Royal Caribbean Blog

Another major winter storm is expected to slam the United States over the weekend. The effects, however, are being felt beyond land — with cruise itineraries being disrupted in anticipation of strong winds. 

Passengers sailing on this weekend's Utopia of the Seas voyage were informed that their scheduled visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay was canceled due to the weather forecast and unsafe docking conditions. 

"[W]e unfortunately have to cancel our visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas on Sunday due to strong winds. As a result, and to provide you with the best and safest experience, we'll now enjoy a Sea Day instead," reads a letter given to guests. 

That isn't the only change, either. Rather than departing Nassau at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, Utopia of the Seas will leave the Bahamian capital at 5:00 p.m. 

"We're terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather — your safety is our top priority. Please know, being onboard is the safest place to be, as we can move out of the way of any inclement weather," the letter continues. 

Royal Caribbean is not providing any compensation for the canceled port beyond the standard port fee refund. Those who pre-booked shore excursions through the cruise line will receive an onboard credit, which can be used anywhere on the Oasis Class ship.

Any remaining funds at the end of the sailing will be reimbursed to the card on file in up to 14 business days after disembarkation. 

At the time of writing, Utopia of the Seas is expected to return to Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, as scheduled at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 2. 

Massive bomb cyclone targeting the East Coast

According to the Weather Channel, Winter Storm Gianna is expected to intensify into a bomb cyclone, with snow, strong winds, and coastal flooding impacting the Carolinas, Virginia, and New England. 

Winter storm warnings are in effect for much of the East Coast, ranging from the Southeast all the way up to Cape Cod and Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. 

AccuWeather reported that certain southern cities, including Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro, North Carolina, could be facing their biggest snowstorm in decades. Preliminary estimates also suggest that snowfall totals in Norfolk, Virginia, could top last February’s 11.1 inches.

The arctic blast is pushing south as well, with impacts expected as far as South Florida and the Bahamas. In Port Canaveral, for example, the low on Saturday is forecast around 29°F, and near-freezing temperatures are possible across parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, CBS News confirmed. 

Other ships impacted by the strengthening major nor'easter

(Credit: Scott Sanders, The DCL Blog/X)

Like Utopia of the Seas, Disney Wish will skip its scheduled stop to Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line's private Bahamaian island, this weekend. 

"We have been closely monitoring a weather system that will impact our planned stop at Disney Castaway Cay," a letter given to impacted passengers reads. 

"Given the anticipated strong winds and adverse sea conditions predicted in The Bahamas overnight on Saturday and during the day on Sunday, we will not be able to visit Disney Castaway Cay on Sunday. We will instead spend more time in Nassau, on Saturday night and throughout the morning on Sunday."

(Credit: John Wojtasiak/Facebook)

Even ships already at sea are being forced to adjust. Carnival Sunshine, for example, is returning to Norfolk at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31. The Sunshine Class vessel was originally expected to arrive in Virginia on Sunday. 

Consequently, the ship’s scheduled visit to Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, on Thursday was canceled to allow enough time to sail up the East Coast.

Carnival Sunshine passengers do not have to disembark from the ship upon its arrival in Virginia — they may remain on board until Sunday as originally planned. 

Read more: Carnival ends cruise early to avoid developing Nor'easter

Regardless, everyone will receive a one-day prorated refund of the paid cruise fare to the original form of payment, along with a one-day prorated refund for any pre-purchased drink packages, Wi-Fi plans, and prepaid gratuities. Carnival is also providing passengers with a complimentary Value Wi-Fi plan to handle last-minute travel arrangements. 

Carnival's letter, which was signed by Captain Leonardo Contarino, concludes, "Once again, we are truly sorry that the weather is affecting our plans this week and thank you for your patience and understanding. My team and I remain committed to taking good care of you for the rest of our time together." 

Similarly, Norwegian Breakaway is rushing back to New York and skipping its visit to St. Thomas. The ship is expected to arrive on Feb. 1 at 11:00 p.m., rather than Feb. 3. The extra two nights in New York will be treated as an overnight port of call.

Is it cheaper to use a travel agent and do travel agents get better deals on cruises?

Travel agents are an incredible resource for planning your first cruise, and yet so many new cruisers miss out on their expertise.

I always use a travel agent to book my cruises, and firmly believe only stand to benefit from using a good travel agent.

Unlike air travel, cruises are very personalized.  Picking the right cruise ship, choosing the right stateroom, deciding when to have dinner, navigating travel insurance and more are all personal decisions that someone who has never cruised before needs to figure out.

A good travel agent is there to not just book a cruise, but be your guide and advocate all the way through the vacation itself. 

If you're trying to figure out if you should use a travel agent to book a cruise, here are my top reasons to try one.

The best agents don't charge you any fees for their services

Let's debunk one myth about travel agents, which is they cost you money to use them.

There are some agencies that have service fees, but most do not. This is because Royal Caribbean pays them a commission for bookings they make, so they're paid in that way.

Moreover, it's in their best interest to treat you right because the way they grow their business (and profits) is to have their clients come back and book more sailings.

Any travel agent you use should not charge you fees to book, service, change, or cancel a cruise.  While Royal Caribbean may charge you change fees (they do that to everyone), the agent should not.

Yes, a travel agent could save you money

A lot of people try a travel agent for one reason: they want to get the best price on a cruise.

The listed price of a cruise is the same if you book with Royal Caribbean or a travel agent, but travel agents sometimes have access to special rates.

Known as group rates, sometimes an agency can negotiate a better price than what you see on the cruise line website because they have a bulk rate set up. 

It's not always the case, but my travel agent routinely surprises me with better-than-expected prices because of group prices.

In addition, a travel agent might have extra booking benefits to offer. There can be bonus onboard credit, complimentary specialty dining, or a free soda package included when you book a cruise.

Perks for booking are a nice bonus, but it's not always offered. What perks travel agents get you when booking cruises depends on the arrangement they have at the time with the cruise line.

At worst, you'll pay no more for using a travel agent. But you might just get a better price.

You're going to have a lot of questions that a travel agent can answer

A lot of people book with a travel agent for the first time because they're chasing the lowest price, but their expertise is why you should really use a travel agent.

Cruises are complicated and there are a lot of decisions you need to make at the time of booking:

• Cruise line
• Itinerary
• Ship
• Stateroom
• Refundable or non-refundable deposit
• Prepay gratuities or not
• My Time Dining or Traditional Dining
• Travel insurance
• Pre-cruise transportation

Sure, you can read all about those things on this blog (thank you!), but a travel agent will make it all easier for you.

Think of it like having a lawyer versus not having one.  You can certainly represent yourself in court, but a lawyer is so much easier.  But unlike a lawyer, a good travel agent costs you nothing extra.

One of the most common problems new cruisers run into are situations they had no idea were a mistake.  Booking the wrong stateroom, choosing a ship that doesn't have the amenities they expected, cruising during the wrong time of year, and more are all situations where a travel agent could have warned them about what they should do instead.

The saying, "you don't know what you don't know" applies very much to a cruise. Cruises aren't difficult, but there are a lot of nuances to figure out.

I find a travel agent makes it all so much easier, whether it's your first cruise or not.

Travel agents can step in if there's a problem

Another you didn't know you needed a travel agent reason is if there's some kind of a problem.

Royal Caribbean isn't perfect, and issues can pop up.  Reservations get accidentally cancelled, ships are redeployed, things break on your sailing, and plenty of other unforeseen circumstances can pop-up. In all of these, a travel agent is the one that will "fight" with the cruise line to get you a resolution.

First and foremost, travel agents are the ones that wait on hold for someone to answer the phone and then pursue a problem.

Unlike you, a travel agent knows how to escalate problems to higher-ups when the solution is unsatisfactory. 

The best agents have resources within the cruise line that can "bend" policies from time to time, when the situation messy.

During hurricane season, a travel agent can assist if you vacation is impacted by changing flight plans or excursions.

