Royal Caribbean Blog

A cat smuggled onto a cruise ship has a new home, and it almost ended very badly for one cat.

According to Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley, a guest smuggled on a cat on Ovation of the Seas. They aren't quite sure how it was brought onboard, but it was discovered on the ship.

Ovation of the Seas was sailing from Hawaii to Australia on a sailing in October.

"Meet Ovie! The cat smuggled onboard Ovation of the Seas by a guest!", Bayley wrote on his Facebook page.

Mr. Bayley thinks perhaps the cat was able to be brought onboard in a sweatshirt in order to evade security measures

"We assume he must have been sedated or something and he wouldn't beep, since Ovie isn't metal," Bayley wrote.

Per customs rules, the cat wasn't allowed off the ship in Australia or New Zealand.

Biosecurity agents from New Zealand found Ovie in a guest’s cabin, but Royal Caribbean International declined to identify the traveler.

Other than service animals, pets aren't allowed on Royal Caribbean ships. Emotional support animals have been banned since 2018.

As a result, the cat was to be euthanized, according to Mr. Bayley.

Thanks to the work of the Guest Services team on the ship, the cat was able to remain onboard the ship until a permanent solution was found. It took a few weeks, but Mr. Bayley said they were able to get the cat back to the United States.

One of those crew members from the Guest Services team adopted the cat, and it's now living in Florida.

The feline was "adopted by one of the Guest Service team members in Miami.  Ovie is now happily living in Miami."

Fans thankful for saving the cat

Mr. Bayley shared the story of Ovie's rescue on Facebook, and the comments were overwhelmingly" happy a positive ending came to the story.

"Love this. Not the cats fault. Love Royal. God Bless," wrote Phares Heindl.

"Love this so much! I hope Ovie and family have a magical life together!", posted Katina Bradley.

"This is amazing! Thank you for making sure this baby was not euthanized!," wrote Fox Forlenza-Owens.

One fan thought the cat had aspirations to become a cruise ship pet celebrity like Captain Kate's cat.

"She aspired to be a cruise cat like Capt. Kate McCue and Bug," wrote April Davenport.

Many people were also incredulous towards whomever brought the cat in the first place.

"What freaking idiot would “smuggle” a cat onboard?? People really are stupid," Greg Brockman posted.

"How irresponsible of the owners to think this was a good idea," Robyn Tindall added. 

From major announcements like the new Hideaway Beach at Perfect Day at CocoCay and the second Icon Class ship, Star of the Seas, to the delivery and completion of the world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, 2023 was a big year for Royal Caribbean.

As we close out the year, it’s fun to look back and remember all the monumental things that happened in the Royal Caribbean cruising world.

Let’s recap the other big moments from 2023.

1. Symphony of the Seas record

One of Royal Caribbean’s largest ships, Symphony of the Seas, set a record in March 2023.

During a twelve-night transatlantic cruise from Miami, Florida to Barcelona, Spain, the largest number of paying cruisers and crew to sail across the Atlantic Ocean on a single ship was recorded. A total of 7,604 passengers were onboard the Symphony of the Seas sailing, including 5,350 guests and 2,224 crew members.

This particular sailing was not at full capacity, however. Symphony of the Seas can hold 6,680 guests.

It’s important to note that this is not an all-time record. Queen Mary carried 16,683 people across the Atlantic in July 1943 during World War II.

2. Icon of the Seas sea trials

In June and the end of October/early November 2023, Icon of the Seas completed her first and second rounds of sea trials at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.

Before delivering a new cruise ship, there must be a series of sea trials where the ship sails hundreds of miles before making the transatlantic trip to America. Essentially, sea trials are tests of the ship’s navigational and technical systems. Icon of the Seas passed all tests with flying colors!

This is the final stage of a cruise ship’s construction before delivery to the cruise line.

3. President's Cruise on Allure of the Seas

Royal Caribbean regularly offers a President’s Cruise, hosted by Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, for loyal fans of the cruise line to sail together. On these particular cruises, there are exclusive events and special guests as well.

2023’s President's Cruise took place in July on Allure of the Seas, sailing in and out of Galveston. This was the first President's Cruise that left from Texas. 

Grammy-winner Chaka Khan performed during the seven-night sailing!

In June 2024, the President’s Cruise will be on Oasis of the Seas, sailing to the Mediterranean for seven nights.

Read more: Royal Caribbean: Building a new smaller cruise ship is "deeply in our consideration"

4. Hideaway Beach announcement

Royal Caribbean released details of the new adults-only area at Perfect Day at CocoCay, called Hideaway Beach, on September 14, 2023.

Hideaway Beach will be located behind Thrill Waterpark. Only those 18 and older will be allowed to enter. The cost of admission will vary, similar to Coco Beach Club.

While Coco Beach Club is more serene and relaxing, Hideaway Beach will offer a “Vegas-style pool party vibe.” There will be poolside cabanas for rent, an infinity pool, and beach access, as well as numerous bars and restaurants.

Hideaway Beach will open in conjunction with Icon of the Seas’ inaugural sailing at the end of January 2024. 

5. Utopia of the Seas float out

Icon of the Seas has a lot of hype surrounding her, but don’t forget about the new Oasis Class ship, Utopia of the Seas!

In September 2023, Utopia of the Seas touched water for the first time at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France.

This is an important step in the cruise ship construction process. This is one of the first steps in the building journey; after the new ship is assembled in a dry dock, it is transferred to a “wet dock” to complete more work.

Utopia of the Seas will be launched in July 2024 and offer three and four-night Caribbean sailings out of Port Canaveral.

Read more: Utopia of the Seas: Itinerary, features, and more

6. Star of the Seas announcement

On October 5, 2023, Royal Caribbean announced the name of the next Icon Class cruise ship: Star of the Seas.

Star of the Seas will homeport in Port Canaveral and look very similar to Icon of the Seas. She will offer seven-night sailings to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Icon of the Seas is the first Icon Class ship, and when Star of the Seas launches in August 2025, she will be the second. There are also orders for a third unnamed Icon Class ship to be delivered in 2026.

Read more: Star of the Seas: Itinerary, features and more

7. Icon of the Seas completed and delivered

November 27, 2023, was a big day for Icon of the Seas! On this day, she was officially delivered, meaning ownership was transferred to Royal Caribbean.

There was a large ceremony onboard where executives from Royal Caribbean celebrated the milestone. Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer were all in attendance.

After 900 days of construction, Icon of the Seas was ready to make her transatlantic voyage to her home in Miami.

8. Icon of the Seas passes under the Great Belt Bridge

After Icon of the Seas was delivered, she had to go to Cadiz, Spain to receive some final touches.

Before arriving in Cadiz, Icon of the Seas passed under Denmark’s Great Belt Bridge, one of the largest bridges in the world, with just a few feet to spare. Icon’s funnels had to be retracted so she could fit under the bridge. For context, Icon of the Seas is 20 decks high.

This technology is not new, as other Oasis and Quantum Class ships have retractable funnels too.

Currently, Icon of the Seas is still en route to Miami. 

