Matt shares advice for anyone that's new to cruising or just Royal Caribbean and how to get started.
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Going on a back-to-back cruise means doing more than one cruise on the same cruise ship, and it's a popular way for passengers to extend their vacation fun beyond any published itinerary.
If you have ever gotten to the end of a trip and thought to yourself, "wouldn't it be nice to stay longer?", then a back-to-back cruise might be exactly what you want.
Many veteran cruisers will do multiple cruises in a row as a way to spend more time on a ship. Doing a back-to-back cruise comes with its own set of nuances and procedures that may give someone trying it for the first time a little bit of concern.
The good news is a back-to-back cruise is as fun as it sounds, and a very smooth process. Here's what you need to know about it all.
When someone says they are doing a back-to-back cruise, it means they are doing multiple cruises in a row on the same ship.
Rather than get off the ship at the end of the cruise, they are remaining onboard for another sailing.
Royal Caribbean refers to such guests "Consecutive Cruisers".
A similar concept is when someone goes on a sailing on one ship and then disembarks to board a different ship right after. That is known as a "side-to-side" cruise.
There are many reasons to consider doing more than one cruise in a row. The most obvious is to prolong your vacation, but there are other rationales as well.
Back to back cruises can allow you to maximize the value of your airfare. Rather than fly down for a 3-night cruise, doing a back-to-back means you get more time on the ship to justify the airline price.
In addition, doing a back-to-back cruise can expand the ports you visit. It is not uncommon for a ship to sail one itinerary and then follow it up with a different itinerary. In the Caribbean, ships often alternative between Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries. A back-to-back allows you to do both.
Speaking of itineraries, it also has an advantage if you are considering an open-jaw sailing. In Alaska, some sailings begin in one port and end in another. By doing a back-to-back, you can avoid having to deal with flying to and from different cities.
The procedure for a back-to-back cruise is usually the same for most passengers.
Once on board the first cruise it's always a good idea to stop by Guest Services and ensure they have you on the list as a consecutive cruiser, otherwise they expect you to leave like a regular guest at the end of the first cruise.
Towards the end of the first sailing, passengers staying onboard for the next sailing will receive a letter in their stateroom on what to do on turnaround day.
In most cases, the letter instructs the passenger to report to a venue at a specific time.
When they arrive, a crew member will take their name and stateroom and sign them in. Once all the other passengers are off the ship, guests staying onboard are escorted to the gangway where they scan their old SeaPass card and then are given new SeaPass cards to scan to begin the next sailing.
In the United States, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) dictates the process for consecutive cruisers. More often than not they will require all guests disembark so that the ship reaches "zero count" before they allow guests for the next sailing to begin boarding.
In some ports, consecutive cruisers are sometimes walked off the ship and into the terminal before returning onboard. In either case, back-to-back cruisers are the last passengers off the ship and the first ones back onboard.
Sometimes consecutive cruisers are offered a special lunch or sometimes they are offered sparkling wine and mimosas upon reboarding. This varies from ship to ship.
There are no specific back-to-back cruises to book; you simply book two cruises that happen to be one right after the other.
You book them as two separate cruises. It's on you or your travel agent to find cabins that meet your needs.
A good idea is to use two web browsers so you can do searches for cabins on two different dates at the same time. Find two dates and looking at each in a different browser to find cabins that are the same... or better yet, ask a travel agent to look for you.
You can always book another cruise later on and turn it into a back-to-back, but you are less likely to find the same cabin.
If you booked the same stateroom, yes. Ultimately, it is up to you to book the same room.
The most desirable back-to-back sailing often means booking the same cabin for both cruises. There is no check box for this when searching for cruise, it's up to you or your travel agent to find a cabin that is available to book for both cruises. This is easier to do when booking cruises that are far in the future.
When booking the cruises closer to sail date, it's often difficult or impossible to book the same cabin for both cruises. The cruise line offers no assistance in this effort and they will not ask someone to change cabins so that you can stay on for the next cruise.
The advantage of having the same cabin for both sailings is you can leave your belongings in the cabin between cruises and even access your cabin while other rooms are being changed.
This is a bit of gray area, but usually your stateroom attendant will assist in the moving of luggage from one cabin to another.
Talk to your stateroom attendant towards the end of the first sailing about how to best move your belongings. Some attendants will offer to move everything for you, and some will instruct you to leave your bags outside the room to be moved.
To be perfectly honest, I always tip the stateroom attendant first for a job well done, and then ask about how to best move my luggage for the next sailing.
Generally there is no discount for doing multiple cruises in a row.
Royal Caribbean does not recognize a back-to-back cruise as anything but two separate reservations that just happen to be right after each other.
In some situations, there has been a discount offered for passengers to stay onboard for another sailing by booking the next sailing at the NextCruise office. This tends to be rare, and not something to count on being offered.
Yes, maritime law requires all passengers to conduct the mandatory safety drill on a cruise, regardless of if you did it last week or not.
While you are doing consecutive cruises, each cruise is a separate sailing, and the Coast Guard makes no distinction between someone going on more than one sailing and someone on for just one cruise.
Royal Caribbean welcomes guests to do as many back-to-back cruises as they as they wish, including kids of any vaccination status.
There was a restriction on unvaccinated kids doing back-to-back cruises on the first sailings to return in 2021, but that has since changed.
The travel requirements and health protocols are the same as a single cruise, and back-to-back cruisers will need to meet all those requirements.
All guests 2 years of age and older, regardless of vaccination status, are required to take a COVID-19 test producing negative results between each sailing. This test will be arranged by Royal Caribbean at no expense to the guest, as long as your consecutive cruises are less than 3 days apart.
Something easily overlooked when planning to do more than one cruise in a row is laundry. You'll need to pack wisely when your overall journey is longer.
Some items can be repeated such as formal wear for both cruises. Some items, like bathing suits, can be rinsed and hung to dry so they work for both cruises.
Sometimes you just need to bring more clothes and more suitcases to last for both cruises, or just plan to pay for laundry services on board. Royal Caribbean offers "wash and fold" specials that are not cheap, but not overly expensive either.
Getting off a cruise ship is different from checking out from a hotel, and there are some good tips for having a smooth process getting off the ship.
