While cabin sizes and amenities can vary, staterooms onboard a cruise ship are much smaller than traditional hotels on land. Even ocean view and balcony rooms will be smaller than what you might be used to!

This is meant to be your home away from home for your cruise, so you want it to be as comfortable as it can be! There are some tips and tricks to make your stay in your stateroom as enjoyable as possible, even if you only plan on using it as a place to rest and recharge for the next day. 

Here are 30 cruise cabin hacks that cruisers love to help you efficiently utilize the space you have in your cabin.

Please note that we’ve linked items on Amazon in the article, which contains an affiliate link. This affiliate link costs you absolutely nothing extra, but Royal Caribbean Blog makes a small commission if you purchase the item through the link.

Do not book the cheapest cabin

While it is natural to want to extend your vacation budget as far as possible, sometimes there aren't things worth saving money on-- namely, an interior stateroom. 

For some, this type of cabin is perfect, especially if they won't be in the room that often. They are, however, the smallest rooms onboard and do not offer any natural light or ocean views. This is usually what people are seeking when on a cruise!

Rather than book the cheapest possible room, do some research as to which cabin category works best for you and your travel party. 

Related: What are the different types of cabins on a cruise ship?

Research where you want your cabin to be located 

After you've decided if you want an interior, ocean view, balcony, or suite, you will need to determine where you want your cabin to be located on the ship. 

If you have a certain preference, you should avoid a guarantee stateroom. This means that Royal Caribbean will assign you your exact cabin a little bit before sailing, rather than you being able to control exactly what deck and position it's at. 

Those who value convenience, for instance, may want to stay somewhere midship. Equally important, they're great staterooms for people who are worried about sea sickness, as they tend to feel less movement than cabins located in the forward (front) or aft (back) of the ship. 

Related: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

Two cabins are usually better than one, even if it means sacrificing a balcony

To save money, you may be debating fitting as many people into a single cabin as possible. Just remember that you'll be living in tight quarters with these people for the entirety of your cruise. To be safe, consider booking two staterooms. 

The two bathrooms in two interior rooms might be worth giving up the balcony, especially when you can just head out to the top or Promenade deck whenever you want to take in the surroundings. 

Make sure that you pack a European power adapter and/or Royal Caribbean approved power strip

Cruise cabins, especially those on older ships, are not equipped with many charging ports. In fact, you should not be surprised if you find that there's one European and two American outlets on some ships like Freedom and Navigator of the Seas. 

Even if you only have two people in your cabin, you may start bickering over who gets to charge their phone, smart watch, etc. at any given time. 

To better prepare, you can either purchase a European power adapter or cruise line approved power strip. 

Related: The clever reason to bring a European power adapter on your cruise ship

Bring a long charging cable, too

Newer cruise ships are equipped with USB plugs beside the bed. Older ones, however, have their outlets condensed to the vanity area, meaning that they aren't conveniently located if you want to use your phone in bed while it is charging. 

The longer the charging cable you have, the better off you will be. Of course, you'll want to be careful navigating the cabin at night; you do not want to trip over the cord! 

Utilize packing cubes

Packing cubes are great investments because you can use them on any vacation!

They will help to keep your suitcase organized, whether you are bringing a carry-on or checked bag. Plus, when you get to your stateroom, you can simply pull the packing cubes out and place them in the closet or inside of drawers, minimizing the time that you spend unpacking.

Unpack and get comfortable as soon as you can

Speaking of unpacking, as soon as you find that your suitcases have been delivered, go ahead and get settled in. Take time to unpack as early as you can. This way, you won't have to worry about it during sail away or any other fun embarkation day activities. 

The time in which luggage is delivered varies. Usually, though, they can be found outside your cabin within a few hours after you check-in. Just in case it runs late, it's a good idea to pack a change of clothes in your carry-on bag. You don't want to go to dinner in a t-shirt and shorts! 

Do not be afraid to ask your stateroom attendant for more hangers 

There's some stuff that you might not want to keep tucked away in a packing cube all week, though. You will want to hang your evening attire, so it does not get wrinkly. If you are worried about not having enough hangers, don't worry! 

All you have to do is ask your stateroom attendant, and they will be more than happy to provide you with more. 

While there are organizational hacks, make sure that you don't overpack 

I'll be the first to admit that I often fall victim to overpacking. I don't know what I'll want to wear in the evenings, so I'll bring a couple of options. Even after a dozen cruises, this is especially true for shoes. 

If you and everyone else in your travel party overpacks, you might find your cabin to be bursting at the seams with stuff. This is never fun when you want a comfortable, clean place to return to each nice to relax and recharge for the next day. 

Take some time to really think through your outfits and what you'll need. It's okay to re-wear a dress or two throughout the cruise. 

Secure everything valuable in the cabin's safe 

You can never be too safe, especially with your important documents. When you get to your cabin, you should take everything important out of your carry-on bag, such as passports, birth certificates, credit cards, cash, etc., and place it all inside your safe.

It should be unlocked when you arrive, but if you run into any issues, simply flag down your stateroom attendant, who will be happy to assist you. 

You will not need to worry about carrying any form of I.D. or card onboard to order drinks or pay for any other incidentals, as your SeaPass acts as both! You'll just need to remember to grab cash, I.D., etc. before you disembark in port, as your SeaPass only works onboard. 

Store your suitcases underneath your bed

Once you have finished unpacking your bags, push them underneath your bed! This is a great place to keep them during your cruise, as you won't have to worry about tripping over them or having them roll around in your closet. 

Depending on how many people you have staying in your room and the total number of suitcases you have, you may want to bring stacking suitcases. These pieces of luggage fit inside of one another, meaning that less floor space is taken up.

Other items can be stored under the bed, too

Depending on how many bags you're trying to fit under your bed, it's likely that you can store more there-- think backpacks, shoes, etc. The key to being comfortable in a stateroom is to utilize all the available storage space. 

This also may help the closet feel more organized, as you'll have less cluttering it up. 

Consider bringing magnetic hooks to help keep everything organized 

Did you know that the walls on most cruise ships are magnetic? One way to utilize this is to bring a pack of magnetic hooks. This will give you extra space to hang towels, lanyards, hats, bags, and more.

They are cheap, too! You can purchase a pack of six from Amazon for around $6.

Make sure you read reviews before purchasing any, though, as you want them to be strong enough to hold whatever you are wanting them to! Matt from Royal Caribbean Blog once purchased a pack of refrigerator magnets and was disappointed when he needed to use two to hold his hat. 

Leave your towels at home

There are some things that you shouldn't pack when preparing for a cruise vacation. Save room in your suitcase and stateroom by leaving all towels at home, both beach and bath!

You will be provided with unlimited towels on your Royal Caribbean cruise. Your bath towels will be replenished daily by your stateroom attendant.

Similarly, you are able to check out towels on the pool deck or when disembarking the ship with your SeaPass. Just note that each towel that you fail to return will incur a $25 charge on your onboard account! 

Since you cannot bring an iron, steam your clothes in the shower

Another item you'll have to leave at home is your steamer. When my friend went on her first cruise with me, she was so disappointed when her luggage was delivered, and her steamer was not there! 

Your clothes don't have to be wrinkly, though. I personally like to turn on the shower and hang my garments in the restroom for a few minutes. This is a quick, easy, and time-effective solution, so long as nobody else in my travel party needs to be in the bathroom. 

I also always bring some wrinkle-release spray. A travel-size 3-in-1 bottle is only around $6 from Amazon! 

Purchase a motion sensor nightlight

Unlike if you were staying in a city like New York or Chicago, you won't get any light pollution at night seeping into your stateroom. Rather than turning on the bathroom light at night, many cruisers prefer to leave a motion sensor nightlight in the restroom. 

Whether you don't want to awaken your cabin mates or simply dislike a bright light at night, this is a great light that can be attached it to any wall or door in your stateroom. And like the magnetic hooks, it can be repurposed after your vacation at home. 

