Royal Caribbean thinks you'll find some of the best bar fun possible when it launches its next cruise ship.

Cruise ship passengers will find more than 40 bars and hot spots on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, which will be the first vessel in the line's Icon class and the next "world's largest cruise ship."

Royal Caribbean announced more than 15 of the bars and nightlife experiences on Icon of the Seas today. There is a combination of returning favorite bars as well as new concepts, such as dueling pianos, coffee-infused cocktails, or a new new walkup champagne bar.

More than 40 venues

There will be no shortage of places to wine, dine, and drink on Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean will have more than 40 venues on the ship, including a few new concepts, like Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues in Central Park and Dueling Pianos in Royal Promenade, and spots to grab a drink and mingle before a show like the Rye & Bean coffee bar in AquaDome and the Bubbles champagne bar in Central Park.

Making a return on Icon of the Seas are bars that cruise fans have come to love on other ships, such as from Trellis Bar and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.

Here's a list of the bars and nightlife coming to Icon of the Seas:

New concepts: Entertainment & Drinks

Dueling Pianos – In Royal Caribbean’s first dueling pianos bar, it’s the battle of the baby grands at the hands of two talented pianists who take song requests to bring high-energy performances of crowd-favorite hits to the Royal Promenade – the heart of Icon. 

Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues – The new spot fills the open-air Central Park with live performances of soulful classics and jazz pop tunes, inviting music lovers to take it all in from indoors or as they stroll by the thousands of real plants during Jazz in the Park. 

Location: Deck 8, Central Park

Pricing: Complimentary

Capacity: 71 indoor, 16 outdoor seated

Rye & Bean – Matching the transformational experiences in the AquaDome, this new coffee shop offers everything from classic cups of joe to espresso cocktails. It’s a cozy morning hangout with endless ocean views by day and a buzzing bar with views of deck-defying entertainment in the AquaTheater by night.

Location: Deck 15, AquaDome

Pricing: A la carte or with Royal Caribbean drink package

The Overlook and Overlook Pods – The elevated lounge and first-of-their-kind nooks at sea take nights out and hangouts to another level.

The wraparound windows in the AquaDome bring the ocean center stage during the day, and at night, the cruise line’s marquee aqua shows are just a few steps away.

The Overlook Lounge will have 160 degree views of the ocean and it's right above the ship's bridge.

The next-level pods are where friends can lounge with a drink, play classic board games and kick back to live music, too.

Location: Deck 14 & 15, AquaDome

Pricing: A la carte or with Royal Caribbean drink package

Capacity: 112 (lounge), 52 (pods) seated

New Concepts: Ambiance

1400 Lobby Bar – The new meetup spot – inspired by the history of shipbuilding – is where vacationers can start to make memories as soon as they board, with a mix of daytime and evening sips developed with renowned mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, who's worked with James Beard Award-winning chefs, Bellagio and more.

The venue’s also the first to open the vibrant Royal Promenade to the outdoors with an ocean-facing terrace. 

Location: Deck 5

Capacity: 67 interior, 18 exterior seating

Bubbles – It’s three cheers at the new walkup champagne window in Central Park, where glasses of mimosas, prosecco, Bellini and even bottles of bubbly are on tap morning, noon and night. 

Location: Deck 8, Central Park

Hours: 7am - 10pm

Returning venues

The Attic, inspired by Manhattan’s dark and intimate comedy clubs with adults-only live shows.

Location: Deck 6, Royal Promenade

Capacity: 159 seated

Music Hall, to rock out to the house tribute band in a two-story venue.

Location: Deck 3 & 4, Royal Promenade

A larger Trellis Bar in Central Park, with a new look and an all new menu featuring pre-dinner appetizers.

Location: Deck 8, Central Park

Capacity: 12 seated

Boleros, the lively club that brings the heat with Latin flavor.

Location: Deck 6, Royal Promeande

Capacity: 85 seated

Schooner Bar, where pianists set the tone for pre-dinner drinks and nightcaps. 

Point & Feather – The neighborhood English pub on Royal Promenade has a new open layout, games – and tournaments – of darts and sips joining the signature lineup of pints and the live guitarist at the center of it all.

Darts are complimentary

Location: Deck 5, Royal Promenade

Capacity: 104 seated

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade – The returning favorite, serving up gameday bar fare and ice-cold beers, is where vacationers can catch their home teams on dozens of screens and play arcade and tabletop games. 