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From unlimited ice cream on the pool deck to the teen clubs and lucrative loyalty perks, there are plenty of reasons to bring your kids on your next Royal Caribbean cruise.
As a former cruise kid myself, I am a huge advocate for cruising as a family. The fun is endless onboard for kids, and the quality family time can’t be matched. Also, adding a 3rd or 4th person to a reservation is usually heavily discounted, making it very affordable to cruise as a family.
While there’s certainly a time and place for childless vacations, taking your kids on a cruise can have a lasting impact on their lives.
One of the biggest reasons I would encourage you to take your kids on a cruise is to take advantage of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor program. This is a lifetime loyalty program that can have huge benefits for your kids down the road.
When we started to cruise with Royal Caribbean in 2006, my sister and I inherited our parents’ Gold Crown and Anchor status. Taking a family cruise became a yearly tradition for us, one that I eagerly looked forward to each year. My sister and I continued to earn loyalty points for each night at sea, allowing us to slowly work our way through each tier.
Once we turned 18, we each retained our earned Diamond status. Effectively, we earned this through a combination of inheriting points from our parents and continuing to cruise as a family.
We still loved to cruise even as my sister and I went to college, which allowed us to earn Diamond+ status in our early 20s. This is something we will carry with us for the rest of our lives!
My Diamond Plus status also transferred to my husband after we got married in 2018. With one phone call to Royal Caribbean, they joined our accounts together.
Moving forward, our C&A points are tied; so even if we cruise without the other, our statuses will always be the same. This has been a huge benefit for us, as the Diamond+ drink vouchers alone save us $800 on a 7 day cruise!
Similar to my experience, I believe our future children would also inherit our Diamond Plus status, creating 3 generations of Crown and Anchor loyalty with Royal Caribbean.
Aside from loyalty perks, Royal Caribbean truly creates an awesome environment for kids of all ages. Onboard activities are plentiful, from insane waterslides to ship-wide scavenger hunts.
There is also a unique opportunity to meet other kids through the Teen Program and Adventure Ocean. This program is an excellent resource to keep your kids entertained throughout your cruise.
As a young cruiser, Royal Caribbean’s Teen Program totally transformed cruising for me. I made friends from all over the world, which was such a unique experience to have as a teenager. I would spend the day with my family and then meet up with my new friends after dinner. On the sea days, we would spend the whole day exploring the ship and having the best time.
More than 12 years later, I still keep in touch with friends that I met through the teen program. Luckily, social media makes it easy to stay connected through all these years. I’ve actually met up with one friend multiple times since we first met onboard the Explorer of the Seas in 2008.
Cruising as a kid also offers the opportunity to try many new foods and experiences.
My parents would encourage us to try something new each night at dinner. In fact, this was the first time I tried caesar salads and steak! My parents emphasized that I could always order something different if I didn’t like what I tried. My sister, who was notoriously picky, expanded her palette immensely because of cruising.
At a young age, I also started to develop a worldly perspective by experiencing different cultures. We were exposed to so much at a young age by visiting different ports of call.
Locals and tour guides in each of the ports were always excited to share their culture with us. My parents loved to chat with our wait staff each night at dinner, asking about their families and home countries. I didn’t really experience this type of diversity back home in South Dakota.
In high school, we started to take cruises with more interesting itineraries. We found that cruising around Europe was a great way to visit numerous new countries without worrying about logistics. Not only did we have really cool experiences in the ports, but we also met so many nice cruisers from all over the world onboard.
Cruising played an instrumental role throughout my childhood and into my adult life. I have no doubt that cruising at a young age instilled within me a deep appreciation for travel.
My love for being at sea has followed me through life. In college, I jumped at the opportunity to study abroad by enrolling in a program called Semester at Sea. I spent 105 days traveling the world on a ship, visiting 12 countries and 4 continents. We took classes during sea days and spent 4-6 days in each port. To this day, it’s been the most rewarding and extraordinary experience of my life.
Some of my biggest life moments have also happened while cruising.
At the ripe age of 16, my lifelong travel dream came true when we cruised around Northern Europe. Our ship docked in Le Havre, France, which is the closest port to Paris. We spent the day touring the City of Love, cruising down the River Seine and gawking all day at the Eiffel Tower. It was just as magical as the movies!
After graduating college, my now-husband and I got engaged on a bridge in Venice while cruising the Mediterranean with both of our families. We went back the following year to visit the bridge again and cruise from Venice to Croatia and Greece for our honeymoon.
Just this summer, we celebrated my MBA graduation and my husband’s military pilot training completion on an Alaskan cruise. It’s been so special to commemorate these life events at sea.
I’ve also continued to cruise with my family. In July 2019, we cruised around Japan from China. We have 2 cruises planned for 2022 (fingers crossed!). Even as my sister and I have become adults on our own, we still love to cruise as a family and appreciate the time we can all spend together at sea.
I’m forever thankful that my parents valued the opportunity for me to travel, learn and experience different cultures throughout my childhood.
When you think of budget travel, cruising might not be the first thing that comes to your mind. Budget travel can often be associated with sleeping on overnight trains and lugging around an oversized backpack from one hostel to the next. However, cruising can be a hidden gem for those looking to travel on a budget.
Cruises offer an incredible travel experience with an easy, all-inclusive vacation style that cuts out nearly all of the typical logistics of traveling. Each morning you’ll wake up with a new view of a different country or city without even needing to repack your bags.
Here's a break down of how cruising with Royal Caribbean can not only ease your travels, but also offer a very affordable vacation.
Time is limited on vacation, and it’s understandable you want to squeeze in as much experience and culture as possible.
Unlike land-based vacations, cruises give you the ability to easily see multiple countries on a single voyage without worrying about any logistics or coordination. Lucky for Royal Caribbean cruisers, there’s so much to see both on and off the ship that you’ll undoubtedly get the most bang for your buck.
Most travelers might not consider cruising because of a preconceived notion that it’s too expensive or doesn’t cater to a younger demographic. While some cruise lines still market towards older travelers, Royal Caribbean has continued to both innovate and renovate its ships to appeal to younger travelers.
Royal Caribbean is an excellent choice for younger travelers looking to spend their hard-earned money on memorable travel experiences - without sacrificing cultural experiences!