Related: I tried the best inside cruise ship cabin hacks to see how well they worked

You can ask your stateroom attendant to remove furniture

Want to increase the amount of floor space that you have? Once you have had a proper introduction to your stateroom attendant, you can ask them to remove furniture from your cabin, such as a nightstand or coffee table.

Only two in the cabin? Split the bed into two for more floor space

Another way to make your stateroom feel larger is to split the beds into two. This gives you more space to move about the cabin and, specifically, in between the beds, rather than having to squeeze around the desk to climb into bed. 

When I am traveling with friends or family, I prefer to split the bed. However, I cruise solo quite a bit, and since I am the only person in the room, I don't mind sacrificing floor space to have a larger bed to myself. 

Make sure that you bring your own toiletries, including hand soap

Don't bank on finding any travel-sized shampoo or conditioner bottles on your cruise. 

Another difference between land-based hotels and cruise ships is that ships do not provide any kind of toiletries inside of your bathroom, other than a body wash/shampoo duo. 

Additionally, the onboard stores have a limited selection, meaning that if you have a preferred brand or scent, you may not be able to purchase it! Be smart and pack all of your own toiletries in advance. 

Moreover, Royal Caribbean does not provide liquid hand soap in staterooms. Instead, you'll find a little bar of soap. If you have a preference, you'll want to plan ahead for this, too. Oftentimes, liquid soap leaves your hands feeling (and smelling) better than the bar provided. 

Related: Best things to bring on a cruise under $10 I always regret forgetting to bring

Sleep in and have coffee delivered to your cabin 

Do you want to have a relaxing start to your morning without having to shuffle your feet to Cafe Promenade or the Windjammer for coffee? Well, you can order room service! This is complimentary during certain hours of continental breakfast in the mornings. 

It's nice if you have a balcony, as you can wake up to a knock on your door and head outside to sip on your coffee while watching the ship either pull into port or glide across the ocean on a sea day. 

Once you've finished, you can head out to get breakfast (if you didn't want that delivered, too!) and begin your day. 

Instead of a collapsable laundry hamper, just bring a trash bag

If you're like me, you don't want to keep your smelly clothes around all of your clean ones. I hate designating a single drawer to my dirty clothes, too, as it fills up pretty quickly, especially on a week-long cruise. 

I also find that collapsable laundry hampers take up excess space, both in the stateroom and closet. You can create your own "DIY" hamper by simply bringing a trash bag. This way, you'll have a designated space for your laundry!

Another solution is to just use your suitcase that's underneath the bed. The only annoyance about this is that you will have to constantly pull it out and push it back under.  

Bring air freshener for the bathroom

No matter how many people are staying in your cabin, the smaller-than-usual bathroom can hold any stench for longer than you can imagine. 

A 2fl oz bottle from Amazon is only $10. You'll thank yourself for throwing this in your carry-on bag (yes, it is TSA friendly)!

To save space in the bathroom, use silicone travel bottles and leave your full-sized products at home

You will also want to leave all of your full-sized toiletries at home. Space in cruise ship bathrooms is limited, especially in the shower. Sometimes, there is only a shelf or two. 

Buy a travel-size kit with silicone bottles from Amazon for less than $10 that you can refill before each vacation that you take. You can fill them with products like shampoo, conditioner, hair gel, lotion, and more. 

Pack over-the-counter medications and create a medicine drawer (or cabinet)

Nobody wants to think about getting sick on vacation, but it does happen to even the best of us! Even if you don't get ill, you never know when you might drink one too many drinks at night or suffer from a dehydration headache. 

Cruise ships have a limited inventory of over-the-counter medications, and they're pretty costly, too. 

I always pack my own "DIY" pharmacy with things like Advil, DayQuil, Dramamine, sore throat drops, Antacids, and eye drops. This way, I know I have medication that is easily and readily accessible the second I feel like I need it. 

Add some personality to your stateroom by decorating your door

A cruise tradition that many first-timers don't know about is decorating the exterior of cabin doors. It's a fun way to add some personality to your room and help you locate it amongst a sea of individual doors on a seemingly never-ending hallway. 

There are a million ways that you can decorate your cabin; you don't have to be celebrating anything in particular. Maybe you have a drink package and want to purchase a funny warning magnet or just want a cute nautical theme to celebrate family time together.

Reusable water bottles are helpful to keep water in your mini-fridge

Most staterooms onboard Royal Caribbean ships do not come pre-stocked If you want water or anything to satisfy a late-night quench without having to leave your cabin, you'll want to fill up a reusable water bottle at a quick-service joint, whether that's Cafe Promenade, Park Cafe, or the Windjammer. 

If you have a drink package, use it to stock your mini-fridge

Alternatively, if you have a drink package, you can go to a bar and ask for a bottle of water, Powerade, or even a Red Bull to put in your fridge. You can do this throughout the day, so you start to build up your supply and don't have to ask for a bottle each time you return to your cabin. 

You can, of course, do this without a drink package; however, you'll pay individually for each drink, and this can add up pretty quickly! 

Bring a shoe organizer to hang over the closet or bathroom door

To help organize toiletries, shoes, jewelry, and more, bring a shoe organizer. This can be tossed over either a closet or bathroom door to help not only increase the amount of storage that you have, but also help everyone keep their belongings organized. 

It's easy for cabins to start to get messy a few days into a trip, especially if you have three or four people sharing a single bathroom.

Download television shows and movies ahead of time to watch at night or when recharging during the day

If you are hoping to watch the latest episode of your favorite television show while on your cruise, you'll have to either download it beforehand or wait until you return! 

Cruise ships have a limited number of television channels. Per Royal Caribbean's website, "RCTV includes a 29 channel in-stateroom TV system," so you are going to be able to catch up on live news, as well as find a movie or show that seems intriguing enough. 

The latest films are not often available for free. You can, however, always browse through their pay-per-view offerings. 

If opting for self disembarkation, you do not have to pack your bags the night before

Veteran cruisers know that you only have to set your luggage out the night before your cruise ends if you want assistance with your luggage. 

This is a popular option because, let's face it, who wants to lug a 50lb suitcase off the ship themselves? If you have a reasonable amount of luggage, though, you can worry about finishing packing the morning of disembarkation, rather than having to decide what you'll need to leave out for that night and the next morning. 

Guests carrying off their own luggage are also able to get off the ship first, while those with bag tags will have to wait until their assigned departure time. 

Save this blog on Pinterest

Although cruising continues to be one of the most affordable vacations you can take, you still want to be as savvy as you can when it comes to saving money. Almost everyone is looking to get the most bang for their buck when it comes to booking a cruise vacation. 

Unless you have an unlimited travel budget (and if so, I am very jealous), you’ll want to make sure you are getting the best possible rate for your cruise fare. To start, money saved on your cruise fare gives you more room in your travel budget. This allows you to splurge on things that are important to you while cruising, such as exciting excursions, wifi, drink packages, specialty dining, and more. 

For me, saving substantial money on a cruise fare allows me to cruise more frequently. I love to travel, so getting a great deal is very important to me when booking a future sailing.

We’ve all heard people say you should book your cruises as soon as bookings open to save money. But, cruise lines release itineraries as far as two years in the future. Others suggest waiting until the very last minute to get the best price possible. So, which is actually the best approach to save money?

Between constant price promotions, changing sales, and dynamic pricing from Royal Caribbean, it can be difficult to know when the best time to book a cruise is. Depending on when you book your cruises, you have a sweet spot for the time you’ll be able to save the most money.

Read more: Top things that are totally worth spending extra for on a Royal Caribbean cruise

I am going to share with you the biggest money-saving hack for your next cruise. This trick has worked for me on almost every cruise that I’ve booked in recent years since I learned it was possible. I’ve saved anywhere from $50 to $1,500 with this hack. In fact, I just saved $572 on an upcoming cruise to Africa that I’ll be sailing on in January! 

