Royal Caribbean Blog

Before you cruise, I want to share the best Royal Caribbean secrets that you can take advantage of on your sailing!

These are the things the cruise line doesn't tell you, but they're a thing you can still do. These are the sort of things only people that cruise a lot would know about.

Because a cruise is a very personalized experience, certain elements of the vacation can be enhanced based on your preferences. Meaning, there are secrets here that might be more valuable to you than someone else.

I came up with a list of things Royal Caribbean doesn't necessarily advertise, but you should know about before you sail.

You'll earn more loyalty points booking solo cruises

Every cruise point represents a night on a ship, although there are some ways to get more points quicker.

Royal Caribbean will give you an extra cruise point per night if you book any suite.

You can also earn an extra cruise point per night if you happen to cruise alone in a cabin. 

When you stay in a suite by yourself, you'll earn 3 points per night. This is the most points you can earn per night on any cruise.

Some people actually book two cabins just to earn points faster.

How to get a table for two in the Main Dining Room

Want a table for just you and your family without sharing it with strangers?

Seating in the Main Dining Room can sometimes involve being seated with other cruisers.  It's a cruising tradition going back decades, and some people really like it as a way to meet new people and make dinner more interesting.

If you booked Traditional Dining and prefer to sit alone, send an email to [email protected] about 2-3 weeks before your cruise and ask for a smaller table for just your party.

Visit the helipad

If you're on a Radiance, Voyager, or Freedom Class ship, the best spot for sailaway is the helipad at the front of the ship.

Located on the bow, guests can walk to the helicopter pad and enjoy the unobstructed views that you can only get from the helicopter pad. The perspective from this spot is hard to beat and many guests do not know it is possible to go here.

To access the helicopter pad, go outside on the outdoor promenade deck and then walk forward, climb up a set of stairs, and continue walking forward until you reach the helicopter pad.

Balcony dividers can be removed

On most Royal Caribbean ships, the balcony dividers are removable.

This is useful if you book two balcony cabins next to each other. By removing the divider, you get an extra large balcony space that feels significantly more spacious.

You can ask your stateroom attendant to do this.  As long as you booked cabins next to each other, they can do this.  

Pack socks and pants for ice skating

On ships that have a ice skating rink onboard, there's open skate sessions offered.

It's free to participate, but you need to wear socks and pants.  On Caribbean cruises, you might not have these items packed with you. 

Use your TV as a nightlight

If you booked an inside cabin, there's no natural light, so a workaround is to use your television.

Tune the TV to the bridge view channel, mute the sound, and you've got a nightlight when the sun comes up.

You can order as much as you want at most restaurants

A lot of new cruisers are unaware there's no limit to the amount of food you can order at the Main Dining Room.

You can order multiple entrees, appetizers, or desserts, and there's no extra charge.  

If it sounds gluttonous, it's really not for two good reasons: first, you might want try a new food or are unsure which dish you might prefer.

Second, serving sizes tend to be on the small side compared to restaurants on land.  I find ordering two entrees is a must-do because I might not feel full with just one.

Moreover, you can order multiples of the same dish.  If you love the French Onion Soup, ask for a second or third!

Your cabin walls are magnetic

Cruise cabin doors and walls are made of metal, which means you can affix magnets to them quite easily.

Heavy duty magnets are helpful to bring on a cruise because you can use them to hang things up, which helps tremendously with clutter around your cabin.

I bring a pack of magnetic hooks with me so I can hang swimsuits, hats, or jackets.  It not only keeps things off the floor or couch, but also frees up space in drawers.

There's a free breakfast room service option

Royal Caribbean charges for room service, except for one breakfast option.

It's easily overlooked, but there's a continental breakfast room service choice that is immune to the normal fee.

This includes pastries, fruit, coffee, and juice and can be delivered to your stateroom free of charge. 

Secret sandwich

On Perfect Day at CocoCay, there's a menu item you have to ask for by name because it's not on the menu.

The Snack Shack has a secret, off-the-menu dish you can ask for by simply requesting "the secret sandwich."

You can top the crispy chicken sandwich with mozzarella sticks and marinara dipping sauce, and you'll end up with a tasty chicken parmesan sandwich.

Try the cooking stations

My favorite thing about the Windjammer are the cooking stations.

The food is here is made the way you want it, and it's cooked on the spot fresh.

At breakfast there is an omelet station. For lunch and dinner, there's usually a rotating option of stir fry, pasta, and more.

Fresh food will always be a step ahead of prepared food, and the cooking stations are my first stop in the Windjammer on every visit.

Johnny Rockets is free for breakfast

Johnny Rockets is a specialty restaurant with a cover charge for lunch and dinner, but it's actually free for breakfast.

On Oasis Class ships only, Johnny Rockets is open for breakfast and it's complimentary.

For breakfast, Johnny Rockets serves up fried or scrambled eggs, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, French toast, omelets and more.

Juice, milk, coffee, tea and hot chocolate are included in the meal as well.

The tap water on a cruise ship is drinkable

Believe it or not, the tap water is not only safe to drink, but probably the cleanest water you'll ever drink.

Every Royal Caribbean ship has a meticulously maintained water treatment/storage system that supplies all of the ships potable water.

Relying on the tap water (or water provided at various drink stations or fountains) is a great money saving strategy.  

One issue with the tap water is it may not be very cold, so ask your room attendant to bring ice to keep in your cabin.

The best time to hit the water slides is embarkation day

Pools, whirlpools, and water slides are available to use on embarkation day, and you’ll often find that they are much less crowded than other days onboard. 

I recommend bringing your bathing suit with you on embarkation day to hit the water slides as soon as you get onboard. The lines will be non-existent because a lot of people packed their bathing suits.

