Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean is going to offer a one-of-a-kind cruise it never usually has.

Typical Royal Caribbean cruises are on right around 7-nights, with longer sailings getting up to two weeks.

However, the cruise line is going to step out of its usual assortment of cruises with an epic, 25-night repositioning cruise aboard Quantum of the Seas.

Sailing from Los Angeles to Brisbane, this isn't your typical cruise. Royal Caribbean sees it as a bucket-list adventure as it combines coastlines, tropical islands, and two continents.

Quantum of the Seas will depart Los Angeles and then visit Catalina Island, California, before making their way to Hawaii. Even better? The itinerary includes an overnight stop in Oahu (Honolulu). 

From there, Quantum will continue its journey across the Pacific Ocean, calling at Raiatea, French Polynesia; Papeete, Tahiti; and Moorea, French Polynesia before finally arriving at her new home — Brisbane. 

This is all part of Australia's new 2026-2027 deployment  that was released today.

Two Quantum Class ships — Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas — sail from Australia, offering guests the opportunity to explore stunning destinations while experiencing the familiar Royal Caribbean standard of service and innovation. 

Itineraries will depart from Sydney and Brisbane, Australia, and sail to Australia, New Zealand, and the sun-soaked South Pacific islands.

Quantum will sail from Brisbane, while Anthem's seasonal homeport will be Sydney

Quantum Class ships aren't new to the South Pacific. As such, it's not a surprise that Royal Caribbean is doubling down with two of its most popular vessels for the 2026-2027 season. 

These ships are some of the most innovative at sea, offering skydiving simulators, robot bars, multi-purpose indoor spaces, enclosed observation capsules, and more. 

While the ships themselves are destinations, they're even more special when combined with a bucket-list-worthy itinerary. 

Read more: I tried my first Australia cruise: here are 7 things that surprised me

Another noteworthy itinerary is Anthem of the Seas' 18-night cruise from Oahu (Honolulu) to Sydney. Many of the ports are the same as Quantum's lengthier Transpacific cruise, making it an appealing option for those who may not have nearly a month to spare on a cruise. 

Prices for Quantum's Transpacific journey start at a staggering $2,292 per person. However, this breaks down to less than $90 per night when sailing in a windowless interior stateroom. Comparatively, Anthem's 18-night cruise starts at $1,896 per person, or roughly $105 per night. 

Of course, those looking to cruise to Australia and beyond will be more interested in the coastal and island-focused sailings from Sydney and Brisbane. 

Sample itineraries include:

• 11-night New Zealand cruise on Anthem of the Seas: Departs Feb. 1, 2027
• 9-night South Pacific cruise on Anthem of the Seas: Multiple departures
• 8-night South Pacific cruise on Quantum of the Seas: Multiple departures
• 8-night Queensland cruise on Anthem of the Seas: Departs Jan 24, 2027
• 4-night Airlie Beach cruise on Quantum of the Seas: Multiple departures 

The new Australia cruises are open for booking now 

Royal Caribbean's 2026-2027 Australia deployment is open for booking. You can either book directly through the cruise line's website or contact your travel agent for assistance. 

Waiting on one more deployment

Royal Caribbean is set to release its October 2026 - March 2027 sailings from Singapore sometime the week of May 12, 2025. 

This is the last deployment for the 2026 - 2027 schedule. 

There's nothing more awkward than talking about how much to tip someone on a cruise, but the last thing anyone wants to do is insult a hard working crew member by stiffing them.

Gratuities have been a part of the cruise industry for decades, but they've also evolved to reflect changing views. The rates and how tips are offered have changed since I first started cruising.

New cruisers usually have two questions about tipping on a cruise ship: How much to tip and who to tip.

Here's what you need to know about how gratuities work and how much you should tip.

Automatic gratuities cover the basics

Royal Caribbean has an automatic gratuity that you'll run into off the bat.

There's an automatic daily charge, and you can either pre-pay it or wait to have it charged onboard. Residents of Australia actually have the automatic gratuities included in their cruise fare.

There's no right or wrong answer, it's up to you if you'd rather get it paid in advance or pay it later. Personally, I pre-pay just to lessen my onboard spending bill.

The automatic gratuities cover:

• Your stateroom attendant
• Dining Room waiters
• Head waiter

The current gratuity rate is $18.50 per person, per day in standard cabins, and $21.00 per person, per day in suites.

You don't have to tip more than that, but if you wanted to, you could give those people extra cash as you see fit.

Why tip them more? If you feel that crew member went above and beyond and truly did something special for your family, there could be a reason to give them something extra.

