Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean offers cruises each summer from Southampton, England, which is a short distance away from London. If you're like me, you'll want to spend a few days there to explore the city.

Before I ever visited London, I started doing research to find out what I should and shouldn't do to maximize my trip.

Jessica Dante is a travel expert specializing in visiting London, and her videos and blogs have the best advice I could find.

She lives in London and regularly shares the sort of information anyone looking to spend a few days in England's capital would want to know as part of a broader European vacation.

She recently shared her for recommendations on how to have the best trip possible and avoid common mistakes while in London.

Stay in Central London

If you're staying less than a week in London, Jessica recommends staying close to the area you're going to be spending the most time in.

She recommends Central London because of how centralized all the major tourist attractions are, "most people who are somewhat familiar with London would be familiar with areas like Covent Garden, Soho; Those are all super central."

Plus, staying in Central London makes it convenient to get to Waterloo Station, which is the train station that gets you to Southampton.

I then asked if there's a place to avoid staying, and she cautioned before booking a hotel on the outskirts of London to save money, to read reviews.

"I would just then look at reviews of a hotel that you're looking at, because reviews will always tell you if people thought the area, if there wasn't much going on, if there wasn't breakfast spots nearby, or if they just found it to be a bit dodgy."

London is bigger than you think

I asked Jessica what's the most common mistake tourists make when visiting, and she said it's underestimating the city's size.

"People really don't they don't understand until they get to London how expansive and wide the city is," she explained. "It is really a city that you do have to do a lot of planning for your days if you're planning to squeeze in a lot of stuff."

The issue is you might start listing places you want to visit without realizing the distances between areas.

For example, Tower of London and Notting Hill are 40 minutes away, and if you start doing more hopping around the city like that, you're going to spend half your day commuting.

"You could end up spending hours on the tube. And the tube is not always comfortable. It's not always running," Jessica said.

Her advice is plan out your day so that you don't have to rely on transport to get from each place. 

Don't buy the Oyster card

A lot of tourists think they need to buy an Oyster card to use the London Underground, but it's not only unnecessary, it's expensive.

The Oyster card is something you can buy to load credits to use the city's mass transportation. It costs around £10, but it takes time to ship and be delivered.

"They're really pointless, to be honest. There's there's just really no need for it," she explained.

Instead, all you need is probably something you already have: tap to pay on your phone or a chip-enabled credit card.

"It is really simple to just use that to pay for the tube and for the bus and whatever else transport you're going to use in London. You can even use it for things like the Uber boat, if that's something that you want to hop on."

She admitted some tourists like to buy the Oyster card as a kind of souvenir, but for visiting London for just a few days it's simply not worth it.

Skip the hop-on hop-off bus

Perhaps Jessica's most controversial recommendation was to skip paying for the hop-on hop-off bus tour.

While she says it's perfectly fine someone with mobility issues, or someone who cannot walk long distances, it's ultimately unnecessary for most people.

Her recommendation is to instead rely on the Tube or the city's double decker buses.

"We do use the double decker buses. I use them almost every day to get around the city. And you can go to the top and sit at the front, and that's a really nice view."

In terms of walking, Central London is very flat, so you won't have any hills to contend with as you get around on foot.

She added there are a lot of great parks in London, so you could take a rest and enjoy them too.

How to get from the airport into London

After flying into Heathrow Airport, how do you get your family and bags to your hotel in London?

Her top recommendation is the Heathrow Express, which is a high speed train that takes 15 minutes to get from Heathrow to Paddington Station.

But if you aren't staying near Paddington, then that might not be the most convenient option.

Another idea is to take the Elizabeth Line train because it goes to Central London stations like Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street. 

It does take longer (about 40 minutes), but is cheaper than the Heathrow Express.

If you have a lot of luggage, Jessica recommends a car service called Welcome Pickups, "they will actually track your flight and they will walk into the terminal and they will find you and then take you to the car."

If you are flying into Gatwick, do not take the Gatwick Express, "I actually think the trains work better for Gatwick. You kind of only have like a couple of options there, but they the trains go into a few different stations and avoid the Gatwick Express because it's a rip off."

Don't count on your hotel offering breakfast

One difference Americans might pick up on quickly is your hotel probably doesn't offer breakfast included in your room rate.

"I think as Americans we're quite used to hotels that have breakfast included in the room rate, and that is almost non-existent here in London," Jessica explained.

As a result, you should plan in your budget to eat breakfast out.

She said a lot of hotels offer breakfast for an additional cost, but it can be pricey.

Her recommendation is to skip the hotel breakfast and take advantage of cafes and places to eat nearby, "The great thing about staying in Central London is that you will have loads of inexpensive breakfast options and cafes."

There's quick options as well as sit down restaurants.

Two local chains she recommends are Grind (coffee shop cafe) and Dishoom (Indian and British breakfast).

You don't need to exchange money

One thing you don't need to bother with is getting cash for your time in London.

"London is mostly a cash free city at this point," Jessica said.

Instead, you can pay for everything with a credit card.  I recommend getting a credit card with no foreign transaction fees, and ensure it's either a Visa or Mastercard.  Discover and American Express are rarely accepted outside the United States.

