December is the end of the year and one of the most popular times of the year to take a cruise vacation.

This article is an effort to share what you need to know about going on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the month of December, with important news, tips, and helpful information along the way.

Just like November, December is a story of two halves: the first two weeks are usually less in-demand because most families either just took a vacation over Thanksgiving or will wait until Christmas. Then, the last two weeks are the most popular time to go on a cruise over Christmas and New Years holidays.

If you are looking for a bargain, the first half of December is a great time to snag a last-minute cruise deal. Otherwise, penny-pinchers will need to wait until January.

Christmas week is an incredibly popular time to go on a cruise, because families have off from school and their parents largely have a break from work.

Coinciding with the Christmas holiday is Royal Caribbean's next push to get more passengers onboard their ships.

If you're reading this article in December, it's likely too late to book a Christmas or New Years Eve cruise, but you might be able to find a few cabins left if you act quickly and sail from ports such as Tampa or Galveston.

Ships sailing in December 2022

All of Royal Caribbean's cruise ships are back in service.

Here's where you can find each ship this month.

• Freedom of the Seas from Miami, Florida
• Anthem of the Seas from Cape Liberty, New Jersey
• Allure of the Seas from Galveston, Texas
• Symphony of the Seas from Miami, Florida
• Independence of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida
• Harmony of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Mariner of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida
• Liberty of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Adventure of the Seas from Galveston, Texas
• Explorer of the Seas from Miami, Florida
• Navigator of the Seas from Los Angeles, California
• Spectrum of the Seas from Singapore
• Grandeur of the Seas from Miami, Florida
• Enchantment of the Seas from Baltimore, Maryland
• Radiance of the Seas from New Orleans, Louisiana
• Serenade of the Seas from Tampa, Florida
• Voyager of the Seas from San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Quantum of the Seas from Brisbane, Australia
• Ovation of the Seas from Sydney, Australia
• Oasis of the Seas from Miami, Florida
• Brilliance of the Seas from Tampa, Florida
• Wonder of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida
• Odyssey of the Seas from from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Vision of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Rhapsody of the Seas from Bridgetown, Barbados
• Jewel of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida

The notable event happening in December 2022 will be the official christening of Wonder of the Seas.

Marie McCrea has been named the Godmother to Wonder of the Seas and will accept the honor of blessing Wonder during a celebratory naming ceremony at its first year-round homeport of Port Canaveral, Florida, on Dec. 9, 2022.

Health protocols for December 2022 cruises

Royal Caribbean's health protocols for December are now the simplest they've ever been, with few requirements left.

If your cruise doesn't visit Colombia or sail from Australia, pre-cruise testing is no longer required to sail.

At this time, only the following sailings have pre-cruise testing requirements:

Cruises from the U.S. and Caribbean with stops in Colombia

Guests age 18 and up who are not fully vaccinated will need to present a negative result for a PCR test taken within 3 days or an antigen test taken within 2 days prior to sailing.

Guests under the age of 17 and fully vaccinated guests do not have have any testing requirements.

Tests must be arranged on your own and are at your own expense.

Cruises from Australia

All guests aged 2 and above, regardless of vaccination status, must present a negative test result for a COVID-19  PCR test taken within 2 days before boarding day, or a self-administered Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) within 1 day before boarding, for sailings of any length.

December weather on a cruise

First and foremost, December marks the official end of hurricane season. That's good news for your sailings in the Caribbean, however winter storms can still be disruptive to travel around the United States. Don't assume since hurricanes are unlikely that you can be cavalier about when you arrive to your cruise port.

As always, it is a good idea to give yourself a buffer and arrive at least one day before your cruise so that if your travel plans are interrupted, you don't miss your cruise.

While it can be downright frigid where you live, the Caribbean remains mostly temperate during December. The tropics generally do not experience large temperature swings, although an occasional cold front can sometimes penetrate far south.

As an example, in the month of December, average highs and low temperatures in St. Kitts are 85 and 74 degrees, respectively.

In The Bahamas, the average high and low temperature is 80 and 66 degrees, respectively.

Will it be warm enough to swim? Probably, although it depends how sensitive you are to "colder" water. The ocean remains warmer longer because it takes longer for it to cool down despite lower temperatures. Pools, however, can cool down quickly. In my experience, it is warm enough to swim, but you may need to "get used to" the cooler water temperature rather than in summer when you can barrel in immediately.

The best part about a December cruise is the comfortable temperatures and lower humidity, which makes it ideal for outdoor excursions without instantly sweating profusely.

Read more: Packing for a Royal Caribbean cruise in the Winter

Christmas on a cruise

What is it like to celebrate Christmas on a cruise ship?

Royal Caribbean gets into the holiday spirit right after Thanksgiving, with holiday decorations around the ship for the month of December.

If your cruise actually sails over the Christmas holiday, then you can expect certain special activities and offerings.

The restaurants will offer holiday menus with seasonal favorites: roast turkey or ham on Christmas (with eggnog to drink).

Passengers can enjoy special activities, such as caroling, tree- and menorah-lighting ceremonies and seasonal movies shown on in-room TVs and onboard movie screens. 

On some sailings, there may even be a priest or minister onboard to lead services with passengers on Christmas. Keep an eye on the Cruise Compass for a midnight mass.

Read more: How Royal Caribbean celebrates Christmas and New Years holidays on its cruise ships

New Years Eve on a cruise

Traditionally, celebrating the New Year on a cruise ship is one big party.

It remains to be seen what special protocols may be in place this year due to Covid-19, but in the past, Royal Caribbean has gone all-out with New Year's Eve parties.

