Royal Caribbean Blog

A new week means a new photo of Royal Caribbean's next cruise ship to join the fleet.

Every week, Meyer Werft shipyard releases a new webcam photo of Odyssey of the Seas under construction.

Here is a look at this week's photo and last week's photo to give you a sense of if anything has changed.

February 15 photo 

February 8 photo

Odyssey of the Seas is outdoors so that she can receive additional features that cannot be installed while the ship was in the hall during initial construction.

The webcam photos give us a regular look at the progress being made, but webcam photos never look as good as a photo from a talented photographer with good equipment.

Björn Haß shared some new photos as well of Odyssey of the Seas, as well a look at the snow that fell around the shipyard.

Photos by Björn Haß

Odyssey of the Seas comes in at 169,000 GT and measures a length of 347.1 meters, and has a capacity of more than 5,000 passengers.

When she joins the fleet, Odyssey of the Seas will be the fifth cruise ship in the Quantum/Quantum Ultra Class to be built at Meyer Werft.

The next step for Odyssey is her conveyance down the Ems River to begin her sea trials. It has not been announced yet when that will take place.

Odyssey of the Seas will enter service with cruises from Europe in summer 2021 before heading to Port Everglades, Florida to sail the Caribbean in winter 2021.

Norwegian Cruise Line has thrown in the towel on May 2021 cruises, which may point in the direction other cruise lines will follow.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) announced on Tuesday they continued their suspension of cruises through May 31, 2021.

In a statement, NCLH said it will continue to work with government and public health authorities to take all measures necessary to protect its customers, crew and communities visited.

Prior to today's announcement, cruises had been cancelled through April 30, 2021.

Guests who are currently booked on cancelled voyages on Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises or Regent Seven Seas Cruises are asked to contact their travel advisor or the cruise line for more information.

Throughout the entire cruise industry shutdown, the major cruise lines have mirrored each other's cancellation announcements and that means Carnival and Royal Caribbean may soon follow.

Moreover, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian work together on the Healthy Sail Panel group of experts.

Will Royal Caribbean also cancel their cruises?

The short answer is no one knows yet.

Royal Caribbean currently has cruises cancelled through April 30, 2021 (excluding sailings onboard Quantum of the Seas in Singapore and Spectrum of the Seas in China).

It is important for Royal Caribbean cruisers to take notice of these cancellations as a possible sign of what may come for Royal Caribbean.

There also is not distinct pattern when Royal Caribbean may make a similar announcement or not. The only pattern thus far is when one of the "big three" cruise lines cancels more cruises, it seeems it is just a matter of time before the other two dominos fall.

We have a first look of a photo from onboard Royal Caribbean's next new Oasis Class cruise ship.

Wonder of the Seas is under construction and slated to enter service sometime in 2022.

At the aft of the ship is the iconic AquaTheater, which is an outdoor ampitheater home to some of the best stage shows on any cruise ship.

Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, Nick Weir, shared a photo on Twitter of the still under construction AquaTheater.

Photo by Nick Weir

While the venue is still being worked on, we can easily noticeable one of the most striking new features of the space, which is the enclosure around the very back of the space.

Read more: Why are new cruise ships still being built?

Wonder of the Seas may be the fifth Oasis Class cruise ship, but Royal Caribbean is not "copying and pasting" her based on the previous vessels.

AquatTheater on Harmony of the Seas

From just the concept art, it is clear you can see structural differences to the ship when compared to existing Oasis Class ships.

Wonder of the Seas was originally slated to debut in 2021, but the global health crisis pushed those plans back and will now be delivered sometime in 2022.

Under construction in France, Wonder of the Seas had to be delayed in order to spread out spending. She is still scheduled to sail exclusively in China.

Read more: 5 plans Royal Caribbean will and won’t be able to do in 2021

The new cruise ship was floated out in September 2020, but there have been few updates regarding the ship since.

Royal Caribbean has not released itineraries for Wonder of the Seas to book, nor indicated when exactly in 2022 Wonder will start sailing yet.

Odyssey of the Seas will debut first, with a spring 2021 delivery.

Like most mainstream cruise lines, Celebrity Cruises isn't all-inclusive, but it is a premium brand that provides passengers with more for their money than most other popular lines. 

Those cruising with Celebrity will be pleased to know that their fares are of tremendous value, as they include a variety of dining, activities, and entertainment. While it's normal to splurge here and there, it's important to be aware of what is and isn't included prior to your cruise, so you aren't greeted by any unwelcomed surprises. 

Below is a breakdown of what's included on Celebrity Cruises. 