9. Start of the Ultimate World Cruise

Back in 2021, it was announced that Royal Caribbean would offer its first world cruise in 2023, visiting 150 destinations in 65 countries.

On December 10, 2023, it finally happened! Serenade of the Seas arrived in Miami to kick-start the 274-night Ultimate World Cruise that will take travelers to all seven continents. The cruise ends on September 10, 2024.

Bookings opened in early 2022. Passengers could book either the entire voyage or one of four 2-3 month segments. Because the Ultimate World Cruise did not sell out, Royal Caribbean released 17 segments in April 2023, ranging from nine to 29 nights.

Read more: Why the internet is obsessed with 9-month world cruise on Royal Caribbean cruise ship

10. Lionel Messi named an "Icon"

On December 13, 2023, Lionel Messi, a well-known soccer player, was named “The Icon of Icon.”

Similar to what a cruise ship Godmother would do, Messi will participate in the naming ceremony for Icon of the Seas on January 23, 2024. As “The Icon of Icon,” Messi will give Icon of the Seas a blessing for the safety of the crew members and passengers who will sail onboard.

This partnership comes as no surprise since Royal Caribbean announced a partnership with Inter Miami CF, which is the club Messi plays for, back in August 2023.

What was your favorite Royal Caribbean moment of 2023?

We want to hear from you!

In collaboration with Loyal to Royal, let us know your favorite moment by voting using this Google Form. Voting closes the night of December 30, 2023, so be sure to cast your vote before then.

Stay tuned for results on our Instagram page!

As we approach the start of a new year, I can't but help look forward to all the new changes coming to Royal Caribbean.

There's always something new happening every year in the cruise industry, but it seems like 2024 is going to be the biggest yet for Royal Caribbean with everything opening and launching.

There's two new cruise ships, a new beach, and changes to the experience onboard.

I picked out five of the most intriguing changes or additions that someone going on a cruise in 2024 will want to be aware of before booking a new cruise.

1. Icon of the Seas launch

2024 will be the year of Icon of the Seas.

There will be plenty of other new cruise ships this year (including another Royal Caribbean one), but none of them will compare to Icon in scope, features, or buzz.

Icon of the Seas will be the first in the Icon Class, and Royal Caribbean's first new cruise ship in a decade.

Being the first in a class means it's an all new kind of cruise ship, with plenty to do and Royal Caribbean has gone all out with its design.  There's more to do than any other cruise ship has offered, and more importantly, it's a big play for the family cruise market.

Royal Caribbean cruise ships have always been family friendly, but Icon will do more to offer families onboard. There are more cabins designed with families in mind, and an entire neighborhood for young children and their parents.

Plus, there's an entire waterpark onboard, along with the award-winning entertainment that Royal Caribbean is well-know for.

More than the ship itself, expect an unparalleled amount of attention for it. Icon starts off the year with his first revenue sailing on January 27, but the red carpet will be rolled out in the weeks leading up the launch.  Even after her first sailing, Royal Caribbean will likely pour on the pomp and circumstance right into the summer when its other new cruise ship enters service.

2. Utopia of the Seas launch

Two new Royal Caribbean cruise ships launching in the same year is not something I can recall happening, but it will happen in 2024!

Utopia of the Seas is likely the last Oasis Class cruise ship, and she will begin cruises in June 2024.

While this will be the sixth Oasis Class ship, Utopia has a few notable changes from her sisters. When it comes to any new ship, Royal Caribbean almost always tends to mix up the entertainment and dining choices to keep it all fresh.

The Ultimate Abyss slide will be the longer than ever so that Utopia can say it has the longest dry slide at sea.  It will be 259 feet tall, which is 43 feet longer than other Royal Caribbean ships.

Royal Caribbean's first immersive dining restaurant will debut on Utopia, which will rely on mixed reality and have a classic train dining car motif. Located on deck 4, the restaurant will look like a train station where you board a train car for a trip.

Read more: Royal Caribbean shares a glimpse of its first mixed reality restaurant concept

Giovanni's Italian Kitchen moves to a new location that overlooks the Boardwalk neighborhood and even has an outdoor terrace.

Izumi will move to Central Park and offer a walk-up window option for sushi on the go.

There will also be a new bar, called the Pesky Parrot bar. This will be located in the Royal Promenade on Deck 5, effectively replacing Bionic Bar. The Pesky Parrot is a new bar with a Caribbean flair. You'll find fruit-based beverages made with rum, tequila and gin.

The other really big change with Utopia of the Seas is it will enter service with short cruises instead of 7-night sailings.

Traditionally, new cruise ships start their life with offering week-long cruises, but Royal Caribbean wants to offer short cruises on her in order to appeal to the new to cruise crowd.  People that have never cruised tend to book short cruises first, so the hope is having a brand new ship doing 3- and 4-night cruises will stand out ahead of any other short cruise offering.

Read more: Royal Caribbean has a plan to dominate short cruises with a new ship and private destinations

The inaugural sailing of Utopia of the Seas will be July 22, 2024 and will be a 4-night cruise to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

3. New adults-only beach opens

In addition to Icon of the Seas starting service, something else will be new in January.

The next expansion of Perfect Day at CocoCay will open when Hideaway Beach becomes operational.

Hideaway Beach is for guests 18-years-old or older, and it's meant to be a haven for adults that want somewhere just for them. 

Poolside cabanas, a new pizza restaurant, swim-up bar and infinity pool are what Royal Caribbean will add to keep adults in a party mood all day long. 

The Hideaway pool will be the massive freshwater pool where you'll find the DJ located near a swim-up bar. Think Las Vegas pool party.

It will be an extra-cost add-on to consider for adults who want to enjoy a lively atmosphere and no kids.

4. Dining Package change

It's not quite clear when in 2024 this will happen, but it's about to become much easier to book a dining reservation pre-cruise if you have a Royal Caribbean dining package.

In conjunction with the launch of Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean will finally allow guests that book a specialty dining package the option to pre-book online.

Up until now, guests that had booked a dining package had to wait until they got onboard the ship to make a reservation, and that created a pain point for them and added stress to the first day of the cruise as they would scramble once onboard to make reservations.

Before you get super excited for it, it's not certain when it will happen. Royal Caribbean executives told us it's "likely" in the first half of 2024.

5. New ships and itineraries in 2024

Every year there are new itineraries and ship homeports, and we found a few notable changes in 2024.

Symphony of the Seas will call the New York City area home for the first time when she begins sailing from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Royal Caribbean made a splash when Oasis of the Seas was the first Oasis Class ship to sail from the Big Apple, and now it will be Symphony's turn.

Read more: Guide to cruises from New York

Speaking of Oasis Class ships, Oasis of the Seas will sail the Mediterranean in summer 2024. This isn't Oasis' first time in Europe, but it is the first time for Oasis since being amplified. 

Oasis of the Seas will offer7-night Western Mediterranean cruises to France and Italy from Barcelona and Rome.

Rounding out 2024 will be more weekend sailings from Australian shores than ever before. Sailing between November 2024 and April 2025, Royal Caribbean's Australia cruise season will feature a choice of eight 2- to 3-night weekend getaways from both Sydney and Brisbane. 