Cash could be useful in two situations, " The only reason I would say that you would need cash is if people want to tip anybody at their hotel when they first arrive, if they want to tip their taxi driver, or if you want to tip your tour guides. All of which is not fully expected, but always welcome, of course."

Picky eaters can still find food to enjoy

London is known for its variety of international cuisines, but if you have picky eaters in your group, there's always something for them too.

My kids are not very adventurous eaters, so I asked for recommendations on what to eat with them.

Jessica said pizza is never far away, as there are a lot of Italian restaurants in the city.

He recommended Pizza Pilgrims, which started out as a street food van and has since grown into a pizzeria chain. The chain has received recognition, including being named one of the world's best pizzerias by 50 Top Pizza.

If you're looking for a quick bite, she recommended Pret A Manger or Leon, "In central London, you're never very far from one of these places."

Everyone's first instinct after booking a cruise is to look at shore excursions, but I think you don't really need a tour in certain ports of call.

The places cruises go is top reason people book a Royal Caribbean cruise, so it seems natural to want to find a great excursion.

However, some islands or cities really don't need an organized tour to be properly enjoyed. While you could certainly explore any port on your own, I think there are a handful that truly are best for walking around and exploring on foot.

While it may not be a mistake to book a shore excursion in these ports, I think you could easily skip them and still have a great time

Perfect Day at CocoCay

While Royal Caribbean's marketing team loves to emphasize the "Perfect Day" element of the name of its private island in The Bahamas, but there is truth in that it's designed to offer what you need.

Royal Caribbean sells a number of shore excursions you can take that are off the island, such as kayaking, swimming with pigs, glass bottom boat ride, and more.

There's nothing wrong with these tours, but there's so much to see and do around CocoCay that is included with your cruise fare that I really don't think you need to book an excursion.

There are different beaches and pools you can go to around the island, plus activities too. I'd save your excursion money for another port of call, such as Nassau, where it really benefits you to have an organized tour booked.

What I'd recommend doing is disembarking your ship early to get the best spots at the beach or pool.

Head to either South Beach or Chill Beach, and get the perfect lounger.

Your plan should be beach in the morning, lunch mid-day, pool in the afternoon.

There is complimentary tram service around CocoCay, so just hop on at your leisure.  Or, you can walk it too. One advantage of the tram is you can use it as a way to scout out the areas and find the perfect vibe for your family.

You should treat CocoCay like an all-inclusive resort day. Unless you have your heart set on an excursion that you cannot do anywhere else, I'd stick to what is available around the island.

Rest assured that you can have a full, relaxing, and exciting day without spending a dime on excursions.

San Juan

One of my favorite places to visit in the Caribbean is San Juan, Puerto Rico, and it's also one of the most accessible too.

Your ship will dock in the old city, and you can literally walk off the ship and be there.  There's no bus or shuttle service needed.

Old San Juan is built on a hill, so you can walk around at your leisure and see pretty much everything.  

"What if I get lost?" Well, you really can't, because if you walk downhill, you'll run back into your cruise ship.  

If you're an American, your cell phone will work here too, and that makes it easy to Google Map everything.

Moreover, the sights and historical places are all easily reachable on foot. 

Many European cities

I'm headed to Europe for a couple of cruises this summer, and it's become apparent organized tours can be skipped in many of these ports too.

Cruise ships tend to dock in major cities, and from there you can easily get around on foot and/or public transportation.

Most of the excursions offered by Royal Caribbean are essentially glorified bus tours that show these places, but you can easily come up with a walking tour on your own with a little bit of research and jotting down interesting spots.

In each of the cities my ship is headed to, I started a spreadsheet and wrote which places I want to see.  Later, I assembled them in order so I can hit each easily.

To be clear, not all European cities are good to skip a tour.  

A port that has long transport time between the ship and city (i.e. Rome or Paris) would be one I'd still book a shore excursion for.

Likewise, Norwegian fjords can sometimes be more than a walk away, and an excursion makes sense there.

The important takeaway is to not assume that you need to book an excursion.  You may find more choices and flexibility going on your own.

If you've recently been annoyed by a surge of notifications popping up from your Royal Caribbean app, you’re not alone.

Cruisers have reported receiving numerous pop-ups on their devices from the mobile app. However, they don't contain any important information. Rather, they're test notifications filled with placeholder text like "head - test segment 1, subtitles - test segment 1, content - test segment 1." 

The generic phrases ascended sequentially with each push notification, going from "test segment 1" to "test segment 19" within hours. 

Royal Caribbean confirmed they were aware of the pop-ups but didn't say what updates were being made to the mobile app. 

"We're sorry you received pop-ups. Our IT team is doing updates on the app. We've let them know guests are receiving notifications. Sorry about that," Royal Caribbean wrote on X. 

It seems the random notifications finally subsided around 12:30pm EST. 

The random spam of pop-ups left guests confused and irritated

"I thought I was going crazy," CaptGoodvibesNMS commented on a Reddit thread about the glitch, "Now I know it’s RCI losing their marbles."

Another sarcastically wrote, "Make sure you click every single notification, make sure they know we got it."

Amidst the jokes and confusion, others hypothesized as to what the notifications could be related to. 

