Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean announced today that its Perfect Day Island at CocoCay experiences are now ready to book for upcoming sailings from May 2019 and beyond.

Guests booked on these sailings can now reserve their perfect day activities, including Up, Up and Away, a tethered helium balloon that takes guests to new heights 450 feet above the island, and Thrill Waterpark, with the tallest waterslide in North America.

The new experiences may be booked through the Cruise Planner (RoyalCaribbean.com/CruisePlanner) site.

We first reported last week that Royal Caribbean had begun adding certain Perfect Day Island Experiences into the Cruise Planner for select sailings, and the cruise line has now confirmed the roll out as of today.

Perfect Day at CocoCay Timeline

Perfect Day at CocoCay is what Royal Caribbean is renaming its private destination in the Bahamas, which will see the island transformed with a $200 million upgrade.

• The new pier will open in November 2018.
• Up, Up and Away helium balloon, Chill Island, and Oasis Lagoon freshwater pool will open in December 2018.
• Thrill Waterpark, the Zip Line, Splashaway Bay aquapark, Captain Jack’s dining, Skipper’s Grill dining, and Captain
  Jack’s Galleon will open in May 2019.
• South Beach, Coco Beach Club and the overwater cabanas will open in December 2019.

Perfect Day at CocoCay Costs

Royal Caribbean has also provided additional details as to which activities will be complimentary and which activities will have an extra charge.

Perfect Day at CocoCay will offer Voom high speed internet.  In addition, Beverage and Wi-Fi packages purchased onboard will be active on the island. You can also enjoy five new complimentary dining venues located throughout the island.

Towels and beach chairs are complimentary to all cruise guests. Umbrellas are available to rent for a nominal fee.

Lockers are available throughout the island for a nominal rental fee. You’ll also find complimentary freshwater showers, restrooms, and changing rooms available on the island.

Cabana Prices

Perfect Day at CocoCay will offer beach umbrellas, clamshells and daybeds for a rental charge.

In addition, cabanas will be available at beaches, Thrill Waterpark, and Oasis Lagoon freshwater pool. Or elevate your beach day with an overwater cabana at Coco Beach Club, which accommodates up to eight guests and comes with attendant service, a private hammock, a minibar, and your own personal slide into the sea.

Some cabanas come with extra perks, too. If you reserve a cabana at Thrill Waterpark, you’ll enjoy complimentary entry to all of the slides and activities inside for up to six guests. If you reserve a cabana at Coco Beach Club (including the overwater cabanas), you’ll enjoy complimentary access to the club for up to eight guests.

Cabana pricing varies by season. See price ranges below.

Perfect Day at CocoCay Height & Weight Restrictions

There are no age restrictions for the experiences at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Some slides and activities have height and weight restrictions; see the chart below for specifics. Many of the island’s other experiences, such as Up, Up and Away helium balloon, Oasis Lagoon freshwater pool, and Captain Jack’s Galleon, are open to all adventurers.

Royal Caribbean is partnering with h StarGuard, the leading provider of lifeguard services, to ensure there are lifeguards at every pool and every slide, as well as in recommended locations on the beach.

Perfect Day at CocoCay Access Policies

Currently, all venues and activities are open to guests of all ages. 

There will not be a dedicated daycare on the island, but the Adventure Ocean team will be hosting activities onshore for children and their families. Island programming is still being developed. And Adventure Ocean will remain open onboard for families who choose to stay on the ship.

At this time, Royal Caribbean does not have plans for any exclusive areas for Crown and Anchor Society members and Suite guests.

Getting Around Perfect Day at CocoCay

A tram service will run at all times on the island with four stops every 15 minutes: arrivals plaza, South Beach, Coco Beach Club, and Oasis Lagoon. All trams are ADA compliant.