Which Royal Caribbean change are you most excited about for 2024? Tell us in the comments!

Which staterooms should you avoid booking on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas?

Wonder of the Seas is one of the biggest cruise ships in the world that is 1,188 feet long and is basically a floating city.

Read more: Wonder of the Seas review

Among the 2,867 staterooms you can stay in on Wonder of the Seas, there are at least a few types you might want to think twice about booking.

While most staterooms are totally fine, there are some rooms that are perhaps located in an area that could be prone to noise, could make you seasick, or are just disappointing.

Read more: What is the best location on a cruise ship?

In an effort to ensure you pick the right stateroom, we scoured the Wonder of the Seas deck plans to find the cabins you definitely don't want to book.

1. Connecting rooms (if you don't need it)

Connecting rooms a boon for families looking to get more than one cabin with a common door in the middle, but it's a bad idea if you aren't using that door.

You'll find connecting inside, oceanview, and balcony rooms on Wonder of the Seas, but don't book these rooms unless you need the other room.

The problem with these rooms is the connecting door is not as well insulated from noise as a wall would be, and there's many complaints about noise bleed from people that book a connecting room when they don't know the person on the other side.

To be clear, if you need two rooms, connecting cabins are great and you should book it. After all, if the people in the other room are noisy, you can open the door and tell them to quiet down!  But that doesn't work when it's a stranger.

2. Rooms on deck 3 under public venues

If you go to sleep early, you'll avoid to avoid a cabin under or above a public venue.

The oceanview and inside rooms on deck 3 are all underneath either Studio B ice skating rink or Casino Royale.

The problem with having a room in this location is you could have noise bleed to contend with, especially if you're someone that likes to go to sleep early.

There are pros and cons to having a room on the lowest deck of a cruise ship, but ideally you'll book a cabin that has other cabins above and below it.

3. Cabins towards the bow if you are prone to seasickness

You will want to avoid cabins towards the front of the ship because you are likely feel the motion of the waves more distinctly.

The front of the ship tends to experience more motion than the center of the ship, and if you're someone who is worried about getting seasick, you'll want to avoid these cabins.

When Calista went on Wonder of the Seas, she had an inside cabin at the very front of the ship and she felt more seasick there than elsewhere on the ship.

Read more: 13 things I wish I'd done differently on my first cruise

It's important to remember everyone's tolerance for motion is different, and booking a cabin at the front will not guarantee anyone gets seasick (nor will booking a midship cabin guarantee you wont get seasick).

While I don't consider cabin location often in terms of if I'll get seasick or not, it's worth pointing out cabins closer to the bow are to be avoided if you think that might apply to you.

4. Rooms below the pool

You would be surprised how much noise a cabin below the pool can have, especially in the early morning.

The pool deck on Wonder of the Seas is a hub of activity, with plenty of people up there in the morning, day, and evening. You might expect that to be the case most times of the day, but there's still things happening there in the early morning.

Crew members use the early morning and late evening hours to re-arrange deck chairs. At night, they stack them to ensure they don't go flying around overnight and then set them back up in the early morning.  The issue with this is crew members drag the loungers across the deck to get them to where they need to go, and that can result in screeching sounds emanating from the ceiling of your cabin.

To be safe, avoid these cabins on Deck 14:

• 14162 to 14240
• 14562 to 14640

One more note about cabins on deck 14 are the balcony cabins that have a bit of an overhang, which is only a problem if you want your balcony to be sunny.

The deck 14 balconies in this area will likely have more overhead cover.

That means less sun and less rain on the balcony in most cases.  Some people like that, others prefer the more open feeling of lower deck balconies.

5. Rooms above the Royal Theater

If you're someone that likes to go to bed early, don't book a cabin directly above the theater.

Newer Royal Caribbean cruise ships do a pretty good job with soundproofing, but if given the choice, avoid cabins on deck six that are directly above the Royal Theater.

This means avoiding these cabins on deck 6:

• 6130 to 6160
• 6135 to 6153
• 6530 to 6560
• 6535 to 6553

6. Obstructed view cabins

Forgetting room location for a moment, if there's one type of cabin I hear the most complaints about it's obstructed view rooms.

There are some cabins on Wonder of the Seas where the view from the window or balcony is partially or even completely obstructed by a lifeboat, machinery, or some other structural element.

I think the reason why I read so many complaints is people are unaware they're booking it, or naive to how much the obstruction will bother them.

Here are the cabins on Wonder of the Seas which have obstructed view:

• 7100 to 7108
• 7500 to 7510
• 7114 to 7126
• 7516 to 7528
• 8100 to 8108
• 8500 to 8510
• 8116 to 8124
• 8516 to 8524
• 8329
• 8729
• 9100 to 9108
• 9500 to 9510
• 9118 to 9124
• 9518 to 9524
• 9329
• 9729
• 10100 to 10108
• 10500 to 10510
• 10124 to 10128
• 10522 to 10528
• 10329
• 10729
• 11100 to 11106
• 11500 to 11506
• 11124 to 11130
• 11524 to 11528
• 11327 & 11329
• 11727 & 11729
• 12327 & 12329
• 12727 & 12729
• 14217
• 14293 to 14299
• 14693 to 14699
• 14323 & 14325
• 14719 to 14725
• 1780

It is worth noting that there is one distinct benefit to booking an obstructed view cabin, and that is it's usually cheaper than an unobstructed view room. However, I find the disappointment many readers have with an obstruction is not worth the aggravation in order to save some money.

7. Central Park balconies near the movie screen

One change Royal Caribbean made with Wonder of the Seas was to add a movie screen to the pool deck, but that screen is viewable from the Central Park balcony cabins below and some people noted it was loud on the balcony as a result.

The issue is people on their balcony can hear the sound from the movie screen above them, and that disturbs some people that would prefer a quiet balcony.

Last month I flew across the world to take a cruise from Australia for the first time. My 10-night cruise embarked in Sydney and called upon five ports in the South Pacific. During my time onboard, there were a few aspects of the Australian cruise experience that surprised me.

Each cruise market is unique. Whether you’re planning a cruise from Shanghai or Miami, you can expect subtle differences in menus, restaurant choices, entertainment, and the onboard culture.

After taking my first cruise from the United Kingdom last year, I noticed several differences between cruising from the United States versus England, such as menu differences in the dining room to the passenger demographic.

Related: I tried my first cruise from the UK: here’s what you should know

For that reason, when I booked my first cruise from Australia—a country I had never visited before—I knew I might encounter differences in the Royal Caribbean experience compared to cruises in the North American market.

As I embarked my cruise on Brilliance of the Seas, though, I did not encounter as many differences as I predicted. For the most part, my experience onboard felt identical to cruising from the United States (albeit with a few more Australian accents).

However, there were a few surprises I encountered on my first cruise from Australia. From the exchange rate to the quiet ports, here are 7 things that surprised me during my time down under.

Flying to Australia was not as hard as I thought it would be

It’s no secret that Australia is isolated from much of the world. Therefore, when I was planning a cruise from Australia, the flight was the aspect of the vacation I was looking forward to the least.