Most itineraries allow for 8-12 hours in each city if you’re looking to optimize port stays. Some cruises even offer multiple nights in one port to allow extra time for exploration.
Take a note from Millennial travelers - you don’t need to skimp on luxury to enjoy an affordable vacation. Millennials have actually been lowering the average age of cruisers within previous years. Gone are the days where budget travel means staying in a hostel and backpacking between cities.
While hostels can certainly be affordable, there could be multiple strangers sleeping in close quarters and sharing your bathroom. You might be paying for train tickets, taxi rides, airline tickets and bus fares to travel between cities. Buying 3 meals a day can also add up quickly unless you prefer living off granola bars or skipping meals.
In this way, cruises can end up being more affordable when adding together daily travel expenses - from food each day to transportation costs and accommodations. Also, the time you typically spend traveling between cities is now spent as extra time relaxing onboard or exploring the port.
Cruising is so efficient that you’ll be shocked how much you can squeeze into your travel days.
Picture this: you spent all day exploring the ancient temple of Kek Lok Si in Penang, Malaysia. You hiked up so many steps to visit the temple and enjoyed some local shopping along the way. Lunch was enjoyed at a Malaysian food-court where you tried the coolest shaved-ice dessert concoction. You learned all about the history of the city from your local guide.
It was a great day immersing yourself in the culture and sights of the city; however, you’re sweaty and sticky from exploring in the scorching heat of Southeast Asia.
Instead of heading to your hostel or budget accommodation, you head back to your ship docked in the city. You’re welcomed back to your air conditioned cabin, which has been meticulously cleaned by your stateroom attendant.
After taking a much-needed shower, you head to dinner for a delicious 3-course meal in the dining room.
The evening ends with a Broadway-style musical onboard in the theatre. While you loved trying the local delicacies at lunch, relaxing with a familiar meal at the end of the day is just what you needed. Tomorrow you’ll be arriving in Phuket, Thailand for another full day of exploring, so it’s time for bed in your cozy, clean cabin.
This scenario is a great example of why you should consider cruising - you can have elements of luxury and vacation while still immersing yourself in different cultures. Visiting different ports and exploring the world is exhilarating, while coming back to the ship is both comforting and relaxing.
The ship is a safe and comfortable home base to return to each night. Not having to worry about logistics and travel coordination is also a huge benefit of cruising that will definitely put your mind (and wallet!) at ease.
When it comes to pricing, cruise fares cover lodging, transportation and food all in one price and place. If you’re flexible with your travel schedule, off-season itineraries and dates can offer very low fares.
Repositioning cruises and last-minute sailings can also offer very low rates if your schedule allows. For an inside cabin, plenty of Royal Caribbean cruises can cost less than $100/day. You can even find some cruises for half that price depending on the sailing date.
For example, you could cruise on the Rhapsody of the Seas from Venice and visit Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Rome and Florence for 7 nights in June 2022 for $75/day. One repositioning cruise in November 2022 sails from Barbados to Spain with stops in Portugal, France and The Azores. This sailing costs only $49/day for an inside cabin.
Another affordable option includes a 7 night cruise to Russia, Sweden, Finland and Estonia for only $88 a day on the Voyager of the Seas in July 2022. These are just a few examples of affordable and culturally immersive itineraries offered by Royal Caribbean.
While you could easily spend more on your sailing, it’s not difficult to stick to your prepaid cruise fare throughout your trip. Independent exploration while in port can cut down extensively on costs, along with enjoying meals on the ship whenever it fits your schedule.
With some planning and flexibility, cruising gives you the opportunity to see the world while traveling in luxury, even on a budget.
When I first started to travel in my early 20s, I was all about budget accommodations, including hostels, cheap motels and sketchy Airbnbs. I wanted to be as cheap as possible, even if it meant sacrificing comfort. I’d pack a protein bar to get me through lunch, meaning I only had to buy 1-2 meals a day.
I learned quickly that these accommodations were not worth the savings. I ended up having elevated anxiety when traveling. I was constantly worried about my belongings getting stolen, especially my passport or money.
I also didn’t love the idea of sharing a room with a stranger or staying in a private room of an Airbnb host.
Once I started doing the math, I realized that cruising was essentially the same price when I added in all my travel costs.
Staying on the ship also offered safety, reliability, and comfort that I couldn’t find with other budget accommodations.
I started to cruise because I wanted to see the world on a budget – and I never returned to the hostel life.
From the time of its inception, cruising was immediately stereotyped as an exclusive type of vacation geared towards older travelers.
Within the last decade, many cruise lines have opted to innovate ships and experiences to attract a younger generation of cruisers. Ships are tossing out classic cruising protocol to create a more relaxed and adventure-packed atmosphere at sea. Cruise lines have shifted marketing efforts to attract thrill-seekers, foodies and world travelers alike.
From ship to shore, below are 5 reasons that young travelers should consider cruising for their next adventure.
When you think of cruising, the Caribbean likely comes to mind. Although Royal Caribbean loves to focus its itineraries on ports throughout the Caribbean, there are plenty of itineraries that feature exotic ports of call.
These itineraries often appeal to those looking for a more unique experience, one that packs multiple countries and cultures into one voyage. Some of these cool locations include: the Arctic Circle, the Holy Land, Japan and China, Southeast Asia, British Isles, South Pacific, the Canary Islands and Russian Baltic cruises.
So you’ve always wanted to climb the Great Wall of China in Beijing or cliff jump into the Adriatic Sea in Croatia? Maybe you’ve dreamed of sipping wine in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris or gorging on authentic pasta in ancient Rome. You may not realize that you can actually visit all of these bucket-list locations by cruising!
Other incredible experiences include visiting the Church of Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg, walking around the floating villages of Thailand, crossing the famous Shibuya Scramble in Tokyo, watching a gorgeous sunset in Santorini, riding a gondola in Venice, and seeing the Northern Lights in Norway.
70's discos and casino night not your thing? No worries!
Cruise ships have all kinds of high-quality and trendy entertainment for your enjoyment. Full-length Broadway shows, including Mamma Mia, Grease and Hairspray, are widely available on Royal’s ships (likely to be found on Oasis and Quantum-class ships).
Other premium entertainment options include world-class acrobats, Olympic figure skaters, famous comedians, talented vocalists and crazy jugglers.
