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Top things you can only do on a smaller ship on Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

In:
06 Feb 2019
By: 
Matt Hochberg

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

Episode 288 is available for downloading, which has the top reasons to take a cruise on one of Royal Caribbean's smaller ships.

Every Royal Caribbean ship offers something a little different, but the smaller ships do have some inherit benefits that the much larger vessels cannot offer. This week, Matt picks his top five reasons to book a smaller ship.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 288. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSSStitcher 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!

Video: Symphony of the Seas’ HiRo Raises the Bar

In:
06 Feb 2019
By: 
Matt Hochberg

HiRo, Royal Caribbean’s newest aqua show, features more high-flying feats, unexpected stunts and extraordinary acrobatics than ever before. Brought to life by the world’s best extreme-sport athletes, HiRo pushes the limits of a theatrical production with cutting-edge technology and choreography. With 3D flying technology used by aerialists as they literally soar above the crowd, plus acrobats and professional divers no two shows are the same, making it worth seeing twice.

Royal Caribbean brings back WOW Sale with bonus of up to $400 onboard credit

In:
06 Feb 2019
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean's WOW Sale begins today, with up to $400 bonus money to spend onboard the ship, in addition to 60% off second guest and kids sail free offer.

The WOW Sale is valid on bookings made between February 6 – 10, 2019 on sailings departing on or after March 6, 2019.

The WOW Sale includes:

  • 60% off cruise fare of second guest booked in the same stateroom as first full-fare paying guest, and 30% off cruise fare for third guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualified guests. 
  • BOGO offers up to $100 to spend at sea per stateroom determined by category booked and sailing length:
    •  Sailings 5 nights or less, $25 OBC for Interior and Ocean View, $ 25 for Balconies and $50 for Suites
    • Sailings 6 nights or longer, $50 OBC for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $100 for Suites
  •  WOW Sale offers up to $300 to spend at sea per stateroom (up to $400 to spend at sea when combined with BOGO OBC) determined by category booked and sailing length:
    •  Sailings 5 nights or less, $50 OBC for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $150 for Suites
    • Sailings 6 nights or longer, $75 OBC for Interior and Ocean View, $100 for Balconies and $300 for Suites
  • Kids Sail Free: provides free cruise fare for 3rd guests and higher who are 12 years old or younger on select 4-night or longer Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, CaribNE, Coastal, Cuba, Europe and Hawaii sailings departing between March 1 – December 15, 2019.
    •  ​​​​​​​Offer excludes Spring Break sailings (Sailings between March 16 – 30, 2019), Holy Week/Easter sailings (Sailings between April 13 – 22, 2019) Summer sailings (Sailings between May 15 – August 31, 2019) and 2019 Thanksgiving sailings (Sailings between November 23 – 30, 2019).   

BOGO and Kids Sail Free are combinable with each other as well as with WOW 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. WOW 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 available to residents of United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and select countries in the Caribbean. 

Royal Caribbean offering up to 30% off pre-cruise purchases with Cruise Planner sale

In:
06 Feb 2019
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Guests can save up to 30% off on select pre-cruise purchases with Royal Caribbean's new Cruise Planner sale.

The Set Sail & Save sale runs between February 6, 2019 and February 11, 2019 on sailings between February 11, 2019 and August 31, 2019.

Royal Caribbean states guests can expect to see:

  • Beverage Packages: Up to 30% off on select sailings
    • Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship.
    • Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship.
    • Refreshment Package: 30% off onboard prices. Discount varies by ship.
  • Save up to 25% on select shore excursions. Discount varies by ship.
  • Internet
    • VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
    • VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
  • Dining Packages
    • 3 Night Dining Package. Discount varies by ship.
    • 3 Night, 4 Night and 5 Night Ultimate Dining Package. Discount varies by ship.
  • Activities: Up to 10% off on select sailings
    • All Access Ship Tour: 10% off.

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.

Kayak Adventure at CocoCay excursion review

In:
04 Feb 2019
By: 
Ric Ross

Growing up in Florida, I’ve been canoeing a few times, but I’ve never been on a kayak before. Some of my former co-workers used to go kayaking a lot, and I thought I might enjoy that. When I saw a Kayak Adventure excursion on Coco Cay, I booked it hoping to find out if kayaking around the Florida mangroves would be something I could spend my weekends doing.

