Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world, and with a title like that, there is plenty to see, do, and explore onboard!

Going on a Symphony of the Seas cruise means access to incredible dining, shows, daily activities, and fun destinations to visit.  With so much opportunity, here is what you need to know to maximize your time onboard.

Table of Contents

• Do the pre-cruise check-in
• Don't forget to book entertainment before your cruise
• Do eat at the less crowded restaurants
• Do find the hidden spots
• Do explore the ship early
• Do stay onboard on a port stop
• Don't miss the ice skating and AquaTheater shows
• Do go to Johnny Rockets for a free breakfast
• Do check out the interactive art
• Don't be scared to ride the Ultimate Abyss
• Do visit the Big Wonder at night
• Don't miss the specialty restaurants

Do the pre-cruise check-in

Before you ever step foot onboard Symphony of the Seas, be sure to complete the online check-in.

Doing online check-in will save you time at the terminal, and greatly speed up the entire process once you arrive for your cruise. After all, it is much more enjoyable to breeze through the terminal and get onboard faster!

The easiest way to check-in for your cruise is to download Royal Caribbean's app and log into your account to get it started.

You can check-in up to 90 days before you sail date, but it must be completed no later than 3 days prior to sailing. It is easy to forget, so be sure to get it done early.

Checking in online is super quick, and will save you time later at the port.

Don't forget to book entertainment before your cruise

Symphony of the Seas has a lot of amazing shows and activities onboard, and you will not be the only person who wants to try to do them all.

On Oasis (and Quantum) Class ships, Royal Caribbean allows guests to prebook shows and activities from the Cruise Planner. These reservations guarantee you a spot at a specific time to see a show or engage in an activity.

Making reservations for shows is complementary, so you have nothing to lose by making a reservation.

There is no set time frame when shows will become available to book, but it is usually closer to your sail date, in the 30-45 day range.  The key is to periodically check the Cruise Planner for when it may appear.

Do eat at the less crowded restaurants

Typically cruisers on a Royal Caribbean ship will head to the Windjammer or main dining room to eat meals, but on Oasis Class ships these venues can easily get crowded.

Instead, you want to dine at the less busy, but still awesome complimentary restaurants.

On embarkation day, hit up El Loco Fresh or Park Cafe.  El Loco Fresh has tacos, burritos, chips and more to enjoy and you can get in an out super quick. Park Cafe has the world-famous Kummelweck roast beef sandwich!

Throughout the cruise, Solarium Bistro is a vastly underrated complimentary restaurant that rarely gets crowds because many people are completely unaware it exists, or what it offers. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Do find the hidden spots

A cruise ship as big as Symphony of the Seas has some great hidden spots, so be sure to note them all before you get onboard.

My favorite hidden spot on Symphony of the Seas is the chairs on jogging deck on the back of the ship. These chairs offer a great view of the ocean passing by, and are a great place to relax on a sea day.

Refer to this Symphony of the Seas secrets page, so you do not miss any of them.

Do explore the ship early

Since Symphony is so large, you will want to get your bearings early.

The size of the ship does not mean it is difficult to get around.  In fact, Royal Caribbean designed the ship to be easy to navigate, but you should try to get a sense of where everything is as early as you can.

After you get something to eat on embarkation day, it is a good idea to start exploring the ship.  There are seven neighborhoods to Symphony of the Seas, so try to walk around and see where the major areas and activities are located.

A common mistake made by first-timers is they do not realize a certain activity or area was on the ship until it was too late.

Do stay onboard on a port stop

Spoiler alert: You cannot see and do everything on Symphony of the Seas in just one 7-night cruise.

You might consider skipping a port stop at one point and staying onboard to explore the ship instead. Many activities are open on Symphony of the Seas while the ship is docked in a port, and you will find significantly less crowds onboard.

Staying on your ship while in port means very short lines for water slides, the FlowRider, pools and more. It almost feels like you have the ship to yourself! 

More: 10 free activities on Symphony of the Seas

Don't miss the ice skating and AquaTheater shows

I know what you are thinking, "Do I really want to see an ice skating show?" or "What the heck is an aqua show?", but they are must-sees!