Royal Caribbean has been actively building and renovating ships that scream ‘thrill-seeking’. Ice skating and rock climbing have been classic thrills offered by the cruise line for years.
Recently, the thrills have been amplified for onboard activities. The North Star on Quantum-class ships allows travelers to board a glass-enclosed pod that lifts above the ship to provide 360-degree views. The SkyPad trampoline park gives cruisers virtual-reality glasses to take their jumping to the next level.
For newer ships, huge waterslides and the 10-story Ultimate Abyss slide will surely have you smiling from ear to ear. Oasis-class ships featured the first zip-line at sea, giving cruisers the opportunity to fly over the ship’s Central Park with stunning views of the sea. Your adventurous heart will run out of time to partake in all the onboard thrills!
One of the best features of cruising is all of the amazing food available! Nearly all the food onboard is included in your cruise fare, making the ship a foodie’s paradise.
For many years, dining onboard felt stuffy, formal and too-structured. Royal Caribbean introduced My Time Dining to offer cruisers flexibility each day to choose their dining time. Food is from the moment you wake up until your bed hits the pillow each night. Quantum-class ships offer 15 different restaurants for cruisers to choose from.
Specialty dining also offers luxurious food options, such as Izumi for sushi and Jame’s Italian by Chef Jamie Oliver.
Ten days ago, my first cruise came to an end as I disembarked Mariner of the Seas in Port Canaveral.
Before my sailing, I wrote about what I thought I should do on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Having worked as the video editor for the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel for the past year, I felt adequately prepared for my first cruise experience.
Inevitably, though, I found myself saying “I wish I had done that!” several times during and after the cruise. Things like booking a shore excursion, packing differently, and pre-planning in the Cruise Planner would have made my cruise experience smoother.
And while I don’t have any major regrets about my first cruise experience, here are a few things I wish I did differently.
Looking back, I wish I had planned my day in Nassau better. I was originally considering booking a shore excursion through Royal Caribbean but ultimately decided against it. As a newbie, I figured that I could easily go with the flow in Nassau, but this was not necessarily the case.
Nassau is still fairly quiet following the cruise industry shutdown. As I walked off the pier, many shops were still closed and the port area was slightly eerie. After asking some locals where to go, my sister and I decided to walk to Junkanoo Beach. We weren't that impressed with Junkanoo, so we decided to taxi to Atlantis. When we got to Atlantis, we realized we needed a day pass to explore the resort, but it was really pricey. Therefore, we decided to taxi to Cabbage Beach, a free beach nearby.
Finally, we arrived in paradise! Cabbage Beach is very clean, with turquoise water and soft white sand. However, at nearly the exact moment we laid down, it started to thunderstorm.
Needless to say, we decided to taxi back to the ship and call it a day.
Since Nassau is such a popular port for cruises, I thought that it would be much easier to navigate and figure out what to do once I got off the ship. I didn't find this to be the case, though, and I would recommend doing more research beforehand if your cruise stops in Nassau.
The coffee card is something I did not know about before my cruise but wish I had!
Royal Caribbean offers a "Cafe Select Coffee Card" available on the Cruise Planner website. By purchasing the card, you can enjoy up to 15 specialty espresso-based beverages during your cruise, such as lattes, macchiatos, and iced coffees.
I wrote in my last post how I did not regret not buying the drink package because I didn't think I would have gotten the value out of it. At $71 per day, I would have to drink 5-7 drinks to meet the daily price, which I personally don't think I would have been able to do.
A few days during my cruise, though, I purchased a latte from Cafe Promenade. It was nice to sip a coffee while people watching at the Promenade, or take the latte back to my balcony and watch the waves go by. At around $5 each, though, these added up quickly.
For my upcoming sailing next week, I purchased the Cafe Select Coffee Card for $31 on the Cruise Planner website. Since I can get up to 15 espresso-based beverages with the card, the price works out to around $2 per drink instead of $5.
However, after searching for information about the coffee card on the Royal Caribbean Blog message boards, it seems that there may be different rules depending on the ship. Some guests mentioned that “15 espresso-based beverages” actually means 15 shots of espresso, so if you were to order a large size, it may count as two punches on the card. This is something to keep in mind if your usual coffee order consists of two or three shots of espresso!
In each stateroom, Royal Caribbean provides a combination hair and body wash which is on the wall in the shower. Matt neglected to tell my sister and I that he refers to this as “mystery liquid” until the last day of our cruise. Needless to say, mystery liquid is probably a great description for it.
I am used to staying in hotels, where fairly good quality shampoo and conditioner are complimentary. I assumed this would also be the case on Mariner of the Seas. By the second day of using the provided hair/body wash, though, my hair felt dry, hard, and was extremely tangled.
On my next cruise, I will definitely be packing my own quality shampoo and conditioner to bring onboard.
Before my cruise, I knew that people often dressed up onboard. I made sure to pack a few nicer outfits like sundresses and skirts, but I didn't pack anything too dressy. I thought the days of being dressed to the nines on a cruise ship was something in the past.
And while I wouldn’t say guests were, in fact, “dressed to the nines,” many guests were dressed in formal wear one notch up than what I had packed.
And since I ended up eating at most of the specialty restaurants onboard, such as Chop’s Grill and Jamie’s Italian, I found myself wishing I brought more outfits I would wear to a wedding and less outfits I would wear to a semi-casual dinner with friends.
Then again, some guests wore shorts, sneakers, and tank tops to the Main Dining Room, so you don’t necessarily have to dress up.
I know it might seem crazy to go to the gym multiple times on vacation, but Royal Caribbean has excellent fitness facilities and I was eager to workout onboard. The fitness center offers a variety of classes such as yoga, pilates, bootcamp, and spinning.
While browsing Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website prior to my sailing, I saw that there was an option to pre-purchase a fitness class package. On my four night sailing, I could have purchased an unlimited class package for around $40. And since each fitness class was $20 onboard, it was a great deal. I decided not to purchase it, though, as I thought I would mainly use the free equipment.
Once onboard, though, I decided to sign up for a spinning class and I had a blast! The instructor was very encouraging and it was a nice way to get a strenuous workout on a sea day. I immediately wished I had purchased the class package so I could have attended more classes at a lower price.