They're not just there to book a cruise. Rather, they are "in your corner" until you get home.

They can reprice a cruise so much easier than you can

Want to know my favorite perk of using a travel agent? Taking advantage of a price drop.

Royal Caribbean has a not-so-simply means of repricing a cruise before the final payment date, and there is no doubt repricing is easier for travel agents than someone that books directly.

Travel agents have self-service tools to allow them to reprice a cruise, and if there's a problem, they reach out and speak to their reps to get a resolution.

When people that booked directly try to reprice, I have seen far too many situations where one phone rep doesn't know the rules and gives the guest incorrect information.

Not to mention all I have to do is text my travel agent to reprice and that's it.  They do the work and I do nothing else and do not waste my time on the phone.

Reality check: not all travel agents are the same

Just like there are bad Italian restaurants, not every travel agent is the best.

I recommend using a good travel agent, which means you need to find the right one.

I'm certain someone in the comments will say something like "I used a travel agent and it was terrible." But do you swear off all Italian restaurants after one bad meal? No, you find a great restaurant.

The same logic applies to travel agents. You should ask friends and family for recommendations on who to use.

Since you're wondering, I recommend and use MEI Travel to book all of my Royal Caribbean cruises.  

Full disclosure, MEI Travel is a sponsor of this site. But I have used them for many years before they were ever a sponsor, and I refer my parents and siblings to them when they need to book a cruise, because I trust them that much.

MEI Travel are experts in Royal Caribbean cruises and have agents that have seen just about every crazy situation and gets results.  Plus, they go an extra step and will actually proactively check for price drops so I don't have to (although, I still do anyway)! 

Best yet, MEI Travel does not charge any fees for their services.

How to find a travel agent for a cruise

I've found the best way to find a travel agent is to ask for a recommendation from family or friends that one that they love.

No matter which agent you find, I'd ask the cruise travel agent a few questions before you book anything.

• How long have you sold cruises with Royal Caribbean?
• How many cruises have you taken with Royal Caribbean?
• How will we communicate if I have questions or changes (phone, email, text)?
• What can I expect in response times to questions I have?

Establishing expectations and lines of communication are critical with a travel agent. I find establishing what you and the agent can expect initially reduces the chance of problems later.

If you prefer phone calls over emails, you'll want an agent that's available for phone calls. Some are, and some aren't.

There's a travel agent out there for everyone, but you need to find one that meshes well with your style.

Cruising has long been considered one of the most affordable types of vacations. In 2026, however, setting sail comes with a higher price tag than ever before.

From rising operational costs to unprecedented demand (including over 9.4 million vacations in 2025), travelers will notice that booking a Royal Caribbean cruise costs more than it did in years past. 

For example, during Royal Caribbean Group's (RCG) Q4 earnings call on Thursday, January 29, executives remarked that pricing in the Caribbean was higher than in previous years. 

"[W]e're seeing high demand [of travelers] wanting to go to the Caribbean... [So] we're not only seeing good volume, but our pricing is higher in the Caribbean than it was last year," Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group's CEO, reported. 

While the value is still strong compared to land-based vacations, pricey add-ons and dynamic pricing strategies can quickly drive up the total cost of a cruise by hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. 

Here are four key reasons why your cruise will likely cost more in 2026 — and a few ways to save money on your long-awaited getaway. 

Record-breaking demand

It seems as though every few months, Royal Caribbean announces its strongest booking period ever. Most recently, they experienced the strongest seven booking weeks in the company's history since the last earnings call in October 2025. 

"2025 was an outstanding year defined by strong demand for our brands and vacation experiences," Liberty stated. 

This demand has a direct impact on pricing, as travelers are willing to pay more and spend more money on board Royal's ships. In fact, recent research from the cruise line shows that its target audience feels financially secure, with 40% planning to increase their leisure travel spending over the next year.

Liberty continued, "We're getting the volumes that are more than what our capacity increases, and we're benefiting from a lot of the investments that we've made," indicating that demand is also exceeding capacity growth. 

Read more: 5 Royal Caribbean cruises where your dollar will go further right now

Limited 2026 inventory

Demand for cruising has surged well beyond pre-pandemic levels, and it's evident in how quickly and how far in advance ships are selling out. 

Liberty put it plainly: demand is off the charts, with the company already about two-thirds booked for the year.

"[Our] book load factors well within historical ranges at record rates. This sets us up to optimize pricing and yield growth as we continue to build the book of business for the balance of the year," he explained. 

Limited inventory directly correlates to higher fares and fewer too-good-to-be-true last-minute deals and promotions. 

As such, with much of 2026 already booked, travelers who wait to book their vacation risk paying a premium or missing out due to sold-out voyages. 

Read more: Why you should book a 2026 cruise right now

AI-driven pricing tools

While cruise fares have always been priced dynamically to help balance supply and demand, Royal Caribbean has recently leaned heavily into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to max out prices. 

"Our yield management models... are AI-based. They do learn… [and] we have a pretty good handle now on close-in demand, how we market it, [and] how we price it... and our yield management and forecasting is informed by all of that," Liberty remarked during the earnings call. 

This means that the data that's analyzed and collected in real-time is used to increase cruise fares without hurting the overall demand. 

AI is also being used to make vacations easier to discover, plan, and personalize. Improving overall guest satisfaction means that people are typically comfortable paying more for high-end vacations and pricey add-ons. 

"We are improving our ability to curate and personalize what guests see while increasing pre-cruise engagement… The goal is to reduce friction, improve the experience, and present relevant options that add value to the guest," added Liberty. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean's AI push helps explain why cruises cost more

Working to close the value gap with land-based vacations

It's no secret that Royal Caribbean is actively working to make cruising more appealing than traditional land-based destinations. It's been one of their goals for years — and they believe that they are well on their way, noting that cruise vacations are increasingly competitive with tourist spots like Orlando and Las Vegas, Nevada. 

"The cruise value proposition continues to resonate due to quality, amenities, value, and convenience," explained Liberty. 

Included in the base fare are accommodations, entertainment, dining, and transportation to different destinations — an experience that cannot be replicated at Walt Disney World (no, drinking around the world at Epcot doesn't count). 

The success of the line's private destinations, including Perfect Day at CocoCay and the brand-new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, further reinforces the value proposition. 

Within four weeks, for example, the Royal Beach Club has become the number one rated attraction in Nassau, according to Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley. 

These unique land experiences that can only be visited on a Royal Caribbean cruise, combined with the amenities and overall value offered on board, create a vacation that’s hard to beat.

The results speak for themselves, too. "[W]hat we see is we're closing gaps to Orlando. We're closing gaps to Vegas. We're closing gaps to other vacation all-inclusive experiences," Liberty claimed. 

Read more: Why are cruises so popular? 6 reasons cruise demand is bigger now than ever

Strategies to save money on Royal Caribbean cruises

Even with the rising prices, there are ways to make your vacation affordable. For starters, you should book as soon as possible. Securing your cabin in advance helps lock in lower fares since there's more available inventory. 

Additionally, dditionally, being flexible with dates lets you take advantage of lower shoulder-season rates, which can save money compared with peak travel periods. If, for instance, you're eyeing a Caribbean cruise, fares will be higher in July than in February or October.

Finally, there's no denying that balconies are tempting, but they aren't the cheapest stateroom option. To save money on your overall fare, consider booking an inside room. While you may not have access to a private verandah, you will have the same basic cabin amenities, including a television, an ensuite bathroom, storage space, and a Royal King bed that can be converted into two twins. 

Royal Caribbean Group's secret weapon isn’t new ships: it's AI. See the company's fourth quarter earnings for proof.

Backed by strong demand for its brands and vacation experiences, 2025 proved to be an outstanding year for Royal Caribbean.

During Royal Caribbean Group's (RCG) Q4 earnings call on Thursday, January 29, company executives acknowledged that demand for cruising remains strong. 