Note: This article does not apply to Celebrity Cruises' expedition sailings. 

What's Included on a Celebrity Cruise? 

Accommodations

From accommodations to daily activities, children's programming, and meals in select eateries, you will never get bored or hungry on your Celebrity Cruise. 

Your base rate will include whatever accommodation you select, whether it's a standard interior room or a lavish suite within The Retreat. You can expect your cabin to include the following amenities and features:

• Two twin beds that can be converted into a king-sized bed
• Desk and vanity area
• Ensuite bathroom
• Dressers and/or closets 
• Nightstands
• Television
• In-cabin phone 
• Mini-fridge
• Safe

Additionally, you'll receive twice-a-day housekeeping, which differs from other mainstream cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, as they only service the cabin once. 

Read more: How is Celebrity Cruises different from Royal Caribbean?

Meals

All Celebrity fares include meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Whether you want a quick bite to eat from the buffet or are prepared to indulge in nightly three-course meals in the Main Dining Room, you don't have to worry about paying extra for food. 

Additionally, the Mast Grill dishes up burgers and hotdogs near the pool, whereas the Spa Café is the perfect place to get a lighter meal.

Edge Class ships (i.e., Celebrity Edge, Apex, Beyond, Ascent, and Xcel) have Eden Café, where you can get complimentary made-to-order sandwiches, as well as salads. They have an impressive cinnamon roll for breakfast, too. 

Edge ships also differ from the rest of the fleet in that they have four separate dining rooms, each with their own unique decor and offerings. Normadine serves French cuisine, while Cyprus focuses on Mediterranean dishes. Cosmopolitan features American cuisine, and, finally, Tuscan is the Italian dining room.  

Those sailing to Perfect Day at CocoCay won't have to rush back onboard for lunch, either, as there's a complimentary beachside buffet. You may also start your day on a Celebrity cruise with a free continental breakfast delivered via room service. 

Select venues, such as Tuscan Grill, Le Voyage, and the Lawn Club Grill, are specialty restaurants, meaning that they aren't included in your fare. 

Some cruisers prefer specialty restaurants, as they are more intimate than the Main Dining Room. Moreover, they utilize higher-quality ingredients. If you're planning on dining at a couple of them, you can save money by purchasing a dining package through the Cruise Planner in the months and weeks leading up to your sailing. 

Read more: Celebrity Cruises ships by age from newest to oldest

Beverages

Your Celebrity cruise will also include select beverages. These drinks are available at any time and include water, tea, lemonade, coffee, iced tea, milk, juices (not freshly squeezed), and hot chocolate. 

You'll find these drinks available at numerous venues on the ship, including the Oceanview Café and Mast Grill. 

Alcoholic and select non-alcoholic beverages cost extra. If, for instance, you want a specialty coffee, you'll have to pay extra. Some alcoholic drinks can cost upwards of $17, too, so it's important to consider whether you'd benefit from one of Celebrity's drink packages. 

Daily activities

Each night, you'll receive a daily schedule with the following day's events. You may also check the convenient mobile app, so you don't have to worry about carrying a paper copy. 

The majority of activities are included; however, you may see some, such as a wine-tasting, cocktail-making class, Bingo, or Deal or No Deal that have an extra fee. 

Complimentary activities range from trivia to open-play pickleball, silent discos, rooftop movies, and more. 

Nightly entertainment and live music 

After dinner, you can listen to live music in the ship's atrium or head to one of the popular theater shows— all of which are included in your fare! 

As with the daytime activities, it's important to check the daily schedule to make sure you don't miss anything. In addition to the theater productions, Celebrity may also offer comedians, magicians, and other variety acts. 

Live music is offered throughout the ship daily and varies in genre. On sea days, you can listen to a band while lounging in the pool, whereas in the evenings, you can relax in the atrium while being serenaded by a talented vocalist. 

Read more: I took my first Celebrity Cruise on a new ship. We had a great time, but I missed Royal Caribbean's entertainment

Fitness center

Let's face it, you're guaranteed to eat and drink more than you normally do while on your Celebrity cruise. You don't have to worry about straying from your fitness goals, though. There's a complimentary fitness center available on every ship in the fleet that's equipped with treadmills, ellipticals, free weights, and more.

There's also an outdoor jogging track available for those who want to maximize their time outdoors while on vacation. 

Celebrity Cruises offers fitness classes, too; however, they're often not included. They also have personalized training and consultations for an additional fee.