Inevitably, with so many activities to do onboard, I was not able to do everything I wanted to on my cruise.
While boarding Mariner of the Seas, I looked up at the sports deck and pictured myself riding the Flowrider, flipping on the Skypad, and blasting down the waterslides.
Yet how many of those things did I do? None of them!
For whatever reason, I went into full relaxation mode the minute I stepped foot on the pool deck. Suddenly, the thought of falling on my face on the Flowrider or having to go back to my room to change out of my bathing suit for the Skypad didn’t seem as intriguing. What did sound nice was continuing to sip my Aperol spritz on the pool chair.
Following my cruise, I found myself wishing I tried more of the activities on the sports deck. After all, how many opportunities do I have to try a surfing simulator or ride a waterslide that goes over the side of a ship?
I guess now I have an excuse to book another cruise and try these activities.
Overall, my first cruise experience was unforgettable and I’ll never forget that feeling of being out in the open water for the first time. While I do wish I did a few things differently, I ultimately enjoyed every day of my time on Mariner of the Seas and am already looking forward to my next cruise... which is this week!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel to see brand new videos coming out soon from our sailing on Mariner of the Seas.
I have officially finished my first cruise EVER, and I am hooked!
Last week, I wrote a post here on Royal Caribbean Blog about what I thought I should do on my first cruise. I was about to board Mariner of the Seas’ first revenue sailing, a 4-night itinerary to CocoCay and Nassau leaving from Port Canaveral.
The primary reason for this cruise was to create new videos for the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel. With a camera in hand and my sister tagging along as my guest, I boarded Mariner of the Seas ready to experience all that a cruise has to offer.
And in what seemed like a split second, the cruise came to an end. While I researched a lot ahead of time to prepare, it is a whole different ball game when you experience something first hand.
After experiencing it for myself, I wanted to share 8 things I learned on my first Royal Caribbean cruise.
One aspect of my cruise that I was consistently impressed with was the friendliness of the crew. It is clear that the crew are excited that guests are back onboard, and I have never seen such a high level of customer service in any other form of travel. From the second I arrived at the terminal, Royal Caribbean’s crew was helpful, sociable, and especially joyful.
I lost count of the amount of times I was told “Good morning!” while on my way to breakfast. If I got lost or had a question, I knew I could ask any crew member and they would point me in the right direction.
I really enjoyed sitting at Cafe Promenade with a coffee in the morning and getting to know the crew members who were equally as eager to learn more about the guests onboard.
My sister and I kept saying “Everyone is so nice!” over and over throughout the entire cruise and the crew made our experience that much better.
Read more: The top questions people want to know about crew members on a cruise ship
Thanks to Royal Caribbean’s Best Price Guarantee program, I started my cruise with a lot of onboard credit (around $530 to be exact). So after boarding, I had a big task at hand: figuring out how to best spend my onboard credit. It was a great task to have.
I took advantage of this by trying out a few specialty restaurants onboard. As you can read on Matt’s live blog from the sailing, we ate at Playmakers, Chop’s Grill, Izumi, and Jamie’s Italian. Yes, it was an enormous amount of food. And yes, I was impressed by all of the restaurants.
From the quality of the ingredients and unique menu items to the level of service we received at each meal, specialty restaurants added a more elevated dining experience to the cruise. A few of my favorite menu items were the warm sesame balls for dessert at Izumi, fresh penne pasta at Jamie’s, and loaded nachos at Playmakers.
I would say it is worth it to try a couple specialty restaurants onboard. Even though the food included in your cruise fare is excellent, trying the diverse cuisine available in specialty dining is a nice addition to the normal dining options.
Read more: Royal Caribbean specialty dining packages guide
While Perfect Day at CocoCay looked incredible in all of Royal Caribbean’s marketing materials, I was curious to check out the island in person. Would it be crowded? Were the beaches as nice as they looked in pictures? Was it going to seem like a theme park instead of a secluded, tropical island?
Perfect Day at CocoCay exceeded all of my expectations and then some! Because I was filming a full tour of CocoCay for an upcoming video on the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel, I explored every inch of the private island.
The beaches on CocoCay are exceptionally clean and crystal clear, which is excellent for snorkeling, kayaking, or simply floating on a raft with a drink in hand.
I was impressed by the amount of free things to do as well. You can easily spend a day on the island without spending any extra money and still have a “perfect day” at CocoCay. My favorite complimentary experience would have to be the Oasis Lagoon. The swim-up bar is magnificent.
The island is easy to navigate and has shuttles going around the island all day. There are way too many activities to do in a single day on the island, soI am looking forward to visiting CocoCay again.
Read more: 40 Perfect Day at CocoCay tips, tricks and secrets
Hot take here… the Indian food at the Windjammer is some of the best food on the ship. I know what you’re thinking… is the buffet food that good? But I’m serious! It is delicious.
A significant number of Royal Caribbean’s employees come from India, and you will see their cultural influence at the Windjammer. During each meal on my sailing, several options of Indian curry and flatbreads were available in the buffet. I love Indian food at home, so I made sure to try some each time I ate in the Windjammer and I was never disappointed.
Even if you don’t usually eat Indian food at home, a cruise is a great place to try new cuisines. Plus, the staff from India were always happy to see me enjoying food from their culture!
Our itinerary on Mariner of the Seas included one sea day, the last day of the cruise. For first time cruisers, I think it can be tempting to book a cruise that visits as many destinations as possible in the shortest amount of time. However, I would recommend making sure you have at least one sea day in your itinerary.
A sea day is the ultimate relaxation mode. Port days tend to be busy, as you will want to experience as much of the destination as you can.
On a sea day, though, there are no obligations. You can wake up on your own time, enjoy a late breakfast in the Main Dining Room, and spend the rest of the day exploring the ship. A sea day is also a good time to try out activities on the sports deck and attend events at different venues onboard.
Sitting on the pool deck on the sea day and looking at the ocean around me was mesmerizing. I’ll definitely be looking at itineraries with sea days for my future cruises.
Read more: Top things to do on a sea day on a Royal Caribbean cruise
I was thrilled to have a balcony room for my first cruise, and I’m not going to lie… I think booking a balcony is totally worth the extra cost. Being able to have your own area to relax outside and watch the waves go by is a huge benefit. Plus, having room service breakfast on the balcony was nothing short of awesome.