Royal Caribbean takes pride in its entertainment, and the shows offered in Studio B and the AquaTheater are top-notch and worthy of being in a Las Vegas hotel.

The performers are highly trained and talented folks from all over the world, that audition for the opportunity to be featured in a Royal Caribbean production.

Symphony of the Seas has a number of great shows to see including:

• 1977 ice skating show in Studio B
• Hairspray the full Broadway musical in the Royal Theater
• HiRO aqua show in the AquaTheater
• Flight: Dare to Dream introduces cutting-edge 3D flying technology, video and automation in the Royal Theater

Do go to Johnny Rockets for a free breakfast

One of my favorite tips for any Oasis Class ship is to go to Johnny Rockets for breakfast.

Johnny Rockets has a cover charge for lunch and dinner, but it is complimentary for breakfast and serves up the kind of traditional American breakfast items most guests love.

The best reason to dine at Johnny Rockets for breakfast is that it is totally free and rarely crowded. Most guests are unaware it is open for breakfast, nor that it costs nothing.

Do check out the interactive art

Royal Caribbean ships are known for their art collections, and Symphony of the Seas features interactive art that is more than just a painting or sculpture.

• Paradox Void (Gregor Kregar, New Zealand) – Upon boarding the ship on the Royal Promenade, guests are welcomed by a monumental, kaleidoscopic maze of mirrors and colored lights. This 20-foot-tall, three-ton sculpture is made of 1,200 mirrored stainless-steel triangles and 200 sections of LED light strips. The piece invites travelers to interact with it via seating elements incorporated inside of the actual sculpture.
  *Location: deck 5, forward
• Sound Shell (Daniel Canogar, Spain) – Inspired by the spiraling shape of a seashell, this LED, interactive sculpture activates when a guest steps into the shell for an intimate, rich audiovisual experience composed of unique soundscapes and soothing light therapy.
  *Location: deck 6, aft
• Drier-Wig (dEmo, Spain) – One of the best photo-ops on board, the out-of-the-ordinary, motion-activated purple wig emits music when guests step beneath to wear it “on” their heads.
  *Location: deck 6, starboard

Don't be scared to ride the Ultimate Abyss

The Ultimate Abyss is that giant purple slide on the back of the ship that looks like something only daredevils would enjoy, but it is far more tame than you might imagine.

Towering 150 feet above sea level, it is a dry slide that sends guest plummeting down a 100 foot drop, but not all at once.  There are a lot of twists and turns that greatly reduce the speed going down.

Not only is the Ultimate Abyss a lot of fun (and free) to ride, it is not nearly as scary as it looks, so give it a shot!

Do visit the Big Wonder at night

Located in the Solarium on deck 15 forward, the Big Wonder is a beautiful work of art, and the perfect backdrop for a cocktail or two.

While the Solarium Bar is open in the day and evening, be sure stop by after the sun goes down because the entire structure is lit up at night and becomes even more impressive.

It is a great spot for taking photos with the 2,594 square feet structure in the background, or the focus of your photo as you share with friends and family back home.

Don't miss the specialty restaurants

While there is no shortage of great complimentary food on Symphony of the Seas, you really ought to consider a meal or two at one of the specialty restaurants.

Symphony of the Seas is jam-packed with some of the best specialty restaurants across the fleet.

One of my absolute favorite restaurants is Izumi, which features the Hibachi option that never disappoints.  Teppan-style dining is always a hit with families.

Hooked Seafood is another relatively new restaurant for Royal Caribbean, and features a robust raw bar.

Central Park is home to three different signature restaurants: Chops Grille, 150 Central Park & Jamie's Italian.  Each are excellent choices for a night out!

Save these Symphony of the Seas tips!

Did you find these tips helpful? 

Be sure to save these tips for your future reference by bookmarking this page, or you can pin the image below to Pinterest!

Royal Caribbean cancelled most cruises through December 31, which means a lot more people have had their summer cruise vacation plans altered.

Here is what you should be aware of, actively doing and planning if you are someone that had their cruise disrupted.

You don't have to decide immediately

The big news that more cruises are cancelled usually sends people running to their phone or computer to make a decision as soon as possible, but the reality is you have plenty of time to decide.

