Royal Caribbean Blog

It's been months since Royal Caribbean ships have visited Falmouth, Jamaica. However, the port reopened and is welcoming cruise passengers once again. 

Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, as the strongest landfall the country had ever recorded, causing catastrophic damage across the Caribbean nation. 

Not only that, but Melissa is one of the most intense landfalling Atlantic hurricanes on record (in terms of lowest barometric pressure), tied with the "Labor Day" storm of 1935.

The Category 5 storm was responsible for 32 deaths and up to $4 billion in insured losses in Jamaica alone, NBC News reported. 

(Credit: Port Authority of Jamaica/Facebook)

As such, Royal Caribbean and other major cruise lines had been diverting ships away from the country while it focused on critical relief efforts. 

However, according to the Port Authority of Jamaica, Falmouth is officially open to cruise traffic. Princess Cruises' Caribbean Princess was the first vessel to call at Falmouth on Dec. 2, 2025. The 3,140-passenger ship is currently on a 12-night Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

"This restart supports renewed activity across the Falmouth community, stimulating business opportunities for local merchants, transport operators, and service providers," Jamaica's Port Authority shared on Facebook. 

(Credit: Port Authority of Jamaica/Facebook)

"The Port Authority of Jamaica remains committed to strengthening the communities in which we operate and contributing meaningfully to local livelihoods as we return to normalcy and advance ongoing rebuilding efforts."

Multiple Royal Caribbean ships, including Adventure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, and Independence of the Seas, are set to call at Falmouth in the coming weeks. 

Other cruise lines, such as Disney, Norwegian, MSC, and Holland America Line, are also scheduled to visit Falmouth during the busy holiday season. 

Jamaica aims to resume full tourism operations by Dec. 15

Falmouth was the last cruise port in Jamaica to reopen to cruise passengers. 

Ocho Rios welcomed ships in mid-November, with guests aboard Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam visiting the island on Nov. 11. The following day, thousands of passengers on the Carnival Sunrise also got to call at Ocho Rios. 

Likewise, Montego Bay welcomed nearly 2,900 passengers from the Mein Schiff 1 cruise ship on Nov. 24. 

However, Falmouth's infrastructure repairs took longer to complete. As such, the port remained closed into December. 

After Melissa's landfall, Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica's Minister of Tourism. said the country was aiming to resume full tourism operations by Dec. 15.

"Tourism’s strength lies not just in its product offerings, but in its people and partnerships. The speed and synergy of our response show the industry’s resilience and our unwavering commitment to recovery with empathy, compassion, and innovation," Bartlett explained. 

While tourism operations were halted, many cruise lines pledged millions to aid the ongoing relief efforts. Cruise ships also delivered essential supplies, such as water, bedding, clothing, mattresses, and more. 

An unexpected pregnancy nearly cost one couple their New Year's cruise — until Royal Caribbean's CEO came to the rescue. 

The soon-to-be father shared the story on the r/royalcaribbean Reddit thread. In a post titled "Unexpected pregnancy is keeping us from a cruise (already purchased) over New [Year's]," JTH2014 explained that he feared he and his wife would lose out on their $1,500 vacation. 

"My wife and I had booked a cruise at the end of next month. We just found out a couple [of] weeks ago that she was already 18 weeks pregnant with our first child (she swears she didn't feel any different), meaning she will be past 23 weeks by our sail date, meaning they won't let us onboard," he wrote. 

Continuing, the expectant father said he called Cruises.com (presumably the third-party they had booked through) to figure out what options were available to them since they did not have travel insurance. 

Initially, while they were told they couldn't get a refund, they could reschedule their cruise to a later sail date due to the medical issue. However, their relief didn't last long. 

"I called [Cruises.com] again yesterday with the new cruise I had picked out six months after my wife's due date. Royal Caribbean is apparently now refusing [to] reschedule," he said.

"I contacted the cruise line myself, asking for more information. They basically said that allowing customers to reschedule for medical reasons is not an official policy, that they allow or disallow it 'at their discretion.'"

Fellow cruisers chimed in with advice in the thread. Some comments weren't helpful, advising the expectant couple to lie about how far along the mother was and enjoy their cruise anyway. 

"Just lie about how far along she is. I did on one of my cruises, not a big deal. All you do is click not over 23 weeks on the health questions," suggested one individual. 

Others mentioned the importance of travel insurance, though that wasn't helpful to the couple's current situation. 

Experienced cruisers encouraged them to keep pushing for a medical accommodation. Someone even suggested contacting Royal Caribbean's President and CEO, Michael Bayley, to see if the company's advanced resolutions team could assist. 