The island is ADA compliant, but some experiences are not. There are complimentary beach access wheelchairs available, and an ADA compliant tram service. Oasis Lagoon freshwater pool is also ADA compliant, as is the wave pool in Thrill Waterpark. However, the towers to the waterpark’s slides have stairs, as does the tower up to the Zip Line.

Other Policies and offerings

You’ll find gluten free and vegetarian options available at all of the island’s dining venues, as well as options to suit most dietary needs.

The island will have designated smoking areas.

Charging stations will be available in cabanas and in select public locations for complimentary use.

Most of the trash is recycled, while some is sent to the ship to be disposed of properly. Additionally, Royal Caribbean is hard at work to reduce the use of plastics on their ships, and this effort will also extend to its private island destinations.

Royal Caribbean's Windjammer Cafe is the cruise line's preeminent buffet option and a popular choice for many guests throughout the day. The Windjammer serves up food for all meals, and offers a laid-back experience with enough variety to satisfy nearly any palate.

Here is what you need to know about The Windjammer Cafe on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Atmosphere

The look and decor of the Windjammer depends on the ship you are sailing on, but in general, it features a classic nautical look with lots of deep blues and wood around the entire venue. After all, the word "windjammer" refers to a merchant sailing ship.

Most Royal Caribbean ships have two entrances to the Windjammer, one on each side of the elevator banks closest to the Windjammer.

As you walk in, in most cases the Windjammer is a mirror split, where buffet stations on either side of the restaurant offer the same food as a means of splitting up crowds.

You will find ample seating in the Windjammer, with tables, booths, and even high tops on some ships. Seating is first come, first served and there is wait staff that roam the restaurant to help clear tables, serve drinks, and assist in any special requests.

All Windjammer locations have lots of seating with views of the ocean. On certain classes of ships (Quantum and Radiance class), there is outdoor seating towards the rear of the Windjammer. Regardless of where you sit, it is usually quite easy to get a good view of the ocean.

How it works

If you have ever been to a buffet-style restaurant, the Windjammer Cafe should be no different in approach. As you enter the Windjammer Cafe, you pick up a plate and utensils that are rolled in the napkin. You then proceed to any buffet station you like and wait your turn to serve yourself.

There is no limit on how many servings or visits you can make to the Windjammer. The Windjammer is a complimentary dining choice on all ships.

The proper protocol for serving yourself in the Windjammer is to always take a new plate when you go up to get more food. Reusing plates is a health hazard on a cruise ship, so you simply leave any used plates and utensils on your table and one of the Windjammer waiters will collect it.

Royal Caribbean typically breaks up cuisines offered via each Windjammer buffet station. For lunch or dinner, there is a salad station, an international foods station, a soup area, etc. You can easily walk around the Windjammer to "scope out" the choices and then enter the line for whichever station appeals to you.

For breakfast, you will find a myriad of traditional breakfast options, including eggs, bacon, cereal, sausage, yogurt, fruit, and more. There is a custom egg ordering station that is a really popular and fabulous choice. The breakfast food choices rarely change (if ever) during your sailing.

There are also coffee and tea stations set up near the entrance of the Windjammer for easy access to getting a cup of coffee to start your day. 

At lunch and dinner, you will find a wide selection of food, with dinner offering the greatest variety of choices. Meals at these times combine typical American cruise fare (burgers, hot dogs, salads, and sandwiches) with a lot of international foods. 

The exact menu will change on a daily basis, but there are usually a few consistently offered choices that will form the core options.

In the evening, the Windjammer Cafe usually has a theme to the menu, where a special menu is offered in addition to the usual fare. Some examples are Mongolian grill, Mexican, pasta station, etc. The great thing about these stations is the food is prepared just for you and that means you get exactly what you want in your dish.

The Windjammer is also home to a lot of vegetarian and gluten-free choices. The signs for each food will indicate if they satisfy a particular need, but you can always speak with the head waiter of the Windjammer about special requests.