Location: Deck 6, Royal Promenade

Capacity: 107 seated

Spotlight Karaoke – Aspiring singers take the stage in front of the crowd or in a private room with their friends and family at this fan-favorite karaoke spot on Royal Promenade.

Complimentary karaoke venue with bar. Private karaoke rooms available to rent.

Location: Deck 5

Capacity: 106 seated

Pushing for new hot spots

It's clear Royal Caribbean wants Icon of the Seas to offer more places to enjoy a drink, as well as be entertained.

Icon of the Seas will have more than 40 food and beverage concepts, with 23 of them completely new to Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza talked about the opportunity to bring new ideas to Icon, “We’ve set out to introduce a new kind of vacation in every sense and taken a blank slate to create an unparalleled blend of ways vacationers can celebrate and make memories whatever their mood, vibe and style."

"From all-new venues and bolder favorites to new iconic drinks on every menu, zero-proof cocktails and twists to classics, there’s something for everyone to make the most of their nights out on Icon of the Seas."

Icon of the Seas launches in 2024

When it begins sailing, 20-deck 7,600-passenger Icon of the Seas will officially become the biggest cruise ship in the world, taking the title from its current holder, sister ship Wonder of the Seas.

Icon of the Seas is scheduled to be delivered in late 2023 and begin sailing in January 2024.

The first sailing of Icon of the Seas, a seven-night voyage out of Miami to the Eastern Caribbean, is scheduled for Jan. 27, 2024.

The ship will alternate between Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean itineraries.

This was a busy week with Royal Caribbean news, and we have a summary of all of the news from this week to make certain you did not miss any of it.

Earlier this week, Royal Caribbean announced it will remove the Sky Pad from all of its ships.

No reason was given why, but the venue will be replaced with an unnamed new activity.

Beginning March 31, 2023, Royal Caribbean will begin removing the trampoline experience.

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Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 492nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt reviews his recent Wonder of the Seas cruise.

Matt sailed on Wonder of the Seas almost a year after the ship debuted, and shares what stood out from his spring break cruise.

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.

New RCB Video: What it's like to sail on Royal Caribbean's NEWEST vs OLDEST cruise ships

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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 — What it's like to sail on Royal Caribbean's NEWEST vs OLDEST cruise ships — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

6 things I did in advance to prepare for a stress-free vacation

After spending a week on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, I greatly benefitted by doing 6 important things to ensure a relaxing cruise.

After years of cruising, it's become apparent to me how important just a little planning ahead of time can do to improve your vacation experience.

Looking back at thee cruise, these are the things Matt did on Wonder to eliminate hassles before they could ever occur.

How to use Royal Caribbean loyalty perks to save money on a Celebrity Cruise

Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society program is such a good loyalty program, it even benefits you if you sail Celebrity.

Because Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are owned by the same parent company, the two cruise lines actually have a status reciprocity program. Celebrity’s Loyalty Match program allows cruisers to receive comparable benefits from Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Program when sailing on Celebrity cruise ships. 

Allie found her years of Royal Caribbean cruising saved her money on her first Celebrity cruise.

11 reasons to get as early a check-in time as possible for your cruise

The earlier you get onboard your cruise, the more quickly you can start the vacation you’ve been dreaming about for so long.

Beyond just starting your vacation earlier, though, are a range of other benefits you can experience by boarding earlier than most other passengers.

Here are the top 11 reasons to get as early a check-in time as possible for your cruise.

In March 2023, I spent a week on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. I had a great family spring break vacation, and I know I greatly benefitted from some pre-cruise planning.

After years of cruising, it's become apparent to me how important just a little planning ahead of time can do to improve your vacation experience.

While you could simply show up to the cruise ship and have a good time without any forethought, planning out a few aspects of your vacation adds a lot to the experience and avoids some common cruise pitfalls.

On a ship as big as Wonder of the Seas, you're also competing in a way with your fellow guests for opportunities and things to do onboard. From dining, to entertainment, to waiting, there's a limit on how much you can do onboard and I firmly believe your time on a cruise ship can be optimized.

In retrospect, here are five super simple things I did before my cruise began to eliminate hassles before they could ever occur.