How much extra? I've tipped stateroom attendants anywhere from $20 to $100 extra, depending on the situation.  For waiters in the restaurants, about $20.  

The automatic gratuity does not include gratuities you'll encounter elsewhere on the ship.

For example, if you order a drink, there's an automatic 18% gratuity that gets added to your bill.  Or if you visit the spa for a massage, you'll see a service charge added to that too.

There's nothing to do, it's a line item on your bill.

Beyond that, there's a number of discretionary tips you should plan on.

Porters

When you arrive at the cruise terminal, there are porters to take your luggage and deliver it to your cabin.

Likewise, at the end of the cruise, there are porters to assist you with picking up your luggage and taking it through the terminal and to your car, bus, or taxi.

I'd recommend tipping $1-$2 per bag.

When ordering a drink

As I mentioned earlier, any drink you order comes with an automatic 18% service charge and that is effectively your tip.

I'll still tip $1 per drink in cash on top of that, but it has less to do with the service.  I do so because tipping just $1 extra tends to get me better service later.

When the bar is busy, the bartenders and waiters definitely give preferential treatment to those that tip extra.  

I think it's worth it not only to reward attentive service, but ensure I'm not waiting a long time for my next one.

Occasionally, it gets me a free drink too, but you can't bet on that.

Specialty restaurants

Similar to drinks, you'll pay an automatic gratuity at the specialty restaurants on top of the cover charge or cost to eat there.

I usually tip $20 per meal extra, but it depends on the service we get.

I don't have a good rationale why I do or even how I came up with that number, but it's what I do.

Room service

Royal Caribbean includes a service charge with the cost of room service, but the complimentary continental breakfast has no cost.

I very rarely ever order room service other than breakfast, so I'll tip them between $2-$5 extra for bringing my food to the room.

Royal Genie

I've been lucky enough to stay in a few of Royal Caribbean's biggest and most expensive suites, which includes the services of the Royal Genie.

The Royal Genie is shared between a few suites, and they make your cruise as easy as possible. They can cut the lines for you, get priority elevators, make any reservation you need, and otherwise be your "magic maker".

The first time I stayed in Star Class I was completely lost how much to tip them.

The overwhelming consistent answer I found in the Royal Caribbean Star Class Facebook group is to tip the genie $100 per day.

I really don't think any genie would scoff at any tip amount. They appreciate what you feel is appropriate, and they're certainly not standing with their hand open on the final morning.

Cabana attendant

You can rent cabanas at Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee, and you'll have a cabana attendant for the day with your cabana.

The cabana attendant is there to bring you food, drinks, towels, or anything else you need during your stay.

The amount to tip depends largely on how much you utilize their services and size of your group. Some cabanas can accommodate up to 8 people.

Given that you're there for the entire day and that person might be running back and forth bringing food and drinks a lot, the amount to tip varies considerably.

I usually tip between $50 - $100 to the cabana attendant, and I'll often split that cost with friends.

Shore excursion tour guide

Tour guides are optional to tip during shore excursions, and I think how much to tip truly depends on a number of factors.

Tour guides play different roles depending on the nature of the trip. A snorkel excursion with someone actively helping you or a family member in the water is vastly different than a bus tour narrator.

In addition, you're almost always with a group and theoretically others are tipping too.

It's hard to give a good number, but $10-$20 for a tour host that is helpful, passionate, or insightful would be appropriate.  To be fair, I have not tipped tour guides in the past if they're glorified babysitters.

Entertainers in bars

Royal Caribbean has some amazing performers in various bars and lounges, and you could tip them too.

Most people don't tip the singers or performers, so it's really a matter of your choice in rewarding their skills and entertaining.

An unwritten rule of these bars is if you make a song request and they play it, you should tip them.

I'll tip bar entertainers $5-$20, depending if I'm tipping for one song or a few song requests.  Yes, I did tip the Mason Jar band $100 once to stop playing "Sweet Caroline" immediately. You're welcome.

Casino

Another unwritten rule is you should tip the casino dealers periodically.

Casino dealers at the various table games are there to keep the fun going, and the good ones will even step in and help you avoid making a mistake.

A dollar or two periodically works, especially if you're winning money.

You do you

All of the tipping amounts are ballpark figures of what you could consider, they're not rules about what you should or shouldn't do.

I have no doubt the comments section for this article have already erupted because some people cannot handle how others choose to spend their money.  Ignore them, and always rely on the principle of do what feels right for you.

