Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean UK launched a new series of television ads aimed at showcasing how a cruise vacation can help families come together.

The new advertising campaign was developed by Truant London and officially kicks off on December 26.

Jodie Whittaker, best known for her work on Dr Who, narrates the new television commercial.  It will begin appearing across major TV channels and video-on-demand on December 26.

The new ads focus on bringing extended families together and reconnect during a cruise vacation.

Royal Caribbean will also sponsor The Masked Singer in January. 

Everyone makes mistakes, and today we get to learn from some of them with the one big mistake our readers made on their first Royal Caribbean cruise.

I reached out to our blog readers to hear some of the worst mistakes they have ever made on a cruise. These pitfalls are the perfect lessons for the rest of us to know about and avoid on our own sailings.

And if you love this video, we have lots of other great cruise videos to watch on our Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel!

By the way, have you subscribed yet? Be sure to subscribe to our channel and never miss a single video!

So check out the video and then let us know: What is the worst rookie mistake you made on a cruise?

Royal Caribbean fans can now purchase a stainless steel tumbler that keeps their drinks hot or cold longer, with a Royal Caribbean look to it.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com reader Nick Vitani spotted these cups for sale onboard Navigator of the Seas on the Royal Promenade. The cups may or may not be available on other ships in the fleet yet.

The cups cost $44.99 each, unless you have the Deluxe Beverage Package, and then the cups cost $25 each. These cups are not replacements for the complimentary soda cup that comes with a drink package purchase, rather, they are new piece of merchandise to purchase.

If you purchase the cup without a drink package, it does include a complimentary beverage coupon (including alcohol).

Let us know in the comments what you think of this tumbler! Would you want to purchase one for your collection?

With the new year just days away, that means a brand new year of Royal Caribbean cruises to enjoy and with it, some changes.  I have picked out six of the most significant changes that guests going on a cruise in 2020 are likely to notice.

Coco Beach Club opening 

Royal Caribbean estimated the Coco Beach Club and the floating cabanas are slated to open on January 31, 2020.

The Coco Beach Club is a exclusive area of Perfect Day at CocoCay that offers an oceanfront infinity pool, upgraded cuisine and the only floating cabanas in the Bahamas. Plus, there is a complimentary restaurant at Coco Beach Club featuring lobster, snapper, and steak— plus a buffet of soups, salads, and starters. 

The Coco Beach Club will offer the first and only floating cabanas in The Bahamas that seeks to offer guests with an additional level of luxury.

Allure of the Seas amplification & summer in Europe

In summer 2020, Allure of the Seas will get her turn for a massive $165 million amplification that  will add new features, including the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea; The Perfect Storm trio of waterslides, completely redesigned Adventure Ocean kids and teens spaces, the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Quantum Class original Music Hall.

After the work is completed, Allure will offer 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises sailing roundtrip from Barcelona during the summer 2020 season.

In November 2020, Allure will make its way coast to coast to Miami for the winter season.

Odyssey of the Seas launch

Anytime a new cruise ship launches, that is a big deal, and the second Quantum Ultra Class ship will make her debut in November 2020.

Odyssey of the Seas will be the first Quantum Ultra Class ship to arrive in North America, and will feature a two-level pool deck, as well as a collection of restaurant choices to enjoy.

Odyssey's inaugural year will kick off with 8- and 6-night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, FL. She will then sail to her homeport of Rome in May 2021 and become the first Quantum Ultra Class ship to cruise Europe for the summer. 

End of neighborhood balcony perks

When the calendar changes from 2019 to 2020, the neighborhood balcony perks on Oasis Class ships will cease to be offered.  Royal Caribbean announced in September 2019 that it would end the program on all sailings departing on or after January 1, 2020.

The Dine, Drink & Discover program offered extra benefits to guests who booked Boardwalk Balcony and Central Park Balcony staterooms on Oasis Class ships. 

If you had a neighborhood balcony room booked before September 18, 2019, then you will be grandfathered in for any sailing departing on-or-after January 1st, 2020. 

Royal Caribbean returns to New Orleans

Royal Caribbean will mark its return to offering cruises from the Big Easy, with Majesty of the Seas being homeported from New Orleans.

Majesty of the Seas will sail 7 night sailings primarily to the Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay, with some Western Caribbean itineraries too.

Explorer of the Seas & Freedom of the Seas amplifications

In addition to the upgrades for Allure of the Seas, the Royal Amplified program will also enhance Explorer of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas.