This hack is all about booking that cruise now and repricing it later to save money. Here’s why I book my cruises far in advance (when possible) and how I take advantage of repricing policies to save anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. 

We recently asked our Royal Caribbean Blog followers on Instagram how far in advance they prefer booking their next cruise. 

Of those who responded, 48% of our followers prefer to book cruises within 6 to 12 months before the itinerary’s departure date. On the other hand, 40% of cruisers said they prefer booking booking further in advance with at least 12 or more months. Finally, just 13% of our followers said they prefer booking cruises at the last minute with less than 6 months in advance.

As you can see, there is no single approach that works for everyone, as we all have different schedules, budgets and travel preferences. Some people cannot plan two years in advance while others cannot financially risk waiting until the last minute and hope for a fantastic deal just for the price to be hiked. 

Personally, I’ve booked cruises with both approaches. For some highly-anticipated itineraries, like my recent sailing to Israel on Odyssey of the Seas, we booked more than a year in advance to snag a good cabin. On the other hand, I’ve found awesome last-minute deals sometimes too.

But, I’ve also been burned a few times booking cabins at the last minute, which left me spending hundreds of dollars more. 

But, the most money I’ve saved when booking cruises involves the following strategy: book now and reprice often.

While this might not seem like a revolutionary secret, this strategy has been proven successful time and time again. Repricing my cruises has saved me a lot of money over the years and I cannot believe people do not do it more often. 

This strategy involves booking a cruise as far in advance as you can with the expectation that you can (and will) reprice your cabin as the departure gets closer. 

Keep in mind that only residents of certain countries can re-price a cruise after booking, such as the United States or Canada. Sorry, Brits!

You want to give yourself as much time as you can to reprice your upcoming cruise. This allows you to monitor the price periodically to see whether you can save money on your booked sailing. Preferably, you should book cruises that are around 8 months or more in the future to allow you the opportunity to reprice often. 

I've also found that the more time I give myself to make a final payment, the more likely I am to receive an American Express offer for the cruise line to earn extra cash back or point bonuses. 

Because of Royal Caribbean’s dynamic pricing system, the cruise prices are constantly fluctuating with supply and demand. The more popular sailings will see prices slowly increase as the departure of the cruise approaches while less popular sailings will have no choice but to drop prices to entice people. 

Ultimately, repricing takes advantage of prices ebbing and flowing to save you money. If you book a cruise and the price only goes up, then you know you snagged the best price possible. But, if the price drops, you can take advantage of this by getting your reservation repriced. 

Once you see a lower price for the exact stateroom category and sailing you have booked, you simply contact the cruise line and ask for them to reprice your cabin; or, even better, book with a travel agent and let them handle the repricing for you, which requires even less work on your part. 

But, the key to this strategy is ensuring you have enough time to reprice before final payment is due on a cruise. 

Once you’ve made your final payment on a cruise reservation, you do not have much wiggle room on the final price. Therefore, booking with the intent of repricing should be done far in advance. 

Note: You might remember the only exception to this policy was during the post-pandemic restart when you could reprice your cruise reservations with Royal Caribbean up to 48 hours before departure. This policy (one that I truly loved, as you can imagine) has since been retired and no longer applies. It was fun while it lasted!

For most cruises, Royal Caribbean states that payments are due 90 days in advance from a cruise departure date. Shorter sailings from 1-4 nights are required to make final payments at least 75 days in advance. This timeline is one that most cruise lines follow, but it’s important to confirm when you need to make a final payment before you plan to utilize this strategy.

If you’ve made your final payment, you probably won’t be able to reprice your cruise with a lower published fare. In fact, I have a theory that Royal Caribbean drops the current price of a cruise right after an itinerary passes the final payment window (but, I have a trick for still saving money that I will discuss later in the article - read on!).  

According to Royal Caribbean’s policy, if you book a cruise within 90 days of sailing (i.e the final payment window) and you see a lower price within 48 hours of booking, the cruise line will offer you onboard credit for the difference. But, if you are outside of the final payment window, you’ll typically have the opportunity to contact the cruise line and have your cruise fare repriced to match the current price. 

The repricing process is even easier when you work with a travel agent - something we always recommend.

I only just started working with travel agents in the last few years, but it’s been a game changer for booking cruises. This is not a forced plug for our sponsor, MEI Travels, but truly my opinion on how valuable a travel agent can be in these types of situations. While we use MEI for our business travels here at Royal Caribbean Blog, I have started to use MEI for my own personal leisure cruises too. 

Read more: Top 5 things to look for in a good travel agent for your cruise vacation

To start, a good travel agent will know all of the repricing policies for different cruise lines. You can simply ask your travel agent to check for a reprice on your sailing and they can take charge with getting the price adjusted, if applicable. 

In this case, you are not only saving money, but also your valuable time. You don’t have to call the cruise line yourself and request the reprice, which involves time on hold usually. Instead, your travel agent can advocate for you and get the reprice done without you needing to intervene. 

For my recent reprice, all I had to do was email my travel agent asking if she could look into possibly repricing my upcoming sailing because it appeared the price had gone down. I sent her a screenshot of the pricing that I was seeing on my end. She was able to contact the cruise line and reprice the cruise fare for me very quickly, saving me hundreds of dollars and my time. 

Here’s exactly how I repriced an upcoming cruise, step by step, to save $572.

After finding an itinerary that interested me, I started to price out a few different cabins and monitor the price for a couple of days. Once I decided to pull the trigger, I opted to book the cabin that best within my budget. I put down the deposit to secure my booking. 

Now, you probably have seen that cruise lines are constantly running promotions. The cruise lines try to establish some sense of urgency that a current promotion is only running for a limited time. But, I can assure you, there is always some sort of promotion happening! 

After making the initial deposit, I started to periodically check the price of the same cruise. Since I work remotely from home on the computer, it only takes me a few minutes to go online and see what the current price is of my sailing. As holidays and promotions slightly change, you can see the price of the cruise change as well.

For a few weeks, the price was consistent with what we had locked in. But, over this past weekend, I decided to start booking excursions. During the process, I went to the website and looked at the current price of our cruise.

I was ecstatic to see that the final price of the exact same cruise we booked had gone down $572! Luckily, final payment for this cruise is not due until the end of next month so it was a quick process with my travel agent to get the price down. 

I’ve also used a similar strategy to save money on my cruises when booking far enough in advance. 

I have used a similar strategy for getting a great deal on balcony staterooms. The more I’ve cruised, the more I have come to appreciate having my own balcony. This is especially true on scenic sailings, like Alaska, Norway and Iceland.

But, the price for a balcony stateroom is normally double the cost of an inside cabin when I initially book a cruise. Instead, I will initially book the cheapest fare that I can get onboard and monitor the price for either an opportunity to reprice or cheaply upgrade to a balcony. 

For example, on my recent Iceland cruise, I originally booked an inside cabin guarantee for about $2,800. My ultimate goal was to get a balcony for much cheaper than the original $4,500 sticker price. This cruise was booked 8 months before my cruise in June, so I had some time to to find a better deal for my inside cabin or upgrade to a balcony. 

In the months leading up to final payment, I continued to monitor the price of the cruise. Sadly, the inside cabin prices did not drop like I had hoped. As I theorized earlier, right after the final payment deadline had passed, the price of the cruise dropped drastically. 

An inside guarantee cabin was now selling for $1,400, which was half the cost of what we paid!  A gamble for a last-minute price would have worked out in this scenario, but since it was past final payment, we could not get a reprice.

However, you can always upgrade your cabin after final payments! Of course, cruise lines will not stop you from upgrading your stateroom, especially if they can get a little more money from you. In my case, the demand for the sailing was obviously a little low with the prices being dropped close to the sail date.

