In addition to allowing unvaccinated cruisers back onboard cruise ships, Royal Caribbean will also begin accepting self-administered Covid tests that don't have to be proctored.

Royal Caribbean was one of the first cruise lines to allow at-home Covid tests to be used, but up until now they had to be supervised by a health professional.

Beginning September 5, Royal Caribbean will allow guests on U.S. cruises the choice of taking a home test or a test professionally administered by a health professional.

Before you grab the inexpensive home tests to use, there are some important considerations and exceptions you should be aware of.

Who needs to test?

Whether or not you'll need to take a covid test before your cruise depends on the port your ship sails from, vaccination status, and date you sail.

Royal Caribbean maintains a master list of requirements on their website, which you should refer to prior to your cruise.  

Below you'll find a look at testing requirements for the major itineraries that Royal Caribbean sails.

If your cruise departs before September 4, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

Guests 2 to 11 years of age who are not fully vaccinated must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day, regardless of the duration of their cruise. 

Fully vaccinated guests must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day on sailings that are 6 nights or longer only. 

Fully vaccinated guests do not need to test at all on cruises 5-nights or less.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

Guests 5 years of age and older who are not fully vaccinated must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day, regardless of the duration of their cruise.

Guests younger than 5 do not have any testing requirements.

Fully vaccinated guests 5 years of age and older must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen or PCR test taken within the 3 days before boarding day on sailings that are 10 nights or longer only. 

Fully vaccinated guests do not need to test at all on cruises 9-nights or less.

If your cruise has any stops in Bermuda or Canada:

Vaccinated guests must show a negative test result for a supervised PCR or antigen test taken no more than 2 days before boarding day. 

Unvaccinated kids age 2 to 11 must show a negative test result for a supervised PCR test (not antigen) taken no more than 3 days before boarding day.

Guests under 2 years of age do not need to complete a pre-cruise test.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 from England and the Netherlands:

Guests 12 years of age and older who are not vaccinated or not up to date with their vaccination, must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen test taken within 24 hours before boarding day, or PCR test taken within 72 hours before boarding day, regardless of the duration of their cruise. 

Guests who are up to date with their vaccination status must bring a negative test result for a Covid antigen test taken within 24 hours before boarding day, or PCR test taken within 72 hours before boarding day, on sailings that are 10 nights or longer only. Testing is not required for up to date guests on shorter itineraries. 

Guests younger than 12 do not have any testing requirements.

Which telehealth test at home can I use for my cruise?

Required testing for all guests, regardless of vaccination status, can be completed using any type of PCR or antigen test. 

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

If your cruise departs before September 4, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

The At-home tests must happen under live supervision on a video call with a telehealth representative.

The telehealth provider must issue you a result document that includes all the necessary information.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

The test you take can be professionally administered by a health professional, such as a doctor or pharmacist, or you can use a home test kit.

Home test kits for these sailings are not required to be administered under live video supervision.

If your cruise visits Canada:

Unvaccinated guests cannot use a telehealth test if their cruise visits Canada.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 from Europe with no stops in Greece:

The test you take can be professionally administered by a health professional, such as a doctor or pharmacist, or you can use a home test kit. Home test kits for these sailings are not required to be administered under live video supervision. 

Telehealth tests and self test kits are not accepted if your cruise departs from Athens. 

What you need to bring to the cruise terminal at check-in

Regardless of the type of test you take, you'll need to bring with you proof of a negative test result.

If your cruise departs before September 4, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

You must receive a valid results document from your test provider that includes the name of the lab that processed the test, the lab’s CLIA Lab Number or Certification Number, the address of the lab, your name, the date the test was taken, type of test, and your negative result. 

 This can be a printed document, email, or telehealth app notification that you show on your phone.

Fully handwritten doctor’s notes (such as those written on a prescription pad) will not be accepted.

Minimal handwritten components (such as a check mark on a “negative” box) are acceptable as long as the other required information is printed on the document.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 U.S. Home Ports with no stops in Bermuda or Canada:

You can show it in the form of a printout, an email, or an app screen from the test provider. Or you can show a picture of your negative home test on your phone, or present the actual negative test itself.

If your cruise departs on or after September 5, 2022 from Europe with no stops in Greece:

You can show it in the form of a printout, an email, or an app screen from the test provider. Or you can show a picture of your negative home test on your phone, or present the actual negative test itself. 

