Royal Caribbean Blog

Wondering when is the best time to book a cruise? If you do what the top cruise fans do, then you’ll be booking earlier than you might think.

Compared to land vacations, people new to cruising might be surprised how early you can book a cruise and why so many cruise experts recommend booking a cruise months, if not years, in advance.

But is there such a thing as too early? Or too late?

While there’s plenty of advice on sites like this, that ties better prices to earlier booking windows. Then again, booking more than a year out is really hard to plan due to work obligations, family events, vacation schedule and more.

Read more: Pros and Cons of booking a cruise early vs last-minute

The timing of your booking could make a difference in the cost, availability, and overall experience of your cruise.

To help you consider when to book your next cruise, we asked readers what they recommended. Read ahead for three different options, and the reasons why fans have a preferred timeline. 

Read more: First time cruisers: What to know before booking a Royal Caribbean cruise

On our Instagram, we polled readers about which timeline they usually use for booking: more than one year in advance, 6-12 months in advance, or less than six months in advance.

More than one year in advance

41% of viewers, 502 votes to be exact, said they book their cruises more than a year in advance.

On our Royal Caribbean Blog Facebook page, readers expanded on why they prefer that timeline.

John Mavros said he books “always more than a year in advance. Best cabin selection.”

Booking early gives you a wider selection of cabins to choose from, allowing you first pick of the best staterooms. Especially if you have specific preferences or requirements for a room, being one of the first tickets will ensure you have the best availability.

Karen G. Zucker commented: “At least one year in advance.. sometimes two years. We need a handicapped room so we strategically plan!”

If you need a specific type of stateroom, like a handicapped-accessible room, booking early will confirm that one is still open for you. Whether you want a suite, balcony, or a specific location on the ship, early booking increases your chances of getting exactly the cabin you desire.

Readers also said that booking gave them a better price.

“More than a year in advance gets the best deals generally,” Justin Revell commented.

Joy Pralle wrote that she books “more than a year in advance.” and has seen “prices double or even triple when I try to do a mock booking closer to the cruise date.”

Cruise lines often offer rewarding deals and promotions to travelers who book their cruises more in advance. These deals include reduced fares or onboard credits, and can usually save you some money.

Several readers, like Michael Ott, said they book as soon as itineraries open “to get the best price.” 

If you have to make any other travel arrangements to arrive at your cruise ship, this benefit of an improved price will also include those, such as any planes or shuttles you’ll have to take to your cruise line. Purchasing those flights and other rides earlier will get you a better deal. 

For those excited about popular excursions or destinations, booking further in advance will also ensure that you get the best availability for your activities. 

If price or room availability are important factors, and you don’t mind planning a while in advance, booking a year or more ahead could be the best option for you. 

Between 6-12 months in advance

47% of readers, the majority on our poll, voted that they usually book their cruise between 6-12 months ahead of time. 

Brian Fluno said he usually books “between 6-9 months” earlier, and hasn’t had a problem, despite usually booking “prime dates like spring break, Christmas, and New Year’s.”

Booking 6-12 in advance can save some of the earlier availability and allow you to plan ahead while still reserving time for any unexpected changes.

Cruisers traveling in groups might also find that this is the best timeline, as it allows everyone to work around their own schedule, accommodations, and needs.

When it comes to scheduling conflicts, Carlos Varela said they “used to book further out” but now pick this timeline because “price differential refundable/nonrefundable has increased so much we cannot risk losing a deposit because of unanticipated scheduling conflicts.”

If you want to avoid disappointment and losing a deposit, booking 6-12 months ahead is the right time slot.

Jamie Fordham added that this timeline gives her “enough time to save and pay off and plan the rest.”

For Michele Saunders, it depends on the length of the cruise: “Short cruises about 6 months. Something like Alaska—a year to 18 months.”

Adjusting to the length or price of your cruise is always a good option for the best travel experience. To avoid any mishaps, allow yourself more time to plan those longer cruises. 

6-12 months was our most popular option. For planners with busier schedules or those who don’t want to risk losing money in a refund, this is the perfect time to book your cruise.

Read more: When is the best time to book a cruise?

Less than six months

13% of our readers said they plan a little more short-term, booking less than six months before their cruise.

Shakira Liz Estades Pérez wrote: “I'm that type of person who always think everything can change in a while and don't feel comfortable with booking for so many time in advance.”

It can be hard to plan more than six months ahead of time. If you prefer spontaneous travel or have less flexible vacations or paid time off, this may be a more realistic timeline for you.

For a booking this close to the cruise, it takes away more of the pressure around planning for months at a time.

Additionally, if the cruise line has any last-minute deals or cancellations, this would be the time to look for them. Staying flexible and spontaneous could save you money in the end.

Justin Hollon added that airfare deals are usually in the 3-6 month range as well, so keep that in mind if you need other travel arrangements. 

Last-minute bookings also allow you to travel during the off-season, avoiding busier crowds or higher prices. 

More experienced cruisers who are familiar with the cruise industry and booking process will also feel more comfortable booking last minute. 

Planning a cruise? Start here:

• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?

Thanks for joining us for another weekly look at all of the Royal Caribbean news from this week.  The late-summer heat is still on, and we have plenty of Royal Caribbean news to share from this week.

Fear not, Royal Caribbean will not charge extra for pizza. 

After passionate backlash, Royal Caribbean’s CEO, Michael Bayley, took to Facebook to announce the cruise line will not be charging for Sorrento’s pizza.

Mr. Bayley wrote that 80% of readers responded “no” to an email survey that asked readers whether they would still dine at Sorrento’s pizza if an extra fee was applied.

Mr. Bayley assured readers that the change will not take place: "To calm all our Pizza lovers don’t worry we are not charging for Pizza."

Royal Caribbean News

• Meet Royal Caribbean's new Chief Meteorologist
• Celebrity Cruises just announced more Caribbean cruises that visit Royal Caribbean’s private island
• When will Royal Caribbean release new sailings for 2025?
• Photos Show Why Booking a Balcony Cruise Cabin Is Worth It
• 16 cheap and free things to do on an Alaska cruise to avoid spending hundreds on shore excursions

Royal Caribbean Blog Video: Latest Royal Caribbean News 

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Is charging for pizza on the menu? And an Icon update and changes to the Diamond Lounge.

If you haven’t yet subscribed to our Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel, go ahead and check it out for regular cruising updates. 

Our latest video also shows what it’s like at the top: After 70 cruises, I reached Royal Caribbean’s TOP loyalty level!

