We've gotten word that later today construction will begin on Royal Caribbean's two newest cruise ships, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas.

These two Quantum-class cruise ships will take steps forward in becoming a reality when at 1:00pm, Anthem of the Seas will have her steel cutting ceremony.  This will be followed by the official keel-laying for Quantum of the Seas at 2:00pm.  (We aren't sure if these times are local or eastern)

Both events will take place at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

Quantum of the Seas' keel-laying has been expected for some time now, as photos of what appears to be her keel popped up online.  Meanwhile, Anthem of the Seas' steel cutting will be the first substantial news we've heard regarding her since her name was announced.

Quantum of the Seas is scheduled for her first cruise in November 2014, with Anthem of the Seas offering her inaugural cruise sometime in Spring 2015.

As part of Royal Caribbean's agreement with a congressional hearing last week, crime data aboard its cruise ships, broken down by quarter, has been posted to the official Royal Caribbean website.

The data, which goes back to October 2010, is posted following a promise by Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein that he and his colleagues at Carnival Corp and Norwegian Cruise Line, will post their crime data voluntarily.

Royal Caribbean is posted the total number of incidents that were reported by passengers or crew in each category that is specified in the 2010 Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act. Those include sexual assault, theft greater than $10,000, tampering with the vessel, assault with serious injuries, kidnapping, missing U.S. nationals, suspicious death or homicide. The cruise lines are reporting rapes and other sexual assaults in two separate categories, though the government uses only a single category.

As an example, between April 1 and June 30, 2013, there 6 total crimes reported on Royal Caribbean ships.

• Theft of more than $10,000 (3 by crew, 1 unidentified)
• Rape (1 by crew, 1 by passenger)

“With the growing criticism about how effectively the government website is communicating our onboard rates, it just made good sense to try and take the argument out of the realm of ‘Gee, we wish we knew’ and really share very openly what the incident rates are,” said Gary Bald, a senior vice president at Royal Caribbean Cruises who oversees safety and security.

It is important to note that the statistics provided by Royal Caribbean are only allegations, not proven crimes.  Allegations alone are not proof that the incident actually occurred.

Royal Caribbean is offering those that book a cruise in the month of August a balcony upgrade for the price of an oceanview cabin.  A balcony stateroom will be available for the price of an ocean-view room on most ships, and an ocean-view category for the price of an inside stateroom.

Royal Caribbean is calling the deal, "Upgrade Your View" and applies to new, individual bookings on three- to 10-night Bahamas, Caribbean and Bermuda cruises departing September 1, 2013 November 1, 2013 through April 30, 2014.  The deal is open to residents of North America and South America.

The free upgrade deal is available on Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas.

Free upgrades to ocean-view rooms from inside cabins are available on Enchantment of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Legend of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas.

UPDATE 8/1: Sale is for cruises departing November 1, 2013 through April 30, 2014.  As for price program UPG at time of booking.  

More than ever, Royal Caribbean passengers are looking to stay active while on their cruise vacation and Royal Caribbean's fitness centers are more than just an after thought.  These gyms feature the latest equipment and programs to keep you lean and fit while at sea.  

Let's take a closer look at what Royal Caribbean offers and how you can take advantage of what's available.

Gym

The heart of Royal Caribbean's fitness offerings are the gyms found onboard their cruise ships.  Each gym offers passengers cardio and weight machines to get your heart pumping and muscles moving.  These self-paced machines are what you will typically find at your gym back home.  

The machines in the gym include treadmills, ellipticals, bench presses, free weights and more.  The amount and variety of machines vary from ship to ship, with the Freedom and Oasis class gyms offering the biggest gyms in terms of square footage and machines. On Oasis of the Seas, there's over 150 cardio machines.

Some ships also include other fitness options, such as a boxing ring on Freedom class ships.  There is also areas in the fitness center to stretch or do yoga on your own.  Other machines like spin bikes are available to use provided they are not needed for a scheduled class.

The machines and free weights at the fitness center are free and open to all passengers.  There is a posted age restriction requiring everyone in the gym be at least 16 years old.

Classes

Royal Caribbean offers on each of its cruise ships different exercise classes that you may join for a small fee.  These classes vary from ship to ship and sailing to sailing, but generally you can expect to find spin, yoga, and Pilates classes, as well as the services of a personal trainer.

Generally speaking, many of the exercise classes offered are usually held in the early morning hours but you can get a good idea of what will be offered and sign up for classes on the first day of your cruise.  A visit to the gym can get you a free tour as well as access to the schedule of classes.  You can sign up for classes a la carte or sometimes opt into a package deal to save a few dollars by booking multiple classes at once.

The classes offered unless otherwise indicated, are geared to passengers of all levels. 

Some of the classes offered

• Pathway to Yoga

  • 45 minutes
  • Prices starting at $12 per class
  • Must be 18 years or older
• Body Composition Analysis (BCA)
  • 30 minutes
  • Prices starting at $35 per class
  • Must be 18 years or older
• Body Sculpt Boot Camp
  • Prices starting from $120
  • Guests with heart or other health conditions should check with their physician first. You must be at least 18 years of age.
• Pathway to Pilates
  • 45 minutes
  • Prices start at $12 per class
  • Must be 18 years or older
• Individualized Personal Training
  • 60 minutes
  • Prices start at $85
  • Must be 18 years old
• Group Cycling
  • 45 minutes
  • Prices start at $12 per class
  • Must be 18 years old

Sports Deck

Staying fit on your Royal Caribbean cruise is not limited to being indoors.  Each cruise ship also has a sports deck to allow for outdoor exercise as well.