That being said, I don’t think a balcony is 100% necessary, especially for a first-time cruiser. I spent the majority of my days experiencing all that Mariner of the Seas had to offer outside of my room. I also loved heading up to the pool deck as it gives a 360° view of the ocean.
My advice would be to book a balcony if the price is within your budget (or splurge a little!). If you can’t, though, and opt for an inside or ocean view stateroom, that’s okay too. You probably won’t be spending too much time there anyway!
Read more: Interior vs Balcony staterooms on a Royal Caribbean cruise
I did not end up purchasing a drink package for my cruise and I don’t regret it.
Before my cruise, I kept going back and forth about whether to purchase a drink package or not. In the end, though, I did not think I would be able to get the value out of the drink package, so I decided to just purchase drinks individually as I wanted.
This worked out well for me. I found myself satisfied with the complimentary drink options onboard like fruit juice, coffee, lemonade, and tea. Outside of these complimentary drinks, I averaged two alcoholic drinks per day. With a cost of around $11-14 per drink, I did not spend nearly as much money as I would have spent on a drink package.
I was also consuming so much food throughout the cruise (which was well worth it), so I found myself too stuffed to order drinks all day.
If your primary reason for going on a cruise is to relax at the pool with a drink in hand, though, I’d say you should surely purchase the drink package ahead of your sailing.
Be sure to try my favorite drink onboard, the Banana Colada, in the Bamboo Room.
Read more: The best reasons to get a Royal Caribbean drink package on your cruise
I love how Royal Caribbean turns a ship into a destination. Mariner of the Seas isn’t even close to being Royal’s largest ship, and it was still unbelievable to me how there was so much to do onboard. Whether watching an ice show in Studio B, flipping around on the Skypad, or listening to live music at Boleros, I did not have a second to be bored.
An important thing to note, though, is that because there are so many activities offered, you likely will not have time to do everything you want to do. I ran out of time to try many of the activities on the sports deck, visit the spa, and go to several events in the evening that I originally planned to attend.
My takeaway from my first cruise is to not get too caught up in trying to see and do everything on the ship. Sometimes the best moments of cruising are when you are looking at the sunset on the horizon and doing nothing at all.
Read more: 15 Free Things to Do on Mariner of the Seas
In the end, my first Royal Caribbean cruise was certainly an experience to remember and I am already looking forward to cruising again. It’s funny how my browser just somehow seems to open up to Royal Caribbean’s booking page…
Be sure to subscribe and turn on notifications to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel, as we will be sharing videos from our Mariner of the Seas cruise.
One year ago, I knew next to nothing about cruising. Three days from now, I will be boarding my first ever cruise!
Over the past year, I’ve edited around 100 videos for the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel. When I started working with Royal Caribbean Blog, I’ll admit that I was quite clueless about the cruise industry and thought that most of these cruise stereotypes were true.
Having been to twenty countries on five continents, it’s not like I hadn’t traveled before. However, a cruise seemed like a whole new ball game. Are cruises boring? Do I have to dress up? Is a cruise only for “old people”? I was very uninformed about the cruise industry.
Needless to say, after my first week working with Royal Caribbean Blog, my views on cruising completely changed! I soon found myself browsing Royal Caribbean’s website and daydreaming of tropical cocktails at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
So when Matt asked me to join him on Mariner of the Seas’ first revenue sailing, I immediately said yes and began preparing for my cruise.
After my research, here’s what I think I should do to ensure a successful and unforgettable first cruise experience:
Traveling during the pandemic is almost always unpredictable, but Royal Caribbean is putting forth a great effort in order to ensure that travelers are prepared for their upcoming cruise.
There is a list of updated protocols on the Royal Caribbean website where you can learn about what is required of you before and during the cruise in order to keep everyone onboard safe.
One of the latest protocols is that Royal Caribbean requires proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within three days of sailing. I scheduled my test at CVS about two weeks in advance in order to ensure I could get tested without any added stress.
One of the biggest pieces of advice I’ve read about cruising is to fly in the day before your cruise departs.
While it might be tempting to reserve an early morning flight that should get you to the cruise terminal in time, the truth is that this is way too risky due to the uncertainty of cancellations and delays.
Therefore, I’ll be flying to Florida the day before my cruise departs so that I can leave a little buffer room in the case of any travel mishaps. And hey, I get to extend my vacation by one day, so how can I complain?
Read more: Why you shouldn't fly to your cruise the same day it begins
If there’s one thing I absolutely dread about going on vacation, it’s packing.
On a regular vacation, I can always stop into a local store and purchase anything I forgot. On a cruise ship, though, I don’t think it will be that easy since I’ll be in the middle of the Caribbean!
Luckily, there is a ton of advice online that is helping me create a packing list better suited to a cruise. A couple things I am packing that I usually don’t pack for a land vacation are motion sickness medication and a USB hub so I can charge several devices at once. I’m also packing a few dressier outfits in case I run across any dress codes onboard.
Read more: The worst cruise packing mistakes to avoid
Royal Caribbean provides a Cruise Compass on every sailing that gives a detailed look at everything happening onboard. And while I am generally someone who goes with the flow while on vacation, I want to make sure I don’t miss out on any fun events happening on the ship.
I browsed a few past Cruise Compasses and I am very impressed with the amount of activities and events that Royal Caribbean offers each day. I can’t wait to get onboard and see what’s in store for my sailing!
I have the Royal Caribbean app installed on my phone and it is already proving to be immensely helpful.
On the app, I can look at deck maps, dining information, activity locations and times, my daily calendar, and much more. I think the app will also prove to be useful during the check-in process, since I can use it to show my SetSail pass at the terminal, complete the required wellness check, and do the e-Muster drill.
From what I’ve researched, Royal Caribbean has excellent options when it comes to dietary restrictions, whether Kosher, gluten free, and even vegan! Apparently Royal Caribbean even has a special Indian cuisine menu in the Main Dining Room.
I eat primarily a vegetarian or pescatarian diet, and while there are many options onboard, I may also ask for a special menu to see what other options are available. It’s important to note, though, that some dietary restrictions may require a 90-day notice so Royal Caribbean can ensure that they can accommodate you.