"Do we think these notification issues are related to booking trouble?" asked one Reddit user. "I put some excursions and a soda package into my cart this morning but was unable to check out — I kept getting a 'cart empty' or 'cart rolled away' message on both the app and website."

One user seemed to agree, as they noted they couldn't log into their Royal Caribbean account during the push notification incident. 

Personally, whenever I clicked on one of the notifications, I was redirected to a webpage to book flights through Royal Caribbean. This could mean they're working on a feature that allows guests to book Air2Sea flights directly on the app. 

Although annoying, the vague notifications resulted in funny memes on social media

The digital hiccup quickly became an inside joke within the cruise community, and forums filled up with sarcastic cracks about the incident.

For example, amishengineer suggested that everyone mark themselves "safe from testing in production," as one might on Facebook after a natural disaster or major event. 

Others joked about the notifications like it was a multi-day all-nighter, mimicking the famous SpongeBob SquarePants meme of Mr. Krabs looking frazzled while keeping the Krusty Krab open 24 hours for days in a row. 

Another user quipped, "boy oh boy i cant wait for [test] 19, really wonder what surprises it holds." 

Royal Caribbean has recently added new features to the app

It seems Royal Caribbean's been playing with its mobile app more than usual lately. Two months ago, they rolled out new app-exclusive badges that denote which ships you've sailed on. 

A little over a month later, they enhanced the feature to include destinations. Different regions of the world that Royal Caribbean ships visit are listed, including Bermuda, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Europe, and Mexico.

Although it's a quirky feature that subtly makes guests want to become repeat cruisers, it doesn't add anything practical to the app experience, which may explain why they're playing with a new functional tool. 

You can easily avoid a dining mistake on your cruise that could otherwise leave you disappointed in your choices.

Royal Caribbean offers so much food to enjoy onboard, and it's a mix of included and extra cost options. The dining mistakes I'm talking about are things result in cruisers coming home and complaining they didn't like certain foods or lamented not knowing about others.

Ultimately, I'm a proponent of maximizing my choices and getting the most out of your cruise vacation, including what, where, and when you eat.

I came up with these 13 Royal Caribbean cruise dining mistakes and how to avoid each of them.

Not pre-booking specialty restaurants

On any ship you sail, there's going to be a few different specialty restaurants you could dine at, but don't wait to book any of them.

Royal Caribbean opens up reservations for them months before your cruise begins and lots of people start booking them up. By the time your cruise sets sail, there are not going to be many slots left.

Waiting to book a reservation on the ship means the restaurant could be sold out or just very late time slots left.

Plus, booking a reservation before the cruise will save you money.

Royal Caribbean regularly discounts specialty restaurants before the cruise in order to spur sales. You could save up to 30% off with a well-timed sale.

Making a specialty restaurant reservation pre-cruise could be the perfect use of onboard credit you have.

Ordering the same way you do at home

You can, and should, order more food at Royal Caribbean restaurants than you would at a land restaurant.

This tip always surprises new cruisers because it sounds so gluttonous, but the truth is portion sizes are smaller on a cruise. 

Most people are conditioned to order just one entrée, and perhaps an appetizer or dessert. However, on a cruise you can order all of them (and more) because it's included.

When you are at the Main Dining Room or any restaurant, you're able to order multiple appetizers, entrées, or desserts.

In addition, ordering more dishes gives you the chance to try new foods.  Your waiter will encourage it, so don't be shy.

Not taking advantage of the wine you can bring

Did you know you can bring wine on your cruise?

Royal Caribbean allows each adult to bring a bottle of wine on embarkation day to drink onboard the ship. It's the only alcohol you're allowed to bring.

There's no fee for doing so if you open the wine in your cabin, but there is a corkage fee if you bring the bottle to a restaurant or bar to be opened.

Not knowing about the free room service option

Room service usually has a $7.95 cost, but there's one exception.

There's a subset on the menu for the continental breakfast that has no delivery charge.

You can choose from bagels, coffee, pastries, and more.

Not only is this free, but it saves you a trip to the buffet or dining room to grab food in the morning.  It's a great option for starting your day and getting everyone moving.

Skipping making My Time Dining reservations

If you chose My Time Dining for your dinner selection, you really should make reservations instead of showing up for a table.

Royal Caribbean gives you the choice of making a reservation pre-cruise or onboard. People with a reservation get seated before people that don't have a reservation.

In my experience, this is the difference maker in not becoming frustrated with the experience.  There can be long lines for My Time Dining, especially in the early hours.

No one likes to wait, but waiting is even worse when you're hungry.

Skipping the extra-fee restaurants

While everyone is on a budget, I think it's a mistake to write off every extra cost venue simply because they cost extra.

That isn't to say you should only eat at specialty restaurants.  Rather, I think you ought to include a visit to at least one or two during your cruise because it will add to your overall experience.

Specialty restaurants offer cuisines and cooking styles you won't find elsewhere on the ship, plus the ambience is more relaxed. It feels like a step up, and I think it's a nice way to enhance your vacation.

I love the teppanyaki dinners at Izumi, Italian food at Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, or bar food while watching your favorite team play at Playmakers.