Although you can fly from the eastern United States to some European cruise ports, such as Rome and Barcelona, within seven or eight hours, the same cannot be said about Australia. The shortest direct flight to Sydney from the continental United States is from Los Angeles, and even then it takes fifteen hours!

Fortunately I am based on the west coast, so I was able to book this “short” flight to Australia. Surprisingly, while spending fifteen hours in an airplane is not necessarily enjoyable, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

Considering it usually takes eleven or twelve hours to fly directly from California to Europe, the extra few hours were not a big deal. And even though I connected in Los Angeles from a smaller airport, my overall travel day was not as miserable as I initially predicted.

For those American cruisers based on the west coast, getting to Australia is not much more difficult than traveling to Europe.

Doing back-to-back cruises is worth it when traveling all the way to Australia

If you’re traveling all the way to Australia for a cruise, why not book two cruises? One thing that surprised me when planning a cruise from Australia was the variety of itinerary options.

Whereas a ship could visit the fjords of New Zealand one week, it might sail to picture-perfect Pacific islands the next. If you plan your travels correctly, you can book back-to-back cruises visiting vastly different landscapes and cultures.

Flights to Australia aren’t cheap, and booking back-to-back cruises helps spread out the cost of your flight over a longer period of time. If you have the vacation time, it’s worth booking two itineraries instead of one.

Related: Back-to-back cruises tips and advice

If you opt not to do a back-to-back cruise, be sure to include at least a few days before or after the cruise to sightsee within Australia. Although I did not book back-to-back cruises for my trip, I arrived in the country over a week before my cruise was set to begin.

This gave me time to explore some of the country’s highlights, such as the Great Barrier Reef and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, before returning to Sydney to board my cruise.

Domestic itineraries are offered in Australia, which isn’t allowed in the United States

One major difference between cruises departing from Australia versus the United States is that Australia offers domestic itineraries.

Due to the Passenger Vessel Services Act in the United States, all foreign-flagged cruise ships departing from an American port are required to stop in at least one foreign port prior to returning to the United States.

This is why you will never see cruise itineraries visiting only ports in the United States. While a cruise from New York, as an example, may include port stops in Florida, they will always visit a foreign port, too, whether in The Bahamas or elsewhere in the Caribbean.

In Australia, though, this type of law does not apply. You can cruise from Sydney to ports along the coast of Queensland without the requirement to stop in another country.

You can visit the wineries of South Australia, marvel at panoramic views of Tasmania from Mount Wellington, scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef, and sail along the Whitsundays in Airlie Beach all without leaving Australia.

Plus, because most Australian cities are directly on the coast, cruising is a convenient way to experience these destinations.

Embarkation in Sydney is extremely convenient

Sydney’s cruise port is in Sydney Harbour, and it is perhaps the most conveniently located cruise port in the world. The port, otherwise known as the Overseas Passenger Terminal, is located in Circular Quay, which is directly in the city center.

Reaching the port on embarkation day is easy and stress-free. Passengers traveling from the airport can hop on a 20-minute train traveling from the airport to Sydney Harbour. Those staying in downtown hotels can walk to the port within a few minutes.

Related: 15 Royal Caribbean boarding process tips for a fast embarkation

Even if you’re not staying near Circular Quay, a short Uber ride can bring you to the port quickly.

Once at the terminal, I found the embarkation process to be straightforward. I was onboard Brilliance of the Seas within fifteen minutes of my arrival at the port.

As another plus, as your ship leaves Circular Quay, you will sail past famous landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, leading to absolutely spectacular views during sailaway.

The current exchange rate makes visiting Australia beneficial for American tourists

If you’re an American planning a cruise from Australia, you’ll find the current exchange rate between the US dollar and Australian dollar to work in your favor. Currently, $1 AUD is equal to $0.67 USD.

Although Australia can be an expensive country to visit, the exchange rate means Americans' dollars will go further in the country. That $100 AUD shore excursion is more like $70 USD, and a $20 AUD meal will only set you back around $14.

I found it easier to stick to my vacation budget with the exchange rate working in my favor, and it allowed me to “splurge” more on add-ons like shore excursions, drinks, and souvenirs.

Those visiting from the United Kingdom or elsewhere in Europe will also find the exchange rate beneficial. $1 AUD is equal to only $0.53 GBP and $0.61 Euro.

The South Pacific islands are not as commercialized as those in the Caribbean

Another aspect of cruising from Australia that surprised me was the lack of commercialization at island ports.

I love visiting the Caribbean, but I often find the commercialization of cruise ports to be overwhelming. It’s hard to escape the massive amounts of crowds and find authentic experiences in the busiest cruise ports.

Related: 10 Royal Caribbean cruise destinations not to be missed

During my South Pacific cruise itinerary, I visited five islands in the French territory of New Caledonia and the Pacific nation of Vanuatu. Although these islands do receive tourists, I found them to have a more tranquil vibe compared to busy ports like Nassau and Cozumel.

Beaches were less crowded and fewer restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops were available—there was a noticeable lack of Señor Frogs and jewelry stores. I preferred the calmer atmosphere of these beautiful destinations, and I never felt taken advantage of as a cruise tourist when visiting islands in the South Pacific.

The last thing that surprised me about cruising from Australia is how eager I would be to go back

When I first planned my cruise from Australia, I assumed it would be a “one and done” place for me. I tried to fit as much as I could into my three-week trip, both in Australia and around the South Pacific islands, just in case I never made it back to the region.

I knew I would enjoy visiting Australia and the South Pacific, but I didn’t expect to love the country so much. Whether exploring Sydney’s buzzing streets, walking the esplanade in Cairns, or lounging on the beach in Mystery Island, every aspect of my trip exceeded my expectations.

Leaving Australia, I already couldn’t wait to plan a trip back. Whether that means booking a domestic cruise to South Australia or a 12-night sailing to New Zealand, I am already hoping to return to Australia soon.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is just about a month away from debuting, but we're getting glimpses of what the new cruise ship looks like.

Icon of the Seas is nearly ready for her first revenue cruise in January, and we're starting to get an idea of what the new ship really looks like based on photos taken by some of the crew members onboard.

The new ship departed the shipyard in Finland and went to Cadiz, Spain where the ship stopped to load provisions and crew members.

There will eventually be 2,350 crew members on Icon of the Seas, and some of them have taken to posting photos and video to social media. You can't blame them for being so excited to share what the ship looks like. Even Royal Caribbean's top executives have posted photos from the new ship.

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Entertainment Nick Weir has shared a look at the ice skating theater and AquaTheater with his posts on social media.

Mr. Weir is so proud of the talented performers onboard that he shares a look at the hard work that goes into preparing it all.

Icon of the Seas will have a number of new performance venues, including an entire AquaTheater enclosed under the AquaDome. Encompassing more than 33,000 square meters and extending from Deck 14 to 20, the AquaDome neighborhood is home to new dining venues, a lounge, and new staterooms.

Absolute Zero is located at the end of the Royal Promenade and will have two shows performed across the 2,850 square feet of ice.

Crew members that are working on Icon of the Seas have begun sharing photos too.

Andy C. shared photos of the Royal Promenade from an event that took place in the neighborhood recently.