Around the ship, you will find different parties to cater to different types of celebrations. The Royal Promenade had that Times Square ball drop feel, while various bars and lounges offer their own take on the new year festivities.

In addition, Royal Caribbean usually reserves certain areas of the ship for purchase to guarantee a spot in the middle of the action. These are usually chairs and tables you can book that provide a reserved spot near the main party.

Royal Caribbean hasn't announced it will change the main dining room menus, but we have a look at the test menus.

If you haven't heard, Royal Caribbean is testing a new main dining room menu on Symphony of the Seas.  It is simultaneously surveying past cruisers on new menus.

At first, we saw the menu changes in the Royal Caribbean app but enough people have sailed on Symphony of the Seas or gotten email surveys to get a good look at the menus in their printed form.

The menus not only have a different assortment of items, but have a new design to them as well.

I've found six of the menus, each with a distinct theme that curates the majority of the choices.

You can click on each menu to see a larger view.

Royal Night

Mediterranean Night

Mexican Night

Italian Night

French Night

American Night

Caribbean Night

Thanks to Joe Morrison for providing some of these menus

What's different about the new menus?

If you've cruised with Royal Caribbean in the past, there will be a few noticeable changes.

First, the look of the menu is different. The layout and design is new, although the categories of options remains unchanged.

One of the major differences in this menu is there is no longer a "Classics" section, where you would find a selection of menu items that did not change each night.

The other big change is with lobster on the second formal night.

The new menu lists a "cold water Maine lobster" and indicates a second lobster tail will be charged $16.99 plus 18% gratuity. Prior to this change, additional lobster tails had no additional cost.

Why Royal Caribbean is making this change

When asked about the new menus, Royal Caribbean says this is a test on Symphony of the Seas only that they are conducting in order to garner feedback from guests.

Part of why the cruise line wants to change the menu is to optimize and speed up the dining room experience for guests. 

Royal Caribbean emphasized the importance of "swiftness of service" when it comes to eating in the dining room. By having more consistency of what's being prepared in the kitchen, they can produce food faster.

With Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal open in Galveston, Texas, you might be tempted to book a new cruise, but there are few differences you should know about.

Galveston's location in the central part of the United States makes it a convenient embarkation port for many people that can drive to the port.

Moreover, prices for cruises from Galveston tend to be less expensive on average than cruises from Florida.

Every embarkation port has its nuances, and there are a few important details you should be aware of that you are likely to encounter on these sailings.

Most people are from Texas and Oklahoma

In general, you'll find a lot of people on a cruise ship from the surrounding area, and that is very much the case with cruises from Galveston.

Ships sailing from Galveston tend to attract predominantly residents of Texas and Oklahoma because the port is within driving distance of these people.

While some cruise ports may attract more people from other places, cruises from Galveston tend to see more locals than people who fly across the country (or the ocean) to get there.

What this means is you're likely to see folks wearing cowboy boots, 10 gallon hats, and plenty of college football paraphernalia from schools in the surrounding area.

There's a new cruise terminal

As mentioned, Royal Caribbean just opened its brand new cruise terminal and that's a big deal if you ever cruises from Galveston in the past.

The 161,334-square-foot terminal is designed to make getting on the ship super easy, so you can get your vacation started sooner.

Parking is ample, and the building looks great.  Being that Galveston is one of the top ports for cruises in the United States, the new terminal has the latest and greatest for making the process of embarkation simple.

Equally important is the disembarkation process, which now includes facial recognition.  Expect less waiting as you walk off the ship.

Limited alcohol on embarkation day

One odd rule you'll run into is the drink selection on embarkation day while the ship is in port.

Due to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) law, there is a limit on cruise ships to only sell alcohol made in Texas while in port.

Once the ship has moved into international waters, the full selection of beverages at bars opens up. That usually occurs around 7pm.

There will still be a reasonable selection of beers and liquors, but the full selection will not be available until later.

Try a Shiner Bock beer or Tito's vodka while your ship is docked, and then move onto your favorites once the cruise sets sail that evening.

You want to fly from Hobby airport

If you have a choice, fly in and out of William P. Hobby Airport (KHOU) instead of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH).

Both airports are within driving distance of Galveston, but Hobby is significantly closer. Hobby is Houston's oldest commercial airport, and was its primary airport until the Houston Intercontinental Airport opened in 1969.

Southwest Airlines is one of the top airlines that services Hobby. Most other airlines go in and out of Intercontinental. 

Just like how Newark International Airport is closer to Cape Liberty than LaGuardia or John F. Kennedy International Airports in New York, Hobby could save you a lot of time.  Hobby is just 40 miles from the port, whereas Intercontinental is on the north side of Houston, and that means dealing with downtown Houston traffic on your way south.

Without traffic, the drive from Hobby will take about 45 minutes, whereas the drive from Houston Intercontinental will take about 75 minutes.

There's Dr. Pepper (and other Texas drinks) served onboard

Cruises sailing from Galveston serve Dr. Pepper, in addition to the Coke products the line always carries.

Dr. Pepper is a soda brand based in Texas and due to local demand, Royal Caribbean offers it on their Galveston sailings.

Besides Dr. Pepper, you'll also find Shiner Bock beer, as well as a few other Texas-based liquors. Exact options will vary, but Royal Caribbean wants to cater to the local crowd.  If you aren't local, this is a good opportunity to try something new (especially if you have a Royal Caribbean drink package).

Tito's Handmade Vodka has been available on all Royal Caribbean ships for a while, but it's proudly served on Allure of the Seas since it is produced in Austin, Texas.

