Royal Caribbean Blog

Australian comedian Celeste Barber accepted a thrill-seeking challenge by Royal Caribbean to complete as many as possible onboard Royal experiences in one day. The clincher is, Celeste is on dry land.

Royal Caribbean Australia has partnered with the Instagram star to show how fun the activities are onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise.

“How could I resist this challenge? On a Royal Caribbean cruise you have so many great activities all in close proximity. I was totally up for the challenge of attempting to do all the awesome things you can do on a Royal Caribbean cruise but doing them all in one day on dry land. Bring it on!” said Celeste Barber.

Celeste attempts to replicate a variety of Royal Caribbean’s unique onboard activities including RipCord by iFLY, FlowRider, and a show-stopping stage show performance. The Bionic Bar, and Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver also feature in the series. Celeste puts her own comical twist on the activities, and takes her family along for the crazy challenge.

“I worked out pretty quickly that trying to do all these activities on land with my family was completely exhausting and was going to leave me broke so the idea of doing them all on a fancy cruise with a glass of wine nearby was far more appealing. Also, you had me at free kids club!” said Barber.

Thrilling activities, game-changing technology, unparalleled entertainment, and vibrant dining options come together to create the ultimate, contemporary cruising experience – only found on Royal Caribbean.

“My husband, kids and I all get excited by different things and activities on family holidays and on a Royal Caribbean cruise #hothusband can surf and skydive, my kids can run riot in the pools and games arcade while I can grab a cocktail from a robot mixologist (I know, what?!), and watch a live show. Then we can all meet up and eat all the carbs at our favourite Jamie’s Italian.  I can’t imagine any of us ever getting bored on a Royal Caribbean cruise!” said Barber.

“As demonstrated by Celeste, endless experiences await guests onboard our ships, allowing travellers to holiday like never before. We’ve got you covered in terms of diversity, abundance and value. And the best part – as I’m sure Celeste would attest to – everything is conveniently located right at your fingertips,” said Susan Bonner, VP and Managing Director, Royal Caribbean Australia & NZ.

It seems like it is heating up everywhere with summer upon on us, and we have the best reading material to enjoy while sitting by the air conditioning.

Royal Caribbean issued a new update on the status of San Juan, Puerto Rico following the hurricane damage of last year.

The cruise line reports that, "tremendous progress has been made with recovery efforts across the island," and that rebuilding tourism and consumer confidence is a top priority.

In addition, the cruise line answered some frequently asked questions about the island's recovery and how it pertains to cruise ship passengers.

Royal Caribbean News

• Top tips for taking a Royal Caribbean family cruise vacation.
• Our full review of Paradise Beach Cozumel.
• We shared a photo report of the progress being made on the new PortMiami cruise terminal.
• Voyager of the Seas made her maiden call at Manila, Philippines.
• Here is why you should ignore online reviews of cruise ships.
• Royal Caribbean won some big awards at the AFTA National Travel Industry Awards.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 260th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt talks about rebooking another cruise while onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise.

In this episode, Matt talks about how Royal Caribbean's NextCruise program works, and how to best take advantage of the program.

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.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Eat Sleep Cruise shared why they are excited to cruise on Mariner of the Seas.

Forbes wrote about how Royal Caribbean is spending a lot of money to attract first time cruisers.

Porthole Magazine shared what a week onboard Harmony of the Seas was all about.

CNBC reported on how cruise lines are trying to win over millennials.

USA Today shared new cruise routes in its latest Cruise Route Roundup.

Cruise Fever shed some light on 9 former Royal Caribbean cruise ships and where they are now.

Travel Weekly hosted a Q&A with Royal Caribbean's Chief Meteorologist.

Every Friday, we show off the Royal Caribbean photos that our readers have sent us in a special blog post.  Each week, we invite our readers to send us their favorite Royal Caribbean photos and we post them right here.

Without further adieu, let's jump right into this week's batch of photos!

We kick off this week's photos with this photo by Pascal Everard of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Nino Aquino shared this photo from the top of Dragon's Breath Zipline in Labadee, with Explorer of the Seas in the background.

David Epstein took this photo of Grandeur of the Seas anchored off the coast of CocoCay.

Elaine Scotti collects spoons from each ship she has been on, and here is a photo of one from the Nordic Empress (now known as Empress of the Seas).