You don't have to spend a lot to enjoy them, especially if you take advantage of the first tip in this article.

Not checking for theme nights

Did you know there will be themes for certain nights of your cruise?

Royal Caribbean likes to make their evenings fun with different themes, such as white night, Caribbean/tropical night, formal night, and more.

You won't be turned away from the Main Dining Room (or any restaurant) for not adhering to the theme, but a lot of new cruisers wish they knew about it advance so they could have joined in.

You can find out about theme nights before your cruise begins so there's no excuse for not knowing about them.

Getting your food before finding a seat at the buffet

No matter which buffet or casual grab-and-go restaurant you go to on Royal Caribbean, I'd recommend finding a table first and then getting your food.

This tip is especially important for breakfast in the Windjammer or embarkation day lunch, because these are the busiest times at the ship's buffet.

It can be challenging at times to find a table, but it's easier (and less frustrating) to find a table without a plate full of food in your hand.

Try to look for tables towards the back, or even ask a crew member for assistance in clearing a dirty table or finding an open one.

Not trying new foods

One of the best things about a cruise ship vacation is all the food choices, and it's the perfect opportunity to try something outside of your comfort zone.

You don't have to go crazy, but since food is included and there's no charge for uneaten food, this might be the time to sample foods you might otherwise never order because you didn't want to pay for it.

While you shouldn't be wasteful, Royal Caribbean's waiters encourage cruisers to order something they might like and give it a try.

Trying escargot (baked snails) or an Indian curry might end up being a favorite dish. And if you don't love them, it could just be a good story to tell friends later.

Not checking the menu before dinner

Royal Caribbean has a different menu each night in the Main Dining Room, but there might be one or two that you don't love.

Let's piggyback on the tip earlier about not skipping specialty restaurants. 

You can check the menu in advance on the Royal Caribbean app, or look at the menu that's posted outside the Main Dining Room that evening.

If the menu doesn't look that great, that's the night to book a specialty restaurant and go elsewhere.  Or you might go to the Windjammer for dinner instead.

Buffet etiquette mistakes

There are a few mistakes not to make in the buffet to avoid coming off as rude or putting your health at risk.

• Not washing your hands before entering
• Reusing the same plate
• Grabbing food with your bare hands
• Cutting in line

The top two mistakes you really, really want to avoid are reusing the same plate or cutting in line.

I know you think you're doing the staff a solid by not taking another plate, but the risk of cross-contamination is too high.  Not only does the crew want you to come up and get a new plate each time, they have an industrial dish washer.

And of course, don't cut in line. Keep in mind some buffet stations are repeated on the other side of the Windjammer, so you might find less of a line there.

Not speaking up if the food isn't what you expected

I've run into this mistake with friends and family during a cruise who complain there's something wrong with their food to me, but don't say anything to the waiter.

When I sailed on Enchantment of the Seas, my tablemates quietly lamented the slow service and lack of drink refills. So when the head waiter came around, I spoke up and alerted her to the issue at hand.

The dining room staff want you to have an amazing dining experience, but mistakes happen. Or if the food isn't cooked well or to your liking, you should tell them.

No one wants to be a bother, but let your waiter and head waiter know when there's an issue that can be resolved.  Don't just chalk it up to the way it is and "suffer".

Not walking around the buffet first

From my own personal experience, I'd recommend taking a quick glance over what's available at each of the buffet stations before getting in line.

Many times I've started loading up my plate, only to realize there's something I want even more.

No one will yell at you for wasting food, but it's also not something you should intentionally do.

You booked your cruise and chose a dining option for dinner, but now you want to change it. That sounds like an easy change to request, but what if it's not available anymore?

Royal Caribbean offers two types of dinner choices when you book a cruise as it relates to the Main Dining Room: Traditional and My Time Dining.

The closer you get to your cruise, you might find limited options left for switching from one to other. Perhaps a particular traditional dinner seating is not available.  Or My Time Dining might be sold out.  Is there any chance to change it?

There are a few options you could try, including one that new cruisers are completely unaware of exists.

First, try to get on a waitlist

If there's a few months left before your cruise departs, I'd start off by getting on the waitlist for the dining time or option you prefer.

Royal Caribbean has a wait list of a specific dining option, so if you're told it's sold out, ask to be on that waitlist.

You can ask your travel agent to be put on the waitlist. If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean, call in and ask for it.

Sometimes even the waitlist is temporarily filled. Don't worry though! If the waitlist time you want is unavailable and the cruise is more than a few weeks out call back in a week or two and try again.

These waitlists work exactly as you might imagine: someone cancels their cruise or changes to a different dining option, and the next person on the waitlist gets moved to the open slot.

In my experience, the waitlist comes through in most cases, but it helps the earlier you get put on it.

Be aware if the waitlist comes through, there's not really a notification of any kind that I'm aware of. Instead, it just changes and it's up to you to check periodically to see if the change has been made.

If that fails, try this trick on the ship

If the waitlist doesn't work, don't fret, because there's a fallback that always seems to work.

Once you board your ship on the first day, head to the Main Dining Room after lunch.  Anytime after 1pm should suffice.

Ask to speak to the Head Waiter that is on duty.  Alternatively, there is sometimes a desk set up that says "Dining Changes" or something to that effect. Either option will work.