It's not your imagination, the Royal Caribbean website experience has been refreshed to make things hopefully just a little bit easier in getting what you want.

Royal Caribbean's website has mirrored the larger travel industry trend of trying to improve its web presence and make things easier and faster for its customers.

New cruisers looking to book a cruise are likely to find the options - 2600 rooms, a dozen decks, shows, dining - are overwhelming. It’s no wonder users skip the aging websites and try calling instead.

Making its website easier is important considering that Royal Caribbean Group disclosed during an earnings call last month that every day there are "millions of interactions on our websites".

Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said web traffic is higher than ever, "Our websites are receiving close to double the visits compared to 2019, and we are generating record level of direct bookings."

To that point, Royal Caribbean sees opportunity with its online travel tools. Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about the importance of enhancing its web portal, "I think, certainly, the investments that we made in our technology as it relates to getting to customers about their cruise experience and the opportunities and experiences that are available to them has proven to be successful."

"And I think that's connected and reflects the kind of the acceptance that the consumer has now at a much greater level to buy online."

"And I believe that everything that we've done with our pre-cruise marketing is really proving to be very effective."

Here's a look at some of the recent updates and enhancements Royal Caribbean has made to allow guests to book and manage their cruises with greater ease.

Making search easier

Finding the perfect cruise vacation starts off with lots of possibilities, which requires the user to comb through the search results for the right option.

Royal Caribbean recently updated its cruise booking site with the goal of returning results in an easier manner.

While the search form looks the same on Royal Caribbean's homepage, the results come through a new simpler layout that is not only easier to use on a mobile device, but provide filtering options with less clicks.

The search results are in a cleaner layout with less "fluff" around it so you can drill into the itinerary and ship you want. You'll find clear and simple messaging and pricing throughout the booking process. Visuals are important, but text is crucial.

Read more: How do I pick the perfect first cruise?

Royal Caribbean also included advanced paths, alternate routes, and exits throughout the booking process - so that experienced users can rapidly dial in the exact cruise they want.

The new search results seem to come up some of the time, which perhaps indicates they are testing it out until it's ready to fully replace the legacy search results. 

Upgraded cruise planner

Just as important to Royal Caribbean's bottom line as someone booking a cruise is someone booking a cruise add-on.

According to Royal Caribbean Group executives, every dollar a guest spends before the voyage, translates into about $0.70 more on the dollar when they sail and double the overall spending compared to other guests.

This year, guests are spending 30% more across all categories of pre-cruise spend than they did in 2019 before the pandemic.

It certainly is easier for guests to buy a drink package, wifi, or shore excursion if the website is simpler.

In early 2021, Royal Caribbean began rolling out a new look to its cruise planner tool.

Dubbed, "My Royal Cruise", it has slowly replaced the old Cruise Planner site where guests can browse the various add-ons for their sailing.

Read more: Everything you should book before the cruise to avoid it being sold out

The goal for this refresh was to make it more intuitive for guests to plan their sailing.

My Royal Cruise features a cleaner look, which takes advantage of contemporary web design.  It is simple and functional, while still visually appealing.

Moreover, returning guests have more of their personal information saved so purchases can be completed significantly faster than with the old site that required the user to enter all their information in over and over for each transaction.

App upgrades

Royal Caribbean's app has evolved from "nice to have" to "essential" since cruises restarted in June 2021.

For most cruises, scanning your passport and uploading a security photo will generate a mobile boarding pass that’s going to help make for a better experience at the terminal.

You can then choose your arrival time from a list of staggered options so you know what time to arrive.

The new eMuster process has also been rolled into the app, which allows you to start the mandatory safety briefing even before you board.

On several ships, like Odyssey of the Seas, the app can also be your very own Digital Key to unlock your stateroom.

Once inside, you can control the TV and even stream content right from your phone. The room temperature, lights and curtains for some staterooms can also be controlled.

Book a pre-cruise hotel

Because a lot of its guests were already booking a pre- or post-cruise hotel, Royal Caribbean made that option easier.

The Royal Caribbean Hotels program was launched in March of this year, and it gives cruisers an easy way to lock in a pre- or post-cruise stay.