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

Click here for the 508th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast, to hear one of our listeners, Craig Storm, talk about his first experience trying Royal Caribbean after sailing on several other cruise lines.

We update our podcast weekly, so subscribe for more updates via iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or RSS.

You can also leave us a rating or review on iTunes, so go ahead and check it out! We appreciate your feedback.

The biggest cruise hack that has saved me thousands of dollars

Are you getting the best rate possible for your cruise fare? Saving money on your cruise will allow you to splurge on your cruise, such as purchasing drink packages, excursions, or specialty dining. 

Additionally, getting a good price will allow you to travel more often instead of breaking your bank in one trip.

Depending on when you book your cruise, you may be able to use this surprising hack to save money on your fare.

We asked our readers what one thing they wish they packed for their cruise

No one wants to forget an important item on their cruise. Either you will go without it, and suffer a steeper charge to buy it onboard. 

We asked our readers what item they wished they had packed on their cruise, and made a list of the most important responses.

From travel fans to aloe vera, make sure you’re not missing any essentials when you pack.

I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Adventure of the Seas

What does a night look like inside the cheapest cabin on Adventure of the Seas?

Angie recently chose a guarantee stateroom for her cruise, ensuring a lower-priced room but a random, often less favorable location.

Although clean and tidy, the room was small and windowless. Check out our link for a full cabin tour of the $300-a-night stateroom.

10 genius things cruise ship passengers brought to CocoCay to make it even better

Perfect Day at CocoCay is Royal Caribbean’s private island, where cruisers can have a complimentary island and beach experience.

While crew members will work to make sure your day there is perfect, it doesn’t hurt to come prepared.

Here are 10 items cruisers brought to Perfect Day at CocoCay that made their experience even better.

30 Do's and Don'ts for the first day of your cruise

What should (and shouldn't) you do on the first day of the cruise to ensure you have a great start?

There's lots of good advice out there, so we whittled it down for you.

From arriving at the cruise terminal to making dining reservations, exploring the ship, and finding the best spot for sailaway, here are some of the best do’s and don’ts for the first day of your Royal Caribbean cruise.

Royal Caribbean has a new weather expert on staff who's job it is track bad weather and ensure cruise ships aren't near potential problems.

Craig Setzer is the company's new Chief Meteorologist, and as as we know, the only chief meteorologist working in the cruise industry.

Mr. Setzer took on his new role in August, and has over 25 years of experience in the field. He's an Emmy-winning former TV Meteorologist, having worked at CBS News and a few local television stations. In fact, he was CBS' Chief Meteorologist.

He also remains involved with the National Hurricane Center, teaching at World Meteorological Organization workshops, and presenting at American Meteorological Society conferences around the country.

Following his television career, he spent considerable time in providing his expertise in court cases related to marine weather, atmospheric lighting and visibility, storm-related damage and losses, wind drift, and human exposure in extreme conditions. 

Mr. Setzer posted on his Twitter account that working with Royal Caribbean is a dream role, "It’s a dream job utilizing my tropical & marine meteorology experience and allowing me to explore/advance operational maritime science in a way I couldn’t before."

According to Royal Caribbean Group's job posting for the Chief Meteorologist position earlier this year, Mr. Setzer will be responsible for providing expert analysis of weather systems, such as hurricanes, typhoons and any other kind of severe weather that could impact cruise ship sailings.

His guidance to the fleet with weather-related support and guidance is what ensures ships can alter itineraries, or simply take a different route to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for passengers.

Royal Caribbean was the first line to create the role of a meteorologist following a weather-related incident involving a Royal Caribbean ship in 2016.  

Historically, cruise lines used outside vendors to provide them with forecasts. 

After an internal investigation of the unsettling event, the cruise line decided they needed an in-house, dedicated resource.

Since then, the cruise line decided it was time to mitigate the chances of that sort of event from happening again by hiring someone in-house to provide better direction.

Royal Caribbean's first Chief Meteorologist, James Van Fleet, also came from a television background, and worked in the role from its inception until earlier this year when it was announced he was leaving the position.

Already busy tracking storms

If Mr. Setzer's social media postings are any indication, he's been busy tracking weather events in just the first few weeks on the job.

Hurricane Hilary is headed towards California, and he's been sharing key details about the intensity of the storm and what people can really expect.

He debunked some headlines related to the storm, sharing that he expects the storm to be much weaker by the time it reaches the United States.

"Some folks see this headline, 
...HILARY IS A LARGE AND POWERFUL CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE...
& see the center point cone headed toward California, thinking cat 4 is going to hit California. That's not correct."

"Looking at the forecast details reveal Hilary will be a much weaker but very wet storm by the time it reaches the US. Flooding will be main threat for Calif, AZ, much of the western US."

Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas had her itinerary changed, and Mr. Setzer was involved in that decision.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader YoungFamilyExplorers shared a photo of a letter sent to passengers onboard the cruise ship with the new times in port, and the decision was made with the assistance of the Chief Meteorologist. 

Of course, he's also focused on the Atlantic for tropical storm development.  Hurricanes in the Atlantic are usually where the greatest impact to itineraries occur.

The U.S. government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) originally predicted a "near-normal" year with 12 to 17 named storms for the 2023 hurricane season, with five to nine would become hurricanes.

NOAA increased its forecast on August 10 to a prediction of an "above normal" year for hurricanes, because of record-warm sea surface temperatures.

The new prediction is for 14 to 21 named storms for the season as a whole, of which six to 11 could become hurricanes. Two to five could become major hurricanes, according to NOAA.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs between June 1 and November 30.

Fear not, Royal Caribbean won't be charging you for pizza on your next cruise.

A customer survey made its way around the internet that posed the question if people would consider paying extra for the pizza that is currently free onboard.

Cruise fans erupted in an avalanche of condemnation that the cruise line would even consider charging cruise ship passengers for pizza.

The controversy reached Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley's desk, as he took to social media to calm concern over such a change.

How it all started

Last week, a RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader shared a copy of an email survey he received from Royal Caribbean asking about many topics, including opinions on making the free pizza an extra charge item.

Royal Caribbean surveys are a commonly used tool for the company to evaluate and get feedback on all aspects of its operations.  However, the question of charging for pizza was something new, since the Sorrento's Pizza onboard has always been a complimentary option.

The question on the survey was, "If Sorrento's Pizza was offered for a fee, would you still dine there?".

It then asked if changing Sorrento's from complimentary to an extra cost venue would stop them from cruising with Royal Caribbean, "How would Sorrento's Pizza being offered for a fee impact your likelihood to choose Royal Caribbean in future?"