Read more: The 5 important Royal Caribbean email addresses you should know about

"This Sub-Reddit saved my Honeymoon"

In a follow-up post, JTH2014 happily shared that, thanks to the advice on their previous thread, the issue was resolved. 

"I thought for sure I was out that $1500, but someone suggested I send my story directly to the CEO's public email ([email protected]). Someone from his office called me today and said I am being granted a one-year credit for that balance," he explained. 

To him, that was better than the original offer. With more flexibility, he can pick any sail date, depending on how things are going with their baby. 

Babies have to be at least 6 months old to cruise from the U.S.

As generous as the offer was, commenters reminded JTH2014 that Royal Caribbean has strict guidelines for traveling with younger children. 

"[D]o be aware that [your] baby must be at least six months old to cruise domestically, and 12 months old for any sailing with more than two consecutive sea days," wrote crazydisneycatlady, a Platinum sailor within Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society. 

With those rules in mind, the year-long credit may not give them as much flexibility as they hoped. Still, there is time to plan their first vacation together as a family of three during the last quarter of 2026 without losing the money that's already been paid. 

Experienced parents in the thread shared how much they enjoyed sailing with their infants, giving them a lot to look forward to.

Haterofstarbucks remarked, "I took a [6-month-old] on a cruise. My spouse and I had a blast on the ship with the [6-month-old]. Our son’s personality really came out on the ship. He was highly alert but not in the crawling phase. We just put him in the stroller and went exploring."

Read more: 8 Things I wish I knew about taking a baby on a cruise ship

Always buy travel insurance

JTH2014's situation highlights one possible medical scenario where travel insurance could make a huge difference. Unexpected events, from unplanned pregnancies to sudden illnesses, can derail well-planned vacations — even once you are onboard. 

Without insurance, you're stuck paying for any medical care received on the ship out of pocket, as cruise ships do not typically accept standard health insurance policies. 

For example, one first-time cruiser was stuck paying $4,000 for treatment after she began throwing up blood and losing consciousness while sailing on a Royal Caribbean ship. 

Khiali Baxter was then transported to a hospital in Costa Maya, Mexico, where she racked up over $9,000 in additional medical expenses for several different procedures to help stabilize her.

Aside from helping cover costly medical emergencies, travel insurance can also help protect against trip disruptions, lost luggage, and more. 

I was surprised when Royal Caribbean informed me that my 5-night Freedom of the Seas cruise would be re-routed to Carnival's private port.

Amber Cove is Carnival's "exclusive port" in the Dominican Republic, located close to Taino Bay.

I've had itinerary changes in the past, but I've never heard of a Royal Caribbean ship visiting a rival port. Not only was it unusual, but I had never been to any Carnival private area.

While surreal, my visit to Amber Cove was a fun experience where I was surprised five times.

It's not run at all by Carnival

Upon arrival at Amber Cove, it became clear a private port run by Carnival is not like a Royal Caribbean private island.

While Carnival owns the port, it leases out everything and it's all run by third party vendors.

I expected to see far more Carnival branding, but was surprised to not find much.

Since the shops, restaurants, and bars are all operated by independent vendors, it felt less like "Carnival land" and more like a port of call that just happens to be owned by Carnival.

Unlike Perfect Day at CocoCay, there was no army of crew members descending from the cruise ship to staff the island.  

Also, anything you paid for required cash or credit card.  I was concerned I might be at a disadvantage because I didn't have a cruise card from a Carnival ship.  But when I went to the swim-up bar in the pool to get a drink, I was able to use my phone's tap to pay option.

One of the biggest takeaways that while Amber Cove is owned by Carnival, it didn't feel like an extension of the cruise line.

Cabanas were cheap

After the announcement was made we'd go to Amber Cove, I reached out to my friends at Eat Sleep Cruise for a recommendation of what to do there. They recommended I rent a cabana.

Unfortunately, there were no advanced reservations available to be made on the ship. So I had to wait and see what was left to rent once I arrived.

Amber Cove has a few different cabanas you can rent, somewhat similar to Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee. Over the water, hill top, and pool cabanas were some of the options.

When I asked about renting a cabana, I was told I could get one of the over the water cabanas for just $500.

I was astounded by how low a price this was, considering cabanas at Royal Caribbean's private destinations can easily cost two to three times that.

The water slide they had for an extra cost was also quite inexpensive, at just $6 per person for unlimited rides.

While I can't comment how close the quality of the cabanas are to Royal Caribbean's (I didn't think I needed a cabana for just myself cruising solo), the pricing difference was rather notable.

There's no beach

I knew Amber Cove had a pool, but I couldn't believe there wasn't a beach.

Amber Cove has plenty of shore excursions you can take to take you to a nearby beach. Unlike CocoCay or Labadee, you're not relegated to just the port.