Schedule a later flight home than normal

People that cruise from Florida all the time are used to picking a late morning flight home, but flying out of Houston is a different ball game.

If you are flying from Houston Hobby, don't schedule a flight before noon.  

If you are flying from Bush-Intercontinental, don't schedule a flight before 1pm.

Why so much later flights than when from Florida? The Houston airports are much further away from the cruise port than Florida, and given the erratic nature of Houston traffic, getting to the airport can take longer.

No matter how many times I sail on a cruise ship, there's always at least a few takeaways from the experience.

I took my family on a great 8-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas, and it was my first time back on Odyssey since late last year.  Quite a lot has changed in the cruise world since then, and I came back with a few interesting observations from the cruise.

Due to the global health crisis, Odyssey of the Seas' launch was delayed and entering service so close to Wonder of the Seas, Odyssey was quickly overshadowed by all the attention Wonder received. Having had the chance to revisit Odyssey, I found a number of things that stood out about this ship.

Any cruise you go on will have positives and negatives, and some of these are nuances directly related to the ship itself.  This isn't meant to be an all-encompassing review of Odyssey. Rather, just some takeaways from my cruise while they are fresh in my mind.

In an effort to share my experience with our readers, here are the things I liked and disliked about my latest sailing on Odyssey of the Seas.

Likes on Odyssey of the Seas

Dance parties in Two70 & Music Hall

Usually when Royal Caribbean holds a '70s dance party or some other big celebration, they hold it right in the middle of the ship. On Odyssey of the Seas, they moved it to a specific venue and I loved this change.

On other ships, these dance parties are in the Royal Promenade and that means the main thoroughfare of the ship is inundated with music, dancing, and lots of guests. That's fine if you're there to boogie, but it also means other forms of entertainment have to temporarily stop and it also jams up the most convenient (indoor) way to get from one end of the ship to the other.

On Odyssey, these events were held in either Two70 or Music Hall.  This meant those that wanted to dance and be part of the fun could go to these spots and enjoy it.  Plus, both venues were large enough to feel like a party and not some cramped room. The energy you get from partying with a crowd was still there.

The benefit was the Royal Esplanade remained clear and musical acts in the pub or Boleros could continue unabated. Plus, navigating the ship from end-to-end was not impacted.

Best internet at sea

Maybe you heard that Royal Caribbean is rolling out Starlink internet to all the ships in the fleet?

I've tried Starlink on Independence of the Seas and Allure of the Seas so far, and the internet on Odyssey of the Seas performed significantly better than either ship.  Did I mention Odyssey of the Seas is not on Starlink yet?

When I say Odyssey's internet was better, I mean the internet was responsive, fast, and rarely "disappeared" in terms of outages.

Instead of Starlink, Odyssey of the Seas still relies on internet service provided by O3b Networks, which is a subsidiary of SES. Before Royal Caribbean changed every ship's internet service to be called "Voom", this was the internet service that first coined the term Voom.

Of course, Royal Caribbean will eventually switch out Odyssey from O3b to Starlink.

Why did Odyssey's internet perform so much better? I'm not a network engineer so I don't want to pretend I know exactly why.  Part of the reason may be the Quality of Service (QoS), which is a mechanism for controlling network traffic for performance.

In any case, if I was going to do work from a cruise ship, I'd want to be on Odyssey of the Seas for it.

Best looking main dining room

While the actual food served in any restaurant is ultimately what makes it a good choice or not, I can't help but love the look of the main dining room on Odyssey of the Seas.

Spectrum of the Seas was the first cruise ship to adopt this look, but since Spectrum has been in Asia since her launch, I've only had the privilege to sail on Odyssey.

Royal Caribbean cut out the top of the dining room to open it up to the Via, and the overall aesthetic is lovely.

We only ate at the main dining room for Thanksgiving dinner, but I really like how the dining room looks on Odyssey of the Seas.

Effectors: Best show in the fleet?

Could Royal Caribbean's original production, The Effectors, be the best show right now across the fleet?

With all due respect to the Broadway shows, if you want to look at just the shows Royal Caribbean has created, I think Effectors might be my top choice. 

Between the music selections and very impressive technical effects, I think Effectors has the best balance of pizazz and story yet.

While I still want Royal Caribbean to develop shows with a more coherent plot, Effectors has enough of it that it clearly stands out from every other show I've seen.

Of course, I haven't seen Effectors II yet on Wonder of the Seas, so this may change when I sail on Wonder in a few weeks.

SeaPlex is fantastic

Odyssey of the Seas is the fifth Quantum Class ship, and it's clear they nailed the implementation of the SeaPlex on this ship.

First and foremost, the SeaPlex is a lot of fun for guests of all ages.  I like there's a lot of different activities offered here, and not all of it is purely for the under 18 set.

I had a great time on the first day of the cruise playing badminton with my daughter. Later, we got to ride bumper cars and that left a smile on our faces.

Then there's Zone Zero, which is an incredibly impressive virtual reality experience that everyone should do at least once.

Of course, kids love the activities in the SeaPlex and the proof is in how well-attended all the events are. 

During a recent media event, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley joked they invest millions of dollars in new spaces for teens on cruise ships but the teens always end up hanging out in the stairwells.  On Odyssey of the Seas, the teens would at least hold off from going to the staircases until the SeaPlex closed at 11pm.

Best Playmakers in the fleet

Speaking of the SeaPlex, I need to point out how good the Playmakers location is on Odyssey of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean put Playmakers on the second floor of the SeaPlex and it's a home run (a sports reference for a sports bar!).

