Royal Caribbean Blog

If you’re in the market for a new travel credit card, you might be considering applying for the Royal Caribbean credit card. The Visa Signature credit card is offered from Bank of America and aimed at Royal Caribbean's most loyal cruisers.

Choosing the right travel credit card can be daunting. There are tons of options out there, each with their own pros and cons. Some have huge annual fees with a slew of benefits while others cost you nothing with $0 annual fees. 

But, if you aren’t careful about choosing a credit card that fits your travel needs (and budget), you risk not get your money’s worth. On the other hand, having a travel card that aligns with your spending and redemption preferences can be very rewarding and save you money over time.

The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card is aimed at loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers who vacation with the cruise line multiple times a year. With no annual fee and the potential to unlock some decent benefits at sea with Royal Caribbean, it might seem like a good fit for you.

But, even the most loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers could find the redemption options to be limited. Honestly, the benefits from this no-annual-fee credit card are lackluster, at best.

Here is what you need to know about the credit card, along with some pros and cons that could make the Royal Caribbean credit card right (or wrong) for you.

The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees

One of the biggest advantages to having the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card is that you won’t be paying an annual fee. When you have an annual fee on a credit card, you want to ensure you are getting your money’s worth each year with the benefits offered. 

With the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card, you won’t need to justify the card's cost. Anything you redeem from the card can be worthwhile from this perspective. 

Another advantage for the Royal Caribbean credit card is the fact that it has no foreign transaction fees. If you travel internationally, it’s important to have a credit card that does not charge you for foreign transaction fees. Without this, you will be paying a small fee on every foreign purchase - and it can add up on international travels. 

Having a Visa credit card is also recommended for international travel, as American Express and Discover credit cards are not as widely accepted outside of the United States. Visa is the most commonly accepted credit card around the world, along with MasterCard. So, this is considered a pro for the credit card. 

With the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature, you’ll earn reward points called MyCruise points

When it comes to everyday spending, you’ll earn the following rates with qualifying purchases:

• For every $1 spent on Royal Caribbean or sister-brand Celebrity Cruises, you’ll earn 2 MyCruise points
• For every $1 on all other purchases, you’ll earn 1 MyCruise point

For example, if you spend $2,000 on a Royal Caribbean or Celebrity cruise, you will earn 4,000 MyCruise points. If you are not spending frequently with either cruise line, it will take you much longer to accrue enough points for a worthwhile reward. 

Generally speaking, this is not a great earning structure for a travel credit card. Unless you spend a good chunk of change with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises exclusively, you’ll pretty much be earning 1 point per $1 spent. 

Currently, Royal Caribbean is offering a sign-up bonus of 25,000 MyCruise points and a $50 Air2Sea discount for new cardholders

As with most credit cards, you’ll earn a sign-up bonus if you reach a minimum spending threshold within the first few months of having your new credit card.

Royal Caribbean is currently advertising a sign-up bonus of 25,000 MyCruise points after spending $1,000 or more on purchases within 90 days of opening your new account. This is considered a limited time online offer, so you will want to act fast if you are thinking of signing up for Royal Caribbean’s credit card. 

Those with an upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise could benefit from this the most, as the 25,000 bonus points can be redeemed for $250 onboard credit, stateroom upgrades and more, according to the cruise line’s website. You’ll want to make sure you can spend $1,000 on the new card to earn the points before planning to redeem for your cruise. 

The typical welcome offer is 10,000 MyCruise points, although you only need to make one qualifying purchase within 90 days to earn these bonus points. Therefore, it is a better time than most to open the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card. 

You’ll also receive a $50 discount on Royal Caribbean’s Air2Sea program, but this is only redeemable after you’ve spent $3,500 in card purchases within 90 days of opening the credit card.  

Rewards for MyCruise points can be used for onboard credit, stateroom upgrades, companion fares, cruise discounts and more

Generally speaking, you can redeem your MyCruise points at a rate of 1 cent for every 1 point; however, there are some redemption offers that will earn closer to 2 cents for every 1 point. The more points you earn, the more options you have to get the most bang for your buck. 

If you earn the sign-up bonus of 25,000 MyCruise points, you can redeem these onboard your Royal Caribbean cruise for $250. As you earn more points, you can redeem more lucrative benefits. 

Redemption for rewards start at 1,000 MyCruise points, in which you can donate the equivalent of $10 to World Wildlife Fund. This is a conservation fund that aims to protect the world’s oceans through sustainability efforts. More lucrative benefits start at 5,000 points, where you can start to request stateroom upgrades for short sailings and onboard credit (valued at $50) and Royal Caribbean robes, supposedly valued at $100. 

Once you earn 75,000+ MyCruise points, you can request upgrades for 7-night sailings or utilize a companion cruise fare (valued up to $1,500 on a 5 to 7-night sailing). You can also request an upgrade on a 7-night European sailings (valued at $800) or a 7-night Alaska cruise ($1,200 value) for 75,000 points. These are all earning more than 1 cent per 1 MyCruise point, so any of these redemptions would be a solid use of your MyCruise points. 

MyCruise points can only be redeemed with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises with little flexibility

One of the biggest downsides to the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card is that you have little flexibility for redeeming your MyCruise points. 

To start, MyCruise points need to be redeemed at least 7 business days prior to boarding your cruise for the rewards to be applied. Should you forget to redeem your points prior to your embarkation, then you are out of luck, unfortunately.

Another limitation is that you can only earn a maximum of 540,000 MyCruise points. This is worth around $5,400 for most redemption options; while still a sizable amount, most travel credit cards do not cap your earning potential. 

Finally, you should know that MyCruise points expire after five years. Again, this is fairly uncommon for travel cards. Most common travel credit cards do not accrue points that expire.

Royal Caribbean’s Visa Signature card has a high APR, with no introductory rate, so carrying balances on your card can be expensive

Of course, it’s best to pay your statement balance in full each month to avoid interest-rate charges. But, should you carry a balance on your Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card, you’ll be looking at an ongoing APR between 18.24%-28.24% (this is variable, but based on September 2023 rates). 

In general, this APR is higher than the average interest-rate charges that you will find for credit cards that incur interest. So, this is something to heavily consider if you plan to carry a balance.

Compared to other credit cards, Investopedia rates the Royal Caribbean Signature Visa an overall score of 2.9 out of 5 stars

Investopedia reviewed the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card and the card earned a lackluster score of 2.9/5 overall.

This score is based on low point-earning potential (only 1x points on non-Royal Caribbean purchases), high APR, limited redemption choices and minimal benefits. But, the card earned praise for having no annual fee and providing a decent sign-up bonus, currently worth $250. 

The general consensus of the review found that you’d need to be frequently spending money with Royal Caribbean to make the card worthwhile because the most lucrative redemption options come from the higher point tiers. You’ll need to be spending a big chunk of change with Royal Caribbean - likely near $37,500 - to start earning the best redemption options. For example, companion fares only appear as a reward options once you've earned 75,000 MyCruise points.  

However, the sign-up bonus right now with 25,000 bonus MyCruise points could help you get to those higher thresholds quicker. 

All other purchases only earn 1 MyCruise point per $1 spent, which is likely not worthwhile compared to other travel credit cards out there. You are also capped at 540,000 MyCruise points and points expire after 5 years. 

Reviews are mixed on whether the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card is worth it, according to our site’s readers

Here on RoyalCaribbeanBlog, some of our readers have posed the question to others about whether the Royal Caribbean credit card is a good choice. As with most financial decisions, the credit card is a better fit for some than others. 

User Steverk asked “Royal Caribbean credit card… Is it a good deal?”

As you can imagine, he received a myriad of responses from many who have the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card and those who prefer other cards. One response from smokeybandit said, “RC's card is probably one of the worst out there for accumulating points.”