As word spread about this question, a lot of cruise fans began to worry that charging for pizza was a step on the slippery slope of higher cruise costs.

In fact, it seemed many people were more upset with the precedent it sets, rather than actually paying for the food.

Dawn Thompson's comment on social media exemplified many people's thoughts ont he matter, "I understand cruise ships lost a lot of money during Covid, but trying to make up all that money at once by putting an up charge on everything! They will lose their base and limit the amount of new customers and lose more!"

"We are not charging for pizza"

Mr. Bayley posted on his Facebook page an update that addressed the pizza survey and to assure guests there will not be a change.

He first explained how the survey question came to be, "A couple of weeks ago we conducted one of frequent small group guest surveys. As usual we asked questions on this n that!  Including customer thoughts on $ charges for Pizza!   The question was posted with the result that many emails and comments were sent! "

According to him, 80% of the respondents said they were against Royal Caribbean charging for pizza onboard its cruise ships.

"The survey said 80 per cent of guests were opposed, 20 per cent of guests said they would still go for Pizza with a charge."

He also said about a quarter of the people would consider changing other cruise lines if Royal Caribbean began charging for pizza.

Most importantly, Mr. Bayley assured cruisers the free pizza isn't going anywhere, "To calm all our Pizza lovers don’t worry we are not charging for Pizza."

A relief to cruise fans

For many cruise fans, this update was a welcome sigh of relief.

Nancy Bridges posted, "Thank you for listening, Michael."

Tracey Garner added, "Thank you for listening to your loyal customers! It is very much appreciated!"

Mike Barngrover joked, "That's a relief Michael. I did not want to move my cruises to Carnival."

Russel Lomas suggested working on the surveys so they aren't as easily misconstrued, "You may want to think about how the question was worded in the survey so that in future people to do not get into an uproar on social media about issues or questions like this."

Although cruising continues to be one of the most affordable vacations you can take, you still want to be as savvy as you can when it comes to saving money. Almost everyone is looking to get the most bang for their buck when it comes to booking a cruise vacation. 

Unless you have an unlimited travel budget (and if so, I am very jealous), you’ll want to make sure you are getting the best possible rate for your cruise fare. To start, money saved on your cruise fare gives you more room in your travel budget. This allows you to splurge on things that are important to you while cruising, such as exciting excursions, wifi, drink packages, specialty dining, and more. 

For me, saving substantial money on a cruise fare allows me to cruise more frequently. I love to travel, so getting a great deal is very important to me when booking a future sailing.

We’ve all heard people say you should book your cruises as soon as bookings open to save money. But, cruise lines release itineraries as far as two years in the future. Others suggest waiting until the very last minute to get the best price possible. So, which is actually the best approach to save money?

Between constant price promotions, changing sales, and dynamic pricing from Royal Caribbean, it can be difficult to know when the best time to book a cruise is. Depending on when you book your cruises, you have a sweet spot for the time you’ll be able to save the most money.

Read more: Top things that are totally worth spending extra for on a Royal Caribbean cruise

I am going to share with you the biggest money-saving hack for your next cruise. This trick has worked for me on almost every cruise that I’ve booked in recent years since I learned it was possible. I’ve saved anywhere from $50 to $1,500 with this hack. In fact, I just saved $572 on an upcoming cruise to Africa that I’ll be sailing on in January! 

This hack is all about booking that cruise now and repricing it later to save money. Here’s why I book my cruises far in advance (when possible) and how I take advantage of repricing policies to save anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. 

We recently asked our Royal Caribbean Blog followers on Instagram how far in advance they prefer booking their next cruise. 

Of those who responded, 48% of our followers prefer to book cruises within 6 to 12 months before the itinerary’s departure date. On the other hand, 40% of cruisers said they prefer booking booking further in advance with at least 12 or more months. Finally, just 13% of our followers said they prefer booking cruises at the last minute with less than 6 months in advance.

As you can see, there is no single approach that works for everyone, as we all have different schedules, budgets and travel preferences. Some people cannot plan two years in advance while others cannot financially risk waiting until the last minute and hope for a fantastic deal just for the price to be hiked. 

Personally, I’ve booked cruises with both approaches. For some highly-anticipated itineraries, like my recent sailing to Israel on Odyssey of the Seas, we booked more than a year in advance to snag a good cabin. On the other hand, I’ve found awesome last-minute deals sometimes too.

But, I’ve also been burned a few times booking cabins at the last minute, which left me spending hundreds of dollars more. 

But, the most money I’ve saved when booking cruises involves the following strategy: book now and reprice often.

While this might not seem like a revolutionary secret, this strategy has been proven successful time and time again. Repricing my cruises has saved me a lot of money over the years and I cannot believe people do not do it more often. 

This strategy involves booking a cruise as far in advance as you can with the expectation that you can (and will) reprice your cabin as the departure gets closer. 

Keep in mind that only residents of certain countries can re-price a cruise after booking, such as the United States or Canada. Sorry, Brits!

You want to give yourself as much time as you can to reprice your upcoming cruise. This allows you to monitor the price periodically to see whether you can save money on your booked sailing. Preferably, you should book cruises that are around 8 months or more in the future to allow you the opportunity to reprice often. 

I've also found that the more time I give myself to make a final payment, the more likely I am to receive an American Express offer for the cruise line to earn extra cash back or point bonuses. 

Because of Royal Caribbean’s dynamic pricing system, the cruise prices are constantly fluctuating with supply and demand. The more popular sailings will see prices slowly increase as the departure of the cruise approaches while less popular sailings will have no choice but to drop prices to entice people. 

Ultimately, repricing takes advantage of prices ebbing and flowing to save you money. If you book a cruise and the price only goes up, then you know you snagged the best price possible. But, if the price drops, you can take advantage of this by getting your reservation repriced. 

Once you see a lower price for the exact stateroom category and sailing you have booked, you simply contact the cruise line and ask for them to reprice your cabin; or, even better, book with a travel agent and let them handle the repricing for you, which requires even less work on your part. 

But, the key to this strategy is ensuring you have enough time to reprice before final payment is due on a cruise. 

Once you’ve made your final payment on a cruise reservation, you do not have much wiggle room on the final price. Therefore, booking with the intent of repricing should be done far in advance. 

Note: You might remember the only exception to this policy was during the post-pandemic restart when you could reprice your cruise reservations with Royal Caribbean up to 48 hours before departure. This policy (one that I truly loved, as you can imagine) has since been retired and no longer applies. It was fun while it lasted!