Royal Caribbean says this new program offers exclusive rates with thousands of hotels in every Royal Caribbean departure and arrival port, including those in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific as well as North, South and Central America.

Hotel search results can easily be filtered based on the number of travelers in your group, the sailing’s departure or arrival city, and dates — plus preferences such as hotel rating, amenities and more.

Royal Caribbean revealed new 2023-2024 sailings from Singapore on Spectrum of the Seas.

The year-round season brings back long cruises, offering a new mix of 5- to 12-night sailings to Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan & more.

Spectrum will also offer short cruises to Malaysia and Thailand.

The new cruises are available to book immediately.

A look at the new itineraries

Spectrum of the Seas will offer a variety of longer cruises to Southeast Asia, including 5-, 7-, 9- and 12-night itineraries. Guests can choose from cruises that visit Bangkok, Thailand; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and Manila, Philippines.

Read more: 15 countries you didn't know you could cruise to on Royal Caribbean

The upcoming cruises include two 12-night sailings, which mean guests can visit as many as seven destinations across three countries, all in one sailing. If you do a back-to-back cruise, then you can take advantage of a 24-night cruise to places such as Hong Kong; Tokyo, Osaka and Mount Fuji, Japan; and Nha Trang and Hue/Danang, Vietnam.

In addition, Royal Caribbean will offer short 3- and 4-night cruises that will visit Penang, Malaysia, and Phuket in Thailand.

Read more: Best Royal Caribbean itineraries with overnight ports

What makes Spectrum of the Seas different from other ships

Spectrum of the Seas is different than the other Quantum Class cruise ships in the fleet.

Royal Caribbean designed the ship to be an innovator, that offers plenty of innovations and touches of eastern culture infused with the ship.

Here are some of the major things to do on Spectrum of the Seas:

• Asia’s first Sky Pad, a virtual reality, bungee trampoline adventure
• Royal Caribbean’s first and exclusive Suite Enclave, which features the exquisite Royal Suite Class Star, Sky and Sea accommodations in a private area supremely positioned at the forward end of the ship. Guests booked in these luxury suites have exclusive floor access, an elevator, private restaurants, and a dedicated lounge area.
• Cutting-edge and transformative venues such as Two70. Boasting stunning 270-degree ocean views by day and transforming into a multidimensional theater by night, this transformative space flaunts six agile Roboscreens, breathtaking live performers and mind-bending aerialists to create unimaginable visuals. 
• Star Moment, a lively and energetic karaoke venue where family and friends can belt out and sing like stars.
• The signature two-level Ultimate Family Suite, an expansive, multiroom retreat complete with its own ensuite slide and cinema, which also doubles as a karaoke stage.
• A bold lineup of signature activities, including the FlowRider surf simulator, the North Star, an all-glass capsule that ascends 300 feet above the ocean to deliver incomparable 360-degree views; and RipCord by iFly, the first sky diving experience at sea.
• Nineteen distinct dining options serve up flavors from around the world, including Hot Pot, an authentic Chinese dining experience; Teppanyaki, a celebration of authentic oriental flavors cooked in Japan’s traditional teppanyaki style; and Sichuan Red, a new specialty dining experience tailored just for Spectrum, where diners can savour a bold tapestry of authentic spices and Sichuan flavours. Signature classics include imaginative cuisine at Wonderland, top-notch, aged beef at Chops Grille, and authentic rustic fare and handmade pasta at Jamie’s Italian.

Royal Caribbean is going to stop issuing leftover future cruise credits as cruise credits to be used to book another cruise.

Travel agents were informed on Wednesday that Royal Caribbean decided it would make more sense to let clients redeeming a future cruise credit that has a leftover amount to become an onboard credit instead.

Many cruisers still have future cruise credits from the global cruise industry shutdown of 2020 and 2021 that remain unused.

In a situation where a future cruise credit is applied to a booking, but the full value is not utilized, instead of a new future cruise credit being created for the remainder balance, it will be issued as onboard credit on the cruise that they're using the cruise credits in the first place.

The announcement only applies to future cruise credits that get applied first towards the deposit of a new cruise.

Vicki Freed, Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service at Royal Caribbean International  explained the new policy to travel agents during a webinar, "if somebody has a left over amount, we're giving them that amount now as an OBC, an onboard credit, on the cruise that they're using the FCC."