I almost don’t want to mention the start of the adventure being the very tedious tender process from ship to Coco Cay. However, I will mention it in the context of Royal Caribbean addressing this low point in the experience. Royal Caribbean is almost done with building a pier large enough to accommodate two ships simultaneously as part of the Perfect Day at Coco Cay project. I enjoyed my time on Coco Cay. Getting me on the island faster will let me enjoy it even more.

The tour group met near Coconut Willie’s at a shack set up to rent floats and lockers. I signed the waiver and rented a locker to store my towel and other belongings. Because I registered for the tour by myself, I was given a one-seat kayak while most other people on the tour were given two-seat kayaks. I would be providing all the power and all the steering on my own. After we all donned floatation vests and picked out our paddles, we got some paddling and steering instructions. Our guide also gave us tips on how to get back into the kayak if it flipped. He said with no wind out today, if someone flipped in their kayak, they were trying to flip it. We were ready to drag the kayaks off of the beach and into the water.

​​​​Royal Caribbean Coco Cay Kayak Adventure tour

Now in a kayak for my first time, our tour guide led us out into the shallow water around the beach. The water was surprisingly clear. As we paddled out, we saw the grass growing out of the sandy floor. Our guide encouraged us to reach in and pick up a conch if we saw one. Some people picked up a conch shell that turned out to have a hermit crab inside. I spotted a few fish swimming in a school along with sponges.

Once we paddled out farther from shore, our guide got into the water and picked up a small starfish for the group to pass around. A short distance away, we saw a slight disturbance in the otherwise smooth water. We were told it was a shark, but a harmless one — probably a nurse shark. Our guide got back in the water after he spotted a much larger starfish. He picked that one up and passed it around. The outside felt like spiky concrete. I’m surprised the animal can move with a body so hard and seemingly inflexible like that. It was also very heavy for its size, which is probably due to it having such a dense exterior.

After getting a ways from shore, all the while still in water that could not have been more than five feet deep, our guide noticed a jellyfish in the water. I looked around and saw a couple of other jellyfish in that area. That one I didn't need to pick up; it could stay in the water. While paddling out to the undeveloped part of Coco Cay, we could see the construction equipment behind some trees that let us know this part of the island would be developed as part of the Perfect Day at Coco Cay project.

With almost no wind that day, the water was very smooth and easy to see through, except for one moment when the surface of the water started boiling. We could see little fish coming up to the surface in a frenzy. I joined a couple in a two-person kayak and one of the other solo kayakers paddling like mad out to the disturbance to get a closer look. The fish, or maybe the shark feeding underneath them, must have seen us coming. Once we got within ten feet of the rippling action, it all subsided and the water returned to calm.

Royal Caribbean Coco Cay Kayak Adventure tour

Approaching the southern tip of the island, we made a turn back to the shore and pulled our kayaks up onto the beach. We all got into the water and relaxed for a bit before getting back in the kayaks. On my way to shore, I spotted a sea urchin next to a rock (another creature I knew better than to pick up). While sitting in the water just a few feet from the beach, a couple of fish swam up to me and investigated the area. They were the largest fish I had seen on the tour, but even they could not have been more than eight inches long. I also spotted a striped fish about an inch and a half long staying in close proximity to the shelter of a rock with a big hole in the side. He let me get pretty close before he’d duck into the hole. Then if I stopped, he swim back out again keeping one side of his body up against the rock. If I took a step, he’d dart back into his hiding place. It was adorable and felt like something out of Finding Nemo.

After our rest, we got back into the kayaks and made our way along the shoreline back to our starting point. Our guide called out some stingrays, but they weren't near me. I might have seen the tip of a stingray’s wing, but it was so quick, it may have just been the seagrass moving. I did spot a much slower-moving creature. I looked down to see a sea cucumber plodding along a grassless patch leaving a trail of compressed sand excrement behind him.

Our final wildlife encounter was with the least predictable of all the animals in the water — the fellow resort guest. Even seeing a squadron of kayaks approaching, almost no one made any attempt to get out of the way. Two ladies in their 60’s saw me heading towards the beach, then turned their back to me and walked right into my path as I made my wobbly return to shore. I called out “sorry, I don’t really know how to steer this thing.” They looked up and took two steps to the side.