I think the rationale may simply be there are so many beautiful beaches in and around Puerto Plata, Carnival felt let folks take a quick trip if that's what they desire.

Instead, Amber Cove has a resort-style pool with swim-up bar, waterslides, a lazy river and plenty of lounge chairs.

It's clear Taino Bay copied Amber Cove

After realizing Amber Cove isn't that similar at all to CocoCay, I saw more similarities to Taino Bay.

Our cruise visited Taino Bay the day before, which is the port in Puerto Plata Royal Caribbean cruise ships usually visit.

Amber Cove opened in 2015, but Taino Bay opened in 2021. 

• Both have a complimentary pool and lazy river
• Both have lots of independent restaurants and bars
• Both have souvenir shops run by third parties
• Both offer shore excursions to the outside area

In my opinion, the folks that designed and built Taino Bay took a lot of inspiration from Amber Cove.  I'm not saying they straight out copied it, but the similarities are there.

While Taino Bay's lazy river feels more like a lazy river than Amber Cove's version, Amber Cove doesn't feel like a giant maze and is far easier to navigate.

It's a lot less like any Royal Caribbean private island than I expected

The biggest surprise to me is how much Amber Cove isn't like CocoCay.

Up until my visit there, I only had the context of Royal Caribbean's private operations. So I anticipated something more akin to a day there.

Instead, Amber Cove felt more like Costa Maya or Taino Bay than Labadee. If you've been to Falmouth in Jamaica, that might also be a better comparison.

I can see the advantages for Carnival to run it this way.  They get to make money from the lessees that do all the work and operate everything and don't have to commit manpower to make it happen.

That being said, I didn't get much of a Carnival vibe from the port.  When I'm at CocoCay, it feels like an extension of my Royal Caribbean ship.  I can't say I felt the same about Amber Cove.

In the end, I had a great time on my visit. 

It was a beautiful day and the pool was a lot of fun. Plus, I got to enjoy Nathan's hot dog and french fries for lunch!

I'm not daydreaming of returning, but at least now I know what to expect if I ever did.

Port Canaveral and PortMiami, among the busiest cruise locations in the world, set passenger records in 2025, reflecting higher cruise demand than ever.

PortMiami, one of the busiest cruise ports in the world, set passenger records for fiscal year 2025, which ran from Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2025, Miami officials said. 

The Miami cruise port welcomed 8,564,225 cruise passengers, which is a 4.02% increase in cruise passenger totals compared with 2024's record of 8,233,056. 

This doesn't come as a huge surprise, though. Miami is home to some of the world's newest and largest cruise ships, including Icon of the Seas, MSC World America, and Carnival Celebration. All offer weeklong voyages to the Eastern and Western Caribbean year-round. 

Moreover, MSC Cruises opened the world's largest cruise terminal in March. The 492,678-square-foot Terminal AA was designed to accommodate up to three ships from MSC’s World, Seaside, and Meraviglia Classes simultaneously — up to 36,000 embarking and disembarking passengers daily. 

The strong passenger growth also coincides with PortMiami’s booming cargo operations. During the 2024 fiscal year, PortMiami welcomed 1,115,058 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), marking the port's 11th consecutive year exceeding 1 million TEUs.

"PortMiami’s dual achievements highlight its dynamic role as both a cruise and cargo powerhouse, contributing billions to the local economy while advancing a future-ready vision of innovation, resiliency, and global connectivity," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

PortMiami Director and CEO Hydi Webb noted that the record-breaking numbers showcase "the dedication of [its] entire team and the strength of [its] partnerships with the cruise industry, cargo carriers, and the business community."

Meanwhile, Port Canaveral's numbers are even more impressive. During the 2025 fiscal year, the port welcomed a staggering 8,602,047 cruise passengers, up from 7,592,535 in 2024. 

This secured Port Canaveral's spot as the busiest cruise port in the world. Port Canaveral previously earned the record in 2022 but lost it the following year to PortMiami. 

Like PortMiami, some of the world's newest, largest ships homeport in Port Canaveral, including Utopia of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Carnival's Mardi Gras. 

Fiscal year 2026 kicked off on Oct. 1

It's poised to be an exciting one, too. Although neither Port Canaveral nor PortMiami is welcoming a new Royal Caribbean ship (Legend of the Seas is heading to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale), a slew of newer vessels will sail from Florida for the first time. 

For example, Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady embarked on a series of Caribbean cruises from PortMiami starting on Oct. 16. Additionally, Norwegian Luna, NCL's newest 3,571-passenger ship, will begin offering sailings from Miami in March 2026. 

If you've tried repricing a Royal Caribbean cruise lately, you may have had a harder time to get it done and it's not just you.

