Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley made comments recently that hint at what the cruise line has planned for its recent purchase of the Grand Lucaya resort in Freeport, Bahamas.

In March 2019, Royal Caribbean signed a letter of intent with the government of The Bahamas for the purchase of the Grand Lucayan resort and redevelopment of the Freeport Harbor.

Tribune 242 reports Michael Bayley spoke to members of the Bahamian press at an opening ceremony for Perfect Day at CocoCay, "telling members of the press his company was positioning itself to spearhead a multi-million dollar, multi-phased project on par with CocoCay in Freeport if negotiations with the government are successful."

Mr. Bailey went on to say, “Just the fact that we are going to redevelop those hotels and beach, that whole area, it is going to be in the hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars. The amount of work that will be underway to regenerate that destination, it is going to be a few years, hundreds of millions of dollars, massive project work, and I think the economic impact is going to huge.”

State Minister for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson said the joint venture between RCI and its investment partner, the ITM Group, will not only combine the redevelopment of the Freeport Harbor as a cruise port of choice but will also transform the Grand Lucayan resort into a theme park, featuring water-based family entertainment, with dining, gaming and entertainment options and five-star hotel accommodations.

The development will take place over a 24-month period, with $65 million of the purchase price for the Grand Lucayan Resort.

Mr. Bayley did note RCI’s full project specs could not be revealed publicly until a finished deal is worked out between the two sides, and there is another 30-40 days of negotiations remaining.

Happy Sunday and happy unofficial start to summer, as the Memorial Day weekend here in the United States marks the start of the season for many.

This big Royal Caribbean news this week was the cruise line's announcement of all the changes coming to Oasis of the Seas for her upcoming amplification.

Oasis of the Seas will undergo a $165 million refurbishment later this year, which will add new dining venues, activities, waterslides and more.

The 63-day modernization will add several new venues, including a few options new to the fleet. Oasis will become the first Oasis Class ship to be modernized as part of the Royal Amplified fleet modernization effort.

Royal Caribbean News

• Our list of top 10 Perfect Day at CocoCay secrets & tips.
• Read a review of the North Star Alaska Experience on Ovation of the Seas.
• Check out the first photos of Ovation of the Seas in Alaska.
• You can print out this cruise ticket template to share with family and friends.
• There is still time to save up to 30% off pre-cruise purchases.
• We reviewed the Holiday Inn Express Miami Airport East for anyone that needs a good pre-cruise hotel.
• Royal Caribbean opened up Voyager of the Seas 2020 sailings from Singapore.
• Quantum of the Seas will have an expanded Singapore season in 2021.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 303rd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, in which Matt shares his experience visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay.

In this episode, Matt talks about what his first visit to the officially opened Perfect Day at CocoCay was like and what he did, saw and ate.

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: Oasis of the Seas new changes for 2019

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 –  Oasis of the Seas new changes for 2019 — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Microsoft wrote about its collaboration with Royal Caribbean's head of innovation.

New York Times interviewed Royal Caribbean Chief Meteorologist James Van Fleet about how he works to keep guests away from bad weather.

TouringPlans listed top six reasons to cruise on Royal Caribbean.

Cruise Fever reviewed their recent sailing on Harmony of the Seas.

Her wrote about 8 things she learned about herself on her first cruise.

The Points Guy shared 7 things to know about Navigator of the Seas.

If you have a Royal Caribbean cruise planned and want to surprise your kids, then we have the perfect way to get them super excited!

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Emily Davis created this ticket template that you can customize and then print to give to anyone in your family and get the cruise hype train started off in style!

All you have to do is save this ticket to your computer, and open in your favorite PDF program (Adobe Acrobat or FoxIt Reader are good choices).  Enter the proper information in the editable spaces, save and then print!

Emily recommends printing the tickets on cardstock to add to the presentation factor. You can get cardstock from most retailers, including Target, Staples or WalMart.  

There are crop lines to cut it down so the color goes to the edge like a real ticket!

Be sure to share in the comments photos of your finished work!

If you ask anyone that is looking for a hotel before or after their cruise, they usually want a clean, safe and reasonably priced hotel. Getting all three of those requirements is no simple task, but I may have just found that with the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East.