Next is a photo of an officer standing on the bridge wing at the end of the day. Photo taken by G.Spindler.

Martha Kowalik took this photo from on Independence of the Seas, where the housekeeping staff were competing against each other for the best Valentine's Day decorations.

Here is a shot of Navigator of the Seas docked in Costa Maya, Mexico, taken by LaShawn Harris.

Would you like to submit your Royal Caribbean photos for a future Friday Photos post? Use this form to send them to us and we will feature them very soon!

Royal Caribbean is offering up to 30% off shore excursions, drink packages and internet packages this weekend, with its Set Sail & Save sale.

The weekend Cruise Planner sale is valid on select sailings departing August 5, 2018 - January 31, 2019  Guests can check which discounts, if any, are available for their upcoming sailing by visiting the Cruise Planner site.

Based on the countdown timer, the sale will expire at midnight on Sunday night.

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site and navigate to the Dining & Beverage section to see any available offers.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Taking the family on a Royal Caribbean cruise is something more and more families are doing every year.  A family cruise offers lots of different activities, shows, and places to visit that is sure to cater to everyone's needs.  In fact, a lot of extended families will choose a cruise because it allows them to make wonderful memories together without having to be physically together all the time.

If you are going on a Royal Caribbean cruise for your upcoming family vacation, here are our top tips for ensuring it is the best family vacation ever.

Consider getting two staterooms instead of one

When families look to book a cruise, they will likely start off by trying to find a room that everyone can fit in.  It makes logical sense, but on a cruise, sometimes going for multiple smaller rooms is not only a better value, it can provide much more personal space for everyone involved.

Often, the cost of two staterooms can be cheaper than some of the family staterooms and can offer more separation between family members (a plus for families with teenagers).

Booking two staterooms also allows for connecting staterooms, in which there is a door between the staterooms that allows for easy flow between them.  This can be convenient during the day to keep the doors open, essentially creating a two room stateroom.

Families with younger children will want to get connecting rooms to ensure easy access between the rooms, while older kids can probably be fine in a nearby room. Regardless, a second room is an option to consider for larger groups that need more space.

Pick a ship that offers activities and amenities your family wants

There are a lot of fantastic cruise ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet and each offers something a little different.  When you are trying to decide which ship to sail on, be sure to take into account what sort of options your family will want to enjoy.

What you ought to do is determine if having a water slide, ice skating rink, Broadway show, basketball court, or any other highlight is important and something you would like to enjoy while onboard and then see which ships offer those possibilities.

If you are a cruising with kids, picking a ship with many pools and water play areas might be a good idea.  All Royal Caribbean ships have pools and hot tubs, but only some offer water slides and aqua parks.  Teens would likely find enjoyment with a ship that has a FlowRider surf simulator, or Ripcord by iFly.

Be sure to look at what each ship offers and balance the options offered versus other aspects of what you are looking to get out of the vacation.  

Plan on swimming on embarkation day

The first day of your cruise is filled with excitement, anticipation and energy.  With all the excitement of getting onboard, a really good idea for families is to let everyone start off the cruise with some pool time.  This is an especially good time to hit the pool because a majority of guests do not have their swim suits with them when they board, so you get to enjoy the pools, slides and aqua parks with far less lines.

Either wear your swim suit to the ship, or pack it in your carry-on luggage and then change in a public restroom onboard.  Towels will be provided in the pool area for your use. This is particularly good for kids who want to jump in as soon as possible.

Register children for Adventure Ocean early

On the first day of your Royal Caribbean cruise, guests can register their children in Adventure Ocean prior to Adventure Ocean opening.  While you can register kids at any point in the cruise, take advantage of the open house on embarkation day for an optimal experience.

The Cruise Compass will list times when Adventure Ocean is open for registration.  This time is not when Adventure Ocean is open for kids to stay, but for kids to see the area and for parents to ask questions and get acclimated to the program.

The open house time on embarkation day is the perfect time for the kids to meet the counselors and see the facility.  As a parent, you can talk to the staff about any concerns you might have.  By doing this during the open house time (instead of when Adventure Ocean is operating) is you have much more time and a relaxed atmosphere to go over everything.

It is a good idea to register kids on the first day simply because there is a set time for registration to occur, and it ensures a smooth first night later on.

