Royal Caribbean Blog

If I'm going on Royal Caribbean's Icon Class ships, I'll instantly change my approach to how I cruise.

Sailing on an Icon Class ship is far from an ordinary cruise experience. When I boarded Icon of the Seas for the first time last year, I couldn’t believe just how much there was to see, do, eat, and experience aboard the ship. I soon realized that if I wanted to experience it all, I had to totally change my cruising style.

Whether that meant skipping traditional dining venues or staying onboard for a port day, there were a few strategies I used to experience the ship to the fullest.

Then, when I cruised on Star of the Seas last month, I took my lessons learned from Icon to make my second Icon Class experience even better.

After two Icon Class cruises, my main takeaway is that you want to have the right approach before you board. If you expect your cruise to offer the same experience as any other Royal Caribbean ship, you’re going to be surprised.

So, after sailing on both Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, these are the 9 things I do differently whenever I’m onboard.

I skip the Main Dining Room and buffet

Food is (almost literally) around every corner on Icon Class ships. These vessels feature over 20 unique restaurants, the majority of which are included in your cruise fare.

The Main Dining Room and Windjammer buffet are two classic restaurants found on every Royal Caribbean cruise ship. They’re usually a staple for me when I cruise, but I often skip these venues on Icon Class ships.

The buffet, for example, is a typical stop for cruisers on embarkation day. On Icon Class ships, however, I head to the AquaDome Market instead.

Related: AquaDome Market on Star of the Seas review

This food hall features five different stands, which serve up everything from Thai curry to arepas and brisket sandwiches. Here I can enjoy lunch with far fewer crowds and more unique options than you’ll find elsewhere onboard.

Likewise, I avoid the Main Dining Room for dinner on Icon Class ships. As an alternative, I might dine at a specialty restaurant, head back to the AquaDome Market, or grab an early dinner at El Loco Fresh.

One of my favorite dinner spots is the wine bar at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen. Whereas the restaurant itself requires reservations and comes with a cover charge, the wine bar offers an à la carte menu on demand.

On my recent Star of the Seas cruise, I spent just $7 on a margherita pizza, and it was much tastier than the pizzas found at nearby Sorrento’s. Plus, I loved the ambiance of eating in the middle of the Royal Promenade. The wine bar provides a prime spot for people watching.

I’m not opposed to eating in the Main Dining Room or at the Windjammer on Icon Class ships, but I’m more likely to dine elsewhere.

I actually use the elevators

On most Royal Caribbean ships, I steer clear of the elevators.

Wait times can be long, and more often than not, it seems like the elevators stop at every single floor. So, unless I’m going up more than six or seven decks, I usually opt for the stairs instead.

On Icon Class ships, however, I always use the elevators.

The class is equipped with destination elevators, and this makes them much more efficient. With destination elevators, you select a deck number while you’re still in the elevator lobby. You’re then assigned a specific elevator number, and that elevator will bring you to your destination.

In my experience, the destination elevators on Icon Class ships are significantly quicker than regular elevators. Even on a ship with over 6,000 passengers, I rarely had to wait more than a minute for an elevator.

Once inside, it often went directly to my destination rather than stopping at every floor along the way.

I attend all of the signature shows

Production shows can be hit or miss on cruises, especially on older ships. Sometimes they lack storylines, and, after watching dozens of shows, I find they start to feel repetitive.

On new cruise ships, however, and especially on Icon Class ships, this is not the case.

While I might skip a theater show on a ship like Radiance of the Seas, I’ll never skip a signature performance on an Icon Class ship.

Related: Mastering your Icon of the Seas cruise with the best tips

Both Icon Class cruise ships feature Broadway musicals, and they are of extremely high quality. I laughed so hard during Back to the Future: The Musical on Star of the Seas that I wish I could have seen it again before I disembarked.

The ice-skating shows, too, are out-of-this-world. I thought I had seen all that an ice-skating show can offer, but the shows on Icon Class ships proved me wrong. Not only is the rink larger than that on other ships, but the digital projections transport the audience directly into the story.

Royal Caribbean puts a ton of effort into its entertainment on these ships, and it’s always well worth attending the shows.

I ride the slides at Category 6 Waterpark

Many Royal Caribbean cruise ships have waterslides, but few compare to those available on Icon Class ships.

Icon Class ships feature the Category 6 Waterpark, a dream for thrill seekers onboard a cruise ship. As the name implies, the waterpark has six slides, and they’re all totally unique.

There are two raft slides onboard: Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter. These slides accommodate up to 3 and 4 guests, respectively, at one time, and Storm Surge extends off the side of the ship for an even bigger thrill.

Then you’ll find Frightening Bolt, the tallest drop slide at sea, along with Storm Chasers, which are two side-by-side mat-racing slides.

Related: Icon of the Seas vs. Star of the Seas: Which ship should you choose?

Finally, there’s Pressure Drop, where you can plummet at a 66-degree incline for a major adrenaline boost.

When I’m onboard Icon or Star of the Seas, I make sure to slide down the waterslides at least once. Although many other Royal Caribbean ships feature waterslides, I find the slides at Category 6 more intriguing. The raft slides in particular are extremely fun, and overall, I just love the variety of slides to choose from at the waterpark.

I’m more likely to skip a port day and stay onboard

On Icon Class ships, I treat my cruise ship itself as the destination rather than the places I visit.

Generally speaking, I am a destination-focused cruiser. I always search for itineraries that take me to unique ports around the world, whether a remote island in Vanuatu or a small town in Alaska.

Icon Class ships, however, don’t visit off-the-beaten-track cruise ports. Due to their size, the ships are somewhat restricted in port options. They typically visit common ports like Nassau, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Cozumel, and St. Thomas.

Related: 7 reasons to avoid booking ships with a lot of ports

I can visit these ports on dozens of other ships, so I’m never hard-pressed to find things to do in port while sailing on an Icon Class ship.

Instead, I am likely to skip a port day and enjoy all of the amenities onboard instead (with far fewer guests onboard, might I add).

I watch the sunset from a pool

There’s nothing quite like a sunset at sea, and something I do differently on Icon Class ships is watch the sunset from one of the many pools onboard.

Icon Class ships feature seven swimming pools, and each offers a distinct atmosphere. There’s the Swim & Tonic pool for party vibes, the Water’s Edge pool for younger cruisers, and the Royal Bay pool for a more traditional pool experience.

For sunset, though, none compare to the pool found at The Hideaway, the adults-only neighborhood on Icon Class ships.

