely cosmetic damage, including broken glass, china and balcony doors.

Anthem of the Seas encountered a major storm last weekend that saw hurricane-strength conditions and forced the ship to return home early.

When you are on a Royal Caribbean cruise, that means you are on vacation and splurging here and there is what makes being on vacation so much fun.

In addition to the terrific entertainment onboard and the ports you will visit, there are a lot of tasty snacks you can enjoy that just are not worth worrying about how many calories they have.  This is about enjoying your vacation!

Let us look at some of the most decadent snacks available to binge on during your Royal Caribbean cruise.

Sorrentos Pizza

There is no doubt that the pizza at Sorrentos will not win any awards, but sometimes you just need a slice of pizza and Sorrentos fits that requirement.

Sorrentos pizza comes in a few different varieties, depending on what they are cooking, and it is included in your cruise fare.

For most guests, grabbing a slice of pizza is the perfect pit stop as you move from one end of the ship to the other.  And after a night of partying, pizza really hits the spot!

Kummelweck Sandwich

A Royal Caribbean classic offering is the Kummelweck sandwich, which offers slices of seasoned slow-roasted beef, sliced to perfection that is available to guests at Park Cafe.

The Kummelweck sandwich was first offered on Oasis class ships, but Park Cafe has spread to other ships in the fleet since then.  It's also available on Quantum class ships at Cafe@270.

Guests are served a rare, thin cut of beef dipped in au jus accompanied by a secret sauce.

If it sounds mighty tasty, that is because it really is and something that is a must-try (at least a half dozen times) for any guest.

Dog House hot dog

When Royal Caribbean designed its Dog House hot dog offerings, they did not just settle on one style of dog.

The Seaplex Dog House and Boardwalk Dog House offers four kind of hot dogs:

• Big apple: Chicken and apple
• German: Thuringer (Pork - genuine old world style)
• Smoke House: Smoked Bratwurst (pork - traditional spices)
• Coney Island: Classic American all-beef Kosher hot dog

No matter which dog you pick and what sides you toss on them, it is a tasty quick snack that really "hits the spot."

Chips and salsa

There are two spots on Royal Caribbean that regularly serve up some great chips and salsa: Sabor and Rita's Cantina.

Regardless of which one you visit, be sure to enjoy the perfect finger food that is great for groups.  Bonus points if accompanied by a margarita!

There is an additional fee to dine at either restaurant, but when you are in the mood for a great Mexican snack, this is your best bet.

Johnny Rockets milkshake

Johnny Rockets has locations around the world, including Royal Caribbean cruise ships, and the chain has a reputation for amazing classic American food, including its milkshakes.

The milkshakes at Johnny Rockets are made with hand-dipped premium ice cream and are as good as they sound.

Milkshakes come in three flavors: vanilla, chocolate or strawberry.

There is an additional cost to the milkshakes, but it might be one of the best, inexpensive splurges available on your Royal Caribbean cruise.

Sandwiches from Cafe Promenade

It never ceases to amaze me how I will not feel hungry, but as soon as I walk by Cafe Promenade and see the amazing sandwiches waiting to be picked up, I instantly become famished.

Each day, Royal Caribbean offers a different variety of sandwiches, from wraps to shrimp rolls, to Greek salad rolls and more.

A visit to Cafe Promenade often begins with the words, "let me just see what they have..." and before you know it, you have a plate full of mini-sandwiches to enjoy.

What is your favorite snack that is worth every single calorie? Leave a comment and share with us!

Art and architecture firm Marc Fornes & Theverymany has provided a preview of one piece of art they are working on for Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas.

Entitled, "Ivy", the art was created by Marc Fornes and is a 40m high permanent aluminum structure within the elevator lobby of Harmony of the Seas.

There is an interesting look at the initial sketches and the development in progress.

Tip of the hat to Frank Ireland for alerting us to this information.