At this point, politely explain the situation and ask if you can have your dining option changed.

In my experience, this usually works. Either someone else has done the same thing and opened up a spot, or the ship simply has more capacity than the shoreside system allows to book.

In any case, I'd be pretty surprised to hear if this fallback didn't work.

Which is better: My Time Dining or Traditional?

Royal Caribbean offers the choice of My Time Dining and Traditional dinner so passengers can find the best choice for them.

Each has its advantages, so it's a matter of what your own style is for how and when you'd like to eat.

Traditional dinner means you have a set time, table, waiter, and table mates. It has less flexibility since your schedule is set, but it's also simpler and there's no waiting for a table.

My Time Dining is flexible, and allows you to eat early or late depending on your plans.

The issue with My Time Dining is you may have to wait for a table, and you should make reservations in advance to reduce a wait.  Making reservations seems to take away from the notion of being flexible, to some degree.

I always pick Traditional

If you're looking for an opinion on what to choose, I usually go with Traditional.

Since my first Royal Caribbean cruise more than a decade ago, I've chosen Traditional dinner times because of how straight forward it is.

The reason I don't love My Time Dining is that there's a wait for a table, or at least a short line. I really like the convenience of not having to make reservations or wait in line, even if it means a rigid dining schedule.

Plus, I really like having the same waiters each night. I think creating a rapport with them adds to the experience because it makes it's friendly and fun, especially when you have waiters with a good personality.

Royal Caribbean is eager to get its newest cruise ship sailing with passengers, as it's added another early sailing to the schedule.

The cruise line announced it will once again add a new "showcase sailing" is ahead of the previous sailing that we thought would be first.

Plans are for Star of the Seas to offer a 4-night Star Showcase Cruise to Perfect Day, setting sail on August 16, 2025. Star of the Seas will be based from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida.

Prior to this change, the earliest sailing guests could have booked was a 3-night on August 20, 2025.

Why the change? Progress is moving swiftly, according to an email.

"Our teams have been working diligently to deliver The Next Icon of Vacations, and the ship’s finishing touches are progressing ahead of schedule. As a result of this early completion," is what guests already booked on the August 20th sailing received in their inbox Wednesday morning.

Technically, the official maiden 7-night cruise will be held on August 31, 2025. However, there are a series of showcase sailings that lead up to that.

• NEW: August 16, 2025 (4-nights)
• August 20, 2025 (3-nights)
• August 23, 2025 (4-nights)
• August 27, 2025 (4-nights)

There's a certain irony with all these showcase sailings, because originally Royal Caribbean had Star of the Seas debuting August 17, 2025 with a 7-night cruise, but that was pushed back to August 31 because of delays.  

As it turns out, Star will debut a day earlier than originally planned.

Those that were originally booked on these early sailings received an email  to inform them of the addition, and to get first dibs on booking rooms on the new cruises.

Choices for the new sailing

Guests booked on the August 20th sailing received an email offering them the first chance at the earlier cruise.

Understanding that some guests value being the first onboard, and others look forward to celebrating the inaugural voyage – we want to give you the first choice and the flexibility to switch sailings, add an additional sailing, or stay on your currently booked sailing, since you committed to us first.

Those opting to move to the August 16 sailing can do so and remain in a like-for-like stateroom currently booked, based on availability.

Suite guests have one week to take advantage of price protection, after that, your transfer will be based on the current prevailing rate.

Guests in Interior, Oceanview and Balcony staterooms will have the opportunity to transfer at the prevailing rate.

Or, you could do nothing and remain on the current sailing you have booked.

Don't worry, there will still be inaugural cruise swag waiting for you on the new sailing too.

"Make sure to look for some sweet commemorative items to celebrate our newest ship in your stateroom during any of these sailings, regardless of which one you end up choosing."

You have until next week to decide

If you want to move reservations, you need to act quickly.

Royal Caribbean is giving everyone about a week to contact the line to make the change. Change requests must be made no later than June 5, 2025.

If you do not make a change by June 5, 2025, anyone booked on the showcase sailings will remain booked on that sailing, and you can still choose to add the new 4-night Star of Seas showcase sailings based on availability.

Finished sea trials

Perhaps Royal Caribbean has added this new sailing because of how well the sea trials went for the new ship.

According to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland where Star is being built, the sea trials finished in "record time".

"Star of the Seas completed her sea trials in record time and returned to the shipyard on the morning of Tuesday, May 27th," is what was posted to social media.

Star of the Seas spent 8 days during her sea trials testing out all of its systems thoroughly, "All tests were completed successfully."

"These were the best sea trials I have ever participated in. There was a strong sense of team spirit throughout. Now it’s time to focus on completing the remaining work on the ship," says Project Manager Jaakko Leinonen.

Chief Dog Officer has reported for duty

Equally important news is Star of the Seas' Chief Dog Officer is ready to start sailing.

Sailor is the name of the dog that will live on Star of the Seas, and she just boarded Icon of the Seas to begin training.

Royal Caribbean added a dog to Icon of the Seas as an idea to add more memories for families sailing, and that will continue with Star of the Seas.