Freedom of the Seas will be first up for changes in March 2020, with a $116 million amplification that will add the Perfect Storm duo of waterslides, a redesigned Adventure Ocean, a Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade and a reimagined pool deck that will feature Splashaway Bay, El Loco Fresh and The Lime & Coconut.

Beginning in May 2020, Explorer of the Seas will be reimagined with a $110 million amplification that will add the Perfect Storm racer waterslides, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen; a redesigned, resort-style poolscape with signature poolside bar The Lime & Coconut; and transformed kids and teens spaces. 

Which Royal Caribbean change are you most excited about for 2020? Tell us in the comments!

Royal Caribbean offers a tremendous amount of value in its cruises by including a great variety of dining, activities and entertainment. Many first-time cruisers are curious what is included and costs nothing extra. While splurging a bit here and there helps enhance the vacation, many guests primarily rely on what is free on the cruise.

Here is a comprehensive look at what you can expect to be included with your cruise fare when it is your turn to hit the seas.

Free vs Paid

Before we list everything that is free on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you should understand the basic structure of how Royal Caribbean offers things to do for guests.

First and foremost, a Royal Caribbean cruise is not all-inclusive. Your cruise fare includes a great deal of offerings, but it is purposefully priced to include the basics, and provide guests the choice to indulge in specific add-ons.

Royal Caribbean is fairly transparent about specifying what costs and extra, and the key for new cruisers is to learn the basics to make the process smoother.

Cabin

The cruise fare you pay covers some core aspects of your vacation. This is the heart of what you are paying for, and primarily what gets you onboard.

When you book a cruise, what you are chiefly paying for is your stateroom cabin. Similar to picking a hotel room on land, your cruise cabin is your home for the duration of the cruise vacation. Additionally, you are paying for ocean transportation onboard the ship that brings you to each of the ports of call you are scheduled to visit.

Keep in mind that things like government taxes, fees is in addition to the base cruise fare.  Your invoice from Royal Caribbean will specify all of these charges at the time of booking.

Dining

You can expect a great deal of complimentary food and drink on Royal Caribbean, to the point that you can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with plenty of snacks, without paying anything extra. 

The daily cruise newsletter, known as a Cruise Compass, includes a full list of venues that are included with your cruise, venues that cost extra, and hours of operations for both. Before a cruise, you can review a past Cruise Compass to get an idea of what to expect on your sailing.

Every ship has different dining venues, but you can expect free food in:

• Main Dining Room
• Windjammer buffet
• Casual dining restaurants such as
  • Cafe Promenade
  • Sorrento's Pizza
  • Boardwalk Dog House
  • Park Cafe
  • Cafe Latte-tudes
  • El Loco Fresh
• Johnny Rockets (for breakfast on Oasis Class ships only)

The listed venues may on occasion list additional items that cost extra, but this is an add-on option to consider and the vast majority of the menu at these venues cost nothing extra.

In short, you will not struggle at all to find an overwhelming amount of free food onboard at all hours of the day or night. 

Drinks

Just like the food, you will find a set of beverages available for no extra cost through the day or night at a different locations onboard. 

• tap water
• milk
• tea
• coffee (regular and decaf)
• lemonade
• iced tea
• flavored waters
• juices (at breakfast and not fresh squeezed)
• Hot chocolate (via instant packets)

In some specific examples, there can be additional beverages available for limited times at no extra cost. This can include champagne on formal night, cocktails at a Crown and Anchor event and more. You will have to be vigilant in your event research to recognize when complimentary drinks will be served.

Entertainment

Most entertainment on your cruise is included with your fare. Live music, production shows, karaoke, concerts, in-room television programming (minus pay-per-view) and game shows are just some of what you expect to enjoy for no extra cost.

It may surprise you to know that even the full-length Broadway shows available on some ships is totally free to see, and you can go back again and again to see it. Considering traveling versions of these Broadway shows near your hometown will often cost hundreds of dollars per seat, the fact Royal Caribbean includes them with your fare is incredible.

Things to do

Throughout the day and evening, Royal Caribbean offers its guests a wide variety of activities that cost nothing extra.

Of course, there are opportunities to relax and enjoy time by the pool, hot tub or sit in a chair on one of the outside decks to enjoy the view of the ocean going by. Access to the ship's pools, water slides and hot tubs are always complimentary.