In fact, RCG experienced the best seven booking weeks in the company's history since the last earnings call in October 2025. Approximately two-thirds of the 2026 inventory has already been booked at higher rates than in the past. 

"We’re not only seeing good volume, but our pricing is higher in the Caribbean than it was last year," said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group CEO. 

However, higher fares are also being driven by the company’s expanding use of artificial intelligence (AI), which has helped RCG optimize pricing in real time and determine if last-minute discounts are necessary. 

Fares are higher than last year, but it's not just demand

Cruise fares have always been priced dynamically. In other words, the cost of an interior cabin on a weeklong cruise aboard Star of the Seas can fluctuate within hours based on how much inventory remains for that specific sailing.

This dynamic pricing system is standard within the cruise industry, as it helps companies balance supply and demand while keeping ships full during off-peak and peak travel periods. Recently, however, Royal Caribbean has leaned heavily into its use of AI to inform how it prices its cruises.

"Our yield management models... are AI-based," Liberty explained. "They do learn… [and] we have a pretty good handle now on close-in demand, how we market it, [and] how we price it... and our yield management and forecasting is informed by all of that." 

By analyzing the data these systems collect in real-time, Royal Caribbean can increase its fares without hurting the overall demand for its products. 

Read more: Analysis of cruise pricing data to find the cheapest time to book

Higher prices are sticking

Royal Caribbean’s cruise fares are rising, but demand remains strong because travelers are willing to pay more and spend more onboard. The cruise line's latest research shows that its consumers feel financially secure and continue to prioritize experiences, with 40% planning to increase their leisure travel spending in the next year. 

Not only that, but demand is exceeding capacity growth. As such, Royal Caribbean can continue raising fares while still keeping ships full, with premium experiences and onboard spending a central part of its long-term revenue strategy.

"[W]e're seeing people who are willing to pay more money than they did last year. They're willing to spend more money on the ships than they did last year," Liberty explained. "We're getting the volumes that are more than what our capacity increases, and we're benefiting from a lot of the investments that we've made."

Other ways Royal Caribbean is using AI across its operations

AI-driven pricing tools are just one way that Royal Caribbean is using artificial intelligence in its day-to-day operations. 

"AI and disruptive technology are becoming a foundational advantage for us. Representing a core capability that improves the guest experience, strengthens our commercial engine, and helps us run the business more intelligently," Liberty said during the Q4 call. 

Beyond pricing, the company is using AI to expand the way guests interact with its entire family of brands, not just a single line within its portfolio, such as Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises.

"[T]echnology and AI that make the experience more seamless and more personal," he added. "This approach expands the way guests can vacation with our family of brands and reinforces our vacation of a lifetime strategy."

For example, they aim to use technology to make vacations easier to discover and plan, improving overall guest satisfaction. Relevance and personalization directly correlate to what people are willing to pay for a premium vacation and pricey add-ons. 

"We are improving our ability to curate and personalize what guests see while increasing pre-cruise engagement… The goal is to reduce friction, improve the experience, and present relevant options that add value to the guest," Liberty said. 

In their eyes, AI isn't meant to replace the work of paid employees, either. Rather, when used correctly, it's a tool that can make their experience better and provide even more value. 

Liberty continued, "We are also using AI to improve efficiency and execution, from supply chain forecasting to energy management and marine operations. These are the types of capabilities that build durable operating leverage over time and reinforce our focus on margin expansion and returns."

Royal Caribbean finally revealed plans it will build a new set of cruise ships, known as the Discovery Class, but don't believe what you've read online.

Our concept for what a Discovery Class ship might look like

The announcement confirms the ship order and when the first two ships will arrive.  Other than that, there's no other confirmed information.

Not only are cruise fans curious what this new type of cruise ship will look like, but so is Wall Street.

During Royal Caribbean Group's fourth quarter earnings call on Thursday, a question was raised about if the Discovery Class would indeed be smaller.

"[The] industry chatter is that it's going to be much smaller than the Icon, Oasis, and a lot of other ships you've done."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley answered the question without sharing anything new about the project, however, he did say there's a lot of "inaccurate" information swirling online about it.

A game changer

Mr. Bayley's response primarily danced around the question, as the company is not prepared to reveal any other details yet.

But he did shoot down the notion that the rumor mill has it all right.

"Many of the assumptions that are currently out there in social media, in terms of size, capacity, etc, probably, it's fair to say inaccurate."

He's likely referencing guesses and statements related to the ship's size, destinations, or homeports.

"Just as Icon was introduced and kind of changed the game, Discovery is going to do exactly the same thing," he explained.

"We are really excited with the innovation, creativity and the kind of product that we've now created with Discovery."

But he said more will come soon, "We have a promotional campaign that'll be ready to go soon, and we'll be very excited to visit multiple cities and start talking about Discovery."

Here's what executives have said about Discovery Class ships so far

Nearly everything the public knows about Discovery Class ships stems from statements made by crew members, ship Captains, and even cruise line executives.

Michael Bayley spoke at two different events in 2025 in which is seemingly confirmed a few details about the Discovery Class.  That is, assuming what he said at the time is still part of the plan going forward.

At a trade event on in June 2025, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Support & Service was standing next to Mr. Bayley when she confirmed Discovery will be smaller than Icon Class ships.

"The Discovery Class will be a smaller ship than Icon. That much we can tell you."

Mr. Bayley was far more forthcoming in September 2025 on the President's Cruise when he mentioned two key facts about the ship.

First, they hope it will sail to different places. "We want the ship[s] to be able to really focus on...the more exotic itineraries," Bayley said. 

"[Discovery ships] would...come in and start replacing the older hardware that currently operates in many of those itineraries," Bayley added.

Second, he said it would be small enough to fit in the Panama Canal.

"It'll go through the Panama Canal, which we think will be a real positive because it'll be able to go to Alaska in the summer, and it can get back into the Caribbean," Bayley said.

There have been many more rumors and comments shared by ship Captains and other crew members during Q&A events held onboard.

First ship coming in 2029

Royal Caribbean Group placed an order for two new Discovery Class ships, with the option for more in the future.

The first will debut in 2029, followed by a second in 2032. The ships will be built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France.

Nothing else substantive was shared as part of the announcement, such as ship size, dimensions, or any other details.

"We are really looking forward to sharing more details about Discovery, but we're not planning on saying much about it today or in the next couple of months," Mr. Bayley said during the earnings call.

It's official: Royal Caribbean will build a new class of cruise ship called the Discovery Class.

Rumors of this class have swirled for years, but Royal Caribbean Group confirmed it will indeed build them in a statement today.

While the plans are now official, details on what we can expect are still quite few and far between.

Nonetheless, it's the first step in moving forward with new cruise ship plans that cruise fans have anticipated for many years.

Here's what we know so far.

First ship coming in 2029

Two Discovery Class ships will be built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France, with the first debuting in 2029 and the second in 2032.

Additionally, there are options for four additional ships. 

Options means the ship orders aren't confirmed, but the shipyard will hold spots "in line" for Royal Caribbean so if they later decide to build them, the ships can be constructed without delay.

Unfortunately, that's all the details about these ships that were announced.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty celebrated the announcement in a press release statement, "The Discovery Class represents our continued commitment to shaping the future of vacations. These ships will be a showcase of what's possible when design meets purpose, ultimately bringing the world closer to our guests

"Through our partnership with Chantiers de l'Atlantique, we are leveraging France's world‑class shipbuilding ecosystem and new technology to, once again, reimagine the industry for decades to come."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley described the Discovery Class ships as being a "bold new concept," The Discovery Class introduces a bold new concept that puts our guests at the center of it all. It will deliver extraordinary, one-of-a-kind experiences — from cutting edge design to immersive moments — every detail crafted to surprise and delight guests in ways they've never imagined, all while visiting truly breathtaking destinations around the world."

Later in the Royal Caribbean Group's 2025 earnings, Mr. Liberty alluded to the idea these Discovery Class ships would be for far flung destionations.