How important is it to be in the quietest possible cruise ship cabin? 

I certainly don't want a noisy cabin, but I was never one to specifically pick a stateroom primarily on how quiet it is.

However, it's a common question our readers have been asking me and it got me thinking about which rooms that I've stayed in have been the quietest.

Thanks to a recent cruise ship design trend that Royal Caribbean has embraced, I think the answer has changed.

Not quite ship within a ship, but as private as it gets

Beginning with Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean shifted its suite program focus to offer more exclusivity than ever before.

At the time, it was a big deal when they introduced a new suites neighborhood on Wonder because it dedicated more space and venues to suite guests than ever before.

The standout upgrade was the suite sun deck, which truly felt like a private enclave.  On other ships, the suite sun deck always felt like an after thought. It was usually an open deck with little shade and no easy water access.

Beginning with Wonder of the Seas, the suite sun deck get a needed revamp to make it more useful beyond simply loungers in the sun.

Part of that change was to enclose the suite decks more, and essentially walling off a couple of decks for suite guests only.

Access to deck 17 and 18 on Wonder and Utopia of the Seas is by SeaPass card only and it's only for suite guests (and Pinnacle Club members).

The result is there's going to be far fewer people walking past your cabin, and that makes it easily the new quietest spot.

The same phenomenon occurs on the Icon Class ships with their suite decks. When I recently stayed in a suite on Icon of the Seas, I kept noticing the lack of other guests in the hall compared to other decks.

In addition to less guests, there's also no public spaces to contend with.

The top reason there's noise in a cabin is usually noise bleed from public venues, but suite decks are usually far enough away to eliminate that issue.

Not cheap, but it's effective

I know you're probably not that surprised to read that things are better when you stay in a suite, but in this case, it's true.

There are different suite categories in the suite neighborhood, such as Grand Suites, loft suites, and even Star Class suites, such as the Ultimate Family Suite.

The caveat is you need to pick a suite within the suite neighborhood. There are other suites around the ship that would be subject to the same noise issues lower category cabins could have, so you cannot simply buy your way out of the problem.

What's nearby the suite area

Besides the stateroom likely being quieter, there are other benefits of staying in this area.

You'll find the suite lounge down the hall, which is a reserved spot for suite guests to enjoy.

Not only is it a lovely and large room to hang out in, there is complimentary snacks and beverages. In fact, each evening there's a happy hour where you can enjoy cocktails, beer, and wine while in the lounge without an extra cost. There's also beer and wine available from 11am to 11pm on Royal Caribbean's biggest ships.

This alone could be a tremendous value, and staying in a room that's just down the hall makes it quite convenient.

The suite concierge is also in the suite lounge during certain hours, and they're available to answer any concerns or questions you have.  

I find the suite concierge equally pleasant to chat with as they are helpful to solve problems. It's nice to have a friendly face to speak with for a few minutes.  

Next door is Coastal Kitchen, the suites-only included restaurant.

Think of Coastal Kitchen like an upgraded Main Dining Room, and there's no cost to eat there if you're booked in a suite.

Of course, there's the suite sun deck which offers shade and sun. 

What I like about the suite sun deck on the newer Oasis Class ships and Icon Class ships is the blend of sun and shade, along with bar service right there.

There is lots of available seating (chairs, loungers, daybeds, couches), a nice hot tub and it is rarely, if ever, crowded. It's a great spot to get away from the crowd.

If you focus your time between your cabin, suite lounge, and sun deck, you're going to find a lot to keep you busy in a lavish environment.

Expect to pay a few more dollars if you're taking an Alaska cruise next year.

Juneau is the capital of Alaska, and it's also one of the most popular ports on any Alaska cruise itinerary. It's home to Mendenhall Glacier, and a variety of activities synonymous with visiting Alaska.

Last week, the Juneau Assembly voted unanimously to approve a resolution that will increase port fees.

What's interesting about this change is it will not be a flat increase. Instead, the bigger the ship, the higher the fee.

The current dockage fees use the tonnage and length of vessels to calculate how much cruise ships pay. The new rates will be based on the ship’s passenger capacity.  

Estimates are the new fee structure will could almost double the $2.5 million in dockage fees Juneau assessed in 2024.

City officials say the new fee will go into effect for the 2026 cruise season.

It applies only to large cruise ships and will bring in millions of dollars extra of revenue for Juneau.

The vote was done to catch up with the fees assessed to cruise ships at privately operated docks in Southeast Alaska.

The port fee is what is charged to the cruise line for each person brought onboard to that city. The fee is paid, regardless of if someone disembarks the ship or not.

Those port fees are passed along to passengers as a line item under "port fees and taxes" when booking a cruise.

Juneau welcomed 1.68 million cruise ship passengers in 2024, up from 1.31 million in 2019.

What the higher fees will pay for

Juneau already has the money from cruise ships earmarked for new projects.

Juneau's port director said the funds will go into the Docks and Harbors enterprise fund.

He indicated this money has fewer restrictions on how it may be spent by the city because it's not the same sort of fee that the city charges cruise ships. 

"They’re not limited, like the so-called head taxes, the port development fee, or the marine passenger fee —  it can be used for other purposes," Carl Uchytil said.