However, another user, waaaytooo, responded, “We just cashed in $1650 in OBC (and there is still $300 more for another cruise to use later) for our upcoming cruise.  For our strategy of accumulating points for onboard credit, this card is great.”

Another interesting response was from Adam Brian Dada, who claims that he prefers the card for one simple reason: redeeming points for onboard credit. If he needs to reprice an excursion or drink package, the onboard credit is available immediately compared to waiting for credit card refunds.

One user, Peter D, says he has the Royal Caribbean credit card but barely uses it. He shares, "I have the BofA Royal Caribbean card, but rarely use it, even for RCL travel.  It might be worth getting it for the first bonus points, but the card does not really have many other good perks.”

While some have found the Royal Caribbean credit card valuable, others find other credit cards more worthwhile.  

You’ll need to weigh the pros and cons of the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature is worthwhile for you

The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card could be most valuable for those who cruise often - and exclusively - with Royal Caribbean. This is the only time you earn 2x points with the Royal Caribbean credit card, so it’s your best bet for earning MyCruise points and rewards.

Generally speaking, you can probably find a better travel credit that fits not only your travel spending, but also everyday purchases. 

Having no annual fee makes the decision a little easier, as you won’t need to evaluate whether the benefits are worth the cost of the card. The current sign-on bonus promotion is also a nice perk, although RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers have reported seeing higher welcome bonuses onboard cruises. 

You’ll need to do a lot of spending though with Royal Caribbean to earn enough points to redeem the most lucrative benefits. For example, you need at least 75,000 points to earn a companion fare (or BOGO cruise, essentially).

However, the card’s major downfall is earning just 1 point per $1 spend on all other purchases. You are probably better off pursuing a different credit card that rewards you for also making purchases at restaurants, grocery stores and general travel expenses. 

One example is the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa credit card, which has no annual fee, and you’ll earn 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas, transit, streaming services, and even your cell phone plan. Points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards and statement credits. You also receive some other benefits, such as cell phone protection. Roadside dispatch, travel service assistance and auto rental collision damage waiver. 

If you are willing to pay for an annual fee, you have some great travel credit card options to consider

Even a small annual fee on a credit card can unlock better benefits and higher earning potential with points and rewards. These credit cards also earn more points for everyday purchases, allowing you to earn more points than you’d receive with the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card.  

One of the best travel credit cards out there continues to be the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. This card only has an annual fee of $95, but you’ll earn 60,000 bonus sign-up points when applying - this is worth $750 when redeemed through the Chase travel portal. You earn 2x points on travel, 3x points on dining, 3x points on streaming services. Even better, you get basic built-in travel insurance for things like trip cancellations, baggage delays and trip delays.

At a slightly higher fee, you could also consider the American Express Green Card with an annual fee of $150. You’ll earn 3x points on all travel, transit and restaurants. Currently, the card has a 40,000 sign-up bonus for new cardholders, which is valued around $600 when redeemed for travel. Similar to the Chase Preferred, you also receive basic, built-in travel insurance for trip delays, baggage insurance and rental car loss/damage insurance.

Of course, these are just two popular travel credit cards. There are hundreds of options available, so it’s important to understand where you spend your money most and how you prefer to earn and redeem your points. 

Cruising has grown in popularity over the last ten years, an enjoyable vacation choice for many individuals.

However, some people might still feel skeptical about the value of this form of travel.

Besides the fact that travel is not accessible to everyone, there are many reasons why someone might choose not to go on a cruise. 

My opinion on cruising was no exception until recently. I have explored various other modes of travel but hadn’t wanted to cruise until I ventured onto the seas for the first time just last month aboard Wonder of the Seas.

Like many preconceived ideas, my cruising reservations were based on misinformation and inexperience and could only be disproved with further research or personal experience. 

From concerns about the overall cost to health issues in the age of COVID-19, I’ll introduce the top reasons I never wanted to cruise before.

In light of my recent cruise on Wonder of the Seas, I’ll also explain whether or not I found my concerns accurate.

Read more: 10 Ways Cruising Has Changed in the Last 30 Years

1. It’s too expensive

Before my first cruise, I assumed that cruising would be a too-expensive luxury. 

As it turns out, cruising is one of the most affordable forms of travel since accommodations, meals, and entertainment are all included in the base fare.

On my Wonder of the Seas cruise, we paid $2,674.76 for the base fare, about $382 per night for two people.

Since we only booked this cruise about a month beforehand, this is still a competitive price for such a new, large cruise ship.

We definitely could have saved money by booking our cruise earlier, ahead of time, or waiting for sales. 

Considering that traditional travel includes the cost of transportation, hotel or Airbnb accommodations, and meals, even before the cost of activities and entertainment, I think our cruise offered more value for the money.

Additional expenses, like drinks, specialty dining, or shore excursions, do quickly add up, but those costs can be minimized with careful planning.

In fact, it’s possible to plan a cruise for less than $100 a day.

Read more: I’m a budget cruiser. Here are 8 easy strategies I used on my recent Royal Caribbean cruise to save money

2. There are too many options

It’s true that choosing a cruise line and ship can be overwhelming. 

Without the help of a travel agent, I may not have been able to decide on one particular cruise, especially as a first-time cruiser. 

But you can always start with online research as well. We have several posts on planning your cruise, including how to start and choose a cruise ship.

Now that I’ve experienced my first cruise, I suggest starting your cruise plans with a certain destination. Choose what part of the world you would like to sail to, and then examine your budget. Make sure you find a ship that fits your pricing needs.

After that, you can focus on the particular ship and activities available. Some people look for specific slides, shows, or speciality restaurants when choosing their ship.

In general, you can set your own criteria, then you can see what’s available within those criteria and choose from those options.

3. I’m afraid of the ocean

Deep water makes me nervous, so the idea of cruising was formidable at first. 

Nightmarish news stories seem to pop up daily in the cruising world, whether it’s people falling overboard, getting sick, or losing their way at port.

In general, sailing out into the vast ocean can be quite nerve-wracking. 

But cruising is very safe when you stick to ship protocol. Cruise ships are prepared with safety drills, onboard medical professionals, lifeguards, and emergency lifeboats.

Rather than ocean safety, seasickness would be a genuine concern. But this can also be minimized by taking medication, gazing at the horizon, and staying in the middle of the ship.

Even as someone who experienced seasickness, I could power through it and found that the vacation was worth it.

Also, if you are scared of the ocean, cruising can be a fun way to overpower that fear! 

I enjoyed gazing at the sea in the mornings, experiencing beautiful new beaches, and swimming in pools, knowing we were perfectly safe.

4. Time in ports is limited

If you’re like me, you may prefer longer international travel where you can fully immerse yourself in a destination and explore it to the fullest. Cruise itineraries don’t usually allow for this slow-paced cultural immersion. 

On my first cruise, we visited multiple ports of call—Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten, and purchased Royal Caribbean shore excursions on St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

While I enjoyed seeing multiple places on one cruise, it’s true that the short stop did not allow us enough time to get out of the tourist traps and see more authentic parts of the islands. 

In fact, while we relaxed at Magens Bay in St. Thomas, a lifeguard told us that it was not nearly the best beach St. Thomas had to offer, just the most commonly known among tourists. 

Cruising port visits and excursions may not provide the authentic cultural experiences some travelers prefer.

Read more: Your really dumb cruise ship shore excursion questions answered

5. It’s not for my age group

A common misconception about cruising is that only old, retired folks go on cruises. 

Many people believe that cruises take much more time and money than other forms of travel. 

In that case, it would make sense that only those who are retired and have money saved up could afford to go on a cruise vacation.

On my cruise, I learned about seniors who choose to cruise instead of living in an assisted living facility. This choice is a cheaper option that allows more independence for senior citizens.

However, this group was not the majority. I was also surprised by the amount of couples, younger friend groups, and families with children of all ages on my cruise. I saw people from every age group on my cruise, from retirees to young adults.