If you have a baby, make sure you cruise on a ship with a nursery

Children between the ages of six months and 36 months old can participate in the Royal Babies and Royal Tots (6-36 months) program.  Most Royal Caribbean ships offer a nursery, where parents can drop children off throughout the day and evening. Use of the nursery comes at an hourly charge. Young children can enjoy soft play areas and age-appropriate toys, as well as cribs and cots for napping or sleeping.

If you have children under the age of three, be sure to book a Royal Caribbean cruise that offers a nursery.  For child and parent alike, the nursery is a wonderful resource. Yes, the nursery does have an additional charge, but having a nursery onboard means you have the option to take advantage of it and provide some adult time when you might need it.

Review the Cruise Compass each evening together

Your stateroom attendant will deliver a copy of the next day's Cruise Compass to your stateroom each evening, and this is a perfect opportunity to comb over what is lined up for the next day.  By reviewing the Cruise Compass together, you will be able to identify which activities or events are of interest and make sure you can plan around the schedule.

A mistake first time cruisers make is to not check the Cruise Compass until after they wake up that morning, and the result can be missing out on an event they would have liked to attend.

A good tip is to ask your stateroom attendant for a copy of the Cruise Compass just before going to dinner and reviewing it in the main dining room (or wherever you happen to dining that evening).  Since everyone will be around for dinner, it is the perfect opportunity to review what is in store for the next day.

Consider taking advantage of My Family Time Dining

My Family Time Dining is offered for the first seating time in the main dining room, for children ages three to 11.

Here is how it works

1. You arrive at the dining room with the kids and let your server know that the kids will be headed to Adventure Ocean as part of the My Family Time Dining program.
2. The kids order and are served right away so that they can finish their meal within the first 40 minutes.
3. After about 45 minutes, the Adventure Ocean staff arrive in the dining room lobby to sign in and hand off the kids.Parents will need to escort their children to the designated Main Dining room entrance doors at 6:45 pm to check their child in with the Adventure Ocean counselors. Once checked­in, the Adventure Ocean counselors will then escort their children to Adventure Ocean for ongoing evening activities.
4. Adults return to their table to enjoy the rest of their meal at a more leisurely place.

Pre­cruise, guests can call into Reservations, reserve online, contact their travel agent or certified vacation planner. Or guests can sign up onboard in the Adventure Ocean area. Pre­cruise reservations are encouraged.

Your thoughts

What advice would you offer to a family going on their first Royal Caribbean cruise together? Are there lessons you would share with others for an even better cruise experience together? Share your tips and ideas in the comments.

Spending the day in Cozumel, Mexico means time playing and relaxing by the ocean, and one of the most popular spots for cruise ship guests for many years has been Paradise Beach.

Unlike some other beaches in Cozumel, Paradise Beach offers an a la carte experience, where you only pay for the activities you want to enjoy.  This means a lower admission cost than some other popular beach options.

It had been eight years since our last visit, so on a recent Royal Caribbean cruise to Cozumel, we decided to see how Paradise Beach stacks up to the competition.

Description

Paradise Beach is about a 15 minute taxi ride ($15 one way) away from where Royal Caribbean docks their cruise ships in Cozumel, and easily accessible by taxi. It is located on the western side of Cozumel, one of many beaches that are popular with tourists.

Paradise Beach offers beach access, a large swimming pool, dining and drink service, and water toys in the ocean.  What makes Paradise Beach stand apart is that is not all-inclusive, which means you are charged for what you want to enjoy.

Admission to Paradise Beach is just $3 per person.  For that price, you can sit on the beach or go to the pool and enjoy the entire day.  Granted, that does not include anything other than facility access, but for some people that is all they really want. It is worth noting that a $10 minimum food order is kindly requested for pool access.

More realistically, you have the option of purchasing food, drink or activity access.  Paradise Beach prides itself on offering a low cost of entry and reasonable prices for the things to do there.  

Speaking of prices, Paradise Beach offers a Fun Pass that costs $18 and you can use the kayaks, snorkel gear, stand up paddle boards and access to the inflatable water toys, which include:

• water trampolines
• 14 ft. climbing iceberg
• water slides
• a floating multitier Jungle Joe climbing structure
• Jungle Joe 2
• Wibit Flipper
• Aqua Glide blast bag
• the Rock-it circular water rocker
• Jungle Joe x1 aqua glide revolution
• water mats
• coconut tree climb
• bungee-trampoline

As you arrive, the staff at Paradise Beach will escort you to any available chairs you prefer, either on the beach or near the pool. The staff roam the grounds of Paradise Beach regularly to take food or drink orders, and deliver it right to you.