Prior to a recent Royal Caribbean cruise, I needed a hotel for two nights prior to my sailing.  I usually stay near downtown Miami, but I spotted a brand new hotel that seemed to offer a great value.  Plus, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East is located right near Miami International Airport.  This means the drive from the airport to the hotel is a mere couple of minutes, and the drive to PorMiami is about 10-15 minutes.

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East is one of Holiday Inn's new "Formula Blue" properties.  Formula Blue is meant to appeal to Holiday Inn Express’s target guest—the "smart traveler."  The hotel is designed so that public space is wide open, so guests can immediately scan the area when they walk into the hotel and understand where everything is without having to ask for help. Another design element that supports the smart traveler is a headboard that minimize noise transfer between rooms, ensuring this busy demographic is able to get a restful night sleep.  

Walking into the lobby of the hotel, you can see exactly what Holiday Inn was planning, with an open lobby area that you can easily spot the elevators, kitchen area, seating and more.

The hotel offers an outdoor pool, fitness center, continental breakfast each morning, and complimentary coffee throughout the day in the lobby.  The hotel does offer a shuttle service to PortMiami at regularly scheduled times for a price per person.  In my opinion, you are better off using a ride-share service like Lyft for value and convenience.

For my stay, I reserved a standard King-size bed for $80.75 for the first night, and $84.55 the second night.  That is an incredible price for a name-brand hotel.

Walking into my room, I found a very large amount of living space.  There was even a coffee nook, complete with Keurig machine available for my use.

The bathroom is large as well, which means there is plenty of space for two people to get ready in the morning.

One thing I loved about this room is how many outlets there are around the room. In fact, there are USB outlets, in addition to electric outlets, on each side of the bed and at the desk. This is incredibly convenient.

Overall, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East is exactly as advertised: a convenient hotel that is well-priced, clean and safe to stay in. The worst thing I can say about this hotel is that you cannot walk anywhere nearby for dining or entertainment.  You will be dependent on taxi or a rental car to get to the fun things to do in Miami.  Of course, a lot of people that want a pre-cruise hotel are only really looking for somewhere to spend the night, and you can always order delivery to the hotel.

What is truly compelling about this hotel was the price combined with the well-kept rooms and building. If you can snag a rate of less than $100 per night (or closer to my $80/night rate) then it becomes an absolute steal compared to paying one or two hundred dollars more per night to stay in downtown Miami.

Your thoughts

Have you stayed at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East? Is this a hotel you’d consider? Please share your thoughts or questions in the comments section below!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!  We're starting this weekend with our readers' favorite Royal Caribbean cruise photos.  Each week we invite our readers to share their photos with us!

Joe Moran took this photo of the main dining room on Freedom of the Seas.

Melanie Kaplan took this photo of the Royal Promenade while on the Rising Tide Bar on Allure of the Seas.

Next up is a photo by Julie Polakow of Oasis of the Seas docked in St. Maarten.

Kinny Lee shared this photo from the Izumi hibachi on Harmony of the Seas.

Here is a photo of Harmony of the Seas by Mary Maas, taken by her daughter Jaden.

Here is a photo of Anthem of the Seas in San Juan, taken by Justin Amrhein.

Our final photo this week is by James Dezember and it was taken in Cozumel, with Symphony of the Seas in the background.

We want your Royal Caribbean photos too! Use this form to send us your favorite photos and we will include it in an upcoming blog post.

Royal Caribbean has introduced a new Alaskan experience on it’s newest and largest ship to visit Alaska Ovation of the Seas.  The North Star Alaskan Experience is offered in addition to the customary and complimentary North Star Experience offered to guests on some Quantum class ships.  The new North Star Alaskan Experience is offered when the ship calls on Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier during the summer Alaska cruise season. 

The Alaskan edition of the North Star Experience is offered at an additional charge and timed to occur during the ship’s visit to Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier.   Unlike the complimentary North Star experience the Alaskan experience ride extends over the sides of the ship giving participants unparalleled views of the ship and the surroundings.  Float over the side of the ship as pieces of glaciers float by below you.  

The North Star Alaskan Experience begins with complimentary hot chocolate in an exclusive area of the North Star Bar for participants while they wait for their North Star Alaskan Experience.

The initial offering of the North Star Alaskan Experience is priced at $49 per person for adult or child with up to fourteen guests per ride. The experience is shared with any other guests who book the same time.