Royal Caribbean gives guests three options for what to do about the cancelled cruise, but you also have a little bit of time to decide.

There is no doubt that the first 48 hours after the cruise line announces cancellations are when the most people are calling in to change plans.

If you know with certainty what you want to do, that is great, but if you are uncertain you have some time to decide.  This is not like when a flight is cancelled and you are frantically trying to beat everyone else on the phone to find a new flight later that day.

Automatically, Royal Caribbean will provide guests with a 125% Future Cruise Credit for use on a new booking on or before December 31, 2021 and sailing through April 2022. With the last round of cancellations, the FCC will be automatically issued on or before July 31, 2020 if no other option is selected.

Even if you pick the FCC or just plain forget about it, you have until on or before December 31, 2020 to change to a refund.

The only decision to make in the short-term is if you want to opt for Lift & Shift, which allows you to select next year’s sailing with the same itinerary type, sailing length, stateroom category, and within the same 4-week window of the original cruise date.

The Lift & Shift offer expires on November 30, 2020.

You don't have to call

Once you decide which compensation offer you want, there are some easy ways to avoid waiting on hold.

If you booked your cruise through a travel agent, let your agent know which option you want and they can process the request on their end of things. Royal Caribbean has provided travel agents with new self-service tools to expedite refund and change requests.

If you booked directly, there is an easy to use self-service form that you can use to avoid waiting on hold.

The self-service form provides the three choices to consider, and you can get the process going without dialing anyone.

If you have questions or concerns, calling Royal Caribbean is always an option, but time saved on hold is always welcome!

One more tip: If you booked directly, do yourself a favor and use a good travel agent for the new sailing you will book to save yourself the trouble of ever having to wait on hold for Royal Caribbean ever again!

Don't forget about cruise add-ons

When a cruise is cancelled, the fist thing we all think about is our cruise fare, but do not overlook the money you spent on drink packages, shore excursions, WiFi and more.

If you do forget, or simply do nothing, you will get a 100% refund back to the original form of payment.

You could choose to convert all Cruise Planner purchases to an Onboard Credit valued at 125% of the total amount paid.  With this option, you have until July 10, 2020 to decide.

If you booked third-party shore excursions, hotels, flights or anything else not through Royal Caribbean, now is a good time to get the ball rolling on those refund requests. The airlines are also dealing with delays in getting refunds processed in a timely manner.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced it will extend its cruise suspension by cancelling most cruises through September 15, 2020, due to the coronavirus.

On Tuesday, the Royal Caribbean Group has decided to extend the suspension of most sailings through September 15, 2020, excluding sailings from China, suspended through the end of July, and sailings to Bermuda, suspended through October 31, 2020.

Exceptions to this timeline include China sailings paused through July onboard Spectrum of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas, as well as the further suspension of the 2020 Bermuda season onboard Grandeur of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas through October 31, 2020.  Voyager of the Seas sailings through September 30th, 2020 have also been cancelled.

Royal Caribbean's new goal is to resume operations on September 16th, 2020 for the majority of our fleet. 

The news comes days after Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) trade group announced its member cruise lines will cancel all cruises from U.S. ports until September 15, 2020. Royal Caribbean neglected to confirm the cancellations at the time of CLIA's announcement last week.

This new set of cancelled cruises marks the fifth phase of cancelled sailings by Royal Caribbean due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Royal Caribbean has not offered any sailings since mid-March.

Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line have each announced their own set of cancelled cruises through September 30, 2020.

Compensation offers

For those currently confirmed on sailings departing August 1 - September 15, 2020, as well as impacted Bermuda and China itineraries, who have not previously canceled under the Cruise with Confidence offer, there are several great options to consider:

Lift & Shift: Select next year’s sailing with the same itinerary type, sailing length, stateroom category, and within the same 4-week window of the original cruise date, and you can take your existing reservation and move it to next year.Option expires on July 10, 2020!

125% Future Cruise Credit: To account for the inconvenience this has caused, guests are eligible for a 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) that is based on the total cruise fare paid at the guest-level and will be automatically issued on-or-before July 31, 2020 — if neither of the other options is selected.