Youth programming

Celebrity Cruises' Camp at Sea offers complimentary youth programming for sailors between the ages of 3 and 17 from 9:00am - 12:00pm, 2:00pm - 5:00pm, and 7:00pm - 10:00pm. Outside of those hours, Camp at Sea costs $6 per hour per child. 

While at Camp at Sea, kids will take part in activities led by the trained youth staff, each of which is specialized for specific age groups.  

Those between the ages of 3 and 5, for example, are part of the "Shipmates" group. When they're at Camp at Sea, they may participate in arts and crafts or learn camp songs. "Cadets," or children who are 6 - 9, will enjoy activities that are more nautical-based. They could, for instance, learn the basics of sailing, such as navigation, time, weather partners, and more. 

To be able to utilize the free kids' programming, your child must be fully potty trained. 

Transportation between ports

While you're guaranteed to have an amazing time onboard your Celebrity cruise, part of the experience includes visiting amazing ports of call. Whether you're sailing to Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, etc., you won't have to worry about packing and unpacking your suitcase, as the ship will transport you to each new destination. 

When budgeting for your cruise, make sure that you allot money for shore excursions, as you won't want to miss any once-in-a-lifetime experiences because you didn't factor in money for tours. 

In some places, such as Alaska, you can expect them to be more expensive than snorkeling tours or relaxing beach days in The Bahamas or Caribbean. 

Read more: 50 Best Celebrity Cruises Tips & Tricks (2024)

All Included

Celebrity Cruises has two fares you can choose from. The first is a base fare that is similar to other mainstream lines and includes unlimited food, select beverages, accommodation, entertainment, and transportation between ports of call. 

The second is dubbed "All Included" and is meant to make your cruise vacation a little bit more inclusive. With this, you'll receive a free Classic Beverage Package. That means drinks -- soda, juice, coffee, tea, bottled water, beer, wine, and mixed drinks -- will be included, but they're limited to a cost of $10, which excludes those made with top-shelf spirits. 

The included internet package is the Basic Wi-Fi package, which allows passengers to browse the web, send emails, and text family and friends via select messaging apps. What it will not allow them to do is stream from services like Netflix and Hulu, make video calls, or share photos or videos on social media. 

Note that while All Included used to include tips, it no longer does. Celebrity Cruises eliminated this feature in October 2023. 

Read more: Could Royal Caribbean follow Celebrity Cruises move to all-inclusive pricing?

What's not included

Though Celebrity does include a lot in their base fare, there will be ample opportunities for you to spend extra cash while onboard. From drink packages to pre-cruise transportation, spa treatments, behind-the-scenes tours, late-night room service, and more, it's easy to spend hundreds, if not thousands, on top of your fare. 

Below is a list of incidentals that aren't included in your fare. Note that not everything on the list is optional. All guests, for instance, must pay port fees. Likewise, gratuities will be added to your onboard account if you decline to pay for them ahead of time. 

At the time of writing, gratuities vary based on which cabin you book. They're $18.00 USD per person, per day for Inside, Ocean View, and Veranda staterooms; $18.50 USD per person, per day for Concierge Class and AquaClass staterooms; and $23.00 USD per person, per day for guests of The Retreat.

• Taxes and fees, such as port fees
• Transportation to and from the ship
• Specialty dining, dinner theater and late-night room service
• Certain drinks, depending on the above package you choose
• Shore excursions
• Spa treatments
• Fitness classes

• Gambling and bingo
• Arcade play
• Private babysitting
• Behind-the-scenes tours
• Items from the art auction and onboard shops
• Laundry and dry-cleaning services
• Wine tastings 
• Professional photos and photography services
• In-cabin mini-bar items
• Gratuities 

If you're already a Royal Caribbean fan, we don't need to tell you why the line is great.

But if you're searching for information before booking your first cruise under the crown and anchor, here are 10 areas in which Royal Caribbean offers unique experiences you won't find with other lines.

1. Cabins

Of note are the line's Oasis-class inward-facing Boardwalk and Central Park balconies, as well as AquaTheater Suites, which offer views of the venue of the same name and the vessel's wake. Since their debut in 2009, Royal Caribbean is still the only line to offer these types of accommodations. 

Royal Caribbean was also the first mainstream cruise line to introduce cabins that rise two decks. Known as Loft Suites, they fall under the Royal Suite Class -- some of the line's most lavish (and expensive) rooms -- found on most Oasis- and Quantum-class vessels. 

In 2018, the line debuted the Ultimate Family Suite on Symphony of the Seas. Also spanning two floors, it sleeps up to eight passengers in two rooms -- one for parents and one for kids. The latter includes a slide down to the first-floor living area, which is stocked with tons of games.