You can change in one of the public restrooms on the pool deck.  Or simply wear your bathing suit onboard as you embark!

How to go faster down the water slides

Royal Caribbean's water slides are fun, but you can make them more thrilling by doing two things.

Cross your arms and legs while going down the slide and arch your back. The less resistance in the water (and slide) that you have, the faster you will go.

You also want to have the least amount of clothing as you go down the slide. Rash guards, t-shirts, and more elaborate swimsuits will result in you slowing down. 

Get cash from the slot machine to avoid a fee

Royal Caribbean charges a fee for cash withdrawals in the casino, unless you're a Prime member or higher in the casino loyalty program.

However, anyone can avoid the fee by going to a slot machine and pulling cash from there.

For some reason, there's no fee when you use the banker feature on a slot machine to get cash. You can then immediately cash out, go to the cashier and exchange it for cash. 

At that point, you can go to the Blackjack table and try your luck, and you'll be up 5%!

I’m a longtime fan of Royal Caribbean, but most of my sailings have been to the Caribbean, Europe, or Alaska. Although I had cruised to Asia before, our itinerary was filled with entirely new ports of call. In addition, it had been nearly six years since my last visit to Asia.

Sailing through Asia was a completely different experience than visiting familiar ports in the Caribbean or Europe. From the planning to extensive preparation and even onboard experiences, this cruise in Asia was unlike any other I had taken before.

For this cruise, I traveled with my sister and parents, as we had always wanted to visit these ports of call. During our 12-night repositioning cruise from Singapore to Tokyo, we visited far-flung destinations like Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.

In fact, Royal Caribbean is continuing to expand its presence in Asia, offering a wider range of itineraries to meet growing demand. The cruise line is especially focused on offering longer, more port-intensive itineraries through the region, like this repositioning cruise. 

But if you’ve never cruised in this part of the world before, you’ll likely encounter some unique challenges and surprises along the way, both onboard and while ashore. While this itinerary was absolutely incredible, I learned some very interesting lessons along the way. 

This kind of cruise involves more planning and logistics than your typical Caribbean cruise. Like any vacation, not everything went as we had planned. From cultural differences to onboard challenges, here are five things that I wish I knew before my Royal Caribbean cruise in Asia. If you’re taking your first cruise to Asia, these tips can make you feel more prepared for your culturally-immersive vacation.

1. I wish I had taken more time to learn about Vietnam’s history

History was never my strongest subject in school, so I’ve never been especially well-versed in it. Because of this, I enjoy learning about a country's history as I explore it, as I believe seeing history firsthand makes it much more engaging.

Our first port of call was Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, and the city was preparing for its 50th anniversary of reunification. Preparations were underway for a major national celebration, and locals were already gathering around the Reunification Palace, proudly taking photos in front of the historic building. I was trying to learn about Vietnam’s history on my phone throughout the day, and I wish I had researched before arriving.

My dad, a U.S. veteran, never served in Vietnam but has many close friends who did. Visiting the city with him and walking through sites that once played pivotal roles in the war was deeply emotional for him. I could see how much it meant to him to witness these historic places. At the same time, I realized how little I truly knew about the Vietnam War beyond surface-level facts.

I wish I had spent some time learning about the history of the countries we were visiting, especially Vietnam. Having some historical context would have made my experience even more meaningful, especially seeing how emotional the experience was for my dad. This visit served as a powerful reminder that history is more than what you learn in a textbook.

2. Bring plenty of cash, including local currency

It’s a good rule of thumb to bring cash onboard your cruise. Whether you’re shopping at local markets in port or tipping crew members onboard for excellent service, having cash on hand is essential.

For this cruise, I only brought U.S. dollars and chose not to exchange for any local currency. Throughout most of the cruise, this wasn’t a problem—nearly everywhere we went, including markets in Vietnam and Hong Kong, accepted credit cards or U.S. dollars.

That all changed when we reached Japan. We took public transportation from the Yokohama port into Tokyo, and credit cards seemed to be widely accepted, until our return trip.

Read more: I spent $6,773 to cruise on Anthem of the Seas. Here's what everything cost, from $251 internet to $2,302 flights

We thought we had successfully made it back to Yokohama, until we went to exit the train station. Apparently, our tickets needed a fare adjustment because we didn’t purchase the right route.

Unfortunately, the ticket machine and customer service desk wouldn’t accept credit cards or U.S. dollars. We could only pay the fare adjustment with Japanese Yen, which we didn’t have.

Mind you, the fare difference was only $0.70 total, and the language barrier only made the situation worse. Thankfully, some fellow cruisers saw us struggling and offered their leftover Japanese Yen for us to use, but not having local currency caused unnecessary stress. If I travel in Japan again, I’ll be sure to have some Japanese Yen on hand.

3. Prioritize getting an early immigration ticket

During a cruise, you might need to complete face-to-face immigration. Depending on your itinerary, some countries mandate that all passengers go through immigration procedures, similar to arriving at an airport.

After arriving in Japan, Royal Caribbean stated that all guests would be required to go through face-to-face immigration. In fact, the cruise line stated the process could take several hours. Everyone was required to have an immigration ticket, as no excursions would be offered. Even if you weren’t going ashore, you would be required to disembark and immigrate into Japan.

The morning of our arrival, immigration tickets were distributed at 9 a.m. Starting at 7 a.m., people started to queue in hopes of receiving an earlier immigration ticket. Luckily, my sister was determined to get an early slot to maximize our short day in port, so she arrived bright and early.