In terms of drinks, the Windjammer regularly offers milk (chocolate and regular), lemonade, water, flavored waters, iced tea, coffee, tea, and juices (in the morning).

In addition to the regular food, the Windjammer always has a large array of desserts to choose from. You will find ice cream, cakes, gelatin, fruit, cookies, and pretty much everything needed to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Windjammer hours

The exact hours will vary from ship to ship, but the Windjammer is open for most, but not all hours of the day. Your Cruise Compass will list exact times, but plan on breakfast, lunch, mid-day snacks, and dinner.

The Windjammer will offer the widest array of dining times, which is great for those who sleep in or are looking for off-hour meals. The Windjammer is also open for all meals, regardless of whether your Royal Caribbean ship is in a port or at sea.

By far, the most crowded time for the Windjammer is breakfast, with a peak in the 9:00am hour.  There are times when seating may be full, but the Windjammer crew members do a great job of helping clear tables quickly and encouraging guests to vacate their tables once they are done.  If you are having trouble locating an open table, ask a crew member for assistance.

For those wondering, no, Royal Caribbean does not offer a midnight buffet option either at the Windjammer or anywhere else onboard. 

Windjammer dress code

The dress code for dining in the Windjammer Cafe is always listed as casual, regardless of the main dining room dress code.

This means you can wear shorts, and t-shirts are all okay. The only real dress restrictions in the Windjammer are no bare feet and bathing attire will not be permitted at any time.  

Windjammer Cafe tips and strategies

• When you enter the Windjammer, you will be required to wash your hands and/or sanitize your hands. Yes, you have to do it and yes, it is worthwhile to avoid getting sick.
• You can take food from the Windjammer to go at any time. Feel free to bring the food back to your stateroom, pool deck, or wherever your family is located.
• If you have trouble finding a table, ask the waiters roaming the restaurant for assistance.
• The Windjammer waiters are happy to bring you beverages, straws, booster seats, and anything else you may need.
• If you have a dietary need, ask to speak to the head waiter. They are quite good at accommodating most needs, but keep in mind they may need advanced notice to prepare something in particular.

• If you want eggs of any kind at breakfast, skip the eggs in the buffet area because they tend to be powdered eggs. Instead, go to the custom-made egg station and have them made there.
• On Oasis Class ships, the Windjammer does not have a custom-made egg station, but you can find that at other locations onboard.
• Try to go to the Windjammer at least once for dinner when they open up for the evening. We usually find the crew members welcoming guests with clapping, singing and/or dancing. It is a fun display!
• If there is outdoor Windjammer seating, take advantage of it for the great ambiance. The Windjammer often boasts some of the best views onboard.

Have you dined at the Windjammer Cafe? Tell us about your experience and share your favorite tips in the comments!

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Happy Sunday! It is getting hot outside these days, and the Royal Caribbean news this week is equally heated.  

The big news from this week is our first look at prices for some of the new Perfect Day at CocoCay activities.

Royal Caribbean put on sale via its Cruise Planner some of the new options guests can pre-book, including admission to its water parks and cabana prices.

Based on an email sent to some guests, it looks like the cruise line is targeting May 2019 for the opening of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean News

• New Spectrum of the Seas construction photos were released this week.
• Royal Caribbean released new infographics about the impressiveness of Symphony of the Seas.
• We wrote out exactly what is and what is not included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare.
• Royal Caribbean began a new June sales offer this week.
• Here is what a 7-night cruise on Adventure of the Seas actually costs from start to finish.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 252nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt answers as many emails sent in by podcast listeners as possible.

In this episode, Matt answers questions about visiting Disney World on a shore excursion, cruising to Alaska, drink package information and more.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: 19 things you didn't know you could do on Royal Caribbean

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 – 19 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do on Royal Caribbean  — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Barron's interviewed Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd Chairman and CEO Richard Fain about the cruise industry outlook.

OK! listed seven reasons why Symphony of the Seas is a cool cruise for Millennials.