I could also tell that the Royal Caribbean ship had tried to include activities for people of all ages: child-sitting services, kids club, teen group, and the Hyperlink young adults group.

Personally, as a young person in my twenties, I enjoyed the Hyperlink meet-ups, spending time at the nightclub, and relaxing by the pool. I'm not ashamed to say I loved the laser tag, too! 

6. There won’t be any people of color

Another common misconception is that only white people go on cruise vacations. 

Although luxury sailing has long been associated with rich Caucasian communities, cruising has become popular among many other groups. 

African Americans, in particular, are increasingly rating cruises as a preferred form of vacation.

It was to my pleasant surprise when I realized that my prior misconception about the demographics of cruisers was one of the most false things I believed before my cruise. 

Once we got onboard, I saw much more diversity than I expected.

This diversity was not just limited to crew members—who hailed from all over the world, a majority from Southeast Asia—but expanded to passengers and the people we met at ports of call.

The passengers I saw onboard were made up of every race, and many were from international locations.

For example, I met many Black people from all over the diaspora, from Trinidad and Tobago to the U.K.

7. I might get sick 

Illnesses can indeed spread quickly in the close quarters of a cruise ship.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have become much more aware of the potential for disease or infection in certain locations. 

However, whether you’re cruising or not, travel of any kind runs the risk of contracting a disease, especially between different cities or countries. 

Although this is just a personal anecdote, I can share that I did not contract any sicknesses from my first cruise or see anyone sick. 

In case of any emergency, I also felt assured knowing there were medical professionals onboard the ship.

However, those who are immunocompromised or concerned about potential illness might want to avoid cruising. 

Read more: What happened when I tested positive for Covid on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship

8. It would take too long

Due to the history of sailing, many people associate cruising with long, excruciating days of travel on the wide sea. 

Many first-time cruisers are concerned they will get bored on the ship while waiting to dock at port. 

Personally, I did take a slightly longer cruise at 7 nights, but we only had 8 full days of travel in total. 

Considering that this was an international trip, we visited 3 separate islands in addition to our port in Cape Canaveral, Florida, which is remarkably quick.

Additionally, we didn’t suffer from jet lag or face any major time differences. 

If you have time for a more extended vacation, I recommend a cruise for the value: you’ll be able to experience many different ports, shows, and activities within that timeline. 

And even if you don’t have a longer vacation planned, plenty of shorter cruisers are available, such as 3-day trips that sail Friday through Sunday.

9. I don’t like big crowds 

If you have social anxiety or an aversion to large crowds, a cruise vacation may not be the spot for you. 

Depending on your cruise's date, size, and popularity, the ship can be pretty crowded. 

My Wonder of the Seas ship, currently the largest cruise ship in the world, accommodates up to 6,988 passengers and 2,300 crew members. 

Although the ship itself was expansive, with lots of space to explore, it makes sense that the cruise would feel pretty full.

As someone who doesn’t like large crowds, I appreciated that there were many places to go, some with a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. 

But I can confirm that there were people everywhere. You would be hard-pressed to find a place to be completely alone. 

And—a warning for the introverts out there—most events did take a lot of social energy, whether they were main dining dinners, shore excursions, or trivia game nights. 

Additionally, there was noise and music in almost every location: a cruise feels like a constant celebration, and it’s hard to escape.

10. I don’t have anyone to take with me

Who should you cruise with?

If you’re single or far from family, it can be challenging to figure out who to take on your cruise, and many people (understandably) have an aversion to traveling alone. 

Don't be afraid if you’re still concerned about convincing someone to go with you. 

Personally, I took my younger sister with me, and we had a blast! 

Cruising with another person can be much different than a land vacation: cruising provides much more independence while ensuring you both are safe in the same space.

For my sister and I, we enjoyed time together in our cabin, on shore excursions, and at the same activities we enjoyed. 

If we had been on a land vacation, my sister and I might have been worried about the safety of separating and spending time apart.

However, on one private ship with security and staff everywhere, we felt comfortable separating and doing the activities we liked most. Some days, I could spend time at the pool while she slept in. Other times, we felt like eating separately, and neither of us had any problems eating alone. 

A cruise vacation gave us much more freedom to enjoy time together but also to be alone without feeling unsafe. 

Ready to book more Icon of the Seas cruises?

Icon of the Seas has yet to actually start sailing, but the vessel that will become the world's largest cruise ship when she debuts has seen a great deal of demand from customers.

Royal Caribbean has opened up more bookings that extend through April 2026.

While the cruise line has not yet added other ships to book that far out, they have added more available dates for Icon of the Seas.

Read more: When will Royal Caribbean release new sailings for 2025-2026?

Icon of the Seas will be 250,600 tons and hold up to 7,600 passengers, both of which are stats that eclipse the current largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas. Icon will also be about 10 feet longer than Wonder of the Seas, coming in at 1,198 feet long.

Icon of the Seas will remain in Miami, Florida and offer 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages, with all of them visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay.  There are four routings for these sailings:

• Seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyages with stops at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
• Seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyages with stops at St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 
• Seven-night Western Caribbean voyages with stops at Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 
• Seven-night Eastern Caribbean voyages with stops at St. Thomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Prices for these cruises have an average starting rate of around $1600-1800 per person. The cost of going on Icon of the Seas has commanded a premium price since the ship opened for bookings initially due to record-high demand.

In May 2023, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty talked about the incredible demand the ship has experienced so far, "Despite being on sale for only five months, Icon is significantly more booked for her inaugural season at materially higher rates than any other Royal Caribbean ship launch."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about this fact, "Icon is literally the best performing new product launch we've ever had in the history of our business, and we're delighted with volume and rate and that really is a full 24 product."

Demand has been so strong, that Royal Caribbean felt compelled to release more bookings earlier than the rest of its fleet.

Mr. Bayley issued a statement about why new bookings are out three months ahead of schedule, "Since Icon of the Seas was revealed almost a year ago, the response has been unprecedented by every measure."

"Families and friends are looking for vacations where everyone can make memories their way without compromise, and that’s what we set out to create in its best form with Icon more than five years ago. The excitement has only continued to build, making it clear that we’ve designed a revolutionary experience that reflects how consumers want to travel today and for years to come."

Currently under construction at the giant Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, Icon of the Seas will have her first sailing begin in January 2024.

Icon of the Seas features

Icon of the Seas was announced as a new kind of cruise ship back in 2016, and will be the first new class of Royal Caribbean cruise ship in almost a decade.

Not only is she big, but Royal Caribbean is loading her up with all sorts of new offerings that has clearly resonated with consumers.

The ship will have new types of cabins, a water park, new neighborhoods, and plenty of activities inbetween.  It will also offer a bigger array of dining venues, bars and deck-top attractions than any cruise vessel ever built.

Royal Caribbean calls Icon of the Seas a "white paper" ship, because it has been designed from the ground up with new concepts. 

There are 8 neighborhoods (one more than the Oasis Class ships), with three of the neighborhoods being an all new concept.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes ultimate guide

One big focus of the ship is the family cruise market, which the cruise line is actively targeting.

Icon of the Seas will have a dedicated neighborhood for families, known as Surfside.  Surfside is aimed at competing with the Orlando family vacation market.

Read more:  A sneak peek at Icon of the Seas under construction

Surfside was designed to become an area of the ship where families with kids ages 6 and under can play all-day together, where parents don't need to give up their relaxation time just because their kids want to play.

You'll find a giant aqua park designed for families: Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay splash parks for kids and the Water's Edge pool for parents. 

You're also going to find an entire water park on the top deck with six water slides to choose from.

Icon already completed her first set of sea trials, and is expected to complete work on her sometime later this year before being readied to start offering cruises.

Planning a cruise? Start here:

• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?

Even though Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class ships have technically the same overall design, there are important differences between each ship.