Royal Caribbean has offered the ability for guests to reprice their cruise if there's a lower price later, but many have reported the process has suddenly become more difficult.

On the Royal Caribbean message boards, gi333 posted, "Is it normal that Royal Caribbean doesn’t want to reprice as it is only for new bookings?"

"I called Royal directly and i was told the same information. Flash Sales are not eligible for reprice."

Their experience has been similar to others who have reported issues with getting the reprice to be honored.  

It appears the cruise line has changed the terms and conditions to make it more difficult, but not impossible to take advantage of a price drop.

A Reddit user claiming to "work in the pre-cruise department" of Royal Caribbean answered questions about the changes to repricing.

"Repricing is being restricted"

The cruise line employee offered to answer questions about anything related to promotions and booking creation, to which the question of what the current procedure is regarding repricing a booking.

The user responded, "managers are confirming that repricing is being restricted, and most sales now state new bookings only."

He recommends booking refundable fare to get around the change, "If you want price protection, the best strategy is to book early with a refundable deposit. You may also monitor fares and act quickly before final payment."

The problem with booking refundable fare is how much more it costs to book refundable fare instead of non-refundable fare.

Similar to airfare, refundable comes at a significantly higher cost.

He went on to explain the change is related to how the price is advertised, "Before final payment you can only reprice if the lower fare is not marked new bookings only. Many promotions now say new bookings only so they don’t apply."

"Most sales that I’m seeing today are for new bookings only, so existing reservations usually can't be adjusted."

"If new sale is marked new bookings only we cannot reprice. If it’s the same promo code and your category qualifies, and you’re before final payment, you can reprice your reservation."

He also added, "After final payment date no repricing allowed but we can upgrade your stateroom." From my personal experience, I haven't seen that to be the case.

Royal Caribbean has not issued any sort of official guidance on a general policy change, as terms and conditions for individual promotions are always disclosed in the fine print.

How to reprice a cruise

Depending on a few conditions, you can re-price a cruise.  

You must be a resident of select countries (US, Canada and others).  For example, residents of the UK cannot reprice due to local laws.

Second, you must find a lower price for the exact same stateroom category code as you had booked. 

Lastly, you must be before the final payment date. If you spot the same promo code and your category qualifies, and you’re before final payment, you can reprice your reservation.

Unfortunately, a last-minute price drop after the final payment date does not qualify.

Finding a lower price is up to the guest, as the cruise line will not notify you of a price drop.

At that point, you have to call Royal Caribbean (or your travel agent if you booked with them) to ask for a reprice.

Use a travel agent to make it easier

My best advice for managing your reservation, including taking advantage of price drops, is to use a good travel agent instead of booking directly with the cruise line.

A good travel agent should cost you nothing extra (Royal Caribbean pays them a commission) and they take care of working with the cruise line to adjust the cruise fare.

Beci Mahnken is the owner of MEI Travel, and talked about repricing now, "Royal Caribbean’s new ‘bookings only’ policy for offers creates challenges for travelers who expect value throughout the life of their reservation. When existing guests can no longer benefit from a lower rate later in the booking cycle, it may shift when and how people choose to book."

"Travel advisors work hard to build trust and loyalty, and consistency in pricing protections is a key part of that experience. I sincerely hope they re-evaluate this trend for the sake of both guests and long-term loyalty."

The anonymous Royal Caribbean manager from the Reddit post admitted travel agents, "can add significant value through perks and personalized services."

"TAs often lock in rates months or even years in advance for a block of staterooms. These rates stay fixed even if Royal raises prices later."

"Group rates stay locked so when public rates spike, your TA rate looks much better."

Cruisers who don't have the proper documentation when traveling to their embarkation port may soon face a pesky $45 fee. 

Although cruise lines don't require U.S. citizens to have a valid passport on round-trip sailings from the States, travelers still need proper identification when flying to the port. 

The REAL ID requirement isn't new and went into effect on May 7, 2025. However, flyers without a REAL ID-compliant license must pay a hefty fee effective February 2026. 

The Transportation Security Agency (TSA) announced that it will begin charging unprepared travelers a fee to verify their identity at the airport. The original proposal had the fee at $18, but the final amount was increased to $45. 

The modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, is designed to streamline the process for travelers who arrive without acceptable identification. The process will differ from airport to airport. That said, the TSA is working to offer online payment options, so travelers can pay before arriving at the airport. 

The $45 transaction is good for a 10-day travel period, meaning that many cruisers embarking on a 7-night voyage would only have to pay it once. Still, it's an annoying added expense — and one that is easily avoidable. 

