If you're staying in Royal Caribbean's top tier suites, you're going to want to know how to maximize the experience, including what your Royal Genie offers.

Royal Caribbean's top suite experience is known as Star Class, and it includes a crew member who is a blend of personal concierge and magic maker.  Known as a Genie, this crew member works with just three cabins or so to manage every need onboard.

Having tried two different Royal Genies so far, my takeaway has been there is a learning curve to being able to fully utilize what Royal Caribbean packs into the experience. In fact, what's listed on paper as your benefits is really just a starting point. Depending on your genie and how vocal you are, the experience can vary significantly from person to person.

The cost of booking one of the cruise cabins that includes a Royal Genie is not cheap, with prices usually starting in the five figures. So with that kind of investment, getting your money's worth is something you probably want to investigate.

Here's my best advice for someone trying a Star Class suite for the first time, and get everything out of it you can.

It makes even basic activities easier

It's easy to start planning all the big ticket things your Star Class suite includes, but don't overlook the basics either.

Having a Royal Genie is all about making your life onboard easier, especially when it comes to lines.

Genies have the ability to cut the line for almost everything, including onboard activities.

Your genie can get you to the front of the line for laser tag, water slides, and pretty much any other onboard activity. This is especially helpful with kids, who often want to do all the fun things onboard.

Every Genie is different

If you read the description of the Royal Genie service from Royal Caribbean, it sounds like the Genie experience is going to be the same for anyone you get, but it's far from that.

Each Genie has their own style and approach to offering their services, and that means your experience can vary between different Genie's.

Star Class, by its very definition, is designed to be a personalized experience.  While the overall "rules" are fairly consistent, the specific amenities do tend to vary by ship and even among Genies on the same ship.  

I hesitate to ever say one Genie is better or worse than another. Instead, they are simply different, so if you've had a Genie in the past, your next Genie will likely do things slightly differently.

What this means is some Genie's are better about pre-cruise communication than others, while other Genies prefer to spend more time socializing with their guests than others. 

Each Genie will help you with planning your days and nights with things like specialty dining reservations, entertainment seating, booking onshore excursions, and personal escorts onto and off of the ship, as needed. They're basically a walking and talking Guest Services that you can message anytime.

When you meet your Genie onboard, it's always a good idea to share what you're looking for during the sailing.  Just keep in mind how each Genie goes about their duties will vary.

Read more: What is the difference between suite concierge and a Royal Genie?

Ask for everything

One of the early mantras I learned from others that book Star Class often is to rely heavily on the Genie to provide everything.

As someone that is used to planning a lot before the cruise and not wanting to be a bother, this was a bit of an adjustment, but the real value of having a Genie is having them take care of your every need.

What this means is any food or drink you want should go through the Genie, rather than you getting it yourself. If you want to see a show, or reserve a seat somewhere, ask the Genie.

I even asked my Genie to reserve seats at the Mason Jar bar because it was busy.  He investigated and got us reserved seats.  

Of course I can do many of these things on my own, but paying for the Star Class experience gets you this service.  So to best take advantage of what you're paying for is to not feel like a bother to the Genie by making requests.

Specialty dining galore

Another major benefit of booking Star Class is all the specialty dining is included with your cruise fare.

Just like the unlimited dining package, you can dine at any specialty restaurant and pay nothing extra for the experience.  

Unlike the dining packages, your Genie can reserve tables for you before the cruise.  He or she can also deliver any food from a specialty restaurant to your stateroom as long as the restaurant is open.

We usually feed our kids dinner before we drop them off at Adventure Ocean, so when we are in Star Class, my kids order steak from Chops Grille and pizza from Giovanni's Kitchen because it's included.

While Coastal Kitchen (the complimentary restaurant for suite guests) is included in your cruise fare as well, it seems to me the included specialty dining is far more lucrative to take advantage of for your dining plans.

Check-in is super easy

An underrated benefit of being Star Class is you'll never have such an easy check-in procedure at the cruise terminal.

Regardless of your check-in time with the Royal Caribbean app, your Genie will ask you what time you want to arrive.