For most cruises, Royal Caribbean states that payments are due 90 days in advance from a cruise departure date. Shorter sailings from 1-4 nights are required to make final payments at least 75 days in advance. This timeline is one that most cruise lines follow, but it’s important to confirm when you need to make a final payment before you plan to utilize this strategy.

If you’ve made your final payment, you probably won’t be able to reprice your cruise with a lower published fare. In fact, I have a theory that Royal Caribbean drops the current price of a cruise right after an itinerary passes the final payment window (but, I have a trick for still saving money that I will discuss later in the article - read on!).  

According to Royal Caribbean’s policy, if you book a cruise within 90 days of sailing (i.e the final payment window) and you see a lower price within 48 hours of booking, the cruise line will offer you onboard credit for the difference. But, if you are outside of the final payment window, you’ll typically have the opportunity to contact the cruise line and have your cruise fare repriced to match the current price. 

The repricing process is even easier when you work with a travel agent - something we always recommend.

I only just started working with travel agents in the last few years, but it’s been a game changer for booking cruises. This is not a forced plug for our sponsor, MEI Travels, but truly my opinion on how valuable a travel agent can be in these types of situations. While we use MEI for our business travels here at Royal Caribbean Blog, I have started to use MEI for my own personal leisure cruises too. 

Read more: Top 5 things to look for in a good travel agent for your cruise vacation

To start, a good travel agent will know all of the repricing policies for different cruise lines. You can simply ask your travel agent to check for a reprice on your sailing and they can take charge with getting the price adjusted, if applicable. 

In this case, you are not only saving money, but also your valuable time. You don’t have to call the cruise line yourself and request the reprice, which involves time on hold usually. Instead, your travel agent can advocate for you and get the reprice done without you needing to intervene. 

For my recent reprice, all I had to do was email my travel agent asking if she could look into possibly repricing my upcoming sailing because it appeared the price had gone down. I sent her a screenshot of the pricing that I was seeing on my end. She was able to contact the cruise line and reprice the cruise fare for me very quickly, saving me hundreds of dollars and my time. 

Here’s exactly how I repriced an upcoming cruise, step by step, to save $572.

After finding an itinerary that interested me, I started to price out a few different cabins and monitor the price for a couple of days. Once I decided to pull the trigger, I opted to book the cabin that best within my budget. I put down the deposit to secure my booking. 

Now, you probably have seen that cruise lines are constantly running promotions. The cruise lines try to establish some sense of urgency that a current promotion is only running for a limited time. But, I can assure you, there is always some sort of promotion happening! 

After making the initial deposit, I started to periodically check the price of the same cruise. Since I work remotely from home on the computer, it only takes me a few minutes to go online and see what the current price is of my sailing. As holidays and promotions slightly change, you can see the price of the cruise change as well.

For a few weeks, the price was consistent with what we had locked in. But, over this past weekend, I decided to start booking excursions. During the process, I went to the website and looked at the current price of our cruise.

I was ecstatic to see that the final price of the exact same cruise we booked had gone down $572! Luckily, final payment for this cruise is not due until the end of next month so it was a quick process with my travel agent to get the price down. 

I’ve also used a similar strategy to save money on my cruises when booking far enough in advance. 

I have used a similar strategy for getting a great deal on balcony staterooms. The more I’ve cruised, the more I have come to appreciate having my own balcony. This is especially true on scenic sailings, like Alaska, Norway and Iceland.

But, the price for a balcony stateroom is normally double the cost of an inside cabin when I initially book a cruise. Instead, I will initially book the cheapest fare that I can get onboard and monitor the price for either an opportunity to reprice or cheaply upgrade to a balcony. 

For example, on my recent Iceland cruise, I originally booked an inside cabin guarantee for about $2,800. My ultimate goal was to get a balcony for much cheaper than the original $4,500 sticker price. This cruise was booked 8 months before my cruise in June, so I had some time to to find a better deal for my inside cabin or upgrade to a balcony. 

In the months leading up to final payment, I continued to monitor the price of the cruise. Sadly, the inside cabin prices did not drop like I had hoped. As I theorized earlier, right after the final payment deadline had passed, the price of the cruise dropped drastically. 

An inside guarantee cabin was now selling for $1,400, which was half the cost of what we paid!  A gamble for a last-minute price would have worked out in this scenario, but since it was past final payment, we could not get a reprice.

However, you can always upgrade your cabin after final payments! Of course, cruise lines will not stop you from upgrading your stateroom, especially if they can get a little more money from you. In my case, the demand for the sailing was obviously a little low with the prices being dropped close to the sail date.

I took this opportunity to upgrade our stateroom to a balcony for just $200. Had I originally booked a balcony for us, it would have cost me around $1,500 more than waiting for the price to drop and choosing to upgrade then. Last summer, I was even able to upgrade my stateroom to a balcony from an inside cabin and it saved me $500! 

Of course, you risk that the demand for balconies will be so high that the price will also increase. But, in my experience, the prices will certainly fluctuate and if you book far enough in advance, you have more opportunities to snag a great deal. 

At the end of the day, the further in advance you book, the more opportunities you have to save money. 

There are many advantages to booking a cruise far in advance; for me, the biggest advantage is allowing myself enough time to reprice my sailings and get the best rate possible. I’d argue it might even be the most important reason to give yourself ample time to book a cruise, as you can either reprice or upgrade your stateroom in this case. In addition, you will have more lucrative cabins to select from if you book far enough in advance. 

I would also highly recommend working with a travel agent who can quickly reprice your bookings and deal with the cruise line directly for you. This will save you both time and money.  

Whether you choose to save money by repricing your current cabin or monitor prices for a cheap upgrade, you should be periodically monitoring your cruise fares after making a reservation. By monitoring the prices of your booked cruises for repricing, you’ll have the opportunity to save hundreds to thousands of dollars. A small effort on your end can be very lucrative for you, especially if you cruise often. 

It’s most important to reprice before final payment is due, as you won’t have much flexibility to reprice once the final payment date has passed. However, within 90 days of your cruise, you might be able to snag a very cheap upgrade for a higher stateroom category.

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Don't mess with the pizza is the message Royal Caribbean cruise fans are saying loudly back to the cruise line.

UPDATE: Royal Caribbean CEO says pizza will remain free

In the days since it became public that Royal Caribbean asked select customers what they think about paying extra for the pizza that is currently complimentary from Sorrento's pizza.

The question was part of a survey that wanted to get customer feedback about many aspects of the cruise experience, but this particular question struck a nerve with so many of our readers and viewers.

"Charge for pizza? If that happens I’m out, that’s the last straw," is what Scott North wrote after reading about the question, and his sentiment was shared among many other readers.