I went on a seven-night cruise onboard Adventure of the Seas in August, sailing to the Western Caribbean. I had a fantastic adventure (no pun intended) with my mom, visiting Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

This was not the first time I had sailed on Adventure of the Seas. Back in 2014, I sailed onboard Adventure of the Seas for a fabulous New Year's cruise with my family to the Southern Caribbean. 

Adventure of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean’s Voyager Class of ships. All of the Voyager Class ships are mid-sized and built between 1999 and 2003, making all of the ships over 20 years old.

These ships were revolutionary for the cruise line with the first ice skating rink at sea and the first Royal Promenade, which features shops and restaurants in the center of the ship.

In fact, I’ve been sailing on Voyager Class ships since Royal Caribbean first debuted these vessels. I originally sailed on Mariner of the Seas in 2005 with my family when it was one of the biggest ships in the world. I was lucky enough to sail on Mariner of the Seas twice last year, once with my sister during spring break and then again last summer during the Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise.

I’ve also sailed on sister ships Navigator of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas. In September, I will sail on Voyager of the Seas for the first time. Needless to say, I’ve come to know Voyager Class ships very well, especially Adventure and Mariner. 

One key difference between the two is that Mariner of the Seas received a Royal Amplification in 2018. This was a major investment for Royal Caribbean, costing $120 million to add new thrills, restaurants, staterooms, and entertainment onboard. On the contrary, Adventure of the Seas did not receive a Royal Amplification because it was postponed due to the pandemic. Instead, Adventure went through a $61 million revitalization in 2016 and 2018.

Ultimately, Mariner of the Seas features an upgraded Voyager Class experience while Adventure of the Seas has yet to receive a Royal Amplification. 

Here’s how these ships compare, including aspects that I like about each.

I find that Mariner of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas are the perfect size for cruising

All of the Voyager Class ships are well suited for many different kinds of cruises, including weekend getaways and longer, port-intensive sailings. I’ve sailed everywhere from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean and New England onboard these ships.

Mariner of the Seas clocks in at 139,863 gross tonnage while Adventure of the Seas is slightly smaller, measuring at 137,276 gross tonnage. Lengthwise, Adventure and Mariner are the same at 1,020 feet long. 

Since the ships are similar in size, the guest capacity is similar too. Adventure of the Seas can hold 3,807 guests while Mariner of the Seas can accommodate 4,000. 

On my recent cruise on Adventure, the total number of guests onboard was around 3,950 (according to the crew members I asked). This means that there were many cabins that had more than two people in them.

Read more: Cruise ship occupancy rates are over 100%. Why that isn’t actually a problem (or what you think it means)

At the time of these ships being built in the early 2000s, they were among the biggest in the world. Nowadays, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships are nearly double in size with many more people onboard. These mega-ships also cannot reach smaller ports, which limits their itineraries.

I love the size of the Mariner and Aventure; they have so many amenities onboard without being overwhelmingly large. The entertainment still feels like world-class productions. There are many different dining options onboard as well.

I really enjoy the unique production shows onboard both Mariner and Adventure

When Voyager Class ships were built, these vessels featured something that no other ships in the world had: an ice skating rink! At the time, the idea of having an ice skating rink on a moving cruise ship, especially in the Caribbean, was pretty mind-blowing.

Dubbed Studio B, the small ice skating rinks onboard are home to some spectacular ice shows. These are not your run-of-the-mill cruise ship productions. Instead, you will find Olympic-style skating with twists, turns, and flips that leave me stunned. Even though Mariner and Adventure are both mid-sized ships, I love that they feature such unique entertainment.

Mariner of the Seas’ ice show is called Ice Under the Big Top while Adventure of the Seas’ production is called Cool Art, Hot Ice. The circus-themed show on Mariner is one of my all-time favorite production shows. It’s funny, high-energy, and incredibly impressive. The circus theme brings back childhood memories for viewers of all ages!

There are other production shows onboard Mariner and Adventure, all of which I enjoyed. Mariner of the Seas features Gallery of Dreams and Center Stage in the Royal Theatre while Adventure of the Seas has shows called Invitation to Dance and Can’t Stop The Rock in the Lyric Theatre. 

Dining and drink venues onboard both ships are very similar, although I prefer Mariner’s upgraded offerings

When Mariner of the Seas received her Royal Amplification, the cruise line focused on adding new dining and bar options. 

One of the most unique bar options in all of Royal Caribbean’s fleet is the Bamboo Room. This tiki-themed bar is located in the Royal Promenade and serves up some delicious cocktails. Royal Caribbean describes the Bamboo Room as, “A laidback Polynesian watering hole with a throwback vibe and kitschy-cool craft cocktails like the Island Old Fashioned and Tiki Tea.” The Bamboo Room is only available on Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas.

I love the funky cocktails here, especially the mojitos. The atmosphere is unlike anywhere else on a Royal Caribbean ship! Since Adventure has not received a Royal Amplification, she does not feature any unique spots like this.

You can also find a Playmakers on Mariner of the Seas, which is Royal Caribbean’s sports bar and grill specialty restaurant. While I have never had the food here, the Campfire Skillet is one of the most delicious desserts I’ve had on a cruise ship. We were not able to have this on Adventure of the Seas, as the ship does not feature a Playmakers yet.

Another major advantage that Mariner of the Seas has over Adventure of the Seas is the Italian restaurant available. Onboard Mariner, my sister and I were able to dine at Jamie’s Italian. This restaurant serves fresh, handmade, and rustic Italian fare thanks to a partnership with Chef Jamie Oliver, one of Britain’s most famous food exports. I’ve been able to dine at Jamie’s Italian on multiple cruises, and I believe it’s my favorite specialty restaurant at sea. 

On the other hand, Adventure of the Seas has a Giovanni’s Table. This is Royal Caribbean’s original Italian restaurant. While I am a big fan of Italian food anywhere, I do prefer the menu and trendy atmosphere at Jamie’s Italian. 

Mariner of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas both feature Izumi Sushi, but Mariner also has the hibachi restaurant. Another difference is that Adventure’s Izumi Sushi is located in the Royal Promenade. (I thought this was neat because you could walk by and see the different classes happening while you were shopping.) Where Izumi is located on the Mariner is where Chops is located on Adventure. 

More differences between the two ships can be seen when comparing the onboard thrills

Mariner and Adventure have The Perfect Storm waterslides, a rock climbing wall, a sports court, and a Flowrider on deck 13. Both ships also have mini golf, but they are located in different areas of the ship.

Because of the Royal Amplification, Mariner has updated thrills like the Sky Pad bungee trampoline (though this is going to be removed soon), "Laser Tag: Battle for Planet Z", and an Escape Room “The Oberservatorium.” I didn’t partake in any of these activities on the Mariner, so I didn’t miss them when I was on the Adventure.

Overall, Mariner of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas are both excellent cruise ships that are well-maintained for their age

Royal Caribbean’s Voyager Class ships are some of my favorites, each being slightly different yet special in their own way.

I like the Royal Amplification that Mariner received, and I hope Adventure will get amplified in the near future. Who knows, maybe the delay will introduce new amplifications that could be even more popular. I believe adding more complimentary dining options, preferably quick casual, would be a popular addition to the Voyage Class ships.

No matter if you cruise on Mariner of the Seas or Adventure of the Seas, you will have a wonderful time!

Work on a new adults-only area at Perfect Day at CocoCay indicate a great deal of progress is being made.

While visiting Royal Caribbean's private island on Saturday, I had a chance to take photos of the construction progress on the Hideaway Beach area.

Hideaway Beach will be a new area reserved exclusively for adults, although that's about all the details we know.

Back in September 2021, Royal Caribbean announced that they would be building a new adults-only area.

Hideaway Beach was the first expansion of Perfect Day at CocoCay since Royal Caribbean launched the luxurious Coco Beach Club in 2020. 