The only people that absolutely should be tipped extra beyond Royal Caribbean's automatic gratuity include:

• Porters
• Cabana attendants
• Royal Genies

Everything else is completely discretionary and there is no right or wrong answer. 

Crew members are appreciative of anything you can provide them, and I can safely say I've never heard of a crew member that was insulted by an additional tip from a guest.

The one faux pas you can make with tipping is not tipping at all.  Removing the automatic gratuity at Guest Services as a cost-savings measure is a really egregious act. 

I recently disembarked a 4-night cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. During the short trip, I called a tiny, windowless inside cabin my home away from home.

Although inside cabins are extremely basic, they’re the most budget-friendly option on cruise ships. There’s no natural light in the room, but you’ll still find essentials like a bed, vanity, and private bathroom.

For my short itinerary, I paid $1,260 for the inside room. The price included the cruise fare, taxes, and prepaid gratuities for two adults. At $157 per person, per night, I found the price fair for a cruise on one of Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships.

Let’s take a look inside my interior cabin on Allure of the Seas to see what the cheapest cabin option is really like.

Allure of the Seas just completed a $100M renovation, but cabins were not updated

Allure of the Seas launched in 2009, but she recently completed a major amplification to modernize the vessel.

New restaurants, bars, and activities were added, and minor aesthetic changes were made to existing venues around the ship.

Read more: A look inside Allure of the Seas' $100M amplification

One aspect of Allure of the Seas that was not updated, though, were the cabins.

Royal Caribbean rarely updates cabins when renovating cruise ships in its fleet. With thousands of cabins onboard, the cruise line forgoes this massive undertaking in favor of updating other areas.

Therefore, cabins on Allure of the Seas appear slightly outdated. There are fewer power outlets compared to Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, for example, and passengers should expect more wear and tear throughout the stateroom.

I loved my cabin’s location on deck 11

After boarding Allure of the Seas, I headed to my cabin to drop off my carry-on and check out my stateroom for the first time.

When I booked my cruise nine months before departure, I selected an interior guarantee cabin. This was the cheapest option, and it meant Royal Caribbean would assign me a stateroom location closer to the sail date.

Read more: Royal Caribbean cabins to avoid

I was assigned room 11273, located near the aft of deck 11 on Allure of the Seas. The room was conveniently located just steps from the aft elevator lobby and stairwell.

Some passengers may be wary of cabins near the elevators, but I didn’t encounter any noise issues during my cruise. Plus, I loved the easy access from my stateroom to anywhere else onboard.

The tiny room felt surprisingly spacious

Interior cabins aren’t winning any awards for their size—most inside rooms on Allure of the Seas measure between 150 and 180 square feet.

That being said, I was pleasantly surprised with the size and layout of my interior cabin.

The bed was pushed against the back wall, so I never had to walk around it to reach other areas of the room.

There was a couch, too, which is always a nice perk. Many interior cabins on cruise ships have a small chair in lieu of a couch, so I appreciated the expanded seating area.

The couch’s upholstery was definitely showing its age, however, and I thought it was in need of a refresh.

A full-length mirror was next to the couch, which both reflected light in the cabin and made it appear more spacious.

My inside stateroom was packed with storage

Storage is an important feature in cruise ship cabins. Given their compact size, it’s helpful to have an abundance of storage throughout the room, whether closets, drawers, or shelves.

My Allure of the Seas cabin had a surprising amount of storage space.

First, there were three drawers next to the mini fridge. These drawers were easy to access, and they were convenient for storing smaller items like socks and shorts.

There were also two additional shelves under the desk as well as a narrow column of shelves above it.

Additionally, a closet provided extra shelving and hanging space.

Most older cruise ships lack significant storage, so I was nervous my room wouldn't have enough space to unpack my belongings. Luckily, this was not the case, and I was pleased with the number of closets, shelves, drawers.

The storage variety made it easy to unpack and stay organized for the duration of my cruise.

Storage was abundant, but outlets were not

One thing I wish I could have changed about my Allure of the Seas cabin were the number of electrical outlets.

Outlet availability was extremely limited, with just three outlets on the desk and one in the bathroom. I traveled with a laptop, wireless headphones, my phone, a Kindle, and camera, among other electronics. It was a hassle to charge everything with just three outlets.

I also missed having a USB charging port by the bedside.

The lack of outlets was another area where my cabin showed its age. I regretted not packing a USB hub, which would have increased the room's charging capacity.

Lastly, I was impressed with the cabin’s bathroom

Tiny cruise ship bathrooms aren’t glamorous by any means, but I thought my Allure of the Seas bathroom had nice features and a calming color scheme.