On most ships, Playmakers is either outdoors or overcrowded from its convenient location mid-ship. The outdoor locations are too hot or humid most time of the year for my taste, and on ships where it is indoors, it gets way too crowded from guest overflow because it's a convenient place to just stop in.

On Odyssey, it's air-conditioned, has lots of space, and a giant screen to catch the game. Even when there's not a game to watch on the screen, you can watch the action below in the SeaPlex.

While I do like the Playmakers locations on Independence and Freedom of the Seas, the Playmakers on Odyssey is the only Playmakers location that is a real destination for me during the cruise.

Cafe @ Two70 is my go-to grab-and-go spot

In terms of menu, Cafe @ Two70 isn't that different from Park Cafe on other ships, but it has just enough difference that I greatly prefer it.

First, it has a full coffee menu that you usually find on Cafe Promenade on other ships.  But unlike Cafe Promenade, Cafe @ Two70 tended to be far less busy.

Plus, Cafe @ Two70 has a great selection of food for breakfast and lunch. Not only are there good options, but they are quick.  This is so helpful on port days where I want to get everyone in my family something to eat, but do so quickly.

The icing on the cake for Cafe @ Two70 is the view you can enjoy while eating. Located adjacent to Two70, I loved taking my coffee and bagel to Two70 and enjoying a view outside.

Dislikes on Odyssey of the Seas

Show schedule

There is no perfect entertainment schedule that will work for everyone's personal schedule, but I didn't understand some of the show scheduling on Odyssey of the Seas.

There were far too many showings of The Book in Two70 and not nearly enough of Effectors.

On our 8-night cruise, it seemed they showed The Book for the first two thirds of the cruise and left Effectors to just the last two nights of the cruise. I know they were swapping out casts on our cruise, so perhaps that factored into that decision. I just wish there was more opportunities to see Effectors.

Elevator logic

Maybe this is just me, but I found the elevators to be the worst in terms of wait times on Odyssey of the Seas compared to any other ship I've been on since the restart in 2021.

There's lots of factors involved with how long you'll wait for an elevator and luck definitely plays a large part.  But I truly was baffled by the "logic" the elevator system used to assign cars.

Besides just waiting a long time for an elevator, there were many times where an empty elevator would zoom past us only to have another nearly full car come to our floor for a stop.

Far from a major problem, I just found it perplexing how inefficient the elevators were on Odyssey.

Read more: Why you should skip the elevator on your cruise

Pub singer and trivia schedule

This last dislike is super small, but I didn't understand why they scheduled trivia inbetween sets of the pub singer.

As a purveyor of pub singing entertainment across Royal Caribbean, I like to think I have a pretty good handle on how this particular form of entertainment is handled and what works well.

On Odyssey, the pub singer would start his first set, and then when it was time for a break, they'd bring a trivia team to conduct a trivia session.  Then the pub singer would resume with his next set.

Frankly, it was jarring in terms of energy. Similar to the Schooner Bar player, the pub singer experience is all about energy from the crowd coming back to the singer. So to go from singing along to trivia felt disjointed and it's not something I've seen on any other ship.

Happy Sunday and Happy Thanksgiving weekend! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday with family and friends! There is a lot of Royal Caribbean news to share this week.

Mistakes can happen to anyone, but there are some mistakes that will ruin your cruise vacation.

More than likely you'll have a great time on your cruise and enjoy the experience, but there are some pitfalls that can wreak havoc with your plans.

By knowing what these are, you can bypass the worst kind of cruise mistakes.

Survey shows possible new main dining room menu

There's more evidence that a new main dining room menu is on its way.

Royal Caribbean sent past guests an email survey with options for a new main dining room menu, and asked them for feedback.

The survey not only included a look at a possible new menu, it also asked for feedback on the main dining room experience overall.

New video: Things you'll notice when cruising on an older cruise ship

{"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/QPQ3ePA99Eo.jpg?itok=d96Dgexc","video_url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPQ3ePA99Eo","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Things you'll notice when cruising on an older cruise ship — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

How much cash should you bring on a cruise?

Before you get on a cruise, how much money should you bring with you?

While Royal Caribbean is a cashless ship for most transactions, there are still quite a few good reasons to have cash with you.

Both onboard and off the ship, having at least some cash will make things easier for you.

Why booking my excursions in Europe with the cruise line was the best decision

Is it better to book tours through the cruise line or on your own?

There's compelling reasons for both, but on a recent European cruise, Allie found clear reasoning to go with Royal Caribbean's shore excursions.

She booked 4 tours through Royal Caribbean and feels it was the absolute best decision she could have made.

Guide to Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package

Ready to enjoy all the specialty dining on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship?

Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package provides all the specialty dining restaurants you can handle, and there are important distinctions when purchasing this option you should know about.

From getting the most value out of it to costs, here's the important details about the Unlimited Dining Package.

The last day of our cruise is here, and being an 8-night cruise instead of a 7-night, it's like having a bonus to the cruise.

I set the alarm late so we could all sleep in on the last day. I figure it's good to get some extra sleep today when tomorrow we all have to get up early.

Once we did get up, we were able to take a quick run up to Solarium Bistro for breakfast.  On the way there, we saw it was another beautiful day.  Weather has been great all week, so I'm grateful for the pleasant weather.

Today was the Captain's Corner, where the Cruise Director and Captain answer questions from guests.

The questions were about topics such as how the ship works, crew member life, and background of the Captain.

Right after it was the entertainment Q&A event.  It was listed as for Top Tier Crown and Anchor members, but anyone could go.

We tried to go to Playmakers for lunch, but the combination of World Cup and College Football meant every table was full.  After waiting to see if anyone would leave, we relented and went to the Windjammer for lunch.