The North Star Alaskan Experience lasts approximately 15 to 20 minutes and begins by rising to a height of approximately 250 feet above sea level where the North Star turns and extends over the side of the ship.  This position is held for a few minutes giving participants an incredible view of the ship and surroundings before the North Star climbs to a height of approximately 300 feet above sea level.

 After several minutes the North Star lowers and extends over the opposite side of the ship at approximately 250 feet above seal level before eventually returning to center and gently lowering back to it’s starting position.

The North Star Alaskan Experience is available while the ship is within Endicott Arm during the approach and departure from Dawes Glacier and it is available while the ship is at Dawes Glacier.  Both offer a unique and different perspective.  On the Ovation of the Seas initial visit to Dawes Glacier the rides starting between 9am and 10am offered views of Dawes Glacier while the rides before and after featured views of Endicott Arm.  This will vary from sailing to sailing depending on time of arrival and ice conditions.

Guests interested in the complimentary North Star Experience will find the North Star available based on reservations at certain times and purely on a walk up basis at other times.  A standby line is available during reservation based times for last minute guests on a space available basis.  The complimentary North Star Experience does not extend over the sides of the ship.  

Limited reservations are usually offered in the Cruise Planner before sailing while the majority of North Star reservations are offered only on board once the cruise has started.  Reservations can be made by visiting the temporary Box Office kiosks upon boarding on embarkation day.

The North Star Alaskan Experience is only offered on Ovation of the Seas and it’s a unique perspective to an Alaska cruise available on no other ship or cruise line.  

Royal Caribbean's Memorial Day Weekend sale offers 50% off second guest, kids sail for less and up to $200 bonus instant savings.

The promotion runs between May 23, 2019 - May 27, 2019 and is valid on sailings departing on or after June 23, 2019.

It includes:

• 50% off cruise fare of second guest booked in the same stateroom as first, full-fare paying guest.
• 25% cruise fare savings for third guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests
• Up to $200 instant savings per stateroom determined by category booked and sailing length:
  • Sailings 5 nights or less, $25 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $75 for Suites
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer, $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $100 for Balconies and $200 for Suites

BOGO is combinable with Memorial Weekend Sale, 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. Memorial Weekend Sale is combinable with promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, Instant Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Promo Code driven offers and Free Upgrades but not combinable with 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 open to residents of US, Canada, Puerto Rico and select countries in the Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean has opened bookings for Voyager of the Seas 2020 sailings from Singapore.

Voyager of the Seas will offer a short season from Singapore, between May 2020 and June 2020 to destinations in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

At the conclusion of her season, Voyager of the Seas will re-position to Hong Kong, China.

You can view all the 2020 Singapore sailings on Voyager of the Seas.

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

Episode 303 is available for downloading, where Matt shares his thoughts on the newly opened Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean has unveiled their private island in The Bahamas, and Matt tried out all the new additions. From the waterpark, to the zip line, to the beaches, to the helium balloon, Matt discusses his experience across Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 303. 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!

Royal Caribbean is celebrating Memorial Day weekend with a new Cruise Planner sale that offers up to 30% savings on pre-cruise purchases.

The Memorial Day Sale runs between May 22 - May 29, 2019 and is valid on sailings from June 1, 2019 - December 15, 2019.

The offer is valid on certain shore excursions, drink packages and internet packages. It is available on all ships, except Spectrum of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean states guests can expect to see:

• Beverage Packages: Up to 30% off onboard prices
  • Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship. (Excludes SC + Charter Sailings).
  • Deluxe Beverage Package. Discount Varies by Ship. (Excludes SC + Charter Sailings).
  • Refreshment Package: 30% off onboard prices. (Excludes SC + Charter Sailings).
• Shore Excursions: Save up to 25% on select tours on select sailings. Discount varies by ship. (Excludes SC + Charter Sailings).
• Internet: up to 60% off on select sailings
  • VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship. (Excludes SC + Charter Sailings).
  • VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4, Device(s): Discount varies by ship. (Excludes SC + Charter Sailings).
• Dining
  • Unlimited Dining Package on 3 Night - 9 Night sailings. Discount varies by ship. (Excludes MJ, QN, SC + Charter Sailings
• ACTIVITIES: Up to 10% off on select sailings
  • All Access Ship Tour. 10% off. Discount varies by ship. (Excludes SC + Charter Sailings).

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.