She snagged us ticket #3, and we were able to disembark almost immediately after arriving. The immigration process took hours, with numbers all the way up to #40. We were able to visit Tokyo and return hours later, while others were still waiting to complete immigration!

I had no idea that immigration would be such a time-consuming process, and I am thankful my sister arrived early to get in line. Some people were unable to actually explore Tokyo because immigration took upwards of five hours, and some didn’t realize they needed an immigration ticket.

Booking a Royal Caribbean excursion can alleviate some of this stress. Unfortunately, all Royal Caribbean excursions were cancelled, meaning no one had priority immigration. If you’re needing face-to-face immigration, make sure to arrive early for the immigration ticket, or prepare for a lengthy wait.

4. Book as much as you can in advance

When I plan vacations, I like to strike a balance between scheduled activities and free time. That way, I’m not locking myself into a rigid, minute-by-minute itinerary. Unfortunately, this plan ended up causing some issues during our cruise in Asia.

Although we had booked excursions for every port, we didn’t arrange all of our necessary transfers. To start, we hadn’t pre-arranged transportation from the hotel to the cruise terminal in Singapore ahead of time.

This proved to be more difficult than expected with four people and nine suitcases. We tried to book a private transfer through multiple vendors after arriving, but didn’t have any luck. In the end, we ended up having two cars take us to the port with our luggage in a second car.

Read more: I paid $5,776 for a balcony room on a 12-night Royal Caribbean cruise. Having a balcony was a highlight

We also had a hard time planning our time in Japan at the end of the cruise, not realizing our visit coincided with Golden Week, which is a major stretch of national holidays that brings large crowds and limited availability.

Because our flight was in the evening, we hoped to find a private tour in the morning with an airport drop-off. We were also warned there would be few taxis available at the port. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any luck finding our own transportation and ended up booking a shuttle option through Royal Caribbean.

In the end, I wish we had booked some of these logistics further in advance instead of waiting until the last minute. Had I known we would be visiting Japan during this very busy tourism week, I would’ve arranged a debarkation tour further in advance. Lack of research created some stressful last-minute planning during my cruise that we could have avoided.

5. Obtaining visas was a huge pain

Before embarkation, Royal Caribbean sent an email warning that guests would not be allowed to board without the necessary visas or documentation for every country on the itinerary.

For this sailing, all U.S. residents were required to obtain an electronic Vietnam visa in advance. So many fellow passengers posted online about struggles with the visa process or Vietnam’s website. In particular, people seemed to have issues with the payment portal and receiving failures.

Sure enough, I ended up paying for two different Vietnam visas because I thought my first application had failed. Both of the payments ended up being processed, so my visa was double the cost that I needed to pay.

I warned my parents of the potential issues, so they paid extra to go through a visa service and avoid the headache. This ended up costing them $200 each for the visa service. On the other hand, my sister applied for her visa and received it without issue two days later.

If you need to apply for a visa, even if it’s an e-visa, you should give yourself plenty of time to account for potential delays or issues. Using a visa service could be a viable solution if you run into issues, and you don’t want to stress about potentially being denied boarding for your long-awaited vacation.

One cruiser received a major scare when they were notified that their upcoming cruise was cancelled after forgetting to make their final payment. 

Full payment isn't required when cruises are booked in advance. Instead, travelers can place a deposit to secure their reservation, with the final payment due by a specific deadline — often 60 to 90 days before departure, depending on the cruise line and itinerary. 

Norie08 shared their harrowing experience on a Reddit message board, serving as a warning for fellow travelers not to make the same mistake in the future. 

"I [forgot] to pay my final balance on my Royal Caribbean [cruise]. [Then, finally], remember[ed] it while I'm at work. I'm planning to pay for it after work. But now I have received notice of [the] cancelation of my cruise," they explain.

"Can I still beg them [that] I'm going to pay? I keep calling them, but nobody answers. I'm so sad!" 

Norie08 booked a 4-night sailing for July 2025 directly through Royal Caribbean's website to celebrate their 6th anniversary. This also would have been Norie08's first cruise, making the situation more heartbreaking. 

Luckily, they got in touch with Royal Caribbean's customer service team, who were able to reinstate their booking. 

"I got it. I contacted them, and I paid my final balance and restored my reservation. I just lost my freebies for the anniversary!" they said. 

Although Norie08 was relieved to have their cruise back, the situation served as an important lesson in travel planning. 

Here are 4 tips to ensure you don't forget to make the final payment for your upcoming cruise vacation.

Read more: 25 Do's and Don'ts for your Royal Caribbean cruise in 2025

Set calendar reminders

"In the future, always put a calendar reminder in your phone!" commented one Reddit user. 

The final payment due date will be clearly listed on your booking confirmation, whether it's 6 months or two years away, as well as on your online account. 

As soon as you've placed your deposit, set multiple calendar alerts so you're frequently reminded about the upcoming payment date. 

For example, you might not want the first reminder to pop up two days before you have to drop thousands of dollars on a cruise payment. 

Instead, consider setting a reminder for two months, three weeks, and two days before the final payment is due. That way, you have time to come up with the funds, rather than scrambling at the last minute. 

Read more: Should I make final payment for my cruise?

Work with a travel agent

Booking cruises through a travel agent is a game-changer. Not only can they help you find deals and decide on cabin categories, itineraries, and even shore excursions, but good agents will remind you when final payments are due. 

For example, my amazing travel agent through MEI Travel, Christina, will always email me days ahead of when the final payment is due, asking if it's okay to go ahead and charge the card on file. 

It's nice because I never have to worry about missing the final payment on my cruise vacations — one of the many perks of using a travel agent! 

Similar-Routine7337 agrees, writing, "This is a big reason why I use a travel agent. I don’t have to worry about missing this deadline."