The survey wanted to know if Royal Caribbean decided to charge for pizza, would people still pay for it and would it impact their choice in cruising with Royal Caribbean.

While nothing has actually changed in terms of the price of pizza on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, the very notion of thinking of charging for something as basic as a slice of pizza on a cruise has so many readers up in arms.

Over 300 Facebook comments along with 600 YouTube comments illustrate a growing frustration with potentially higher prices to cruise.

The principle of the change

Most readers seem to be upset about the direction Royal Caribbean seems to be headed in, rather than actually paying extra for pizza.

"Charging for pizza?? This is starting to get out of hand," is what Andy Pope wrote and a lot of people seem to agree that they see the slippery slope of adding more costs to an already expensive cruise cost.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog YouTube viewer MikeyAtTheBar is also worried about what charging for pizza leads to, "Were they to start charging for Sorrento's and were it to be successful, what's next? How many other things could they start charging for? Shows? Water slides? Windjammer? MDR? It's a slippery slope."

Twitter user @Williamson_KB posted this meme as a way to poke fun at the idea of charging for pizza.

Dawn Thompson understands the bigger picture, but thinks the cut backs since cruising restarted in 2021 is getting out of hand, "I understand cruise ships lost a lot of money during Covid, but trying to make up all that money at once by putting an up charge on everything! They will lose their base and limit the amount of new customers and lose more!"

What Dawn is referring to is something a lot of readers pointed to as well in their comments. In 2023, Royal Caribbean introduced a new main dining room menu that reduced the amount of options on the menu and limited each passenger to one lobster.

They also changed cabin service for non-suites from twice a day to once a day, which came after increasing automatic crew member gratuities in 2022.

Andy Januse doesn't like the direction either, "I am Loyal to Royal but lately they way they are nickel and diming everyone to death is really leaving a sour taste in my mouth and might even make me consider switching lines altogether."

Looking at other lines

Many people that commented on the survey question questioned their choice in cruise line.

"I am a Diamond member and after September cruise I’ll be Diamond Plus.I have started for the first time in my life looking at other cruise lines like NCL, where some sales offer for free a lot of the things Royal Caribbean charges for," is what Theodore Jones wrote.  "Too much nickel and dimming and I’ll be out."

"I'll take my 3-5 cruises a year to another line. Enough of this silliness," wrote Matt Bender.

Marc Razz Sr. is also considering other options, "RCCL seems like the are pushing us loyal clients to try other companies. As MSC is attempting to make a splash in tristate area, this may be my final straw."

Highest cruise prices yet

Then there's the comments by Royal Caribbean Group executives to Wall Street that they want to raise prices even higher.

Royal Caribbean has always charged extra for certain add-ons, like drinks or shore excursions, but the possibility of charging for pizza comes at a time when the price for a cruise is already on the rise.

While Royal Caribbean Group is still saddled with billions of dollars of debt that it took out in the form of loans since 2020, it is slowly beginning to pay those loans back thanks to higher cruise fares.

In short, people in 2023 are paying more for their cruises than in 2019, which was the previous high water mark for cruise revenue.

The company disclosed cruise rates were up 17% in the second quarter compared to 2019.

Capacity overall was at 105% and net yields up 12.9% comparted to 2019 numbers.

After releasing the earnings, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty told CNBC he thinks prices will go even higher in talking about the value gap between a cruise and land vacation.

"In the earlier part of this year, that value gap was somewhere around 45%. And today, we've closed that value gap by about ten percentage points, so we still think there's a lot of runway that is still there to close," he said. 

"We always want to be as competitive as we possibly can be, but of course, we want that gap to be much smaller."

"We were able to close that gap to about 10-15 points pre-covid, we think there's a lot of opportunity for us to close that gap even further."

Celebrity Cruises is expanding their sailings to the Caribbean, bringing four more ships to three Florida ports in 2024. 

In late June, Celebrity announced that two ships, Celebrity Reflection and Beyond, would begin sailing to Perfect Day at CocoCay in April 2024. 

Related: Celebrity announces its cruise ships will visit Royal Caribbean's private island

The cruise line is further expanding their Winter 2024-2025 Caribbean season with the addition of Celebrity Apex, Constellation, Equinox, and Summit. 

All sailings will open for booking on August 22, 2023. 

“We are so excited to unveil this new program," says Laura Hodges Bethge, President of Celebrity Cruises, "It provides our guests with more options to experience the natural beauty of the Caribbean, which is elevated by our personalized experiences on board."

Where will the ships be sailing from?

The four ships will be sailing from three different Florida ports: Port Canaveral, Tampa, and Port Everglades. This means that you can choose a voyage departing from West, Central and South Florida!

“As part of this expansion, we are thrilled to add Port Canaveral to our list of home ports," says Hodges Bethge, "It is a perfect market to reach a wide mix of both in- and out-of-state travelers looking for fun in the Caribbean sun."

The first time that Celebrity Cruises will be sailing from Port Canaveral

Potential cruisers will have 20 new itineraries onboard Celebrity Equinox from Port Canaveral, the world's busiest cruise port, to choose from that depart between November 21, 2024 to April 19, 2025. 

Most will be 7-nights and visit Caribbean destinations like Belize, Grand Cayman, Mexico, San Juan, St. Maarten, and The Bahamas. 

If you want to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, consider one of the two spring break cruises in March. 

"We are thrilled to welcome Celebrity Cruises as our new partner and honored to be part of their Caribbean expansion plans,” says Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO.

“The demand for Celebrity Cruise sailings from our Port has been growing. Now, with Celebrity Equinox home ported here, there are great opportunities for even more cruise travelers to experience the cruise line’s high-quality experience, while experiencing the comfort and ease of travel provided by our Port."

Cruises from West Florida

While Tampa is not as popular as Miami or Port Canaveral, you can still find some great sailings on smaller ships from this embarkation port! 

With Celebrity Constellation calling Tampa from from January 2 to April 6, 2025, you will have a total of 14 sailings to choose from that visit places like Belize, Honduras, Key West, and Mexico that range from 6- to 7-nights. 

Plus, you can even select a cruise that visits New Orleans during Mardi Gras, which is scheduled for March 1, 2025. 

“There has never been a better time to sail Celebrity Cruises from Port Tampa Bay. We are excited for Celebrity’s new offerings and our continued successful partnership,” said Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay President and CEO.

“Celebrity Constellation is a beautiful ship that provides travelers with an unforgettable cruise experience, all the while being located just steps from Tampa’s top attractions.” 