1. I did everything in the pre-cruise check-in

When you step foot into the cruise terminal, your cruise vacation begins and ideally, your time in the terminal is as quick as possible so you can get onto the ship.

Royal Caribbean has made it super simple to breeze through the check-in process by making the entire process digital via the Royal Caribbean app.

First and foremost, at 45 days before my cruise, I grabbed an early check-in time to ensure we could likely get onboard first. It's a good idea to set a calendar reminder to get a time right away, because a lot of people will be vying for those early times.

Next, complete every step of the check-in process before the cruise.  

1. Scan your passport
2. Take a selfie photo
3. Add your emergency contact info
4. Add a credit card

If you don't do these things at home, you're going to do it at the terminal with the agent.  It feels like the agents often struggle with their tablets working correctly, and it just wastes time.

Because we did everything at home, every terminal representative we encountered merely had to look over our paperwork, verify it was all there, and sent us on our way.

Your vacation time is precious, so don't waste it in the cruise terminal.

2. Booked my shows early

If you're sailing on an Oasis or Quantum Class ship, you can pre-book shows and you really need to do this as soon as it becomes available.

While you can probably still get into the shows without a reservation, having a reservation really makes the entire experience so much simpler.

At around 30 days before your cruise, the shows will become available to book and it's complimentary to book shows.

It's quite clear enough people have gotten the memo about booking shows that times go quickly, so you'll want to book it right away. Put a calendar reminder for this time too.

By having the show reservations, there was no concern once onboard if we would be able to see a particular show time or having to waste time standing in a standby line.

3. I took a ride share to the port instead of parking

This tip was not part of my original plan, but I was really glad to have taken a Lyft ride to the port instead of driving myself.

The day before the cruise, we discovered a nail in the tire of our family car and there wasn't enough time to get it patched before we left the next morning for the cruise.  As a result, I decided to use Lyft instead.

We live about an hour from Port Canaveral, so driving to the port so we've almost always driven ourselves in the past.

The reason why I'm including getting a ride to the port on this list is because the parking situation in Port Canaveral (and other Florida ports) has become much more of a problem than in the past.  In short, the parking lots at the port seem to be fuller than ever before.

Wonder of the Seas departs from Terminal 1, and the main garage was already quite busy when we got there. There are more ships and bigger ships sailing than in the past, and the overflow lots are now the norm instead of the exception.

By taking Lyft, we pulled right up to the terminal, dropped our luggage with the porters and we walked right into the terminal.  It was a breath of fresh air compared to having to wait in the traffic to get back into the terminal and find a spot.

If this sounds like a "first world problem", it definitely is, but we saw the backup to get into Terminal 1 only get worse as the day wore on. 

4. I did traditional dining instead of My Time Dining

While 5pm is earlier than I would like to have dinner, the ease of which it is to have a fixed table and time seems to greatly outweigh the downsides to My Time Dining.

My Time Dining is great since you can eat at different times during your cruise. This is super helpful when you have a later day in port, but there's also more waiting and it always seems the people waiting to get in for My Time Dining look annoyed.

To be fair, our family has always done traditional dining when we eat in the Main Dining Room, but since this article is about how to be stress-free, there's no doubt having a set time every day with no waiting is the definition of that.

When it was our dinner time, we walked right into the Main Dining Room and sat at our table. We had menus in hand and a drink order being taken shortly thereafter.

I'm not advocating no one should do My Time Dining, rather, I think traditional is just easier.

Read more: My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

5. Pre-booked my shore excursions

It feels like waiting to figure out your plans on shore the day you get to the port is becoming a new mistake.

Royal Caribbean's shore excursions seem to be selling out much faster than in years past, and if you try winging it with a vendor in port, there's just too much ambiguity as to what the experience could end up being.

The issue is exacerbated in Perfect Day at CocoCay because Royal Caribbean's marketing machine has been so effective in getting the word out. The result is everything other than a floating mat is sold out months before the cruise begins.

Prior to the cruise, we made reservations for shore excursions in St. Thomas and St. Kitts and we not only loved both of our tours, but I was glad to not have to deal with trying to navigate a last-minute tour decision.

Whether you book a tour through Royal Caribbean or on your own, it's a good idea to plan it out well before the cruise begins and to have a plan in place so that you can be assured you'll it's all waiting for you when you arrive.

More information:

• Top 10 cruise ship shore excursion mistakes to avoid
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• When do shore excursions become available to book for my Royal Caribbean cruise?