According to the TSA, acceptable identification includes a REAL ID-compliant driver's license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), state-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL), valid passport book or passport card, permanent resident card, foreign government-issued passport, Veteran Health Identification Card, and U.S. Department of Defense ID, among others. 

"Identity verification is essential to traveler safety, because it keeps terrorists, criminals, and illegal aliens out of the skies and other domestic transportation systems such as rail," said Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Administrator for TSA Adam Stahl. 

"The vast majority of travelers present acceptable identification like REAL IDs and passports, but we must ensure everyone who flies is who they say they are...The security of the traveling public is our top priority, so we urge all travelers to get a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID as soon as possible to avoid delays and potentially miss flights."

Why you should not cruise without a passport

While your 3-night Bahamas cruise might not require a valid passport, now is the best time to go ahead and invest in one. Having a passport ensures you’re prepared for last-minute emergencies that could leave you stranded in a foreign port of call.

Moreover, you will not have to worry about getting a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, since a passport also serves as valid identification for domestic flights and will allow you to fly to your embarkation port with ease. 

Cruising without a passport means juggling extra paperwork, including a valid birth certificate, which can add extra stress to your vacation. 

Read more: You can take a cruise without a passport, but some require one

Many cruises require a passport, too. For example, if you want to sail on a one-way voyage through Alaska's picturesque Inside Passage or embark on a dreamy Mediterranean cruise, you'll need a passport. 

If you already have a passport, check its expiration date. If, for example, your upcoming cruise returns to Florida on August 1, 2027, your passport's expiration date should be no earlier than February 1, 2028. 

This is because most destinations require passports to be valid for at least six months after your planned return date to account for unexpected delays and emergencies. 

According to the U.S. Department of State's website, the current routine processing time for passports is 4-6 weeks. However, you can pay an extra $60 for the expedited process, which takes 2-3 weeks. Note that passport processing times don't include shipping.

While sailing on the biggest cruise ship in the world, I tried out a food hack that really improved a favorite snack.

Star of the Seas has so many great restaurants that cost nothing extra, but adding flavor to enhance them is an idea I saw on Tiktok to try.

Two of the restaurants are great on their own: Surfside Bites and El Loco Fresh.  But what if you combined the two?

The idea is simple, but I was impressed how good the end result was after trying it.

Here's how it works and why you should give it a whirl.

Hot and spicy popcorn chicken

Surfside Bites is located within the family neighborhood of Star of the Seas. Frankly, too many people avoid Surfside because they don't have kids and they're missing out on some good eats.

The food hack is to take the basket of popcorn chicken and then top it off.

I went to Surfside, which is right in the middle of the neighborhood near the carousel. 

There are just a few items on the menu, but the idea is to quickly grab it and be on your way.

I ordered a basket of popcorn chicken as the start.  The popcorn chicken is pretty good on its own, but because it's aimed at kids, flavor is at a minimum.

What I mean is the food is good, but I like some kick to my popcorn chicken.  

I took the basket and headed up to deck 15 and stopped at El Loco Fresh. It's not a short distance, but because of how well the destination elevators work on Star of the Seas, it's probably only a few minutes to get there.

El Loco Fresh is another included restaurant that has Mexican food for a quick meal.

I walked past all the tacos, burritos, and quesadillas on the buffet and right to the salsa bar.

The food hack is to grab your favorite hot sauce.  Royal Caribbean provides a few different hot sauces of varying heat levels.

My favorite hot sauce is the Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce, but you can certainly pick whichever you like best.

Pour the hot sauce on the chicken as liberally as you prefer. 

Then grab the ends of the paper the chicken comes in, close it up, and shake it up so the hot sauce gets applied evenly.

I was skeptical how much different the chicken would be just from the hot sauce.

The result is hot popcorn chicken and I was impressed how much better it tasted. Adding more flavor really kicked it up a notch.

I then added to the spice level by adding jalapeño peppers from the toppings bar and it was the best bar snack I've had in a while!

You could go crazy and add the various toppings to make it your own hack.

The only downside to this hack is the distance between Surfside and El Loco Fresh. The elevators make it easier, but it's not quite as close as I would have liked.

Almost as good as the first food hack I tried on this ship

I was inspired to find a new food hack after running across my first one earlier this year.

While on the first sailings of Star of the Seas, I heard about an idea to combine two foods that sounded too good to be true.

In this case, it was at Basecamp and to start with the tater tots. Just like the popcorn chicken, they're served in a basket and fine on their own.

Basecamp is even closer to El Loco Fresh than Surfside.  There's just a short walk down a nearby staircase, so it's quite convenient.

Once at El Loco Fresh, top the tater tots with hot sauce, salsa, or anything else you like.