Related: 20 Celebrity Cruises Tips & Tricks

More opportunities to sail from South Florida

Celebrity Apex will be home ported at Port Everglades from October 23, 2024 through March 8, 2025. She'll be joined by Celebrity Summit, who will sail to the Caribbean and Bahamas from February 25 to April 10, 2025. 

Apex's cruises will be shorter, ranging from 6- to 7-night itineraries and visiting ports like St. Maarten, San Juan, Grand Cayman, and Mexico, as well as select sailings to Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Summit's five itineraries will be a little bit more diverse. They range from 5- to 9-nights and still across the Eastern and Western Caribbean. 

“As one of Celebrity Cruises’ homeports, we are excited about the new sailings on Apex and Summit," said Port Everglades CEO and Port Director Jonathan Daniels. 

"In addition to the line’s ‘resort at sea’ experience, their cruise guests can expect to experience unrivalled customer service and ease of sailing at Port Everglades."

Perfect Day at CocoCay

Perfect Day at CocoCay is Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas. It reopened in 2019 after receiving $250 million in upgrades and renovations. 

There are infinite ways you can spend your day ashore, whether you want to relax on the beach and take a tip in the crystal-clear turquoise waters or ride the tallest waterslide in North America: Daredevil's Peak. 

You can ever splurge on the ultimate VIP day at the Coco Beach Club and enjoy a heated infinity pool, specialty restaurant, 20 exclusive overwater cabanas, and more.

In January 2024, you'll be able to visit Hideaway Beach, an adults-only paradise, with private cabanas and a new signature food outlet. 

For my recent cruise onboard Adventure of the Seas, my mom and I stayed in the cheapest cabin available.

I selected an inside guarantee cabin around two months before the sailing departure. A significant factor as to why I selected this cabin type was because of the cost. I definitely don't mind cruising in inside cabins, so I thought the $2,160 price was reasonable for a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing.

Read more: How much does a cruise cost?

Because this was an guarantee cabin, I was not able to select its location on the ship. Of course, I always prefer to get a cabin midship for the smoothest possible sailing. I tend to get motion sick, so being in the middle of the ship is ideal for less movement.

However, from my experience with inside guaranteed cabins, it usually ends up being in the very front or back of the ship. For this sailing, we were in the very back of the ship.

About two weeks before our sailing, I checked the Royal Caribbean app and noticed our assigned cabin was 9379. This cabin was situated on the starboard side, in the aft of the ship. 

This cruise was the first time I purchased The Key, so upon opening the door to our stateroom, I saw my purple carry-on on the couch. It was so convenient not to lug it around for the first several hours onboard the ship! 

My first impression of the cabin was that it was tidy and clean. 

We noticed right away that the cabin was quite spacious at 160 square feet. The decor wasn’t dated, but the drawers had a pink tint to them that reminded me the ship is in fact 22 years old.

As soon as you walk into the cabin, you are met with a large closet. The closet had 18 hangers and six wide, wire shelves for all the clothes we packed.

The beds were separated per our request prior to embarkation. Next to both of our beds was a side table with a drawer and an open compartment. One side table had a phone on top that took up the majority of the space.

Each bed had a wall light above our heads. This was perfect for reading and getting all settled in before turning off the lights and the cabin becoming pitch black. The darkness made for good sleeping; this is one of the advantages of an inside cabin.

Our cabin included a full-sized couch. This was nice for another place to sit instead of our beds. Sure there were a few stains on the cushions, but it was nothing terrible. We even lined up our shoes (yes, my mom brought seven pairs of shoes) under the couch for easy viewing and access.

The vanity is a great feature of the cabin because of all the storage. It had nine drawers: six deeper ones and three shallow ones. I found the shallow drawers hard to use, especially since one had a hair dryer in it, rendering it unusable for other things. On both sides of the vanity were glass shelves for additional items. 

On the right side of the vanity was a TV that could swivel in different directions so wherever we were in the cabin, we could see the screen. My mom loved this because she slept on the same side as the vanity and was able to position the TV to be at the foot of her bed so she could watch TV while falling asleep.

Above the TV was a safe and two deep shelves for more storage.

Below the TV was a mini refrigerator. The refrigerator was useful primarily for keeping water and sodas cool. It didn’t get super cold. We tried to put a plate of complementary fruit we received in there, but it didn't fit. We wished it had a deeper shelf so we could have stored more in there. 

The biggest disappointment in our cabin was the lack of outlets. By day two, we were really wishing we had packed an approved power strip so we would have more outlets to charge our cell phones, iPads, watches, camera, and laptop. We were constantly shuffling devices based on need and usage.  

Before the sailing, I thought I had read online that there was another outlet behind the beds. I looked under and behind both beds and unfortunately didn’t find one.

Read more: The clever reason to bring a European power adapter on your cruise ship

The bathroom was certainly not glamorous, but it got the job done (literally!). 

The major thing that caught my eye was four Salt + Breeze bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion on the bathroom counter on embarkation day. This was the first time I’ve had that in a cabin. 

We later asked our room attendant and she said that was a perk for Diamond and above guests. I was very happy to have these toiletries because I am not a fan of the all-in-one soap in the shower.

Behind the right mirror were three shelves for various toiletries. I didn't need this extra storage, so my mom utilized it. We had two sets of towels hanging up when we arrived, but after asking our stateroom attendant, we had three sets each day which was helpful. 

The shower (I call it a space pod!) was compact, but it always had plenty of hot water and good pressure. If you are curious, the approximate diameter of the shower was 29 inches.

Overall thoughts about our cabin

We really appreciated the location of our cabin. There was only one room next to us before you turned the corner to the suites that are across the back of the ship. This meant there was very little foot traffic throughout the day and night, making the location pretty quiet.

Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

Another aspect of the cabin location we enjoyed was the proximity to the Windjammer and pool deck. We only had to walk up two flights of stairs to be near all the excitement!

Something random we noticed was how extremely heavy our cabin door was when trying to open or close it. On the plus side, I think the weight of the door may have helped cut down noise from the hallway.

Our luggage was delivered to our door by 1:30 p.m. on embarkation day, so as soon as we got them, we started to unpack everything. After unpacking, we hid our suitcases under the beds so they could be out of the way to leave as much open space as possible.

Read more: Best inside cruise ship cabin hacks

Not long after receiving our luggage, we met our stateroom attendant. This was my first cruise since the new housekeeping change (one cleaning per day instead of two), so she explained to us that she was available every day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then again from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and asked what time we preferred. Since we had early dining room seating at 5:30 p.m., we selected 6 p.m. each day. 