I took this opportunity to upgrade our stateroom to a balcony for just $200. Had I originally booked a balcony for us, it would have cost me around $1,500 more than waiting for the price to drop and choosing to upgrade then. Last summer, I was even able to upgrade my stateroom to a balcony from an inside cabin and it saved me $500! 

Of course, you risk that the demand for balconies will be so high that the price will also increase. But, in my experience, the prices will certainly fluctuate and if you book far enough in advance, you have more opportunities to snag a great deal. 

At the end of the day, the further in advance you book, the more opportunities you have to save money. 

There are many advantages to booking a cruise far in advance; for me, the biggest advantage is allowing myself enough time to reprice my sailings and get the best rate possible. I’d argue it might even be the most important reason to give yourself ample time to book a cruise, as you can either reprice or upgrade your stateroom in this case. In addition, you will have more lucrative cabins to select from if you book far enough in advance. 

I would also highly recommend working with a travel agent who can quickly reprice your bookings and deal with the cruise line directly for you. This will save you both time and money.  

Whether you choose to save money by repricing your current cabin or monitor prices for a cheap upgrade, you should be periodically monitoring your cruise fares after making a reservation. By monitoring the prices of your booked cruises for repricing, you’ll have the opportunity to save hundreds to thousands of dollars. A small effort on your end can be very lucrative for you, especially if you cruise often. 

It’s most important to reprice before final payment is due, as you won’t have much flexibility to reprice once the final payment date has passed. However, within 90 days of your cruise, you might be able to snag a very cheap upgrade for a higher stateroom category.

Save this blog on Pinterest

While there's a lot of advice shared on the internet about how to take a cruise, some of these tips are rooted in a different time and since then, the experience has evolved.

In many cases, cruise tips last a long time because they simply work. As an example, packing layers for an Alaska cruise remains to this day one of the best Alaska planning tips because it's as true today as it was a decade or two ago.

Other pieces of advice may have changed over years, and some tips just don't apply to today's generation of cruise ships. Thanks to bigger ships that have lessons learned applied to them, there are some cruise tips that aren't necessary anymore.

I wanted to point out a few cruise tips I see shared still that just don't apply to modern cruise ships, especially in Royal Caribbean's fleet.

You need a balcony cabin to be able to enjoy outdoor scenery

When I took my first Alaska cruise, everyone said I needed to book a balcony cabin because it was the best way to enjoy Alaska's beautiful landscape.

The rationale for booking a balcony stems from two arguments.

First, if you don't have access to your balcony, you'll be relegated to public areas that can get crowded, especially on glacier viewing days.

Second, the convenience of being able able to go out to your balcony is wonderful.

Read more: Best cabins to book for an Alaska cruise

A big reason why I don't think a balcony is as critical as it used to be is ships are bigger, and there's more public space than ever to enjoy the views.

Royal Caribbean has steadily put larger ships in Alaska, and I've found plenty of public space to enjoy the views of glaciers, wildlife, and the surroundings.

Moreover, being on a public deck is easier to go from one side of the ship to another if there's something else to see. In fact, I find the pool deck a much better viewing spot on glacier day because of how much easier it is to go from side to side.

In the Caribbean, while the water is certainly quite pretty, the need for a balcony to enjoy the view is significantly lessened.

I won't argue the merits of being able to enjoy your own balcony, because it is very nice to have a private balcony.  But don't book a balcony because you think you'll miss out on seeing the sights otherwise.

Don’t book a cabin near an elevator

No one wants a noisy cabin, so there's often tips about avoiding a cruise ship cabin near the elevator.

In my experience, this is not an issue on any Royal Caribbean ship I've been on to date.

The elevator lobbies on Royal Caribbean are sufficiently far away from the first rooms that I've never heard the "ding" of an elevator arriving, nor have I heard any elevator machine noise.

In fact, I prefer a cabin near an elevator for the convenience it provides.

Being near an elevator lobby makes it faster to get around the ship, especially on Royal Caribbean's biggest cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean only has elevators in the forward and middle parts of the ship. On Oasis Class or Quantum Class ships, this means cabins located towards the back of the ship will have a much longer walk.

While there will be more foot traffic near a cabin closer to an elevator than further away, I've rarely found this to be a problem in terms of being disturbed by it.

Basically, I think the convenience of an elevator is more important than the off chance someone is loud walking past your cabin.

Don't rely on cruise ship wifi because it's slow and expensive

Thanks to Royal Caribbean's partnership with Starlink, I think ship wifi is finally turning the corner to becoming far more useful than in the past.

While I'm not sure we will ever see cruise ship internet become free, I do think the cost is far more affordable on Royal Caribbean than some other lines.

I've read cruise tips that suggest skipping wifi all together as a means of saving money and to avoid frustrations, but I think Royal Caribbean's internet plans are far more useful than ever.

It's not perfect yet, and I do think wifi on Alaska cruises in particular are quite painful still due to the mountains interfering with the signal, but on a Caribbean or European cruise, buying a wifi package makes more sense than ever.

Being online doesn't mean you're working.  For a lot of people, being on the internet is a way to keep up with friends and family, and it's as a casual experience similar to reading a magazine or watching TV. 

Ask to have your mini bar emptied

One of the first cruise ship tips I remember reading and applying to my cabin was asking my stateroom attendant to empty the mini bar fridge.

The fridge is tiny, and emptying it means opening up more space to keep bottles of water or other snacks cooled. Plus, it avoids getting accidently charged for a mini bar item I didn't actually consume.

On a Royal Caribbean cruise, the mini bars are now automatically emptied and have been that way for a few years. Instead, there's a form you can fill out to have your stateroom attendant stock your fridge with items you want.

Other cruise lines may still stock their mini bar, but you don't have to worry about this on Royal Caribbean.

More cruise advice

• Cruise tips that make sense until you're on the ship
• 12 things I'd tell anyone new to cruise ship travel
• The 10 commandments of a great cruise ship vacation
• 5 Costly lessons learned on a cruise (and how to avoid them!)
• Our best 75 travel tips to make you the world's most savvy cruiser

Purchasing a European power adapter for your next cruise should be on your to-do list. 

While newer cruise ships are equipped with more outlets and USB ports, older ships tend to have fewer plugs. This can be frustrating to learn when you board the ship and are unprepared. 

I recently cruised onboard Navigator of the Seas, a Voyager Class ship that was launched in 2002, and my interior stateroom only had two American outlets. Had I packed a European power adapter, I could have made use of the European plug to increase the total number of outlets in the room to three. 

In comparison, I sailed onboard Symphony of the Seas earlier this year, and my cabin came with one American outlet beside of the bed, as well as three on the vanity. There were also two USB ports and a European plug. 

Related: I stayed in a $1,400 stateroom on Symphony of the Seas — see what my room on this cruise ship looked like

Moving forward, I am always going to make sure that I have a European power adapter on any cruise ship I sail on just to make sure that I am prepared for any charging situation. 

Please note that we have linked Amazon items in this post through an affiliate link. The affiliate link costs you nothing extra, but Royal Caribbean Blog will make a small commission if you purchase the item through the link. 

They are inexpensive to purchase

For less than $10, you can purchase a six-pack of European adapters. So long as you do not lose them, they can be reused on future vacations, too. 

While you might not need all six on your cruise, they are good to have on hand in the event you do take a European vacation, as you will need adapters for all plugs, rather than just a single one. By already having them tucked in a drawer at home, that is one less thing you will have to worry about getting!

European power adapters are less bulky than cruise line approved power strips

Most cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, prohibit passengers from bringing surge protected power strips onboard. If you are caught with one, it will be confiscated and returned after you disembark. What a disappointment that would be if you were banking on using your power strip during your cruise!

If you do not have an option that will work, you will have to purchase one, and they are more expensive than European power adapters. 

