Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean is testing a new feature on Harmony of the Seas that allows guests a self-service option to take cash advances that are charged against their SeaPass account.

Traditionally, cash advances required guests to go to the casino cashier to have money charged against their account. 

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Rich Freudenberg spotted this new "room charge" option, where guests can log into their account on any casino machine and charge up to $300 per day right from the SeaPass account (cash or credit) into the machine, thus eliminating the need to see the cashier.

Happy Friday! This is the last Friday of 2018, and for this edition of Friday Photos, we decided to go back through all of this year's Friday Photos posts and find our favorite photos to share once again.

Sunrise on Harmony of the Seas, taken by Mike Sperduto.

Michelle P. caught a beautiful one over Bar Harbor, Maine while on Anthem of the Seas.

Allyson Yoshida took this beautiful photo of Legend of the Seas anchored in the Bay of Kotor.

Harmony of the Seas by Twangster.

Explorer of the Seas in San Francisco by Lisa and Marc Sandhaus.

Kinny Lee took this photo of a calm and clear night on Liberty of the Seas.

Stuart Etheridge took this photo from his first Oasis class cruise.

Sunset photo, taken by Chris - Sea Breeze Bear, on Radiance of the Seas while departing Wellington, New Zealand.

Lizz took this photo of the beach by the beach beds in CocoCay.

Photo of the Milky Way by Ken "CookingYo" Licwinko.

Thank you to everyone that sent in their photos this year, and if you have Royal Caribbean photos that you want to share, well, we want to see them!  You can use this form to send us your photos and we will feature them on an upcoming Friday Photos blog post!

Royal Caribbean filed a U.S. federal trademark registration with the U.S. patent and trademark office for something called the Fly Rider.

The trademark filing was filed on December 18, 2018 and is described as, "Entertainment services, namely, providing an amusement park ride in the nature of a zip line roller coaster ride".

The trademark reveals little details, but does give an indication of what may be announced at a future date.

Royal Caribbean kicked off its January offer today, with 60% off second guest, kids saill for less and up to $150 instant savings.

The BOGO60 offer applies to sailings departing on or after January 27, 2019 and is valid on sailings booked between December 27, 2018 and January 31, 2019.

The deal includes:

• Buy one guest, and get second guest at 60% off
• 30% off third and fourth guests
• Up to $150 Instant Savings
  • Sailings 5 nights or less, $25 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $50 for Balconies and $75 for Suites
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer, $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $150 for Suites

BOGO is combinable with promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, Instant Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Promo Code driven offers, Free Upgrades, Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. Offers are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, Net Rates. Promo Code driven offers are based on select ships and sail dates and must be applied at time of booking, limit one promo code per booking. 

 Offer available to residents of United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and select countries in the Caribbean. 

We often get questions from readers who are curious what it is like on a Royal Caribbean cruise over a holiday such as Christmas. Many are concerned what Royal Caribbean does to celebrate, and what activities or events will be held.

The good news is Royal Caribbean does offer quite a bit for guests to see and do on a cruise over Christmas.

Throughout December, on any Caribbean cruise, guests can enjoy festivities that include special appearances by Santa’s elves, gingerbread-cookie decorating, family story time and much more. Each ship will also host tree-lighting ceremonies.

The Christmas spirit even extends to its private islands, such as Labadee.

While on board, look for the Holly Jolly Holiday Parade, festive photo opportunities, caroling, holiday movie screenings at our AquaTheater (wear your pjs!), craft making and games for all ages.

You will also find special decorations around the ship to celebrate Christmas. In addition, there will be celebratory drinks and specials that coincide with the holiday.

Of course, there will be a special menu offered in the main dining room for Christmas.

Thanks to Earl McGrath, Karen Bartel & Rich Triplett for providing these photos.

Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Episode 282 is available for downloading, where Matt is sharing his favorite cruise memories of 2018.

It was a busy and fun year of cruising, and with the year coming to a close, Matt is sharing the cruise moments that stood out to him.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 282. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Stitcher or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!

With 2018 nearly complete, it's time to look back on the year and see which news stories generated the most interest.  There's no doubt that 2018 was a busy year for Royal Caribbean and so it is interesting to see which stories rose to the top of people's interest.

This year's top ten list is based on the Royal Caribbean stories we feel generated the most buzz and interest.  There are some stories that made the top ten list that surprised me and others I'm more surprises did not make the list.  Let's dive in!

Royal Caribbean changed their policy to allow guests to bring non-alcoholic beverages onboard

Royal Caribbean updated its beverage policy to begin allowing guests to bring small quantities of non-alcoholic beverages on their Royal Caribbean cruise.  Needless to say, this change made a lot of guests happy.