It is impossible to list all the free things to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise, because it varies from ship to ship and different activities may be offered on different sailings.  There are, however, some pretty common things to do across Royal Caribbean's fleet that you can enjoy for no additional cost:

• Basketball court & group activities (soccer, volleyball, basketball, etc)
• Mini golf
• Rock climbing wall
• Shuffleboard
• Trivia
• Dance classes
• Demonstrations (cooking, napkin folding, etc)
• Competitions (dodgeball, belly flop competition, etc)
• Pool side movies
• FlowRider surf simulator
• Ice skating (on ships with Studio B)
• Laser tag
• Dance parties
• Zip line (Oasis Class ships only)
• Bumper cars (Quantum Class ships only)
• Carousel (Oasis Class ships only)
• Jogging track
• Fitness center
  • Free weights
  • Exercise machines
  • Some fitness classes

In short, there is always some activity occurring, and plenty of other things to do that you can enjoy at your leisure.

Kids Programming

Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean is at the heart of the kids programming available on any Royal Caribbean ship, and it is nearly all included with your cruise fare.

Adventure Ocean is available to all children between the ages of 3 and 17 years old.  You can register your children at any point in the cruise (although it is best to register them on the first day) and drop them off at a supervised area of the ship.

Adventure Ocean has no cost for its services, with the exception of if the kids remain at Adventure Ocean past 10pm.  From 10pm to 2am, there is an hourly charge.

If your child is between 6 and 36 months old, there is a nursery available on nearly all Royal Caribbean ships. The nursery always has an hourly fee for its services, that will vary in price depending if it is daytime or nighttime. 

In addition to Adventure Ocean, there are usually family centric activities listed in the Cruise Compass, such as family karaoke, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts and more.

Private Destinations

If your Royal Caribbean cruise visits one of its private destinations, like Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee, then access and many offerings cost nothing extra.

Just like any port of call your ship visits, these private enclaves are a place you can walk off the ship and walk around at your leisure.  Both CocoCay and Labadee offer multiple beach options that cost nothing extra. CocoCay even has a large swimming pool you can spend time at for no charge.

At Perfect Day at CocoCay, this is what is free to enjoy:

• Splashaway Bay
• Captain Jill's Galleon
• Skipper's Grill
• Chill Grill
• Snack Shack
• Oasis Lagoon pool
• Beach chairs, umbrellas and towels
• Chill Island
• South Beach
• Sports Courts
• Select fitness classes
• Freshwater showers
• Tram service
• Beach access wheelchairs

At Labadee, this is what is free to enjoy:

• Adrenaline Beach
• Nellie's Beach
• Columbus Cove
• Lunch buffets
• Beach chairs, umbrellas and towels
• Tram service
• Freshwater showers
• Beach access wheelchairs

Good news, we are all one week closer to our next Royal Caribbean cruise!  In case you missed any of the Royal Caribbean fun from this week, here is our weekly round up!

Royal Caribbean made headlines this week with the announcement it will build a brand new state-of-the-art cruise terminal in Galveton, and announced it will send an Oasis Class cruise ship there to be homeported.

Allure of the Seas will be based in Galveston, beginning in November 2021 and offer 7-night sailings.

The brand new Terminal 3 will be big enough to handle Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ships, including an Oasis Class ship or the new Icon Class ships slated to debut in 2022.

Royal Caribbean News

• A volcano in New Zealand erupted while a Royal Caribbean shipw as nearby.
• Royal Caribbean cancelled all shore excursions that visit active volcanoes.
• Spectrum of the Seas sailings from China in 2021 were released.
• There are still a few days left in Royal Caribbean's pre-cruise sale.
• Check out our first timer's guide to Oasis of the Seas.
• Royal Caribbean was named Best Cruise Line Overall for the 17th consecutive year.
• I shared my favorite Royal Caribbean cruise hacks.
• When is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• We made a new video that looks at ten awesome free things to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
• Russia has announced new rules for cruise ship visitors that go to St. Petersburg on your own.
• Our full review of the Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 332nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, Matt talks with podcast listener Kurt about his recent Adventure of the Seas cruise.

In this episode, Kurt shares why he booked Adventure of the Seas, what he thought of the ship, activities, excursions and more during his sailing.

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.

Cruise with Matt to New England and Canada!

Have you heard about our group cruise for readers and staff of RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com aboard Brilliance of the Seas? This is an exclusive group where we are inviting you, our readers, to join us on a fantastic Brilliance of the Seas sailing on an 7-night cruise to Canada & New England.

This Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise is all about enjoying a fun Royal Caribbean cruise along with other fans who are big fans of Royal Caribbean.  Don't miss this opportunity to check out the amazing ship as well as be a part of exclusive events for those that book with our group!

For more details on booking the cruise, the itinerary and prices, check out the Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise page and if you have any questions, email me!

New RCB Video: 6 things you should buy before Royal Caribbean raises the price

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 — 6 things you should buy before Royal Caribbean raises the price — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Cruise Addicts wrote about how cruising on the world's biggest cruise ship is just different.

Travel Awaits listed 8 things you can do at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Want to know which month of the year has the cheapest prices for cruises?

Finding the best time of the year to go on a cruise and get the cheapest price is all about timing.  Regardless of which ship, itinerary or stateroom type you are interested in, the key is about when you elect to go and when you book the cruise.

If you have a flexible schedule, there are certain months where cruise prices tend to be a lot cheaper. Booking a sailing during these times can save hundred or thousands of dollars and still deliver a fantastic vacation.

Make every dollar go further by taking advantage of these strategies for finding the cheapest months to go on a cruise.

Alaska 

May or September

Are you looking for the best time to take an Alaska cruise? The very beginning and very end of the Alaska cruise season typically sees the lowest prices for Alaska cruises. Generally speaking, May and September have the coldest temperatures of the Alaska cruise season, and it is also the time of year when school is still in session.

Beyond time of year, you will likely find lower prices on open jaw sailings (cruises that begin in one port and conclude in a different port) than roundtrip sailings. Of course, airfare prices may negate any savings from choosing an open jaw sailing.

Read more: What is the cheapest month for an Alaska cruise?

Australia & New Zealand

April or November

If you are cruising down under, the busy months are around December and January because that is Australia's summer and also the most expensive prices.

Royal Caribbean concludes its cruise season in April or May, so if you can snag a cruise then, you will find some great deals. In addition, November is typically a less in-demand month.

Bermuda

May or September - October

The month of May is the beginning of the Bermuda cruise season, and prices will be lower due to it being the shoulder season.

September and October has two reasons why prices can be lower: school is in session and it is hurricane season.  While hurricanes do not typically impact Bermuda as much as the Caribbean islands, storms will usually pass by Bermuda at least once per year. 

Canada & New England

May or October

The weather is all about why you might want to cruise to Canada or Bermuda, and the months of May or October are not typically the most popular type of weather.

In both months, the weather is usually the coldest of the cruise season, with late October being especially cooler. New England can be still moderately warm during these months, but Canadian cities cool down quicker due to their latitude.

Caribbean

January, May, September, October or early December

The Caribbean cruise season is year-round, and there are some peaks and valleys in terms of demand and pricing throughout the year.

In terms of temperatures, it remains warm throughout most of the year, so there is almost always sun and warm enough temperatures to swim and be outdoors. November through February can see an occasional cold front pushing through to make things feel a bit chilly, but they are short lived and the exception.

When it comes to getting the lowest price on a Caribbean sailing, it is about cruising when school is in session or during hurricane season (June 1 through November 30).

The cheapest times of the year to cruise the Caribbean will be....

• January (minus New Years week) [School in session]
• First two weeks of February [School in session]
• May [School in session]
• September [Hurricane season]
• October [Hurricane season]
• First two weeks of December [School in session]

Mediterranean

March, April or November

Cruising to Europe is a very popular choice, and the Mediterranean is among the most popular places to cruise outside the Caribbean. Royal Caribbean begins its cruise season in March or April, and you will find most families still in school and the least crowds in the Mediterranean.

Temperatures can still be warm in the Mediterranean, but not as oppressively warm as the summer months.  Moreover, November usually sees the lowest prices of the year for Mediterranean cruises.

Northern Europe

May or October

Northern Europe cruises that visit the Baltics, Norway or the British Isles have a shorter cruise season than the Mediterranean, but pricing follows the same basic pricing principles of anywhere in Europe. Going during the shoulder season while temperatures and demand are lower will get you the lowest prices of the season.

Go when others cannot

All cruise cost factors being equal, the cheapest time to go on a cruise is when most others are busy or unwilling to go on that same sailing.

Most cruisers make a decision to go on a particular cruise based on their schedule at home, primarily related to their work or school schedule. Cruises that sail during times of the year when most kids are in school, or employers typically do not provide time off to their employees are the perfect time to snag a great deal on a cruise.

I will share good times of the year to consider cruises for many itineraries, but the common theme you will find among all of them is they are during times of the year when most families are not interested in cruising.