Speaking of the pool, Paradise Beach has a massive pool area that offers shallow and deep(er) areas.  You can find chairs out in the sun, under a tree or somewhere inbetween.  

As its name implies, there is also a lovely beach that you can have access to while at Paradise Beach. It is indeed a large sandy beach and can accommodate quite a number of guests.

Food and drinks are available by ordering from the wait staff (copy of the menu.  There is certainly a large variety of alcoholic beverages you can enjoy, which is expected at any tourist beach spot in Cozumel.  In addition, the food is a mix of traditional Mexican fare and some American dishes

Comments

The appeal of Paradise Beach is quite simple, have a fun day by the beach or pool (or both) and pay just for what you want.  Unlike some other all-inclusive options, Paradise Beach does not include everything because they do not believe you need to have everything included.

Without a doubt, if you are looking to only spend part of your day at the beach or pool, Paradise Beach is the go to spot.  The opportunity to drop in and spend just a few dollars on admission is quite appealing.  Moreover, their prices for beer or cocktails are reasonable (definitely cheaper than the cruise ship prices).  Even if you drink quite a bit, you may still find yourself spending less overall than at an all-inclusive.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of our visit to Paradise Beach was the service.  I was curious how attentive the wait staff would be, especially since our cruise ship had a late arrival (noon) and we did not arrive to Paradise Beach until well into the afternoon.  Despite the late arrival time, we never waited more than a few minutes to get an order in.  Some of the waiters had handheld tablets that they could put orders immediately into the system, and then be delivered later on by other waiters.  

Coming back to Paradise Beach after so many years, it definitely holds up as a premier spot for any cruise ship guest to enjoy.  Paradise Beach has been synonymous with recommendations for a good beach day in Cozumel for quite a long time.  If you happen to search the internet for recommendations, inevitably Paradise Beach will always be among the suggestions.  

Overall, Paradise Beach impressed us with its combination of large beach and pool area, along with very good service.  When you combine the low cost of admission, Paradise Beach is a great spot to enjoy being outdoors.  Unless you are planning on doing some serious drinking and/or eating, the value proposition of Paradise Beach is quite high.  Families especially are sure to find the low cost for kids (we were never charged for our two daughters on our visit) a welcome change.

How to book: No reservations required or available. Just show up. Website

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

Episode 260 is available for downloading, which focuses on what you need to know about booking another Royal Caribbean cruise while on a cruise.

Royal Caribbean's NextCruise program offers bonus onboard credit for those that elect to book another cruise while still on a cruise.  Matt talks about how the program works, and what you ought to consider when taking advantage of this offering.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 260. 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!

Royal Caribbean's WOW Sale is back, with an opportunity to get up to $200 to spend at sea, plus up to $100 extra on sailings booked 6+ months in advance with a non-refundable deposit.

The WOW Sale applies to cruises booked between July 25 – 29, 2018 on sailings departing on or after August 25, 2018.

The offer includes:

• "BOGO" 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.
• Up to $300 onboard credit (OBC) when booking a non-refundable rate 6 months or more prior to cruise departure date and up to $200 OBC if booking a sailing less than 6 months prior to cruise departure date.
  • Sailings 5 nights and less
    • $50 OBC for Interior and Ocean View
    • $75 OBC for Balcony
    • $100 OBC for Suite
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer
    • $75 OBC for Interior and Ocean View
    • $125 OBC for Balcony
    • $200 OBC for Suite
  • Onboard credit excludes China departures.
• Kids Sail for Free Offe
  • Offers free cruise fare for 3rd guests and higher who are 12 years old or younger on 4 nights or longer Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, CaribNE, Coastal, Europe and Hawaii sailings departing between August 31, 2018 – May 14, 2019.
  • The Kids Sail Free Bonus excludes sailings between November 17 – November 23, 2018, sailings between December 17, 2018 – January 1, 2019, sailings between February 15 - 18, 2019, sailings between March 16 – 30, 2019 and sailings between April 13 - 22, 2019
• Deck the Holiday Deals
  • Sale offers 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
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer
    • $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View
    • $100 for Balconies
    • $150 for Suites
  • Valid on sailings between December 17, 2018 – January 1, 2019 and sailing between December 19, 2019 – December 31, 2019 NRDB

BOGO and Deck the Holiday Deals are combinable with each other as well as with WOW Sale, NRBD OBC, promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, Instant Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. BOGO and Kids Sail Free are combinable with each other as well as with WOW Sale, NRBD OBC, promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, Instant Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. WOW 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. G

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

If you're using online reviews to pick a cruise ship, you should probably stop.