Related: Daybed review at The Hideaway on Icon of the Seas

This neighborhood features an infinity pool right at the ship’s aft, providing absolutely stellar views of the ocean. Whenever the sun sets along the aft of the ship, I make sure to put on a swimsuit and watch the scenery from the Hideaway Pool. It’s truly a sight to see.

If the sun is setting in another direction, I’ll head to either the Cove Pool or Cloud 17 Pool, as these pools jet up directly to the side of the ship.

I skip classic Royal Caribbean bars for newer venues

It’s almost unfathomable how Royal Caribbean could pack Icon Class cruise ships with so many things to do.

Not only will you find Royal Caribbean's classic bars like Schooner Bar, Boleros, and the English-style pub onboard, but you’ll also find a variety of new concepts for the line.

Whenever I cruise on Icon Class ships, I find myself skipping the classic venues in favor of Icon-specific bars and lounges.

For example, I might skip live music at the pub in favor of the jazz band at Lou’s Jazz n’ Blues. Or, instead of listening to live piano music at the Schooner Bar, I’ll opt for a show at Dueling Pianos.

There’s nothing wrong with the classic Royal Caribbean entertainment venues, but I love how many more choices are available on Icon Class ships.

I enjoy my morning coffee with a view

One thing I especially like about Icon Class cruise ships is having access to ocean views. It seems like you can see the ocean from everywhere onboard, whether from the Royal Promenade, Surfside Neighborhood, or even from Central Park.

When cruising on Icon or Star of the Seas, I always start my morning with an iced coffee. There are several spots to grab specialty coffees on Icon Class ships, including Starbucks, Pearl Café, and the Rye & Bean.

Related: Royal Caribbean coffee card review

Regardless of where I grab my coffee, I make sure to enjoy my coffee with an ocean view.

If I order from Pearl Café, I’ll relax in front of the café’s massive, five-deck-high windows. If I grab a shaken espresso from Starbucks, I’ll sip it outdoors on the Promenade Deck. Lastly, if I order my coffee from Rye & Bean, it’s hard to beat the spectacular views from the AquaDome.

When I cruise on other ships, I miss having these sweeping ocean views in every direction.

I end my evenings with freshly-made crêpes

I might start my mornings with a coffee on Icon Class ships, but I’ll always end the day with a crêpe.

One benefit of cruising on Icon Class ships is the selection of late-night food options. On most other Royal Caribbean ships, food after 9PM is limited to pizza from Sorrento’s or small snacks from Cafe Promenade.

Fortunately, Icon Class ships have a lot more choices.

The AquaDome Market is open until midnight, which means passengers can choose between savory bites like empanadas or sweet treats like a scrumptious, freshly-filled crêpe.

Crème de la Crêpe features four crêpes on their menu, but you can also customize your order to your liking.

For research purposes, I’ve tested all four crêpes, but my favorite is the hazelnut and bananas option. The gooey, chewy crêpe dough mixed with sweet hazelnut sauce and perfectly ripe bananas is unbeatable.

No matter how many other desserts I’ve had throughout the day, I never miss a nightly crêpe at the AquaDome Market.

There are more cruises that won't visit Royal Caribbean's private destination in Haiti.

The cruise line informed travel agents their ships will not make any scheduled visits to Labadee until at least May 2026.

It's a cruise line private destination operated by Royal Caribbean. The resort area is guarded by a private security force.

In emails sent to travel agents and guests, the change was made "in an abundance of caution" according to the cruise line:

"We have been monitoring the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and out of an abundance of caution, we're cancelling our visits to Labadee through April 2026."

Guests that purchased shore excursions in Labadee will be refunded the value to their SeaPass Account as an onboard credit.

The letter goes onto say, "We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change."

Here's a list of the cancelled visits and what will be replaced with each instead: 

• Adventure of the Seas:
  • November 22 and December 6
    • We'll now enjoy a Sea Day instead of visiting Labadee. Additionally, we'll arrive in Falmouth, Jamaica, at 8:00 AM instead of 7:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM instead of 4:00 PM.
  • December 20
    • We'll now enjoy a full day in Nassau, Bahamas, instead of visiting Labadee. Additionally, we'll arrive in Falmouth, Jamaica, at 8:00 AM instead of 9:30 AM and depart at 5:00 PM instead of 5:30 PM.

• Explorer of the Seas:
  • November 10
    • We've had to adjust the time we'll arrive at Perfect Day at CocoCay. We'll now arrive at 7:00 AM instead of 8:30 AM, giving you even more time to enjoy everything this beautiful destination has to offer! While we won't be visiting Labadee during this sailing, we'll now enjoy a day at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, instead.
  • December 22
    • We'll now enjoy our Sea Day on Day 4, and visit Nassau, Bahamas, on Day 5, instead of our visit to Labadee.

• Freedom of the Seas:
  • November 1, November 6, November 20, and December 4
    • We'll now visit Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, instead of our visit to Labadee.
  • November 15 and December 18
    • We'll now visit Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, instead of our visit to Labadee.
  • November 29
    • We'll now visit George Town, Grand Cayman* instead of our visit to Labadee. Kindly note, we have also shifted the times we'll visit Nassau, Bahamas. While we'll lose no time in port, we'll now arrive at 7:00 AM instead of 8:00 AM and depart at 3:00 PM instead of 4:00 PM.
  • December 13 and December 22
    • We'll now visit Falmouth, Jamaica, instead of our visit to Labadee.

• Independence of the Seas:
  • December 7
    • We'll now enjoy a Sea Day instead! Additionally, we'll arrive in Falmouth, Jamaica, at 8:00 AM instead of 7:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM instead of 4:00 PM.

• Jewel of the Seas:
  • October 31
    • We'll now visit Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, instead of our visit to Labadee.

• Oasis of the Seas:
  • November 9, November 23, and December 7
    • We're swapping our visit to Labadee for a Sea Day. Additionally, we have adjusted the times in which we'll visit Falmouth, Jamaica, giving you some extra time to enjoy everything this beautiful destination has to offer!
  • December 21
    • We'll now visit Cozumel, Mexico, instead of our visit to Labadee, Haiti.

• Symphony of the Seas:
  • November 16, November 30, December 14, and December 28
    • We're swapping our visit to Labadee for a Sea Day. Additionally, we have adjusted the times in which we'll visit Falmouth, Jamaica and Nassau, Bahamas. Not to worry, you'll still have plenty of time to enjoy everything these beautiful destinations have to offer!

This is an extension of cancelled calls to the port that began earlier this year.  Previously, the cancellations had gone through October 2025, but a new round of changes were announced today.

Royal Caribbean last visited Labadee in the first quarter of 2025, after pausing calls to the destination in March 2024 and suspended all visits until October 2024.