"With Discovery Class, we're building a new platform with Chantiers de l'Atlantique that will advance next-generation innovation and sustainability while taking our guests to extraordinary destinations around the world."

A 'smaller' cruise ship?

Breadcrumbs of information have leaked out from Royal Caribbean for years about what this new kind of ship would be, and it's always been referred to as being smaller than the Icon or Oasis Class ships.

Cruise ship captains and even Mr. Bayley himself have alluded to the Discovery Class at various times, but never confirmed what we can expect.

"We've been working a lot on the Discovery Class...it takes a lot of work to design a ship," he said during the 2025 President's Cruise.

He also indicated the name of this class is no coincidence. They want these ships to discover new and interesting ports of call. 

"We want the ship[s] to be able to really focus on...the more exotic itineraries," Bayley explained.

While we don't yet have any official size of the ship, Mr. Bayley did say it would be small enough to fit through the Panama Canal.

"It'll go through the Panama Canal, which we think will be a real positive because it'll be able to go to Alaska in the summer, and it can get back into the Caribbean," Bayley said.

To date, the largest vessel to sail through the Panama Canal was Norwegian Bliss. 

Based on that, it's likely that Discovery Class ships won't be larger than 168,000 gross registered tons (GRT) and 1,094 feet long. 

Another ship class to come?

Today's confirmation that Discovery Class ships will be built in France means there's potentially a second ship class also under development.

In September, Royal Caribbean confirmed the order of the fifth Icon Class ship with Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. However, the announcement also alluded to the possibility of another ship class. 

"This multi-year agreement strengthens Royal Caribbean Group's relationship with Meyer Turku, one of the world's largest and most modern shipyards specializing in cruise ships, and readies Royal Caribbean Group for a new, game-changing class of ship beyond Icon," the press release said. 

At the time, we assumed that "game-changing class of ship" was Discovery, but since that's being built in France, clearly there are plans for something else.

Nothing has been confirmed or announced beyond that statement that came out in September, but it appears Royal Caribbean Group is positioning itself to launch the next generation of Royal Caribbean ships in the 2030s.

A pipeline of new ships coming

With today's announcement, Royal Caribbean is poised for a major growth spurt that we haven't seen in quite some time.

Confirmed ship orders now look like this:

• 2026: Legend of the Seas
• 2027: Icon 4
• 2028: Icon 5
• 2028: Oasis 7
• 2029: Discovery 1
• 2032: Discovery 2

Options exist for Icon 6, Icon 7, Discovery 3, Discovery 4, Discovery 5, and Discovery 6.

As Royal Caribbean prepares its initial phase of development for a new private beach experience, a legal drama is playing out in Mexican court.

An environmental group has challenged the process in which the environmental needs of Perfect Day Mexico were approved. What this means is it's a challenge to the municipality and not Royal Caribbean's plans directly.

In short, this is a glimpse into the Mexican legal system.

According to a Mexican news outlet, the project’s potential environmental impacts are currently under review at the request of Defending the Right to a Healthy Environment (DMAS), which argued that there are irregularities in the approval of the land-use changes granted to Royal Caribbean International. 

While the civil organization isn't against the proposed water park plan, it is "...in favor of respecting the law, urban planning, and the community’s right to a healthy environment."

This isn't the first time that activists have raised concerns about the large-scale project. Locals have warned that the village of Mahahual has serious drainage and sewage management problems, which could potentially be worsened by the proposed water park. 

Environmental activists have also wondered about whether the Perfect Day Mexico water park could damage the nearby mangroves. 

As such, a federal judge issued a provisional suspension of work while the case is reviewed pending a formal hearing in the coming days. 

Royal Caribbean issued a statement on the news, "We are aware of the matter; however, we do not provide public commentary on pending litigation. We are committed to continued transparency, regulatory compliance, and the highest environmental standards in the development of Perfect Day Mexico and we deeply value our partnership with the people and government of Mexico.”

Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer, was questioned about the project by El Financiero last year.

"We are not going to touch anything at all in the mangrove conservation area," Schneider promised, adding that the mangroves are already dying due to pollution from the municipal water treatment plant. 

He then emphasized the cruise line's plan to restore the mangroves' health by building a new water treatment plant for the Mexican community.

Read more: When is Perfect Day Mexico going to open? Here are the latest details

Perfect Day at Mexico is a massive tourist project

Building on the success of Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, Perfect Day Mexico is expected to span over 200 acres and feature a large water park, pools, beaches, an upscale beach club, dining venues, and more. 

Once complete, the world-class destination is estimated to attract up to 6 million tourists per year, transforming Costa Maya into a major stronghold for Royal Caribbean in the Western Caribbean.

According to the cruise line's plans, the proposed Loco Water Park will feature 30 adrenaline-pumping waterslides across five slide towers, including the tallest in North and South America. 

The 170-foot-tall Jaguar’s Peak will have two dueling slides. As the longest coaster waterslides in the world, riders can expect more than two minutes of twists, turns, and drops. 

Other highlights include the world’s longest lazy river, the tallest family raft slide that's designed for four to six riders, more than two miles of white-sand beaches, and a 50,000 square foot adult-only party pool. 

Royal Caribbean hasn't revealed an opening date yet for its Perfect Day Mexico project. However, they've mentioned that it will likely open in late 2027. 

This, of course, is dependent on the cruise line obtaining the necessary permits, paperwork, and approvals, as well as avoiding the possibility of a definitive suspension by the Mexican government. 

There's no denying that cruising today is vastly different than in the 1980s. Back then, cruises were more formal affairs, with strict dress codes, lengthy meals, and fewer onboard thrills.

Cruise ships were significantly smaller than the mega-ships that Royal Caribbean builds today. With fewer guests, it was easier for the cruise line to maintain consistency and closely oversee quality control. 

As ships have grown larger, the focus has shifted from luxury to prioritizing attractions, higher passenger capacities, and mass-market appeal. 

One of the biggest differences is the main dining experience. In the past, the dinner service was a cornerstone of the entire cruise. 

While many guests still enjoy eating in the dining room, it no longer carries the same importance it once did. Flexible dining times, specialty restaurants, and a solid lineup of casual venues have changed how passengers dine. 

Here's a look at how cruise ship dining was different in the 1980s — and why so many guests miss the tradition and formality of the dinner service. 

More traditional menus

(Credit: Adams Nicholas/Facebook)

In the 1980s, the menus lacked modern variety. 

Today, you'll find classic favorites like French onion soup and Caesar salads, alongside plant-based dishes and a wide variety of other options designed to cater to dietary restrictions. Back then, however, menus were smaller, and the choices were limited. 

Adams Nicholas shared images of old Royal Caribbean menus from the Song of America ship on Facebook. "The new themed menus sure don’t measure up to the old ones!" he wrote. 

(Credit: Adams Nicholas/Facebook)

Song of America entered service for Royal Caribbean in 1982 as the third-largest passenger vessel at sea. She operated for the cruise line for over 15 years until she was sold to Sun Cruises in 1998. 

Similar to Royal Caribbean's current menus, the nightly menus aboard Song of America had different themes, including French, Spanish, Italian, Caribbean, and the famous Captain's Gala. 

However, the dishes were far more refined than what's available today. For example, on French night, the entrées included saumon a l'oseille, coquille St. Jacques, baron d'agneau roti, coq au vin, and contrefilet de boeuf roti preigueux.

(Credit: Adams Nicholas/Facebook)

Similarly, appetizers on Captain's Gala night ranged from pear nectar to Baltic caviar, melon with prosciutto, pineapple juice, quiche florentine, and egg skobeloff with smoked salmon. 

Even the desserts were thoughtfully curated to reflect a higher level of sophistication, with options ranging from cherries jubilee to rum raisin ice cream, swan chantilly, and pear conde. 

Dinner was a much more formal affair

(Credit: Adams Nicholas/Facebook)

Back then, dinners in the Main Dining Room were more formal than today. As such, guests abided by strict dress codes, whereas today, it's common to find passengers dressed in casual t-shirts, shorts, and sandals. 