I was worried it might make the tots too soggy, but since I was eating it almost immediately, it wasn't a problem.  Plus the toppings made it taste so much better.

The key is to try to eat it while the tater tots are still warm.  Once they cool down, I don't think the tots aren't nearly as good.

Royal Caribbean is offering a sale on cruises in honor of Cyber Monday. 

Guests can save up to $1,000 off cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, and more, as well as get free fares for 3rd and 4th passengers on select voyages. 

Cruises start at just $126 per person (before gratuities) and are available on sailings departing on or after December 2, 2025. 

Here's a look at Royal Caribbean's Cyber Monday sale highlights.

Up to $1,000 off in instant savings

Royal Caribbean's Cyber Monday sale is only valid on new bookings made on December 1, 2025. The instant savings vary based on stateroom category and sailing length:

5 nights or less

• Inside and Ocean View: $125 savings
• Balconies: $200 savings
• Suites: $400 savings

6 nights or longer

• Inside and Ocean View: $225 savings
• Balconies: $300 savings
• Suites: $1,000 savings

In addition to the instant savings, guests with confirmed bookings can take advantage of the Cruise Planner sale, which is seeing deep discounts on popular add-ons — up to 55% off. 

Sample cruise deals

The following cruises were priced as listed at the time of publication for three guests in an inside cabin:

• April 18-19, 2026: 1-night Southern Caribbean cruise on Serenade of the Seas, starting at $345
• January 13-16, 2026: 3-night Ensenada cruise on Navigator of the Seas, starting at $444
• January 26-31, 2026: 5-night Western Caribbean cruise on Enchantment of the Seas, starting at $734
• April 10-15, 2026: 5-night overnight Cabo cruise on Quantum of the Seas, starting at $1,045
• May 22-29, 2026: 7-night Southbound Alaska & Hubbard Glacier cruise on Ovation of the Seas, starting at $2,456
• June 7-12, 2026: 5-night Hamburg & Bruges cruise on Liberty of the Seas, starting at $1,441
• September 27-October 4, 2026: 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise on Star of the Seas, starting at $3,326
• October 16-19, 2026: 3-night Perfect Day cruise on Jewel of the Seas, starting at $767
• May 7-14, 2027: 7-night Alaska Adventure on Anthem of the Seas, starting at $2,054
• September 19-25, 2027: 6-night Western Caribbean cruise on Icon of the Seas, starting at $2,315

Royal Caribbean's inside cabins are the cheapest. Moreover, many of the above rates are for guarantee staterooms, meaning that Royal Caribbean will assign your specific cabin before your cruise; you cannot choose the exact room. 

Additionally, the newer the ship, the higher the price tends to be, even when taking into account the ongoing Cyber Monday sale. Vessels like Icon, Star, and Utopia of the Seas offer the latest amenities, entertainment, and dining options, which warrant premium prices. 

How to make the most of Royal Caribbean's Cyber Monday sale

Travelers looking to maximize savings should prioritize looking at shorter cruises on older ships. Booking early also increases the chances of securing a better rate before sought-after itineraries and cabins sell out. 

That said, we're seeing some good pricing on last-minute cruises in December and January. Excluding holiday weeks, many sailings are experiencing lower demand. 

For example, a 4-night Perfect Day cruise on Liberty of the Seas starts at $358 for two people in an inside cabin. However, you would have to be flexible and be able to tie up loose ends by December 8, 2025. 

If you don't see a sailing you like, Cyber Monday is also a great time to book add-ons for upcoming cruises. Here's a glimpse at what my Cruise Planner is offering on drink and Wi-Fi packages, specialty meals, and more:

5-night Europe cruise on Liberty of the Seas in June 2026

• Deluxe Beverage Package: $58.99/night
• All-In Package: Drinks, Dining & WiFi: $99.99/night
• VOOM Internet Package: $17.99/night
• Unlimited Dining Package: $26.99/night

3-night Bahamas cruise on Utopia of the Seas in July 2026

• Deluxe Beverage Package: $53.99/night
• Deluxe Beverage Package (Full Cruise) + Royal Beach Club Open Bar Day Pass: $110.99/night
• VOOM Internet Package: $21.99/night
• Unlimited Dining Package: $38.99/night
• Hideaway Beach: $61.99/person
• Coco Beach Club Day Pass: $159.99/person

Maximize your Cyber Monday purchase

When booking cruises, don't forget to use a credit card that earns bonus points on travel purchases. It is an easy way to earn extra rewards that can help cover the cost of pre-cruise incidentals, including airfare and hotels!

Here are some travel credit cards that can help you maximize your cruise purchase:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: 2 points/$1 spent on travel
• Capital One® Venture X Card: 2 points/$1 on everyday spend, including travel
• American Express® Green Card: 3 points/$1 on travel

Cyber Monday is also a great time to look into other travel deals. 