We had no issues with the once-a-day cleaning. It was nice not having to worry about knocking on the door in the early mornings and waking me up. I also liked not feeling rushed to leave our cabin in the morning so the attendants can clean before their afternoon breaks.

Our stateroom attendant was wonderful and bought extra pillows for us and gave us a paper Cruise Compass every night on our beds (per our request).

Overall, I would say I was pleased with our tiny stateroom. Considering the ship's age, she is in respectable condition. I believe because of the quietness, ideal location on the ninth deck, and convenience to the Windjammer and pool deck, I'd recommend this cabin to future cruisers.

Welcome to this week's edition of the Royal Caribbean post round-up, where we summarize all of the Royal Caribbean news and information from this week into one handy-dandy post! There is plenty of great content to enjoy, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's round-up!

Is Royal Caribbean considering starting to charge for its free pizza?

An email survey sent to some cruisers asked if Sorrento's Pizza was offered for a fee, would they would still dine there.

No policy has changed, but the survey wanted to get cruiser feedback on this possible change.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin and suite guide
• 14 Caribbean cruise mistakes I see passengers making all the time
• Royal Caribbean cancels Panama Canal cruise season for Rhapsody of the Seas
• Is a balcony cabin worth it on a cruise? 8 reasons you should
• Royal Caribbean testing out chatbot that can answer common questions

Video: 10 Reasons people leave their cruise ship vacation disappointed

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video: 10 Reasons people leave their cruise ship vacation disappointed

Icon of the Seas construction sneak peek

Ready to take a walkthrough tour of Icon of the Seas while it's still under construction?

The next new Royal Caribbean cruise ship doesn't begin service until January 2024, but we have a batch of new photos to share from the shipyard.

You can see the progress being made on adding water slides, the different neighborhoods onboard, and many of the signature venues.

Royal Caribbean CEO asks how to solve Diamond Lounge crowding problem

Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley took to Facebook to ask cruise fans how they would solve the issue of overcrowding in the Diamond Lounge.

"I’ve been hearing from a lot of our guests about overcrowding in our Diamond lounges and in the Suite lounge," he posted on social media. "What do you think we should do?"

Hundreds of responses followed with plenty of ideas for how to deal with the issue.

What will get you kicked off a cruise ship

There are lots of rules to follow on a cruise ship, and if you break some of them, you could be kicked off the ship.

Every cruise line has a code of conduct that is outlined in the cruise contract that every passenger agrees to when they book a cruise. The cruise contract outlines what you can and cannot do onboard, as well as consequences. 

In reading through the cruise contract for U.S. guests, there's a few rules that could get you taken off your cruise ship if you break them.

When is the best time to book a cruise?

Are you wondering when is the best time to book a cruise?

There's many considerations, such as time of year, sailing length, itinerary and much more that factor into how early you should book a cruise.

Guide to a Bahamas cruise

Are you ready to escape to the warm blue waters of The Bahamas?

Quite a lot of Royal Caribbean cruises will make a stop in The Bahamas due to its convenient location and natural beauty.

Whether you make one stop or spend the entire cruise in their waters, here's your guide to a Bahamas cruise so you know what to expect.

Royal Caribbean is in the final months prepping what will become the largest cruise ship in the world.

Icon of the Seas won't launch until early 2024, but the ship is already generating incredible hype with an unmatched level of fascination for a new cruise ship yet unseen.

The 20-deck high ship comes in at 250,800 tons and will take away the title of biggest cruise ship in the world from sister vessel, Wonder of the Seas.  In fact, it will be the first time in about  5 years that an Oasis Class ship hasn't been the biggest in the world.

At the Turku, Finland shipyard, Royal Caribbean gave a hard hat tour to travel agents to help familiarize the new ship with some of the top sellers of all things Royal Caribbean.

Beci Mahnken, president and CEO of MEI-Travel, had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at the not-yet-completed ship while it's being worked on.  Unlike our visit to the ship in May, Icon is in a far more complete stage of construction now.

Icon already completed her first set of sea trials, and is expected to complete work on her sometime later this year before being readied to start offering cruises.

If there's one thing apparent about Royal Caribbean's new ship, it's that it's anything but ordinary.

Royal Caribbean calls Icon of the Seas a "white paper" ship, because it has been designed from the ground up with new concepts. 

There's been a lot of attention for this new ship, and rightfully so, as it represents the single biggest chance of being a game changer to the cruise industry in the same way the Oasis of the Seas was when it launched.

Royal Caribbean is building on its legacy of not just building big cruise ships, but innovating and leading the industry at the same time.  Royal Caribbean sets the bar all other new cruise ships are judged against.

With five months left before the first passenger steps onboard Icon of the Seas, there's still plenty to do.  In the meantime, here's a look at the latest progress and how much closer to completion the ship is.

Thrills get their own deck

You wont run out of things to do on Icon of the Seas, especially if water slides are your thing.

Icon will introduce the first water park at sea, with six different water slides that will draw your attention within a mile of arriving to the ship.

Thrill Island is the name of a brand new neighborhood coming to the first Icon Class cruise ship, and it is a new approach to aquatic fun on a cruise ship for Royal Caribbean.

Because Royal Caribbean wants Icon of the Seas to rival any family land resort, the amount of space dedicated to water slides is not something you will find at any old hotel complex.

Related: Royal Caribbean's next-gen cruise ship will have the largest water park to thrill all ages

In combination with their private island, Royal Caribbean thinks they have a one-two combo that will draw people to Icon like never before.

"The Icon product, along with Perfect Day, with the kind of experiences that we're offering, with the kind of new accommodations that we have on Icon and the experiences that we have for young families, older families and of course couples and singles and what have you, is really squarely standing shoulder to shoulder with Orlando and those kind of destinations," is what Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said about his company's plans.

The water slides, known collectively as Category 6, take up the back of the top deck of the ship, and are flanked by mini-golf, a rock climbing wall, and a brand new thrill "walk".

Crown's Edge is a combination ropes course, sky walk, and obstacle course.

Guests are strapped in and walk 154 feet above the ocean for this experience. It lasts about two and a half minutes and culminates with  drop through portion, which Royal Caribbean described as "pretty scary".

Royal Promenade

Icon of the Seas is not the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to have a Royal Promenade thoroughfare on its ships, but it will be the first to introduce an expanded and evolved version.

At 362 feet long, the Royal Promenade onboard Icon of the seas is longer than a football field, and for the first time, it incorporates ocean views.