Read more: 10 things I'd recommend if someone is new to cruise ship travel

Frequently check your email

Cruise lines will send important notices to your email. Some may be related to your sailing's final payment, while others might be about itinerary changes. 

For example, Carnival Cruise Line recently emailed me about ongoing maintenance on the main pool during my weeklong Alaska cruise. Though minor, I was glad I knew that the only indoor pool would be closed before I stepped foot on Carnival Luminosa. 

Regularly checking your inbox will help you stay on top of important updates about your cruise. You may also receive a special upgrade offer!

Arrange automatic payments

"I always take the balance I owe after the initial deposit and divide by the number of months I have to pay it prior to the final payment due date and schedule equal monthly payments to be automatically taken from my credit card. This way I won’t have to pay a lump sum at the time I make the booking or at the final payment due date," explains Altruistic-Couple989.

"It’s sort of like putting your cruise on layaway, no finance fees and it makes it easier (at least for me) since I usually have 4-6 future cruises booked and all being paid in monthly automatic installment payments."

This is great advice for cruisers who fear they'll forget the final payment date or want to consistently pay off their vacation. 

I think Royal Caribbean has the best cruise line loyalty program, and the crown jewel is what you get at the Diamond tier.

One of the best changes Royal Caribbean made since restarting cruises in 2021 was to overhaul its free drink coupons from a happy hour and limited selections to vouchers that can be redeemed at any bar.

Diamond members in Crown and Anchor Society get 4 free drinks per day, every day of the cruise. They can be used at any bar, restaurant or lounge, and it's good for any drink up to $14 in value.

It gets even better as you move up the loyalty ladder, because Diamond Plus members get 5 drinks per day and Pinnacle Club members get 6.

When I tell people why I think Royal Caribbean's loyalty program is the best, I'll start off with the drink benefit because no other cruise line has anything remotely close to this offering.

Just this perk alone has saved me thousands of dollars over the years, and it's a key reason why I continue to cruise with Royal Caribbean.

A built-in drink package

While some loyalty perks are difficult to place a dollar value on, the complimentary drink vouchers at Diamond are as straight forward as it comes.

Everyone in the family gets four drinks at Diamond, and it's kind of like having a rudimentary drink package on every cruise that costs you nothing extra.

I'll still sometimes buy a Royal Caribbean drink package when the price is below $60 per person, per day, but quite often I'm content relying on my loyalty drinks.

Since I'm Pinnacle, I get 6 per day and that's a lot to start off with.  The way I look at it, even if I use every single free drink voucher, I could probably pay for another 3-4 drinks out of pocket and still come out ahead compared to buying a drink package.

On my port intensive itineraries, such as when I've cruised to Alaska or Europe, I've skipped buying a drink package. Instead, I rely on the Crown and Anchor drink benefit.

It saves me money and it's practical too.

It works for kids too

One lesser known side benefit of reaching Diamond is many of the perks you get extend to your children.

If your kids are under the age of 18, they share your Crown and Anchor status level.  That means they get 4 drinks per day as well.

The only restriction is they can only order non-alcoholic drinks with their benefit, even if you order them with their card.

The fact they get free drinks every day means more money saved on the premium coffees, sodas, or mocktails that they'd otherwise be bugging me to get during the cruise.

I'll usually use one of their drinks for a coffee for me.  I tell them as a dad, consider this a professional courtesy.

The casino hack that maximizes this perk

If you combine the Diamond drinks with the casino program, you could end up with one of the best values out there.

Royal Caribbean's casino has its own loyalty program, which also includes free drinks at the Prime tier.

The benefit offers unlimited drinks at the casino bar. The caveat is it's only at the casino bar, and the casino bar isn't open all the time.  Nonetheless, it's a pretty good benefit.

To reach Prime status, you need to collect 2,500 points during the casino calendar year, which is April 1 - March 31. Points are cumulative, so you can add them all up across various cruises.

Once you hit 2,500 points, you can stop gambling and enjoy the free drink benefit immediately and Prime status is yours to keep for the following year.

Combining the free Diamond drinks with the Prime benefits is really good deal since you have an unlimited source of drinks in the casino, along with the convenience of the loyalty vouchers to use elsewhere.

On Royal Caribbean ships that have an easy to access casino, like the Voyager or Freedom Class, it's a very nice strategy for saving money on drinks.

Diamond status is where the best benefits begin

There are many lucrative perks when you reach Diamond status with Royal Caribbean, but I think the free drinks are probably the most notable amenity out there.

Getting a free day of internet and various discounts is nice, but the free drinks are a game changer for a lot of people.

The more you cruise, the more times you can enjoy this benefit. I know it's saved me a lot, especially for my kids.

Considering you need 80 points to reach Diamond level, it's an attainable status for most people that are willing to cruise once or twice a year. At that pace, you'll hit Diamond at the same time you're clearly invested in cruising as a preferred type of vacation.

If you’ve ever wondered whether can you go on a cruise pregnant, the answer is: it depends. While you might be dreaming of the perfect babymoon to celebrate your bundle of joy, you’ll want to make sure you meet Royal Caribbean’s boarding requirements before heading to the pier.

Cruising can be a wonderful and relaxing way to celebrate your pregnancy. However, you must meet the health requirements to cruise safely. In fact, all major cruise lines have the same policy when it comes to cruising while pregnant, including Royal Caribbean. 

Pregnant women are not banned from cruising. Like every major cruise line, Royal Caribbean allows pregnant women to cruise as long as they are not more than 23 weeks pregnant. This means that pregnant women must be 23 weeks or less for the entire duration of their cruise. If you enter the 24th week of pregnancy at any point during your cruise, you will not be eligible to sail with Royal Caribbean.