Walking onto Perfect Day at CocoCay, it's apparent work is being done to add a new path to take guests to Hideaway Beach.

When guests walk to the Arrival Plaza, there are color coded pathways to make it easier to navigate to which area of the island someone wants to go.  It appears as the new path for Hideaway Beach will follow the coast and go around Thrill Waterpark and the tram area.

Walls prevent guests from getting close to the construction, so instead I took photos from the top deck of Independence of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean hasn't released any kind of previews of what the area will look like, nor what amenities will be available. 

It appears they have carved out a beach area that is rather large. We do know that in a past earnings call, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley indicated the new area will increase the island's capacity by 3,000 guests.

Zooming in closer we can see one large building being built close to the shore.

There's also concrete structures along the outer edge of the lagoon.

Opposite the building closest to shore is another large building, along with other structures in various stages of construction.

If you're wondering when Hideaway Beach might open, it's also not clear.

Royal Caribbean has promised Hideaway Beach will be ready by the time Icon of the Seas begins sailing, which will take place in late January 2024.

Beyond that, it's anyone's guess at this point when the expansion might be ready before then, if at all.

Perfect Day at CocoCay has been a home run for Royal Caribbean because of the high ratings its customers have given it, along with additional revenue it generates.

The combination of passenger-approved things to do, coupled with extra cost add-ons that have been quite profitable has resulted in a win-win for passengers and cruise line.

"Hideaway Beach will make perfect day at CocoCay even more perfect with an entirely new experience expanding capacity to the island," said Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty during the company's first-quarter earnings call in 2023.

Royal Caribbean confirmed it will be able to resume sailings on Radiance of the Seas.

The cruise line was forced to cancel two last-minute Alaska cruises on Radiance of the Seas due to a problem with the ship's propulsion.

It appears as though the issues are now resolved.

Guests booked on the September 15th sailing received the email they were hoping for. Royal Caribbean Blog reader Gord Wainwright shared a copy of the email Royal Caribbean sent out.

"Our Marine technical team has given us the green light and we’re thrilled to announce that Radiance of the Seas will be returning to service beginning with our September 15th sailing," is what Royal Caribbean conveyed in the announcement.

"With repairs wrapping up and sea trial preparations underway, we’re now able to confirm our ability to sail as intended."

In addition to informing booked passengers the ship is good to go, Royal Caribbean's  also wanted to address rumors of the ship's seaworthiness.

Royal Caribbean Associate Vice President, Guest Experience, mentioned the ship is ready to go.

"In response to some comments I've seen and heard, seaworthiness was never in question - the propulsion issue only impacted our speed and ability to make it to ports on time," is what the email stated.

The trouble began for Radiance of the Seas last week when the cruise line cancelled the September 1st sailing after the ship experienced problems with its propulsions. On the last night of the August 25th sailing before it concluded in Seward, Alaska is likely when the issues cropped up.

Radiance of the Seas has two Azipods, which are multidirectional pods that drive the ship and can be rotated 360 degrees and are have been the standard form of propulsion for all of Royal Caribbean's new cruise ships in recent years.

The September 1 and September 8 sailings were the sailings cancelled.

Royal Caribbean is issuing affected customers a full refund, plus a future cruise credit that can be used for a sailing departing within one year.

For the September 8 cancellation, the cruise line will also reimburse non-refundable, pre-purchased travel fees (such as a flight, hotel, train ticket, or rental car) of up to $250 per guest for domestic travel, or up to $500 per guest for international travel.

The September 1 cruise was canceled on the same day the ship was scheduled to depart, meaning many customers had already traveled to the ship's port of departure.

A cancelled cruise is quite rare, but having two in a row is nearly unheard of in the industry.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley took to social media to talk about the progress being made to repair the ship, as many other people with booked cruises were concerned their sailings might also be affected.

On his Facebook page, Mr. Bayley celebrated the ship returning to service and thanked the people that made it happen.

“Thank you to our Marine Technical team who have worked tirelessly to get the Azipod back on track.”

“Thank you to all our guests for your understanding and our amazing Guest services team.”

“For anyone who has owned a boat you know the journey ! And this is a huge ship !   Boarding day the drinks are on us !  Enjoy !”

Thank you for joining us for this a look at all the Royal Caribbean news from this week. We had plenty to share, so let us jump right in!

Two Alaska sailings on Radiance of the Seas have been canceled due to an ongoing propulsion problem.

Guests booked to sail on a 7-night cruise on September 8th received an email stating that the ship’s propulsion system “experienced a technical issue.”

However, recent social media updates from CEO Michael Bayley state that the prognosis looks good for future cruises on Radiance.
If a sea trial on September 10th goes well, Mr. Bayley says that the ship will be set to sail for her next cruise on September 15th. 

Royal Caribbean News

• Hurricane Lee has changed some cruise ship itineraries
• Radiance of the Seas’ repairs look promising, CEO reports
• 10 things I loved and hated about Adventure of the Seas
• How and when to take advantage of Kids Sail Free
• Captain Johnny shares a look inside his living quarters

Royal Caribbean Blog Video: Things that can get you kicked off a cruise ship in an instant

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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: Things that can get you kicked off a cruise ship in an instant.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 511th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt answers listener emails.

From transportation with car seats to pre-cruise flight timing, we respond to all your questions in this week's episode.

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.

After years of traveling, I went on my very first cruise and found it was a totally different way of seeing the world

After a lifetime of experience with other forms of travel, I went on my first cruise on Wonder of the Seas.

After years of traveling on land, being on a ship in the middle of the sea is a big shift. There were many surprises on my first entry into the cruising world, from convenience to seasickness. 

In this post, I share how this vacation was different from any other trip I’ve taken.

After 6 Royal Caribbean cruises this year, my wife and I tried Carnival for the first time and here’s what we liked and didn’t like.

Our guest blogger Mike Scudiero shares his first experience with a Carnival cruise.

In his post, he contrasts a 3-day Carnival cruise to previous experiences with Royal Caribbean.

What did Carnival get right, and where did they miss the mark? Mike discusses what he enjoyed, and whether he and his wife will continue exploring cruise lines, or stick to Royal Caribbean in the future.

7 surprising things I learned when booking a cruise for the first time

Booking my first cruise also held its surprising moments for me. 

Preparing for the cruise involved booking the cruise, packing, checking-in beforehand, and traveling to the port. Each aspect included unique pieces that I wouldn’t have expected as a first-time cruiser.

If you’re also looking to book a cruise for the first time, be sure to check out our tips and advice so you can have the best experience possible. 

I paid $300 to upgrade my inside cabin to a suite. Take a look at our entry-level suite

Allie usually sticks to inside cabins to keep her cruise fare low. But on her Odyssey of the Seas cruise, she chose to bid for an upgrade to a junior suite.

Although the spot was highly competitive, Allie’s gamble paid off, and she was able to move to a mid-ship junior suite on deck 10 for or $300 a night per person.

Check out her blog post for more photos and details of what made this junior suite so worth it. 

Lee is a major hurricane and a storm of its magnitude results in cruise ship itinerary changes.

The tropical storm went from a category 1 to a category 5 before falling back to a category 3 on Friday night.  After quickly reaching category 5 intensity 36 hours ago, Hurricane Lee has been struggling against wind shear.

Nonetheless, Lee is currently a Category 3 hurricane and larger than it was a few days ago. Lee's hurricane-force winds extend up to 90 miles from its center, with tropical storm-force winds extending for some 205 miles. 

As of early Tuesday afternoon, and it's expected to turn more northward by the middle of this week , with a potential impact to the U.S. Northeast and Atlantic Canada.

Lee is already impacting some cruise ship itineraries, with Royal Caribbean announcing course changes.