Additionally, dinners were elaborate seven-course affairs that began with appetizers and soups. This created a leisurely dining experience unlike today, where many guests prefer to rush through dinner to enjoy the evening's entertainment lineup. 

In fact, part of the reason that Royal Caribbean launched its new menus in 2023 was to expedite the service. Before the change, guests typically spent anywhere from 90 to 120 minutes in the dining room. The standard with the new menus is serving passengers a 3-course meal in around 75 minutes or less. 

Read more: Photos show what it was like to cruise on Royal Caribbean in the 1980s

No specialty restaurants

Older, smaller ships had fewer amenities. There weren't any water slides, rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, or mini-golf courses on board. Additionally, older Royal Caribbean ships lacked specialty restaurants.

While the specialty dining experience has become a major selling point on modern cruise ships, with options ranging from sushi to premium cuts of beef and freshly-made pasta, it did not exist in the 1980s. 

As such, expectations for the Main Dining Room were higher since it was the primary restaurant on the ships. It was common for all guests to look forward to the elegantly plated meals, highly attentive service, and world-class cuisine. 

Read more: What to expect in Royal Caribbean's Main Dining Room

Flexible dining wasn't an option

Finally, My Time Dining wasn't an option in the 1980s. All passengers had an assigned dining time — guests did not have the option to enjoy the dining room on their own time. 

Like today's traditional dining, passengers were expected to dine at the same time each evening. They were also seated at the same table with the same travelers and waitstaff. 

As such, dinners in the Main Dining Room were more formal and structured. Throughout the sailing, waiters learned everyone's preferences, which added a personalized touch to the mealtime experience. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean My Time Dining versus Traditional Dining

Want to know the best Royal Caribbean cruise advice or hack that I swear by?

I know you want to find the best tricks for saving money, avoiding mistakes, and getting ahead of everyone else on your ship!

With that in mind, I came up with the list of the best tips that a first-time cruiser or someone that's been on a few sailings looking for advice can use!

From avoiding common mistakes to maximizing what's included in your cruise, I've come up with a list of the best Royal Caribbean tips and tricks anyone can use! So far, I have 60 ways to make your cruise so much better

It's a list of the things to do based on my over 100 cruises, as well as our Royal Caribbean Message Board users. (If you're not a member yet, we highly encourage you to join.)

Book your cruise as early as you can to save money

There is no question that if you want to get the lowest price on a cruise, book it as early as you can.

It's been my experience that the best price for a Royal Caribbean cruise is when it's booked many months in advance.

Royal Caribbean sells its cruises largely based on the concept of supply and demand. When a sailing is first offered, supply is at its highest because no one has purchase a cruise ship cabin yet. As time progress, more and more staterooms are reserved and stateroom inventory drops, so the price increases conversely.

The earlier you can book, the best chance you will have at getting a good price on your cruise.

When I say "early", I mean booking as much as two years before the cruise begins.  While that may be too far in advance for some to plan a vacation, the earlier you can book the cruise, the better for that bottom line price.

Save money by pre-booking packages

To save time and money, you really should pre-book beverage packages, dining packages, internet packages and more.

Royal Caribbean offers a pre-cruise discount on select  purchases compared to the price onboard. And the truth is it will save you money.

When you purchase anything before your cruise via the Cruise Planner site or Royal Caribbean app, you will be required to pay for it at the time of purchase.  This provides the ability to break up the total cost of the cruise.

When you make purchases onboard your cruise, at the end of the cruise you get a final bill with all of the charges tallied up. By pre-purchasing certain items, you can pay off parts of the cruise months or years in advance, allowing you to reduce the cruise bill at the conclusion of your cruise.

Taking the time to purchase anything onboard does not take very much time, but every little bit helps, and some purchases on the first day of the cruise can require waiting in a line, such as drink packages.

Use a good travel agent to book

I think everyone should use a good travel agent to book their cruise, because it will save them time, money, or both.

There are so many considerations that go into a Royal Caribbean cruise, from your cruise fare (and the slew of discounts available), to dining, shore excursions, air travel and more. Using a travel agent simplifies this entire process.

The best reason to use an agent is to save you time, because they are the ones sitting on hold when calling Royal Caribbean.  Tasks such as repricing, making special requests, dealing with weather events and more are why I use a travel agent every single I book a cruise.

Keep in mind that travel agents are paid by Royal Caribbean, so there is no additional cost to you to use their services. Talk to a few agents and feel them out for their knowledge of the product and when you find one that you are comfortable with, leverage their knowledge and expertise and book with them.

Bring a bathing suit on embarkation day

On embarkation day, the pools are open so be sure to pack a bathing suit in your carry-on luggage so that you can enjoy them with less crowds!

Most guests pack their bathing suits in the checked luggage, which means they will not have access to it until later that day. The result is far fewer guests in the pools, hot tubs and water slides than at any other time on your cruise.

You can change in a public restroom, and towels are available at the pool area to use.

Bring magnets for your cabin

One of the best cruise ship cabin hacks is to bring magnets with you on your cruise.

Your stateroom walls are made of metal, and that means you can stick a magnet on any of them (even the ceiling). If you buy heavy duty magnets with hooks, you can use these magnets to store certain items.

Things like hats, coverups, important paperwork and more would be ideal. This frees up storage space in your closets and drawers for other things.

Download Royal Caribbean's app before the cruise

Royal Caribbean's app is a must-have for your cruise, so make sure to download it before your cruise.

Downloading the app before you get on your ship means you'll be able to easily and quickly download it and set it up before you step aboard.

Why is it important to have the app?

In short, the app is tied to so much of the cruise experience now. You can use it to check-into your cruise (more on that in the next tip), book entertainment, shore excursions and packages.

Plus, the Royal Caribbean app will have all of the activities for the day listed so that you can easily reference it during your sailing.

Don't worry, you don't need to buy an internet package to use the Royal Caribbean app. Once you get onboard and connect to the ship's wifi, it will ask you if you want to just use the app.

Check into your cruise as soon as you can 

You'll need a check-in time for embarkation day, so it's best to get your online check-in done as soon as it becomes available.

By completing online check-in early, you will have the best choice of check-in times. And the earlier check-in time you have, the sooner you get to get onboard the ship and start vacation.

The price you pay for the cruise is the same whether you board at noon or 2pm, so you may as well get the extra two hours of fun!

The best spot for sailaway is the helipad

On Voyager, Freedom or Radiance Class ships, be sure to visit the helipad for my favorite sailaway spot.

The helipad on is located on the bow (front) of the ship and during sailaway, Royal Caribbean permits guests access to the helipad. This is a great spot to see the port as you leave, especially for those that do not have a balcony stateroom or simply want something a little different.

Fly to your cruise port at least one day early

If you are flying to your cruise port, be sure to fly in at least one day before the cruise is scheduled to depart to protect against a travel delay.

By planning to arrive to your departure port at least one day early, you assure yourself that a travel delay will not impact your ability to get on your cruise. Having an extra day or two provides a buffer to account for travel delays.  

As an added bonus, by arriving to your embarkation port at least a day early, that means you get to start your vacation sooner!  And in many cases, the port you are departing from has its own cultural and historical attractions that you can explore.

Don't buy kids a dining package

Kids get special pricing at a specialty restaurant, so buy dining packages only for the adults.

Children between the ages of 0-5 are complimentary and ages 6-12 are $10 per child at any specialty restaurant.

When you make a reservation for a restaurant onboard, let your server know the adults have dining packages, but kids don't and you will get a better price than if you bought the dining package for everyone.

Best times for deals at the spa

If you want to find the best prices for the spa on your cruise, consider booking things on port days, or early in the morning or late at night for the best prices.

The common thread among these times is it is when others are unable or unwilling to go to the spa, so prices tend to be better.

Free breakfast at Johnny Rockets on Oasis Class ships

Did you know that Johnny Rockets is complimentary for breakfast on Oasis Class ships?  