If there’s one thing I can guarantee about my upcoming cruise, it’s that I’ll probably be eating a lot. Whether endless soft serve ice cream on the pool deck, unlimited pizza at Sorrento’s, or an extra helping of garlic bread at dinner, I’d say I’m pretty excited about trying all of the delicious cuisine onboard.
However, I’ll definitely be packing some workout clothes so I can hit the gym and work (some) of it off. Now… will I actually get off the pool chair and go to the gym? I guess we’ll see.
From what I understand, I’ll be making any extra purchases onboard using my SeaPass card, but I plan to bring around $100 in USD for any “extra” purchases that may arise while on my cruise.
I paid my gratuities in advance, but I want to keep some cash on hand for extra tips or purchases I make on land. Tipping protocol seems to be a little confusing, so I’ll be reviewing some tipping and gratuity advice before my cruise to make sure I don’t mess this up!
Even though I’m a cruising newbie, I think I have a pretty good idea of what to expect onboard a Royal Caribbean ship and am excited to set sail in just a few days. Be sure to subscribe to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel to stay up to date with live broadcasts and brand new video content from Mariner of the Seas!
If you are planning your first cruise, you are in store for a great vacation experience with lots of activities, fun places to visit, and lots of great food to try.
Cruise ships offer lots to do for people of all ages, and it can be an attractive vacation choice for families because how much there is to do for everyone. But like anything you try for the first time, there are definitely a few things you need to know in advance.
The wealth of choice in activities means plenty of options, and prioritizing what you should (or shouldn't do) is always a question new cruisers have.
In an effort to provide the most important information you should know, here is a breakdown of what to expect on a cruise during the first day onboard.
While you could show up to the cruise terminal on the first day and check-in, that would be a mistake.
You really ought to complete the online check-in via Royal Caribbean's free app in the weeks leading up to your cruise.
Not only is it easy, but online check-in will save you so much time at the cruise terminal. Filling out the paperwork at home means not having to do it later.
Equally important is your check-in time is provided via the online check-in. Royal Caribbean enforces their check-in times, so to get the earliest time possible, you will need to do online check-in.
Royal Caribbean packs so much to do onboard that it may seem overwhelming to try to work in every activity, so don't sweat it.
Water slides, specialty restaurants, escape rooms, bingo, trivia and more are waiting to do every day, but if you do not get a chance to experience it all, you can always come back on another cruise to do them. Stressing about trying to "do it all" just leads to frustration.
Instead, prioritize what things you really want to do, and book another cruise to see the rest.
Before 2021, check-in times were suggestions, but these days Royal Caribbean is enforcing them.
Whatever time you get from online check-in to arrive to the cruise terminal, make sure you arrive right around that time. If you come in before that time, you will find yourself waiting around outside the cruise terminal.
If you have time to burn before your check-in, consider asking for a later check-out at your hotel, or have lunch at a local restaurant. Malls and even a movie theater are good ways to also spend some extra time.
Yes, there will food provided for lunch once you get onboard the ship.
Depending on which ship you are boarding, the options can vary, but in general the Windjammer buffet will be your go-to spot for an embarkation day lunch.
Other good alternatives include Cafe Promenade or Park Cafe. There may even be a specialty restaurant or two open embarkation day that you could pay to eat at.
To get an idea of which venues will be open for lunch, read a past Cruise Compass from the ship you are sailing on before you board.
Cruise ships and food seemingly go hand in hand, and you will find lots of options where to dine onboard.
Royal Caribbean includes enough food every day of your cruise that you do not need to spend anything extra to be really well fed. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all included in your cruise fare, along with snacks inbetween.
Of course, there are some venues and options that have an additional cost to dine there if you choose. In fact, some of these specialty dining choices are truly spectacular, and offer cuisines and cooking styles not otherwise available onboard.
It is a good idea to look up which restaurants are on your ship, and decide if any extra-cost restaurants are of interest. If so, go ahead and book a reservation.
Once on the ship, you could stop by a specialty restaurant to inquire about reservations as well.
Keep in mind the first day of the cruise is the best day to book a reservation, as reservations go quickly. Many other guests book specialty restaurants for dinner, and dining packages make affording to eat at a specialty restaurant much more than once easy.
When you get in your stateroom on the first day, more than likely your attendant will be somewhere nearby to meet.
Not only is it nice to put a face to who will be taking care of your cabin for your sailing, but this is the time to make special requests.
Extra towels, a bucket of ice, separating or putting the beds together, or even opening up balcony dividers are all common requests guests have that your stateroom attendant can provide.
Once your stateroom is ready, be sure to go inside and make sure everything is working and that everything that should be there is there.
Test out the air conditioning, check to see if the crib you requested is present and that things like the television and toilet are functioning properly.
Be also certain to test your in-room safe, as this is your dedicated spot to store valuables and you want to make sure this is working correctly and you know how to operate it. Take a few minutes to understand how to open and lock your safe, and make sure it functions as it should. If it does not, you will want to let Guest Services know as soon as possible.
If anything is broken, put in a request with maintenance (via your stateroom telephone) now while the ship has extra maintenance crew members onboard.
Odds are you are sailing to a foreign port of call and more than likely using your cell phone in those countries will cost you a lot of money in roaming charges. The best strategy is to use your phone to make calls or send text messages, and then place it into airplane mode to ensure you do not encounter roaming fees.
Your phone will work normally while your Royal Caribbean ship is docked, and will even continue working a few hours after sailaway. Refer to our guide for using your cell phone while on a Royal Caribbean cruise to ensure you do not come home to unexpectedly large bills.
While you are touring the spa, the fitness center is in the same area, and this is the time to put your name down for a spot in any of the fitness classes offered.
Royal Caribbean offers a good variety of fitness classes, with some complimentary and others having a small cost associated with them. If you have any desire to be included in a class, you will definitely want to sign up for them early. All too often guests wait too long to sign up, or try to walk in for a class only to find the limited spots are filled.
There will be a table with sign up sheets near the entrance to the fitness center where you can sign up. There is no obligation, so you can sign up and only be charged if you make it to the class.
The Vitality Spa offers complimentary tours of the spa and fitness centers and while it is a sales pitch, it's fun to see the facilities available and something fun for the whole family to do.
If you want to book a treatment for a particular day and time, you will want to make an appointment early before things start to book up.