When you get to the terminal, a designated porter just for Suite Guests will take your luggage and bring it directly onboard the ship immediately.

You then get to enter the cruise terminal and complete the check in process ahead of others. Your Genie meets you in the cruise terminal and takes you immediately up to your suite.

They say patience is a virtue, but it's not necessary with the Star Class.

Gratuities are crazy (depending who you ask)

How much to tip your Genie at the end of the cruise is a gray area, to say the least.

There's all sorts of ideas on what is appropriate and the amounts are all over the place.

In my experience, there is no right or wrong answer, as you have to consider all sorts of people book Star Class and there's no specific gratuity recommendation by Royal Caribbean.

The Genie will appreciate whatever gratuity you deem is appropriate at the conclusion of the sailing, but for anyone trying Star Class for the first time, you will quickly discover tipping is the wild west for Genies.

Depending on my experience onboard, I pick an amount and multiply it by the amount of people I'm travelling with and go from there.

Your cabin is your castle

Another mantra of the Star Class experience is to spend more time than ever in your cabin.

Because your Genie can deliver all the food and drinks you want to the cabin, plan on spending more time enjoying the lavish accommodations you have booked.

Star Class cabins are large, and offer a ton of living space coupled with beautiful views, so enjoy them as much as you can.

You can have not only food delivered, but cocktails too.  Heck, some Genies have arrange in-suite parties with bar cart, ice cream socials, and more.

Going back to one of the lessons I talked about earlier, ask for everything and whenever possible, have it delivered to your cabin.

Free laundry

Another underrated perk is you can enjoy all the laundry you want for no cost.

Instead of coming home with a suitcase full of dirty laundry, send it out to be laundered.

My advice is send it out daily, rather than a huge bag at the end of the cruise. It's easier to manage because you have to fill out the laundry form each time.

Is Star Class worth the cost?

I bet even if you read every part of this article, the one question you still have is if Star Class is worth paying significantly more to get.

The Star Class experience is a splurge of epic proportions, so this is not a question of can you do enough to "break even". Just like first class on an airplane, or buying a Corvette, you're doing these things because you can and it's nice to reward yourself sometimes.

Each time I've stayed in Star Class I come to the same conclusion: it was a wonderful way to spend my cruise, and it spoiled us. I think that's exactly what Royal Caribbean wants guests to feel like after they try Star Class.

Obviously not everyone will be able to afford Star Class, and that's okay. You can have an amazing cruise experience without a Royal Genie and filet mignon delivered to your cabin. 

If you do elect to try Star Class, do as much as you can to maximize your cost by utilizing all the services and perks of Star Class. 

There's just about a day left to book a cruise that qualifies for Royal Caribbean's policy that allows for a last minute cancellation.

The Cruise with Confidence program is set to expire on March 31, 2022, which means cruises booked after will not qualify for the program.

There's been no word from Royal Caribbean on it being extended, so it appears the program may very well come to an end at the end of the day on Thursday.

Cruise with Confidence program is the name of the offer for guests who can cancel their cruise even after final payment date, up to 48 hours before a ship is scheduled to sail in exchange for a future cruise credit.

As of the writing of this article, it applies to sailings booked by March 31, 2022 that depart by September 30, 2022.

The program was introduced at the start of the global pandemic so passengers could feel assured they could change their mind closer to sail date.

The flexibility this program provides is a great "safety net" for anyone with a cruise booked who is unsure what the cruise world may look like closer to your sail date. In short, there is very little risk when your booking is protected with Cruise with Confidence since you can change your mind at any time.

Royal Caribbean thought Cruise with Confidence would have ended before, but the Omicron variant compelled them to keep it going once more.

What happens after Cruise with Confidence ends?

Once Cruise with Confidence comes to an end, cancellation policies revert back to pre-pandemic.

Cancellations may occur up to the final payment date without penalty if you booked refundable cruise fare. Typically the final payment date for most cruises is 90 days before a cruise begins.