All Oasis Class ships offer this option, but many guests are unaware that breakfast is served here, nor that it is included with your cruise fare (Johnny Rockets has a cover charge for lunch and dinner).

Johnny Rockets tends to be not very crowded for breakfast, because many guests are unaware of this option, and it also has a large seating capacity (indoor and outdoor seating options).

Avoid embarkation day lunch lines in the buffet

The Windjammer is the go-to spot for most when they get onboard their Royal Caribbean ship for lunch, but there are good alternatives that are less crowded.

These locations include:

• Aquadome Market
• Park Cafe
• Cafe @ Two70
• Cafe Promenade
• Sorrentos

Look for the cooking stations in the Windjammer

Freshly cooked food is always the best, and there are cooking stations available in the Windjammer that serve up some really tasty options.

In the morning, there is an omelet station available. For lunch and dinner, you can find a rotating set of options that include pasta, stir-fry, crepes and more.

Check with the Windjammer wait staff for a schedule of options. 

You can bring water or soda on embarkation day...

Royal Caribbean allows guests to bring up to 12 bottles/cans of non-alcoholic beverages per stateroom with them on embarkation day.

You can bring soda, water, energy drinks and any other non-alcoholic beverages.

Be sure to pack these items in your carry-on luggage, and not your checked luggage.

...and wine too!

In addition to the non-alcoholic beverages, you can also bring up to two bottles of wine per stateroom.

Each adult may bring one (1) 750 mL bottle, per adult of drinking age, per sailing.

Corkscrews will be provided for guests to enjoy their drinks in their stateroom. If guests wish to enjoy their wine or champagne in a dining or bar venue, there will be a corkage fee applied.

Cruise off-season to really save money

If your schedule allows, the best time to cruise when prices are the lowest are in the off-season and shoulder seasons.

These are the times of year when demand is less for cruises to certain regions. People often wonder what is the cheapest month to go on a cruise, and the key is cruise when others cannot.

Most people go on vacation based around their school or work schedules. If you can cruise during these times, there are some truly low prices to enjoy.

Read a past Cruise Compass

Want to get an idea of what entertainment, activities and things to do (along with times) will be offered on your cruise? Read a past Cruise Compass!

Royal Caribbean does not post or publish Cruise Compasses for upcoming sailings in advance. Nor do they publish their entertainment schedules prior to a cruise. So the best way to learn about what is offered on your cruise is to check out a past Cruise Compass.

There is no way to know in absolute terms what your upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise will or will not offer, but Royal Caribbean insiders will consult past Cruise Compass' to see what was available on those similar sailings to get an idea of what to expect.

Use the porters to help with your luggage

Whether the first day or the last day of your cruise, be sure to grab a porter to make things easier on yourself.

Porters are available to assist with your luggage. Their services are complimentary, although a tip is expected for their trouble.

Commonly it is expected to tip somewhere around $1-$2 per bag. For just a few dollars, you can make the embarkation and disembarkation process significantly easier.

Not only can a porter help take a load off of you, they can greatly assist with disembarkation and getting you through the terminal faster. In many ports, porters have a special line for Customs that allows you to get through it all faster.

Book entertainment before your cruise

If you are sailing on an Oasis or Quantum Class ship, you can pre-book shows in advance, such as the Broadway musicals or ice shows.

Royal Caribbean does not charge for its shows, nor does it charge for advanced reservations. Take advantage of the opportunity to get tickets and not be stuck in a line waiting to enter the theater or worse, miss out on the show completely.

Just like dining, you can reserve shows in advance by going to Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site. Once logged in, navigate to Onboard Activities and select the show you wish to reserve.

On all ships, check for entertainment reservations once onboard the ship via the Royal Caribbean app.

Research shore excursions before the cruise

The tours and excursions available to book in the ports your cruise will visit are many, so take advantage of the resources online to find the perfect tour before your cruise begins.

While you can book shore excursions onboard your ship, the lines at the shore excursion desk can often be quite long and doing your research from home gives you plenty of time to compare different options and learn what each port offers.

You can view all the shore excursions available by logging into Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner and browsing the shore excursions by port. Each excursion will list the price, details of the activity and any physical or age restrictions.

Royal Caribbean offers a lot of shore excursions in every port and on top of that, you can also consider shore excursions through third party groups to further expand your options.

Keep in mind the differences between Royal Caribbean's shore excursions and third party shore excursions. Here are some basic considerations:

• Royal Caribbean shore excursions guarantee your return to the ship, even if the excursion is delayed.
• Third party shore excursions can offer more personalized tours at a lower price.
• Royal Caribbean shore excursions are fully refundable if your ship cannot dock at a scheduled port.
• Guests can use onboard credit towards purchasing Royal Caribbean's shore excursions if they book onboard.

The Main Dining Room is open for lunch on sea days

Naturally everyone thinks of the main dining room for dinner, but did you know it is often open for lunch (and breakfast) too?

On sea days, the main dining room is open for lunch and it serves up a different menu of options than what is offered during dinner.

No reservations needed, just walk on in and be seated.

Make My Time Dining reservations to avoid long waits

If you are in My Time Dining for dinner, your best strategy is to make reservations either before the cruise, or during the cruise.

By having a reservation, you will be seated faster. The larger the group, the more important having a reservation is to limiting the wait times.

Peak dinner time is between 6:30pm and 8:00pm, so if you plan to dine during these times, reservations are so important.

Look for the outdoor seating areas

If you are on a Radiance or Quantum Class ship, be sure to enjoy your meals outside while at the Windjammer.

The Windjammer on Radiance and Quantum class ships offers an area at the rear of the ship to enjoy any meal with a fantastic view of the ship's wake.  

Oasis Class ships offer outside dining is also available on Central Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods.

Try the signature activities on embarkation day

If you want to try FlowRider, rock climbing wall or zipline, take advantage of lower waits on the first day of the cruise.

Because so many guests are just getting onboard and acclimated to the new ship, many guests are unaware of where the headline attractions are or that they are open on embarkation day.

By going on embarkation day, not only will you likely have a short wait but you may be able to re-ride a number of times!

Stock shareholder benefit

Did you know Royal Caribbean offers extra onboard credit if you own at least a certain amount of Royal Caribbean Group stock?

While buying stock in any company should be based on solid financial planning, if you happen to own at least 100 shares of Royal Caribbean Group stock, you can qualify for bonus credit to spend on your cruise.

Depending on the length of your sailing, you can get up to $250 onboard credit.

• $250 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 14 or more nights
• $100 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 6 to 13 nights
• $50 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 5 nights or less

To redeem this benefit, you just need to email [email protected] with your name, address, confirmation number, ship and sailing date along with a copy of your shareholder proxy card or a current brokerage statement showing proof of share ownership.

Buy travel insurance

Do you really need to by travel insurance? My answer is a resounding, "yes!".

Having travel insurance covers you in case the unexpected should occur while you're on vacaiton.

While you may want to save the added expense, regular medical insurance will not usually cover medical services onboard or in port. It’s recommended to have travel insurance.

Additionally, a cruise vacation, like any other type of travel, poses a risk for trip interruption, delays, and other unexpected issues. From a bag getting lost in transit to flight cancellations, it’s always better to be protected than to not have insurance when you need it most.

Find a roll call for your sailing and meet other cruisers

One of the best ways to stay informed with what's happening on your sailing is to join a roll call for your sailing.

These are forums for discussing your exact sailing with other people booked on it too. 

The benefit of doing this is you get to "meet" other people on your sailing, which may result in new friendships, or saving money on a shore excursion or other activity that has a group discount.

In addition, these roll calls are helpful because someone might spot a change or announcement before you, which can greatly benefit you by getting ahead of the pack.

We have an entire forum dedicated to Royal Caribbean roll calls on our message boards that is totally free to use!