I pulled my kayak up to beach, returned my paddle and life vest, and retrieved my towel from the locker. I was pretty beat after an hour or more of paddling, and at that point I just wanted a shower. I’m glad I tried kayaking. When I return to Coco Cay, I might do some other activity so I can experience more of the resort. After the fun I had on the Kayak Adventure, I would kayak again, but I’d prefer to get a second person to join in.

When a cruise ship docks at a public port, you have the option of booking excursions through the cruise line or through an independent tour operator. Because Royal Caribbean owns and operates Coco Cay, all the excursions are organized by the cruise line. This means that the Cruise Planner is a one-stop shop for all the excursions and activities at the resort.

The Kayak Adventure on its own is $43, but it can be purchased as a Kayak Adventure and Snorkel Combo for $72. If you opt for the combo, when you check in for the Kayak Adventure, you'll be given a wristband. Show that wristband at the snorkel shack after your kayak tour, and you can pick up snorkel equipment to use for the rest of the day.

Royal Caribbean Coco Cay Kayak Adventure tour

Royal Caribbean Coco Cay Kayak Adventure tour

Royal Caribbean Coco Cay Kayak Adventure tour snorkel

Royal Caribbean Coco Cay Kayak Adventure tour

Have you been kayaking on Coco Cay? Have you done any of the other excursions on the island?

Royal Caribbean UK is looking to pay someone to cruise and share the fun on social media

In:
04 Feb 2019
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean is looking for British or Irish citizens to become a Shore Explorer Apprentice and explore the world from a Royal Caribbean cruise and get paid a six figure salary for the work!

Royal Caribbean is looking for a new employee to sail round the globe, documenting their experiences on social media.

The role is open to British and Irish citizens aged 21 and over, and to apply you simply need to post an "extraordinary travel story, video, or image" on Instagram via Instagram stories, IGTV, or an Instagram post tagging @RoyalCaribbeanUK and #ShoreExplorer before the end of the day on March 1 2019.

The 20 Finalists will be announced on March 15, 2019 on the website and Instagram, and the overall winner will be informed by the Promoter via Instagram message by April 5, 2019 or as soon as practicable thereafter if a review is required.

View this post on Instagram

Today is the day!! @royalcaribbeanuk have just opened applications for an epic new role: the #ShoreExplorer Apprentice-ship programme. It's a search similar to the internship which ran two years ago and completely changed my life, taking me on some incredible adventures! The successful candidate will have the opportunity to seek out & test extraordinary shore experiences in the most jaw-dropping destinations across the globe - including Alaska, Japan, Dubai and the Caribbean - while getting paid equivalent to a 6 figure yearly salary. I am also happy to announce that I will be one of the judges and one lucky candidate will be accompanied by myself on part of their extraordinary journey around the world. Head over to the @royalcaribbeanuk page or search #ShoreExplorer for all the details on how to enter. Good luck! T&Cs apply. Visit @royalcaribbeanuk for more info.

A post shared by ʀᴜss ғʀᴀɴᴄɪs (@russ_francis) on

The Winner must be able to travel between May and August 2019 for at least three and up to four consecutive weeks if required to do so.  The winner will be able to visit

  • Perfect Day at CocoCay
  • Alaska, USA
  • Lisbon, Portugal
  • Norway
  • Dubai, UAE
  • Osaka, Japan

Royal Caribbean Post Round-Up: February 3, 2019

In:
03 Feb 2019
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Happy weekend! We hope you are in the midst of a wonderful weekend full of friends, fun, and plenty of things to do to pass the time between cruises.  We have a summary of all of this week's Royal Caribbean news in case you missed any of it!

The big Royal Caribbean news this week was Royal Caribbean's announcement of the name for its second Quantum Class cruise ship.

Odyssey of the Seas will be the cruise line's 27th ship in the fleet and will debut in the fall of 2020.

Odyssey will sail from the United States, and Royal Caribbean has promised more details about Odyssey of the Seas later this year.

Royal Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 287th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, friends join Matt to share a review of Independence of the Seas.