European power adapters are also small and lightweight, making them a better option for travel, especially when thinking about putting items in your cruise carry-on. The lighter the bag, the better! 

You are unlikely to find American ports located throughout the ship

Sometimes, the last place you want to be on a cruise is your stateroom! If, however, you find that your phone or laptop has died, you might have to camp out there for awhile while it recharges. 

Throughout the ship, you are going to find more European plugs than American, meaning that you can still experience the overall atmosphere of the cruise while charging your device. 

On a recent cruise, I sat in the Solarium to do some work until my laptop died, which happened quicker than usual due to the heat.

Since I did not have a power adapter, I was forced to sit in my cabin while it recharged. If I had brought a European adapter, I could have found somewhere to continue working in the public areas of the ship. 

It is a necessity if you have more than two people staying in your stateroom

Many cruise ship cabins are able to accommodate three and four guests. With only two American outlets, though, this could pose an issue when it comes to charging phones at night. 

In this case, you need to be able to access a third plug. Debating who is able to use the plugs is not how you want to spend your time together. 

Even if you only have two people in your cabin, between phones, smart watches, laptops, ear buds, and more, you never know when you will have to decide between changing one device over another, especially on the last night of your cruise when you have to travel the next day! 

Here are a few more really helpful things I always bring on a cruise

Since streamers are prohibited onboard, a must-have for me on any cruise is wrinkle release spray. I have some dresses that, no matter how I try and pack them, are prone to wrinkling while in my suitcase.

A small travel-sized bottle is perfect for traveling, as it does not take up much space in bag. It helps to get out the bigger wrinkles, so I do not feel like I am wearing something I pulled out of my hamper! 

And speaking of charging devices, I like to pack a portable charger. While I might not need to use it on sea days, it is reassuring to be able to throw a charger in my day bag before disembarking in port. 

The one I have been obsessed with is on the larger and more expensive side, but I love that I do not have to recharge it after every use! It is great to leave plugged in on a sea while I am not using the cabin's outlets or need the charger handy. Plus, you are also able to charge more than one device at once, which is helpful if you are traveling with friends or family.

Since older ships do not have outlets beside of the bed, it is helpful to bring longer cables if you are someone who likes to use their phone at night or keep it close by to use as an alarm in the morning. I recommend a braided one, as they tend to last longer than standard Apple-issued cords because they are more durable. 

Related: 40 essential things to bring on a cruise

Your cruise vacation is likely a major event for your family, so making it special is important.

Maybe you're celebrating a special event, milestone, or gathering.  Cruises tend to be a popular choice for family and friend gatherings.

If you're looking to upgrade your cruise on a small budget, you're in luck.

Among our team of of professional travel writers, we combed through the best budget ideas to enhance your cruise ship sailing to make the trip just a little more special.

1. An awesome shore excursion

My top choice for a way to make a cruise better is spending extra on a better shore excursion.

Your cruise will take you to various ports of call, and you'll find a variety of tours to consider.

One of my favorite shore excursions are day passes to a resort because you get beach and pool access, along with food and drink quite often.

I always check a website like ResortForADay.com to book a day pass. (This link contains an affiliate link that costs you nothing extra to use).

Royal Caribbean may also offer tours worth considering, including lower capacity tours.  Smaller groups are another great way to explore with a better experience.

2. Buy a dining package

Specialty dining is a popular way to splurge on a cruise, and a specialty dining package can make it much more affordable.

With just a 3-night dining package, you can enjoy a few extra cost meals without a huge extra cost.

Dining packages will cost you much less than trying to dine at the same amount of restaurants individually.

3. Thermal Spa pass

On select ships, you can purchase a thermal suite pass that gives you unlimited access to saunas, thermal seats, rainforest rooms and more.

Only Royal Caribbean's Oasis, Quantum and Radiance Class ships offer a thermal spa.

The exact options will depend on your ship, but usually it includes:

• hot stone chairs
• rainforest shower room
• infrared sauna
• steam room

You can buy a pass onboard the ship at the Vitality Spa, and then enjoy as many visits as you like.

Access to the thermal spa is limited, so you'll need to buy your passes as soon as you get onboard.

4. Photo package

One big reason to take a family cruise is for all the memories you'll want to make, and photos are still a big way to remember them.

You'll find ship photographers around your ship, primarily in the evenings to take photos of everyone dressed up for dinner.

You could buy individual printed photos, or invest in a photo package.

Each photo package covers any photo that has at least one person in the cabin, regardless of who else is in the photo.

If your group is going to take the time to take photos onboard, a photo package can be a great idea.

5. Sushi class

A vastly underrated experience are the cooking classes, such as the sushi making class.

The sushi class teaches you how to make a couple different hand rolls, that you get to eat after. I was never one to think cooking classes would be fun, but then I tried it and really enjoyed it.

Read more: Izumi sushi making class on Royal Caribbean

It's a very low pressure class, where you can pretty easily make a few kinds of sushi rolls.

There's also a cupcake decorating class or guacamole fiesta class. The exact classes depend on which ship you choose.

Skip: RoyalUp

It may be tempting to upgrade your cabin through Royal Caribbean's RoyalUp program, but I think it's a mistake in the sense I think there's a low chance of you winning your bid.

Read more: How can you win that Royal Up stateroom upgrade bid? It's pure luck

While a RoyalUp bid could fall within the $250 limit and certainly enhance your cruise by moving up a nicer room, the reality is the chances of you winning the bid are pretty low.

Essentially, there aren't that many open cabins to upgrade to because Royal Caribbean usually sells its cruise ships out.  So you're mostly banking on a last-minute cancellation, especially if it's a suite.

If you're in an inside room and trying to bid to a cabin category that has a lot of availability and less demand, such as an oceanview or balcony, your chances are probably a bit higher at winning a bid since there's more inventory of those types of cabins.

Regardless, I think you should spend that $250 on a sure fire bet, rather than a gamble like RoyalUp.

You want to ensure that you make the most out of your upcoming cruise vacation, and a great source of knowledge is learning from those who have cruised before, whether on the same cruise line, ship, or just in general! 

The more you delve into the initial stages of researching, the more questions you may find yourself having. What, for instance, is the Cruise Planner, and how it is useful for your upcoming cruise?

Here are 10 reader comments for making the most out of your cruise and time onboard. 

Related: 22 things you should do before every cruise

Do the most important stuff first

Reddit user elsie78 advises that "everyone should pick the one thing, show, activity etc they want to do most and do it ASAP. That way if they, or the performer, gets sick they won't miss out by waiting since 'oh there's time to do that later.'"

You never know when unfavorable weather will strike and result in, for instance, the cancellation of an AquaTheater or ice skating show. 

If your reservations were for the last show of the cruise, you may find yourself out of luck!

Plan ahead and make reservations to the shows and activities that most interest you. That way, you will not have to be on edge during the latter half of the cruise. 

Related: 30 Do's and Don'ts for the first day of your cruise

Come prepared to meet new friends

"...one of the best things about cruising is the people you meet and the friends you make. Some you keep in touch with, some you don't but they all make each cruise experience different, memorable and unique," wrote Royal Caribbean Blog forum member monctonguy.

"I used to travel to the Caribbean for years and stay at [all-inclusive resorts] and I have to admit that it was rare to meet people at the resort that you hung around with during the week or even kept in touch with. However, right from my first cruise ever its been a great experience making and meeting new friends from all over. Have even made plans to cruise again with some of these people."

Do not be afraid to strike up a conversation with someone in the elevator, bar, or elsewhere on the ship! If you take a ship-sponsored shore excursion, you may even find yourself getting along with other group members.

In other words, you never know what great people you will meet onboard who have come from all different walks of life! 

It is okay to ask questions

There really is no such thing as a dumb question! 

"Most of the other people don’t know what they’re doing either. Put your pride in your pocket and ASK questions. The staff, as a rule, LOVE to interact and help - especially on RCCL. Oh, and relax," said Reddit user ClearlyConfusedHuman. 