The jogging track is often a favorite for runners to get a few laps of running in and has a path for joggers and walkers. There's also an indication on the track how many laps equals one mile.  Use of the track is free and open at all times.  Oasis class ships feature the the largest jogging track at sea that is partly covered to protect from the elements.

Each Royal Caribbean ship also has a number of outdoor activities to enjoy, including rock climbing, basketball, volleyball,  and more.  Much of the activities on the sports deck are free if you do it on your own and organized games can be found throughout the cruise for team-based fun.

5k Races

Royal Caribbean has been offering a 5k race twice, with the next Royal 5k being offered on Allure of the Seas when the ship is docked in St. Maarten. 

For $25, passengers can take part in the race along with private meet-and-greet sessions with high-profile racing athletes, seminars and lectures with high-profile athletes, personal training tips from experts, and speed tests onboard the track on your ship.

Speaking of running, Royal Caribbean has even started its own running team called "Royal Caribbean Runners" and is mostly geared towards residents of the United Kingdom who want to combine their passion for running with cruising on Royal Caribbean.

Last week officials from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey approved a $70 million plan to expand the port to accommodate Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas and this new deal has some thinking that this could be the catalyst for the area becoming a tourist hub.

With the Royal Caribbean deal in place, the city of Bayonne may be on the verge of inking an agreement for the development of a new hotel and possible complex to accommodate incoming and outgoing passengers.

Bayonne officials say they have been working towards getting a hotel development near the cruise port for months, but negotiations hinged on moves by the Port Authority.

“The new Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal will provide the people of New Jersey and New York with the world-class travel experience they deserve,” said Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni. “We welcome the significant investment Royal Caribbean is making in our region and look forward to welcoming the Quantum of the Seas to her new home in our port.”

Construction is scheduled to begin this summer and be completed by October 2014. 

Citing a price war it cannot win, a new report points to Royal Caribbean opting to end cruises that start and end in Marseilles, France in the coming years and instead, let its Western Mediterranean cruises sail from Barcelona.

Mer & Marine is reporting that Royal Caribbean will end cruises that leave from France next year, after attempting to restart cruises from France in 2011.  

Royal Caribbean had opened an office in Paris back in 2011 but then laid off half the office in October 2012.  Indications are that cruises leaving from Spain were performing better than cruises departing France.

Liberty of the Seas will finish out the scheduled cruises she has remaining in Marseilles.  

Royal Caribbean has released a new photo from the development that is ongoing for Quantum of the Seas.  Today, we have a photo of the North Star observation pod, featuring a scale model of the top of the ship and arm.

In the background, we can see a full size replica of the observation pod that will be attached to the North Star "arm". 

When finished, North Star will be a first of its kind innovation for a cruise ship, where passengers can go up to 200 feet above the ocean's surface to get what is sure to be beautiful views.  The inspiration for the North Star was revealed to be the London Eye.

Quantum of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's next cruise ship that will be built and will have her first official cruise in November 2014.

Royal Caribbean is launching a new promotion for cruises out of the United Kingdom called "Drinks on us!" that will begin on August 1, 2013.  

The new promotion offers a little something for everyone in the family.  For kids between the ages of 3 and 17 years old, they can enjoy free unlimited soda at all bars, lounges and restaurants.  Adults will enjoy free wine while you dive, with five complimentary bottles of wine per stateroom.

This offer is applicable on all sailings of seven nights or more traveling from the UK between May and October 2014.  

When it comes to classic Royal Caribbean food, the honey stung chicken has developed a bit of a cult following to it thanks to many fans who have come back from their Royal Caribbean cruises speaking of its wonders.  So what is it and why is it so good?

At its core, honey stung chicken is a breaded chicken cutlet that is served in the Windjammer.  Over the years more and more cruises started talking about it so its legend continues to grow.  

Honey stung chicken is served in the Windjammer but the catch is it's only served on embarkation day.  So if you don't get it on that first day you board your Royal Caribbean cruise, then you are out of luck until your next cruise.  We have heard of instances where honey stung chicken is sometimes available via room service as well.

Frankly, its popularity is hard to pin-point but we think because it's only served on embarkation day, it gets rave reviews because people associate it with the start of their cruise and let's face it, everyone is the happiest on the day their cruise vacation they have been looking forward to is finally starting.  

Of course, that's not to take away from what the food is: a tasty piece of boneless fried chicken that is always a good choice when going down the buffet line.

Honey Stung Chicken Recipe

• 3- 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 Tbs raspberry or cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup flour
• 2 Tbs fine dry bread crumbs
• 2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation

1. Cut the tenders from the breast, and pound the breasts to flattens slightly. Stir the honey and vinegar together and pour over the chicken. Marinate for 2 hour to 4 hours in refrigerator, stirring occasionally.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, bread crumbs, and cayenne pepper; set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.
4. In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat to 300°, (higher temperatures could burn honey). Turn oven on to 200.
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and drain on paper towels. Dip the chicken in beaten egg mixture, season with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour mixture, coating thoroughly. .
6. Add the chicken pieces two or three at a time. Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry on each side until golden brown. Remove to a rack on a sheet pan, lined with paper towels. Hold in the oven, while you fry the rest of the pieces. 

So are you a fan of honey stung chicken?  Have you tried it and is it a tradition to order it on embarkation day?