While I might have liked another order of nachos and burger, the variety of food in the Windjammer is a win with me.

We saw a family event in Adventure Ocean for kids to do a science experiment, where kids are given a rock and use water to uncover the fossil hidden inside.

My youngest enjoyed it, and it was something nice to do.

Back in the cabin, I wanted to sit out on the balcony, but it was warm. So I went up to the pool deck to enjoy an afternoon drink.

I went to the Lime & Coconut bar to try out the signature drink there named after the bar.  One of our writers here on RoyalCaribbeanBlog, Allie, loves this drink, so I wanted to give it a try.

After 3 of them, I can say it was a solid choice.

By this point in the afternoon, I was ready for a nap!

Just like yesterday, I woke up to a lovely sunset outside my balcony.

Dinner brought us back to Giovanni's Italian Kitchen.

Just like the other two times we ate here, the food was great and really hit the spot.

After dinner, we went to see The Effectors.

This is an original Royal Caribbean production, and while I've seen it before, my kids have not.  Plus, we're going to see Effectors 2 on Wonder of the Seas next month, so it was good to refresh my memory.

This is a great show and I think it might be the best show in Royal Caribbean's fleet right now.

After dinner, I went up to Playmakers for a drink.

We had a great time on Odyssey of the Seas and would love to sail on her again.

Thanks for following along in these live blogs!

Whether you want Royal Caribbean alcohol prices or Royal Caribbean drink prices, here is your complete list to know how much they will cost before they get onboard.

We present here our list of Royal Caribbean drink prices that are regularly updated to give you the best idea of how much enjoying a drink will cost you.

Keep in mind Royal Caribbean adds an 18% gratuity charge to each drink order.

This information last updated: April 3, 2024

This information is valid for Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas & Wonder of the Seas.

The price you will pay for a drink is made up of two components: the drink price and gratuity. Royal Caribbean charges an automatic 18% gratuity to drinks ordered, so there's no extra math for you to do. 

If you have a drink package, gratuity is included with your package price so there's nothing extra once you buy the beverage package.

If you are looking for ballpark Royal Caribbean drink prices, here is what you can reasonably expect (prices listed below are before gratuity)

The drink of the day is a cocktail that gets about a 25% discount from its normal price.

Every day there is a new drink of the day, which is advertised in the Cruise Compass daily newspaper, as well on signs at various bars. You can always ask the bartender at any bar what the drink of the day is.

You can expect the drink of the day to be a fruity, crowd pleasing cocktail that has wide appeal.

It is worth noting the drink prices across Royal Caribbean's fleet do vary to some degree. Specifically, drink prices on Oasis or Quantum Class ships are usually a bit more expensive (50 cents to one dollar more) than on other ships in the fleet.

Not to worry, an unlimited Royal Caribbean drink package still includes most drinks.

The prices for drinks are consistent, regardless of where your ship sails from. So the drink prices on your ship in the Caribbean will be the same as a ship sailing in Europe.

If you're paying for drinks without a drink package, you can order more than one drink at a time. If you have a drink package, expect to be able to order one drink per drink package at a time.

Royal Caribbean fleetwide drink menu

Taste of the Caribbean

Goombay Smash 
Malibu Coconut rum, Kraken Black Spiced rum, orange juice and pineapple juice $14 

Planter's Punch 
Myers's Original Dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice and grenadine $14

Papa Jac
Bacardi Superior rum, passion fruit syrup and lime juice $14

The Painkiller
Pusser's rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut syrup and a dash of nutmeg $14

Dark 'n Stormy
Gosling's Black Seal rum and Gosling's ginger beer $14

Rum Punch 
Captain Morgan Original Spiced rum, Bacardi Superior rum, guava and passion fruit syrups, pineapple juice, lime juice and a float of Kraken Black Spiced rum $14

Crisp & Refreshing

Pineapple Guava Sangria 
Danzante Pinot Grigio, guava and passion fruit syrups, pineapple juice and lime juice $14

Strawberry Blonde
Tito's Handmade vodka, St-Germain liqueur, strawberry, lemon juice and mint $14

Scarlett's Tropical Sangria
Castle Rock, Pinot Noir, guava and passion fruit syrups, pineapple juice and lime juice $14

Cozumel Sunrise 
Cuervo Gold tequila, mango, lime juice and grenadine $14

Thyme for Gin
Aviation gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and thyme topped with club soda $14

Mint Berry Delight
Absolut vodka, lemon juice, blueberry puree and mint topped with club soda $14

Caribbean Mule 
Absolut vodka, coconut syrup, lime juice and Gosling's ginger beer $14

Cool as a Cucumber
Bombay Sapphire gin, St-Germain liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup and muddled cucumbers topped with club soda $13

Handcrafted Margarita 
Patron Silver tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, agave syrup and muddled limes and oranges with a salt rim.$13

Pretty n Pink
Beefeater Pink gin, lime juice, pineapple juice and guava syrup $13

Curacao Cosmo
Malibu Coconut rum, blue curacao and pineapple juice $14

Meet the Collins'

John Collins: Tito's vodka, club soda, lemon, powdered sugar: $14

Sandy Collins: Canadian Club whiskey, ginger, soda, lemon juice, maple syrup: $14

Pierre Collins: Remy Martin VSOP cognac and chamboard black, raspberry liqueur, lengthened with lime, cranberry juice and club soda $14

Pedro Collins: Bacardi reserva ocho, fresh mint and guava syrup mixed up with lime and club soda $14