Read more: What are the different types of cabins on a cruise ship?

2. Outdoor Thrills

Freedom of the Seas greeted the world in 2006, boasting a free onboard FlowRider surf simulator, which is now a standard part of all ships that followed. (Some even have two.) 

As subsequent vessels were constructed, the line also outfitted some of them with for-fee RipCord by iFly simulated skydiving and the gratis Ultimate Abyss, a dry tube slide that spirals down 10 decks. 

On a couple of its older vessels, the line also went back and added complimentary Sky Pad bungee trampolines that incorporate bungee-assisted trampolining and virtual-reality game play. 

Read more: Top 14 best free things to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise

3. Entertainment

As mentioned above, the Oasis Class of ships made Royal Caribbean's AquaTheater famous. Featuring high-diving acts and aerial acrobatics that will draw gasps from the crowd, shows at this outdoor venue feature the ship's wake as a backdrop.

The line was also the first to add Broadway and West End shows to its list of onboard productions when "Hairspray" took the stage onboard Oasis of the Seas in 2009. 

Since then, the line expanded its Broadway titles and has changed some out over the years. Despite other lines' now featuring similar shows, Royal is the only one to present "CATS," "Saturday Night Fever" "Grease" "We Will Rock You" and Mamma Mia!" at sea.

Read more: 8 things I MUST do on every Royal Caribbean cruise

4. Muster Drills

During the 2020 global cruise shutdown, Royal Caribbean developed Muster 2.0, a system that allows passengers to avoid crowding into small spaces for traditional in-person muster drills. 

Instead, cruisers are able to review all of the relevant safety information and life jacket demonstrations via cell phone app or in-cabin TV before reporting individually to designated locations to verify that they have complied. 

Read more: Top 10 questions about Royal Caribbean's new Muster 2.0

5. Bars

The Rising Tide Bar first appeared as a curiosity during Oasis of the Seas' debut and has found a home on other vessels since. It moves up and down as a "floating" platform from the Royal Promenade, stopping at a few of the decks above. 

In need of something new for the 2014 launch of Quantum of the Seas, the line dreamed up the Bionic Bar, at which passengers order drinks via tablets.

They are then mixed by one of two robotic arms -- no human interaction required. 

Read more: Dining at Bars on a Royal Caribbean cruise

6. Views

North Star, a giant 15-person pod attached to a 135-foot mechanical arm, came as something new on Quantum of the Seas, the first Quantum-class ship.

Found on other vessels in the class, it allows passengers to enjoy the sweeping vistas that surround their ship, for a fee.

For more high-flying fun, Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay private island experience includes an added-charge hot air balloon-style helium balloon ride that takes riders 450 feet into the air for the highest view in the Bahamas. 

Read more: 5 secrets to Royal Caribbean's North Star

7. Private Islands

Speaking of private islands, Royal Caribbean operates two: Labadee in Haiti and Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas. 

While they both offer travelers a fun and relaxing time ashore, Perfect Day at CocoCay is the result of CocoCay's $250 million 2019 makeover, which outfitted the island with the tallest water slide in North America, the Caribbean's largest wave and freshwater pools, a zipline, several bars and more. 

Read more: Top 10 Perfect Day at CocoCay secrets and tricks

8. Neighborhoods

When Oasis-class ships were developed, they were the largest afloat -- so large, in fact, that Royal Caribbean divided them up into seven neighborhoods to organize the plethora of things to see, do and eat. 

Perhaps the most notable are the Boardwalk and Central Park. The former comprises a carousel, a sports bar and arcade, the AquaTheater, the Ultimate Abyss, an overhead zipline and several snack venues, such as Johnny Rockets and a candy and ice cream shop.

The latter -- featuring a wine bar, a stop for the Rising Tide Bar, the onboard steakhouse and upscale restaurant 150 Central Park -- is also home to thousands of live plants, cared for by a resident gardener.  

Read more: 5 things to love about Central Park on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class cruise ships

9. Indoor Fun

Cruisers will find SeaPlex, introduced on Quantum-class vessels, serving in different capacities during each sailing.

One minute it might be a bumper car arena, while other times it's used for roller skating, basketball, soccer or circus school. Trapeze classes, anyone? (Fees may apply.)

The line has also had free ice skating available on select ships since it launched its Voyager Class the mid-1990s. Some vessels (including newer ones) still have skating rinks in Studio B, where passengers can participate or take in ice shows, complete with performing crew members and choreographed drones.

Read more: 5 ways Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas will be different from other Quantum Class ships

10. Kids Clubs and Activities

Royal Caribbean excels with its complimentary Adventure Ocean children's programming.

