When I took my first Royal Caribbean cruise 20 years ago, I was blown away by how much there was to do on one ship.
My first sailing on Explorer of the Seas was impressive, but it was nothing compared to the new wows I would experience as I tried newer and bigger ships. That's in essence why I fell in love with Royal Caribbean: their dedication to pushing boundaries, innovation, and going well beyond other vacations.
As I've cruised more ships across the fleet, I've found that each one has its own unique character and things you will want to try. Even after two decades of cruising, I'm still amazed by some of the things you can do onboard, including dining, thrills, and entertainment.
When someone new to Royal Caribbean asks for recommendations, these are the five things I tell them to do and the two I advise skipping.
Picking an Icon Class ship is a great entry point
If there's something Royal Caribbean has done recently to live up to the hype, it's launch the Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas.
These are the biggest cruise ships in the world, and they are the perfect fit for a first-time cruiser because they offer the latest and greatest things Royal Caribbean can offer anywhere.
When you're new to the brand, you may not be aware yet of everything available. Plus, you've got to discover your own cruising style. I think an Icon Class ship is the perfect entry point because it has just about everything, and it's the sort of experience you won't come home disappointed with.
These ships have so many pools, a Broadway show, sprawling areas for kids, well-designed guest flow, and more activities than you can possibly squeeze into a week.
Other ships in the fleet have their own compelling reasons to book, but an Icon Class ship is as close to a sure-fire way to start your cruising vacations the right way.
See a Broadway show or high-diving performance
If there's one thing Royal Caribbean does better than any other cruise line, it's their entertainment. I think you should absolutely make a point to see Broadway musicals, ice-skating shows, and AquaTheater performances because they're all top-tier.
On their bigger ships, you'll find lots of shows to see and I think these are some of the best crowd pleasers around. Plus they're all included with your cruise fare!
The Broadway musicals are especially impressive, such as Mamma Mia, Back to the Future, or Hairspray. It's incredible you can see a full show that would ordinarily cost hundreds of dollars on land but for no additional cost at sea.
Just as impressive are the shows in the AquaTheater, which feature high divers, slack liners, dancers, and aerialists. It's an incredible display that is difficult to describe in text, but I promise you'll walk away wowed by the spectacle.
If your ship has an ice skating rink, the ice shows in there are also quite good. Many of the skaters are former competitors on the national stage, and they can pull off very impressive feats.
All of the production shows are designed for families to enjoy together, and it's the perfect amount of culture to squeeze into your vacation.
Stop by different bars to enjoy the live music
Another homerun on any Royal Caribbean ship is the live entertainment each evening.
Various bars will have entertainment for you to enjoy:
- Schooner Bar: Piano player
- Pub: Guitarist
- Lou's Jazz Club: Jazz band
- Mason Jar: Country band
- Central Park: Harpist or jazz band
- Dueling Pianos: piano players
- Boleros: Band
It's so much fun bar hopping each evening to see the live performers here and enjoy a set or two.
Royal Caribbean invests heavily in live entertainment as a way to get you to come into the bar, and it's a great way to round out your evening.
Every performer has their own style, so I'd recommend sampling each one on your ship to find the right mix for you.
In most cases, it's songs you know the words to, and it pairs well with a cocktail, beer, or glass of wine.
Make a reservation at one of my favorite specialty restaurants
These days, Royal Caribbean has a lot of specialty restaurants, but a few stand out as must-eats.
I tell new cruisers they should have a mix of complimentary and specialty restaurants. Don't do just the included dining, but don't go all-in on specialty dining either. Two or three extra cost venues is a good introduction to see what you like best.
To be fair, not every specialty restaurant is worth dining at, so I'd recommend sticking to the very best ones.
My top specialty dining picks are Izumi Hibachi, 150 Central Park, and Playmakers. There are others, but those are solid starting points.
To be clear, there are others I like too. It's hard to go wrong with Chops Grille or Giovanni's because they're consistently satisfying. I mean, how can you go wrong with a steakhouse or Italian food?
And be sure to pre-book a reservation to save money because it will cost you much more if you wait to book a reservation on the ship.
Spend the day at Perfect Day at CocoCay
I think Royal Caribbean has built the best private island experience with Perfect Day at CocoCay.
This is so much more than a beach for cruise ship passengers. The cruise line revamped and upgraded the island to offer just about everything you'd want in a beach day.
There are different beaches, each with their own vibe. You'll find a giant freshwater pool in the middle of the island. A water park offers thrill seekers more than they can handle, and there's even an adults-only area if you need a break from family fun.
If your cruise ship is scheduled to visit CocoCay, you'll get a lot of marketing materials hyping it up. I promise this island lives up to that hype because of how much there is to do. Plus, a lot of it is included in your cruise fare!
I recommend skipping the magic shows
I raved about the entertainment on Royal Caribbean earlier, but I'd recommend skipping the magic shows, jugglers, or ventriloquists.
In my "sorry, not sorry" part of this article, I think these are consistently the least entertaining shows. Maybe kids of a certain age might enjoy them, but I think they're the sort of ho-hum, eye-roll inducing, and cliched performances that you'll quickly lament not having spent your time doing almost anything else onboard.
My issue with these shows is less the show itself and more that you want to take advantage of every minute you're onboard a ship. Simply put, there are much better choices for things to do than spending your time at these lackluster magic acts.
Swap out beach break shore excursions for a resort day pass
The ports of call your ship visits are just as important as the ship itself. Most people book a cruise because of the places it will visit, but I'd warn against booking a tour that takes you to a beach with the cruise line.
The problem with "beach break" excursions is you're basically paying for a bus to take you back and forth along with a giant crowd of people.
Instead, I'd recommend booking a day pass to a resort. There are many providers that sell them, such as ResortForADay.com.
The advantage of a day pass is you can depart the ship when you want, instead of waiting for your tour to be called and going with a large group. Sure, you need to pay for a taxi, but a taxi is more convenient and might even be cheaper.
Plus, a day pass to a resort includes not only access to a beach, but pools, restaurants, drinks and more.
You gain more control, reduce the risk of overcrowding, and likely get more included by opting for a day pass instead.