Everything in the bathroom seemed to be in great condition, from the vinyl floor to the backsplash and storage shelves. I loved the blue tile, which gave a clean aesthetic to the small space.

Next to the sink were shelves and a drawer. This was extremely useful for storing my toiletries, and a metal bar kept items from falling off the shelf due to ship movement.

Read more: 7 bathroom hacks to use in your cruise ship cabin

I also liked how the bathroom had a glass shower door.

This is far preferable to the cloth curtains used on older ships.

If I cruised on Allure of the Seas again, I’d pick one of the new cabins added during amplification

My short stay in cabin 11273 was comfortable, but I’d pick a different room next time.

During Allure of the Seas’ amplification, a number of new cabins were added to the ship. These include interior rooms on decks 6, 11, and 12 along with the Ultimate Panoramic Suites above the ship’s bridge.

Presumably, the new cabins feature more updated furnishing and decor. When Liberty of the Seas was refreshed in 2016, for instance, Royal Caribbean added 86 cabins to the ship. These rooms look more modern compared to other cabins on the vessel.

Read more: We tried 4 cabins on Liberty of the Seas: here's how they compared

The next time I cruise on Allure of the Seas, I would specifically book one of these new cabin locations. Although cruising in a cabin built in 2009 wasn’t a dealbreaker, I’d certainly prefer sailing in a 2025-style stateroom on the same ship.

Two of the biggest cruise companies in the world shared different outlooks on how they see the rest of the year going.

On April 29, Royal Caribbean Group released its first quarter results, revealing the company is seeing strong demand for its products, ranging from Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas to Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Ascent. 

The surge in demand isn't slowing down, either. RCG reported that they are 86% booked for 2025 and warned of higher prices for last-minute cruisers. 

"Bookings for 2025 have remained on track, cancellation levels are normal, and we continue to see excellent close-in demand," said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO, during the company's Q1 earnings call.

Record bookings continued into April, with Liberty reporting that the company's bookings were greater than during the same period last year. 

However, Norwegian Cruise Line's first quarter results weren't as positive. 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) posted its earnings the very next day. Revenue for Norwegian came in at $2.13 billion, below the estimated $2.15 billion as per data compiled by LSEG. This means that the company's quarterly revenue declined 3%, marking the first year-over-year decline since the second quarter of 2021. 

Norwegian also reported adjusted profit of 7 cents per share, below estimates of 9 cents. Consequently, NCLH's stock tumbled 9%, as reported by Reuters. 

The company warned of weak consumer spending on pricier voyages, citing growing concerns about a possible recession that may be affecting spending.

One area they are seeing softness in is European cruises. 

“[Europe] was actually booking really, really well till about a month or two ago. And then the American consumer seemed to be a little skittish about doing far-from-home travel,” CEO Harry Sommer told CNBC.

Now, the annual net yield is expected to increase between 2.0% and 3.0%, compared to its earlier forecast of 3.0%. In contrast, Royal Caribbean raised its annual profit forecast. 

Despite the disappointing Q1 results, Sommer believes the cruise industry has an advantage during economic turmoil because of the value proposition compared to land-based vacations. 

“You know, you may have a weak month, a weak quarter, but consumers continue to take vacations,” Sommer said. “It’s sort of one of their God-given rights, and they enjoy them...they come back.”

Royal Caribbean incentives its guests to book another cruise while onboard, but many don't take advantage of the extra savings offered.

If you're like me, after a day or two on the cruise ship, I become so enamored with the experience I want to do it again.  That leads my brain to start thinking of ways to book another cruise.

When you're ready to double down on another cruise, Royal Caribbean offers a bonus for booking on the ship. Yet, a lot of cruisers miss out on it.

Beci Mahnken is the owner of MEI Travel, and one missed opportunity she sees from clients is when they don't book a cruise on the ship for the wrong reason.

Missing out on the best combination of perks

NextCruise is available on every Royal Caribbean ship, and it offers additional incentives when booking a cruise there.

By booking onboard, Royal Caribbean will add extra onboard credit and even reduce the deposit amount.

According to Ms. Mahnken, a lot of cruisers assume booking a cruise at the NextCruise desk means they can't use their travel agent.

"Too many people think booking at NextCruise means losing their travel advisor," she explained.

"But it’s not true. You get extra incentives, and your advisor still takes care of everything because the booking is transferred to them automatically."

I recently saw this first-hand when my neighbor returned home after a cruise and I asked them if they booked a cruise we discussed, but they didn't book onboard because they didn't think it worked that way.