If you get onboard and have questions about dining, shore excursions, disembarkation, youth programming, show reservations, the Crown & Anchor loyalty program, or literally anything else, head to the appropriate personnel; they will be happy to help you out! 

Utilize the cruise planner

Once you (or your travel agent) have placed the deposit for your cruise, you will gain access to Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner. Here, you will be able to make dining reservations, book shore excursions and spa treatments, and even get the infamous Deluxe Drink Package. 

Royal Caribbean Blog user SPS said, "My #1 tip (and many other peoples, too) is to purchase the things you want ahead of time. Buying items like Drink Packages, Dining, Excursions, etc. will be a good deal less money that purchasing them on board."

If you purchase something and notice that the price drops later, you can cancel for a full refund and re-purchase at the lower rate!

Related: Best Time to Buy A Royal Caribbean Drink Package

Watch a ship tour before you leave

If you want to be a navigational pro before you step onboard, take the time to watch a ship tour and familiarize yourself with the deck plans. 

Reddit user Koolaid_Jef advises, "Depending on length of cruise and size of ship, [watch] a tour video on YouTube. Most of the ships have them and it's a long video of someone giving a tour. That way you can make a short list of things you want to do or places you'll frequent!"

"I went on my first cruise last January on Liberty and it took a couple a few days to remember things quickly. My next cruise is in May on Oasis which is much much larger so I will definitely need a list myself!"

Never, ever arrive the same day as embarkation

"...

get to the port at least a day early," said Royal Caribbean Blog user MikeK.

"If there is a flight delay or your driving and car breaks down etc the ship will not wait for you. So start looking into a hotel reservation now."

If you book a flight the same day your ship leaves, you will have to adhere to a tight schedule of making the connection and landing on time, grabbing your bags, and then making to the port and through check-in on time. In short, there is little room to account for flight delays or cancellations, as well as any other unforeseen circumstance that may put a halt to your highly anticipated getaway. 

Related: The costly cruising mistake newbies make planning their first cruise

Don't get too tired too quickly

During the day, you might find yourself busy in port or trying to cross off everything on your onboard "to do" list. 

However, according to Reddit user Gabboiscoming, you should "pace yourself because the best things happen at night. Silent Party and Crazy Quest were the two highlights and both were 10:30 or 11pm."

If, of course, you are not into these types of activities, there is nothing wrong with retiring early! Likewise, it is acceptable to return to your stateroom for an afternoon nap if need be. 

Book via a travel agent 

Whether you are new to cruising or a seasoned veteran, you should never ignore the benefits of booking with a travel agent!

"The true value of a TA isn't what booking perks you can get, but having someone to deal with the cruise line for any issues, questions or problems that come up along the way," said Royal Caribbean Blog forum user smokeybandit. 

They, of course, can land you some pretty neat benefits, such as onboard credit, a specialty dining meal, and more. They are never guaranteed, though. 

The most important benefit of working with a travel agent is, in addition to their invaluable knowledge, having someone to act as your liaison with the cruise line.

They are also able to handle booking other add-ons to make your life easier, including pre-cruise hotels, flights, shore excursions, and more. 

Make sure you pack seasickness medication

"I wish I knew about my seasickness," wrote Reddit user maleheo.

"On my first cruise many years ago it hit me just before dinner and took me out for the rest of the night."

Even if you have cruised before, you never know when you will hit a rough patch in the seas. It is best to come prepared with whatever your preferred remedy is, whether that be medication or something more natural.

Related: How to avoid getting seasick on a cruise

Secure an early check-in time

There is no denying that you will be filled with pre-cruise jitters the day of embarkation! Why delay when you can officially put your phone on "do not disturb" and enjoy that first poolside cocktail?

Royal Caribbean Blog user JohnK6406 is a fan of early check-in: "I think the general consensus is it's best to grab an earlier boarding time so you can begin your vacation right away."

"Passengers that board earlier have an advantage as they generally have the best specialty dining reservation options (day/time). They also have the ability to book entertainment reservations for the main shows, as well as, other activities like Escape rooms, etc."

If you, for instance, reserve a dining package, you will need to speak with crew members once board to finish finalizing reservations. The later you get on, the fewer choices you will have when it comes to preferred dining times. 

One of the most common concerns of first-time cruisers is feeling seasick. No one wants to spend their vacation nauseous and miserable, so knowing a few tips and tricks to prevent seasickness is helpful before your cruise.

You never know when rough seas will hit, causing you to feel the motion of the ship more than usual. 

The good news, however, is that seasickness is not nearly as common as you might think, and many passengers hardly notice the ship moving at all! 

Some of these methods require you to purchase remedies in advance. 

Here are our top ways to prevent and relieve motion sickness on a cruise ship so you can enjoy your cruise vacation as much as possible.

Editor's note: Royal Caribbean Blog makes no warranties with regard to the safety or effectiveness of any seasickness remedy. It is always best to consult with a physician prior to taking any medication, especially if you have existing medical conditions, are pregnant, or you are taking other medications.

Seasickness 101 

You will begin to feel the effects of seasickness if there is a conflict between your eyes, motion of the ship, and vestibular system located within your inner ear. By sending information to your brain regarding balance, motion, and the location of your head and body in relation to your surroundings, the vestibular system helps create a sense of balance and spatial orientation. 

To sum that up, the onset of motion sickness is when what you see if different than what your inner ear senses.

The symptoms of seasickness range from mild to severe, and you may find yourself suffering with anything from dizziness to fatigue, headaches, irritability, loss of appetite, rapid breathing, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweats. 

Thankfully, each ship is headed by a skilled captain, who will do everything possible to avoid unfavorable sailing conditions. Moreover, ships are equipped with stabilizer fins that are meant to help reduce the motion felt by passengers.  

Reduce, however, does not mean eliminate. 

How to beat seasickness

There are numerous methods, both medical and natural, that aid in curbing the symptoms of motion sickness. What works for someone, however, may not work as well for someone else. That is why it is best to speak to your primary care physician if you are worried about getting ill on your cruise. They will be able to provide the best advice that takes into account your age and current health. 

Over-the-counter medications

Bonine and Dramamine are two popular medications that can be bought at practically any drug store that both have the goal of preventing you from feeling motion sickness. 

Having been introduced to the market in 1949, Dramamine is the older of the two. It's active ingredient is dimenhydrinate, an antihistamine which has a side effect of drowsiness. 

Likewise, Bonine uses meclizine, another antihistamine. This medication came into medical use in the early 1950s to treat nausea and vertigo and advertises itself to be less drowsy than Dramamine. 

For children, Dramamine manufactures Dramamine for Kids, the only over-the-counter medication motion sickness relief formula for children between the ages two and twelve. Rather than containing 50mg of dimenhydrinate per dose, it only contains 25mg. 

If you forget to purchase medication before you leave home, go to Guest Services or the onboard medical center and ask if they have any free packets of motion sickness medication available. 

Speak with a doctor about getting a prescription for scopolamine patches

Unlike some other remedies, if you are interested in getting a scopolamine patch, you will need to speak with a medical professional prior to leaving for your cruise. These patches work by delivering scopolamine to your body slowly over the course of several days, with one patch lasting up to three days. 

They are placed behind your ear around eight hours prior to when you need the medication to be in your system, making it more of a preventative measure. 

Purchase an acupressure band 

Acupressure pressure bands are a more natural remedy than over-the-counter medications. These wristbands work by applying pressure to the P-6 pressure point on your wrist. This is known to help reduce the feeling of nausea. 

These bands are not expensive, either. A single band can be purchased for less than $10 from Amazon. 

Choose the right stateroom during the booking process

The stateroom that you select can make a difference in how much you feel the rocking of the vessel. Rather than opt to save money on a guarantee cabin, you should choose one in a location that is less prone to feeling the ship's motion.