Gang violence escalated in Haiti last year, and it has been under a state of emergency since March 2024. The U.S. State Department currently designated the country as a Level 4 "Do not travel" warning.

"Crimes involving firearms are common in Haiti,” the advisory reads. “They include robbery, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings for ransom. Do not travel to Haiti for any reason."

No other cruise lines sail to Haiti.

More cancelled visits to Labadee could be coming

Royal Caribbean doesn't know what the future will hold for other visits, so it's a "wait and see" approach.

Political and civil strife in Haiti is not new, and the travel warnings have been in places for many years. 

Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private beach area, is a walled-off, exclusive beach on a peninsula in northern Haiti.

It's located 130 miles north of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Why Royal Caribbean is continuing to skip Labadee

Haiti is experiencing gang violence that is targeting the country's government.

Gangs have grown in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. They now control 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and have expanded their activities, including looting, kidnapping, sexual assaults and rape, into the countryside. Haiti has not had a president since the assassination.

The first Kenyans arrived in Haiti in June 2024 and the force was supposed to have 2,500 troops. That Kenyan force has had issues with lack of funding and its current strength is below 1,000.

This week, the United States and Panama are proposing to replace the force with a “gang-suppression force” with a maximum of 5,550 uniformed personnel. 

The force would have arrest and detention powers and more military-grade capabilities and lethal equipment.

If you're on a long cruise, you might have access to a new Royal Caribbean drink package that seems to be the perfect middle ground for lots of cruisers.

There are drink packages to buy on any Royal Caribbean cruise, and they offer unlimited drinks for the entire duration of the sailing.

For a lot of people, having unlimited drinks is the perfect solution for a enjoyable vacation without worrying about running up a big bar bill.

But there are cruisers who want to enjoy some drinks, but find paying for an unlimited drink package is overkill for their needs.

Now there's a new option that seems to cater to that crowd, but there's a catch.

Refreshment + 10 Drinks package

Over the last week, cruisers have started posting screenshots of a new drink package option.

Known as Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package, it combines the Royal Refreshment package and 10 individual alcoholic beverages.

The Royal Refreshment Package is a non-alcoholic beverage package that pretty much includes every drink available on the ship that doesn't have any booze in it.

This includes:

• Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine beverages
• Can and fountain soda
• Bottled still water, sparkling water, and CocoLove coconut water
• Fresh-squeezed juices
• Smoothies and protein shakes
• Specialty coffees and teas
• Johnny Rockets® Shakes and Desserted Soda Floats
• Non-alcoholic spirits, wines and beers (only available to guests of legal drinking age)
• Frozen drinks (Non-alcoholic pina colada, etc.)

On top of that, this new package has 10 alcoholic beverages of your choice you can order throughout the duration of the cruise. It's not 10 drinks per day, simply 10 drinks total.

Royal Caribbean says, "this is the package for ultimate flexibility".

The onboard price of a Royal Refreshment package is usually $32 to $42 per person, per day. A cocktail usually costs between $10 - $14 each. Pre-cruise sales have had the Refreshment package as low as $29.99 per person, per day.

Prices for the Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package have been spotted at $36.99 per person, per day when purchased online.

An important rule to be aware of is the cruise line does seem to require all adults in the same cabin to be required to purchase it if one does, which is a rule found with the unlimited alcohol package.

There's a catch who can buy it

Before you run out to book the Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package on every sailing you have booked, you should know it's only available on select sailings.

Based on what cruisers have shared from their bookings, it's clear Royal Caribbean is only offering it on long sailings that exceed a week.

Most people are reporting it available on transatlantic, Panama Canal crossings, and other cruises that go well past 10 days.

As far as I can tell, it's not available on cruises that are a week or less.  Or at least the people on them haven't shared any details of it yet.

Addressing a need cruisers have

In my opinion, it looks as though Royal Caribbean wants to satisfy a customer need on these types of sailings.

Long cruises that are more than a week are less likely to sell a full unlimited alcohol drink package because it's difficult to drink enough every day of the sailing to make it worthwhile.

I refer to this phenomenon as "drink package fatigue", where the novelty of having unlimited drinks runs out, and it seems almost like a chore to order drinks simply because you have the package.

The other factor is a drink package over 10 or more nights is going to have a high up front cost.

Even with pre-cruise sales, a cruise that is two weeks or more could have the Deluxe Beverage Package easily cost more than $1,000 per person.

Shifting drinking habits

I believe this particular drink package has more to do with bumping up drink package sales than anything else, but there's another factor at play.

Royal Caribbean is seeing a shifting demographic of younger cruisers going on ships. Half of Royal Caribbean cruisers are now Millennials or younger.

One trend among Millennials and Gen Z is more of them prefer non-alcoholic beverages than previous generations.

A recent study showed 23% of Gen Z and 24% of Millennials have tried these drinks more frequently than other generations.

Royal Caribbean has seen this trend and is already adopting to it.

They recently revamped their fleetwide drink menu, adding far more mocktails to it than ever before.

There are multiple pages of low-alcohol and zero-proof drinks to choose from.

The Royal Caribbean cruise experience is evolving, and it's moving well past simply sailing on a cruise ship.

Wall Street analysts, Cleveland Research Company, published comments on the trajectory of Royal Caribbean Group after a meeting with the cruise giant's investor relations. They see Royal Caribbean Group in the middle of a transition from cruise ships to total vacation.

"Over the past few years, Royal has essentially transformed the cruise industry into something more than just a cruise," the report starts out by saying.  And that's primarily because of its focus on land-based destinations it's cultivating.

Cruise lines have had private islands for decades, but the difference is how Royal Caribbean is going beyond offering a secluded beach.  There is a major shift in the scale, scope, and type of experience being offered that rivals even going on the ship.

"Evolving into a total travel company"

The analysis by CRC says Royal Caribbean is "evolving into a total travel company" instead of just being a cruise line.

It's a very rosy picture for the cruise giant, as they're seen as a market leader in what they're doing and how it's translated into sales.

"Royal’s lean into these islands is now something that all peers are attempting to emulate," the report says.

Here's how the numbers break down:

• About 9 million passengers will sail with Royal Caribbean
  • 4 million will stop at a private island
• In 2019, only 1.6 million people visited a private island with Royal Caribbean
  • 0.9 million people visited CocoCay in 2019 vs 3.5 million people in 2025

That's a major shift because of the growth in popularity of Perfect Day at CocoCay. As of now, Eastern Caribbean sailings account for 65-70% of the Caribbean sailings overall because so many ships call on CocoCay (as well as the island being so close to Florida).