Ms. Mahken has seen the same scenario play out many times, "It’s always frustrating when clients come to me after their cruise saying, 'I wish I’d known!' NextCruise can offer some valuable perks."

If you're working with a travel agent, you can still leverage their services while getting the extra money Royal Caribbean is offering with onboard credit.  And yes, it's all combinable.

Make a reservation at NextCruise to avoid waiting

I'd recommend going to the NextCruise desk after making a reservation.

Depending on the ship, you can either sign up for a time slot on a piece of paper at the desk, or do it within the Royal Caribbean app.

It's easy to do this, and it ensures you minimize waiting.  

By far the busiest day at NextCruise is the last day of the cruise because everyone seems to have the same thought: Let's book a new cruise because this one is ending!

Verify your travel agent is on the booking

When I make any booking at NextCruise, I'll always reconfirm my travel agent is on the reservation they are making.

Most of the time, the NextCruise agent asks me about it before I can remind them, but it's a good idea to double check it.

What to look for when booking a cruise at NextCruise

Besides your travel agent being on the reservation, there are a few things to verify.

The deposit type you pick is important, because you may want refundable cruise fare instead of non-refundable.

There's nothing wrong with a non-refundable cruise deposit. In fact, the price is usually a bit lower than a refundable deposit. But there are penalties for changing the ship or sail date with a non-refundable deposit.

The next thing to look for is the amount of onboard credit you'll be getting, in addition to whatever promotion Royal Caribbean is running at the time.

The onboard credit varies depending on the length of the sailing and the type of stateroom you choose.

The final printout should list exactly how much onboard credit you're getting, so it's important to understand how much there is on the booking.  I can get confused when comparing different cruises and how much I'm actually getting in the end.

Finally, if you have an internet package on your cruise, you could message your travel agent to give them a heads up that you're booking onboard.

There have been times when my travel agent tells me to pick one option over another because there's a better deal on it. 

As an example, there could be a group rate that's cheaper than Royal Caribbean offers.  So if I book that sailing at NextCruise, I get the bonus onboard credit but then my agent can roll it into the group and I get a lower price.  It's win-win!

A balcony cabin is the most popular stateroom choice for a cruise, but one person regretted it immediately.

Among the various rooms on a cruise ship, balcony rooms tend to be the ones people book.  In fact, any ship built in the last 30 years or so probably has more balcony rooms than any other room type.

But not all balcony cabins are made the same, and one person on Reddit found that out the hard way.

It serves as a good reminder of one our favorite cruise tips to verify before you book.

"I can't sleep this is beyond annoying"

CokeCanCowBoi posted on the Royal Caribbean Reddit complaining about the "paper thin walls" that prevented them from sleeping while cruising on Allure of the Seas.

Next to their room is a family with young children who are up crying throughout the night, which can be heard in neighboring cabins.

"I have a balcony room with a connected room to some family of 3 kids and its just constant crying and screaming at all hours of the night," CokeCanCowBoi posted.

They asked Guest Services to be moved to another room, but were told there are no open rooms.

They booked the wrong cabin

The title of the post asked if the walls were not soundproof at all, but the reality is they shouldn't have booked a connecting cabin.

Connecting cabins are wonderful choices for families, but a terrible choice if you didn't book both.

Many people that responded in the thread pointed out the fallacy in room choice.

"Never book a room with a connecting door unless you're also booking the other room too," wrote Living4nowornever. This is sage advice.

The connecting doors are not nearly as well insulated for noise as the walls are.  Moreover, there are small gaps at the top and bottom of the door that can let sound in more easily.

How do you know if you picked a connecting room

The outpouring of advice not to book a connecting cabin prompted some to admit they had no idea this was a choice.

"In fairness, I would have no idea how to check that," posted Extra_Shirt5843.

Before you pick any cabin, look at the ship's deck plans on Royal Caribbean's website to determine if it's connecting or not.

Connecting rooms usually have a double headed arrow on connecting cabins.

Because of nuances like this, choosing the right cabin for you can be an exercise that new cruisers may not be aware of. 

It's critical to know about noise, obstructed views, cabin size and room configuration (i.e. location of the bed to the balcony or extra bedding) before choosing a room.

It's quite easy and simple to pick up on, but you need to know what to look for in the first place.

We certainly advocate the right type of stateroom advice you may need, but a good travel agent can also greatly assist.

Travel agents have heard of stories like this one hundreds of times, and the good ones would immediately warn you about picking a connecting balcony room if you don't book both sides of the door. Heck, they probably wouldn't have quoted that kind of a room in the first place.