The other key factor to getting a deal is going on a cruise in what is known as the "shoulder season".  These are the weeks or months at the very beginning or very end of a ship's time in a particular region when factors such as weather, fauna or flora are not at their optimal levels. That is not to say cruising in the shoulder season would be a disappointment, but rather, not when conditions will be absolutely perfect.

Your thoughts

Do you agree with my picks for the cheapest months of the year to go on a cruise? Are there any months you think are better or worse than listed? Any specific times of the year that you think are ideal for going on a cruise and saving money?

Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Royal Caribbean has come away with a number of awards at the Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Awards, including the honor of being named the “Best Cruise Line Overall” and “Best Cruise Line in the Caribbean” for the 17th year in a row and “Best Cruise Line Sales & Service” for the 12th consecutive year.

~Me and Christi, with one of the gongs, @RoyalCaribbean won Best Entertainment, in the industry. #SymphonyoftheSeas is best ship (with... #Flight, #Hairspray, #HiRO, #1977) and a bunch more awards! A great year for us. @TWRCA @TWtravelnews https://t.co/2N47duWaKP pic.twitter.com/bHHLwlEHzV

— Nick Weir (@NickWeirShowbiz) December 13, 2019

The 2019 awards were held at the Conrad New York in New York City, and the awards recognize the best in travel, as voted on by the travel advisor community. 

The 2019 awards gala in New York City, recognizing the best of the best in travel as voted on by the growing travel advisor community, also honored the cruise line with the following awards once again: “Best Overall Individual Cruise Ship” for Symphony of the Seas and “Best Entertainment.”

The complete list of awards won by Royal Caribbean include:

• Best in Cruises Lines: Caribbean
• Best in Cruises Lines: Entertainment
• Best in Cruises Lines: Sales & Service
• Best in Cruises Lines: Overall
• Best in Cruise Ships: Overall Individual (Symphony of the Seas)

The awards are presented to suppliers considered by Travel Weekly readers as those that have led the way in product and service in the past year.         

If it's Friday, that means we are sharing our reader's best Royal Caribbean photos in this week's Friday Photos showcase.  As always, we want to include as many of our readers photos as we can, so be sure to send us your best Royal Caribbean photos too!

Our first photo is by Lynne Easterbrook, and it is a view of Sydney Harbour from her balcony.

Next up is a shot of Julie's son, Dylan, enjoying his first visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Gillian Barbara Sheila Miller sent in this photo of Independence of the Seas docked in Lisbon, Portugal.

Tyler Ryan sent in this photo from Navigator of the Seas, docked with another Royal Caribbean ship next to her.

We go back to Sydney for our next photo, with a look at Radiance of the Seas by Big Tule.

Kevin Lee snapped this photo while enjoying another fine day at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Speaking of CocoCay, Maureen McFarland takes us back to the island before the Perfect Day changeover.

Our final photo this week is by Tammy Winklepleck, and it is a look at Oasis of the Seas docked in Labadee.

Do you have Royal Caribbean photos that you want to share?  We'd love to feature them so send them in by using our nifty submission form and maybe your photos will show up in next week's edition!

Royal Caribbean announced it will send the first Oasis Class ship to be home ported from Galveston, Texas in 2021.

In conjunction with the cruise line's announcement it has signed a long-term agreement to build a brand new state-of-the-art cruise terminal in Galveston, Allure of the Seas will sail from Galveston beginning in 2021.

Allure will sail 7-night Caribbean itineraries from Galveston and will be the biggest and boldest ship sailing from the Lone Star state. It appears the first sailing will be November 10, 2021.

“We are excited to partner with the Port of Galveston to develop a world-class facility which will allow us to sail our newest, largest and most innovative ships from Texas starting with Allure of the Seas, one of the largest ships in the world,” Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “The new terminal will allow us to increase our guests to the region by 50% generating a $100 million economic impact within the first year of operation.”

In November 2021, the newly completed terminal will welcome one of the largest cruise ships in the world, Allure of the Seas. 

Allure of the Seas is scheduled to under go a $165 Royal Amplification in summer 2020, that will add a variety of new amenities, activities and things to do onboard. 

Among the many changes, Allure will receive the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea that touts a 10-story plunge; The Perfect Storm, a thrilling trio of multistory waterslides; and an array of culinary possibilities with more restaurants, including the introduction of Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar and returning favorites Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade and El Loco Fresh; and more.