But, just how strict is Royal Caribbean with this policy?

One concerned traveler recently posted in a Mariner of the Seas Facebook group asking, “How strict is Royal Caribbean about pregnancies? Heard you can’t be past 23 weeks pregnant and my daughter will be 25 weeks pregnant when we cruise.”

The post garnered nearly 200 responses, with many sharing their first-hand experiences of cruising while pregnant. Surprisingly, some admitted to sailing past the 23-week limit, though the majority strongly advised against it, especially for those nearing the gestation cutoff.

Let’s take a closer look at Royal Caribbean’s pregnancy policy, including how it’s enforced and what real cruisers have experienced firsthand.

Guests must attest to their pregnancy status before boarding.

All guests are required to answer a public health questionnaire prior to boarding their cruise, and must attest that they are not more than 23 weeks pregnant. When answering your pre-cruise health questionnaire, Royal Caribbean specifically asks: Will you be more than 23 weeks pregnant at any time during the cruise? 

If you do not meet the criteria, you will be denied boarding your cruise. In this way, you may be wondering why cruise lines set the 24th week of pregnancy as the cutoff for sailing. This guideline is actually established due to the baby’s viability based on gestational age. In the United States, a fetus is considered viable between 23 weeks and 24 weeks.

For this reason, if the mother went into preterm labor during her cruise, the baby could reasonably survive with proper and timely medical intervention, which isn't available on a cruise ship. Before the 24-week mark, preterm labor is usually due to miscarriage rather than delivering a premature, viable newborn.

If you are planning to cruise while pregnant and meet the gestation criteria, it’s best for expecting mothers to consult with their doctor and receive prior approval to cruise. If you have a healthy pregnancy and receive the green light from your doctor, most pregnant women can successfully cruise.

Read more: How to protect yourself from getting sick on a cruise

Royal Caribbean’s medical facilities are well-equipped, but not to safely care for a premature baby.

All cruise ships have a robust medical facility with trained staff onboard to care for a wide range of medical issues and emergencies. 

Cruise ships have at least one licensed doctor, along with a few nurses onboard, who are available 24 hours each day for medical assistance. This can vary depending on the size of the ship, as newer vessels with more passengers likely require more medical staff onboard. Some larger ships might have two doctors and up to four nurses.

Although medical professionals on a cruise ship are trained to perform life-saving measures to the best of their abilities, the medical facility is not a hospital. Any specialized care that is needed will require medical disembarkation or evacuation to the nearest hospital.

In particular, cruise ship medical facilities are not properly equipped to handle a premature baby being born. Without a NICU to care for an extremely premature baby, this would put the newborn's life at risk without proper medical intervention.

In this way, pregnancy policies are in place to protect the health and safety of both the pregnant mother and her baby. By requiring women to cruise only during the first 23 weeks of pregnancy, this minimizes the risk of pregnancy complications and premature labor. Without complex medical care, these situations can become dangerous for both the pregnant mother and the baby.

It’s important to understand the risks involved with cruising while pregnant.

While traveling is never without risk, there are added risks you take when choosing to cruise while pregnant. During a cruise, you will be sailing away from land to the open sea most evenings while traveling between ports of call. 

While at sea, pregnant women would only have access to the medical care provided onboard. In the case of an emergency, a medical evacuation could be necessary. You should also consider the healthcare of the destinations you’d be visiting, as this is where you would receive medical care in an emergency.

Royal Caribbean states on its website, “There is no Obstetrician/Gynecologist available on the ship, and that pregnancies, when unstable and poorly controlled, are potentially life-threatening, especially without back up. A Guest may be at sea for several days without any immediate hospital and/or specialist back up, and that since the proposed itinerary is not within the U.S., and the availability of specialized shore side facilities can be problematic.”

For this reason, women should consider all of the risks of cruising while pregnant and discuss any concerns with their doctor before embarking. If you have a high-risk pregnancy or you’re at risk for preterm labor, cruising might not be the best choice for you.

Many cruisers said Royal Caribbean was very strict about enforcing its pregnancy policy.

In the comment section of the Facebook post, many mothers shared their personal stories about cruising while pregnant. Overall, most of the first-hand experiences stated that Royal Caribbean was very strict about its pregnancy policy and the rules were enforced.

One commenter answered, “Very strict and even if they weren’t, why would you want to put your daughter and future grandchild at risk like that?”

Another person replied similarly, “Pretty strict. We couldn’t go on a family cruise because my sister-in-law would have been just over their boundary. I think they make you prove it with a doctor’s note.”

“Extremely strict… why would someone risk a mom’s life and an unborn child…” questioned one commenter.

Read more: 8 things I wish I knew about taking a baby on a cruise ship

Although Royal Caribbean does not explicitly require a doctor’s note, some commenters shared that they did provide documentation to prove their pregnancy gestation.

“Very strict. I had to plan a whole new cruise and bring a note from my doctor,” stated another cruiser. Another comment echoed this sentiment: “Very strict. We had to have a Dr note when my daughter was pregnant.”

Likewise, one woman said, “They are really strict. I had to provide a note from my doctor stating my due date and how far along I was. They wanted this ahead of the cruise and looked at it during check in.”

Other commenters questioned the choice to cruise after the 23-week cutoff, especially given the risks.

Many commenters stressed the importance of following Royal Caribbean’s pregnancy policy to protect the health of both the mother and baby. Misrepresenting how far along you are isn’t just against cruise line rules, it also increases the risk of serious pregnancy complications.

“Why risk the life of your daughter and her unborn child? The ship is nowhere near equipped to deal with an emergency. No one ever thinks anything will happen to them—until it does,” responded one person.