Kids are divided into age-appropriate groups where they can participate in everything from science experiments and video game competitions to dance parties and acting classes with Adventure Ocean Theater. 

For kid-centric activities outside of the kids club, look no further than the line's Cupcake Cupboard on select ships. In addition to offering tasty treats for purchase, it also runs a selection of extra-fee cupcake decorating classes for kiddos (and adults).

Read more: Six things to know about Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean

Quantum of the Seas may be the only Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailing right now, but she's got a lovely story fit for Valentine's Day.

Currently, Quantum of the Seas is offering 3- and 4-night cruises with no port stops from Singapore and one crew member couple onboard helped celebrate Valentine's Day.

The ship has had over 25,000 guests across 20+ sailings since December, and working onboard is Rose (USA) and Johel (Brazil).

Rose Serim is the Cruise Program Administrator and Johel Fonseca is the Sports Supervisor on Quantum of the Seas. They shared their story how they met and continue to sail together.

We met on Ovation of the Seas in October 2017. Our first date was onboard Ovation at the specialty restaurant, Izumi.

We've since been together for almost 3.5 years and in addition to Ovation, have been on Spectrum of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, and now Quantum of the Seas together.

Royal Caribbean added the crew are thrilled to be back onboard and are sending their love to everyone at home. 

Rose and Johel are the ones on the Flowrider surf simulator and the iFly skydiving simulator.

Royal Caribbean recently announced that Quantum of the Seas will remain in Singapore until June 2021 to continue offering cruises for three additional months between March 22, 2021 and June 21, 2021.

These 2-, 3- and 4-night Ocean Getaways  operate with a set of comprehensive health and safety measures in place, such as mandatory testing, reduced sailing capacity and strict physical distancing measures.

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope your day is filled with chocolate, flowers and a Royal Caribbean cruise! We are spreading the Royal Caribbean love with our look at all the Royal Caribbean news from this week.

It looks like Royal Caribbean will work to give all of its crew members COVID-19 vaccines.

An email was sent to crew members to inform them that Royal Caribbean expects to vaccinate its crew once sailings restart.

The cruise line does not yet know how or when the vaccine would be distributed to crew members, as it may depend on the country of residence, the timing of the next contract and whether the crew is already on board or traveling. 

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean has not yet cancelled Alaska cruises
• Royal Caribbean will continue offering cruises to nowhere from Singapore through June 2021
• Royal Caribbean releases 2022-2023 cruises sailing from Northeast US
• Grandfather of toddler who fell from a Royal Caribbean ship sentenced to probation
• 10 Ways Cruising Has Changed in the Last 30 Years
• Which Ships Did Royal Caribbean Sell?
• Why hasn't Royal Caribbean cancelled Alaska 2021 cruises yet?
• Congress members call Canada's ban of cruise ships "unacceptable"
• Why are new cruise ships still being built?
• Odyssey of the Seas construction photo update - February 8, 2021
• First Timers' Guide to Celebrity Edge
• Carnival takes down new health protocols from its website
• Cozumel floats idea of being homeport for cruise ships
• MSC introduces humanoid robot bartender

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 393rd  episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and we're talking about Royal Caribbean's Royal Promenade

In this episode, Hayley shares her cruise story celebrating her wedding anniversary in Alaska.

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.

New RCB Video: Reacting to "You Should Forget 2021 Cruises" advice

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 — Reacting to "You Should Forget 2021 Cruises" advice — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Here are the two port projects Royal Caribbean intends to complete

The global health crisis has wreaked havoc on Royal Caribbean's plans for the next few years, but at least two projects will still continue.

Port of Galveston Port Director Rodger Rees confirmed the two projects Royal Caribbean told him will move ahead in 2021.

Despite the major setbacks financially, Royal Caribbean remains committed to the Port of Galveston cruise terminal project, as well as the Freeport, Bahamas port expansion.

With 2020 forcing the sale of several iconic cruise ships and new regulations threatening to disrupt the onboard experience as we know it, I've been thinking a lot about how the cruise industry has changed over the past three decades. 

Change is inevitable part of life, and it includes cruise ships.

Temperature checks, mask wearing and bubble excursions aside, here are some of the key ways that cruises have evolved since 1990. 

1. Technology

Technology has taken over life in a big way, and cruises have kept up the pace. Onboard internet capabilities have gone from nonexistant to unreliable to nearly the same as what you'll find on land, allowing passengers to stay more connected than ever. 