At 362 feet long, the Royal Promenade onboard Icon of the seas is longer than a football field, and for the first time, it incorporates ocean views.

Nearly all of the venues (except The Attic) are fully open on the Royal Promenade, so music can be heard from all over the Royal Promenade and for it to be more enticing for passengers to want to experience it all.

Many Royal Caribbean ships have a Royal Promenade, but this version of the Promenade is easier to get around. You can easily get between deck five and deck six, or head up stairs to Central Park on deck eight. Plus, there's an escalator from the Promenade to get you down to the casino and gangway on port days.

There are many venues around the Promenade, including Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar.

There will also be a Dueling Pianos bar, Sorrento's pizzeria, Point and Feather pub, Spotlight Karaoke, Boleros and Schooner Bar.

Even though there aren't passengers onboard yet, the ship is still celebrating Christmas.

Photos taken show the giant Christmas tree on the Royal Promenade. Royal Caribbean celebrates Christmas on every ship, and this year, crew members get the chance to enjoy it all to themselves.

Located on deck six, Dueling Pianos is Royal Caribbean's first double-pianist bar where the two performers take requests and involve guests in the musical fun.

The location of Dueling Pianos right next to The Attic comedy club on the Royal Promenade is deliberately to bring more entertainment and more energy into to Royal Promenade.

Pearl Cafe is the evolution of the Cafe Promenade concept, that has complimentary casual bistro cafe experience with elevated bistro food.

Pearl Cafe serves freshly toasted croissants, hot chocolate croissants, croissant sandwiches, sweets, and other specialty desserts. 

Royal Caribbean's well-known complimentary pizza will have a tweak that aims to improve the flow and reduce lines.

The plan is to get away from having switchbacks and queues to handle the lines that form for pizza. By giving the space a larger footprint, the hope is lines will be shorter.

The Pearl is the focal point of the Royal Promenade, and it's an architectural marvel that will bring the ship to life, offering different experiences throughout the voyage.

"The Pearl has a lot of different purposes. It's hard to put into context," said Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer for Royal Caribbean International.

"It's a bit art, a bit sculpture, a bit experience, a bit WOW." 

Read more: First look at The Pearl

You can see with the Point and Feather pub a very open layout.

It's worth noting on the second level of the Royal Promenade you can circle it completely, which is something you can't do on other Royal Caribbean ships. 

The ship's ice skating rink is aft, and The Music Hall and Casino Royale are located one deck below.

Video previews

Royal Caribbean has gotten into the swing of sharing glimpses of Icon of the Seas too.

The social media time has already gotten onboard Icon and has been sharing video snippets on Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms.

From sleigh 🎅 to slay 💅 pic.twitter.com/9jcpewf9c1

— Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) December 23, 2023

Our biggest present yet is on its way. 🎁 pic.twitter.com/Krp0hqdT8E

— Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) December 25, 2023

The new posts are in anticipation of the transatlantic crossing, when Icon of the Seas will head to Puerto Rico first and then Miami shortly thereafter.

The first revenue cruise of Icon of the Seas is on January 27, 2024 with paying passengers. There will be a series of preview sailings for travel agents and media in the weeks leading up to the start of sailings.

Part 1: Living on #IconoftheSeas 👀 Stay tuned for insider tips, behind-the-scenes looks, and crew POVs that you can only get here. pic.twitter.com/9Rn8qC06qK

— Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) December 23, 2023

The ship will sail year-round out of Miami in 2024, alternating between Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean itineraries, with four different routings available for departures between January 2024 and April 2025.

You might be surprised at some of the things you cannot bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise, including clothing irons.

You'll have shirts, dresses, suits, and pants packed in your suitcase, so one of the planning questions you might have for a cruise is related to ensuring those clothes look great when it's time to wear it.

Royal Caribbean does not allow guests to bring irons onboard, and they do not have irons for passengers to use in their cabins (or anywhere).

Irons are a fire hazard, and fire is the biggest threat to cruise ships. Fires on cruise ships are rare, but it's one of the most dangerous problems that could occur, so mitigating the threat is at the heart of many Royal Caribbean policies related to what you can and cannot bring onboard.

While there are not irons available to use in your stateroom, there are still ways to get your clothes looking their finest and adhere to the important rules of what you can and cannot bring onboard.

No irons allowed

You're not allowed to pack, bring, or use an iron on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. And steamers are also not allowed to be brought onboard.

If you try to bring one, it will be confiscated and returned to you after the cruise is over.  The security team screens every piece of luggage coming onboard the ship and they look for irons (and other contraband items).

A lot of passengers are unaware of the rule, and bring irons only to have them taken away.  

When you disembark your ship on the final morning of the sailing, look for a table with all the confiscated items somewhere in the cruise terminal. You'd be surprised at all the things people try to bring on a cruise ship.

Read more: What can you not bring on a cruise

Unlike a hotel room, there are no irons available to use in your stateroom either.  In fact, there are no self-service laundry facilities on Royal Caribbean cruise ships either.

Laundry can be sent out

You cannot iron your own clothes, but you can pay to have Royal Caribbean do it for you.

Every ship has the option for guests to have their clothes washed, folded, pressed, or dry cleaned. There is a per-item fee for this service, but it's the only way to get your clothes washed and/or ironed during your sailing.

The price of Royal Caribbean's laundry services vary based on if you want it washed or dry cleaned, and each item has a specific cost. There's a specific cost for shirts versus underwear versus a jacket.

Royal Caribbean offers a more cost-effective laundry option known as the wash and fold special. 

Ask your stateroom attendant, but there will be an option to fill a small bag with whatever clothes you can fit in there for the flat fee of $35.

This is great to launder shirts, bras, shorts, and other small clothing and have clean clothes to wear again during the cruise.

Read more: Royal Caribbean laundry services on your cruise

Laundry for suite guests

Are you staying in a suite? If so, Royal Caribbean provides complimentary pressing for the first formal night on your cruise.

It's a lesser-known suite benefit, but all you have to do is ask your stateroom attendant about it on the first night of the cruise (usually formal night is on the second night) and they can arrange to have your clothes sent out and then ready for the first formal night.

In addition, if you're staying in a Star Class suite on an Icon, Oasis, or Quantum Class cruise ship, laundry is complimentary every day. 

Star Class guests just need to fill out the form and put their clothes in the provided bag that's found in the closet.  Leave it on the bed, and it will be done for you.

Star Class suites are the most expensive rooms you can book on a Royal Caribbean ship, but they do include free laundry every day and that means you could potentially end the cruise with clean clothes!

DIY solution to ironing

You want to get wrinkles out of your clothes but don't want to pay Royal Caribbean to press it for you? There's another option.

Cruise fans have devised a method for dealing with wrinkles without resorting to laundry services.

The first is to turn on your stateroom shower and get the bathroom steamed up. 

Spray the clothes with Downy Wrinkle Release (contains affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use but supports this site), which you are allowed the bring on the ship.

Then hang the clothes in the bathroom.

Other strategies to battle wrinkles

If you can avoid getting your clothes wrinkled in the first place, then an iron won't be necessary at all.