Another replied, “Ok, so here’s the thing. Especially if you are traveling the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America or South America, think about healthcare. If you or the baby become endangered, who will take care of you or the baby’s healthcare? The ship has a hospital but it’s limited.”

“They have a policy. Would you gamble your daughter-in-law’s health and the baby’s health on trying to skirt around it? If something goes wrong, Royal [Caribbean] nor third-party insurance would cover the cost of care,” questioned one cruiser.

One nurse chimed in, “As a neonatal ICU nurse, I wouldn’t risk traveling in the middle of the ocean while pregnant. For the health and safety of your daughter, your grandchild, and the crew onboard the ship that would have to intervene in that emergency situation, she shouldn’t go.

Another pregnant woman shared that they cruised at 18 weeks and wouldn’t do it again. “I honestly had quite a bit of anxiety and I wouldn’t have gone any later. If something happens, there’s very limited medical care onboard.”

However, some commenters shared that they were able to cruise beyond the 23-week mark.

Despite Royal Caribbean’s clear pregnancy policy, some women shared that they cruised beyond 23 weeks without issue. While not recommended, a few offered first-hand accounts of sailing later in pregnancy.

“We went in Feb & I was going on 25 weeks, nobody ever asked me,” commented one pregnant cruiser. Another explained, “Was 26 weeks and they never asked anything.”

In addition, one commenter shared, “I know someone that went well into her third trimester. I imagine she didn’t tell them she was pregnant though, because she hid it fairly well. I personally wouldn’t risk it."

Another cruiser said, “I went at 24-25 weeks pregnant. Nobody asked for a note and I was very visibly pregnant as pictured. Definitely cruise at your own risk, but my baby is now a happy, heathy 8 month old.”

While a handful of cruisers shared they didn’t have an issue cruising beyond 23 weeks, these should be viewed as exceptions and not endorsements. Royal Caribbean’s pregnancy policy is in place to protect the health of its passengers, including pregnant moms.

One of the centerpieces of Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day Mexico plans is an enormous water park that is all about one type of slides: rafts.

This will be the second water park that Royal Caribbean will operate, but this one is shifting its plans because the cruise line acknowledges that, "raft slides are by far the best slides that we offer our guests and what they're looking for."

Royal Caribbean revealed its plans last week for a new private destination in what is now Costa Maya, Mexico. By far the most visible feature is the addition of Loco Waterpark.

There will be more than 30 waterslides spread across three towers, and there will be many more raft slides compared to Thrill Waterpark at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The decision to have more raft slides instead of body slides is something the cruise line decided after reviewing feedback from its customers.

"What we've learned is there's significant amount of guest demand for raft slides and a lesser demand on body slides. And so we are dialing back the number of body slides and dialing up the number of raft slides," said Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider during a review of the park plans.

Why do passengers like rafts better? Because they can share the experience.

"What we've learned in this journey is people love family raft slides," he shared and said this includes any slide you can go on with someone else.

Moreover, this trend is going to be something Royal Caribbean is going to lean into even more with future projects outside of Costa Maya.

"That doesn't mean we walk away from drop slides or body slides, but you will see us go much heavier in raft slides here and likely in the future expansion of [CocoCay], go heavier in raft slides as you look at future Icons," alluding to work on new Icon Class cruise ships as well as adding more slides to CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean hired a water slide influencer to help design it all

Loco Waterpark will encompass 15 acres, and have the world's tallest dueling waterslides.  And it was designed with the help of a waterslide expert.

Alex Ojeda is an influencer with over 8.4 million followers on TikTok, and he's been collaborating with Royal Caribbean for years.  

This time, Royal Caribbean hired him to help out.

"I was hired to help design this waterpark. Shaping slides, guest experience and how the thrill flows from tower to tower," he shared in an Instagram reel.

During the reveal event in New York City, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley pointed out Mr. Ojeda and credited him with helping shape the vision for the waterpark.

Clearly, Mr. Ojeda's vision was to add big, thrilling, and fast slides.  

Perfect Day Mexico will be home to the tallest water slide tower in the Americas. Standing over 170ft tall, you can ride the longest water slide coaster and two of the tallest family raft slides on Earth.

The park also features the world's first Sombrero waterslide, as well as a hydro launch slide that launches riders 40ft into the air.

Mr. Schneider said they want to hear people screaming on these slides, "we want the want the Jaguar to basically be just the sounding board of screaming."

Other slides you can expect include:

• Sombrero toilet bowl slide
• Boomerang slide
• Body drop slide
• Trap door body slide
• Freefall corkscrew slide
• High speed body slide
• 3 tube slides that dial back a little bit of the intensity
• Mat racer slides
• Helix twist slide

If that wasn't enough, there will be also a wave pool, along with an adventure pool for kids.

There's an admission cost to Loco Waterpark, but prices aren't available yet.

Royal Caribbean employs dynamic pricing based on demand, so there will be a range of prices that will be revealed closer to the opening of Perfect Day Mexico.

Saving time and avoiding lines is everything to me in the world of travel, and that's why I usually carry my luggage off the ship at its end.

While I usually opt for convenience in many aspects of travel, the disembarkation process is one notable exception.

When a cruise concludes, Royal Caribbean gives its guests options in how to get their belongings off the ship. There's a simple way to have your luggage taken off the ship for you and delivered to the cruise terminal.

I used to always leave my bags out the night before the cruise ends and then have them brought to the terminal.  It was simple and it did make it easier to get off the ship the next morning.

But since I started carrying my luggage off the ship, it changed my outlook for the speed factor.