Soundproofing hacks for connecting rooms

Since knowing which cabin to book is too late for someone already in the cabin, Reddit shared a few tips for how to mitigate sound coming from the neighboring cabin.

One idea is to ask your stateroom attendant for an extra comforter.  Then, use magnetic hooks that you bought pre-cruise (because it's one of the best cruise hacks the internet loves to share) to make a sound baffle. (this is an affiliate link that costs you nothing extra to use).

Another option is to ask for pillows and stick them in-between the connecting doors.

If you can't block out the noise, then drowning it out is another idea.

Buy a USB powered fan (do not bring one that plugs into the wall, because it's not allowed) that you put by your head.

This is one such fan that could work well (These links contains an affiliate links).

Don't book a guarantee cabin either

While it's tempting to book a GTY cabin to save money, this is usually how people end up on the wrong end of a connecting cabin.

Royal Caribbean uses guarantee cabin bookings to fill in unsold cabins, and connecting cabins are definitely undesirable rooms.

My advice is if you don't want to potentially be in this kind of a situation, pay more to choose your own cabin location.

Royal Caribbean just reported it's had the best start to the year in its company's history, and cruise fans are a big reason why.

While some areas of travel are reporting troubling numbers related to an economic downturn, Royal Caribbean Group sees its loyalty program as being an economic moat protecting them.

The company's fiercely loyal cruisers are proving to be quite the powerhouse. Consumer habits shift a lot across the economy, but Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program is helping it outperform expectations.

"Our unified loyalty programs connect all our brands under one ecosystem, encouraging repeat travel and unlocking more opportunities to engage across ocean and river cruising along with our exclusive destinations," said Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty.

The numbers shared during the company's first quarter earnings call on Tuesday exemplify how well customer loyalty factors into the cruise giant's bottom line.

Loyalty is driving revenue

Usually cruise lines tout how many new cruisers they attract, but this time Royal Caribbean Group executives focused on repeat business and how it's making a difference.

Nearly 40% of bookings in 2024 came from loyalty program members during the quarter. More importantly, loyalty members spend 25% more per trip than non-members.

In fact, Mr. Liberty shared repeat cruisers are now twice as likely to book through the Royal Caribbean app compared to non-members.

That's a big factor to have its customer loyalty leading the company's economic charge ahead, and a sign they're doing things right.

Deepening loyalty through status matching

Royal Caribbean Group also believes one change they made is having an impact on keeping customers in their ecosystem.

In May 2024, the company unveiled status matching across its brands, and that is making a difference.

They're seeing cross-brand bookings increasing, and that means more guests are trying different styles of vacations without ever leaving Royal Caribbean Group’s portfolio.

"The ecosystem is working. Cross-brand bookings are increasing, loyalty members are more likely to book in the app, and spend significantly more per trip," said Mr. Liberty during the call.

They call it "a commercial flywheel" because it turns as the customer becomes more invested in the RCG brands.

With each cruise someone takes across the brands, it fuels a fuels deeper loyalty and more engagement. 

When you add in new ships and private destinations opening over the next few years, it gives loyal cruisers more reasons to stay inside Royal Caribbean’s world.

Star of the Seas will launch this summer, followed by Legend of the Seas next year.  Plus, there's going to be new beach clubs and Perfect Day Mexico opening over the next three years.

Loyal cruisers are so valuable with economic uncertainty

Repeat business is always good to have, but much more so when the economic situation is not so clear.

Generally speaking, when there are economic concerns, consumers may cut back. However, the public is reluctant to give up their vacations, especially among committed cruise guests.

Surveys show 9 out of 10 consumers prioritize value for money when planning vacations — an area where cruising beats land vacations.

Royal Caribbean sees no signs of loyalty members trading down or cutting spend.

"Cruisers are more financially secure and more likely to protect their travel budgets during times of uncertainty," Liberty said.

"When financial concerns impact lifestyle or spending, travel is not the first place consumers indicate they will pull back."

It's probably going to cost you more than ever if you wait to book your cruise vacation.

Historically, last-minute cruises were a great way to score a cheap family vacation. While there was always a risk involved, the reward was often worth it. However, Royal Caribbean is changing that narrative.

Instead of slashing fares to fill empty cabins, Royal Caribbean is focusing its combating high last-minute demand while trying to prioritize early bookings and build a stronger fan base. This represents a significant change for travelers who have scored big at the last minute. 

"We see...an uplift in demand as we get very close in. Not only do we see an uplift in demand, we're also about to raise our pricing during that period of time," said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group's C.E.O., during Royal Caribbean Group's first quarter earnings call on Tuesday, April 29. 