Royal Caribbean indicated that number "should look much more balanced" when Perfect Day Mexico opens in 2027.

Bigger than the Magic Kingdom

Perfect Day Mexico is more than a counterbalance to CocoCay, it's set to be the new golden standard for what a vacation day will look like.

Opening in late 2027, the second Perfect Day is going to be massive. The footprint is over 200 acres, which is bigger than the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World and double the size of CocoCay.

The CRC report claims once it's fully operational, over 5 million passengers will visit it per year.

It also means more ships can visit the "underserved" Western Caribbean market, benefiting ships that homeport in Galveston, Tampa or New Orleans.

Beach clubs solve a cruise ship passenger problem

According to Royal Caribbean, today passengers typically don’t get off the ship in places like Cozumel or Nassau, but they think their beach club product will solve for that.

In addition to the Perfect Day spots, two new beach clubs will open too.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau will open in December 2025 and Royal Beach Club Cozumel in late 2026.

Unlike CocoCay, these are extra-cost admission areas owned and operated by Royal Caribbean that seek to offer the ultimate beach day.

CRC thinks over 1 million people could buy passes to each annually, and they believe the price will average upwards of $200 per person.

Building out private beaches means there could be certain itineraries where a ship visits three different ports that feature a Royal Caribbean private enclave.

By 2028, 90% of passengers sailing in the Caribbean will visit a private destination run by the cruise line. That number is 60% today.

River cruises are a smash hit

Earlier this week, Celebrity Cruises opened pre-bookings for its first river cruises, and deposits sold out within minutes.

CRC notes the river boat design draws clear inspiration from the Edge Class ships.

Stateroom categories include River View, Infinite Veranda, Veranda, and two suite classes: the Skylight Suite and Vista Suite. 

Included in the ticket fare is one shore excursion per day, dining, select wine and beer (option to upgrade), and internet access.

Suite guests receive butler service, exclusive dining access, daily cocktail hours, and laundry service once per sailing.

The first sailings will be 7-night sailings along the Danube and Rhine rivers, which CRC says account for the majority of European river cruise capacity. 

I just cruised on Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest ship, but I booked the cheapest and tiniest cabin onboard.

Star of the Seas is the latest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, and I couldn’t wait to get onboard myself to experience the best that the cruise line has to offer. With sky-high prices, however, I chose to book the most basic cabin available.

I sailed in an interior cabin for my 4-night cruise to The Bahamas. This meant my cabin had no windows or natural light, and it was exceptionally compact.

Nonetheless, I was willing to sail in the cheapest room if it meant I could sail on a ship as exciting as Star of the Seas. And while my cabin wasn’t perfect, it offered everything I needed for my time onboard.

Let’s take a look inside my interior cabin on Star of the Seas.

My interior cabin cost $2,210 for two adults, or $552 per night on my 4-night cruise

Star of the Seas is shiny and new, and prices certainly reflect that.

For my 4-night cruise, I reserved an interior guarantee cabin for $2,210 total. The guarantee rate meant I could not choose my cabin location within the ship, and it would be assigned to me at a later date.

Related: 4 signs an inside cruise cabin is what you need

The price included my cruise fare, taxes, port fees, and gratuities for two adults.

At $552 per night (or $276 per person, per night), it was far from the cheapest cruise offered by Royal Caribbean. Yet despite the high price, I was excited to sail on the newest and biggest cruise ship in the world.

A 4-night cruise is not a typical length for sailings on Star of the Seas. Although the ship offered a few short sailings immediately following her launch, she currently sails 7-night cruises.

So, if you’re booking a 7-night cruise on the vessel, you should expect to spend around $4,000 or more for an interior cabin.

At 156 square feet, the cabin was small, but it still had modern features

I booked the smallest, most basic cabin on Star of the Seas, so I wasn’t expecting anything close to luxurious. At just over 150 square feet, my cabin was anything but spacious, but it still provided all the essentials.

The cabin featured a bed, a vanity, a small armchair, a wardrobe, and a private bathroom.

The majority of the room was taken up by the bed. In general, interior cabins are meant for sleeping, showering, and changing. With so much to do elsewhere onboard, most guests staying in these basic rooms will spend little time in their cabin.

There were nightstands on each side of the bed, but a USB charging port was only available on one side.

Related: 30 cruise cabin hacks that cruisers love

The cabin’s TV was on the wall near the foot of the bed, along with four small shelves. These shelves are tiny, but they’re ideal for storing items like sunscreen, sunglasses, and other pocket-sized items.

A USB charging port is also located on one of the shelves.

In the “living room” of the cabin, you’ll find a desk/vanity, armchair, and the wardrobe. The desk had several outlets and USB options for charging electronics.

Overall, the cabin was nothing fancy, but it included everything I needed for my time onboard Star of the Seas. The modern color scheme and decor exuded a calm, relaxing atmosphere, which made the cabin an ideal place to rest on an otherwise busy cruise ship.

I didn’t love the storage options, but it wasn’t a dealbreaker

If my cabin had a fault, it was in its storage options.

I’ve stayed in over a dozen interior cabins, and storage options vary significantly from ship to ship. As a general rule of thumb, cabins on older ships have fewer storage options than those on newer ships.

This was not the case on Star of the Seas, though. I was disappointed in the amount of storage in my interior cabin, and I found it challenging to properly unpack my belongings.

Related: Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin and suite guide

Typically, cruise cabin wardrobes feature both shelves and space for hanging clothes. My cabin on Star only had hanging space, but I would have found shelving more useful.

In addition, the closet featured pull-out baskets instead of drawers.

I actually grew to like this feature, as it allowed me to completely pull out the basket when necessary. Even so, I think that traditional drawers are more practical.

My vanity, too, lacked storage. Most new ships provide significant storage space in the vanity. On Utopia of the Seas, for example, the vanities feature five drawers in addition to a mini fridge. My cabin on Star of the Seas had just two narrow drawers with an awkward, diagonal configuration.

Compared to a ship like Odyssey of the Seas, which has cabins with an overabundance of storage options, I felt like my Star of the Seas cabin fell flat in this regard.

Related: Odyssey of the Seas interior cabin tour

Ultimately, the storage wasn’t a dealbreaker, and it wouldn’t keep me from sailing on the ship again. Next time, though, I’d pack items like magnetic hooks and an over-the-door shoe organizer to keep my belongings better organized.

I appreciated the bathroom’s layout and spacious shower

One area where my Star of the Seas interior cabin shined was in the bathroom.

I was impressed with the layout of the bathroom, which featured a larger-than-average shower. The shower had a small seat, and it was rectangular in shape, providing extra room in comparison to showers on older ships.

