The CLIA, Passenger Shipping Assocation and the European Cruise Council announced a new muster policy effective immediately that requires mandatory muster drills be held for new passengers before the cruise ship departs from port and Royal Caribbean is onboard.

Royal Caribbean had emailed past and prospective passengers to inform them of the new rules, a message delivered by Royal Caribbean's president Adam Goldstein.

“At Royal Caribbean International, the safety and security of our guests and crew is our highest priority,” wrote Goldstein in his letter to members of the line’s Crown & Anchor Society." 

“Our maritime safety record over our 42-year history illustrates our commitment to the safety of the millions of guests and crew that sail on our ships. The measures we take in the interest of safety are many, often exceeding the regulatory requirements.”

Royal Caribbean had announced earlier this month that it was partnering with Resolve Maritime Academy to help train its staff further its staff.  Beginning the second quarter of 2012, the training will be offered to personnel at Royal Caribbean.  The trainings will take place at Resolve's new Simulation Training Center in Fort Lauderdale.

Royal Caribbean introduced iPads in every stateroom aboard Splendour of the Seas last year and it's got the IT world talking.  Royal Caribbean was mentioned in Information Week magazine as utilizing tablet computing for business.

One use for tablets is for companies to put them in the hands of their customers, which is what Royal Caribbean is doing on its most recently remodeled cruise ship. Here we're not talking about creating a tablet app for customers, but actually giving them a device to use. A related customer use is encouraging tablet use while they're at your venue, whether it's a resort, baseball game, restaurant, or retail store.

Royal Caribbean this month will put iPads in every stateroom of its revitalized Splendour of the Seas cruise ship. Guests can check daily activities on the ship, book shore excursions, and receive personalized promotions from Royal Caribbean, based on analytics the company runs in real time during a cruise. Royal Caribbean has used interactive TVs to provide that kind of information, but iPads are a more intuitive and enjoyable way for guests to receive it, says CIO Bill Martin.

Reconstruction of the port of Yalta, Ukraine will begin after it is approved by the Ukraine Law of Sea Ports.  Vice-Premier of Ukraine - Infrastructure Minister Borys Kolesnikov expects this to happen sometime next month as he was speaking at a press conference in Simferopol.

"This is a technical problem. In order to move quickly, you need to pass a law on seaports that will guarantee the rights of investors, " said Boris Kolesnikov. He added: " The law is already in Parliament, on the whole procedure will take about 25-30 days, then return the draft to Royal Caribbean.  

 Royal Caribbean has previously shown a great deal of interest in revitalizing the ports of Yalta and Sevastopol.  Royal Caribbean is looking to compete with other cruise lines for the Black Sea cruise market.  Improving the ports is expected to involve improving the infrastructure of the ports as well as building new restaurants, hotels and other facilities nearby.

Royal Caribbean is planning on sending Splendour of the Seas to Brazil for the Brazilian summer season, starting in December 2012.

Splendour of the Seas will arrive in December 2012 and remain in Brazil for the longest season ever, until April 2013.  

Vision of the Seas will also offer cruises from Brazil, with 10 and 11 night itineraries to the Caribbean between November 2012 and March 2013.

Royal Caribbean is bringing back the Royal 5K race this year and will take place twice.  First,  the event will take place in Falmouth, Jamaica in April 2012 aboard the Allure of the Seas.  Next, in December 2012, Royal Caribbean will hold the Royal 5K in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, onboard Oasis of the Seas. 

These cruises that include the Royal 5K race will also offer passengers other activities including

• Private meet-and-greet sessions with high-profile racing athletes
• Seminars and lectures with high-profile athletes
• Personal training tips from experts
• Speed tests onboard the track on your ship
• A chance to win prizes, including a grand prize trip to ESPN headquarters

The Royal 5K package price is $25.  

The first Royal 5K was held back in December 2010 in St. Maarten.

The Today Show Travel listed their favorite cruise ships for families and five of Royal Caribbean's newest ships made the list.

First up is Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.  The sheer number of amenities are notes for fun things for kids.

The two largest ships at sea each have pretty much everything you need to entertain the kids: a sprawling H2O Zone water park, a pair of rock-climbing walls, a miniature golf course, two surfing simulators, a basketball court, an ice-skating rink, and a hand-carved wooden carousel.

The Freedom-Class ships were also mentioned, including Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Independence of the Seas.

Aside from a huge playroom and video arcade aboard the Freedom-class ships, kids can't enough of the H2O water park, rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, surfing simulator, mini golf course, and basketball court. Kids of all ages love the Ben & Jerry's ice-cream parlor and the Johnny Rockets diner on board for burgers, fries and milkshakes (both venues at an extra charge).

Royal Caribbean International’s new brand campaign is targeting New York-area commuters, both above and below ground, by taking over the 42nd Street S line in Manhattan this February. As commuters are transported between Times Square and Grand Central Station, the award-winning cruise line is giving them a taste of the Royal experience with fully-branded shuttle cars supporting the cruise line’s new messaging. First rolled out in December 2011, the campaign is focused on reawakening consumers to the sights and sounds of the sea by communicating the decree, “The Sea is Calling. Answer it Royally.”

The subway cars, which are wrapped both inside and out, reflect actual Royal Caribbean cruise ships. The cars’ interiors are each separately wrapped as an onboard theater featuring marquees of some of the Broadway shows guests can see onboard select Royal Caribbean ships such as Hairspray, Chicago and Saturday Night Fever; an onboard spa with bamboo showers and masseuse; as well as an open deck area complete with a Flowrider surf simulator and surfer. Each car conveys the options for entertainment, relaxation and adventure that can be enjoyed on a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation. Commuters, who will be treated to special surprises during the month, are encouraged to take photographs and videos to share with friends through their social media channels, tagging Royal Caribbean by using the specified hashtag #RoyalShuttle. Royal Caribbean also challenges fans to find “hidden treasures” in the shuttle artwork, including characters such as Shrek and Po from the cruise line’s exclusive partnership with film studio powerhouse DreamWorks Animation.

For New York-area residents inspired to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, Royal Caribbean offers convenient cruising options to Bermuda and the Caribbean out of Bayonne, N.J., and Baltimore, Md., onboard Explorer of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas. Royal Caribbean’s innovative onboard amenities, upscale accommodations, dining and entertainment are all delivered with the cruise line’s signature Gold Anchor Service, all within a few-hours drive from home.

Royal Caribbean will offer an unique six-day cruise from Xiamen, China to Japan on April 2nd.  During this cruise, famous Taiwan singer-songwriter Fei Yu-ching will perform as a special guest on for a concert at sea, the first concert at sea to be held in Asia.

Legend of the Seas will visit two cities in Japan, including Kaoshima and Beppu.  Kaoshima is well known as the "Naples of the Eastern world" and Beppu is known for its geothermal hot spots.  Legend of the Seas will return to Shanghai, China on April 7th.

About 200 passengers aboard Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas contracted norovirus while the ship was still docked in New Orleans.  The outbreak delayed Voyager of the Seas' departure by two hours.

A report says 20 of the 200 passengers had to be quarantined due to their condition.

Crew aboard Voyager of the Seas spent an extra two hours cleaning the ship.

Royal Caribbean is among the first major companies to embrace the standards set forth by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

The council recently commended companies such as Royal Caribbean for being among "the first group of global travel and tourism corporations to publicly commit to promoting sustainable tourism products and services recognized by the GSTC."

The council's mission is to foster sustainable tourism and travel practices, and the organization considers its criteria as "the worldwide minimum requirements for tourism businesses of all size to approach sustainability."