Royal Caribbean made these changes to ensure an enjoyable and safe experience, "To ensure we have a safe and smooth journey, and to stay well away from Hurricane Lee's path, we've adjusted our itinerary," said the email sent to booked passengers. 

Here's the list of cruise ship changes so far.

Last updated: September 13, 2023

Jewel of the Seas - September 14, 2023 sailing

Royal Caribbean informed guests booked on Jewel of the Seas that the ship will overnight in Manhattan, New York instead of visiting Halifax, Nova Scotia.

After that, the ship will proceed to Greenland and resume its normal itinerary.

Vision of the Seas - September 14, 2023 sailing

Vision of the Seas will remain in Baltimore on the 14th and then depart on the afternoon of September 15th.

Guests will need to be onboard the ship on the 14th.

Vision of the Seas - September 9, 2023 sailing

New: Vision of the Seas will return to Baltimore one day earlier, on September 13, with passengers staying aboard until their scheduled disembarkation date of September 14.  

Vision of the Seas is sailing from Baltimore and will depart as scheduled.

Instead of going to Bermuda, Vision will go to Perfect Day at CocoCay on Day 3 and Nassau, Bahamas on Day 4.

Liberty of the Seas - September 7, 2023 sailing

Liberty of the Seas will skip a scheduled visit to New Brunswick, Canada and instead head back to Cape Liberty for an overnight stay before the cruise ends.

Liberty will depart Halifax, Nova Scotia at 3pm on September 13 and head back to Cape Liberty, where the ship should arrive around 11pm on September 14.  She will remain in Cape Liberty until September 16th.

The ship's shops and casinos will remain closed while the ship is in Cape Liberty.

Guests on Liberty will receive compensation because of the skipped port and returning to the ship's homeport earlier than expected.

• Inside & Oceanview rooms: $75
• Balcony staterooms: $100
• Suites: $200
• $25 for each third and fourth guest

Adventure of the Seas - September 9, 2023 sailing

Royal Caribbean plans for Adventure of the Seas to depart Fort Lauderdale on Saturday as planned.

The ship will now visit Roatan, Honduras on Day 3 and Cozumel, Mexico on Day 4.

Wonder of the Seas - September 10, 2023 sailing

Royal Caribbean changed Wonder of the Seas to go from an Eastern Caribbean itinerary to the Western Caribbean.

The ship was scheduled to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.

Instead, the world's largest cruise ship will visit CocoCay on September 11; Cozumel, Mexico on September 13; and Roatán, Honduras on September 14. 

Harmony of the Seas - September 9, 2023 sailing

Harmony of the Seas is also swapping itineraries.

The September 9th sailing is now going to Roatán, Honduras; Cozumel, Mexico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Monitoring the hurricane

Royal Caribbean employs its own full-time meteorologist to help track the path of the storm.

Craig Setzer has been Royal Caribbean's Chief Meteorologist since August and is involved with the National Hurricane Center, teaching at World Meteorological Organization workshops, and presenting at American Meteorological Society conferences around the country.

Guests on ships with revised itineraries were informed by Aurora Yera-Rodriguez, the Assistant Vice President of Guest Experience for Royal Caribbean International, how the company is making these changes: "Along with our Chief Meteorologist and nautical experts, we’re closely monitoring the development of Hurricane Lee and any potential impacts to our itineraries."

The path of Lee

Most weather experts are calling for Lee to make a turn to the north, but it's unclear when that may occur.

Hurricane Lee is about 440 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The hurricane is moving west, northwest at 13 mph, and is forecast to pass to the north of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the weekend and into early next week.

According to Mr. Setzer, the uncertainty occurs when & where the turn to the north takes place on Wednesday. A sooner turn, a more likely recurve (out to sea), a later turn/faster motion before the turn, a less likely recurve (out to sea).

"I cannot stress this point enough. Until that turn takes place, and we observe where it happens, we will not know exactly who in the US, Canada, Bermuda will be impacted, or if impacted at all," he posted in a tweet on Friday.

He was also quite blunt about providing any kind of accurate predictions, "With that in mind, there is no need to ask me about your specific area and its threat, because I have no idea, nor does anyone else."

There's good and bad things about every cruise, including the one I just enjoyed.

I recently disembarked from a seven-day voyage onboard Adventure of the Seas. I had a fantastic time, but like many things in life, it wasn’t perfect.

Honestly, it’s easy to come up with things that I loved about my time on Adventure. I always love the food, entertainment, activities, and relaxation that comes with cruising. Adventure of the Seas is over 20 years old, but she is in excellent shape and offers a great value for cruisers.

Finding bad things about my trip was a little more difficult to do. I’d say that’s a good thing!

Nonetheless, here are the five things I loved and the five things I hated about my trip on Adventure of the Seas.

Love: The cruise director

Most cruise directors don’t stand out to me that much, but that is not the case with Kabir Bageria. Kabir was awesome! He made my trip on Adventure very memorable.

So many things about Kabir impressed me. His energy, enthusiasm, and upbeat personality are unmatched. He makes it his priority to ensure every guest feels welcome onboard.

He loves teaching his energetic signature dance classes on the pool deck multiple times throughout the voyage. He had a plethora of dad jokes he would share before and after shows, which were always funny (some more than others). He shared with me he tries to respond to every message he receives, and that truly sets him apart in my mind.

Every time he saw me or my mom, he would go out of his way to say hello and chat with us. Of all my cruises, Kabir was the most hospitable and accommodating! He made his home at sea feel like mine for my seven days onboard.

Kabir was nice enough to meet with me during his busy day so we could make content together for our social media channels. You can watch the interview here, and be sure to follow him on Instagram if you want to see what it’s like to be a cruise director!

Hate: Lack of outlets in our cabin

The thing I hated the most about this cruise was the lack of electrical outlets in our stateroom. There were only two outlets on the vanity for me and my mom to use. Between both of us, we had two cell phones, two smartwatches, two iPads, a laptop and camera to charge throughout the week. 

There were also a few instances when we had to blow dry our hair. We were constantly shuffling around our devices to see what needed to be charged first and plan ahead. 

Read more: I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Adventure of the Seas. It was small and windowless, but for $300 a night, it was a great deal. Take a look inside.

I thought I had read online that there was an outlet or two behind the beds. I made sure to check behind both of our beds for an outlet, and I was disappointed to not find one.

I will definitely look at bringing a power adapter like this one next time.

Another thing I wanted to note about our cabin is that I wasn’t sure if our air conditioner worked as it should have.

We had the air conditioner on the coldest setting we could and it was comfortable enough, but some may have found our cabin a little warm. It matched the refrigerator in our cabin — not that cool.

Love: Location of our cabin

While I hated there not being enough outlets in the cabin, I loved its location on the ship. We stayed in cabin 9379, which is on the ninth floor.

This floor proved to be very convenient because we were only two floors below the Windjammer and pool deck. Then, we had to go down just four floors to be at the Royal Promenade, the hub of activity on Voyager Class ships. 

The fact that we were in the far aft of the ship, the amount of people walking by our cabin was minimal. This made for a secluded cabin both in the mornings and the evenings when we really appreciated the quiet. 

Hate: Disrespectful kids

Because our over-capacity sailing (3,947 total passengers) had nearly 1,000 people under the age of 18 onboard, kids were everywhere. My guess is that many families were having their last summer vacation before school started (keep in mind, we cruised in early August).

Of course, kids onboard are fine, but my complaint is about the ones that weren’t respectful during shows.

My mom and I went to every headliner show in The Lyric Theatre. We usually went to the earlier show at 7:30 p.m., and these were well attended by all ages.

But, there were kids and teenagers that would be there who clearly didn’t want to! So many teenagers would be on their cell phones the entire show, and the light from their phones was distracting. Others would talk during the show – pretty loudly.