Beyond that, room keys have progressed from manual styles and keycards to wearables and cell phone apps that make opening your cabin door a snap. Giant screens near elevator bays on the latest ships allow cruisers to easily find their way around their vessel, check the daily schedule and make dinner reservations. 

Mix in arcades that feature virtual-reality simulations and cutting-edge systems on the bridge that allow the captain to keep the ship in one place without using an anchor, and it's easy to see how today's experiences might have seemed like something out of "The Jetsons" several decades ago.

2. Size

From 1990 to 1995, at more than 76,000 tons and carrying nearly 2,500 passengers, Norwegian Cruise Line's SS Norway was the largest ship afloat. 

In 1995, a megaship boom began with Princess Cruises' Sun Princess (nearly 77,500 GRT, 2,000 passengers), which unseated SS Norway in terms of tonnage. Progressively larger vessels emerged from Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean, causing the title of largest ship to change hands every couple of years into the early 2000s. 

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class vessels dwarfed anything the cruise world had seen. Fast forward to 2021, and the largest ship at sea is now Symphony of the Seas, which is a massive 230,000 tons and can carry nearly 7,000 cruisers -- roughly three times the tonnage and passenger capacity of SS Norway.

3. Activities and Entertainment

Think back to family vacations and honeymoons of yore, and you might remember shooting skeet or driving golf balls off the back of the ship into the wake. To say nothing of the dangers of handing shotguns to passengers, cruise lines have curtailed these activities as environmental regulations have tightened. 

Beanbag games also seem to have gone the way of the dodo, but you'll still find shuffleboard courts on most modern ships, along with other diversions you have to see to believe. 

Among the impressive list of offerings are simulated surfing, skydiving and racecar driving; rock climbing; ropes courses; multiple pools with adrenaline-pumping waterslides; and even a roller coaster. 

In terms of shows, no longer are you limited to steel-drum bands, solo crooners and crusty Las Vegas-style performances. Cruise lines have traded in the feathers and sequins for the stunning costumes of Cirque du Soleil, and Broadway revues have been replaced by full-on Broadway productions.

While comedians and magicians remain, these days cruisers will find everything from acrobats and modern hip-hop performances to ice skaters backed by choreographed drones. 

4. Dining

Remember when everyone was assigned a set dining time at the same table with the same waiter each night, and the only choices were the main dining room, the buffet or room service? 

Now passengers have dozens of choices (both free and for a fee) that let them choose when and where they eat, with venues dedicated to a variety of cuisines that range from Italian, Asian and French to seafood, steak and pub grub. 

Quirks abound, as well. Among the choices on select ships are restaurants and bars where you'll order from a tablet instead of a standard menu, dinner theater that includes a show with your meal, interactive experiences where you can watch miniature chefs cook your food, and delightfully prepared themed dishes that feature surprises in every course.

5. Dress Codes

Over the years, vacations have become less about putting on airs and more about comfort and relaxation. In that vein, many modes of travel -- including cruising -- have adopted a more casual vibe. 

Most mainstream lines have made formal nights optional, even changing the terminology to comprise monikers like "cruise elegant" and "evening chic." Where once only tuxedos and cocktail dresses were acceptable, cruisers can now get away with suits or blazers with slacks, or skirts with blouses.

Further, current daytime attire onboard has trended toward shorts or jeans with tank tops or T-shirts. It's also not uncommon to see sneakers, flip-flops, bathing suits with cover-ups, and baseball caps in all areas of the ship.

6. Extras

Although most mainstream cruise lines were never all-inclusive, they have found more ways than ever to give passengers add-ons to buy. 

From pricey booze, trendy specialty coffee and custom shore excursions to art auctions, unique spa treatments and priority boarding perks, there's always something extra to increase the overall cost of your voyage. 

The most recent of these added-fee draws include laser tag and escape rooms, cooking classes, top-deck diversions and even big-name land-based brands like Starbucks, Victoria's Secret and Tiffany's as additions to vessels' onboard shops. 

7. Cabins

The early days of cruising mainly consisted of ocean liners that crossed the Atlantic to transport passengers between the U.S. and Europe. Class systems were heavily enforced onboard, meaning that there were hard separations between those booked in first-, second- and third-class cabins. 

Modern cruising did away with such systems, but in the early 2010s, cruise lines began exploring the concept of "ship within a ship" enclaves to provide wealthy cruisers with lavish suites, exclusive perks and access to private areas. 

All cabins have seen facelifts in recent decades. Old, boxy analog TVs were replaced with flat-screened digital ones, and color palettes have largely moved from gaudy, tacky tropical hues to neutrals, accented by jewel tones. 