Rafael and Alanna are back from their Independence of the Seas cruise and they talk about how their first "big" Royal Caribbean ship sailing went.

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.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Disney Cruise Line Blog shared a review of the Westgate Cocoa Beach Resort.

New York Times shared how cruise lines are using technology to add a personal touch.

Miami Herald wrote about new clean fuel regulations for cruise ships, including how Symphony of the Seas complies with the law.

Eat Sleep Cruise reviewed a balcony stateroom on Mariner of the Seas.

Mirror wrote about Royal Caribbean's plans to open private islands around the world.

Tom Loves Cruising shared a review of Independence of the Seas.

Departure Lounge shared cruising tips from a Royal Caribbean expert.

Odyssey of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's second Quantum Ultra Class ship and sail from United States

In:
01 Feb 2019
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean cut the first piece of steel for its second Quantum Ultra Class ship and announced the name will be Odyssey of the Seas.

The steel-cutting ceremony was held at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Odyssey of the Seas will be the 27th ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet. Steel-cutting is the traditional beginning of formal cruise ship construction.

Odyssey of the Seas will debut in the fall of 2020 and sail from the United States.  Royal Caribbean will reveal further details "later this year."

Odyssey of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's second Quantum Ultra Class ship, and she follows sister vessel Spectrum of the Seas.  Spectrum will debut in April 2019 and depart immediately to Asia.

Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley hinted that Odyssey of the Seas will visit the UK when she launches, and would not be headed to China like the last couple Quantum Class ships.

Friday Photos - February 1, 2019

In:
01 Feb 2019
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Friday is here, and whether the groundhog sees his shadow or not tomorrow, we have some great Royal Caribbean cruise photos to share with all of you.  

We kick off this week's edition with a beautiful photo of Harmony of the Seas in Labadee by twangster.

Next up is a photo of Navigator of the Seas in Curacao by Heidi.  

Here is an artsy shot from Majesty of the Seas. Photo by Jean Francois "Jay" Bekono.

Bob Carpenter sent this photo of him and his wife celebrating their 20th Royal Caribbean cruise in Labadee, with Oasis of the Seas in the background.

Jenn Ullram captured this photo of Explorer of the Seas, as seen from the Maritime Museum in Bermuda.

We head to Norway for our next photo, with a shot from Serenade of the Seas by Pat & Sharon Patterson.

Jonathan Quealy provided this photo of Anthem of the Seas passing under the Verrazano Bridge in New York Harbor.  

Thank you to everyone for sharing their great cruise photos with us! If you want to share your own favorite Royal Caribbean photos, use this form to send them in! Have a great weekend!

Royal Caribbean offering Kids Sail Free offer during month of February

In:
01 Feb 2019
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Kids Sail Free offer is back, with Royal Caribbean's February sales offer, in addition to 60% off the second guest.

Royal Caribbean is also offering additional instant savings on cruises booked this weekend during the Score More Savings event.

Cruise must be booked between February 1 – 4, 2019 and applies to select sailings departing on or after March 1, 2019.

The offer includes:

  • 60% off cruise fare of second guest booked in the same stateroom as first full-fare paying guest, and 30% off cruise fare for third guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualified guests.
  • Kids Sail Free
    • Provides free cruise fare for 3rd guests and higher who are 12 years old or younger on select 4-night or longer Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, CaribNE, Coastal, Cuba, Europe and Hawaii sailings departing between March 1 – December 15, 2019.
    • Offer excludes Spring Break sailings (Sailings between March 16 – 30, 2019), Holy Week/Easter sailings (Sailings between April 13 – 22, 2019) Summer sailings (Sailings between May 15 – August 31, 2019) and 2019 Thanksgiving sailings (Sailings between November 23 – 30, 2019).
  • Up to $100 onboard credit per stateroom determined by category booked and sailing length:
    • Sailings 5 nights or less, $25 OBC for Interior and Ocean View, $25 for Balconies and $50 for Suites
    • Sailings 6 nights or longer, $50 OBC for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $100 for Suites
  • Score More Savings offers up to $150 instant savings per stateroom determined by category booked and sailing length:
    • 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 and Kids Sail Free are combinable with each other as well as with Score More Savings, 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. Score More Savings 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 available to residents of United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and select countries in the Caribbean.