"We're not going to reissue FCC's. It's strictly going to go back as an onboard credit for the existing cruise that they're using their FCC."

Simplifying cruise credits

Royal Caribbean has been steadily simplifying the future cruise credit process for guests to ensure they can easily use the money they are owed.

As of June 1, 2022, Royal Caribbean announced all unredeemed future cruise credits (FCC) offered under the Cruise with Confidence program will no longer expire.

Royal Caribbean wants changes like this and today's change to provide more flexibility for anyone with a FCC, instead of them acting as a kind of boondoggle.

How do I redeem my credit?

Royal Caribbean has made it quite easy to redeem a future cruise credit, whether you are booking directly or with a travel agent.

The easiest way is to let your travel agent redeem it by providing them with the Certificate Number and booking ID.

Read more: Top things you didn't know travel agents can do for your cruise vacation

If you book on your own, here's how to redeem a FCC for a new booking on Royal Caribbean's website:

1. Find the sailing that you are interested in.
2. Select your cabin type and location.
3. Proceed to the payment page.
4. Enter your payment and personal information.
5. Enter your Future Cruise Credit number(s).
   • If you are booking multiple cabins, you can enter your Future Cruise Credit number(s) for each room.
6. Click “submit.”
7. You will receive an email letting you know if your credit was valid.

Here’s how to redeem online for existing bookings:

1. Visit the Redemption page.
2. Enter your booking information.
3. Enter your Future Cruise Credit number(s).
4. Click “submit.”
5. You will receive an email letting you know if your credit was valid.

After four years, Royal Caribbean is increasing the gratuity rate cruise ship passengers will pay for the service they receive from crew members onboard its ships.

Each passenger pays a daily gratuity that covers the services of the crew members they interact with the most, and this daily rate is charged automatically unless the guest pre-pays it prior to the cruise.

As of September 7, 2022, the automatic daily gratuity charge will increase:

• Standard cabin (Junior Suites and below) going from $14.50 to $16.00 per day, per person
• Suite gratuity rate will change from $17.50 to $18.50 per day per person

Royal Caribbean last raised gratuities January 2, 2018.

The daily gratuities are shared among dining, bar & culinary services staff, stateroom attendants and other hotel services teams who work behind the scenes.

Royal Caribbean stipulates in the unlikely event that a guest onboard being charged the daily automatic gratuity does not receive satisfactory service, the guest may request to modify the daily amount at their discretion by visiting Guest Services onboard up until the morning of their departure.

For new reservations, the adjusted gratuity amounts are effective as of September 7, 2022.

Guests who booked prior to September 7, 2022 can opt to prepay gratuities prior to sailing to take advantage of the current rates. On or after September 7, 2022, regardless of when the booking was created, gratuities paid while onboard are subject to the new, increased rates.

Pre-existing bookings confirmed prior to September 7th , 2022 will not be subject to the increased guidelines as long as gratuities are paid in advance of sailing. Should guests opt not to pay gratuities until onboard, they will be subject to the newly suggested gratuity amounts.

This automatic gratuity does not cover other onboard purchases. A 18% gratuity is automatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases.

Other cruise lines already made similar changes

Other major cruise lines already increased their gratuities this year.

In April 2022, Carnival Cruise Line raised their gratuities to $14.50 per person, per day for standard staterooms and $16.50 per person, per day for suites.

Norwegian Cruise Line also raised their gratuities in April, when they changed their rates:

• Balcony and lower cabins: $16.00 per person, per day
• Haven and Suite guests: $20.00 per person, per day
• Club Balcony Suite guests remains at $18.00 per person, per day

In July, Disney Cruise Line increased their gratuities to $14.50 per night, per person for standard rooms and $15.50 per night, per person for suite guests.

How gratuities work on a cruise

If you do absolutely nothing, then you can expect an automatic charge on your SeaPass account each day of the cruise.

The exception is in certain markets where tipping is not as ingrained as part of their culture, so Royal Caribbean includes daily gratuities as part of the price of the cruise.  This occurs in the Australian cruise market.

Each guest, regardless of age, will be assessed the daily gratuity as recognition for the hard work crew members do each day.

An alternative is to pre-pay the gratuity before the cruise begins.  When this opted into by the guest, then you'll pay the full gratuity amount before the cruise begins at final payment date.  It will show up as a line item on your final payment.