Effective as of September 1, 2018, non-alcoholic beverages brought onboard may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom. Distilled water or specialized beverages such as, milk for medical purposes, dietary or infant use, are permitted.

Royal Caribbean ended its partnership with Chef Michael Schwartz

2018 was the year we said goodbye to Michael's Genuine Pub locations and the menus at 150 Central Park that were provided as part of the partnership with Chef Michael Schwartz. Back in February, Royal Caribbean informed its travel partners that Royal Caribbean would remove Michael's Genuine Pub on its Quantum Class ships.

In its place, Royal Caribbean created a pub experience that offers a wide selection of beer and specialty cocktails, as well as small snacks.

Mariner of the Seas revitalization

Royal Caribbean spent $120 million this year to totally revamp Mariner of the Seas that amped the ship up with new thrills, restaurants, staterooms and entertainment.  The makeover really seemed to resonate with guests.

Royal Caribbean added water slides, a virtual reality trampoline, laser tag, Playmakers Sports Bar, Bamboo Room lounge, Jamie's Italian and a lot more.

Mariner of the Seas has the distinction of being a very popular choice with consumers that are looking for short cruises, and has been a boon for the cruise line in terms of being booked well and driving up revenue.

Symphony of the Seas launched

When Royal Caribbean launches a new cruise ship, it is certain to be big news and Symphony of the Seas did not disappoint. Symphony of the Seas is not only the largest cruise ship in the world, but also marks a significant moment for many Royal Caribbean fans because this brand new cruise ship offers so many enticing options.

After thirty-six months, Symphony of the Seas debuted in Europe and sailed a summer season in the Mediterranean before coming to the United States and her new homeport in Miami.

While Symphony may be the fourth Oasis Class ship, Royal Caribbean added a number of features and changes to make the ship stand out from her sisters. Symphony brings a bold lineup of energy-filled, heart-pumping experiences. The new ship offers glow-in-the-dark laser tag adventure, the tallest slide at sea, waterslides and FlowRider surf simulators. There is plenty of dining onboard too, with Hooked Seafood, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade and El Loco Fresh for Mexican street-food fare. In addition, Symphony offers signature shows across three distinct stage venues.

Terminal A in PortMiami opened

A new cruise terminal might not sound like big news, but Royal Caribbean's newest cruise terminal in PortMiami is a major step forward for guests who get to sail here. In early November, Royal Caribbean officially opened Terminal A in PortMiami.

Terminal A is a brand new, state-of-the-art cruise terminal that was built to be the home of Symphony of the Seas and her sister, Allure of the Seas.  The building was designed by England-based global architecture firm Broadway Malyan. The 170,000-square-foot terminal is nicknamed the ‘Crown of Miami’ because of its distinct shape.

Perfect Day at CocoCay announced

In March, Royal Caribbean revealed its grand plans for a massive expansion to its private island in the Bahamas. CocoCay will be the first in the cruise line's most ambitious project yet, which they are dubbing the Perfect Day Island Collection.  This will be a series of unrivaled and exclusive private island destinations around the world.

Among the many additions, Royal Caribbean is adding a new water park, the Caribbean's largest freshwater pool, zip line, helium balloon, specially designed beaches and more.

Royal Amplified program announced

As if announcing Perfect Day at CocoCay was not enough, Royal Caribbean also announced it would invest $900 million to reimagining its fleet through a new modernization effort called Royal Amplified.

Royal Amplified will cover 10 ships over four years, and Royal Caribbean promises the program will touch every facet of the guest experience, and introduce a wide range of innovative features and bold, new experiences, including specialized pool spaces, experiential dining and nightlife concepts, and first-of-its-kind attractions.

Royal Amplified will include the Oasis, Freedom and Voyager class ships.

Sorrento's Pizza got better

News about the state of pizza might not sound like big news, but to Royal Caribbean fans it was a welcome change.  Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley announced earlier this year an effort to substantially improve the cruise line's pizza.

A new approach to their pizza has seen a six point increase in guest satisfaction, thanks to the cruise line's better crust, cheese, sauce and toppings.

This is great news, especially when you are grabbing a slice in the late hours of the evening.

Independence of the Seas completed a shipwide refurbishment

While Mariner of the Seas received a lot of attention this year for her upgrades, Independence of the Seas also received a substantial upgrade too.

Royal Caribbean completed the multimillion-dollar upgrades on Independence of the Seas, which resulted in the addition of a number of new features onboard, including new aqua park, new lounges, escape room, laser tag, new staterooms, Izumi specialty restaurant and more.

Royal Caribbean hosted the largest movie premiere at sea

A new Netflix movie was filmed and initially screened aboard Harmony of the Seas.  To celebrate the launch of the new film, Royal Caribbean hosted the largest movie premiere at sea by screening the dramedy across its Oasis Class ships.