Taxes and fees, as well as any pre-purchased amenities or onboard packages will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment within 45 days from the cancellation date. 

If you previously opted to take advantage of our Cruise with Confidence policy, the 100% FCC will stand, and this new option is ineligible.

Additionally, if you redeemed your Cruise with Confidence Future Cruise Credit on a sailing that is now cancelled, their original FCC will be reinstated, plus 125% of any amount paid by the guest on the cancelled reservation.

Refund: If you prefer a cash refund, you can do so by requesting this option on-or-before December 31, 2020.

You can expect their refund to the original form of payment within 45 days from the cancellation date. 

If you redeemed a Cruise with Confidence Future Cruise Credit on an impacted sailing and would now prefer a refund instead, Royal Caribbean will process this request in the amount of any new funds paid above the original certificate and, in turn, will reinstate the Cruise with Confidence FCC for future use.

Working with the CDC for approval

The most frequently asked question among cruisers is when will cruises resume, and the answer is unclear thus far.

A combination of changing health recommendations, as well as garnering government approval has made the road to return for any cruise line difficult, at best. 

The cancellations are a result of the current health crisis, and Royal Caribbean reconfirmed its dedication to keeping guests and crew members safe.

Aligned with CLIA, as well as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are committed to industry safety and will not sail until we are confident in the protective measures put in place to welcome your clients back aboard.

CLIA hopes this additional time without sailings will provide opportunity to "consult with the CDC on measures that will be appropriate for the eventual resumption of cruise operations."

For its part, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) supports CLIA's announcement last week, citing outbreaks of COVID-19 on cruise ships even after passengers stopped sailing as good reason for further delays.

Royal Caribbean has kicked off its Summer Sale on cruise add-ons, such as drink packages, shore excursions, dining, wifi and more.

The Summer Sale offers up to 45% off select pre-cruise purchases made between June 23, 2020 – July 5, 2020 and applies to select sailings departing September 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021. 

Offer details:

BEVERAGE: Up to 45% off on all sailings.
• Classic Soda Beverage Package: 40% off onboard prices. (Excludes Charter Sailings + Spectrum of the Seas)
• Classic Soda Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: (Excludes Charter Sailings + Spectrum of the Seas)
• Dasani Water Cans: 40% off onboard prices. (Excludes Charter Sailings + Spectrum of the Seas)
• Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings + Spectrum of the Seas)
• Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Vision of the Seas + Spectrum of the Seas)
• Refreshment Package: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings + Spectrum of the Seas)

SHORE EXCURSIONS: Up to 40% off

• Shore Excursions: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings + Spectrum of the Seas)

INTERNET: Up to 65% off
• The Key: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Majesty of the Seas & Spectrum of the Seas)
• VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings + Spectrum of the Seas)
• VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings + Spectrum of the Seas)

DINING: Up to 55% off
• Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 9N sailings: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Majesty of the Seas & Spectrum of the Seas)

ACTIVITIES: 20% off
• All Access Ship Tour: 20% off onboard prices. (Sailings from 8/1/20 - 12/31/20, Excludes Charter Sailings, OY, QN & Spectrum of the Seas)

GIFTS & GEAR: Up to 20% off
• Happy Anniversary Decorations with Champagne: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas + Voyager of the Seas)
• Happy Birthday Decorations Bright Style: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes. Charter Sailings, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas + Voyager of the Seas)
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Chocolate Cake & Strawberries: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas + Voyager of the Seas)
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Vanilla Cake & Strawberries: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas + Voyager of the Seas)
• Inky Beach Towel (TicTacToe): 20% off onboard prices.(Excludes Charter Sailings, OY, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas + Voyager of the Seas)
• Inky Travel Set: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Odyssey of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas + Voyager of the Seas)
• Red Wine and Cheese: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Odyssey of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas + Voyager of the Seas)
• Royal Caribbean Beach Towel: 20% off onboard prices.(Excludes Charter Sailings, Odyssey of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas + Voyager of the Seas)
• White Wine and Cheese: 20% off onboard prices. (Excludes Charter Sailings, Odyssey of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas + Voyager of the Seas) 

PHOTO PACKAGES: Up to 20% off
• Photo Packages: From 5 - 100 print and/or digital options: discount varies by ship. (Sailings from 8/1/20 - 3/31/21; See full terms for exclusions)

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

The Meyer Werft shipyard has posted a brand new photo of the construction progress being made on Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas.