Tom Collins: Gin - Bombay sapphire gin, club soda, lemon juice, lychee syrup $14

The Rum Also Rises

El Floridita: Bacardi 8 rum, lime juice, powdered sugar: $14

Papa Doble: Bacardi superior rum, lychee, grapefruit juice: $14

Lavender daiquiri: Bacardi superior rum, lavender syrup: $14

Spiced Daiquiri: Zacapa rum, angostura bitters, lime, soft brown sugar: $14

Habanero & Grapefruit Daiquiri: Miami Club rum, habanero, grapefruit syrup: $14

The Greats

Brandy Alexander: Remy Martin VSOP and creme de cocoa dark shaken hard with half-and-half and double-strained and dusted with fresh nutmeg: $14

Rol' and Rye: Bulleit Rye whiskey, aperol, lemon juice and simple syrup: $14

French 75: Hennessy cognac, domaine chandon, powdered sugar, lemon: $14

Champagne Cocktail: An Angostura-doused sugar cube topped with Domaine Chandon and garnished with an orange twist: $14

The Sidecar: The classic 8-2-1 recipe: Remy Martin VSOP, Grand Marnier and lemon juice: $14

Royal Caribbean rum prices

El Floridita: Where it all began: fresh lime juice, powdered sugar and Bacardi 8 rum: $14

Papa Doble: Bacardi Superior rum, maraschino liqueur and grapefruit juice: $14

Lavender Daiquiri: Bacardi Superior rum with the addition of lavender syrup to give an elegant floral finish and a contemporary twist to this classic: $14

Spiced Daiquiri: Soft brown sugar drenched in Angostura bitters and lime, shaken hard with Zacapa rum double-strained and served up: $14

Habanero & Grapefruit Daiquiri: A spicy take on this Cuban classic when Bacardi Gold rum joined with a habanero and grapefruit syrup: $14

Old Fashioned

Classic Old Fashioned: Buffalo trace bourbon stirred with sugar syrup, Angostura and orange bitters, garnished with a fresh orange peel: $14

Hennessy Old Fashioned: Hennessy Fine Champagne cognac: $14

Pyrat Old Fashioned: Pyrat rum, amaro cherries, orange flesh, bitters, soft brown sugar: $14

Rum Old Fashioned: Bacardi reserva ocho rum, coconut syrup, angostura bitters: $14

New Fashioned: Southern Comfort whiskey, raspberries, pink grapefruit, orange bitters, soft brown sugar, grapefruit twist: $14

Royal Caribbean wine prices

Sparkling

Chandon, Brut, "Classic"

• Glass: $12
• Bottles: $58

Ruffino, Prosecco

• Glass: $11
• Bottles: $58

White/Rose

Beringer, White Zinfandel

• Glass: $9
• Bottles: $32

Chateau d'Esclans, Rose, "Whispering Angel"

• Glass: $15
• Bottles: $58

Kim Crawford, Marlborough, New Zealand

• Glass: $17
• Bottles: $64

Robert Mondavi, Private Selection, Sauvignon Blanc

• Glass: $12
• Bottles: $46

Danzante, Pinot Grigio, delle Venezie, Italy

• Glass: $11
• Bottles: $43

Penfolds, Chardonnary, "Koonunga Hill", South Australia

• Glass: $10
• Bottles: $38

Kendall-Jackson, "Vinter's Reserve", Riesling, California

• Glass: $12
• Bottles: $45

Chateu d'Ausseries, Chardonnay "Aussieres", Vin de Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France

• Glass: $10
• Bottles: $36

Clos du Bois, Chardonnay, North Coast, California

• Glass: $12
• Bottles: $45

Conundrum, California

• Glass: $16
• Bottles: $61

Red

Castle Rock, Central Coast, California

• Glass: $11
• Bottles: $42

Estancia, Pinot Noir, Monterey County, California

• Glass: $12
• Bottles: $47

Terrazas de los Andes, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

• Glass: $8
• Bottles: $35

Clos du Bois, Merlot, North Coast, California

• Glass: $12
• Bottles: $45

Castle Rock, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington

• Glass: $9
• Bottles: $33

Kendall-Jackson, Cabernet Sauvignon, "Vitner's Reserve", Sonoma County, California

• Glass: $11
• Bottles: $42

Torres, Ribera del Duero, "Celeste", Crianza, Castilla Y Leon, Spain

• Glass: $11
• Bottles: $42

Royal Caribbean beer prices

Beers

• Amstel Light $7.99
• Blue Moon Belgian White $7.99
• Bud Light $7.49
• Budweiser $7.49
• Coors Light $7.49
• Corona Extra $7.99
• Daura Damm (Gluten-free) $7.99
• Dos Equis $7.99
• Fosters Oil Can (750mL) $9.50
• Heineken $7.99
• Miller Lite $7.49
• Paulaner Weiss $7.99
• Red Stripe (473mL) $8.25
• Stella Artois $7.99 

Other

• Strongbow Hard Cider $7.99
• Truly Hard Seltzer $7.49
  • Wild Berry, Pineapple, Strawberry Lemonade
• White Claw Hard Seltzer $7.49
  • Mango 

Non-alcoholic $6.99

• Heineken 0.0

Spirits and Liquor prices

Vodka

• Absolut 10.99
• Absolut Citron 10.99
• Absolut Vanilia 10.99
• Belvedere 12.99
• Grey Goose 13.99
• New Amsterdam 9.99
• Stoli 10.99
• Stoli ElIt 12.99
• Tito's Handmade 10.99 