If you booked a non-refundable cruise fare, and are outside of final payment, you will receive a Future Cruise Certificate in the amount of the cruise deposit, less a $100 per guest change fee.

After final payment date, there is a penalty for cancelling a reservation in the form of losing a percentage of the cost of the cruise. The exact amount of this penalty depends on how close to your sail date you are when cancelling.

In addition, the enhanced Best Price Guarantee program reverts back, which means guests can reprice their cruise up until final payment date. After final payment date, price changes are not allowed.

Moreover, certain countries had been able to price match because of the enhanced Best Price Guarantee.

What you should do before Cruise with Confidence ends?

If you are thinking of booking any cruise between now and September 2022, it may make a lot of sense to at least put a deposit down now to not only lock in the price of your cruise, but also ensure you can cancel it under Cruise with Confidence up to 48 hours before the sailing.

Of course, there are still some other means to retain some level of flexibility to change your mind later even without the program. 

• Book refundable cruise fare so you can cancel before final payment date for a 100% refund.
• Consider a "Cancel for any reason" travel insurance plan

How to get flexibility in the future

As Royal Caribbean sunsets Cruise with Confidence, this is a good reminder how to book a cruise with maximum flexibility.

While cancelling at the last minute for any reason may be a thing of the past, there are still some easy ways to change your mind down the line.

Book refundable cruise fare

Be sure to put a refundable deposit down, and not a non-refundable deposit.

While a non-refundable deposit will save you some money, those savings are offset by the inflexibility and change fees it comes with.

Purchase cancel for any reason travel insurance

While not as easy as Cruise with Confidence, there are some travel insurance policies that allow you to cancel for any reason.

Most travel insurance only kicks in under certain conditions, but there are Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) policies that allow you to get reimbursed for travel costs.

A typical CFAR policy allows you to cancel a cruise and any associated prepaid activities for whatever reason you choose. 

Be sure to read the policy before buying one of these plans, as you usually have to purchase a plan within 14-21 days of making a deposit.

Cancel for any reason insurance is not available in all states, so check with your insurance provider if you're eligible. 

One other thing to consider is most CFAR plans only pay out 50 to 75 percent of your out-of-pocket expenses if you decide to cancel. Expect to pay as much as 40 percent more on your policy for the privilege.

Wait longer to book a cruise

While I always advocate booking as early as you can to lock in a good price, if you're uncertain about your plans, perhaps waiting to place a deposit makes more sense.

Talk with a good travel agent about prices, and if you see prices starting to creep up, consider putting down a deposit or see if prices drop again.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed its warning against going on a cruise ship due to Covid-19.

The CDC website removed the warning from its website after previously dropping the warning level to level 2.

Plummeting Covid cases on cruise ships as a result of the cruise industry's effective health protocols have meant the government agency sees no reason to warn the public against traveling on a ship as a risk for catching Covid.

The CDC last lowered the warning level to level 2 on February 15, 2022.

The CDC website now just talks about being up to date with Covid-19 vaccines before going on a cruise, and sharing its recommendations for how to keep yourself safe while traveling. 

The CDC recommends anyone going on a cruise

• Check cruise line requirements for testing and/or vaccination
• Get travel insurance
• If traveling by air, check airline requirements.
• Wear a well-fitting mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation.

The rest of the recommendations center around not traveling if you have or had Covid and how to protect yourself and others.

Cruise industry reaction

As you might imagine, the cruise industry welcomed this change by the CDC.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) issued a statement following the removal of the warning, "Today’s decision by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to altogether remove the Travel Health Notice for cruising recognizes the effective public health measures in place on cruise ships and begins to level the playing field, between cruise and similarly situated venues on land, for the first time since  March 2020."

"From the onset of the pandemic, CLIA’s cruise line members have prioritized the health and safety of their guests, crew, and the communities they visit and are sailing today with health measures in place that are unmatched by virtually any other commercial setting."

A full circle for the CDC

Throughout the previous two years, the CDC and the cruise industry have been at odds with views of how safe going on a cruise ship is due to Covid-19.