Pre-paid gratuities can be added to an individual reservation at any time outside of 48 hours of the sail date.

Guests that booked directly with Royal Caribbean can pre-pay gratuities by calling 866-562-7625 or logging into www.royalcaribbean.com before their sailing.

Guests that booked through a travel agent can request their agent add pre-paid gratuities to the guests' booking prior to sailing.

More info:

• Should you prepay gratuities for a Royal Caribbean cruise?
• Why do I have to pay gratuities for my toddler?

Royal Caribbean has updated its Covid-19 protocols to allow more unvaccinated people to sail on their ships.

Royal Caribbean had opened the door for unvaccinated adults to sail with them from select homeports, but the line updated the policy on Monday to open up more sailings.

"The time has come for us to welcome all adventurers back onboard," Royal Caribbean said in an email to travel agents.

In a statement, Royal Caribbean says this change in protocols are "to more closely align with the broader travel industry."

This change is likely a reflection of many countries opening their borders up to unvaccinated cruisers as well.  

Beginning September 5, all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, can cruise on the following itineraries, as long as they meet testing requirements to board.

• Any cruise from a Florida home port.
• Any cruise on Oasis of the Seas from Cape Liberty
• Any cruise from Los Angeles, California
• Any cruise from Galveston, Texas
• Any cruise from New Orleans, Louisiana
• Any cruise from a European home port
  • (Note: Guests that are not "up to date" on their vaccination per EMA standards will need to take a test onboard in order to get off the ship in Greece and Spain)

There are two notable changes with this policy update: allowing unvaccinated from Florida ports, as well as Oasis of the Seas from Cape Liberty.

Due to local regulations, sailings to or from Australia, Bermuda, Canada or Singapore still require guests to be vaccinated.

When Royal Caribbean announced a change to allow unvaccinated back onboard, all sailings from Florida and Bayonne were not included.

Since then, other cruise lines have opened up their ships from Florida ports, which lead many to question why Royal Caribbean had not done the same.

While vaccination is not required, Royal Caribbean kindly asks all guests to disclose their status during check-in to ensure they maintain a highly vaccinated onboard population.

The cruise line continues to practice health and safety measures that exceed other types of vacations. These measures include the routine monitoring and vaccination of all crew members and keeping them up to date with boosters when they are eligible, enhanced testing and care capabilities in every onboard medical center, and more.

Testing changes

Royal Caribbean also updated its testing requirements, calling them easier.

Starting with September 5th, for U.S. cruises that don’t visit Canada or Bermuda:

• Vaccinated guests won’t have to take a pre-cruise test on cruises that are shorter than 10 nights.
• Unvaccinated guests age 5 and up will need to test within 3 days before boarding, regardless of cruise length.
• Royal Caribbean will begin accepting results from self-administered home tests. 

This change greatly makes it easier for vaccinated cruisers to go on a cruise without a test at all, unless they take a longer sailing.

Starting with September 5th, for Europe cruises that don't visit Greece:
 

• Guests who are up to date with their vaccinations won’t have to take a pre-cruise test on cruises that are shorter than 10 nights.
• Unvaccinated guests or guests not up to date with their vaccinations age 12 and up will need to test within 3 days before boarding, regardless of cruise length.
• Children age 11 and under will not need to test.
• Royal Caribbean will begin accepting results from self-administered home tests on most sailings. 

Requirements in other regions

Starting September 5th, guests who are not vaccinated can also sail on European cruises. Currently published testing and vaccination requirements remain in place for cruises from Australia and Singapore; cruises that depart from or visit Canada or Bermuda; and transatlantic sailings, until further notice.

Refunds if the policy doesn't match your needs

Royal Caribbean promises protocols for each sailing will be sent to the guest via email and on the website, no less than 30 days before you sail.

Should protocols for your sailing change upon that confirmation, and you are unable to travel due to your vaccination status, Royal Caribbean will move you to a new sailing where your vaccination status is accepted or provide you a refund.

Thanks for joining us for another weekly look at all of the Royal Caribbean news from this week.  The late-summer heat is still on, and we have plenty of Royal Caribbean news to share from this week.

We're all eager to get more details about Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship, we got a tease of what Icon of the Seas will be all about.