Here are the strategies our readers have tried over the years that might work for you:

Roll your clothes

This works well for t-shirts or dresses, but if you roll clothes up (rather than folding them), it helps prevents wrinkles.

Rolling clothes can help a lot, but you just can't do it quickly. Each item needs to be ironed, then when rolling make sure the pieces are flat and not creasing anywhere. 

Once you're done and put them in the bag they won't move or make any new creases, so if you're careful it can work really well. The thicker roll helps prevents wrinkles on thin items.

Not only does rolling clothes help with preventing wrinkles, but it's a good packing strategy too.

Unpack as soon as you arrive

Unpack your luggage as soon as your bags are delivered to your cabin and hang everything up.

The sooner you get clothes out of the bag, the better.

Anything that is wrinkled can be sprayed with the Downy Wrinkle Release spray.

Pack the right clothes

Certain clothes are going to be more likely to be wrinkled in the first place, so rethink what you're going to pack for the cruise.

As an example, khakis tend to be my biggest culprit to the wrinkle monster.  Instead of khakis, I'll bring dark blues or blacks. 

Ladies might consider yoga pants aa another good choice for casual clothes that won't get wrinkled.  A reader said she wont wear blouses with elaborate ruffles or peplums or fluttery things.  Those adornments are thin and they will wrinkle and the shower trick even struggles to get ruffle wrinkles out. 

For men, ask your dry cleaner at home to pack dress shirts with tissue paper to help fight wrinkles.

Reuse clothing

If you choose to pay for pressing, pay for formal night clothes so you could reuse the formal night clothes.  

That means bringing bringing two dress shirts, having them pressed on night one, and then alternate your dress shirt wearing just for dinner, so your amount of wear is reduced.  

Embrace the wrinkles if all else fails

At the end of the day, no one on the ship will really care if your clothes are wrinkled. You're not on a ship with your social circles that will hold it against you for decades; you're on a ship for a few nights with people you're likely never to see again.

Plenty of other people on the ship will have wrinkled clothes too, and the ones that pay a lot of money to have their clothes pressed will be in the minority.

Merry Christmas! The holidays are here, and so is our weekly round up of this week's Royal Caribbean news.

What kind of cabin can you get for $2,400 on Wonder of the Seas?

Matt stayed in an oceanview balcony room on Wonder of the Seas for seven nights, paying a total of $2,409.94. 

While Matt has stayed in balcony rooms on Royal Caribbean ships before, the cruise line continues to improve. 

This cabin included ample power outlets, and large closet, and the 50 square foot balcony. 

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean news: New cruise ship construction milestone, deployment schedule updated & more
• Freedom of the Seas vs Liberty of the Seas
• Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean comparison
• The guide to Royal Caribbean status match
• 10 habits of successful cruisers
• Travelers want cruise deals — here's where to find them
• I spent $3,214 on a 10-night Royal Caribbean cruise. Here's what everything cost, from my $1,273 flight to $230 catamaran tour
• Beyond the Buffet: Exploring Royal Caribbean's unique onboard cuisine

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 521st episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, with answers to all of your cruise questions.

This week is all about you as Matt responds to more listener emails! From prepaid gratuities to saving money with travel agencies, check out this episode to hear all your questions answered. 

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Video: 5 Royal Caribbean ships nobody talks about

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — 5 Royal Caribbean ships nobody talks about — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Why the internet is obsessed with the world cruise

On TikTok, the #UltimateWorldCruise tag has more than 54.8 million views with a lot of social media attention to Royal Caribbean's first world cruise.

Many of the posts on TikTok are speculating on the prospect of drama between people living on a cruise ship for almost an entire year.

There's videos of passengers showing off their cabin, and how they're making it feel more like home.

First look at The Pearl on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas

Icon of the Seas will be putting a new twist on the essential Royal Promenade on most Royal Caribbean ships. With the introduction of the Pearl, you can expect something completely new and unique.

The Royal Promenade onboard Icon will be 362 feet long, longer than the length of a football field.

If the Royal Promenade is the heart of Icon of the Seas, the Pearl will be her heartbeat.

Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer for Royal Caribbean International called the Pearl “a bit art, a bit sculpture, a bit experience, a bit WOW." 

Bored of typical shore excursions? Try a day pass to a resort

Are you struggling to find a shore excursion that excites you?

Getting a day pass to a resort is your opportunity to try a new side of a location you may have already visited, such as the more popular Caribbean islands.

A day pass to a resort can give you a luxurious stop, with access to pools, restaurants, bars, and other amenities. Many resorts are all-inclusive.

And booking your pass is easy: there are several websites where you can find resort day passes, especially for cruise ship passengers staying in a port for 8 hours or less.

What it's like to sail Royal Caribbean's smallest ship

Royal Caribbean’s oldest and smallest cruise ship is still sailing strong, and you might be curious what it's like to go on a ship of this size and age.

Angie recently sailed on Grandeur out of Tampa, Florida, and she was surprised at how well-maintained the ship is! Grandeur is still in quality condition, despite being almost 30 years old.

While the ship may not have the same attractions as newer Royal Caribbean ships, she offers a more intimate atmosphere. 

Is it worth booking an inside cabin for a Mediterranean cruise?

How important is your cabin choice when it comes to a unique Mediterranean itinerary?

Given that a Mediterranean cruise is such an exciting experience to take full advantage of, you want to be sure to choose the right cabin.

You may wonder if it’s worth saving money to book a cheaper, windowless inside cabin. Or should you splurge for a balcony cabin instead?

To make your decision, you can weigh several categories—such as port stops and ideal sleeping conditions—and consider the pros and cons of each.

It's no secret that Royal Caribbean has had its first world cruise planned for over a year, but social media took notice when the sailing began this week.

Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas departed Miami to begin a 9-month Ultimate World Cruise on December 10, and TikTok has seen a flurry of interest for this kind of a cruise.

The world cruise will take 274-nights and visit every continent in the world, including Antarctica.

So far, there's been over 54.8 million views on the #UltimateWorldCruise tag on TikTok and it's caught the attention of a lot of people.

The interest began with passengers onboard sharing what it's like to live on a cruise ship for almost an entire year.

There's videos of passengers showing off their cabin, and how they're making it feel more like a home given how long they'll stay there.

People watching on TikTok seem quite intrigued by the idea of spending that long on a cruise ship, and it almost seemed like a reality show to viewers.

What is the world cruise?

The Ultimate World Cruise will take 274 nights on Serenade of the Seas that will visit more than 150 destinations in 65 countries and 11 great wonders of the world.

Serenade of the Seas will sail roundtrip from Miami on Dec. 10, 2023 and through Sept. 10, 2024.

Royal Caribbean first announced the Ultimate World Cruise on Serenade of the Seas in late 2021, and it opened for bookings in early 2022. 

Guests had the option to book the entire 274 night voyage, or hop on for smaller segments.

Because the entire voyage did not sell out, the cruise line opened up smaller segments. This includes seventeen individual itineraries ranging from nine to twenty nine nights.

These itineraries visit everywhere from Antarctica to Australia, Norway, and South Korea.

Why is this world cruise all over TikTok?