Following the cruise industry voluntarily shutting down in March 2020, the CDC banned cruise ship travel in the United States. This ban would remain in place for many months while the CDC and cruise industry worked to craft new regulations to ensure its return would be safe for all guests, crew members, and the communities ships visit.

There was a lot of back and forth, and the CDC held the cruise ships to a different standard from other forms of leisure travel.

Following the Omicron variant, the CDC began relaxing its view of risks of going on a cruise ship. The CDC lowered its warning level, while at the same time relaxing health protocols.

April means a full month of spring Royal Caribbean cruises to choose from, as well as the moving of ships back to Europe.

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

Just like March, April is when many families look to enjoy a spring break cruise. That means higher demand for cruises in April through the Easter holiday, and higher guest counts more than likely.

Easter falls on April 17, 2022, which is usually the culmination of spring break demand.  The last week and half of April could see less demand for cruises, since school will be back in session.

If you want to avoid crowds, look for a cruise in the last week of April.

Ships sailing in April 2022

• Freedom of the Seas from Miami, Florida
• Anthem of the Seas from Cape Liberty, New Jersey
• Odyssey of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Allure of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Symphony of the Seas from Miami, Florida
• Independence of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida
• Harmony of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida
• Mariner of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida
• Oasis of the Seas from Miami, Florida
• Liberty of the Seas from Galveston, Texas
• Adventure of the Seas from Galveston, Texas
• Explorer of the Seas from San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Navigator of the Seas from Los Angeles, California
• Spectrum of the Seas from Singapore
• Grandeur of the Seas from Bridgetown, Barbados
• Brilliance of the Seas from Tampa, Florida
• Enchantment of the Seas from Baltimore, Maryland
• Jewel of the Seas from Miami, Florida
• Wonder of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Vision of the Seas from from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Radiance of the Seas from Los Angeles, California beginning April 23, 2022
• Serenade of the Seas from Los Angeles, California, beginning April 26, 2022
• Voyager of the Seas from Copenhagen, Denmark, beginning April 15, 2022

Three more Royal Caribbean cruise ships return to service in April.

Radiance of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas will start back up with a repositioning cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver so that they can be ready for the start of the Alaska cruise season in May.

Voyager of the Seas will sail from Barcelona to Copenhagen on April 15, and then begin regular service from Copenhagen in late April to kick off Royal Caribbean's European season.

At the end of April, only one Royal Caribbean cruise ship will remain out of service since the pandemic, which is Rhapsody of the Seas.

Transatlantic sailings

April is the time of year for many Royal Caribbean ships to leave the Caribbean waters and sail east to Europe.

Wonder of the Seas will bid adieu to her temporary home in Fort Lauderdale and sail to Barcelona, Spain on a 14-night transatlantic cruise on April 20th.

Here's a look at the other transatlantic crossings in April:

• Brilliance of the Seas 14-Night Portugal & Spain Crossing to Rome: April 25, 2022
• Jewel of the Seas 14-Night British Transatlantic to Amsterdam, Netherlands: April 29, 2022
• Odyssey of the Seas 14-Night Spanish Transatlantic to Rome, Italy: April 23, 2022
• Vision of the Seas 14 Night Transatlantic Cruise to Barcelona, Spain: April 29, 2022

Health protocols for April 2022 cruises

With Royal Caribbean ships sailing from many places other than the United States in April 2022, the exact protocols will vary somewhat, but the core requirements seem to be universal.

All Royal Caribbean guests age 12 and older must present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose of their vaccine administered at least 14 days before sailing. 

With the exception of the transatlantic crossings that do not allow anyone unvaccinated onboard, Royal Caribbean does not require kids younger than 12 to be vaccinated.

All crew members on every ship will be fully vaccinated.

Masks are optional for vaccinated passengers onboard its ships indoors.

Unvaccinated children are expected to wear masks indoors and in crowded settings. All children, regardless of vaccination status, will need to wear a mask in Adventure Ocean. Guests under 2 do not have to wear a mask at any time.

Covid testing requirements are nearly all the same, with the exception of transatlantic crossings. 