Cruise Fever wrote about the five Royal Caribbean cruise ships currently on order.

The Traveling Gals reviewed their cruise on Freedom of the Seas.

Sean and Stef IRL shared what it was like to cruise on Allure of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has emailed guests with sailings to CocoCay on or after May 2019 to let them know that the Perfect Day at CocoCay changeover is coming soon.

The cruise line has also began opening up bookings for some of the new activities and features coming to Perfect Day at CocoCay, which provides our first look at pricing. Thanks to Royal Caribbean Blog reader Kayla Hildebrandt for providing screenshots.

The email to guests indicated that May 2019 appears to be the date the cruise line is eyeing for the official opening and changeover.

It appears the booking options are available for select sailings with stops in Perfect Day at CocoCay that are at least in May 2019.

Perfect Day at CocoCay will open in phases and is a $200 million upgrade to the private island. 

The first aspect of Perfect Day at CocoCay is scheduled to open in September 2018 when the new pier is completed. Chill Island and Oasis Lagoon are planned for November 2018, while Thrill Waterpark and South Beach debut in April 2019.

The official Perfect Day at CocoCay Grand Opening, which will include CocoBeach Club and the Overwater Cabanas, is set for November 2019.

This week's batch of beautiful Royal Caribbean photos is here and it's always fun to share with all of you the great photos our readers take while on their cruise vacation.

The photos we have to show this week are fun and of course anyone can send us their Royal Caribbean photos to use as well!

Our first photo is by Angeline and it is the view from her Boardwalk Balcony stateroom on Allure of the Seas, while docked in St. Maarten.

Next up is a photo by Lisa from Pennsylvania, of Independence of the Seas as seen from the deck of Freedom of the Seas.

Leah Eden shared this photo from her Boardwalk Balcony on Harmony of the Seas, assuring anyone who wondered if this type of stateroom is a good choice or not that it is indeed, wonderful.

Here is a photo from Labadee, taken by Jared Murphy.

Here is Navigator of the Seas docked at the Manhatttan Cruise Terminal, as seen from The High line by Ken Jansen.

Kimberly Brown took this photo of Chops Grille on Oasis of the Seas.

Our final photo is by Jodi S. and it is of a terrific sunset in Cozumel, with some "other ships" docked in the foreground.  

Thank you to everyone that sent in their photos this week and if you have Royal Caribbean photos, well, we want to see them!  You can use this form to send us your photos and we will feature them on an upcoming Friday Photos blog post!

Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, is certainly an impressive and spectacular cruise ship with a ton to offer.  Just how impressive, you ask?  Check out these two brand new infographics to get a sense of just how much Royal Caribbean has packed into this amazing new ship.

Royal Caribbean's June sales offer begins today, with 50% off the second guest, kids sail for less and a bonus for cruises booked during the first week of the month.

The Splash & Save offer is valid on cruises booked between June 1- 4, 2018 on sailings departing on or after July 1, 2018.

The offer includes:

• 50% off cruise fare of second guest booked in the same stateroom as first full-fare paying guest.
• 25% off cruise fare for third guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualified guests
• Splash & Save Sale offers instant savings of up to $100 per stateroom determined by category booked and sailing length:
  • Sailings 5 nights or less
    • $25 savings for Interior and Ocean View
    • $50 for Balconies and $75 for Suites
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer
    • $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View
    • $75 for Balconies and $100 for Suites
• Deck the Holiday Deals
  • Valid on sailings between December 17, 2018 - January 1, 2019 and sailing between December 19, 2019 - December 31, 2019
  • Instant savings of up to $150 per stateroom determined by category booked and sailing length:
    • Sailings 5 nights or less
      • $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View
      • $75 for Balconies
      • $75 for Suites
    • Sailing 6 nights or longer
      • $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View
      • $100 for Balconies
      • $150 for Suites

BOGO and Deck the Holiday Deals are combinable with each other as well as with Splash & Save Sale, NRBD OBC, promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, Instant Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. Splash & Save Sale is combinable with NRDB OBC, OBC, instant savings, NextCruise offers, restricted discounts (for example, Senior, Resident, Military) but not combinable with Shareholder benefits and Crown and Anchor discounts. All offers are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, Net Rates.