Storage was impressive as well, with shelves behind the toilet, inside the vanity, and above the vanity near the mirror.

It’s clear Royal Caribbean put a lot of thought into the bathroom design for Icon Class ships, and they’re a major upgrade from those found on other vessels.

On a future cruise, I would choose a different cabin location

I booked a guarantee rate for this cruise, so I couldn’t choose my exact stateroom location. Although this saved me money, I ended up regretting my decision during the cruise.

I was assigned cabin 14345, and there were two issues with its location.

First, it was at the very aft of the ship. On a cruise ship as big as Star of the Seas, distances from place to place can be substantial. After a while, walking all the way down the hallway felt cumbersome. I much prefer staying in a midship cabin for quicker access to all of the amenities around the ship.

Related: Royal Caribbean cabins to avoid

Second, my cabin was located directly below the bar at The Hideaway, the adults-only pool neighborhood on Star of the Seas.

 Throughout the evening and into the night, live music blasted right above my cabin, and I had trouble sleeping with heavy bass vibrating through the ceiling.

Booking a guarantee cabin is always a risk, as you’re essentially given whichever cabins are left over from the booking process.

Until this point, I’ve had good luck with guarantee rooms, but in this case, I wish I had spent a little more money to pick a better location.

With so much to do onboard, I barely spent any time in my cabin

Despite a few faults with my interior cabin on Star of the Seas, I would book it again. It wasn’t the most spacious interior cabin I’ve stayed in on a Royal Caribbean ship, but it was cozy enough for my time onboard.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class ships have a hefty price tag, and realistically, I’ll always try to save money by cruising in the cheapest room possible. At the end of the day, I’d rather sail in an inside cabin on an Icon Class ship than in a balcony cabin on an older and smaller ship.

Related: Icon of the Seas vs. Star of the Seas: Which ship should you choose?

It’s hard to put into words just how much you can see, do, eat, and experience on Star of the Seas. Throughout my four days onboard, I spent little time in my cabin aside from sleeping.

Instead of lounging around my tiny stateroom, I spent my time attending shows, riding the waterslides, and hopping from pool to pool during sunset. One day during my cruise, in fact, I left my cabin for breakfast and didn’t return until it was time to get ready for dinner!

In the end, there’s nothing wrong with booking the smallest, cheapest room on a cruise ship as long as you have the right expectations.

Royal Caribbean offers its Refreshment Package as a way to enjoy unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, but is it worth it?

With the Refreshment Package, you can order almost any non-alcoholic beverage at any bar and restaurant on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. This includes as much mocktails, sparkling water, premium coffee, and sodas on your cruise as you like.

This is a convenient way to budget how much you need to spend on drinks without worrying about a big bill later.

It's a popular extra add-on, but is the Refreshment Package worth it on Royal Caribbean?

What does the Refreshment package include?

Basically, any beverage on your Royal Caribbean cruise that doesn't have alcohol is included with the Refreshment package:

• Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine beverages including sodas, sugar free sodas, Minute Maid lemonades, Powerade, vitaminwater®, iced tea, fruit punch and more
• Can and fountain soda
• Bottled still water, sparkling water, and CocoLove coconut water
• Fresh-squeezed juices
• Smoothies and protein shakes
• Specialty coffees and teas
• Johnny Rockets® Shakes and Desserted Soda Floats
• Non-alcoholic spirits, wines and beers (only available to guests of legal drinking age)
• Frozen drinks (Non-alcoholic pina colada, etc.)

Guests who purchase the Royal Refreshment package will also receive a souvenir Coca-Cola cup, which can be used with the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines on select Royal Caribbean ships.

The drink package works as well while at Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee.

How much is the Refreshment package?

If you buy the Refreshment Package on your ship, it will cost $40 per person, per night (excluding gratuity).

However, you can save a lot of money if you pre-purchase it before the cruise begins.

Gratuity will be automatically added to the cost when you go to buy it, and is 18% of the daily cost.

Is there ever a discount offered on the Refreshment package?

Sale prices on the drink package can bring that price as low as $29 per person, per day.

It's why I always recommend pre-purchasing drink packages before the cruise begins to save money.

Royal Caribbean offers sales quite often through its Cruise Planner site and app. These sales apply to drink packages, WiFi, shore excursions, and more.

There is no risk in purchasing a drink package now and taking advantage of a price drop later. 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.

Does the Refreshment package include premium coffees too?

Royal Caribbean defines "premium coffees" as cappuccinos, espressos, and lattes. Thus, espresso based drinks are included with the Royal Refreshment package at any restaurant, bar, or cafe that serves espresso beverages.

This includes specialty coffees you can get at Cafe Promenade, Cafe Latte-tudes, or Cafe@Two70. At these locations, they serve Starbucks drinks and are included with a Refreshment Package.

However, the Refreshment Package does not work at Starbucks kiosks.

Why should you buy the Refreshment Package

If you're someone that wants to have more than three or four non-alcoholic drinks per day, I think the Refreshment Package makes a lot of sense.

It's also the right choice if you don't want alcoholic drinks.  If you want cocktails, beer, or wine, you should upgrade to the Deluxe Beverage Package.

The Refreshment Package is very popular with teenagers and young people that cannot drink alcohol yet.  They'll make it worth their while buy enjoy a lot of premium coffees, mocktails and sodas. A growing amount of adults are opting for this sort of a drink package too.

There's no question this beverage package can save you money compared to ordering the same amount of drinks individually onboard.  As long as you can drink enough every day to make it worthwhile, this is the right buy.

How is this different from the soda package?

The soda package only includes soft drinks and a souvenir Coca-Cola cup, whereas the Refreshment package includes mocktails, coffees, juices, milk shakes and sodas.

So the difference is if you want just sodas or other beverages included with the package as well.

Is it worth it to buy a Refreshment package?

Ultimately the value is based on how much you'll actually drink on your cruise.

I think most people that buy it find it worthwhile for the convenience.  One price and you don't have to worry about how much each drink costs.

You're on vacation, why be bothered with how much a drink costs.

Royal Caribbean positions the price so that it's more expensive than if you were a casual drinker that wanted one or two drinks per day, but it's a good value for those that truly enjoy a lot of beverages that aren't included in the cruise fare.

If you're someone that will probably have a couple drinks per day, every day of the sailing, then I think it's absolutely worth it. Factor in a latte in the morning, a couple of mocktails during the day, and bottled water here and there, and you'll be breaking even on the total cost. 

The most important thing is to buy the drink package before the cruise begins to take advantage of a lower price.  Waiting to book it onboard is a mistake.

Royal Caribbean has seven types of cruise ships, and each has its own distinct style.

