It's no secret that we love cruising on Royal Caribbean, but there are a few things that other cruise lines have gotten right — and other cruisers have definitely taken notice of where competitors excel.
Over the years, the cruise industry has tended to follow trends, and it’s not uncommon for one line to introduce a new concept or change that other lines then incorporate into their own lineup.
For example, Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to completely redefine the private island experience. Now, Carnival and Norwegian have followed suit with their own upgraded private destination portfolios.
Along those lines, it's impossible to completely ignore what lines are doing. There are plenty of ideas and experiences that Royal Caribbean could take inspiration from to keep enhancing the experience for its loyal guests!
In fact, one cruiser was curious as to what travelers thought Royal Caribbean should borrow from other cruise lines and asked the question on the r/royalcaribbean Reddit thread.
The responses highlighted a variety of clever ideas — from new cabin designs to better fast-casual dining — that fans of other lines have enjoyed and wish Royal Caribbean would invest more in.
Better poolside burgers
Although Royal Caribbean's fast-casual options have gotten better in recent years, they still fall short compared to the offerings aboard Carnival's fleet of "FUN" ships.
Guy's Burger Joint debuted in 2011 in collaboration with celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Today, the poolside burger bar is renowned for its gourmet smash burgers, seasoned fries, and generous toppings bar.
"Basecamp burgers are a good start, but something as quality as Guy's Burgers would be huge," said one Redditor. Someone else chimed in, claiming that Guy's is the "best restaurant at sea."
Additionally, I think BlueIguana Cantina wins hands down when it comes to fresh, made-to-order Mexican food. El Loco Fresh is fine, but nothing compares to Carnival's fresh salsa bar and breakfast burritos.
Enhanced technology
Royal Caribbean has long worked to integrate cutting-edge technology across its ships, from robot vacuum cleaners to the best mobile app at sea. However, some cruisers argue that they could still have more advanced features on their fleet.
One passenger suggested that Royal Caribbean should have a Medallion system like Princess Cruises. "Second this. Works great. And you can see where everybody in your party is at a glance," said another Reddit user.
Essentially, Princess’ MedallionClass Experience replaces the standard cruise ship card with a small, quarter-sized device that serves as both a room key and a charge card. It tracks your location, meaning that your cabin door will automatically unlock as you approach. You can also track other passengers and order food and drinks to your location.
Grab-and-go towels
On Royal Caribbean ships, you have to scan pool towels out and check them back in — or face a $25 fee.
"[P]lease treat me like the responsible adult that I am and not like a petty thief. I promise not to rip off your cheap towels. I have better beach towels at home," commented one Redditor who wished that Royal Caribbean streamlined its towel policy.
Other cruisers agreed, with one adding that they should be able to grab a pool towel "without the third degree."
Early access to cabins to drop off carry-on bags
Royal Caribbean cruise rooms are not ready on embarkation day until the early afternoon, typically around 1:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m.
Consequently, you have to haul your carry-on items around the ship until the stateroom hallways are opened. This is bothersome, especially when carrying fragile items like glass wine bottles or heavy 12-packs of soda.
Many wish that Royal Caribbean would change its rules and allow passengers to drop off their carry-on bags as soon as they board. Although you couldn't start unpacking, you could at least get rid of any suitcases or bags before exploring the ship or hitting the buffet.
Better late-night food options
Gone (long gone at this point...) are the days of the famous midnight cruise ship buffet. Although Royal Caribbean still has late-night options, they pale in comparison to the gluttonous displays of carving stations, desserts, fruit, and more.
Today, the late-night choices on most ships are scaled back to greasy pizza, sandwiches, and a small selection of desserts. Although you don't need a full meal at 1:30 a.m., having a wider variety of options could easily appease the night owls looking for something more satisfying after a show or to celebrate their casino win.
Many Redditors agree, with one saying that they wish Royal Caribbean would either keep the buffets open later or have other options before pizza.
"I usually cruise on NCL and I did my first [Royal Caribbean cruise] in December of 2024 on wonder and I was stunned at the lack of food options after about 9-10pm," said another.
Read more: I tried every late-night snack on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Here's the best one
Luggage mats
One small but surprisingly smart idea Royal Caribbean could borrow from other cruise lines is the use of luggage mats in staterooms on embarkation day.
On Carnival ships, for example, part of the embarkation turnaround process includes placing a protective luggage mat on the bed so guests can easily unpack without placing dirty suitcases directly on the linens.
"I hate having no space to unpack and in most cases it’s easier to put the suitcases on the bed but suitcases are dirty from all of the travel so I love the luggage mats," explained one Reddit user.
Balcony hammocks
Virgin Voyages differs from Royal Caribbean in more ways than you can count. For starters, it does not cater to children or families, which is pretty much Royal's primary target audience.
Moreover, there aren't any specialty restaurants, as the cruise line axed the traditional cruise Main Dining Room in favor of included restaurants that all focus on different cuisines and cooking styles — from Italian to Korean BBQ, Indian, Mexican, and more.
One smaller, but noticeable, difference is that, in addition to standard outdoor chairs and tables, the balcony cabins are outfitted with hammocks.
These bright red hammocks offer a relaxing and cozy alternative to basic seating, giving you a comfortable spot to stretch out and take in the passing scenery.
"Virgin has hammocks for the rooms with [balconies]. That’s my dream.. to fall asleep in my swaying hammock & listening to the sounds of the waves crashing against the hull," one person remarked.
More efficient My Time Dining setup
Today, the cruise main dining experience is much more relaxed than in the past. You don't, for example, have to eat at the same time each evening. Instead, you can opt for your cruise line's flexible dining option, which allows you to dine whenever you want during the dining room's operating hours.