One of the most common questions someone new to Royal Caribbean has is how good is a certain Royal Caribbean ship.  Or if a certain ship is too old/new/boring/outdated/flashy these days.  Or better yet, a question along the lines of, "I read a lot of negative reviews about ____ of the Seas, so should I not go on it?".

Based purely on the frequency of these types of questions, we wanted to tackle the general notion of trying to answer this question.  Interestingly enough, the answer is to question the inquiry itself.

Cruise ships are not like takeout diner

Arguably one of the best uses of the internet is the ability to research any venue, show, eatery, book and get instant feedback on how good or bad it is.  Websites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google and Rotten Tomatoes have all built their reputations on giving consumers the opportunity to share their experience and thoughts.  So when it comes to a cruise ship vacation, why not apply the same logic?

The reality is cruise ships offer such a varied and experiential vacation that it cannot be properly reviewed in its entirety based on a single experience.  Cruises are by their very design a "create your own adventure" experience.  You could sit at the pool every day of the cruise and never do one activity, whereas the guy next to you could be zip lining, crocheting, belly flopping and dancing the night away.  In short, we all cruise differently.

The age of a ship is equally irrelevant to determining how good or bad it is.  Cruise ships are not like the family car that you own.  In most cases, people buy a car, but never add significant new features after purchasing it.  Cruise ships undergo extensive refurbishments periodically and regular maintenance every few years.  While you could probably look at the corners of a room and see a piece of rust or inspect the upholstery of a chair for worn material, those aspects are superficial and irrelevant to the overall experience. 

...but I read bad things about that ship

Negative reviews have a powerful effect on everyone.  Think about a time someone shared a rotten experience involving a certain restaurant, movie, book or car repair shop and how quickly you probably abandoned any consideration of trying it yourself.

The thing to remember is one person's experience is not indicative of what yours will be.  Think about broccoli.  I could find hundreds of people who hate broccoli and never want to eat it ever again. I could find another few hundred people that love broccoli, and think it is really good.  Then of course you have people who have written negative reviews of Star Wars, chocolate, newborn babies and Alf.  All that proves is we have different tastes in things.

There was a great piece in the New York Times titled, "Why You Can’t Really Trust Negative Online Reviews" and it starts off with this wonderful fact:

"The Great Wall of China has more than 9,000 Google reviews, with an average of 4.2 stars. Not bad for one of the most astonishing achievements in human history."

One of the greatest feats of mankind left some people questioning how good it really was.  This is why those people that gave Anthem of the Seas a one star review is frankly ludicrous. The fact negative reviews exist about any Royal Caribbean ship is not a sign of a pitfall or disaster waiting to happen.  Rather, it just goes to show you that you cannot please everyone.

I really love this line from that Times article, which really sums up why online reviews are anything but a definitive way of booking a cruise, "Reviews are subjective, and the tiny subset of people who leave them aren’t average."

The answer is the always the same

Inevitably when someone asks what I think of a certain Royal Caribbean ship, or if they should avoid a certain ship, I always give the same answer because it applies to every single Royal Caribbean ship in the fleet.

They are all great ships and you can have a great time on any of them.

No ship in the fleet is inherently flawed, and no ship is a mistake to sail on.  Are some ships older than others? Of course, that is a chronological fact.  But age does not make a ship better or worse than another.

I firmly believe anyone can have a great time on any Royal Caribbean ship.  It just comes down to a few simple steps you need to take before stepping foot onboad, which are truths that can be applied to any sort of travel:

1. Cruise with an open mind
2. Be flexible
3. Research before booking what the ship does and does not offer

What you should do instead of reading reviews

First and foremost, stop reading online reviews of these ships.  They are at best a quirky form of entertainment, and certainly not a proper barometer of what makes a ship great or not.