The Icon, Oasis, Quantum, Freedom, Voyager, Radiance, and Vision Class ships come in different layouts, sizes, and onboard features.

Think of ship classes like models of cars. There are many similarities, but also a few ways they're different in how they look and function.

I've got tips and tricks to make the most of any of them, regardless of which ships you prefer or are sailing on next.

Icon class tips

There are two Icon Class cruise ships in service (plus a few more on order): Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas.

Book shows before the cruise begins: The shows on Icon Class ships are incredible, so don't miss out on them by not having a reservation.

You can make a reservation for shows on Icon Class ships up to 30 days before the cruise begins.  Right now there isn't an exact cadence to when they are available to book, but usually it's about a month or less before your cruise sails.

Go on the water slides on a port day: The Category 6 waterpark is impressive, but your best bet is to try to ride the slides during a port day.

Either stay on the ship when your ship is docked in port, or plan to hit the slides before or after your tour. 

There are more free (and better) dining choices: While I love indulging in specialty restaurants, you really don't have to spend extra for them.

Royal Caribbean invested more in convenient included restaurants, including my all-time favorite: Aquadome Market. There's also El Loco Fresh, Basecamp, Pearl Cafe, and of course Windjammer, Main Dining Room, and Sorrento's.

Oasis Class tips

Some of the biggest ships in the world, the Oasis Class ships include: Oasis, Allure, Harmony, Symphony, Wonder, and Utopia of the Seas.

Try the Solarium Bistro: One of the least-crowded spots for a sit down meal that's included in your fare is Solarium Bistro.

It's a combination of buffet and plated meal, but most people are unaware it exists and it's a great alternative to the more crowded venues.

Don't miss the Mason Jar bar: My favorite bar experience on any ship is the country bar on Utopia, Allure, and Wonder of the Seas.

The Mason Jar is a Southern American restaurant, but it has a really fun country music bar that has great music, and even better cocktails.

Catch an AquaTheater show: I think the must-see performance on any Oasis Class ship is in the Aquatheater.

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes early so you can get a really good seat.  Keep in mind the first two rows are the "splash zone".

Quantum Class tips

Think of the Quantum Class ships like a mash-up of big ship size with refined tastes. There are five ships in total: Quantum, Anthem, Ovation, Spectrum, and Odyssey of the Seas.

Two70: The don't miss venue on any Quantum Class ships is Two70, which has different events throughout the day.

This beautiful space has shows at night, and demonstrations involving its impressive roboscreens.

Book a North Star and Ripcord reservation before the cruise: Royal Caribbean opens bookings for its two most popular top deck activities before the cruise begins.

North Star pod and Ripcord by iFly require reservations, so get one about a month or so before the cruise begins.

North Star is free if you book a port day (like embarkation day), and in my opinion, you're not missing much for a paid one on a sea day.

Bumper cars are a lot of fun: It might seem like a gimmick to offer bumper cars on a cruise ship, but I really think they're worth trying.

It's a lot of family fun and worth the wait!

Freedom Class tips

There are just three Freedom Class ships, but I think they're some of the best options for value, size, and fun things to do onboard: Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, and Liberty of the Seas.

Go to the helipad for sailaway: I love the helipad location for sailaway, and most guests don't know you can go there.

The perfect views from deck 14: If you want a great spot to sit, have a drink, and watch the world go by, I'd recommend the lounge on deck 14.

It goes by different names depending on which ship you're on, but it's the lounge on deck 14 accessible by the aft elevators.

Each ship has a special dining venue: Depending on the Freedom Class ship you sail on, Royal Caribbean has one restaurant you should seek out to eat at because it's impressive.

• Freedom of the Seas: Giovanni's Italian Kitchen ($)
• Independence of the Seas: Fish and Ships
• Liberty of the Seas: Izumi Teppanyaki

Voyager Class tips

Arguably the best value in Royal Caribbean right now, the Voyager Class ships have the big ship feel, but without the premium price tag: Voyager of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, and Navigator of the Seas.

Free sauna: Voyager Class ships offer saunas and steam rooms in the fitness area.

When you enter the gym, there should be an entrance on the left.

Visit the helipad: As one of three cruise ship classes offering access to the helipad, it's worth going there for a photo.

You can access it on deck 4 at the outside area and then walking forward.

Bring your bathing suit on embarkation day: Whether you want to hit the water slides, pool, or FlowRider surf simulator, the best time to go is on boarding day.

Pack your bathing suit or simply wear it to the cruise terminal and then go right to the pool deck. You'll find non-existent lines.

Radiance Class tips

Small in size, the Radiance Class offer sailings to fantastic places around the world.  They're a mix of versatile and relaxing.  

There are a total of four ships in this class: Radiance, Serenade, Brilliance, and Jewel of the Seas.

There's a water slide for young kids: If you children are under the age of eight, take them to try the water slide.

The water slide on deck 12 is basic, but it's something young children should relish going down over and over.

There's a rotating bar: The Radiance Class has a bar up on deck 13 in the Viking Crown Lounge, and theoretically it spins.

At night, it has the capability to slowly rotate.  It's often broken, but if it does work, it's a neat effect.

Thermal spa pass: You can buy a thermal spa pass, which gets you unlimited access to the steam room, sauna, and heated stone chairs.

You can buy it at the Vitality Spa, and it also includes a Rasul treatment session.

Vision Class tips

The oldest and smallest of Royal Caribbean's ships, there are just four of these left in service: Enchantment, Vision, Rhapsody, and Grandeur of the Seas.

The best Schooner Bar: All Royal Caribbean ships have a Schooner Bar, but I think the one on the Vision Class is the best in the fleet.

It's massive, has lots of seating, and fantastic ocean views too.  Plan to visit at least a couple of evenings.

Park Cafe is hidden: You might miss Park Cafe if you didn't know it was in the adults-only Solarium.

This is where you can get sandwiches, salads, and even late night pizza. Don't worry, kids can go in to get a bite to eat too.

Free sauna and steam room: Inside the Fitness Center is a free sauna, steam room, and very large showers for anyone to use.

The showers are great for families, and the sauna and steam rooms are lesser-known amenities open to guests.

Discovery Class tips

Just kidding, there are no Discovery Class ships. 

Or are there?

Celebrity thinks its river cruises will be a disruptor, and it's definitely gotten a lot of people's attention because you're too late to book it.

Booking for Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker opened at 9:00am EDT on Wednesday, September 3. However, due to unprecedented demand, the priority booking access closed less than ten minutes after launching.

Those who successfully placed a deposit can select a voyage beginning on Sept. 10. Sailings will open to the public later this fall, although the exact date has yet to be revealed. 