The city collects marine passenger fees for every cruise ship passenger who arrives in port. Due to an agreement with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the city is required to use this money only on projects directly tied to the visitor industry, placing limits on how the funds can be spent.

Royal Caribbean's future plans for Juneau

Plans are in place for Royal Caribbean to build a new cruise terminal in Juneau, which has sparked some debate given its location and intentions.

In October 2024, Royal Caribbean announced plans to build a new cruise ship dock on Douglas Island. It's a partnership with a local Alaska Native corporation.

The intention is to ease traffic congestion in the downtown area.

The project is called, "The Port of Tomorrow" and it is expected to be completed during the 2027 Alaska cruise season.

The news was a surprise to local officials, who claimed they were not made aware prior to the announcement.

Goldbelt Incorporated owns the land, and according to reports, has begun gating off land so clearing work can commence.

I love a good snack, especially some of the indulgent ones that Royal Caribbean offers for sale.

There's a good mix of included and extra cost food on any cruise ship, and I appreciate the variety offered. You never know what mood you might be in when it comes to snacking.

A lot of snacks are included in your cruise fare, such as cookies, pizza, or chips. But there's a subset of choices that have an extra cost.

Like many people, I scoffed at paying extra for a snack initially.  I thought, "there are so many good snacks, why should I pay extra?". 

And then I tried them.

Here's my list of four snacks I think are worth spending extra for, plus one that I really don't think is worth it at all.

Bubble cones at Izumi

When Royal Caribbean added its first Izumi in the Park location on Icon of the Seas, it came with a new menu that I wasn't expecting.

I assumed it would be just a la carte sushi, but included are bubble cones that are a Japanese take on a traditional waffle cone ice cream.

The bubble cones are sweet, eggy bubble waffles that are crisp on the outside and cakey on the inside.

I could easily just eat the bubble cone itself without ice cream because it's addictive how good they taste.

Of course, you get a mix of ice cream and toppings to go with it. There are five combinations to choose from, but my favorite is Chocolate Thrill.

The result is a really large serving of ice cream that is admittedly a big mess, but so worth it. 

It's like a sundae you can walk with, and since you're in Central Park, it works well for eating as you enjoy the views around you in this neighborhood.

Ice cream is a well-established cruise snack given that there's a soft serve machine around the pool deck included in your cruise fare.  However, the bubble cones are an over-the-top option that goes well beyond a regular cone.

Milkshakes

Speaking of ice cream, it's hard to say no to a good quality milkshake.

There are two places to get a milkshake on Royal Caribbean ships: Johnny Rockets and Desserted.

Johnny Rockets is available on a number of ships and it's your traditional milkshake that most people imagine.

There's usually a few flavors to choose from, and it's the kind of frosty snack that's perfect for a hot tropical day. 

In some cases, the milkshakes at Johnny Rockets are included in a drink package. It seems to be a gray area that depends on the particular manager's interpretation of the rules, but I'd say more often than not it works.

If you're in the mood for a super duper milkshake, Royal Caribbean has you covered with Desserted.

Available on the Icon Class ships, Desserted has basic milkshakes, but they also have the kind that are almost too pretty to eat.  Almost!

There are also milkshakes with alcohol, although I've never tried these.

Shaved ice

When I heard Royal Caribbean added a shaved ice station to Utopia of the Seas, I did that thing a lot of dads do where they say they're going to take the kids to do something that is very much self-serving.

You'll find the shaved ice at the Wipeout Bar on Utopia of the Seas, which is located near the Flowrider.  

Starting at $6 for a small and $9 for a large, guests can choose up to three syrup flavors from a selection of seventeen. Toppings, including fruit and condensed milk, are priced at $0.50 each, and there are also boozy options sold for $14.

When I ordered one, I had to think how many years it's been since I had a shaved ice.  It felt nostalgic having one, and given it was a hot afternoon with the sun shining, really hit the spot.

I think the best thing about them is how refreshing they are without being as heavy as ice cream.  

Mason Jar late night eats

Did you know there's a sort-of-secret menu at the Mason Jar bar?

When the bar is hopping with good music and people dancing and singing, the bar has food service options.

There might be a menu floating around the bar, or you can ask the bartender for it. But the late night eats has a few things you can order in-between drinks.

Depending on your mood, you might go for a chicken sandwich or just some crackers and pimento cheese to snack on.

I wish more Royal Caribbean bars had food to nosh on as you enjoy the drinks or entertainment, but at least the Mason Jar one to order from.

One not worth it: Starbucks pastries

I was going over the various snacks available on a Royal Caribbean ship, and the only snack I truly don't think is worth paying for are the pastries at Starbucks.

Even on land, I think the pastries are just okay. But they cost extra on Royal Caribbean, even if you have a Royal Genie.

Besides the fact I don't think the Starbucks snacks are that impressive, you're also usually a few steps away from Cafe Promenade. 

Most Starbucks kiosks are either on the Royal Promenade or one deck away. There, you'll find plenty of light bites to go with your coffee that are included with your cruise fare.

Royal Caribbean revealed plans for four new beach projects, and they all have a common bond: they're taking inspiration by and improving ideas from one private island.