What you want to to do instead is look into what features, amenities and entertainment a ship offers and figure out if that is what you are interested in. You need to figure out what you are looking for in a cruise and then see which ship might be a better fit for you.

Some Royal Caribbean ships have water slides, and some do not.  Some have Broadway shows and some do not.  Some have FlowRider surf simulators and some do not.  Some have a multitude of specialty restaurants and some have just a couple. Which of these matters to you? 

The key to going on a great ship is going on a ship that offers the kind of experience that will appeal to you.

One story I like to tell is about a man at the Solarium pool on Brilliance of the Seas that I struck up a conversation with on a past cruise.  We talked about a few topics before he complained, "this ship is terrible.  We went on Oasis of the Seas last time and there was so much more to do."

Naturally I just smiled and went whatever he said to avoid an awkward exchange.  But deep down, I wanted to respond that of course Oasis of the Seas will offer much more to do than Brilliance.  Oasis of the Seas is more than double the size of Brilliance (225,000 GT compared to 90,000 GT).  More space equals more options to pack into the ship.  

Had this person done some research into Brilliance of the Seas, they would have realized that they clearly enjoy the type of experience Oasis of the Seas offers, and the Brilliance of the Seas does not have a number of the onboard activities and entertainment that Oasis of the Seas.  It does not make Brilliance of the Seas a bad ship, just a different one.

What you want to focus on

Now that you know what not to worry about (general reviews of ships), you should know that learning about a ship is still a great idea.  You ought to focus on figuring out what you want from the cruise and which ships offer things to do that appeal the most to you.

If you do not have kids, then picking a ship with a large Adventure Ocean space or DreamWorks Experience may not really matter much.  If you consider yourself a foodie, then a Royal Caribbean ship with lots of specialty dining options might be something to lean towards.

Essentially, you want to look at what the ship and itinerary offer, and determine which combination might be the best option for you.

Your thoughts

How much have online reviews played a role in determining which ship you do or do not cruise on?  Does the ships' age matter in your decision making? Please share your experiences when it comes to recommending one ship over another in our comments.

Royal Caribbean has issued a new update to guests who are concerned about the status of San Juan, Puerto Rico in the aftermath of damage caused by the 2017 hurricane season.

The cruise line reports that, "tremendous progress has been made with recovery efforts across the island," and that rebuilding tourism and consumer confidence is a top priority.

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company continues to collaborate with government agencies to make strides towards a full recovery. Hotels, communities, and local organizations have focused their efforts on the restoration of tourist areas to ensure guests receive a fantastic vacation experience. Most hotels are fully operational and Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) is fully functional welcoming domestic and international visitors.

Here are some commonly asked questions regarding cruising in or out of San Juan. This information was up to date as of July 24, 2018.

Is the port of San Juan open and fully functional? 

Yes, San Juan Harbor is open and has resumed all homeporting operations.

Have airports in Puerto Rico returned to normal flight patterns?

Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan is fully operational with scheduled domestic and international flights. Other airports in surrounding areas are functioning, as well. In addition, main transportation companies, as well as taxi drivers, are available and providing ongoing service to visitors

Have hotels reopened?

At this time, most of the hotels are available and fully operational across the island. In addition, over 4,000 restaurants and approximately 200 casinos and other tourist attractions are open.

Has electrical power been restored across the island?

Though some residential communities throughout Puerto Rico remain without power, San Juan has been restored and is fully operational.

What attractions and/or tours are available for cruise guests to participate in?

The capital city of San Juan is currently the best vacation destination in Puerto Rico and is tourist ready. The beaches of San Juan and nearby Isla Verde make it easy to understand why Puerto Rico is referred to as “The Island of Enchantment” and “The Land of a Thousand Blessings”. There are nearly 60 shore excursions available to choose from, including but not limited to the following:

• Old San Juan / Old City shops
• Plaza Las Americas (Mall of San Juan)
• Biking, Segway, & Walking tours
• Food tours
• Yoga on the Green

What humanitarian efforts are available should cruise guests wish to assist?

Tourism plays an instrumental role in the recovery of Puerto Rico’s overall economic status, impacting local jobs and livelihood. Now more than ever, recovering Caribbean islands need you.