For example, I've been eyeing flights from Charlotte to Orlando in July for a cruise on Utopia of the Seas. American Airlines (my preferred airline due to status and flight availability) wants around $440 per person, or around $880 for my partner and me. 

However, by taking advantage of the Atmos points sale, I bought enough points to cover our flights for just $375 when booking through Alaska Airlines, an AA partner. 

I had a great time sailing on the world's largest cruise ship for 7-nights, but I couldn't help but notice others onboard made mistakes that could have been avoided.

It's not my job to correct anyone on the ship, but the cruise writer in me naturally notices when these faux pas' occur.  I assume it's like how a marketing executive might always internally critique how other businesses advertise.

Some of these mistakes are typical for first time cruisers, while others are ones that anyone could have made.  Regardless, I wanted to highlight these so you can be aware of them now to avoid making them yourself!

Here are the six mistakes I saw other cruisers make while I was on Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas this past week.

The gym had so many people not knowing the rules

I try to take advantage of the fitness center on any Royal Caribbean ship once or twice per sailing because their equipment is so much better than my home gym.  

I pre-booked a fitness trainer to help guide me through a workout, but he had to talk to no less than five or six other guests in less than an hour about the gym rules.

The number one mistake guests made was not wearing the proper footwear.  Royal Caribbean's rules are anyone in the gym must be wearing shoes.  Flip flops, sandals, Crocs, or Uggs don't count as acceptable footwear.

Proof Matt was in the fitness center

This rule is in place for safety reasons, and each of these people were asked to halt their workout and go put on shoes.

The other mistake were underage guests using the gym. The fitness center is for adults, although teens may use it.

In the cast of teens, they need to get a permission paper signed by their parent authorizing them to use it under the guidance of their parent.  

Younger kids are not allowed to use the gym.

I think some people missed the ship in one port

On our visit to Costa Maya, Mexico, it's clear half a dozen passengers either were late or missed the ship.

We had odd hours in port, 7:30am to 1:30pm, so while it's not typical port times, it's not an excuse for ignorance.

As the all aboard time came and went, Star of the Seas blew its horn multiple times and then there were two different announcements over the public address system asking certain people to go to Guest Services if they are onboard.

Being left behind at a port is probably one of the worst cruise mistakes you can make, so the key is to manage your time closely.

I always plan to return to the port at least 1-2 hours before all aboard time to assure any traffic or bathroom breaks do not make us late.

Also, be sure to set your phone or watch to ship time. I turn off automatic time zone changes on my phone to prevent confusion with this.

If you're ever confused what time it is on the ship, the Royal Caribbean app always has the time in the top corner.

Paid too much for the drink package

When I see a passenger buying a Royal Caribbean drink package on the ship, I shake my head in disbelief because of how much they overpaid for it.

I don't have a problem with anyone buying a drink package, but it costs significantly more on the ship. Like almost double.

There are so many sales and opportunities before the cruise begins to buy a drink package at a discounted cost that there's simply no excuse for waiting to buy it onboard.

I suspect many that do purchase it on the ship might either do so impulsively or after they realize they do indeed want it to cap their drink spending.  Everyone's allowed to change their mind, but if you're on the fence about it, go ahead and pre-purchase it and save yourself hundreds of dollars later.

Skipped Surfside because they didn't have kids

If you sail on Icon of the Seas or Star of the Seas and avoid Surfside completely because you don't have kids, you are missing out on some great food options!

I get it, you think Surfside is just for families and young kids and you're imagining the IKEA ball pit room multiplied by a factor of 10, but it's worth going there for the restaurants.

Pier 7 is vastly underrated as a great and inexpensive specialty restaurant.

Considering you can pre-book brunch there for just $8 and kids under 12 eat free, I think it's worth a reservation.  Plus, they have some really good food choices you can't get elsewhere.

Equally compelling is Surfside Eatery.  It's considered the "kids buffet", but they have a lot of food adults would want too.  

On embarkation day, they had a much less crowded buffet with lobster and filet mignon! 

Lost out on casino free play

Did you know Royal Caribbean's casino gives everyone a few dollars to gamble for free?

It's just a few dollars, and it's meant as an incentive to get you in the casino and try your luck.  They're hoping a few spins is enough to compel you to put your own money in too.  But with the right amount of self control, you might hit it big.

Plus, if you gamble with your free play in the first 48 hours of the sailing, you get a bonus free play of an additional two dollars.

You're right to think it's not a lot, but I'll take free money to gamble with any day.  It's "use it or lose it".