Vaccinated guests must show a negative COVID-19 test result for a 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 PCR test (not antigen) taken no more than 3 days before boarding day. This test cannot be taken on boarding day for unvaccinated kids.

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

Different protocols for some sailings

Be sure to refer to Royal Caribbean's requirements for your sailing, especially if you are on a transatlantic cruise, or sailing from somewhere outside of the continental United States, such as Puerto Rico or Barbados.

As an example, the transatlantic crossings require all passengers to be fully vaccinated, and only one day before the cruise to get a negative Covid test result.

It's important to double check the protocols on Royal Caribbean's website well before your embarkation day to ensure you are doing everything you need to be, in the right timeframe.

April weather on a cruise

Spring in the Caribbean means warm temperatures before the summer heat arrives in the region.

You'll find higher temperatures across the board, with it far less likely to be chilly during your cruise once in the Caribbean.

You will find warmer temperatures in places like The Bahamas, and if you take a Southern Caribbean cruise, expect average high temps to reach the low 90s.

April is the the end of the dry season in the Caribbean, so don't expect too much rain.

Just like in the Caribbean, expect warm temperatures in the Mexican Riviera, with high temperatures in the mid 80's to low 90's.

April weather in the Mexican Riviera is some of the best weather once you get to Mexico. April is the driest month of the entire year based on historical data from the Mexico Tourism Ministry.

Easter on a cruise

If your cruise sails over the Easter holiday, you can expect some special events onboard.

The exact activities will depend on the sailing, but in the past we've seen:

• Easter Sunday Catholic Mass
• Easter Word Search
• Easter Scrapbooking Workshop
• Family Easter Scavenger Hunt

In addition, Royal Caribbean has had special foods in the Windjammer and main dining room.

Royal Caribbean has posted new cruises in 2023-2024 from Panama.

The newly released sailings offer 6- and 7-night Southern Caribbean cruises that begin in either Colon, Panama or Cartagena, Columbia. Sailing from these ports is a first for Royal Caribbean in almost a decade.

Rhapsody of the Seas will sail between December 2023 and April 2024.

Royal Caribbean believes these new itineraries combine the international cuisine, entertainment and nightlife on a single cruise that does not require a travel visa.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared the exciting news on Facebook, "I am very excited to announce that starting in 2023, Panama is your newest jumping-off point for the captivating shores of the Southern Caribbean onboard Rhapsody of the Seas."

The new cruises are available to book immediately.

Short Panama Canal Cruises

Not only are there cruises that visit many exotic destinations in the region, but this also offers 7-night Panama Canal crossings.

The 7-night Costa Rica & Panama Canal cruises starts off with a visit to Cartagena before traversing the Panama Canal and spending time in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Sailings from Cartagena

Something else novel about this new deployment are cruises from Cartagena.

Located in Colombia, Cartagena is known for its romantic colonial architecture and Caribbean coast line.

More deployments to come

There are still more cruises to be announced for the 2023-2024 cruise season.

Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule is as follows:

• Week of April 4: Los Angeles and 9/5-night Miami
• Week of May 16: 7-night Caribbean
• Week of June 6: Singapore

Keep in mind that the deployment schedule is subject to change.

Planning on booking a 2023 cruise? These stories will help:

• All about Vision Class cruise ships
• 5 things to look for before you book a cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• Should I take a short or a long cruise?
• Why you shouldn't book the cheapest cruise you can find

Royal Caribbean has released its Covid-19 health protocols for cruises sailing to Alaska, including ships that sail from Vancouver.

The Alaska cruise season is set to begin soon, and Royal Caribbean has released the pre-cruise & onboard Covid health requirements for passengers.

The protocols differ slightly if your ship embarks in Vancouver or Seattle.

The latest protocols are for guests cruising to Alaska from the U.S. and from Vancouver, British Columbia through May 31, 2022. 

Vaccines

All guests 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.

Children aged 5 to 11 are not required to be vaccinated. However, kids who have been vaccinated may present proof and follow the fully vaccinated protocols. 