Rum

• Bacardi 10.99
• Bacardi Reserva Ocho 12.99
• Captain Morgan Original Spiced 11.99
• Goslings 11.99
• Kraken 9.99
• Leblon Cachaca 10.99 
• Malibu 9.99
• Myers's Original Dark 9.99
• Pusser's Navy 12.99
• Pyrat XO 13.99
• Ron Zacapa 12.99 

Gin

• Aviation 10.99
• Beefeater 10.99
• Beefeater Pink 10.99
• Bombay Sapphire 11.99
• The Botanist 11.99
• Hendrick's 12.99
• Tanqueray 10.99 

Tequila & Mezcal prices

• 1800 Resposado10.99
• Avion Silver 11.99
• Ilegal Joven 10.99
• Jose Cuervo Gold 9.99
• Jose Cuervo Silver 9.99
• Patron Anejo 13.99
• Patron Resposado 12.99
• Patron Silver 11.99
• Zignum Silver 11.99

Scotch

• Chivas Regal 12 10.99
• Dewar's White 9.99
• Glenfiddich 11.99
• The Glenlivet 12.99
• Johnnie Walker Black Label 10.99
• Johnnie Walker Double Black 11.99
• The Macallan Quest 12.99
• The Macallan Lumina 17.99
• The Macallan Terra 20.99
• The Macallan Enigma 39.99 

Whiskey & Bourbon

• Balcones Rye 13.99
• Balcones Straight 13.99
• Buffalo Race 10.99
• Bulleit 11.99
• Canadian Club 9.99
• Crown Royal 9.99 
• Fireball Cinnamon 9.99
• Gentleman Jack 12.99
• Jack Daniel's 10.99
• Jack Daniel's Rye 10.99
• Jameson 10.99
• Makers Mark 11.99
• Rittenhouse Rye 10.99
• Skrewball Peanut Butter 10.99
• Seagram's 7 9.99
• Templeton Rye 10.99
• Tincup 10.99
• Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch 10.99
• Woodford Reserve 10.99
• Yellow Rose 10.99 

Cognac

• Hennessy V.S 10.99
• Remy Martin VSOP 12.99 

Aperitif

• Aperol 10.99
• B&B 10.99
• Campari 10.99
• Fernet-Branca 10.99
• Jagermeister 10.99
• Pernod, 10.99
• Pimm's 10.99 

Liquers

• Baileys Irish cream 10.99
• Chambord Black Raspberry 10.99
• Cointreau 10.99 
• Disaronno Amaretto 10.99
• Drambuie 10.99
• Frangelico 10.99
• Grand Marnier 10.99
• Kahlua 10.99
• Midori Melon 10.99
• Sambuca 10.99
• Southern Comfort 10.99 

Complimentary drinks on Royal Caribbean

Guests who are Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club Crown and Anchor Society members also receive complimentary drinks on each day.

Royal Caribbean has revamped its offerings to allow at least 4 beverage vouchers for Diamond and higher guests in Crown and Anchor, which are good all day and at any bar (except Starbucks).

• Diamond: 4 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)
• Diamond Plus: 5 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)
• Pinnacle: 6 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)

Each cruise, Royal Caribbean will hold "welcome back" parties for its Crown and Anchor members.

At each event, complimentary alcoholic beverages are served and it can be a great way to enjoy free drinks while hearing about what is new and exciting about Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean beverage packages

One way to lock in the price of your Royal Caribbean cruise is to purchase a drink package.

The unlimited alcohol package allows guests to enjoy as many beers, cocktails and other alcoholic drinks as they like for a fixed daily price.

Deluxe Package - $60 - $90 per guest, per day (plus 18% service charge)

Guests can choose between beer, wine by the glass (up to $14 value) , mixed cocktails, frozen cocktails along with premium coffee, premium tea, bottled water (sparkling and still) , fresh squeezed juice, fountain sodas with the Coca-Cola souvenir cup.

More about Royal Caribbean drink prices and packages

Here are some more helpful articles about Royal Caribbean drinks and the unlimited alcohol packages

• Should you buy the unlimited alcohol packages?
• Which Royal Caribbean drink package is right for you?
• How to purchase Royal Caribbean's unlimited alcohol packages

After four port days in a row, having a sea day feels great.

As Odyssey of the Seas makes her way back to Port Everglades, we have two sea days to enjoy and that means relaxing and doing any of the onboard activities we may have missed.

Once we got out of bed, we hit up Solarium Bistro for breakfast.

Just like on day two of this cruise, we like Solarium Bistro because it's relatively uncrowded and has a good selection of food.   My youngest likes it because it has doughnuts.

After breakfast we heard the Stowaway Piano player in one of the elevators, so we tracked him down and went for a few rides. Odyssey's elevators are air conditioned (most other Royal Caribbean ship elevators are not), so it was nice to get a few rides in.

Next up was a Quantum Class ship must-do: bumper cars!

The line looked long, but it took maybe 15 or 20 minutes before we got our turn.

I found a Perfect Day at CocoCay bumper car, so we went straight for that one.

For lunch, we went to Giovanni's Italian Kitchen.

Their lunch menu is slightly different from the dinner menu, and my kids really like this restaurant.

After lunch we headed to the Schooner Bar for Disney trivia and it was packed to the brim!

There are a few kinds of trivia that are always crazy popular on Royal Caribbean: Disney, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. I might be missing some others, but they really need to add more of these kinds of trivia given how popular they are.

By this point, I was ready for an afternoon nap and it felt great!

After waking up, I was greeted by a perfect sea day sunset.

For dinner, we had booked Izumi sushi.

On Odyssey, the sushi and hibachi parts of Izumi are separate restaurants.

The food was great, and I was happy with all the sushi options while my family ordered the non-sushi items.