Avoid overpacking

Easier said than done, but you probably won't need all the clothes, shoes, and outfits you think you might need on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Dress codes look imposing, and you might feel like you need to have more outfit changes in a single day than most celebrities at an awards ceremony, but the reality is it's not nearly that stringent.

Not only are the dress codes quite liberal, you can also re-use the same clothes on the same sailing. Your fellow guests won't notice you wore that pair of jeans or dress from night two.

In addition, Royal Caribbean has onboard laundry services you can use to make wearing the same clothes later in the cruise more practical. Laundry costs extra, but it may save you money compared to paying to check an extra bag at the airport.

Don't assume all Royal Caribbean ships are the same

One mistake first-time cruisers make is to book the cheapest cruise they can find because they assume the ships are more less all the same.

While Royal Caribbean maintains a core experience across all ships, each vessel has its own list of amenities and activities, and even ships within the same Royal Caribbean ship class can vary.

What you want to do is look at what the ship you're considering has to do onboard, and ensure it has the most important options that you want to experience.

An an example, if you have kids and water slides are a must-do, then skip the Vision Class ships. If you want a ship with a Broadway show, book Oasis or Harmony of the Seas, but skip Wonder of the Seas.

The key is to understand what the ship you're booking has and doesn't have so there's no disappointment later.

Your drink package works at CocoCay and Labadee

If you're on the fence about buying a Royal Caribbean drink package, keep in mind you can use them at Royal Caribbean's private islands.

In addition to being able to use your drink package benefits nearly anywhere onboard your ship, Royal Caribbean also extends the benefit to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas and Labadee in Haiti.

This means you can get extra value from your drink package purchase while anywhere in these private destinations.

In addition to the drink package, a WiFi package also works while at CocoCay. Unfortunately, there's no wifi coverage in Labadee.

Take advantage of all your loyalty benefits

There's an impressive amount of discounts and benefits included in Royal Caribbean's loyalty program that you should absolutely know about in advance.

The exact benefits you get depend on which tier of Crown and Anchor Society you belong to. You start getting benefits after just one cruise, and you never lose your status.

There are discounts, vouchers, and even freebies anyone can take advantage of once onboard.

Be sure to look up all your benefits, and ensure you use the most lucrative Crown and Anchor Society perks during your sailing so you can reap the best rewards!

Eat at specialty restaurants for lunch to save money

Some specialty restaurants will cost less if you eat there for lunch.

Regardless of which day you choose, some specialty restaurants offer a lunch discount compared to dinner.

The menu can vary from lunch to dinner, but the experience is still the same. Any money saved is always welcome!

Two restaurants that always offer a cheaper lunch price than dinner are Chops Grille and Giovanni's Italian Kitchen. In most cases, you should be able to save at least $10 per person compared to dinner (if not more).

Sign up your kids for Adventure Ocean on the first day

Save time on your cruise by getting your kids signed up for Royal Caribbean's complimentary kids programming on the first day of the cruise.

Adventure Ocean will be open on the first evening of your cruise, but they have an open house on embarkation day in the afternoon too.

The open house is when you can go to meet the staff, register your kids, and ask any questions.

This is not only a great opportunity for your kids to become familiar with the kids club, but also save time later so all you have to do when the club opens up is drop them off and be done. Too many parents are unaware of the open house and waste time signing their kids up as the evening session is set to begin.

You can shower in the gym

If your stateroom shower is occupied by a family member, you could go to the gym and shower there instead.

Royal Caribbean's fitness center has separate showers for men and women that is complimentary to use. In fact, most people don't use these showers, so there's a good chance they are unoccupied when you would need it, especially in the evening.

Put your phone into airplane mode

Avoid a huge cell phone bill by putting your phone into airplane mode while on your cruise.

A really common mistake is for passengers to leave their phone on like normal, and come home to a monster bill because of hefty roaming charges. Even if you have an international cell phone plan, cruise ship cellular coverage is rarely included.

In order to avoid having your phone try to use its cellular connection, all modern phones have an ability to turn off its cellular signal by enabling something called, "airplane mode."

By enabling airplane mode, your phone is incapable of using its cellular antenna. It can, however, still use its WiFi and Bluetooth connections to stay connected, if you so choose.

Just turn airplane mode once you get onboard the ship.

This means you can still be on Royal Caribbean's WiFi and use the app, but avoid a huge bill.

Don't book a cabin under or above public areas

Want to know one of the best tips for avoiding the worst cruise ship cabins? Don't book a cabin one deck above or below a public space, such as a pool, dining room, or bar.

Before you book a room, look at the ship's deck plans and look what is above and below your stateroom. Ideally, you want other staterooms on either deck and not public venues like pools, restaurants or other public venues.

Don't over tip

Tipping hard working crew members is a must-do, but double check the bill that it's not already included.

When you purchase a drink at a bar, a service at the spa, or almost anything else onboard, there's likely an automatic gratuity included with your bill.

When you get the receipt to sign, look for the line item that indicates if an automatic 18% gratuity is already included. If it is, you should feel confident that the proper gratuity is being given to that crew member.

You can re-book on your cruise for extra onboard credit

The NextCruise office offers incentives to book another cruise while you're still onboard.

The price of the cruise is the same whether you book at home or onboard. The difference is booking onboard will get you extra onboard credit and reduced deposit.  

You can actually get hundreds of dollars of onboard credit by simply booking onboard, but the exact amount depends on how long a sailing you book and in which stateroom category.

Moreover, the onboard credit is stackable with other discounts Royal Caribbean is offering at the time!

If you're reading this at home, you're still better off booking a cruise now, rather than waiting to book onboard your ship. The reason is Royal Caribbean cruise fares are very erratic, and can change at a moment's notice.

If you wait weeks or months to book a cruise onboard, the price of the cruise may increase and negate any savings you'd receive from the extra onboard credit.

Ideally, you'll book a cruise at NextCruise while on a sailing when struck with the inspiration to book another cruise. But if you're at home, it's still a good idea to book as early as you can to lock in the lowest price.

Don't pack a power strip

Royal Caribbean doesn't allow power strips or surge protectors to be brought on its cruise ships, and they will confiscate it if they find them.

Instead, bring a USB hub. These devices that plug into an outlet and allow you to charge multiple devices at once are permissible and useful too!

Pack socks so you can go ice skating!

Did you know you can ice skate on some Royal Caribbean cruise ships?

On ships that have an ice skating rink, open skate sessions are offered for free, but you will need to wear socks and pants in order to participate. Skates are provided for free by Royal Caribbean.

There are ice skating rinks on Voyager, Freedom, Oasis, and Icon Class ships.

Bring your own hand sanitizer

You can never be too careful on a cruise ship when it comes to personal hygiene, so it's a good idea to pack hand sanitizer.

Similarly, sanitizing wipes are something else to bring that you can use to wipe down surfaces in your stateroom.

Royal Caribbean does a great job of keeping its ships clean, but shared surfaces always have an inherit risk.

Save money and wait to buy an internet package later in your cruise

If you can wait to use the internet until later in your cruise, you could save a lot of money.

While pre-purchasing a WiFi package is the best strategy for the lowest price if you need internet acces all cruise long, if you can go a few days and buy it, you could net big savings.

Royal Caribbean allows you to buy a WiFi package at any point in the cruise, and you're only charged for the remaining days of the sailing.

If you can wait to buy your WiFi package until day three or later, you will save a lot of money!

Look for a parade on the promenade

Royal Caribbean offers a fun family parade on its bigger ships, so be sure to take the kids.

Try to get a spot at least 30 minutes before the parade is scheduled to begin to get the best seats along the Royal Promenade.

Find the Small Wonders

Hidden all over Oasis and Allure of the Seas is a series of art displays known as "Small Wonders", where you will find 42 natural wonders positioned all over the ship.

When you find one, there will be something that looks like a periscope or telescope that if you peer into, you will find these tiny three dimensional pieces of art.

Hint: if you give up and cannot find them all, Guest Services can provide you with a list of them all to help!