Prices start at $2,999 per person for a 7-night river cruise in a river-view cabin, $4,199 for an infinite veranda, $5,099 for a balcony, $5,899 for a Skylight Infinite Veranda Suite, and $6,899 for a Vista Balcony Suite. However, prices can go as high as $8,999 per person for a Vista Suite during the ship's limited Christmas market voyages. 

"Celebrity River Cruises ships will be the most innovative on the river, with a patent-pending industry-leading design that offers more space to vacation while bringing guests even closer to destinations," said Laura Hodges Bethge, President of Celebrity Cruises. 

"With about half of our guests having experienced or intending to take a river cruise, we know guests are going to love sailing Europe’s Rhine and Danube rivers The Celebrity Way on our fleet of elevated, cutting-edge ships."

Read more: River Cruises and How They Compare to Ocean Cruising

2027 Celebrity River Cruises itineraries

The Danube — Vienna and Budapest

• Day 1: Vilshofen
• Day 2: Linz (Salzburg)
• Day 3: Grein, Wachau Valley, and Dürnstein
• Day 4: Tullen and Vienna
• Day 5: Vienna
• Day 6: Gönyü
• Day 7 & 8: Budapest

The Danube — Budapest and Vienna 

• Day 1: Budapest
• Day 2: Budapest
• Day 3: Bratislava
• Day 4: Hainburg and Vienna
• Day 5: Vienna
• Day 6: Wachau Valley and Melk
• Day 7: Engelhartszell and Vilsohfen
• Day 8: Vilshofen

The Danube — Vilshofen to Budapest Christmas Markets

• Day 1: Vilshofen and Passau
• Day 2: Passau (Salzburg)
• Day 3: Linz
• Day 4: Melk, Wachau Valley, and Vienna
• Day 5: Vienna
• Day 6: Bratislava
• Day 7 & 8: Budapest

The Danube — Budapest to Nuremberg Christmas Markets

• Day 1: Budapest
• Day 2: Bratislava
• Day 3: Vienna
• Day 4: Wachau Valley and Melk
• Day 5: Passau (Salzburg)
• Day 6: Regensburg
• Day 7 & 8: Nuremberg

The Danube — Nuremberg to Budapest Christmas Markets

• Day 1 & 2: Nuremberg
• Day 3: Regensburg
• Day 4: Linz (Salzburg)
• Day 5: Melk, Wachau Valley, and Vienna
• Day 6: Vienna
• Day 7 & 7: Budapest

The Rhine — Nuremberg to Amsterdam New Year's

• Day 1: Nuremberg
• Day 2: Bamberg
• Day 3: Würzburg
• Day 4: Miltenberg
• Day 5: Scenic Rhine and Koblenz
• Day 6: Cologne
• Day 7 & 8: Amsterdam

The Rhine — Nuremberg to Basel Holiday

• Day 1: Nuremberg
• Day 2: Bamberg
• Day 3: Würzburg
• Day 4: Miltenberg
• Day 5: Mainz
• Day 6: Strasbourg (Alsace)
• Day 7: Breisach (Black Forest)
• Day 8: Basel

The Rhine — Basel to Amsterdam New Year's

• Day 1: Basel
• Day 2: Breisach (Black Forest)
• Day 3: Strasbourg (Alsace)
• Day 4: Speyer (Heidelberg)
• Day 5: Mainz and Scenic Rhine
• Day 6: Düsseldorf
• Day 7 & 8: Amsterdam

Celebrity's river ships combine Edge Class comforts with European charm

According to Celebrity, the revolutionary open decks will offer the most usable outdoor space of any river ship. Plus, they will remain accessible throughout the entire journey, so guests can be immersed in uninterrupted, 360-degree views.

One feature that was heavily inspired by the award-winning Edge Class ships is the Magic Edge, the first-ever cantilevered dining pods that will allow guests to enjoy regional, destination-driven culinary offerings while floating above the river. 

Other outdoor amenities include transformative shade structures, lounge furniture, a top-deck bar and grille, and an infinity-edge plunge pool. 

Each of Celebrity's river ships will also have eight restaurants and bars, including fan-favorites like the Martini Bar, Sunset Bar, and Café Al Bacio, the only 24/7 dining venue available on a river cruise. 

The five stateroom categories are designed with the same modern, upscale aesthetic that Celebrity is known for on its larger ocean ships. Guests can expect intuitive storage, enhanced configurations, complimentary stocked mini bars, destination-inspired amenities, and king-sized beds in every river cabin. 

Note that all staterooms are designed for just two passengers, meaning the ships can't accommodate parties of three or four in a single stateroom. 

The most affordable, entry-level accommodation aboard a Celebrity river ship is the standard river-view cabin. In other staterooms, Celebrity's Edge Class Infinite Veranda technology will transform floor-to-ceiling windows into open-air balconies with the touch of a button.

Suites will elevate the experience further, with an on-demand butler through "Butler Chat," complimentary exclusive dining, room service, happy hour experiences, laundry, and priority booking for shore excursions.

Celebrity's first-ever Skylight Infinite Balcony Suite will include a separate living area and a ceiling window for even more natural light.

Suites are more inclusive, too. Whereas standard cabins include a Classic Drinks Package, suite guests will receive a Premium Drinks Package, ensuring they have access to a wider variety of wines, cocktails, and more. 

Royal Caribbean has announced a new policy for those that skip a specialty restaurant reservation they have booked.

In an email sent to travel agents, the cruise line said it will now implement charges for no-shows at its specialty dining venues across the fleet.

They're making this change to improve access to limited-capacity restaurants and encourage those that make a reservation to stick to their booking.

Specialty restaurants are a major focal point of any ship these days, but reservations aren't easy to come by. This is especially true for the very popular restaurants.

What's changing with this policy

Royal Caribbean will now charge a guest that books a specialty restaurant but fails to show up without cancelling in advance.

The new policy was sent to travel agents first, as a heads up.

We will be implementing charges for no-shows at specialty dining reservations across the fleet. Our goal is to preserve these limited seats for clients eager to experience our exclusive, limited-capacity dining options. By encouraging guests to honor their reservations, we aim to enhance the overall experience. Update excludes your clients who have an existing Dining Package or booked in Star Class suites.

Royal Caribbean has not yet disclosed the exact fee amount.

Why Royal Caribbean is Making this change

Demand for specialty restaurants has gone up tremendously in the last few years, and the introduction of a few very popular and limited capacity venues has exacerbated the trend.