Photo by Meyer Werft

Odyssey will be Royal Caribbean'es next new cruise ship, and is under construction in Hall 6 of the shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

Just about every week, Meyer Werft updates its webcam to showcase a new photo of the ship and progress being made.

Odyssey of the Seas will be the cruise line's second Quantum Ultra Class ship, and is scheduled to debuts in November 2020 when she sails out of Port Everglades, Florida.

Odyssey has been under construction since the steel cutting ceremony in February 2019, and was scheduled to debut in November 2020.

There is speculation the ship's debut may be delayed, based on comments from Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd. that it expects "delivery delays of ships previously planned for delivery in 2020 and 2021."

The proverb, "Experience is The Best Teacher" holds true even on cruises, because there are a few mistakes that could cost you a lot of money.

Going on vacation means spending money to splurge and enjoy yourself, but it does not have to mean wasting money. There are plenty of first-time cruise mistakes to avoid, and a few of them could really cost you in the long run.

Here are the top five mistakes not to make on your Royal Caribbean cruise, which will cost you if you were to make them!

Leaving your cell phone on

One of the most common mistakes is guests who leave their cellphone antenna on while on a cruise.

If you leave your cellphone active while on a cruise ship, it can connect to the ship's cell phone antenna while at sea, or to a local network at one of the ports you are visiting. Nearly every cell phone plan calls this "roaming", and that means you pay a hefty price for placing calls, sending texts and using data.

Every so often there is a horror story that makes its way around the internet of someone who left their phone up and racked up thousands of dollars in roaming charges.

To avoid this mistake, simply put your phone into airplane mode once you get onboard on the first day. Airplane mode will disable your phone's antenna and prevent it from connecting to any network.

You can still use apps and other functions of your phone while in airplane mode, including connecting to WiFi. 

Once the cruise is over, you can disable airplane mode to instantly return to normal service, and no giant bill waiting for you at home.

Booking non-refundable cruise fare

There will be some readers who may disagree with me, but I think booking non-refundable cruise fare is a mistake waiting to happen, especially for first-time cruisers.

Other than certain stateroom categories that can only be booked as non-refundable (such as suites), guests have the choice at the time of booking to make a refundable or non-refundable deposit.

Non-refundable cruise fare will usually save $100-200 or so compared to booking refundable cruise fare, but non-refundable cruise fare comes with penalty charges if you want to cancel, or move your reservation to a different ship or sail date.

While it can be tempting to book non-refundable cruise fare to save a little off the top of your vacation cost, I think the flexibility refundable cruise fare offers is worth the extra cost.

By booking refundable cruise fare, you can cancel without penalty prior to final payment date, and/or change ships or sail dates without incurring a $100 per person penalty per change.

Cruises are typically booked many months in advance, and situations change a lot these days that can greatly alter the parameters of the vacation you envisioned.

A great example of this issue recently occured when Royal Caribbean announced Allure of the Seas would not sail from Galveston in 2021 and initially, guests could not get a refund if they did not want to sail on Liberty of the Seas instead. Many readers were upset because changing ships or cancelling would have incurred a fee due to their non-refundable cruise fare. 

While Royal Caribbean did eventually offer more choices in this situation, it stands as a cautionary tale, and prime example of why I prefer to book refundable cruise fare. You just never know.

Waiting to buy add-ons on the ship

If you wait to purchase drink packages, shore excursions, restaurant reservations or spa appointments onboard your Royal Caribbean ship, you are wasting money.

Royal Caribbean offers pre-cruise discounts in the months leading up to its cruises and these discounts are significant enough to make it well worth your time to pre-book instead of waiting to buy it on the ship.

Royal Caribbean will run sales periodically that lower the cost on many of these add-ons, making it even more lucrative to pre-book.

In order to pre-book any add-on, you simply need to log onto Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site and follow the easy-to-follow steps for reserving it for you.