All crew members onboard will be fully vaccinated. 

Royal Caribbean will not accept a Certificate of Recovery in the place of a vaccination record.

Testing

Testing is required to enter Canada and to board the ship. These requirements vary depending on guests’ age and vaccination status.

• Pre-Cruise: All guests 2 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result to board the ship.
  • Vaccinated guests: PCR or antigen test must be taken no more than 2 days prior to sailing.
  • Unvaccinated children ages 2 to 11: PCR test must be taken no more than 3 days prior to sailing — but not on boarding day. Antigen tests are not accepted for unvaccinated guests.
  • Pre-cruise testing costs and scheduling are the guest's responsibility.
• Certificate of Recovery: Instead of a negative pre-cruise test, a Certificate of Recovery and a positive PCR test taken between 11-90 days prior to our sail date can be provided to sail with us.
• Embarkation Day: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 will take a complimentary antigen test for COVID-19 during check-in. Registration details will be sent via email in advance. 
• Prior to Entering Canada: Unvaccinated guests 5 to 11 years old will take a complimentary antigen test onboard prior to visiting or debarking in Canada.

For sailings debarking in Seattle, Washington or Seward, Alaska: Unvaccinated guests age 2 – 11 years will take a complimentary antigen test onboard no more than 1 day before arrival to the U.S. 

Guests under 2 years of age will not be tested.

Testing for Cruisetour Guests

Passengers that booked an add-on tour before or after their cruise in Alaska (known as a cruisetour) have additional testing requirements.

• Royal Caribbean Cruisetour guests need to take a COVID-19 test on their own, at guest's expense, before the land-tour portion of your Cruisetour.
• Vaccinated guests must show a negative result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 2 days before the day the land tour starts. Kids age 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated may present proof of full vaccination and follow the testing protocols for vaccinated guests.
• Unvaccinated kids age 2 to 11 must show a negative test result for a PCR test (not antigen) taken no more than 3 days before the day the land tour starts.
• Guests under 2 years of age do not need to complete a pre-Cruisetour test.

Cruisetour guests will also need to complete the pre-cruise testing to board the ship in addition to the pre-tour testing. Vaccinated guests are advised to bring an eMed test kit with them on their Cruisetour to meet the pre-cruise testing requirement.

For vaccinated guests without a test kit or unvaccinated kids age 2-11 in need of a PCR test, a testing provider in Anchorage will be available to test guests at their own expense.

Details on how to register for testing in Anchorage will be provided by your Cruisetour guide.

Excursions

There are no restrictions on which tours passengers can book in Alaska, regardless of vaccination status.

Royal Caribbean is still "working closely with local government and health authorities to finalize protocols and requirements for going ashore in Canadian ports of call."

Masks

Masks are optional for fully vaccinated guests.

Royal Caribbean expects unvaccinated children to continue wearing masks indoors and in crowded settings.

Masks are required for all children age 2 years and older while at the Adventure Ocean youth program.

Guests under 2 years do not have to wear a mask at any time. 

Documentation

In addition to bringing a passport, Covid-19 vaccination card, and a Covid-19 test result, there's one additional piece of documentation passengers should bring for all sailings from Seattle, Seward and Vancouver.

All travelers to Canada, or their legal guardians, must download the ArriveCAN app or complete the mandatory travel information via the ArriveCAN website prior to your entry into Canada.

This applies whether guests are departing on their cruise from Canada, ending the cruise in Canada, or visiting the country as a port of call.

Royal Caribbean says they are working with the Canadian government to make this process easier for guests arriving by cruise ship, and will ensure guests have guidance to complete this process smoothly onboard. 

More information

• Top 10 tips for planning your Alaska cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?

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.

It's been a few weeks since Royal Caribbean loosened the Covid-19 protocols, and I wanted to share my experience with the new rules.

With cruise ship health protocols so effective in keeping Covid-19 cases down, and Royal Caribbean opting into the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) highly vaccinated program, face masks are optional onboard while indoors for fully vaccinated passengers. In addition, other policies have been scaled back.