I wanted to mix up our post-dinner plans a little, so I went to Boleros for a drink and music.

Boleros primarily plays Latin music, but in the early evening it has other performances here and it was perfect for sitting back and enjoying music without it being a party or super loud.

That evening, we watched the crew members put up the ship's Christmas tree.

It took them a couple hours, but before the end of the night, the tree was up.

Tomorrow is another sea day!

Could this be what the next version of Royal Caribbean's main dining room menu looks like?

Royal Caribbean sent past guests an email survey with options for a new main dining room menu, and asked them for feedback.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Shannon Apodaca shared screenshots from the survey, which asked a variety of questions regarding the main dining room experience.

The example menu is for a French night theme, and it features both a new layout and new choices on the menu.

The survey then asked for ratings of each dish and how appealing they were to the respondent. 

Also included in the survey were questions about the main dining room experience overall, such as:

• How many minutes is too short, just right, and too long for dinner in the main dining room?
• What proportion of the menu would you prefer to contain familiar vs new dishes?

Then the survey asked for the top 3 things you look for in the menu items:

• Wide variety of dishes
• Lots of dishes to choose from
• Familiar items
• Healthy options
• New items I've never had
• Easy to understand descriptions
• Small portions
• Listing of all ingredients in each dish
• Sourcing of ingredients
• Exotic options

Next was a question about top 3 things in particular do you look for in the service of the main dining room:

• Gets to know me
• Anticipates my needs
• Doses not rush my service
• Offers suggestions
• Quick Service
• Friendly staff
• Bring samples to try
• Goes above and beyond
• Provides detailed description of menu items
• Refills drinks promptly
• Same server each night

Finally, it asked for guests to share the ideal main dining room atmosphere, in terms of lighting, table settings, music, silverware and more.

Following up on ship testing

This survey is being conducted in conjunction with a real-world example of the new menu taking place on Symphony of the Seas.

As we reported first, Royal Caribbean has changed the main dining room menu on only Symphony of the Seas to trial out the new menu.

Thanks to Thomas Napolitano for providing these menus

The new menu layout is part of the test, along with a change in the lobster portions provided.

Royal Caribbean says the impetus for making the change is for the guest experience in an effort to simplify the dining room menu, which would allow the service to speed up.

In short, Royal Caribbean is looking for a way to make the dinner experience in the main dining room more predictable and efficient.

The last port of call on our Odyssey of the Seas cruise takes us to Curacao.

Since the distance between our previous stop of Aruba and Curacao is quite short, the ship docked around 8am and we had a full day to enjoy the island.

We had no plans for the day other than not going to another beach.  After three beach days in a row, the family wanted something different. With that in mind, we decided to just wing it and see what happens.

Breakfast was in Cafe @ Two70 for how quick we can get in and out for time onshore.

Odyssey of the Seas docked a reasonable distance from downtown, with an easy walk from ship to shops.

The day started out cloudy and quite humid. As the day went on, we had an occasional light rain shower, but the clouds eventually cleared. The humidity, however, did not go away.

Before you can get to the real part of downtown, you have to go over a pontoon bridge. This bridge will sometimes move to make way for boat traffic, which is a neat sight to see.

Once downtown, we started meandering to look for souvenirs and anything else interesting. We had no agenda, just see where the streets would take us until the kids complained too much.

We ran across Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue , which is the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas.

We had visited it a few years ago as part of a Royal Caribbean shore excursion, but the kids are older, so we decided to poke our heads in again.

At first, I just wanted to give the synagogue a couple of dollars to see the inside of the temple and take another glimpse.

The first synagogue building was purchased in 1674, and the current building dates from 1730.

Something else unique about this building are the sand-covered floors.

There's also a small museum that tells the story of Jewish community in Curacaco, dating back to the late 15th century.

We continued our walk around town and get to the main square, where the kids took an ice cream break.

We did some more shopping before stopping for lunch at a restaurant along the water.

The food was nothing special, but the views of the water were nice.

At this point, the humidity was a bit too much, so we decided to head back to the ship.

We rested up for the evening, as it was Thanksgiving.

The ship didn't do a ton for Thanksgiving, but it covered the basics. There is a special menu in the main dining room and a few Thanksgiving activities in the Cruise Compass.

Prior to dinner, we took the kids to get a drink from the Bionic Bar.  

They loved watching the robots make the drinks. I find the drinks too sweet for my taste, but they loved it.

Next was dinner in the main dining room. We were on My Time Dining because when you book the Unlimited Dining Package, you automatically get moved to My Time to free up a table in traditional dining.

The earliest time you can book is 6:45, but we wanted to dine with our friends in the first seating of dinner at 5:30.

We got downstairs at 5:30 and asked and they said to come back at 6 once they knew who the no-shows were.  Sure enough, we were seated at a table right next to them at 6pm.

It's hard not to appreciate the beauty of the main dining room on Odyssey of the Seas because it's a different look than dining rooms across the fleet.

There's the normal main dining room menu, along with a special Thanksgiving menu.

I had to get turkey, along with the butternut squash soup.  My wife opted for the honey baked ham.

After dinner, we went to the Schooner Bar for "Name That Tune: Thanksgiving songs".  If you're like me, you can't think of any inherently Thanksgiving songs.

Sure enough, the idea was song titles that could double as Thanksgiving references, as opposed to songs synonymous with the holiday.

We weren't sure where to go next, so we headed up to Playmakers to watch the evening NFL football game between the Patriots and Vikings.

We didn't intend to stay for the whole game, but had a good time so did so anyway.

I rounded out my evening with some time in the casino before heading to bed.

Tomorrow is a sea day.