Not only will pre-purchasing save you money compared to onboard prices, it will also save you time from waiting to purchase them. That means more time relaxing and having fun onboard.

Not bringing your own wine onboard

Love wine? Me too, so if you are not bringing two bottles of wine onboard your cruise, you're either missing out by not drinking or overpaying for wine that you could have gotten at retail prices at home.

While Royal Caribbean does not allow guests to bring alcoholic beverages on its ships, it does allow up to two 750ml bottles of wine to be brought onboard its ships.

Not only will bringing your own wine cost you less than buying similar bottles on the ship, it also helps keep your alcohol budget lower!

You have to bring it with you on embarkation day and keep it in your carry-on luggage, but you are free to drink it anywhere on the ship.

If you choose to drink the wine at a bar, restaurant or lounge, you may be subject to a corkage fee, but in my experience, the corkage fee is rarely enforced.

Art auctions

Art auctions remain a fixture on Royal Caribbean ships, but they can go from "fun diversion" to "expensive reminder" very quickly.

Unfortunately, art auctions have a pretty bad reputation on all cruise lines because the valuations, delays in shipping and add-on costs for framing and shipping muddle any perceived value from the artwork itself. Not to mention the fact the piece you bid on, is not something you just take home with you.

My recommendation is avoid art auctions all together, but if you do go inside, be aware of what you are bidding on, and keep prices and valuations as an opinion, and not fact. I think you are better off buying your art elsewhere, and spending that art auction money on something else onboard.

Your advice

Do you agree with our list? Is there an expensive cruise mistake to avoid that you would add? Let us know in the comments your experiences!

Pullamntur Cruises, which Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd owns 49% of, has filed for reorganization on Monday due to the impact of being shutdown during the current pandemic.

Pullmantur's board of directors make the decision following the "unprecedented impact" made the decision necessary.

In addition, Pullmantur has cancelled all of its cruises through November 15, 2020. One option that will be offered to guests booked on affected sailings is the option to sail on other RCL brands including Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises.

The reorganization has been filed under the terms of Spanish insolvency laws.

Two former Royal Caribbean ships sail in Pullmantur's fleet, Monarch of the Seas and Sovereign of the Seas. Pullmantur indicated that all three of its cruise ships are staffed at minimum maintenance levels, and it will ensure the crew's safe return home.

In October 2019, Royal Caribbean announced Grandeur of the Seas would be transferred to Pullmantur. It is unclear if that plan will change due to this announcement.

Royal Caribbean has offered guests for years the option to pre-book a select amount of water to be delivered to their cabin, and now the cruise line has changed that option from bottled water to canned water.

The cruise line's Cruise Planner site, which allows guests to pre-book select add-ons, lists the Dasani Water package that comes in environmentally-friendly cans that are easy to recycle and made of over 70% recycled aluminum. Aluminum is recycled more easily than plastic.

Guests can choose between a package of 12 or 24 Dasani 16-oz. (475 ml.) cans.

More eco-friendly options trend

Norwegian Cruise Line made headlines in 2019 when it announced the Norwegian Encore would offer no plastic bottles to guests onboard.

Instead, it carried a carton-based water product made by Just Water.

NCL's change was part of a cruise line goal to eliminate single-use plastics across the fleet by 2020.

Royal Caribbean took its first step in 2018 when it announced that beginning in 2019 plastic straws and stirrers would be replaced by Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper straws, wood stirrers and bamboo garnish pickers.

In the company's original announcement to eliminate single-use plastics across its fleet, it aimed to focus on other single-use plastics such as condiment packets, cups, and bags.  The overall plan to be completed in phases by 2020.

Happy Sunday! I would like to wish all the dads out there a very Happy Father’s Day! Hope you get to have a relaxing and fun-filled day with your family!

Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and catch up on all the latest Royal Caribbean news!

The big news this week is the apparent extension of cruise cancellations from U.S. ports through September 15, 2020.

The Cruise Lines International Association made the announcement that its member lines will voluntarily extend the suspension of U.S. cruise passenger operations until September 15, 2020.

Royal Caribbean has not announced the change on their end, but the cruise line has already taken down those likely cancelled sailings from its website.