After sailing on Wonder of the Seas for two weeks, here's a look at what it's like onboard for anyone who may be curious how close to normal cruising is right now.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean begins to release European cruise Covid protocols
• Royal Caribbean announces Australia 2023-2024 cruise season lineup
• First look at Perfect Day at Lelepa
• Kids Sail Free deal is back
• Royal Caribbean updates: New straws, Galveston terminal & more!
• What should you bring on an Alaska cruise?
• All about Vision Class cruise ships
• Mr Sanchos Beach Club Cozumel review
• Cruise Reads: Women's History Month

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 447th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt answers as many Royal Caribbean questions as he can.

This week's episode is all about catching up on listener emails that have been sent in.

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 Things I Liked & Didn't Like about Wonder of the Seas

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 Things I Liked & Didn't Like about Wonder of the Seas — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Top 30 extra cruise costs that are not included

Your Royal Caribbean cruise includes a lot, but it's far from all-inclusive.

In planning for a cruise, it's important to know what is and what is not included with your cruise.  But just because things cost extra doesn't mean you should skip them.

Here's a look at the top things on a cruise that will cost you extra, and how to reduce your out-of-pocket price.

Western Mediterranean cruise guide

A European cruise might be something you have booked for this year, or perhaps you're thinking about booking one. Regardless, the Western Mediterranean is a popular option.

Offering some of the most significant historical monuments as well as beautiful scenery, a cruise to places like Spain, Italy or France packs a lot into one sailing.

Our guide to Western Mediterranean cruises offers a glimpse of what to expect from the ports of call and answers commonly asked questions.

Royal Caribbean moves Radiance of the Seas back to USA in 2023

Radiance of the Seas will stay in the United States instead of going to Australia in 2023.

Royal Caribbean announced Radiance will split time between New Orleans and Galveston instead of going to Australia as originally planned.

Is it possible to have a bad time at an all-inclusive day pass beach resort? It depends on how many other people are trying to do the same thing.

Since cruise ships restarted sailing in 2021, I've made an effort to re-visit some favorite spots in the ports of call Royal Caribbean's ships visit to ensure the experience has not changed since the last time.

In March 2022, I had the opportunity to visit Mr. Sanchos in Cozumel, after having visited Paradise Beach and Nachi Cocom recently. 

My goal was to see how it stacked up to the other resorts, and see what's changed since my last visit in 2018.

Overview

Like so many other all-inclusive beach resorts in Cozumel, Mr. Sanchos advertises unlimited food, drink, beach and pool access for one price.

Located on the south western side of Cozumel island, it's about a 10-15 minute taxi ride from where Royal Caribbean docks.

Reservations are optional, but it's a good idea to make a reservation to assure your family of a spot. A deposit is required in advance.

Once you arrive, you will check in and pay the remainder of the balance.

Before you get to the beach or pool, there are a series of souvenir stands that you can stop at in order to buy something. Some people buy it before or after their visit, although most tend to walk past it all.

At this point your waiter is assigned to you, which means this is the person to place all your food and drink orders.  This person will also assign you a set of chairs and umbrella.

Most people end up near the beach, but you could ask for an open set of chairs elsewhere, including closer to the pool.

The layout of Mr. Sanchos is a series of pools with swim up bars that extend parallel to the beach.

The beach itself looks great, although there is substantial seaweed and rocks in areas under water, so it's necessarily to tread lightly.

There's an optional aqua park with inflatable objects to climb on. Access to this costs extra.

The aquatic park includes:

• Large climbing Iceberg
• Climbing rock
• Two large trampolines
• Two medium trampolines
• Pyramid slider
• Two water totters
• Moonwalk with two bouncers
• Rock slider
• Stadium ball

Each of the pool areas has a swim up bar, along with seating around the edge. There's enough room to wade and enjoy a drink. Kids may find enough space to swim a bit.

Food and drink is included with admission, and you'll find the typical mix of Mexican fare and beach-friendly options.

You have the choice of going to a buffet station and serving yourself, or asking your waiter to bring you the food. No difference in price.