Staterooms that are located midship of the lower decks tend to feel less motion than those on higher decks or that are located in the forward or aft of the cruise ship. Moreover, since watching the horizon, as counterintuitive as it may seem, helps give you a sense of balance, you may want to consider booking a stateroom with either a balcony or exterior facing window. 

If you book an interior room, you will have to leave your cabin to head to a public space. 

Consider a port-intensive itinerary 

The more time you spend on and, the less you will have to worry about feeling the ship's movement while sailing. It is entirely possible to find a cruise with only one day at sea, even if it is 7-nights. 

Depending on your cruising preferences, you may even be able to find a sailing that spends each day in a different port of call. 

Not only will this reduce the amount of time onboard, but you will be able to cross off more destinations from your bucket list. 

Additionally, some bodies of water are more prone to strong winds and currents than others. These include the Bay of Biscay and Gulf of Alaska. The Caribbean can be hit with unpleasant weather during the latter part of hurricane season, too. That being said, any ocean can encounter unfavorable sailing conditions at any time.  

Watch your alcohol consumption

Whether you decide to splurge on a Royal Caribbean Deluxe Drink Package or not, you should watch your alcohol intake if you are prone to motion sickness; dehydration will not make the situation better. 

In fact, you should limit your caffeine, too. You want to try and drink as much water as possible. Moreover, staying hydrated will help with any digestive issues that may arise while onboard, as most passengers indulge on more fatty and fried foods than they normally would.

Related: 22 unpleasant cruise ship problems you aren't prepared for

Drink peppermint tea or ginger ale

6-gingerol, an active compound found in ginger, helps to reduce the feelings of nausea. For that reason, it is one of the best natural remedies for seasickness. While you can sip on ginger ale, you can also look for ginger tea, candies, and supplements. 

Similarly, the antibacterial properties found in peppermint tea help reduce nausea, too. It can also help ease stomach cramps since it works to relax your stomach muscles. 

Eat green apples

If you'd rather munch on something versus sip on tea or ginger ale, try and locate some green apples. They contain pectin, a type of fiber which helps to settle the stomach. 

In fact, make sure you eat in general!

While nausea may make your appetite disappear, that does not mean you should skip out on eating. If you are unable to stomach large meals, try snacking on crackers, bread, bananas, soup, or any other plain food. 

You should also avoid eating things that cause upset stomachs. This means that you will have to pass on the spicy, greasy, and fatty foods for the time being. If taking it easy at the Windjammer for a single day means you will be back to feeling like your sooner, it is worth it!

Avoid sitting backwards or sideways

Try sitting in the same direction as the ship's movement, as sitting in the opposite direction can further confuse your body. Rather than sitting backwards of sideways, find a chair that is facing forward.

This may help alleviate some feelings of motion sickness. 

Limit the time you stare at your phone screen

When you start to feel ill while at sea, it is best to put your phone to the side. Likewise, reading can often increase the effects of motion sickness, even if you are reading a handheld copy. 

If you have smooth seas, feel free to head up to the pool deck and read away. If you encounter rough weather, though, you will want to save the book for later. 

What is mal de debarquement syndrome?

When you disembark your cruise ship, do not worry if your body needs some time to adjust to being back on land. Some people feel like their body is swaying when they get off the ship, and it is completely normal! 

If, however, it has been a couple of days and your symptoms are beginning to interfere with your day-to-day life, make an appointment to speak with a medical professional, as you may be suffering from mal de debarquement syndrome.

No matter which Royal Caribbean cruise ship you sail on, there's going to be a few thousands other passengers onboard with you, but that doesn't mean the ship will be crowded all the time and everywhere.

In some cases, a crowd is a good thing. It's nice to have the energy of a crowd for a theater performance, during a sing-a-long in a bar, or as part of the sail away party.

Royal Caribbean designs its ships to distribute guests around so crowding doesn't become problematic.  This is through a combination of placing venues at different ends and decks of the ship, as well as scheduling competing events at the same time.  

While these methods help reduce crowding, it's not going to feel like a private yacht or anything quite that empty.  That's to be expected to some degree on a mass market cruise line, but there's still a few ways to keep crowds to a minimum.

Depending on your cruising style, budget, and energy to seek out alternatives, you can enjoy a Royal Caribbean cruise without nearly as many crowds.

If your goal is to find ways to minimize crowds on your cruise, here are some strategies to side-step the crowds while enjoying your cruise.

Book a suite

If you want to throw money at the problem, staying in a Royal Caribbean suite gives you certain privileges that can assist with avoiding crowds.

Your suite cabin is going to be substantially larger than a standard balcony room, and that gives you private space to enjoy every day. This is especially nice with your suite balcony, which is quite a bit larger than a regular balcony.

Another way staying in a suite can give you an uncrowded experience is access to suite-only areas, such as the suite lounge and suite sun deck.

The suite sun deck is a popular option, because it allows you to enjoy the bright sunny days at sea without having to compete as much for a lounger.

Having your own bar and lounge in the suite lounge really makes a difference too, especially since drinks are complimentary here in the evening.

Looking ahead to Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean has dedicated the most space ever for suite guests in an entire neighborhood.

Icon’s expanded Suite neighborhood will include a new Mediterranean restaurant in The Grove, a multideck outdoor area with a pool and hot tub, reserved for suite guests.

Of course, staying in a suite isn't a cheap option, and it may be out of the question for most people's budgets.  But if you can afford one, staying in a suite is one easy way to avoid crowds.

Seek chairs away from the pool

If you want to enjoy time outdoors in a chair or lounger, there are usually lots of seating choices if you don't mind being away from the pool.

While the pool is a focal point for sea day activities, you'll find lots of seating choices on the outer decks if you venture further aft or forward from the middle of the deck.

What I love about getting a lounger away from the pool is it's quieter and a better chance of getting a lounge chair in the shade.

There are also chairs on the promenade deck that wraps around the outside of the ship on deck 4 or 5 (depending on the Royal Caribbean ship class).

Go indoors on sea days

If you value a quiet day on a sea day, head indoors when everyone is outside at the pool.

During the day, the bars are open on sea days and you'd be surprised how uncrowded some of these venues can be in the morning and afternoon.

A bar indoors will be quieter and sparsely crowded because a lot of other guests want to be outdoors to enjoy the sun or activities. If your goal is to read a book, watch a movie, or chat, being in an indoor venue isn't a bad idea at all.

Plus, you'll still find activities held indoors to keep you busy.

Cruise in the shoulder season

While Royal Caribbean ships rarely sail less than full capacity, picking a cruise during the shoulder season can feel less crowded, especially in the ports of call you visit.

The term "shoulder season" refers to the beginning and end of a cruise season when demand is less. Some examples of shoulder season are:

• Alaska: May or September
• Europe: May or September
• Caribbean: January, September or October

These times of the year are when demand is less because of weather or school schedules, and the result is (generally) lower prices and less demand.

While I don't think your cruise ship will be half empty by any means, one advantage of shoulder season cruising is fewer ships in port. That makes shore excursion touring far less crowded, especially in cities or at popular beaches.

Avoid Windjammer on embarkation day

When you board a Royal Caribbean cruise, the first place you may run into a crowd is at the ship's Windjammer buffet restaurant.

A lot of people boarding want to grab lunch before enjoying their first afternoon onboard and that can result in a busy lunch crowd.

Instead, get something to eat at another venue.

Depending on your ship, there's usually a couple of alternatives you could choose from for an embarkation day lunch.

Park Cafe, El Loco Fresh, Cafe Promenade, or Sorrento's are all complimentary options you could enjoy a lunch at for no extra cost.

In addition, some specialty restaurants are open for lunch on the first day, such as Chop's Grille, Johnny Rockets, Playmaker's Sports Bar, or Giovanni's.