Decor aside, certain staterooms stand out from the crowd with spaces that span two decks, feature private hot tubs and saunas, include virtual balconies and portholes, and provide foosball tables and slides for kids. 

More widespread modern touches include USB ports for charging electronics and light switches that only work if you insert your room key.

8. Environmental Friendliness

Cruise ships are some of the planet's biggest polluters, but the industry has made meaningful strides to protect the environment in recent years. 

For decades, cruise ships operated on diesel fuels that contaminated the air with little regulation. In 2009, cruise lines were told they would have to reduce their ships' emissions within designated North American emission control areas by 2015. 

As a result, fleets underwent the expensive addition of scrubbers to filter particulates and harmful gases from vessel funnels. Several cruise lines have also started building new ships that run on liquefied natural gas -- a cleaner-burning fuel -- and even battery power. 

Onboard, crew sort and recycle just about all waste, and old linens are donated ashore. Most mainstream cruise lines have also undertaken efforts to reduce or eliminate single-use plastic straws, cups and utensils.  

9. Safety and Security

As with flights, cruises have tighter security measures since 9/11, which mean you now have to book more than two days from the sailing date, your luggage will be scanned before you board, and you're no longer allowed to bring guests onboard in port.

Additionally, open-bridge policies have become significantly more strict. Special permission or a guided tour (often for a fee) is generally the only way to access the main control center. 

For safety reasons, the list of banned items for some lines has also grown to include newfangled contraptions like sneakers with built-in roller skates, certain hairstyling tools, drones and e-cigarettes. 

10. Smoking

Speaking of e-cigarettes, the policies for lighting up at sea have changed quite a bit since the '90s. Smoking of all types -- cigarettes, pipes and cigars -- was commonplace on most lines' ships back then. 

In 1998, Carnival Cruise Line launched Paradise (now Carnival Paradise), the first completely nonsmoking vessel. Five years later, in 2003, the line removed the designation, claiming that it was losing out on revenue from smokers, who apparently also like to drink and gamble. 

Although the original concept fell flat, cruise lines began phasing out smoking in most public areas in the early 2010s. Now, most vessels no longer allow passengers to smoke on their stateroom balconies or in the casino and, instead, require them to head to a limited number of designated outdoor areas.

Although it removed bookable Canada-related cruises from its website following news of the country's one-year cruise ban extension earlier this month, Royal Caribbean International says it will not cancel its Alaska or Canada and New England sailings just yet.

"At this time, we have decided not to cancel any sailings scheduled to visit Canada," the line said in a letter sent to travel advisors on Friday.

"This includes cruises embarking/debarking from Canada ports, as well as those itineraries touching on Canadian ports of call. It's our hope that your clients will maintain their existing reservations with us as we work with the government and CLIA on potential alternatives."

Royal Caribbean has not specifically said what those alternatives are, but they could include calling on Canada for technical stops only, where no passengers actually go ashore, or asking the U.S. Government to waive archaic foreign-port requirements under the Passenger Vessel Services Act, at least temporarily.

Passengers currently booked on Alaska sailings have several options:

• Leave their bookings as they are, and wait to see what happens. All final payment dates have been extended to just 45 days prior to embarkation day.
• Request a 100% refund of the amount they've paid, to the original form of payment, to be processed by June 30, 2021.
• Choose a 125% future cruise credit (for sailings booked by April 30, 2022, and departing through September 30, 2022). Credits will be issued by April 16, 2021.
• Select a modified Lift & Shift, allowing the reservation to be moved to the same date next year (plus or minus one week) on the same ship with the same itinerary.

As another part of its ongoing efforts to help travel agents, the line has vowed to protect travel advisor commissions on all of the above options for fares that were paid in full, with the exception of the modified Lift & Shift. For that selection, commissions will be based on the final price paid for each shifted booking.

What happened with Canada?

Canada announced it banned cruise ships for a year, which makes operating cruises from the United States to New England or Alaska nearly impossible.

Due to U.S. laws, cruise ships that are foreign flagged (which is pretty much every cruise ship on major cruise lines) must stop in a foreign port if they sail from the United States. By Canada denying entry into their waters, that leaves no foreign ports for cruise ships to sail to within the vicinity of Alaska or New England.

Is there any hope for these cruises to happen?

There are a few  "Hail Mary" options for cruise lines to sort through, and evidently there is enough chance that Royal Caribbean has not thrown in the towel yet.

First, Canada can rescind the ban at any time if the global health situation improves. Certainly a lot can change by late summer.