Royal Caribbean has released a new video talking about Icon of the Seas and how the company came up with ideas for the ship.

The end result are five pillars of what Icon of the Seas will encapsulate.

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• Top 5 binoculars for an Alaska cruise
• Beach Reads: Books from Royal Caribbean cruise ports

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 465th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available that compares a Disney Cruise to a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Sylvia recently tried out the Disney Wish and Mariner of the Seas right after each other to compare and contrast Disney Cruise Line versus Royal Caribbean.

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.

Video: The classes of Royal Caribbean cruise ships, explained

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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: The classes of Royal Caribbean cruise ships, explained

30 Do's and Don'ts for the first day of your cruise

What should (and shouldn't) you do on the first day of the cruise to ensure you have a great start?

There's lots of good advice out there, so we whittled it down for you.

From arriving at the cruise terminal to making dining reservations, exploring the ship, and finding the best spot for sailaway, here are some of the best do’s and don’ts for the first day of your Royal Caribbean cruise.

3 hints what Icon of the Seas could look like

Above all else, we're eager to know what Icon of the Seas will actually look like, and a few eagle-eyed readers might have spotted indications in Royal Caribbean's recent teases.

There have been a few hints in Royal Caribbean's recent video updates. Whether they end up being accurate or are red herrings, remains to be seen.

Check out these 3 hints at what Icon of the Seas could look like based on these details.

Top 10 cruise ship shore excursion mistakes to avoid

It's not uncommon for first-time cruisers to make rookie mistakes in the shore excursion planning process for a variety of reasons.

Anyone can make a mistake, so here's a list of the 10 common pitfalls when booking a shore excursion!

As excited as everyone is for Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, the one thing everyone wants to know is what the ship looks like.

Icon of the Seas will be a new class of cruise ship, which means it will have a new structure to it that isn't exactly like any ship before. When it comes to ship class design, think of it like a car model, where one model looks different from another.

Royal Caribbean has promised the ship will be innovative and unlike any other ship before her.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said Icon of the Seas will feature a combination of ‘tradition, evolution and revolution’ cruising elements from Royal Caribbean. 

Let's be clear, we don't know what it will look like, but we've gotten a few hints over the last few weeks as to its general look.

Until the design comes out, here are the latest hints to consider.

Hint 1: The front?

In the newest video update that showcases the creation of Icon of the Seas, what appears to be the front of the ship can be seen in the background of a meeting.

While it doesn't give a tremendous amount of detail, it looks as though Icon of the Seas might have a new bow design.

It's been speculated that Icon would be the first Royal Caribbean International cruise ship to employ a parabolic bow.

While visually polarizing, parabolic bow design is about engineering and not aesthetics.  They are known for offering a smoother ride overall.

Sister company Celebrity Cruises has employed the parabolic bow to its Edge-Class ships and the consensus has been a success.

Hint 2: Blueprints

In both of the video updates Royal Caribbean has released, blueprints for Icon of the Seas can be seen in the foreground.

While the video isn't clear enough to show us exactly what the blueprints have on them, it seems to indicate there could be some kind of an open-air part of the ship.

The Oasis Class ships were the first to introduce open areas of a cruise ship in the form of Central Park and the Boardwalk.

Read more: How Royal Caribbean was able to add a giant park to its cruise ships

Hint 3: The ship's silhouette?

Perhaps the most compelling evidence of the ship's look could be from a recent accolade given to Royal Caribbean's top cruiser.

A photo emerged online of what looks like the silhouette of Icon of the Seas as a gift to Royal Caribbean's top cruiser, Super Mario.

Read more: Man who has cruised the most with Royal Caribbean reaches 10,000 points

Is this gift an actual representation of what Icon's profile will look like? Or is it just a generic design they came up with for gifts?

When will we know what Icon of the Seas look like?

If these hints aren't satisfying your curiosity, you aren't alone.

Royal Caribbean has said we should get further details about Icon of the Seas later this fall.

When Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO, was asked in June 2022 about when we might get more information, he pointed to September, "We are launching Icon of the Seas starting this September."

"By launching, I mean, we are we are starting to communicate. We have a whole planning program of communication, social media, marketing, TV, radio, you name it."

Icon of the Seas is set to debut in late 2023.