As you walk onto the ship, you'll see a giant multi-deck high glass wall that will provide natural light and a way to still see the beautiful ocean that surrounds the ship.

The Pearl is a likely focal point of the Royal Promenade, which the cruise line describes as a multi-sensory experience built with 3,000 kinetic tiles. 

Behind The Pearl, guests will find the Pearl Cafe, which serves freshly toasted croissants, hot chocolate croissants, croissant sandwiches, sweets, and other specialty desserts. 

You will find Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar on the Promenade, which is a new location for this restaurant. There will also be a Dueling Pianos bar, Sorrento's pizzeria, Point and Feather pub, Spotlight Karaoke, Boleros and Schooner Bar.

On one end of the Promenade will be the new ice skating rink, Absolute Zero, with over 2,850 square feet of ice.

Absolute Zero will host two different shows: "Starburst" and "Once Upon A Time."

Casino Royale is located just one deck below the Promenade.

Pools, pools, and more pools

A connection to the water was one of the guiding principles to Icon of the Seas' design, and you'll find a pool deck that exceeds anything else the cruise line has offered.There's 62% more water surface area than on the Oasis Class cruise ships.

Chill Island is the name of its massive resort-style relaxation zone where you'll find the largest pool at sea, an adult only pool, and the first suspended infinity pool at sea. Five of the seven pools on Icon of the Seas are located in Chill Island.

Whether it's sitting by the pool, listening to the Caribbean band, or enjoying time at the ship's swim-up bar, the idea behind Chill Island is you can pick from different ways to take it easy.

Like most of the ship, the pools are under construction and will be among the last things to be completed (no need to add pool water this early).

There will be pools for adults, pools for families, and pools to simply enjoy the views all around you, including the ocean.

The Aquadome

You can't miss the AquaDome as a feature, given that there is a giant glass dome adorned to the front part of the ship. Inside, Royal Caribbean hopes to deliver a jaw-dropping experience.

Instead of an outdoor theater that is subject to weather conditions, Royal Caribbean built a dome it placed on top of the theater, along with enough space to add bars, food hall, and even cruise ship cabins.

Photos simply do not do the AquaDome justice, because it is truly massive. It weighs 363-tons and has over 600 glass panels of cables. It was no simple feat to hoist it into position, as the team in Turku had to use 1,600 feet of cables to lift it into position. The length of cables is longer than the height of the Empire State Building.

Of course, the AquaTheater is at the heart of this neighborhood. Royal Caribbean has a show that that will feature aerialists, acrobatics, high dives, and the tallest waterfall at sea at 55 feet tall.

 There will be two shows that passengers can see in the AquaTheater: "Aqua Nation!" and "Pirates vs Mermaids." 

You'll find the Overlook inside the dome, which has 220-degree views from pods you can sit in and enjoy time with friends.

More family time

If there's one major focus Royal Caribbean has with its new ship, it's it wants to up its family cruise game to a whole new level.

Icon will have an entire neighborhood dedicated to young families, known as Surfside. It's located at the back of the ship in an open-air space that is somewhat similar to the Boardwalk neighborhood on the Oasis Class ships.

Related: Royal Caribbean is building the best cruise ship for young families on Icon of the Seas with a new purpose-built area

Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay are the focal point of the new neighborhood, which is an aquapark and pool designed for families to enjoy together. Royal Caribbean added the Water's Edge pool so adults can lounge in the pool too.  It is located at the aft of the ship, complete with in pool lounge chairs and gorgeous views of the ocean.

As part of Royal Caribbean's plans to attract families away from theme parks and other land destinations in Florida, this part of the ship is all about appealing to not just kids, but their parents too. 

Instead of a place to take your kids, Surfside is meant to be enjoyed alongside your kids.

There's lots of dining choices too, including Surfside Bites. This quick eatery has burgers, popcorn chicken, cinnamon sugar donut holes, and, of course, soft serve! 

You'll also find new cabins in Surfside designed to accommodate more people, which is perfect for families.

There are new categories of cabins on Icon, with over 50% of Icon's room types new to the cruise line.

Related: Royal Caribbean designed first-of-its-kind cabins for its new cruise ship

The ocean view infinite balcony that allows you to expand your indoor living space or invite in the sea breeze with the touch of a button.

One new cabin type is the Family Infinite Balcony room, which has in-room games, a split bathroom, and even a bunk area for children that can be closed off with a curtain for privacy. Plus, each bunk has their own television!

And then there's the epic suite that cannot be overlooked.

The Ultimate Family Townhouse is a mind-blowingly epic, 3-story stateroom extraordinaire that features its own back yard with a private entrance into Splashaway Bay. 

Demand is so strong for these rooms that it's selling for $80,000 per week in 2024.

There's an in-suite slide to bring you into "the coolest living room ever", which has hidden nooks too.

Central Park

A fan-favorite neighborhood will make it on Icon of the Seas in the form of Central Park. 

In the heart of the ship is an open air garden with living plants that create a peaceful atmosphere amongst various dining and entertainment venues.

When it's complete, Central Park will have a jazz club, walkup champagne bar window, and new restaurants too.

Related: The Ultimate Icon of the Seas Dining & Lounges Guide

Bubbles is the walkup champagne bar window where glasses of mimosa, prosecco, and Bellini, and bottles of Champagne are available all day.

If elevated dining is your thing, you'll need to check out the new swanky supper club coming to Icon of the Seas.

Empire Supper Club is is meant to be reminiscent of the 1930s in New York City, and it has two seating for guests to experience the extravagant eight course menu.

The menu will feature premium American cuisine and offer selections such as caviar and wagyu. Plus, each course will be paired with a beverage. 

Launching in January 2024

Royal Caribbean has billed Icon of the Seas to be not just a major player in the cruise industry, but the likely heir apparent to the title of most coveted cruise ship.

The first sailing is scheduled for the end of January, and Icon will be the first of at least three new cruise ships in this class.

While it's likely inevitable for Icon to be compared to her Oasis Class sisters, there's little doubt Royal Caribbean isn't up to the task considering their track record of introducing game-changing ships time and time again.

Related: 11 reasons Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas will change the cruise industry

The next step for Icon are around round of sea trials scheduled for later in 2023 to ensure Icon of the Seas is ready to be delivered to Royal Caribbean prior to her January 27, 2024 maiden voyage. 

The first sailing of Icon of the Seas will be a 7-night cruise from Miami on January 27, 2024.

The ship will sail year-round out of Miami in 2024, alternating between Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean itineraries, with four different routings available for departures between January 2024 and April 2025.

More information

• 25 things you need to know for your first day on a cruise ship
• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?