Carrying bags is the fastest way to get going

The top reason I'll carry my own bags off the ship is because it's the fastest way to get off the ship, out of the terminal, and on my way.

Those carrying their own bags off the ship can disembark the ship an hour or more before the first bags are delivered.

When you leave your luggage out, Royal Caribbean gives you an estimated time they'll be ready.  That's the earliest time you can disembark the ship and have the bags waiting for you.  You could go later, if you're taking your time eating breakfast or enjoying a few more minutes on the ship.

In many cases, I want to get going and expedite traveling home.  I might be trying to make a specific high speed train home, or a flight booking.  

When I cruise close to home and I'm driving my own car, I simply want to get home.  Getting off the ship is like ripping the band-aid off in that I don't want to belabor the end of vacation and would rather get it over with.

Another benefit of being early off the ship is it minimizes the potential for traffic.  I find traffic tends to build later in the morning, and lines at the cruise terminal pickup area are worse later in the morning.

One more compelling reason I like self-assist is I don't have to pack everything up the night before.  

Since I don't have to leave my bags out in the hallway, I have more time to pack and less issues packing up what I need for the next day versus what can be in the checked luggage.

What to know before you try it

Carrying your own bags off the ship sounds great when you're sitting at home, but there are a few caveats you should be aware of before you try it.

To start, you'll need to be comfortable taking your own luggage with you without any assistance.

Royal Caribbean offers the option to take your own luggage off the ship, but you need to be able to easily carry all of it on your own.  Plus anything and everyone else you're traveling with.

If you have mobility issues, lack the strength to carry heavy suitcases down stairs, or are also trying to juggle kids, this might not be the option for you.

In fact, I only discovered the virtues of taking my luggage off myself once my kids got older and it didn't feel like we were trying to move the Army of the Potomac.

The other potential issue is actually getting off the ship in the morning.  Elevators will be busy, and it can be a challenge to get an elevator.

Ideally, you'll carry the bags down the stairs but that's not always possible.  

Conventional wisdom says if you can't get an elevator going down, take one going up and then wait for it to head back down later.

"No long lines, no big crowds"

Other cruisers have found embracing self-assist carry is the way to go too.

OhiobornCAraised posted on Reddit why they prefer it too, "Getting through immigration and the cruise terminal was soooo smooth! No long lines, no big crowds to work through. It was marvelous. 10/10 experience and hope to be able to do it more in the future."

Substantial-Face-363 added, "Totally agree! We disembarked from the Encore a couple weeks ago at 6:30 am. We took all our bags and walked right off. No wait, no lines. It was amazing!"

"Just got off a ship a week ago . We did just this for our first time. Worked out great due to a tight flight schedule," wrote OldAdministration735.

I'll aspire to carry my own luggage off the ship whenever possible, even if I'm not in a rush to disembark necessarily.

I simply like being in control of when I can leave, and usually the time guests carrying their own luggage off the ship starts quite early.

I can't say I'm able to do this on every cruise, but I've definitely shifted towards embracing carrying my own bags off more and more.

Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas is drawing closer to its debut in August 2025 by starting sea trials.

The company's second Icon Class ship departed the shipyard in Finland on Monday to begin tests. The vessel has been under construction at Meyer Turku shipyard.

"Star of the Seas departed our shipyard early Monday morning to begin her sea trials. We wish her and her crew sunny skies and smooth sailing!" is what the shipyard posted on Facebook.

This is an important milestone in the construction of any new ship.

The first real test

Think of sea trials like putting a car through its paces.  It's a necessary step to ensure all of its systems work the way they should, while putting stress on the vessel itself.

While a lot of work can be done while the ship is docked, certain navigation and technical systems need to be tested in real world situations.

Sea trials are the final step of a ship's construction prior to being delivered to the cruise line. It ensures the vessel is functionally ready before officially joining the fleet. 

Onboard the ship, there will be a combination of shipyard employees and crew members. 

Icon of the Seas had two sets of sea trials, but Icon was the first in the class.  Typically subsequent ships in the same class usually have one sea trial.  No word yet if Star will have one or two sets of sea trials.

Less than three months until her maiden voyage

Star of the Seas will have her first cruise with paying passengers in August.

Her first cruise has been moved up a few times with a series of showcase sailings being added.

Technically, her official maiden voyage is a 7-night cruise on August 31, 2025.  However, there is a 3-night cruise on August 20, followed by two four-night preview sailings.

Star of the Seas will join Icon as being the two biggest cruise ships in the world, and a ship that size has lots to do.

You'll find the world’s largest waterpark at sea that has six water slides, and it's designed to be like a floating resort with different pools and over 40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained onboard.

The ship weighs in at an estimated 248,663 tons and measures close to 1,200 feet long. It also holds about 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew members

"Icon will be the best family vacation in the world," said Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer.

There are 20 decks across the ship, featuring eight neighborhoods that help divide up the ship into distinct areas.

Icon has been a commercial and critical hit, and now Royal Caribbean wants to repeat that success with Star.

The Star of the Seas will set sail from Port Canaveral on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations all year round, where passengers can visit popular tropical destinations like the Bahamas, Mexico, St. Maarten and Honduras, as well as Royal Caribbean's private island, CocoCay. 

Royal Caribbean ships are known for fun things to do onboard, and a big part of that are the theme nights and parties.

One of the top questions we get is what to pack for a cruise, and that includes these events.

"When and where do you find out about theme nights on different ships? We cruise in a month and would love to be able to plan for packing," is what one person wrote on Facebook recently to ask about it.

Royal Caribbean is now sending emails that help address that question.

Are you ready to party?