Comments

Mr. Sanchos tries to offer everything you might want in an all-inclusive beach day, and its popularity seemed to have lead to the one faux pas of any beach spot: overcrowding.

On the day I visited, there were at three or four cruise ships in port, and by mid-morning I noticed almost all the tables and chairs were occupied. The result was an experience I found to be overcrowded and unenjoyable.

Our waiters did a good job of keeping up with demand, but the pools and beach were pretty full. On an island where there are so many different beach options, I found it disappointing how busy things were because it felt like we were all pushed together a little too much.

It didn't help there were two different families who smoked cigarettes adjacent to our table. I asked the waiter if there was perhaps a non-smoking area we could be moved to, but he said smoking was allowed anywhere outdoors. Obviously this was just bad luck of the draw in terms of being close to these folks, but it also detracted from the experience.

Then there is the food, which was equally poor. Much of the food came overcooked and under impressive. 

Being in Mexico, I'd expect the Mexican fare to be better than average, but I found much of it to be something I might get back at home in a Chilis. Then again, Chilis doesn't serve up nearly as dry food as we had.

I freely admit that one visit is not necessarily indicative of what your experience was like, but Mr. Sanchos seemed to be too crowded when you consider the other options available.

There were certainly people enjoying themselves, and my kids had a good enough time splashing around. But the overcrowded setting, poor food, and murky ocean water left me wanting to leave.

In fact, I cannot recommend Mr. Sanchos if you're looking for an all-inclusive beach day. I think Nachi Cocom is a far superior all-inclusive option because they limit the amount of people each day.  If you want something else with more for the kids, consider a Cozumel day pass to a resort. 

It's a shame we didn't have a better time, but the overcrowding ended up overshadowing what is otherwise a picturesque beach to enjoy.

How to book: Reservations can be made online via the Mr. Sanchos website.

The pandemic may have delayed Royal Caribbean's plans to open a new private island, but those plans are still moving forward.

According to Royal Caribbean, Perfect Day at Lelepa is still on track to open and we have a look at what it might look like.

Located in Vanuatu in the South Pacific, Perfect Day at Lelepa was initially announced in October 2019 to open sometime in 2022. Then Covid hit and those plans were put on hold.

There is no updated opening date as of yet.

Australian website Cruise Passenger shared an artist rendering of what the private destination will look like, which is our first preview of the island's design.

While Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas offers thrills, Royal Caribbean has a different vision for Lelepa.

When first announced, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said the new project was created in partnership with the community of Vanuatu, "to showcase the distinct natural ecological beauty and diverse local culture of the island nation as well as provide employment and education opportunities."

"We believe our destinations should be sustainably designed," Bayley said. "That idea goes beyond simply protecting the ecological features of Lelepa and includes showing respect for the people and traditions that make this a special place."

Earlier in March, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider confirmed that Lelepa is still part of the cruise line's plans.

According to Mr. Schneider, it's still in their "planning cycle" and Royal Caribbean hopes Perfect Day at Lelepa is part of a broader strategy in the region.

"We are really waiting for the Pacific to reopen in a massive way....but we still have our property in the Lelepa, and still have plans for a Lelepa."

Environmentally friendly

Whenever Perfect Day at Lelepa gets built, it will be designed in a sustainable way.

When Royal Caribbean announced the project, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman Richard Fain talked about what the company is doing to reduce the carbon footprint of the destination.

"There's also one, very special aspect of this project that is also worth noting. Lelapa will be the first private cruise destination in the world that achieves carbon neutrality. All of the energy consumed will be generated from renewable sources. Accomplishing that requires both major investment and major innovation, but Perfect Day at Lelapa will be rich in both."

How big will it be?

The original plans for Lelepa was to handle less passengers than CocoCay.

Mr. Bayley talked about the capacity, "The volume will be less less than Perfect Day at CocoCay, which I think at its peak in a few years will get to close to 3 million people going there."

"The number for Vanuatu, I think, reaches close to 750-800,000 is currently in our plans."