6. I took naps

This is such a small thing, but taking a nap really makes your day seem more care-free.

We had three sea days on this sailing, and I found myself taking a nap every day of them right after lunch.  While there is indeed so much to see and do on Wonder of the Seas, I relished a refreshing doze in my cabin.

It certainly helped with any FOMO that I had been on Wonder of the Seas a few times already, but if your goal is have an easy going time of things, I really think a good nap helps a lot.

Plus, taking a nap meant I had more energy for evening activities. Especially late-night fun in the casino or bars around the ship.

Sometimes it's the little things that can put yourself at ease during your trip.

There's only a few days left to experience the Sky Pad before Royal Caribbean retires it.

In an update to travel agents, Royal Caribbean announced it would replace the venue with an unnamed new activity.

Beginning March 31, 2023, Royal Caribbean will begin removing the trampoline experience.

It's not clear what will replace it, but it will become something else.

"Starting in April, the Sky Pad will retire the bungee Virtual Reality experience and become a new versatile venue for exciting onboard activities."

Royal Caribbean says  all of the activities hosted in the Sky Pad venue will continue to be complimentary and included in your cruise fare. This sounds like the large yellow sphere structure itself will not be removed (at least not immediately), but the trampolines will be likely taken away.

Royal Caribbean did not say why they are making the change.

The Sky Pad is a trampoline where guests put on a virtual reality visor to engage in a game as they jump. 

Once inside, participants bounce up and down on the trampolines with the aid of the bungee cords. As you jump on the trampoline, you jump in the game. 

Similar to the FlowRider surf simulator and sky diving simulator, it was meant to offer guests a gravity-defying fun top deck experience.

The first cruise ship to get the Sky Pad was Independence of the Seas during her Royal Amplification, and it spread to a few other ships.

The ships with a Sky Pad include:

• Independence of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas

In 2019, Royal Caribbean temporarily suspended Sky Pad on all ships as part of a safety review. It's unclear if that pause was related to a guest that was injured on the activity and sued Royal Caribbean.

While on Mariner of the Seas, the guest's harness snapped off and he fell to the deck.

What will replace the Sky Pad?

Royal Caribbean did not say what we can expect to find in the space going forward.

One thing is certain: whatever does go in the space will not have an additional cost and included in your cruise fare.

Royal Caribbean's signature activities

While the Sky Pad may be going away, there's still other great activities you can look forward to enjoying onboard.

Royal Caribbean is known for the array of onboard activities, including a few "I can't believe they put it on a cruise ship" offerings.

Miniature golf courses, surfing simulators and basketball courts are common on the biggest Royal Caribbean ships.

Rock wall

With varying difficulty levels, the rock wall is suitable for both kids and adults alike. 

Royal Caribbean makes sure your safety is paramount - that’s why we provide all the essential safety equipment including helmets, harnesses and shoes for every climber. All you need to bring are a pair of socks! 

Climbers must be at least 6 years old and complete a waiver prior to climbing. Best of all, it’s free and there’s no need to make advance reservations! 

The rock-climbing wall has been designed with both novice and experienced climbers in mind. For those looking to take their skills up a notch, there is advanced climbing sessions and speed-climbing competitions.  Royal Caribbean also hosts teen tournaments, which are a great way for young adventurers to explore their limits safely. 

Surf Simulator

Ready to catch that perfect wave? Royal Caribbean has you covered! With the incredible FlowRider surf simulator onboard some of their ships, you can experience the thrill of surfing in a controlled environment without ever having to leave the comfort and safety of your cruise ship. 

The FlowRider is a self-contained artificial surf area with an incredible 34,000 gallons per minute pumped in order to create realistic waves. Whether you’re looking to try boogie boarding or stand-up surfing, there’s something for everyone. 

Best of all, it’s open for free during scheduled periods during the day. Plus, if you want more than just free play time, private and group lessons are also available for an additional fee. 

But before you hop on board, be sure to check out the height requirements: 52 inches for boogie boarding and 58 inches for stand up surfing. 

Currently, the FlowRider is available on Quantum class, Oasis class, Freedom class and select Voyager class cruise ships. 