Try onboard activities on a sea day

There's far fewer of your fellow passengers on a ship during a port day, so this is the perfect time to try the popular onboard activities.

Water slides, the Flowrider, zip lining, and bumper cars are all much easier to do with shorter waits if you go while your ship is in port.

Go to the spa raffle draw

Sign up for the Vitality Spa raffle on embarkation day and go to the raffle drawing on embarkation day. This is when they give away free spa treatments.

Many people who sign up, do not show up, which increases your odds of winning.

Don't overdo it

Don't try to do everything or you will enjoy nothing.

There is something happening constantly and you can quickly overwhelm yourself. Relax.

If this is your first cruise, focus on the "highlights" they publish. They know those things will give most newbies a great vacation and it will allow you to get your bearings for the next one!

Arrive early for shows if you don't have a reservation

Not all Royal Caribbean cruise ships allow you to pre-book shows, and on ships that do offer it, you may not be able to make a reservation. In either case, you'll want to show up early for any show time.

My advice is to get in line at least 30 minutes before the show time to get a good seat.

Getting there early assures you of a spot and probably a good seat too.

You can learn to surf on a cruise ship

If your ship has a Flowrider surf simulator, it is possible to learn how to surf.

There is no cost to use the Flowrider, and with a little practice it may be possible to get the hang of surfing.

All you need to do is bring your bathing suit and sense of adventure (and a lot of patience) and you might be able to master it!

Unpack completely

It can be tempting to live out of your suitcase, but unpacking makes a big difference.

The rooms are small but they have great storage space. Unpacking and keeping things in their place will make your room more relaxing.

Also, bring something to store your dirty clothes - worst case, throw them in your suitcase. 

Speak up if there's a problem

If something’s not quite right, mention it to a crew member rather than assuming there's nothing that can be done about it.

The crew’s ultimate goal is for you to have a great trip, and they’ll do whatever they can to make that happen.

Meet your cabin attendant as soon as possible

Get to know your room attendant right way to get things going on the right foot.

Your cabin attendant can help you with getting extra towels, ice stocked, and beds arranged. Moreover, they're your go-to resource if you have any problems.

Take photos of your favorite crew members

Take pictures of the crew and name tag that way you have it on your phone and readily available when completing the survey.

The post-cruise survey is very important to Royal Caribbean, and sometimes it can be difficult to remember names or how to spell them.

Start a cruise fund

Start a vacation account as a cruise fund to save for your cruise.

Putting away a few dollars here and there adds up. Maybe it's money towards your cruise fare, or just extra spending money onboard.

Some people will automatically deduct a small amount from each paycheck to move into a special savings account to help budget and save more easily.

Consider a travel credit card

Look at travel rewards credit cards to help fund your trip.

When used responsibly, credit cards have the potential to be very lucrative as ways to offset the cost of your trip. You can use their rewards programs to pay for airfare, have extra spending cash, or offset vacation costs that you'll accumulate during your trip.

Royal Caribbean has its own credit card that allows you to earn free cruises, but it's not necessarily the best travel credit card on the market.

Pack a pashmina

For ladies that tend to get chilly often, it's a good idea to pack a pashmina.

It doesn't take up much room in your suitcase and it comes in handy to keep you warm on the deck or at shows and to put over you head when it is windy. Even the Caribbean sailing can be chilly at night.

Purchase a lanyard for your SeaPass card

Something you won't think of until you get on the ship is how handy it is to have a lanyard for your SeaPass card.

It's a good idea to purchase a lanyard to carry your sea pass card on your neck, for ease of access.

Send your special needs requests in before the cruise

If you have medical issues, or questions, always ask in advance via the Special Needs form.

Royal Caribbean will provide distilled water and an extension cord for a CPAP machine, free of charge, which was a blessing not having to fly with a gallon of water in your checked luggage.

Stay on the ship in one port

This might sound crazy, but take advantage of a less crowded ship by staying onboard during a port visit.

There's so much to see and do on any Royal Caribbean ship, so I think it makes sense to pick one day and focus on what's included onboard.

When I sailed on Icon of the Seas, I regretted not taking advantage of what's onboard more and it felt like I missed out on the ship fun.

Pick one port day to stay onboard, and you'll find no crowds at the pools or signature activities. Don't worry, there are still activities run on a port day and some restaurants will be open too.

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Royal Caribbean offers short 3-night weekend cruises on Utopia of the Seas, but what is special about it?

I've sailed on Utopia of the Seas 6 times so far, and it's my favorite weekend escape. It certainly helps I live just an hour away from the port to be able to hop onboard without much fuss.

But if you're traveling from beyond Orlando, is a weekend enough time to see and do what you want onboard? The answer is a resounding, no.

Wait! That's not the end of this story.

A weekend is also not enough time to experience everything New York City has to offer or a national park.  And yet, we go anyway because you have to start somewhere and no one said you can't come back again.

Royal Caribbean offers short cruises on Utopia as a kind of sampler cruise experience. The primary reason you see a big and new ship like Utopia offering these types of cruises is to offer new cruisers their first try at cruising.

Is Utopia of the Seas a nice ship?

Being the newest Oasis Class cruise ship, it's clear this is the "best in class" offering.

What I mean is you'll find the latest and greatest features and amenities of any Oasis Class ship on Utopia.  Every cruise ship in a class is an evolution from the previous one.  Royal Caribbean likes to innovate with new ships and improve the guest experience as they learn lessons from past ships.

This means the pool deck has an expansive Splashaway Bay, the best integration of the Lime and Coconut Bar, and wonderful seating options around the pool.

The suite sun deck is second-to-none in how it balances seating, bar positioning, loungers, and space in and out of the sun.  Plus, it has a stunning plunge pool that you could sit in all day.

There are smaller decisions on Utopia that made a difference too. They swapped out Wonderland and put in Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and it's easily the most beautiful Giovanni's location in the fleet with amazing views.

On the Royal Promenade you have the Pesky Parrot bar instead of the aging Bionic Bar. Pesky Parrot is more eye catching and a bar you'd want to spend more time at.

Plus, the ship has destination elevators.  I don't think they work as well as the ones on the Icon Class ships, but it's still an upgrade from conventional elevators.

A weekend cruise is great for trying it out, not doing everything

There isn't enough time to see everything on Utopia over just three nights, but it is enough time for a good time.

The cliched saying, "I'm not here for a long time, I'm here for a good time," certainly applies to Utopia.

If you've never been on this ship, there is almost too much to do.  Between all the specialty restaurants, bars, water slides, shows, and parties, you'll feel like you're going in a few different directions.

When you look at what shows are onboard Utopia of the Seas, you find so many choices each evening.

But I think that's part of the appeal of a short cruise.  Cruising isn't about completing a checklist for the sake of saying you "did it". Rather, it's about creating fun memories and doing things you'll brag about later.

No one comes home and starts competing with others for the quantity of things they did to see who snuck more fun in.  

You can do the best things with just 3 nights

The important thing to know is you can definitely see the highlights on a quick weekend cruise.

When I've sailed, I found you can see the main shows, experience a few restaurants, and still have time for fun in the ports you're visiting.

Competing with what's happening onboard are the two ports of call: Nassau, Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean's private island is incredible because it feels like an extension of the cruise ship. CocoCay has beaches, a pool, and a few extra cost areas.

A visit here is arguably the crown jewel of the weekend, and I'd prioritize your time wisely.  Disembark early and take advantage of a day spent at the beach.

Nassau used to be a defacto sea day because it's traditionally been a disappointing port of call you could skip and stay on the ship instead.

However, the new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island has totally changed that dynamic and I think it's worth spending your day here.

The Royal Beach Club has much prettier beaches, incredible heated pools, and wonderful service. There's no doubt new cruisers that dream of a Bahamas cruise have a place like this in mind when they book.

Even with two full days of fun ashore, you should be able to work in the shows, dinners, and a few parties too.

I'd also recommend trying to take advantage of embarkation day as a time to hit the pools, waterslides, and a few bars.