World cruises aren't new, but this is the first one that Royal Caribbean has done and being a mainstream cruise line, the attention it's generating may be related to the fact it's more approachable than on smaller lines.

The combination of a new kind of cruise of a well-known cruise line and TikTok's tenacity for generating drama seems to have resonated with viewers.

In viewing all the TikToks posted, creators have seemingly created a real-time view of the cruise and given they'll be on the ship for 9 months, TikTok has become obsessed with what they're calling "a reality show".

“I made an Ultimate World Cruise Bingo card for anyone else who is buckling in for this nine months TikTok reality show,” user @whimsysoul posted right at the start of the cruise.

As is the case with so many things on social media, the spectacle for viewers is more interesting than the subject matter and a lot of comments have speculated on what might happen during the voyage.

So far we've seen a couple videos with people being unaware of the benefits top tier Royal Caribbean cruisers get on any sailing, but nothing substantial.

The buzz generated by the world cruise at its launch points to a lot of excitement surrounding the cruise, as well as a lot of people naive about how cruise ships operate wrapping their minds around going on a cruise for quite that long.  Even as a seasoned cruiser, taking a cruise quite that long is hard to fathom.

Who are the TikTokers on the world cruise ship?

We've found a number of TikTokers posting videos so far, and it varies depending on how often you want updates.

Here's a few of the more regular posters since the world cruise began:

• @aa.kenney
• @iambrandeelake
• @angielinderman
• @brooklynschwetje
• @frugalvagabond
• @madisonschwetje
• @amike_oosthuizen
• @little_rat_brain
• @drjennytravels 
•  @spendingourkidsmoney

How much does the world cruise cost?

At the time Royal Caribbean put the world cruise on sale, the price varied depending on which sailing you chose.

If you wanted the full 274-night trip, prices were between $53,999 per person to $117,599 per person.

Some itineraries were as low as $931 per person and others around $1,881 per person before taxes and fees in an interior room.

The majority of the smaller segment itineraries are priced around $1,200 per person. With taxes and fees added, this brings the average cost to around $3,173 total for two guests in an interior room. With many itineraries between 11-16 nights, the price per day makes the segments a great value.

Where does the world cruise go?

Here's a look at the four main segments of the cruise and where it visits.

Ultimate Americas Cruise 

• 64 nights from Dec. 10, 2023, to Feb. 11, 2024
• 36 destinations, including Cozumel, Mexico; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Los Angeles, California
• 4 Wonders, including Iguazú Falls and Machu Picchu

Ultimate Asia Pacific Cruise 

• 87 nights from Feb. 11, 2024, to May 9, 2024
• 40 destinations, including Kailua-Kona, Hawaii; Manila, Philippines; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• 3 Wonders, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Taj Mahal

Ultimate Middle East and Med Pacific Cruise 

• 63 nights from May 9, 2024, to July 10, 2024
• 44 destinations, including Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Alexandria, Egypt; Rhodes, Greece; Barcelona, Spain; and Provence, France
• 4 Wonders, including the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Temple of Artemis

Ultimate Europe and Beyond Cruise 

• 63 nights from July 10, 2024, to Sept. 10, 2024
• 40 destinations, including Casablanca, Morocco; Paris, France; Bruges, Belgium; and Nuuk, Greenland
• No Wonders

Just like how food at a baseball game is more than hot dogs or cracker jack, the food choices on a Royal Caribbean cruise go beyond eating at the buffet.

According to an internal Royal Caribbean study, the top two reasons people choose to go on a cruise are for the destinations and food. With that in mind, a cruise ship has to offer more than just a salad bar.

AAA conducted a survey that showed 52% of U.S. adults are likely to consider a cruise vacation in 2023, and that number is likely to grow.

In fact, you might be surprised at the variety of dining choices found on cruise ships today. On the brand new Icon of the Seas, you'll find more than 40 ways to eat and drink, with 20 new and signature ways to eat onboard the ship.

All of those choices are meant to cater to every taste palate, while ensuring adventurous eaters have something to satisfy their needs as well.

If you're new to cruising, here's why the food on Royal Caribbean may very well impress you.

Culinary Delights

Depending on which ship you choose, there could be a great variety of restaurants to choose from, some that are included and others that cost extra.

The complimentary dining usually caters to the widest possible audience, with dishes of varying cuisines. You'll find Italian, French, American, Indian and more in the ship's Main Dining Room.

The Main Dining Room has a themed menu each evening, which was revamped in January 2023.

Specialty restaurant overview

When you think of gourmet dining on Royal Caribbean, inevitably your focus will shift to the specialty restaurants onboard. This is where the line puts its greatest effort in delivering a culinary experience.

Royal Caribbean’s specialty restaurants offer a wide range of cuisines, from Italian to Japanese and barbecue.

Each cruise ship has its own set of restaurants. The list of specialty dining venues includes:

• Chef's Table
• Cafe Latte-tudes
• Samba Grill
• Izumi
• Giovanni's Italian Kitchen
• Portside BBQ
• Johnny Rockets
• Wonderland
• Fish & Ships
• Sabor
• Chops Grille
• Teppanyaki
• Jamie's Italian
• Room Service
• Cupcake Cupboard
• Hooked Seafood
• Sugar Beach
• Sabor
• Starbucks
• Sichuan Red
• Giovanni's Table
• 150 Central Park
• The Mason Jar
• Desserted
• Pier 7
• Empire Supper Club
• Celebration Table
• Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade

Each restaurant has its own cuisine and style to it, which gives guests the choice to dine there.  There's plenty of food included in the cruise fare, but the idea is to give passengers the option of enhancing their cruise with additional variety.

Signature Dishes

At each specialty restaurant, you'll find tantalizing choices, but which meals truly stand out as a must-try?

I hand picked a few notable dishes that stand out as the best choice at the top restaurants.

Giovanni's Italian Kitchen

Seven cheese pizza does indeed have seven kinds of cheeses, and the blend is impressive.

Hooked Seafood

The Messy Fish Sandwich is a fried five-ounce piece of cod on a brioche bun, dressed with lots of tasty coleslaw and pickles. Ask for extra napkins.

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade

Campfire cookie is a freshly baked cookie and covered with roasted marshmallows served piping hot, with a side of ice cream.

150 Central Park

Beef tenderloin for two is sliced tableside with a duo of sauces to try.

Chops Grille

Crispy Goat Cheese Salad might not be one of the steaks on the menu, but it might be the perfect salad combination.

International flavors at sea

Royal Caribbean prides itself by offering global cuisine on its cruise ships, and it's apparent in the menu choices.

The Main Dining Room alone will have food on each night that is inspired by India, Italy, France, and Southeast Asia. With a different theme every night in the Main Dining Room and Windjammer buffet, you'll find a great deal of food from around the world.

If you want to go beyond those choices, the specialty restaurants cater to specific global cuisines. There are two different Italian restaurants on Royal Caribbean ships, with Giovanni's focusing on traditional Italian food and Jamie's Italian leveraging celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's modern view of the food.

Izumi sushi is the creation of Master Chef Travis Kamiyama, whose 30 years of experience brings both traditional and signature sushi that caters to the international market.