Royal Caribbean posted on their website it will share more details about this announcement with guests early next week.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean will shift its cruises from Venice to Ravenna in 2021.
• The CDC is not sure when it will be safe for cruises to resume.
• One Wall Street analyst thinks the CDC is to blame for cruises not starting back up sooner.
• The new Allure of the Seas sailings from Port Everglades in winter 2021 are available to book.
• New Odyssey of the Seas construction photo update was posted this week.
• A look at what was added to each ship during its Royal Amplification refurbishment.
• What is the best Royal Caribbean specialty restaurant? Our readers weighed on which one they like the most.
• The top things you didn't know travel agents can do for your cruise vacation.
• Royal Caribbean trademarked video game characters.
• How do I pick the perfect first cruise?

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 359th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, featuring Pippa's story of taking her kids on their first cruise

The transition from cruising as adults to cruising with kids is always significant, and Pippa shares the story of when she took her kids on their first cruise and what her experience was like.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! 

Richard Fain speaks out on racism & cruises starting up

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman & CEO Richard Fain posted a new video this week, talking about what his cruise line is doing behind-the-scenes to ensure cruise ships are safe, as well as comment on the George Floyd death.

From his home in South Florida, Mr. Fain started out talking about Royal Caribbean's commitment to working with government authorities in crafting a safe and balanced approach to returning to service. 

In addition, Mr. Fain took time to address the issue of racism, and how important it is for everyone to start conversations on this topic and address the challenges, with the hope it leads to real change.

While Royal Caribbean has not formally announced it will cancel cruises through September 15, it has begun taking steps to prepare for what seems like an inevitable announcement by removing the sailings from its website. 

On Friday, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) trade group announced its member cruise lines would extend its voluntary cruise suspension and cancel all cruises from U.S. ports until September 15, 2020.

The news came as a surprise to many, especially since it came from CLIA before the cruise lines announced it. As expected, many cruisers immediately began contacting Royal Caribbean for confirmation.  While there has not been an announcement, it looks like the cruise line is beginning to take steps to that end.

Visitors to Royal Caribbean's website will find all of the cruise line's sailings have been removed for booking between August 1 - September 15, 2020, except for cruises sailing from Asia.

The only sailings available to book in July or August 2020 are from Beijing (Tiankin) and Shanghai (Baoshan), China.

Royal Caribbean took a similar measure in May 2020, when it pulled Alaska and Canada cruises from its website following an announcement from Canada that its borders would remain closed to cruise ships.

No announcement yet

While the update to booking cruises in July and August seems to be the proverbial nail in the coffin for those cruises, Royal Caribbean has not informed guests booked on affected sailings their vacations are cancelled, nor have they corroborated CLIA's announcement.

Royal Caribbean did post on their Health and Travel alerts section this note that a formal announcement is forthcoming.

CLIA has announced the voluntarily suspension of U.S. cruise operations until September 15. We will share more details about this announcement with our guests early next week.

Officially, Royal Caribbean's date of return remains August 1, 2020, but CLIA's announcement and Royal Caribbean's promise of an update next week seems to indicate it is a mere formality before more cruises are officially cancelled.

What should you do if you have a cruise booked?

If you have a cruise booked in August or early September, you should hold on and wait for the formal announcement from Royal Caribbean.

Contacting your travel agent or calling Royal Caribbean this weekend to cancel will not garner you the full options available once Royal Caribbean makes the announcement. Namely, you will miss out on bonus Future Cruise Credit, or the opportunity to get a full refund.

When Royal Caribbean cancels a cruise, they will notify guests and their travel agents directly. Of course, I will be sure to share that news on this blog as well.

You can expect at the very least an email to the reservation holder, as well as the travel agent to inform them of the cruise cancelation, as well as refund options. 

In short, until Royal Caribbean cancels your cruise, you have less lucrative options to consider, and should wait for the cruise line to notify you that the sailing is cancelled.

More information

• What should you do if Royal Caribbean cancels your cruise?
• What happens if I want to cancel my Royal Caribbean cruise?
• How to postpone your Royal Caribbean cruise until later
• Royal Caribbean Lift and Shift information FAQs