Instant savings do not apply to China departures.

Offer available to residents of United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and select countries in the Caribbean. 

Summer vacation is right around the corner and we are kicking off the summer season with another Royal Caribbean Blog Video, where we are sharing 19 things you (probably) didn't know you could do on a Royal Caribbean cruise!

There are certain things you can count on doing on pretty much any Royal Caribbean cruise, such as lounging by the pool, enjoying some fabulous evening entertainment and eating some tasty food.  What you may not have been aware of is Royal Caribbean offers a lot more experiences that are not only incredibly fun, but also surprising that it is available on a cruise ship.

Did you know you could meet your favorite DreamWorks characters, take a tour of the bridge and galley, go zip lining on your ship or try an escape room?  We will tell you about all of those things, plus another 15 more really cool and fun activities you can do in our latest YouTube video!

And if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel!

By the way, have you subscribed yet? Be sure to subscribe to our channel and never miss a single episode!

Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Episode 252 is available for downloading where I will be reading more of your questions this week all about Royal Caribbean.

Matt is diving into the email bag this week to answer your emails all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise, including Vision of the Seas, what to do in Port Canaveral, travel agents, and a whole lot more.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 252. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Stitcher or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!

Please welcome Kathy Constantine as our guest blogger today! She took a previous blog post we did and is providing her own look at the total cost of a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Inspired by Matt’s post sharing the cost of his sailing on the Brilliance earlier this year, I thought we would share with everyone the cost of sailing with four adults on a seven night cruise onboard Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas.

Cruise Cost Summary

Adventure of the Seas May 18, 2018
Cruise length: 7 nights
Stateroom category: J3 Junior Suite 
Passengers: 4 adults
The travelers:  Myself, my husband, and our two college-aged sons.  My in-laws also joined us on the cruise. 

Cruise fare total (including pre-paid gratuities): $4282.88
Pre-cruise purchases:  $450 (bungalow, BCH dep, arcade, Voom, coffee card) 
Onboard spending: $390 (Izumi, drinks, clothes, pictures)
Cash spending onshore: $300 (BCH final, Grills)
Cash spending onboard: $110 (slot pull & additional gratuities)
Miscellaneous at port: $150 (parking & porter gratuities)
GRAND TOTAL: $5682.88

How did we spend that much? Outside of accommodations, we feel like really did not spend much at all.

Stateroom

Junior suite: worth it or not?  We originally had booked two connecting panoramic ocean view rooms for the four of us but on a whim decided to have our travel agent price a Junior Suite instead.  For approximately $100 less, we got to try out the bigger room and gained a coffee maker & kettle, big closet, and a bathtub. Oh, and double Crown & Anchor points.  All good, except did not love the bathroom. 

Prior to the cruise, our travel agent tried to request a cot but apparently our room category does not have room for one.  We asked onboard, and our stateroom attendant was happy to oblige.  There was more than enough room.  Only disadvantage was that the chairs from the seating area blocked the balcony door, and we have to wiggle them around to get out at night.

Onboard Expenses

Adult beverages: We wanted to see exactly how much we would spend on drinks without a drink package to gauge its worth to us.  We drank freely, ordering what we wanted when we wanted it, and quickly realized that a drink package was not a good fit for us as we could not justify the cost over seven days.

We waited patiently for a drink card to appear, and on day 3, the draft beer for $57.82 (including gratuity) showed up on one of the ad boards.  We grabbed one.  We did learn afterwards to ask what was on draft before purchasing, as there was only three options at the pub and two options in the Schooner Bar. While each option was tasty, we got tired of those choices by the time we reached the final punches. 