The Mason Jar has comfort foods that include buttermilk biscuits and jalapeno cornbread served with Cajun and whipped honey butter, lobster n’ crawfish gumbo, crab beignets, fried green tomatoes, charred watermelon salad, shrimp n’ grits, blacked Cajun catfish and beef brisket.

Unique dining experiences

Individual dishes are great, but what about meals that stand out as an event on its own.

Royal Caribbean has offered for years the Chef's Table on all of its ships. It's a limited capacity meal led by the ship's Chef de Cuisine.

You'll sit at a white tablecloth dinner with five exquisite courses, and each is paired with the perfect wine to bring out the flavor on the menu.

Coming to Icon of the Seas is an even more elevated experience, with the Empire Supper Club.

This is where you'll go for an eight-course menu of premium American cuisine, accompanied by live music played during your meal. Each musical number and every cocktail is carefully curated and perfectly paired to complement each course.

Tony Abou-Ganim has worked with James Beard Award-winning chefs, Bellagio and more to come up with the meals and cocktails.

Wonderland is another original Royal Caribbean creation that is loosely based on the magical world of Alice and Wonderland.

The menu is broken down into and inspired by five different natural elements: sun, ice, fire, earth, and sea. Nothing is what it seems, but the result is an array of dishes that might surprise you with how it tastes versus how it looks.

Culinary classes

In addition to sit down meals, there's an opportunity to learn how to make these foods at home.

Some ships offer cooking classes, where you get a hands-on tutorial on how the chef's on a ship make the food you eat in a restaurant.

This includes:

• Sushi making class
• Guacamole making class
• Cupcake decorating class

Behind-the-scenes kitchen tours

It's difficult to explain how much work goes into preparing meals for the thousands of guests and crew members every day on a cruise ship.

The ship's kitchens are a 24/7 operation, and you can get a peek at how it works with an all access tour.

Royal Caribbean offers two types of tours that will take you to the ship's galley, which is where the food is prepared and served.

The "Sip. Tour. Brunch." event is an extra cost experience where guests are taken backstage to the ship's galley, followed by enjoying brunch in the Main Dining Room.

If you want to see more, go for the "All Access Ship Tour" that includes not only a visit to the galley, but also the ship's bridge, engine control room, laundry facilities, and waste management area. It's a tour hour look at how cruise ships work.

Catering to dietary preferences

Whether you prefer to eat a certain way or have special needs, Royal Caribbean offers many choices.

Vegetarian and vegan options

You'll find many dining choices for vegetarian and vegan guests.

The Windjammer buffet has plenty of vegetarian and vegan option for each of its meals. Whether pasta with marinara, a salad, fresh fruit, oatmeal, soup, or avocado toast, you’ll certainly be able to find something to eat.

Indian food is a popular vegetarian alternative, and there is a vegetarian option served at each meal. Plant-based milks are also available on request for cereal and coffee.

In the Main Dining Room, there's even more options there. Each day will have a vegan choice listed.

Read more: Vegetarian and Vegan Guide to Royal Caribbean

Allergies and special requests

Royal Caribbean can cater to dietary needs, such as food allergies, gluten-free, kosher, low-fat, and low-sodium.

Lactose-free/soy milk, ensure, and kosher meals are available at no extra charge. Just notify Royal Caribbean at least 45 days prior to sailing (90 days for European/South American Itineraries).

You may also send an e-mail request to [email protected]; please include in the e-mail the guests' names, booking number, ship name and sail date. E-mails will receive an automated response. We kindly ask that guests do not call Royal Caribbean International suppliers with specific questions.

Beverage experiences

The variety of choices on Royal Caribbean is not limited to food, as there's lots of cocktails, beers, and wines to enjoy.

Certainly the stereotypical "I'm on a vacation" drinks are available, but the cruise line aims to go well beyond those beverages.

Signature cruise ship cocktails

Royal Caribbean's drink menu has come a long way from pina coladas, daiquiris, and mimosas. While you can certainly order those drinks, they've greatly expanded their offerings too.

Here's a few of the top choices you can order to wet your whistle on a cruise.

Mason Jar

PB&J Old Fashioned is made with Skrewball peanut butter whiskey, Kentucky bourbon, strawberry jelly and walnut bitters and served with a mini crustless PB&J as a garnish.

150 Central Park

The Cucumber Martini is made tableside and is a mix of cucumber, basil,Monin lemon grass syrup, sweet and sour mix and Grey Goose Vodka.

Sabor

Grand Sabor Margarita is a real crowd pleaser because it's big on flavor and delivers the exact Mexican cocktail you envision when you order it.

Bamboo Room

The Royal Zombie matches up with the Polynesian-themed bar quite well. It's served in a tall tiki glass, topped with crushed ice, fresh mint and a cherry.

Pool bar

Goombay Smash is inspired by the islands Royal Caribbean's ships have visited for decades as a way of honoring The Bahamas.

Read more: Top 10 cocktails to try on your next Royal Caribbean cruise

Bars and lounges with unique drink menus

Royal Caribbean has stepped up their beverage game over the last few years, with certain bars having different drink menus.

There's a common menu used across the fleet, but select bars and lounges have a special menu to order from.

Wonderland

On Oasis Class ships, Wonderland spans two decks, with its own bar and drinks you can only order at this restaurant. Bartenders use innovative flavors and artisanal ingredients to create whimsical cocktails that are as pretty as they are tasty.

Mason Jar

The bar side of The Mason Jar is designed like a sprawling southern porch, and the drink menu has a focus on bourbon and fresh flavors. 

Schooner Bar

Royal Caribbean updated the Schooner Bar menu in 2023 with new options. The featured drinks have all been updated with suggestions for fun drinks to try.

Planning tips for food enthusiasts

If you're ready to tackle Royal Caribbean's dining scene, you'll want to arm yourself with a few important tips.

Make reservations in advance at specialty restaurants

You're not alone in wanting to get a seat at the hibachi table or Empire Supper Club, so advanced reservations are not just a suggestion, they're a necessity.

Book reservations before your cruise via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site.  Don't wait until you get onboard because it's quite common for restaurants to sell out in the months leading up to the cruise.

You can always cancel with no penalty a dining reservation if you change your mind before the cruise, so there's little risk. 

Take advantage of a dining package

If you think you'll eat at more than two meals at a specialty restaurant, you should buy a specialty dining package.

Royal Caribbean offers a few types, including an unlimited option.  No matter which you choose, you'll need to purchase it before the cruise.

With a dining package, you'll need to wait to make reservations until you get on the ship.  As long as your dining times are flexible, the dining package should work out well.

Keep in mind some restaurants are not included with the dining packages, such as Chef's Table or Empire Supper Club. You can still get a discount with a package, but it's not covered in its entirety by the package purchase.

Read more: Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package

You can order more than one appetizer or entree

Whether you are dining in the Main Dining Room, Giovanni's, Mason Jar, don't settle for just one entree or one appetizer.  

Royal Caribbean allows passengers to order as much as you want in most cases, which means you are free to try dishes and sample what you want.  Most often passengers act like they do in a land restaurant and only order what they wish to pay for but on a cruise, order as much as you want!