Second, cruise lines could see if U.S. law makers would be willing to give cruise ships a temporary waiver to allow the cruises to legally occur without a stop in Canada.

So far, a delegation from Alaska has proposed such a waiver.

Do any of these have a chance? No one knows, but the odds are not good.

It's no secret that 2020 was a rough year for the cruise industry. Amid months of no-sail orders, hundreds of thousands of voyage cancellations and billions of dollars borrowed to keep cruise lines afloat, a handful of lines have had to purge their oldest vessels in order to cut costs. 

Despite the expiration of the CDC's no-sail order and the fervent efforts of healthcare workers to administer vaccinations, cruising still remains on hold. The situation has become so dire that the trend of cruise lines' liquidating ships for a song has continued into 2021.

So, which ships did Royal Caribbean sell? We'll take a look here. 

For the purposes of this article, we'll be exploring ships that have been unloaded by Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company that owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea and, previously, Azamara Cruises. The group also is part owner of Spanish line Pullmantur.

Pullmantur Ships Sold in 2020

• Monarch
• Sovereign

On June 22, 2020, Pullmantur filed for reorganization (basically the European term for bankruptcy). 

Shortly after, two of the line's ships were sold for scrap. On July 22 and July 23, 2020, Monarch and Sovereign -- formerly Monarch of the Seas and Sovereign of the Seas -- respectively were beached at a breaker yard in Aliaga, Turkey, where workers quickly began the dismantling process.

Known widely for being the first of the cruise industry's megaships, Sovereign (then Sovereign of the Seas under Royal Caribbean) was the largest passenger vessel afloat when it debuted in 1988, and it was the first in the line's three-ship Sovereign Class. Monarch (of the Seas) was the second. 

Crew from the two ships were reassigned to Royal Caribbean, and since the initial reorganization was revealed, there are rumors that the line could return with a fleet of some of Celebrity Cruises' former ships.  

Royal Caribbean International Ships Sold in 2020

• Empress of the Seas
• Majesty of the Seas

Royal Caribbean announced in mid-December of 2020 that it sold two of its oldest ships -- Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas -- to an undisclosed party in the Asia-Pacific region. 

It was later uncovered that the new owner of Empress of the Seas is India-based cruise line startup Cordelia Cruises. 

Since then, however, the sale of Majesty of the Seas has been shrouded in mystery. Royal Caribbean assured fans of the vessel -- the third and only unscrapped ship from the line's Sovereign Class -- that the buyer would make an announcement at a later date. 

In the meantime, there is speculation that it could have been acquired by Seajets, a Greek ferry company that scooped up at least six other cruise ships in 2020.

Empress of the Seas is noteworthy in that it wasn't a new-build for Royal Caribbean. Instead, it joined the fleet in 1988 after the line acquired Admiral Cruises, for which the ship sailed as Nordic Empress. As a result, it was the only ship in its class. It also pioneered the concept of short cruises.

If you'd like to revisit the vessels virtually for old time's sake, here are Royal Caribbean Blog's final looks at Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas. 

Azamara Ships Sold in 2021

• Azamara Journey
• Azamara Pursuit
• Azamara Quest

On January 19, 2021, Royal Caribbean Group disclosed that it sold its Azamara Cruises brand to private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $201 million in cash. 

Royal Caribbean Group Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty said the decision to sell Azamara was not driven by the global health crisis, despite the inherit financial benefit to the company for doing so.

As part of the sale, the firm acquired not only all of the brand's intellectual property but also all three of Azamara's ships -- Azamara Quest, Azamara Journey and Azamara Pursuit. 

In a bizarre turn of events, it also purchased Pacific Princess from Princess Cruises, which announced the sale of the ship to an undisclosed buyer on January 21, 2021 -- just two days after Azamara was sold. The vessel will join Azamara as the fleet's fourth ship.

Sycamore Partners retained Azamara's chief operating officer, Carol Cabezas, who will now serve as the brand's president. 

Additionally, the firm brought on former Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford, who parted ways with Holland America in May of 2020. He will take on the role of executive chairman of Azamara Cruises.

The line's top brass has vowed there are currently no sweeping changes planned for the line, so passengers can expect the experience to remain relatively unchanged when operations resume under the new ownership. 

Summary of Ships Sold by Royal Caribbean Group in 2020 and 2021

Royal Caribbean Group sold seven total ships in 2020 and 2021:

• Monarch (2020)
• Sovereign (2020)
• Empress of the Seas (2020)
• Majesty of the Seas (2020)
• Azamara Journey (2021)
• Azamara Pursuit (2021)
• Azamara Quest (2021)