One person flagrantly cheated the service animal rule

One family on my cruise almost certainly cheated Royal Caribbean's service animal allowance and it bothered me so much because their selfish act not only is wrong, but it diminishes the important role real service dogs serve.

To be fair, I don't know for a fact this dog wasn't a service animal, but the vest the dog had on was just about the cheapest "vest" I've ever seen.  Plus, on some days it didn't have the vest on at all.

I also noticed the dog was leading the person on the leash and consistently sniffing around as it walked.  

I could be completely wrong, but it left me (and others) in disbelief this was a service animal. This isn't the first time I've seen a so-called service dog on a ship and doing things service animals shouldn't be doing.  

Emotional support animals are not allowed, and neither are regular pets. I love dogs, but the rules are in place for a reason, and buying a service animal vest on Amazon doesn't make your pet a service dog.

With Cyber Monday, it's the perfect time to stock up on the things cruisers love at deep discounts.

Royal Caribbean has its own sale running on different pre-cruise purchases, but this is one of the best times of the year to buy essential travel items that can make your cruise better.

We looked at the things our team swears by when they cruise and found which ones are cheaper today with Cyber Monday sale running.

Note: We receive a small commission if you purchase any products from our affiliate links below. Purchasing from these links costs you nothing extra, but helps support our site. All prices below were accurate at the time of publication. Prices may change during the sale based on availability. Check out our Amazon Storefront for more cruise and travel favorites! 

Apple AirTags

Not only are Apple AirTags really useful for flights, they can come in handy when cruising too.

These small tabs help travelers track their suitcases via Bluetooth.

The AirTag is a small, button-shaped tracking device that can be tracked using Bluetooth right alongside Apple devices in the Find My app.

• Apple AirTags (four-pack) for $62.99 (normally $99; a 36% discount)
• Apple AirTag (individual) for $17.97 (normally $29; a 38% discount)
• Tile by Life360 four-pack for $39.99 (normally $79.99; a 50% discount)

EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter

Of all the products that I've bought to help expand power options in my stateroom, EPICKA's power adaptor is the best one.

It has two USB-A and USB-C outlets, has a power plug, and works with US, EU, and UK power outlets. So it will work in your cabin as well as in hotels around the world.

• EPICKA universal travel adapter for $15.99 (normally $24.99; a 36% discount)

JISULIFE Portable Handheld Fan

Whether you're in the Caribbean, Europe, or Australia, it can get really hot and cooling off is all you can think of.

A portable fan is something you can take around the ship, on deck, or on a shore excursion. Actually, it's doubly useful on a shore excursion.

• JISULIFE Portable Handheld Fan, for $13.67 (normally $17.99, a 24% discount)

Gin-Gins anti-nausea ginger chews

There are a lot of anti-nausea treatments, and one that has gotten a lot of good reviews are these Gin-Gins.

Seasickness can affect even the most well-seasoned cruiser, including myself. It's not fun and it can ruin your day.

• Gin-Gins anti-nausea ginger chews 1-pound bag, $12.38 (normally $15.49)

30-piece magnetic hooks

One of the best cabin hacks out there has been to bring magnetic hooks because of how versatile they can be.

Because there isn't as much storage space as families might need in their cabin, magnetic storage hooks help a lot. You can hang hats, swim suits, towels, and plenty of other clothes.

• 30-piece magnetic hooks, $8.48 (normally $9.98, a 15% discount)

Magnetic multi-angle phone tripod stand

Thanks to Royal Caribbean's high speed internet, I've seen more people than ever streaming from their device while on a cruise.

Having a way to prop up your phone makes it easier, plus you can use it while traveling in an airplane too.

This particular one uses the MagSafe to attach your phone so it snaps on easily

• Magnetic multi-angle phone tripod stand, $31.99 (normally $39.99, a 20% discount)

NISHEL Travel Toiletry Bag

The ladies on my team bring a good travel toiletry bag to make it simple to pack everything up, unpack, and then get back again.

It's perfect for skincare, makeup, and cosmetics nearly stored without cluttering the (very small) bathroom vanity.

• NISHEL Travel Toiletry Bag, $14.32 (normally $17.99, a 20% discount)

Wireless Charger 3 in 1

A wireless charging station eliminates the need to bring multiple cords for different devices, such as your phone, smart watch, and wireless headphones. 

With it, you can charge all of your devices at once.

• Wireless Charger 3 in 1, $17.98 (normally $29.99, a 40% discount)

Hydro Flask Water Bottle

Aside from magnets, a high quality reusable water bottle is probably the top thing I see cruisers bring aboard.

Hydro Flask has a great line of bottles that make it easy to keep water cool and plentiful.

• Hydro Flask Water Bottle, $33.71 (normally $44.95, a 25% discount)