He continued to talk about last-minute bookings driving revenue gains in the first quarter, and that trend is continuing into the second quarter, particularly among loyal cruisers who are big spenders. 

While Royal Caribbean's last-minute fares might be higher than you remember, Liberty wants to maintain a high level of price integrity, which helps protect the brand's reputation and long-term revenue goals. 

"We are very religious about price integrity," he said, "We've been through different cycles before, and ensuring that we have a high level of price integrity is very important." 

Though they also have different promotional tools that help stimulate demand, Liberty wants to focus on making sure that whatever they're putting into the marketplace won't impact the integrity of the brands. 

In other words, discounting is done carefully and strategically to avoid frequent price fluctuations that could undermine customer trust or devalue the brand. 

Loyal cruisers are spending more

Members of Royal Caribbean Group's loyalty programs accounted for roughly 40% of the company's bookings in 2024. This is good news to the brand, as if you have been on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you're likely to spend more on your next sailing. 

According to Liberty, loyal cruisers are likely to book direct and spend 25% more per trip than non-loyalty members. 

Plus, cross-brand bookings between Royal Caribbean Group's three brands — Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Silversea — are increasing. 

86% of the 2025 cruise inventory is booked

Demand for this year is strong. If you haven't booked your summer vacation, your options are narrowing, and prices are likely climbing. 

With limited staterooms left and a high demand for the remaining cabins, waiting could mean settling for less desirable itineraries or higher costs. Worst case scenario? The sailing you've been eyeing sells out. 

Looking ahead to 2026, Liberty said the booking window is about one week shorter, which is being driven by close-in demand. 

"Our booked position for 2026, at this point, is in line with the same time last year on a volume standpoint...So we obviously have more capacity next year and at higher prices," he said. 

Royal Caribbean is continuing to pause its visits to one of its private destinations.

Increasing concerns in Haiti as forced the cruise line to halt visits to Labadee in the north part of the country. Haiti has had the highest level of travel advisory for well over a year, which is “Level 4: Do Not Travel." issued by the U.S. State Department.

Royal Caribbean began re-routing its cruise ships away from Haiti last week.

Labadee is a private beach stop exclusive to Royal Caribbean ships, and it's not in a city. The beach is located in a remote area of the country that is inaccessible except by cruise ship. There is a large wall with private security.

Nonetheless, Royal Caribbean has cancelled another visit to the area.

Icon of the Seas to skip Labadee

Guests booked on the May 3rd sailing of Icon of the Seas received an update their ship will not visit Labadee.

"We have been monitoring the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and out of an abundance of caution, we’re swapping out our visit to Labadee for a Sea Day," is what the email read.

Any booked shore excursions in Labadee will be refunded.

It appears a replacement port of call for Labadee could not be found, and it will have a sea day instead.  Other ships that skipped Labadee have been re-routed to places like Falmouth, Jamaica or Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

Nonetheless, Royal Caribbean is offering onboard credit as a gesture of goodwill since this sailing will have just two port stops.

"While we know it’s not the original itinerary we planned, we’re excited for our journey together! As a token of our appreciation for your understanding, you’ll receive credit to spend onboard per stateroom"

• $75 USD for Interior and Ocean View
• $100 USD for Balcony
• $150 USD for Suites
• Plus, an additional $25 USD for each third or more guest to spend onboard

Other ships that skipped Labadee in the last week or so did not get onboard credit offered, but they did get to visit a replacement port of call.

Royal Caribbean also padded the ship's time in Ponce, Puerto Rico to add more time for guests to enjoy time in that port.

Unclear how long the pause will last

No one knows quite how long Royal Caribbean’s Labadee pause will continue. 

Royal Caribbean had previously stopped visits to Labadee between March and October 2024 when the situation in the country initially deteriorated.  But they later resumed visits when it was clear there was no impact to the security of Labadee.

Unlike last year, Royal Caribbean is not sharing any kind of timeline of when they might consider resuming visits.

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson has gone on record last week to say simply, "Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily paused our upcoming visits to Labadee. We have already communicated with guests directly."

What's happening in Haiti to cause the change?

Haiti's government is actively fighting back a surge in well-coordinated gang violence that's threatening the country's capital.

Haiti’s transitional government recently declared a nationwide state of emergency in response to the violence.

On April 16, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a security alert for Port-au-Prince over "widespread protests with potential for violence between police, protestors, and criminal gangs."