Zip Line

Ready to soar like an eagle?  Then you’re looking at the right attraction.  Oasis class ships boast a thrilling zip line that offers a bird’s eye view of the Boardwalk neighborhood.  This isn’t for the faint of heart; it stretches out a whopping 82 feet between two points and rises 9 decks high in the air. 

In order to participate, guests must be at least 52 inches tall and weigh no more than 275 pounds; children must also meet minimum weight requirements — 75 pounds or higher — for their own safety.  Plus, it’s free to use!  All you need is a signature on the waiver before boarding your flight. 

Carousel

Located in the Boardwalk of Oasis Class ships, this full-sized, traditional carousel was hand-crafted and designed with turn-of-the-century carousels as its basis - right down to the very last detail. The original artwork scenery panels on the rounding boards feature custom painted scenes that pay homage to seaside boardwalks of the past. 

But, this is more than just a stunning tribute - it’s also a lot of fun!  18 figures are suspended from stainless steel poles along with one ADA accessible chariot created from poplar wood. There are 11 traditional carousel horses, including one Royal Caribbean lead armored horse complete with the crown and anchor logo. 

Water slides

Royal Caribbean has a wide variety of water slides that can offer the perfect mix of thrills and relaxation.

If you’re looking for an adrenaline rush, they have some awesome speed and racing slides. There's also a spiral water slide on some ships that take you spiraling around each other until you reach the pool below.

Sky diving simulator

Are you looking for an unforgettable adventure while on your next cruise? Look no further than Ripcord by iFly! Located on board the ship, passengers can experience the thrilling sensation of skydiving without having to jump out of a plane. 

The complimentary flight starts with a short video tutorial teaching the basics of skydiving techniques. After that, all you have to do is change into the provided skydiving apparel and get ready for an action-packed one minute ride in the Ripcord by iFly wind tunnel! 

For those looking for an even more exciting experience, two minute rides are available at The North Star at a cost of just $49.99 per person. Advanced flying classes may also be offered onboard which comes with a separate fee. 

North Star

Onboard any of Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class ships, you'll find a unique experience that allows you to take in all the wonders of the sea from above. The North Star is a glass-enclosed observation pod that rises 300 feet above the deck of your ship, offering breathtaking 360° views of the horizon and beyond. 

The best part? During port visits, access to The North Star is completely free! You can book a time slot for yourself and up to three guests throughout most of the day. 

While at sea, each ride up The North Star comes with a cost of $29.99 per person, but it's well worth it for one-of-a-kind sights from up high. Soar above your cruise ship and take in stunning views that could only be made possible by this amazing feat of engineering! 

This was a busy week with Royal Caribbean news, and we have a summary of all of the news from this week to make certain you did not miss any of it.

One Royal Caribbean offer was indeed too good to be true.

After accidently posting a new VIP pass for sale on its site, the cruise line informed anyone that bought it that their purchase would be cancelled and money paid refunded.

The Premier Pass was on sale for about a day or so before the mistake was spotted.

Royal Caribbean delays Mariner of the Seas return

The scheduled dry dock work on Mariner of the Seas will require more time than Royal Caribbean anticipated.

Guests booked on the first sailing back received an email that the April 1, 2023 sailing has been cancelled.

Mariner of the Seas is currently in Cadiz, Spain undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance.

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Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 491st episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, all about Royal Caribbean's plans for a beach club in Nassau.

Royal Caribbean will open a beach club in Nassau, Bahamas and here's what Matt thinks of what we know so far.

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.

New RCB Video: 9 Common misconceptions about a Royal Caribbean cruise

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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 — 9 Common misconceptions about a Royal Caribbean cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean adding “Wizard of Oz” musical to Icon of the Seas

We now know which musical will be featured on Icon of the Seas when she launches next year.

Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, posted on Twitter an announcement that The Wizard of Oz will be the show for Icon.

Royal Caribbean says the Wizard of Oz production is not the 2011 musical adaption by Andrew Lloyd Weber.

How does a cheap Celebrity cruise compare to Royal Caribbean?

What's it like to go on Celebrity Cruises for a cheap cruise versus Royal Caribbean?

Both cruise lines are owned by the same company, but the experiences do vary somewhat.

Allie tried a cheap 4-night cruise on Celebrity Silhouette and compared it to her cheap cruise on Mariner of the Seas.

What cruisers wish they knew before going on their first cruise

Hindsight is always 20/20, including going on a cruise ship.

