US News and World Reports released its 2014 Best Cruise rankings and Royal Caribbean emerged as the Best Cruise Line for the money.

Royal Caribbean took top honors for the combination of low prices and what you get for it, "Cruisers won't have trouble finding itineraries costing less than $100 per person per day. Prices cover lodging, meals in the Main Dining Room and a wealth of onboard activities ranging from swimming and rock climbing to foreign language classes and Broadway-caliber performances."

Royal Caribbean also did well in other categories as well

• Second place for Best Cruise Lines for Families
• Ninth place for Best Cruise Lines for Romance
• Second place for Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean

US News and World Reports rankings are based on an expert evaluation of the line's level of luxury, as well as an assessment of user reviews and health ratings.

Google has added the biggest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, to its popular Street View program.

Google Maps Business View, the commercial aspect of Street Views, added Royal Caribbean's flagship so site visitors can take a virtual tour of the ship.

The new tour offers a few spots on the ship site visitors can peek around with their web browser.  It does not cover the entire ship, so users will be limited to a few areas, rather than a seamless non-stop tour.

Once on Street view, you will be able to select from a series of options to enable them to "tour" the ship’s restaurants, cabins and pools as well as the ship's “unique activities”, including the FlowRider, rock-climbing wall and zip line.

Google created the Street View experience using a DSLR camera with a fisheye lens and a panoramic head resting on a tripod.

You can view the Google Street view on Allure of the Seas here.

The first episode of Awesomeness TV travel show featuring Royal Caribbean is available.  

It stars Josh Leyva in YourMuscleBoii's Royal Caribbean Adventure on Allure of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean vice president of global tour operations, John Weis, met with Haiti's minister of Tourism and Creative Industries (MTIC) along with other officials from Haiti to inspect the progress the MTIC has made in developing tourism in the country.

Haiti is looking for ways to bring more Royal Caribbean cruise passengers, who are already visiting Labadee, to other tourist stops near by.  This includes the Citadelle Henry and the Palace Sans Souci.

Weis visited the pier located on Acul bay (recently built by MTIC) where Royal Caribbean passengers would stop before getting to the Citadelle.  

Also present for the meeting was Dieudonne Luma, Regional Director North MTIC, Jean Bernard Simonet, CEO of Citadelle Agency and Konrad Shutt, President of the Tourist Association of Northern Haiti (ATH-Nord), went in the North Destination.

Labadee is Royal Caribbean's private resort that the cruise company leases from Haiti.

One of our readers, Ken Slusser, sent us this video he made from his cruise on Independence of the Seas and we wanted to share it with you all. Enjoy!

Happy July 4th to all of our American readers! Whether you are celebrating today or not, it's Friday and that means it's the weekend and it's time to share Royal Caribbean photos our readers sent in!

Our first photo this week is from John Siegmund and it's of the entrance to the Viking Crown Lounge on Vision of the Seas. A great place to spend some time and enjoy the view!

Next is a photo of the "secret balcony" on Oasis of the Seas by Michael Poole.  Not a bad view at all!

Mike Cook sent us this photo of the Royal Promenade during a late departure on Independence of the Seas.  Mike had the the ship to himself!

François St-Onge sent us this photo from Liberty of the Seas in Port of Livorno, Italy as a Pullmantur ship departs.  Amazing colors!

Here we have the Texas Tenors performing on Navigator of the Seas during its June 8th sailing that Stewart Thompson was on.  That's some mighty fine singing, partner.

Lastly, Les Lockyer sent us this photo of the Solarium on Voyager of the Seas during an Australia cruise to New Zealand.  I love the pools at night!

That will wrap things up for this week's batch of photos but we want your Royal Caribbean photos too!  Use this form to send us your Royal Caribbean photos and we will feature them in an upcoming edition of this blog series!

Tropical Storm Arthur forced Royal Caribbean to cancel stops at its private island of CocoCay yesteday and today.

Majesty of the Seas will spend its day at sea instead of at CocoCay.

Enchantment of the Seas cancelled its arrival at CocoCay yesterday and stayed in Nassau overnight instead.

Grandeur of the Seas skipped its stop at CocoCay and instead took a sea day on its way back to Baltimore.

Royal Caribbean has begun its week long Independence Day sale that extends its usual two-day Going Going Gone sale to seven days.

The sale runs through July 6, 2014 and offers up to 20% off select Royal Caribbean cruises.

All cruises on sale can be found on Royal Caribbean's web site.