Many instances, parents would drag their young kids into the show and sit in one of the front rows – during the show! Families would come in last minute, start to crawl over us, and no more than 15 minutes later, crawl over us again to go the bathroom or leave because they’re bored. I don’t know why they would come to the front of the show when they can sit in the back or the side where they can easily slip out if they need to.

One night, a young boy kept bopping up and down so hard in his chair behind us that our chairs rattled and vibrated during the show. My mom had a kid behind her kick her seat throughout the show another night. I know it is their vacation as well, but I wish these parents would’ve had their children be more courteous to those of us around them.

We were thrilled if we had a non-interrupted 45 minutes of viewing enjoyment.

This leads to the next thing I loved about Adventure of the Seas.

Love: Entertainment and activities

The entertainment and activity options onboard Adventure of the Seas were plentiful! I was never bored. As mentioned earlier, my mom and I attended every headliner show. Sometimes, we saw the shows twice because we enjoyed them so much!

Read more: Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas review: What it's like to cruise on this ship today

The comedian, IMPACT, and the ice skating shows were some of my favorite entertainment. I also attended many of the game shows in the Imperial Lounge, including Majority Rules, Battle of the Sexes, and The Quest.

After attending the “Up Close & Personal with our Entertainment Family” event, Kabir, the cruise director, explained how important filling out the post-cruise survey is in terms of what entertainment the ship offers.

For example, after reading all the survey comments, Adventure of the Seas is considering adding an 80’s party in addition to the popular 70’s party. I like how they take into account what we as guests liked (or disliked) and want to see on a future cruise.

Hate: Numerous time zone changes

Our cruise visited Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Roatan, Honduras; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. We had a total of four nights with time changes.

For some reason, our cell phones didn’t always update when there was a time change. We found ourselves getting times messed up and missing a few activities because of it. 

Gaining an hour twice at the beginning of our trip was great (yay extra sleep!), but then it wasn’t so great when we had to lose them a few days later.

There was an instance when we were taking our sweet time getting ready before dinner in the Main Dining Room. I was in the shower when my mom frantically yelled, “It’s actually 5:30, not 4:30! We are late for dinner!” My mom ran to our dinner table and told our waiter, and luckily, they were nice enough to still serve us even though we were about 30 minutes late. They were so accommodating and didn’t make us feel bad for messing up their schedule.

It is only because my mom checked the Royal Caribbean app that she realized it was actually 5:30 p.m. instead of 4:30 p.m. With all the time changes, I would recommend using the trusty Royal Caribbean app when in doubt because the app is in ship time, the time you need to know for all onboard activities, events, dining, etc.

Love: The staff

Speaking of being accommodating, the staff on Adventure of the Seas took excellent care of us!

Our stateroom attendant did everything she could to keep our cabin well stocked, clean and comfortable. She brought us extra pillows, extra towels, extra lotion and daily Cruise Compasses upon our request. If we requested something, she was always on it and did it with a smile on her face.

We chose to eat in the Main Dining Room every night. Our waiter and assistant waiter did a spectacular job! If we weren’t happy with something, they were great about recommending something else. They would always give us their honest opinion if something was good or not. We found them to be spot-on and we appreciated their candor.

My mom and I also made a friend in the Windjammer. After his initial question about getting us drinks, we stirred up a conversation with him. He shared how he missed his family and six dogs in the Philippines. 

The next day morning, he showed us a picture of his dogs! After making a connection, he took great care of us each morning, even when the Windjammer was super busy.

Hate: Inconsistent food temperature

While I liked having dinner in the Main Dining Room every night, there were times when my food wasn’t hot like I would’ve wanted.

Either the food was super hot and steaming, or it was lukewarm. For example, the spinach artichoke dip appetizer was nice and hot while my mom’s escargot was not on the same night.

The food still tasted good when it was lukewarm, but it would’ve been better if it was hotter.

Love: The Key

This cruise was the first time I tried The Key. After experiencing it, I would definitely consider getting it again for a future cruise.

Our embarkation day was amazing mostly because of The Key. Being able to check in at 11 a.m. (an hour earlier than our regular check-in time) was extremely convenient and within a few short minutes, we were able to walk onto the ship.

After a quick muster drill, we enjoyed a tasty lunch in the Main Dining Room with a menu from Chops Grille. Before we even had dessert, our cabin was ready. When we opened our stateroom door, my carry-on was there on the couch.

All the perks of The Key made the first day of our vacation much more relaxing. Day one of our voyage felt like a full-day experience instead of a travel day! Basically, if you subtract the internet we wanted to get for the seven days onboard, the extra benefits were less than $60 per person. 

I wrote an article detailing my Key experience that you can read on our sister site, Cruise.Blog, here.

Hate: A stinky situation

We had quite the stinky situation for two days. I was sitting in my cabin when I all of a sudden got a whiff of the skunky smell of marijuana. I went into the hallway and could smell it wafting from someone’s cabin.

For the next two days, we noticed the same bad smell in our hallway as we left our cabin. Then one time as we were trying to figure out the exact location of the smell, a stateroom attendant started talking to us and explained how he smelt it too. He stated that it wasn’t allowed on the ship and that he was going to report it. We were happy to hear that.

After this conversation, we never noticed the smell again. We assumed the warning was made and we were pleased that it was dealt with quickly!

Read more: Things that can get you kicked off a cruise ship in an instant

I almost always book an inside cabin for my Royal Caribbean cruises. Because these staterooms are both affordable and functional, I can save so much money by staying in an inside stateroom. However, once in a while, I will make a splurge to stay in a more spacious and luxurious cabin. But, I still try not to break the bank when I upgrade to a higher-end stateroom. 

Last October, I sailed on a bucket-list 12-night itinerary from Rome to Israel onboard Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas with my family. We originally booked our stateroom more than a year in advance, but opted to place a last minute bid to upgrade our room for this special cruise with our parents. Although I initially booked an inside cabin with my sister, I ended up placing a bid for a junior suite through the cruise line’s Royal Up program.

Much to our surprise, our minimum bid was accepted within a few weeks of our sailing! My parents also bid on a junior suite and their bid was accepted as well. For just $300 per person, my sister and I were able to upgrade from an inside cabin to a junior suite during our 12-night itinerary. The Royal Up program shows how competitive your bid is, and this $300 bid was considered very competitive. 

Since Odyssey of the Seas is part of the Quantum Ultra-class, suites onboard are considered part of the Royal Suite Class. Our entry-level junior suite was considered part of the Sea Class, which is the lowest tier; but, we still received upgraded amenities during our stay, such as luxury shower products, mattresses and bathrobes. We also had access each evening to enjoy dinner in Coastal Kitchen, which is only available to suite guests. 

Take a look inside our junior suite onboard one of Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ships - and why it was absolutely worth the $300 upgrade!

For this cruise, we were assigned a junior suite on Deck 10. We would be staying in 10638 during the cruise, which was conveniently located mid-ship.

Being located on a higher deck, the suite also had quick, easy access to the pool deck and Windjammer buffet. Since we had many early morning excursions in Israel, being close to the buffet saved us time each morning. We appreciate the convenience of being located in a premium spot onboard. 

Since our parents were staying in a junior suite too, we were pleased to find that out that our rooms were literally right next to one another. This was presumably since we had our reservations linked, but it was a relief to know we would be next to one another. 

However, when you bid through the Royal Up program, you do not have the option to choose the specific stateroom. Instead, you are assigned a stateroom through the cruise line if your bid is accepted. This is a risk you take when you bid on a stateroom through the program, as you could get a less-than-ideal location onboard. Luckily, our gamble paid off, but we know this is not always the case. 

Once we boarded Odyssey of the Seas in Italy for our 12-night cruise, we were blown away by the junior suite!

To start, the cabin was extremely spacious and featured a beautiful, modern design. We found there to be a large bedroom area with two night stands, along with a small living room with a sectional. There was also a large bathroom with a separate space for the toilet, meaning we had dual sinks to use. The balcony was extra large as well, which gave us sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea. 