Upset cruisers

The cancelled visit by Icon of the Seas exemplifies how some cruisers are upset at the change in plans.

Totally disappointed Royal Caribbean International for adding a sea day in replacement to Labadee instead of another port," wrote Jamie Nguyen on Facebook.

"I book this reservation based on the destination and now I’m quite disappointed for the amount I paid and the lack of destination I will be visiting," the person added in their comment complaining about the cancellation.

"I feel this is total rip off!"

On the Royal Caribbean message boards, TZsavonH described the change as "disgusting" and cancelled the cruise booking despite being well past the final payment date.

"I think it's disgusting... especially when you've spent thousands on excursions and cabanas. "

While the fact Icon is only visiting two ports, the ship is also a floating destination in and of itself, which other cruise fans pointed to as a positive point with the situation.

"The Icon is a destination. Stay on the ship and enjoy," is what one person wrote on Facebook.

Jolene Palmore added, "Would much rather be at sea. The ship is the destination!"

While the US economy might have a few question marks, Royal Caribbean doesn't see any slowdown on its end.

Royal Caribbean Group released its first quarter results and blew past expectations and raised its full-year guidance.

The results indicate the company is seeing strong demand for its products, reinforcing the trope of experiences over products.

"Our strong first quarter results are a testament to the enduring appeal and attractive value proposition of our leading brands and the incredible vacations they deliver," said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO.

Royal Caribbean Group’s first quarter results point to a company thriving, fueled by record bookings, improved margins, strategic investments, and newly regained investment-grade financial strength.

First quarter by the numbers

Royal Caribbean Group saw good indicators all around for its products and showed a healthy return in the quarter.

• Report Q1 earnings: $2.70 EPS vs guidance, $2.71 Adjusted EPS.
• Total revenues of $4.0 billion, Net Income of $0.7 billion.
• Adjusted EBITDA $1.4 billion — margin strength is key.

About 2.2 million guests took a cruise with Royal Caribbean Group in the quarter, which is a 9% increase year over year.

Record breaking demand

The first few months of any year is known as "WAVE season" because it acts like an ocean wave carrying bookings throughout the rest of the year.

This was a very good WAVE season for Royal Caribbean, and that continued into April. Bookings in April still stronger than last year, showing momentum is sustained.

The company reported "record bookings during WAVE season."

"Bookings for 2025 have remained on track, cancellation levels are normal, and we continue to see excellent close-in demand," said Liberty.

Even in April this held true, "during April, the company's bookings were greater than the same period last year, including continued strength in close-in bookings"

Executives continue to believe that consumers are spending on experiences (vacations) over material goods.

How Royal Caribbean is pulling this off

Royal Caribbean Group's formula is a mix of cruise fares rising and people willing to pay them.

That pricing power is evident in onboard revenue and pre-cruise purchases, "Guest spending onboard and pre-cruise purchases continue to exceed prior years driven by greater participation at higher prices."

Strong close-in demand at higher prices is what they've reported in this quarter. Plus, continuous investment in adding new ships and private destinations generate higher interest among consumers.

There is quite a line-up of big projects coming soon:

• 7 new cruise ships by 2028
• Increasing from 2 to 7 exclusive destinations by 2027
• Celebrity Cruises River launching in 2027

Cost control and investment upgrades

Another factor helping the company this quarter is its strict adherence to cost controls.

"Our strong balance sheet allows us the flexibility to continue to expand capital return to shareholders, invest in growth and innovation, and maintain investment grade balance sheet metrics in a range of macroeconomic environments," said Naftali Holtz, CFO.

During the quarter, the company was upgraded to investment grade by S&P Global Ratings. Plus, they exercised significant debt reduction and share buybacks.

On top of that, they have a good amount of cash on hand, with $4.5 billion in cash and available credit.

"This quarter, we continued to opportunistically reduce debt, while lowering cost of capital and recapturing a portion of our Covid-era share dilution," Holtz added.

Hinting at a strong year to come

Royal Caribbean Group isn't making any bold predictions for the year, but they are seeing good signs to come.

The company increased its full year 2025 Adjusted EPS guidance from$14.55 to $15.55. The increase in earnings expectations is driven by the better than expected revenue performance in the first quarter and the benefit of currency exchange rates and lower fuel costs for the remainder of the year.

"With our industry-leading brands, state-of-the-art ships, exclusive destinations, and a fortified balance sheet, we will continue dreaming and innovating to win a greater share of the growing $2 trillion global vacation market," Liberty said.

While there are economic doubts for many companies, Royal Caribbean's results show cruising is one luxury people are willing to prioritize.