"Like Father" was filmed on board Harmony of the Seas and stars Kristen Bell, Kelsey Grammer and Seth Rogen.

Your thoughts

What did you think was the biggest Royal Caribbean news of 2018? Did we miss one? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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

There was a lot of Royal Caribbean news this week, but the big news came when Royal Caribbean revealed its 2020 European sailings.

A total of eight Royal Caribbean ships will sail around Europe in 2020, including six ships that had their 2020 itineraries go on sale this week.

Among the notable deployments to Europe in 2020 will be Allure of the Seas, which will sail from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona on March 1, 2020 and then begin offering 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises until Allure heads to Miami on November 1, 2020.

Royal Caribbean News

• Empress of the Seas rescued two mariners who were lost at sea for 20 days.
• We published our 2019 Royal Caribbean Cruise Planning guide.
• With 2019 right around the corner, here are six big changes coming in the new year.
• Royal Caribbean returned to New Orleans to offer cruises once again from The Big Easy.
• We ranked the best Cozumel beach resorts.
• Royal Caribbean was named the Best Cruise Line Overall for the 16th year in a row.
• We reviewed the Mayan Princess Resort in Roatan.
• If you are going on Royal Caribbean, here are the top 5 foods the cruise line is best known for.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 281st episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, we are sharing three wishes for Royal Caribbean.

On this episode, Matt and Billy make wishes for changes we would make if we had access to a genie (and opted not to wish for wealth and a long life).

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.

How you can support Royal Caribbean Blog

So many of our readers have reached out to us to ask how they can help the blog and we are introducing the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders for just that reason.

The Insiders group is a way readers can contribute to Royal Caribbean Blog and help fuel some of the really amazing ideas, projects and new content that we have lined up.

As a way of saying thank you for your contribution, there are some fun rewards for being a member of the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders.

Becoming a member of the Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders is completely up to you and you can cancel at any time. No questions asked! 

As always, thank you for visiting Royal Caribbean Blog and being a part of our community!

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Bloomberg wrote that instead of cruise lines competing over larger ships, it's all about amenities now.

Cruise Hive named Mariner of the Seas the Best Refurbishment of the Year in its Cruise Ship Awards.

Bahamas Eyewitness News reports Royal Caribbean wants Bahamian participation in a Port of Nassau redevelopment.

Cruise Fever compared the different cruise line loyalty programs.

Cruise Radio listed six reasons Symphony of the Seas should be your next family vacation.

Royal Caribbean's Empress of the Seas rescued two stranded mariners who had been at sea for 20 days, somewhere between Grand Cayman and Jamaica.

Royal Caribbean Chief Meteorologist James Van Fleet shared the update, with photos of the rescue at sea being conducted by Empress of the Seas officers and crew.

More pics to share from @RoyalCaribbean #EmpressoftheSeas rescuing 2 Mariners who had been at Sea for 20 DAYS in that small boat between #Jamaica and #GrandCayman! See last pic for story. UNREAL and so PROUD of Officers and Crew! Thank you @jleberle and @caryjames007 for pics. pic.twitter.com/VEw1tzChMO

— James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) December 21, 2018

What makes the rescue even more remarkable is the fact Empress of the Seas was not scheduled to be there.  Due to adverse weather conditions on Empress' original route, the ship's itinerary was altered and ended up "being in the right time, at the right place."

We couldn’t agree more, @jimvanfleet! We’re so proud of our crew and extremely grateful for the Mariners’ safety. ?

— Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) December 21, 2018

This week's batch of beautiful Royal Caribbean photos is here and it's always fun to share with all of you the great photos our readers take while on their cruise vacation.

The photos we have to show this week are fun and of course anyone can send us their Royal Caribbean photos to use as well!

Our first photo is by Allyson and it is of Radiance of the Seas off the dock of Icy Straight Point (Hoonah, Alaska).

Next up is a shot of Rhapsody of the Seas leaving Cozumel, taken by John Bamber.

Heather Snyder sent in this photo from her honeymoon cruise to Bermuda.

I love this photo of the cast performing Columbus The Musical on Harmony of the Seas. Photo by Mike Sperduto.

Michael Kho took this photo of Majesty of the Seas in Havana, Cuba during Majesty's inaugural visit to Havana.

Here is a look at Harmony of the Seas sailing away from Port Everglades. Photo by Henry Greenfield.

Our final photo this week is by David Ep, and it is of his stateroom turn down on Grandeur of the Seas.

Thank you to everyone that sent in their photos this week and if you have Royal Caribbean photos, well, we want to see them!  You can use this form to send us your photos and we will feature them on an upcoming Friday Photos blog post!