Our junior suite was 300 square feet - this is about double the size of a standard inside cabin on most cruise ships. The balcony was an additional 80 square feet, so we had plenty of space to enjoy the sea views. 

The sheer size of the cabin was very impressive and much bigger than we had expected. I am accustomed to the coziness of an inside cabin, so having this much space really did feel like a luxury. We really needed the extra space since we our suitcases were packed to the brim!

Also, because junior suites are classified as entry-level, these staterooms are not the largest or most luxurious suites onboard. These are more affordable suites that provide extra room and a few special amenities. For us, the extra space and amenities made this cruising experience extra memorable.

As you can imagine, we had generously packed our suitcases in anticipation of a 3-week trip to Europe with multiple climates. 

My sister and I independently visited Paris before the cruise, which was experiencing cool fall weather. But, we still had to pack for the hot, summer weather in Israel with highs in the 90s. As such, we had both filled up our suitcases to the brim with necessities for our European adventure.

Our stateroom had a large closet and vanity for storage. We quickly filled up the shelves, hangers and drawers with clothes for our 12-night adventure to Israel. After lugging around two suitcases to Paris and then Rome, we were both excited to get settled into our cabin for the entirety of the cruise. The junior suite really became our home away from home during this cruise. 

Our suitcases fit under the twin beds after we had unpacked all of our clothes. This kept the suite feeling roomy and less cluttered. I find this is always important regardless of which stateroom you stay in, as it really optimizes the space. 

Because I was sailing with my sister, we opted to have the room configured with two separate twin-sized beds instead of a king bed.  

The beds were located between a small sectional and the bathroom in our cabin. Directly across from the bed was the TV, vanity and closet. The room was so wide that we had more than enough space to navigate around the stateroom. 

When we arrived to our suite on the first day, the beds were configured into a king-size bed. Although I typically prefer to have the beds together in this manner, my sister was insistent that we separate them. We asked our stateroom attendant to separate the beds, and this was quickly done while we were at dinner on the first night. 

With a very port-intensive itinerary, it was vital that we had good rest each night so we could have energy for our 13-hour excursions! The mattresses in our junior suite were considered elevated from a standard mattress onboard. We both agreed the beds felt extra comfortable, but this could have been the result of long-days exploring in port and fighting off jet lag.

I find that separating the beds in a smaller cabin can make the space feel more open; however, in a larger cabin like this, it really does not make much of a difference. 

Because our stateroom was part of the Royal Suite Class, we received some extra perks, including access to Coastal Kitchen and an espresso machine in our stateroom.

If you choose to stay in a suite on your cruise vacation, you will typically receive extra perks and amenities. Top-tier suites will come with a laundry list of amenities and perks. Because a junior suite is considered entry-level, you will only receive a full suite benefits compared to higher-end suites. 

As you know, we received upgraded shower products, a more luxurious bed and also softer bathrobes. In addition, our junior suite also featured an espresso machine on the vanity to use throughout the week. This was perfect for our busy mornings getting ready for the day. 

For junior suite guests, Royal Caribbean provides evening access to Coastal Kitchen, but access is a little restricted. Junior suite guests can dine here as long as there is room onboard for all suite guests and Pinnacle loyalty members to dine as well. This exclusive dining venue is only for suite guests and it is supposed to provide higher-quality service and meals. 

We had to make an individual reservation each evening, as we could not be guaranteed a dining slot for the entire cruise. We were excited to try out this venue for the first time, but we found the ambiance to be a little too snooty and uptight for our liking. We also did not find the service or menu to be worth the nightly reservation debacle or unwelcoming vibe. 

This could have been a one-off bad experience for us, but we opted to go to the main dining room for the rest of the cruise. We ended up meeting nice table mates next to us, who we enjoyed chatting with each evening. This was a much more welcoming experience and we throughly enjoyed the food and service in the main dining room.

Finally, we also received priority embarkation and disembarkation as additional perks of staying in a junior suite. In our experience, it was a breeze getting on and off Odyssey of the Seas at the port of Civitavecchia so the priority embarkation and disembarkation was not as lucrative as a more congested port could be.  

The junior suite featured an oversized balcony, which is nearly double the size of a standard Royal Caribbean balcony. 

One of the biggest perks of a junior suite is having an oversized balcony. Since I am used to not even having a window, let alone a balcony, having this private veranda was a huge luxury. We were able to watch the ship pull into port each morning from the balcony, which was very nice.

Having a private balcony meant we could take advantage of the views right from the comfort of our suite. In an inside cabin, you have to venture to an outer deck to see any sort of views from our cabin. If you’re sailing somewhere scenic, this means you spend more time outside of your stateroom than inside. 

In addition, the balcony featured upgraded furniture with padded chairs. We had two plushy loungers to enjoy on our cruise, along with a small table. This was the perfect space to relax during sea days or in the evenings while the ships sailed away from each port into the Mediterranean. The sunsets were unbelievable each evening and we could watch them from the comfort of our own suite. 

Our favorite feature of the junior suite was the upgraded, large bathroom with a separate space for the toilet. 

The best feature of our junior suite was the amplified bathroom with a bathtub, walk-in shower, marble-designed flooring, and an entirely separate area for the toilet. This separate space had an additional vanity, mirror, sink and shelving, which was a huge time saver in the morning when my sister and I were both getting ready. 

The bathroom was beautifully designed with modern finishings, such as the marble-designed flooring. This made the bathroom feel bright and more spacious than any bathroom I've had in a cruise ship cabin.

Our bathroom also featured a full-sized bathtub. I am not one to take baths frequently at home, but this tub was nicer than the one in my own home. So, you can bet that I took a few relaxing baths here during the cruise!

I had never experienced a split-bathroom in a cruise ship cabin before; however, I hope this is a trend that sticks around! Having the separate space felt like another luxury, as my sister and I could each get ready at the same time without having to take turns using the sink and vanity. 

Additionally, the walk-in shower was by far the nicest and most modern shower I’ve ever used on a cruise ship. The floor had a marble design and featured a ledge for sitting and tons of space. An inside cabin, especially on an older ship, normally has a shower capsule that is barely big enough for one person. This shower was truly one of the best features of the junior suite!

I found myself spending more time in the suite than I normally do when sailing in a lower-end cabin.

Inside cabins are very cozy, so I tend to not spend as much time in my stateroom when cruising. Instead, I will spend more time exploring the ship and enjoying views from places like the Solarium.

On this cruise, I ended spending more time in the junior suite because it felt so much more luxurious than a typical cruise cabin. I enjoyed spending my time there and wanted to retreat to this quiet space where I could take in the sweeping balcony views to myself.

The suite was so warm and welcoming that it felt like a comfortable place to relax each day - and I did not have to worry about missing out on any of the ocean views. 

Spending $300 each to upgrade to a junior suite was absolutely worth it for this 12-night itinerary. 

Staying in a junior suite truly amplified our cruising experience onboard Odyssey of the Seas. Being in an entry-level suite on a newer ship was quite the luxurious experience, especially since my sister and I tend to sail on older ships in an inside cabin.

At the end of the day, it felt like a steal snagging this junior suite for just $300 each. Having the extra space was more than worth this upgrade cost. We felt lucky that our bid was accepted for this price, especially considering we received a suite located mid-ship. Having our parents right next to us with their accepted bid as well.

We appreciated having access to Coastal Kitchen, although the reservation system felt cumbersome, especially when Odyssey of the Seas has so many dining options. Having the upgraded amenities, such as the plush loungers on the balcony, soft bathrobes and higher-end shower products, were all nice touches to elevate the experience even more. 

My sister and I both agreed that having the extra space alone made this junior suite worthwhile, especially for a longer itinerary where we had packed much more than we normally do. I would not hesitate to book, or bid on, another junior suite in the future.