The full drink card did not appear until day 7 so at that point was not worth it.  Since we did not have a drink package, we also brought on two bottles of wine.  Looking at our statement, we spent about $67 on drinks, plus an additional $6 for the boys BOGO milkshakes.  

Prior to the cruise, we purchased a coffee card.  My family enjoys our Starbucks, and since Adventure has premium coffees available at Cafe Promenade on board, we decided to pick up this shareable item before the cruise. 

For the low price of $31 (plus gratuities) = $36.58 you get 15 punches on the card.  On this sailing (as it seems to vary by ship) you got one punch for a tall or grande, and two for a venti. Frozen drinks were two punches.  

Between three of us, we had a hard time using all 15 punches. Not sure we’d purchase again on a seven night sailing.

Sushi making class: $35 pp plus gratuity times three people = $123.90

My husband, Tony, participated in this class on Harmony of the Seas and loved it, so he wanted to do it again with our boys. The amount of sushi you get for the money is amazing, and none of them could eat it all.  In fact, the staff at Izumi encourage you to have family members join you afterwards to help eat.  My mother-in-law happily obliged and even with a fourth person they each left rolls on their plates. 

Arcade: $40 
Those two college-aged boys I mentioned earlier?  They each asked for arcade credit as you cannot be separated from video games.  In advance, I paid $20 each and they received $25 arcade credit.  They were not at all thrilled with the options and many of the games were never working.  There is also no way to know how much of your pre-paid credit you have used, without keeping a mental tally. It does not show up anywhere.  

Voom: 2 device Surf & Stream package = $186.06
Since I would be Periscoping during our voyage, and my college boys needed to keep in contact with the girlfriend and friends at home, a minimum of a two device package was required.  We purchased the Twangster-recommended travel router for the cabin but I did not include it in my costs, as it is for all cruising and not specific to this one.  Voom was very cooperative most of the trip, only a few times the connection was too poor to periscope, but we could easily get online. 

Slot pull: $60 in, $32 back out.  
Our Meet & Mingle group organized a slot pull.  Since my boys are legal to gamble on the ship (and not here in NJ) they wanted to participate too.  $15 each was the buy in, and we all got $8 back.  

The only other onboard purchases were a shirt each, Tony bought a hat, and family photos. $65

Shore Excursions

We had three stops on this sailing. Port Canaveral, CocoCay & Nassau.

In Port Canaveral, we met up with fellow Periscopers for drinks & apps at Grills. $53 for the four of us, drinks & food.

CocoCay was our next stop.  Since there was six of us, we rented a bungalow.  We secured a great price during a Cruise Planner sale of $209.  Includes four bottles of Evian water, two floating mats, transportation all around the island (they are a bit far from the main area) and towels so you don’t have to lug them off the ship. Also included is food brought to your bungalow so you don’t have to go to the main BBQ area.  Well worth the price for six.  

We had reserved ahead of time jet skis for our boys, but it was too windy so that got canceled.  

In Nassau, we made reservations for day passes at the British Colonial Hilton.  Based on recommendations from Matt & other cruisers we booked ahead of time using resortforaday.com, which offers discounted passes.  You pay a small deposit per person when booking, then the remainder by credit card when you arrive.  Our deposit was $17 per person then $62 per person upon arrival for a total of $79 each = $316. You got a $40 food & beverage credit as part of that, and we left about $4 on our account.

That’s about it.  Parking for the week was $140, and we gave the porter $10 tip on arrival for a grand total of $150 miscellaneous.  

So overall, we spent about $1,400 per person all-inclusive for a 7 night vacation.  When thinking back about how much food alone my own two boys consumed during that time...we got our money’s worth!  After putting this together I went back to compare what we spent to what Matt & his wife spent on their, four night cruise, and it looks about comparable.  $400 more per person for three extra nights.