That said, while it's more convenient, some cruisers feel like the system could be better streamlined and user-friendly. For example, Carnival Cruise Line makes it easy to eat when you want.
Rather than waiting in a long line outside the dining room, guests simply check in for dinner through the mobile app. Before checking in, you can even see the estimated wait time.
This approach is popular among cruisers, too. "We just got off the Jubilee and the 'my time' dining check in process is leaps ahead of RCL. I'm glad our next cruise is assigned time," one user said.
Adult-only sailings
Although Royal Caribbean is not an adult-only cruise line like Virgin Voyages, some guests would love to see Royal offer dedicated child-free voyages.
Carnival, for example, has begun offering limited SEA (Sailings Exclusively for Adults) on select ships and itineraries. These special sailings give adults the chance to experience the "FUN" ships without worrying about crowded pools filled with kids or other nuisances that generally come with family travel.
Royal Caribbean already caters to adults with its kid-free Solarium sun decks and lively nightlife; however, a fully adult-only cruise would extend those experiences across the entire vessel, from the buffet to the pool deck, mini-golf course, and more.
Non-smoking casinos
Royal Caribbean is adding more non-smoking casinos to its ships, but some wish that the cruise line would go ahead and ban indoor smoking in general.
Celebrity Cruises, for example, does not permit any smoking in its casinos, regardless of whether you're actively gambling or not.
For many travelers, that creates a noticeably cleaner and more comfortable environment since you don't have smoke lingering in the Royal Promenade or other nearby public spaces.
"NO smoking in the casino! The entire casino - not a tiny non-smoking section... Easy choice to switch," stated one cruiser in the Reddit thread.
Free drinks when gambling
On a similar note, some guests would love to see Royal Caribbean offer complimentary drinks to players in the casino. While you can gamble enough to earn free beverages through the Casino Royale rewards program, it isn't a perk guaranteed to all passengers.
By comparison, even first-time cruisers can enjoy complimentary drinks in Celebrity's casino — so long as they're actively gambling. The included drinks are pretty basic, but they help set the premium cruise line apart from its family-friendly sister.
One Redditor also added that Royal Caribbean should include soda in its base fare. This is not unheard of in the industry, as guests on Disney Cruise Line can indulge in unlimited fountain soda from the pool deck and dining rooms at no added cost.
Inclusive packages
Royal Caribbean's base fare is more inclusive than a standard hotel room, but it is still far from an all-inclusive experience. Things like alcoholic beverages, Wi-Fi, and specialty restaurants all cost extra and can significantly increase the cost of your vacation.
Some cruise lines, such as Princess, Holland America Line, and Celebrity, have introduced more inclusive packages to help passengers bundle popular add-ons and save money along the way.
Currently, Princess Cruises has two different tiers of packages — Princess Plus and Princess Premier — with the latter costing just $65 per day when purchased in advance. It includes everything from up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day, four casual specialty meals, Wi-Fi for one device, gratuities, and more.
"Having all your packages food drink wifi and photo in one is nice. By the time I add all that with [Royal Caribbean] I end up spending more than a princess cruise with [the Premier package]," said one cruiser.
Read more: I tried Princess Cruises' inclusive package to see if it was worth the cost
Self-service laundry rooms
Royal Caribbean ships do not offer self-service laundry rooms. Instead, guests who wish to return home with clean clothing must pay the exorbitant dry cleaning fees.
"We did our first Royal Caribbean after sailing Disney and Princess and had no idea how much we took the self serve laundry for granted!" one cruiser remarked.
Royal Caribbean ships offer different types of dry cleaning services, including Wash & Press, Press Only, Steam Only, and Dry Clean & Press. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay around $3.49 per t-shirt, $5.49 per pair of shorts, and $8.99 per dress for the Wash & Press option, with prices increasing for the ship's Dry Clean & Press services.
Not only that, but turnaround times can be slow — unless you're willing to pay a 50% same day service charge.
Read more: Royal Caribbean laundry services on your cruise
Better solo cruiser cabins
If you haven't taken a solo cruise, I'd highly recommend it. It's a great way to push yourself outside your comfort zone in a safe environment while traveling the world and meeting new people!
Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean isn't the best cruise line for solo travelers. Although some of their ships have cabins for single cruisers, availability is limited, making these rooms hard to book due to high demand.
Plus, the overall solo experience falls short compared to lines like Norwegian, which offer dedicated lounges for solo travelers, among other perks.
"I have several friends who won't cruise with us because they don't want to share a room with someone. They usually just sail Virgin. Royal is seriously lacking here," said one Reddit user.
Read more: Going on a cruise alone? Here are the 8 best solo cruise cabins
Carnival's Punchliner Comedy Club
Finally, if you've ever been on a Carnival cruise, you know that there's nothing else like the Punchliner Comedy Club at sea. Aside from Carnival's fast-casual dining, its comedy programming is one of the highlights of the entire experience.
Carnival has built a reputation for bringing top-tier comedians on board — and they consistently deliver, whether it's on the line's oldest or newest vessels.
During the voyage, the Punchliner Comedy Club features different comedians, with family-friendly and adults-only sets, ensuring there's a show for every crowd.
In the Reddit thread, one cruiser complained about Royal's lack of comedy programming, claiming that even if comedy shows are offered, the comedians are boring.
"On a 7 day cruise, there is only one comedy show to watch during the whole cruise on [Royal Caribbean], while on Carnival, I can go every night, and it would be a different comedian. Plus, [Carnival has better] comedians, the ones on [Royal Caribbean] are boring. Even Princess hires better comedians than [Royal Caribbean]," they said.