There's also a raffle that you can sign up for and perhaps win a free treatment.
It is a really good idea to explore your ship on the first day to get a sense of where everything is.
While you can learn a lot from looking at deck plans, or reading Cruise Compass, nothing compares to actually walking around the ship.
Getting acclimated with where everything will make your cruise easier since you will spend less time trying to locate everything. Plus, you may discover something onboard you did not know existed!
If you have kids, you will definitely want to register them for Adventure Ocean or the Royal Babies and Tots Nursery on embarkation day. This process is pretty quick, and allows the children time to explore the Adventure Ocean facilities, while providing the staff all the pertinent information on your child.
Registration times for Adventure Ocean will be posted in your Cruise Compass, as well as on the door to any Adventure Ocean room. Once inside, kids can check things out while parents fill out a quick form.
Even if your kids are uncertain if they will go to Adventure Ocean, registering them is quick, and it makes for less time wasted later on in the cruise. You may also find an Adventure Ocean table set up elsewhere on the ship to provide details about what Adventure Ocean is, and offer documentation on what kind of activities will be offered.
If you child is less than 36 months old, she/he can be registered for the Nursery. The Nursery will also allow parents to reserve some time in advance, so be sure to review what to expect when booking nursery time.
Whether you have a dietary restriction or just a special request with your meals, you will want to go to the main dining room and speak to the head waiter on duty about making dietary requests.
There is usually a few hours on embarkation day where a head waiter is on duty to take requests. These requests can be for a table or dining rotation change, dietary request or anything else special you want to make certain is taken care of.
This is also a good time to scope out which table you have been assigned to and if there are any issues with the table location or size of the table, speak to the waiter then.
Whether you choose to unpack everything or live out of a suitcase, it is a good strategy to put some of the things in your room away so there is less clutter all around. This has less to do with keeping your room clean, rather, it is about keeping things organized.
There is always something going on during your Royal Caribbean cruise, and knowing where the important things are makes your life easier. Plus, it seems like there is always some down time before the muster drill, so take the opportunity to unpack your toiletries, put nicer clothes on hangers and store luggage under your bed.
You will be happy when you return to your room after an evening of dining, drinks and fun to not have to start putting away all of your stuff.
Royal Caribbean has greatly simplified the mandatory safety drill everyone has to do by integrating it into the app.
All you have to do is activate the safety drill option in your app, and watch a short safety video and listen to the emergency horn sound.
Once that is complete, you go to your muster station location to ensure you know where it is. Once there, a crew member will scan your SeaPass card and confirm you have completed the drill.
Do this early and get it out of the way so you don't have to worry about it later.
When it is time for your Royal Caribbean ship to leave its embarkation port and begin the cruise, you will want to find a great spot to take it all in.
A very common choice is the sailaway party, which is usually held at the pool deck. There will be music, dancing and a whole lot of celebrating with the ship's activities staff. If you want something quieter, consider finding a spot near a railing that overlooks the port area. A hidden spot available on many ships is the helipad, which offers a fabulous vantage point.
If you are staying in a stateroom that has a private balcony, it is hard to beat that kind of a spot for sailaway. Grab some drinks from the bar and bring it down to your stateroom to enjoy on the balcony. After all, having a balcony stateroom means you do not have to compete with anyone for a spot (except perhaps your kids).
Read more: The best spot for sailaway on every Royal Caribbean cruise ship
When you arrive to the cruise terminal, there will be porters to take your luggage and check it so it can be delivered to your room on the ship.
Just like if you are flying on an airplane, the more luggage you check, the less stuff you have to carry around with you.
In my opinion, check as much of it as you can to make the time getting on the ship before your cabin is ready as easy as possible. All too often I see a family sherpaing all of their luggage around the ship. It's just not worth it to try to haul it all onboard yourself.
Read more: Should you use the porters to take your luggage on your cruise ship?
While you should check as much luggage as you can when you get to the cruise terminal, hold back a day bag with some important things inside that you may need later.
You will want to pack a few key items in your carry-on bag including:
The best time to go down the water slides and splash in the pool without any lines is the first day of your cruise.
Most other guests packed their swimsuits in their checked luggage, leaving little demand for these popular attractions. Your best bet is to bring your swimsuit with you in your carry-on bag, and then check in a public restroom.
Don't worry, there are towels you can borrow on the pool deck.
Even if you don’t bring expensive jewelry on your cruise, you still have valuables that should be placed in your stateroom safe.
Put your passport and government identification, wallet with cash and credit cards, house and car keys in the safe.
If you are wondering what to wear on the first day of the cruise, the key is to wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
As you go through the check-in process, there will be standing in line, so comfortable shoes are a good starting point. In addition, you may find yourself outdoors often, so t-shirts and shorts are the most common type of clothing most guests wear on their first day.
Speaking of t-shirts, a lot of groups or families choose to wear matching t-shirts as a fun way to kick off your cruise.
As stated earlier in this post, it is a good idea to pack a swimsuit to be able to change into later if you choose. Some people will wear a bathing suit under their clothes so they can more easily hop in the pool later.
The exact time your stateroom will be open varies, but generally early afternoon.
You will know the rooms are not open yet because large fire doors will block access to the stateroom hallways.
Usually, Royal Caribbean opens its rooms for guests around 1 or 2pm. When the rooms are ready, an announcement will be made over the PA system to alert everyone the rooms are open.
Pretty much all the bars will be open on the first day of your cruise, which means you can start using your drink package benefits immediately.
Not only can you get cocktails or beers, but specialty coffees and teas will be available to enjoy as well.
Of course, complimentary drinks will be available as well.
If possible, wait to speak to someone at Guest Services until either the next day or after dinner begins.
Unfortunately, the line for Guest Services is always longest on embarkation day, because many guests have first-time cruise questions and end up there to get them resolved.
In my experience, most issues can wait until later. Unless it is something that needs immediate attention and/or cannot be remedied by your stateroom attendant, you should avoid the long Guest Services lines on embarkation day.
Last, but not least, take some time to relax and savor the moment. You are officially on vacation, so grab a drink at a bar and toast the start to what should be a fantastic time at sea.
This may not sound like a big deal but getting things started off on the right foot is always a good idea and sets the tone for the rest of your vacation.