Perfect Day at CocoCay has been the pride and joy of Royal Caribbean ever since it opened in 2019.  It's been a commercial and critical success, offering more ways for cruise ship passengers to enjoy a beach day while fundamentally changing what a private beach is all about.

The key to success with CocoCay is at the heart of the new projects Royal Caribbean is developing around the world: thrill, beaches, cabanas, and guest satisfaction.

Each of the new enclaves exclusively available to Royal Caribbean passengers has its own feel, but you'll easily draw parallels between all of them back to CocoCay.

What made CocoCay a hit in the first place

When Royal Caribbean decided to overhaul its private island in The Bahamas, they did so with a guest-first design based on feedback.

The cruise line surveyed their customers extensively to determine what they're looking for in a "perfect" beach day. That lead them to come up with ideas that would serve the various wants.

When you look at a map of Perfect Day at CocoCay, you'll see different areas that clearly speak to people who want to relax, engage in activities, get away from it all, have some thrills, and more.

On top of that, Royal Caribbean baked in seamless logistics.  They built a pier so it would be easy to get on and off the ship.  They extended WiFi to the island along with drink package benefits.  CocoCay is meant to be an extension of the ship experience.

Plus, Royal Caribbean placed high attention to detail and upscale options.  They wanted to offer something for everyone, so that it could be perfect.  New expansions offered an upscale day at the Coco Beach Club while Hideaway Beach provided a highly-requested adults-only area.

The incredibly high guest satisfaction scores CocoCay produces was the impetus for taking that approach and spreading it to other destinations.

Bringing over the best ideas from CocoCay

After reading through the plans Royal Caribbean has for its new destinations, it's clear they are not reinventing the wheel.

Perfect Day Mexico is the most obvious place where the best of CocoCay gets brought over and expanded.

You'll find areas for chill, thrill, and family throughout the new destination that will be double the size of CocoCay.

Every single copy is more than a facsimile of what came before it.  Royal Caribbean saw what was working on CocoCay, and then doubled down on it in Mexico.

El Hideaway and Costa Beach Club are both zones that get a much larger footprint to offer more space and amenities than ever before.

Perfect Day Mexico will even have a lazy river, which was the top request of cruisers to be added at CocoCay.  Unfortunately, CocoCay is too small for a lazy river, so that idea will become reality in Mexico.

In looking at the beach clubs, we see the same core DNA of CocoCay here. No matter how you spend your day in these places, Royal Caribbean has placed a strong emphasis on cleanliness, comfort, and crowd flow.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, has three zones: chill, party, and family.  Those three areas are based on Chill Beach, Hideaway, and Harbor Beach from CocoCay.

You'll find a fair amount included with your cruise fare, but also opportunities to upgrade and splurge on extras like a cabana.

Cabanas at CocoCay went from a basic offering to expansive and impressive VIP spots.

These premium upgrades dot every one of the new expansions, and some of the new ideas are going well beyond what CocoCay ever had.

The Ultimate Family Cabana at Paradise Island is going have a major wow factor to it.

It has two levels and includes a slide, dedicated whirlpool, frozen drink machine and more.

For those that want a celebration, try the party wings you can rent at Paradise Island in the party zone. 

In Perfect Day Mexico, there will be a Party Cabana to rent, which can handle up to 20 people. It has its own dedicated bathroom, its own bar, and it'll have its own bartender.

New and better ideas too

While each of these destinations takes inspiration from Perfect Day at CocoCay, there's much more to love that goes beyond it.

There's a level of cultural integration into each project, where cruisers will feel a level of authenticity with their visit.

The goal is infuse local culture through food, art, and music.  The cruise line isn't trying to fool you into thinking you're in some historic area.  Rather, they want you to be able to enjoy the best the host country has to offer as well.

There will be local flavors, colors, art, and architecture — especially at Perfect Day Mexico and Lelepa.

You'll also find new attractions and ideas that are brand new to the cruise line.

In Perfect Day Mexico, there are trajinera rides down the river, a massive sombrero and margarita bars, along with a whole new area of Celebration Cove.

Royal Caribbean will introduce new ideas at Paradise Island with multi-zone arrival points, the world’s largest swim-up bar, and all-inclusive pricing.

There's also a deeper environmental commitment with these projects.

As an example, 50% of the land at Perfect Day Mexico will be preserved to ensure the mangroves are available for future generations to enjoy.

You'll also find zero waste to landfill goals in these new projects that combine with local partnerships in operations and long-term stewardship.

Why this matters to you

If all of this sounds nice, but you're not sure why you should care, the answer is it all funnels back to a core goal: offering cruisers the ultimate beach day.

The new projects open up the Western Caribbean and South Pacific to Royal Caribbean's signature experience that its customers already love.

There are more options to match guest preferences in each port: family-friendly, adults-only, group celebrations.

It also gives returning cruisers new reasons to sail again, especially on western Caribbean itineraries that have long had complaints about being too repetitive.

Royal Caribbean isn’t just expanding, it’s refining what's great about what it offers. These new destinations are an evolution, not a repeat.

When we get to 2027 and all four of these new destinations are operational, there's bound to be a private destination that could easily be the highlight of every sailing.