Specialty restaurants traditionally have very limited seating. Even the more popular restaurants found on many ships (Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Izumi) have a fraction of the seating you'd find in the Main Dining Room..

Two of Royal Caribbean's newest restaurants are extremely small, yet very popular. The Royal Railway can handle 48 guests and the Empire Supper Club is even smaller, at only 38 people.

A no-show reservation means a table often sits empty, even while other guests are eager to dine there.

By discouraging no-shows, it appears Royal Caribbean wants to ensure those that want to dine there can do so, especially if they are holding a table for someone that isn't coming.

Moreover, specialty restaurants are an important revenue stream. An empty table represents lost income.

Who Is exempt from no-show charges

Not every guest will be affected by the new policy.

Guests with dining packages: If you have a dining package, such as the Unlimited Dining Package or 3-Night Dining Package, they won’t be subject to no-show charges. 

Since they’ve already prepaid for their specialty dining, the cruise line doesn’t need to recoup lost revenue in these cases.

Star Class suite guests: The highest (and most expensive) level of Royal Caribbean’s suite program, Star Class guests enjoy perks like unlimited specialty dining, concierge service, and access to a Royal Genie. Their inclusive experience already covers dining reservations, so they will not face no-show fees.

The new policy is focusing the policy on individual, a la carte reservations.

How this changes what to plan

When you make a dining reservation going forward, you'll need to plan ahead to avoid incurring this charge.

Making a “just in case” reservation that goes unused could now carry a cost. Instead, you'll want to be more mindful or hold off until you're certain of your plans.

Of course, you can still cancel and avoid the fee. Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner and onboard app make it straightforward to modify bookings.

Many guests accidentally miss reservations because of conflicting entertainment or shore excursions. Be sure to carefully check schedules before booking.

What other cruise lines do

In case you're wondering, Royal Caribbean isn't the first cruise line to charge a no-show policy.

Norwegian Cruise Line requires cancellations to be made 24 hours in advance.  If cancellation occurs with less than 24 hours’ notice, the full price of the cover per guest will be charged.

"We strive for excellent service; therefore, we can only hold your dinner reservation for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, the unclaimed reservation will be released and the full price of the cover per guest will be charged to you."

Carnival charges a no-show cancellation fee at only certain restaurants, but with a much smaller window.

For the Chef's Table, Bonsai Teppanyaki and Thing 1 & Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast, there will be a charge of the full price of your dining reservation for cancellations made within 48 hours of your scheduled dinner reservation or no-show.

When I tried my first infinite balcony cabin, I wasn't impressed. But I had the wrong perspective to appreciate what they offer.

As I approached my first Star of the Seas sailing, I lamented I'd be in an infinite balcony because they aren't really a balcony.  It's more of a window experience, and that hasn't changed.

But my outlook changed after I spoke with some fellow writers about these rooms, and I realized while it's not a regular balcony experience, it can offer something a balcony can't offer.

In recognizing my own cruising style, I gave the infinite balcony another try. This time, I went in with a different mindset and I ended up liking this cruise cabin type a lot more than ever.

Disclosure: I sailed on a free trip on Star of the Seas to review the ship. The opinions expressed below are entirely mine and weren't subject to review by the line.

Why I disliked it

I think it's important to start with why I never liked the infinite balcony room before, because I suspect a lot of people feel the same way.

The first types of these rooms debuted on Celebrity Edge, and Royal Caribbean borrowed the idea for its Icon Class ships.

The idea is you have a convertible balcony space, but in practice it's an enclosed room with a window that opens.

When you open the window, all the air conditioned cold air gets sucked out and the room's air conditioning is actually disabled until you close the window.

I thought they were a gimmick, not the real balcony experience because you're not immersed in being outside like a traditional balcony.

It's not a balcony, and that's ok

While talking about how I don't like an infinite balcony, a colleague mentioned she really likes these cabins because it's like a private solarium.

She didn't dispute the fact it's a window and not a balcony, but as she talked more about her experience in this room, I realized having a bigger room with more space that's air conditioned isn't a bad thing.

In reality, it's too hot to be out on the balcony most months in the Caribbean.

When I stay in a traditional balcony, I might go out on my balcony for sail away or a moment here or there.  But I usually don't go out there because it's uncomfortable given the heat and humidity.

My realization was I actually could enjoy the view without melting in the heat.

Why an infinite balcony cabin is worth it

Having more usable space is the first reason I'd want to stay in an infinite balcony again.

If you never open the window, then the "balcony" area is part of the stateroom, so you gain extra square footage you can enjoy all day.

While on Star of the Seas, I treated it like a lounge area. I used it to work from my laptop, watch a movie, or simple relax and enjoy the view

With it enclosed, it also means I have more furniture to sit on and no concern it gets too hot out there.

The air conditioning keeps the space cool when the window is closed.

When my kids were younger, I was always nervous with them on a regular balcony because young kids always want to climb. 

But with this kind of a room, we would have had more space for them to crawl, climb, and play without those fears. I think an infinite balcony is a really good choice for families.

Another benefit to the window is you get far less noise.

When I was on Independence of the Seas earlier this summer, I had a traditional balcony and the whistling sound from the point where the balcony door meets the frame was an on-and-off-again problem.

But with this "balcony", I didn't have any such issue.

It's a window, and that's perfect for my needs

I know there people reading this and saying "It’s not a real balcony", and they're totally right. 

My point isn't to convince anyone it's a real balcony. Rather, to change your perspective on how to think about the room.

When I sail in an infinite balcony, I'm simply never opening the window. Once I understood that, I could appreciate the room more.

If you're like me and don't enjoy being hot and humid, then this room is a great compromise of space, views, and comfort.

There are lots of cruisers who never go out on their balcony for many reasons. Or they're like me and go on it once or twice just to say they did.

I'd rather have more indoor space that I can better utilize, than a nice balcony I'll rarely (if ever) go onto.

Final thoughts

If you've avoided infinite balcony cabins because you thought they were disappointing, I was right there with you.  But now I see them as a smart alternative, especially when it's hot outside.

I wish Royal Caribbean would do make a few fixes to improve the balcony aspect of it in the future, such as adding plastic dividers and keeping the air conditioning on when the window is open.  But in it's current form, I'm content with enjoying the extra space.

Some readers shared they agreed with my perspective, but think the name is misleading.  I don't disagree, but then again a Junior Suite isn't a suite and an Ocean View Panoramic is hardly panoramic. There's always some marketing in cruise ship staterooms.

The bottom line is I realized I just didn't spend much time on my balcony when I was in a traditional room, especially in the Caribbean, because it was too hot.

Getting back that extra square footage as indoor space is a great trade off to keeping the window closed.