A few of our readers with upcoming cruises received emails from the cruise line that are aimed at making it easier for guests to understand what to expect onboard.

It's an informational email, offering expectations of the different themes and parties.

"We have a lineup of thrilling events and activities planned onboard, and we’re encouraging all our guests to participate in the festivities," the email reads.

In one example, the email was sent to guests booked on the June 13, 2025 sailing of Anthem of the Seas, which puts it about 26 days prior to the start of the cruise.

It starts off listing four theme nights and what each one is like:

• 80s Night: It’s going to be totally tubular! The most vibrant and unforgettable decade has made its way to the high seas. Dust off your leg warmers, tease up your hair, break out your fishnets and pack it with your leather jacket – it’s time to get funky and dance the night away! Pack your leg warmers, big hair and fishnet gloves!
• Caribbean Night: Join us for an evening of vibrant music, and dive into the rhythms and flavors of the Caribbean! Pack your favorite Caribbean shirts, tropical dresses and all things floral as you embrace the island spirit and dance the night away!
• 70s Night: Get ready to hit the dance floor at our far out 70s Night Party! Boogie down and dress up in your grooviest 70s-inspired outfit. Pack your bell-bottoms, platform shoes, dazzling sequins and funky sunglasses and join us to dance the night away to the hottest hits of the decade!
• Latin Party: Feel the heat and passion of our Latin Party as you move to the vibrant rhythms of the salsa, bachata, and reggaeton. Pack your favorite dancing shoes and casual, white attire that will keep you dancing all night long. When choosing your outfit think casual, light and flowy!

The email also says there will be a formal night onboard, which Royal Caribbean refers to as "Dress Your Best night".

The amount of formal nights on any sailing depends on the length of the cruise:

• 3-5 sailings nights: One night
• 6-10 sailing nights: Two nights
• 11-14 sailing nights: Three nights
• 15+ sailing nights: Three to four nights

The email is something I haven't previously seen by Royal Caribbean, but it's clearly an attempt to make it easier for guests to participate.

Theme nights are optional

It's important to remember that the themes are not mandatory, and you don't have to participate if you don't want to.

It's been a cruising tradition for years to have these events, and it offers a way to have fun on vacation.  Basically, theme nights are an excuse to get dressed up and join in.

Not only are there evenings to enjoy together, but it makes for fun family photos.

Part of the appeal of a theme night is you get join in with your own take on the outfit to wear. You could go for an over-the-top look that's meant to get laughs, or see if your family can really get into the spirit of the event with a cosplay-level look.

Ultimately, these themes are really about how you look around the ship. No venue or restaurant will deny you entry if you don't participate in one of these themes.

An even easier way to find the theme nights and when they are

While this email is a good start, it doesn't list exactly when each theme night will occur.  Nor do you know what else is happening that day to coordinate plans.

My advice is go one step further than the email and get the answer.

There are two tried-and-true ways to find out the theme nights for your Royal Caribbean cruise.

You could look up themed nights from past sailings on the same ship and itinerary.

We keep an archive of past Cruise Compasses, which list all the events that happened on a given sailing.

The reality is if you look up a recent sailing on the same ship and itinerary as yours, the theme nights are all but certainly going to be the same.

Another idea is to look in the Royal Caribbean app.

About 2-3 weeks before your cruise, the app will update with the theme nights and other activities.

Scroll under the “Daily Planner” section to preview the hourly details and event descriptions. 

Happy weekend! In case you missed any Royal Caribbean news, here is a look at everything that happened this week!

A lazy-crazy river and water slide towers are just the start of Royal Caribbean's plans for Perfect Day Mexico.

Opening in fall 2027, Royal Caribbean revealed this week all of its plans for Perfect Day Mexico.

Also announced are the plans for its two beach clubs, as well as a new private destination in Vanuatu.

Royal Caribbean News

• Crazy lazy river, water launch slides, beach clubs: How you’re going to change how to pick a cruise
• Millennials are now the average cruise passenger age, says Royal Caribbean CEO
• My first cruise to Alaska caught me off guard. Looking back, I wish I'd avoided these 3 mistakes
• How much I spent on everything for my Anthem of the Seas cruise
• I paid $220 to try Royal Caribbean's new VIP excursion. It was pricey but made our beach day much better
• Royal Caribbean planning timeline
• Anthem of the Seas balcony cabin tour

Cruise tips that sound strange but really work

Trust, these travel tips really work, even if they sound bizarre.

New cruisers might be surprised by a few cruise tips that get shared because they either sound unintuitive or something completely different than they're used to.

I can vouch from experience these cruise tips really do work, even if they sound very odd.

Royal Caribbean makes casino change for non-smokers

The newest non-smoking casino is open.

Royal Caribbean opened another non-smoking casino on Utopia of the Seas, this one replacing the comedy club onboard.

Construction took a month, but a second non-smoking venue is now open on the ship.

These 13 travel essentials made my flight to Europe fly by

Jenna just got back from a trip to Europe, a few essentials made a big difference during the flight.

Flying to Barcelona to check out Allure of the Seas meant taking an economy class flight across the Atlantic.  By no means is that an enjoyable experience on its own.

After careful testing, certain travel accessories really do help improve the flight when traveling that long a time.

The underrated Florida cruise port with the best value

Among all the ports you can sail from in Florida, Tampa is clearly the best if you're on a budget.

Cruises from Tampa are easy to access, and probably the cheapest fares you'll find right now.

With cruise prices only seemingly going up, the best deals are on Florida's west coast.

New RCB Video: Royal Caribbean just shared Perfect Day Mexico, Beach Club Info & More

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Royal Caribbean just shared Perfect Day Mexico, Beach Club Info & More — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.