Check a past Cruise Compass to get a sense of restaurant choices and operating hours.

Book with a group and rent out a venue

If you're sailing with a group of friends, you might be able to rent out a venue onboard.

Assuming you all booked with the same travel agent, Royal Caribbean's group department provides certain services, such as the ability to rent out a venue.

You could rent out a bar, specialty restaurant, water slide, or lounge. Depending on the size of your group, this might be something the equity generated by the group could cover partially or entirely in cost.

You'll need to have a group set up with Royal Caribbean's Groups department, but with some advanced planning, this can be a really fun way to enjoy certain venues of a ship without anyone else!

Do activities during dinner time

Want to ride the water slides, climb the rocking wall, or try the Flowrider without any lines? Go during dinner time.

Royal Caribbean usually operates its signature activities into the late afternoon and early evening, and this is one of the best times to go without much of a wait because most other guests are either at dinner or preparing to go to dinner.

Once the clock hits 4pm or so, the pool and sports decks start to empty out considerably because everyone wants to go to dinner. 

In the summer, there's plenty of day light in the early evening, and it's a great time to enjoy these venues that are otherwise super popular other times of the day.

Book a private shore excursion

I mentioned how shoulder season cruising can ensure a less crowded port day, but if you can't do a shoulder season cruise, another good option to avoid crowds is to book a private tour.

No matter which port you visit, there are bound to be private shore excursions you can book through third party operators.

A private tour means it's just for you and your group, so you don't have to worry about a crowded bus or waiting around for a large group to move.

Plus, your private tour will be more nimble than a large group, and that can allow you to get to and from hot spots in port before the larger crowds descend.

A private tour will cost more than a group tour, but if you value avoiding the crowd, a private tour is the way to go.

Like all Oasis Class ships, Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas offers passengers seemingly endless activities to choose from.

As one of the largest cruise ships in the world, it is hard not to love everything Symphony of the Seas has to offer. 

You can spend your day relaxing by one of four pools, ice skating, eating at one of 20 dining venues, zip lining across the Boardwalk, or taking advantage of Royal Caribbean's top-tier entertainment options. 

With only so much time onboard, knowing the "hidden" features and amenities of a ship as large as Symphony of the Seas ahead of time will help you make the most of your vacation. Be sure to make a note of them all before you set sail!

The Big Wonder

Unique to Symphony of the Seas' Solarium is Big Wonder, a one-of-a-kind architecturally integrated installation that is comprised of thousands of dichroic acrylic elements. It spans an impressive 2,594 feet and arches over the Solarium Bar, making it a fun place to grab a drink. 

Big Wonder is the most beautiful at night when it is lit up with a combination of pink, blue, and green hues. 

There is plenty of comfortable seating located directly under the installation, making it a great place to grab a pre-dinner drink or meet up with friends throughout the day!

Piano staircase

If you are heading up to the Windjammer to grab a bite to eat, make sure that you get off on deck 15! You do not want to miss the piano staircase.

The piano staircase is located near the deck 15 aft elevator bank leading up to the Windjammer Marketplace on deck 16. 

The stairs plays musical tunes when stepped on, and guests will recognize popular classical melodies, like Beethoven's Bagatelle No. 25 ("Für Elise"), that are played by walking up and down them. It is entertaining for all ages! 

Deck 7 AquaTheatre viewing area 

If you were not able to score reservations for HiRO or would just like a more exclusive viewing area, walk back towards the AquaTheatre and head up the stairs to the rock climbing wall on deck 7. You can access these terraces via the interior hallways, too. 

While the above decks (8-14) are the coveted AquaTheatre suites, the outdoor area on deck 7 is open to everyone. The elevated perspective provides a unique view of the show! 

Even when there is not a show, it is a great place to soak in some ocean views that is less crowded than the pool deck or adults-only Solarium! 

Artwork 

The artwork onboard Symphony of the Seas is some of the most impressive onboard any Royal Caribbean ship; throughout the ship you can find over 13,300 contemporary works!

From Big Wonder in the Solarium to Paradox Void in the Royal Promenade, unique stairwell art, and the Main Dining Room's "painting" on deck 5, there is so much to see and appreciate onboard.

Plus, many of the pieces are interactive and more than just a painting or sculpture. On deck 6 near the Schooner Bar, for instance, there is the Sound Shell, an LED piece created by Daniel Canogar that activates unique soundscapes and soothing light therapy when someone steps in front of the shell.

When navigating the ship, pay extra attention to the art in each stairwell landing. You will find photography collections, paintings, collages, drawings, and more. 

Deep Divers

While you are moving about Symphony of the Seas, keep a lookout for the four whimsical diver sculptures, which make for a great photo opportunity! 

There is one driver located in Central Park who is peering through a glass arch down into the Royal Promenade below. The other three are scattered throughout the pool deck at the forward, midship, and aft of the vessel.

Hunting for the sculptures is a great way to explore two popular neighborhoods onboard the ship.

Running track alcoves

Even if you are not planning on walking or running on the jogging track on deck 5, you should still make your way out there at least once! 

There are two enclosed alcoves located off the running track towards the front of the ship. They are a great escape from the crowded pool deck and offer activities like shuffleboard and ping pong.

The ship may even schedule activities out there. The Hyperlink Program, for instance, has hosted a "Frat Table Games Tournament" at the ping pong tables. 

There is also comfortable seating available for those who want a quiet place to read a book, take a nap, or just enjoy the ocean views on a sea day!

Aft chairs on the running track

The impressive wake views are one of the best parts about sailing on an Oasis Class ship (or any ship for that matter). During the day, the top deck can be noisy with all the activities going on; it is not the ideal place to relax! Rather than trying to soak up wake views near the Ultimate Abyss and FlowRiders, you can do so from the rear of the running track on deck 5. 

There are a number of chairs and plush couches for those who either want to take a break from exercising or who purposely sought out this relatively quiet area. 

Hooked Seafood

Symphony of the Seas was the first ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet to receive Hooked Seafood. Today, it is only one of three ships to have the specialty restaurant onboard; the restaurant can also be found on Wonder of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas.

If you are a fan of fresh New England-style seafood, you will want to make sure that you get a reservation to dine at this specialty restaurant! They even serve oysters three different ways: Rockefeller style, with leeks and white wine, or with brie and champagne. ch.

Onboard pricing is $24.99 per adult for lunch and $54.99 per adult for dinner. Children cost $12.99 each. It is also included with any of the specialty dining packages.

Solarium bridge wings 

Like other Oasis Class ships, there are two bridge wings that extend over the edge of the ship located in the Symphony of the Seas' Solarium. The wings offer guests a more tranquil spot to watch sailaway or a jaw-dropping sunset at sea. 

To access the bridge wings, head to the very front of the Solarium. There will be one bridge wing on the port side of the ship, while the other is located on the starboard side. If you are wearing a dress or loose blouse, be prepared to hold it down; it can get pretty windy out there, especially during sea days!

Best spot to view "Flight: Dare to Dream"

Flight: Dare to Dream is a Royal Caribbean Productions original that focuses on chronicling humanity's fascination with flying. It is one of the most ambitious stage productions to date, as Clayton C. Anderson, an Astronaut who lived in space for 167 days and completed 38 hours and 28 minutes over six spacewalks in two missions, helped curate the musical's set design. 

Based on recommendations from the show's tech team, as well as personal experience, the best place to sit is in the sixth and seventh rows in the center of the theater. These rows provide the perfect vantage point for the show's impressive finale. 

Like all onboard shows, reservations tend to go fast. Be sure you snag one as soon as you are able to! 

Are you planning a cruise on Symphony of the Seas? Check out more of our best tips & tricks:

• Symphony of the Seas Guide & Review
• Do's & Don'ts of Symphony of the Seas
• 10 free activities on Symphony of the Seas
• 10 things Royal Caribbean got right with Symphony of the Seas