We asked people on the internet for what they know now that they wish they knew before trying their first cruise.

From beating the chair hogs to asserting dominance in the elevator, here are our favorite answers.

Dorothy, the tin man, scarecrow, and cowardly lion are all headed to the high seas. 

Based on audition information posted by Royal Caribbean Entertainment, it looks like "The Wizard of Oz" musical will be the featured production show on the next new cruise ship for Royal Caribbean, Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has not formally announced the entertainment for Icon of the Seas, but the Royal Caribbean Entertainment clearly states it is looking for performers to audition for The Wizard of Oz on Icon of the Seas.

One posting wrote, "Principals (Featured Singers) hired for WIZARD OF OZ (3-4 performances weekly) will also perform in an original Royal Caribbean Signature Production onboard the ICON of the Seas (3-4 performances weekly). Candidates must be available and willing to travel internationally aboard our ships."

In addition to the audition information, Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, posted on Twitter an announcement that The Wizard of Oz will be the show for Icon.

The most iconic family story in the history of entertainment, on both the silver screen and on the world’s stages, is our next mega production!
Imagine THIS story, but with OUR creativity and OUR technology!

Buckle up Dorothy, this will be the greatest #YellowBrickRoad ever! 🟨 pic.twitter.com/HwNfgDgpKp

— Nick Weir (@NickWeirShowbiz) March 16, 2023

It's likely the show will be performed in Icon's main theater, as opposed to different venue.

About the musical

Royal Caribbean says the Wizard of Oz production is not the 2011 musical adaption by Andrew Lloyd Weber.

This will be the Royal Caribbean Productions version of the classic.

Coming in 2024

Icon of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship, and first of its kind.

The first in the Icon Class will launch in January 2024, and will have a gross tonnage of 250,800, making her the largest cruise ship in the world by gross tonnage.

The ship will be homeported from Miami and offer week-long Caribbean cruises.

Royal Caribbean will need a little more time to finish scheduled work on Mariner of the Seas.

Mariner of the Seas is currently in Cadiz, Spain undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance.

Guests booked on the first sailing back received an email today that the April 1, 2023 sailing has been cancelled.

"Mariner of the Seas is currently undergoing dry dock for routine maintenance and exciting, which will require some extra time for these upgrades to be completed."

"Regrettably, this means our April 1st, 2023 cruise has been cancelled. We know this news is disappointing and apologize for the impact to your clients' cruise."

It's not unheard of for a cruise following a ship's dry dock to be cancelled because of extra time needed at the dry dock.  While not common, it does happen from time to time.

Explorer of the Seas recently completed her dry dock work at the same ship yard last month and had no issues returning to service as scheduled.

Guests that were booked on that sailing have two choices:

Re-book any Royal Caribbean International sailing and receive a Future Cruise Credit.

Royal Caribbean will waive any non-refundable deposit change fees to change ship or sail date.

A Future Cruise Credit worth 50% of the original cruise fare paid to book a new cruise and sail by April 1st, 2024.

Reimbursement of up to $200 for non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees incurred (such as a flight, train ticket, or rental car).

Cancel and refund.

A full refund of any paid portion of their cruise fare (including non-refundable deposits) and any pre-paid amenities to the original form of payment within 14 business days. 

A Future Cruise Credit worth 50% of the original cruise fare paid to book a new cruise and sail by April 1st, 2024.

Reimbursement of up to $200 for non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees incurred (such as a flight, train ticket, or rental car).

What work is being done to Mariner of the Seas?

Mariner of the Seas is getting maintenance work done, and Royal Caribbean has not announced any changes to the ship.

Cruise ships go in for work about every 5 years, and it's an opportunity to keep them operating efficiently, as well as clean up and enhance public areas.

When dry docks do not entail major upgrades, such as the Royal Amplification program, the cruise line tends not to announce or highlight the work being done since it's not especially newsworthy.

Mariner of the Seas' Cruise Director, Marc Walker, shared photos of the work being done on Mariner of the Seas on his Facebook page.

Much of the work seems aesthetic in nature, focusing on public decks, pools, and venues.

The ship is also getting work done below the waterline, which includes repainting the hull and propellor maintenance.

One other minor note is the minor hull damage from when a ship accidently drifted into Mariner while in Freeport, Bahamas will be repaired.

Mariner's first sailing back now should be April 6, 2023.