A new tropical disturbance in the Pacific Ocean is causing at least one cruise ship to be rerouted away from its path.

Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas has adjusted its current itinerary to reroute away from Cabo San Lucas and avoid the impact of Tropical Storm Mario.

One cruiser posted to a Royal Caribbean Facebook page about the last-minute itinerary change. The guest, who is currently sailing on Ovation of the Seas, reported that the captain announced the reroute to avoid Tropical Storm Mario.

The passenger wrote, “On Ovation preparing to leave Los Angeles…The captain just came on and due to Tropical Storm Mario forming near Cabo San Lucas, our ship’s itinerary has changed. We have 2 days at sea now and 2 days in Ensenada, Mexico (overnight). Really wanted to go to Cabo, but oh well. As long as we’re on a ship, who cares!!!”

Another guest onboard posted to Reddit about the itinerary change. The poster shared, "Our overnight cruise to Cabo on Ovation just was bumped to Ensenada because there was no chance for tenders with the tropical storm. Entirely understandable but still a massive bummer. Especially since we now head back to a port we didn’t want to visit again, much less for two days."

Tropical Storm Mario officially developed on Friday off the Pacific coast of Mexico. The storm is forecast to bring heavy rain with strong winds and potential flooding to the Baja California peninsula. Because Cabo San Lucas doesn’t have a dock for cruise ships, guests must take small tender boats to go ashore. 

Ovation of the Seas is currently sailing a 5-night Cabo Overnight itinerary from Los Angeles, California. The Quantum class ship departed from Los Angeles today, September 12, 2025, for the Baja California cruise.

The cruise ship was scheduled to arrive in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on September 14, 2025 for an overnight stay. Ovation of the Seas was meant to depart Cabo San Lucas on September 15, 2025 and spend one day at sea before returning to California. Instead, the cruise ship will spend two days at sea before docking in Ensenada, Mexico for an overnight visit.

The revised itinerary allows Ovation of the Seas to steer clear of the storm’s path while still providing passengers with a port experience in Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center described Tropical Storm Mario as a “tiny” storm, but the system is expected to intensify over the next few days. The storm has reported sustained winds of 40 mph, which could extend upwards of 25 miles north of the storm's center.

In addition, tropical storm conditions could be possible as a result of the system along portions of the coast of Michoacan as the system moves parallel to the southwestern coast of Mexico.

Forecasts show that heavy rainfall will impact Jalisco and nearby regions through Saturday morning, and the National Hurricane Center warns this could result in flash flooding for high terrain areas. Tropical Storm Mario is predicted to bring two to four inches of rain. 

The National Hurricane Center states that gusty winds are possible along the coasts of western Guerrero, Michoacan, and Colima. Tropical Storm Mario is currently moving toward the west-northwest at 14 mph and forecasters predict this will continue throughout the weekend.

By Sunday, the system is forecast to shift farther out to sea, gradually moving away from land. As it tracks west into the open Pacific early next week, Tropical Storm Mario should begin to weaken. However, coastal areas may still feel lingering effects like high surf and scattered showers.

Ovation of the Seas is still scheduled to return to Los Angeles, California on September 17, 2025 despite the revised itinerary. It’s not uncommon for cruise lines to reroute ships to avoid storms to maintain the safety of the vessel, crew members, and passengers. In addition, rerouting ensures guests can still enjoy their vacation comfortably without stormy weather and rocky seas.

Earlier this summer, I flew across the country to set sail on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas to Baja California. I was lucky enough to sail on the Quantum class ship’s inaugural cruise to Cabo San Lucas. In fact, my itinerary was one of the ship’s first cruises from California.

Ovation of the Seas arrived in Los Angeles in May 2025 as the largest cruise ship to ever dock in Port of Los Angeles’ World Cruise Center. To meet the growing demand for West Coast cruising, Royal Caribbean made the strategic decision to deploy Ovation of the Seas to California.

Although Navigator of the Seas had already been sailing from Los Angeles for a few years, the Voyager class ship is smaller and older. This isn’t uncommon, as most cruise lines homeport their older and smaller ships on the West Coast. If you wanted to experience Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest ships, you’d need to trek across the country to Florida.

As such, Royal Caribbean’s announcement of bringing Ovation of the Seas to Los Angeles was a welcome change for West Coast cruisers. Although Ovation of the Seas was first built in 2016, the Quantum class vessel showcases some of Royal Caribbean’s newest technology and innovation.

From the North Star observation pod to the iFly skydiving simulator and the massive SeaPlex indoor activity space, Ovation of the Seas is about 20% bigger than Navigator of the Seas.

When the opportunity presented itself to cruise from Los Angeles, California, on Ovation of the Seas, I couldn’t resist! Our 5-night cruise was reasonably priced at $700 per person for a Virtual Balcony stateroom. My mom was excited to accompany me on this cruise, as she had never visited Cabo San Lucas before. She would be flying from South Dakota while I was traveling from Florida.

We had a great time on our short cruise, and I regret that I didn’t book a longer itinerary to make the most of my time on the West Coast. Here’s why one short cruise on Ovation of the Seas wasn’t enough.

Travel time was longer and more expensive than I anticipated.

Although I should have known better, I was still surprised by how long it took to reach the West Coast for this cruise. My entire travel day was nearly ten hours from the time I left my house until I arrived at the hotel in Los Angeles.

To my surprise, the travel day was more expensive and grueling than I had prepared for. My round-trip flight was nearly $500, and although that’s becoming more typical for domestic flights, I spent the same amount on an international flight to Denmark this summer!

I fly internationally frequently, so I typically consider any domestic flight to be a walk in the park. After a 36-hour travel day to Singapore just two months before, I wasn’t concerned about this travel day from Florida to California.

In other words, it didn’t really register with me that the flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles would take five hours. Add in a four-hour layover and the chaos of navigating LAX, and by the time I finally made it to bed, I was completely exhausted.

After such a long travel day, I immediately regretted only booking a 5-night cruise. Whenever I travel longer distances, such as flying overseas, I always try to make the most of my time and money with a longer vacation. I’ll spend a few days before and after the cruise to optimize my time even more.

Before boarding Ovation of the Seas, I was already wishing I had booked a longer itinerary. Throughout her summer season, Ovation of the Seas offered a range of itineraries, from shorter 3-night cruises to Ensenada and longer 7-night itineraries to multiple ports of call in Baja California.

Looking back, I wish I had booked a longer itinerary on Ovation of the Seas to see more destinations in Baja California and maximize my time.

I was pleasantly surprised by Baja California.

Because I live in Florida, I haven’t visited Baja California very much. My family had taken a cruise to Ensenada more than 15 years ago, and it wasn’t our favorite port of call. Actually, Mexico isn’t one of my top destinations at all for cruising.

On this cruise, my mom and I were excited to visit Cabo San Lucas for the first time. The overnight port would allow us to have more time ashore than typical itineraries. We decided to book an excursion to ease logistics, especially considering we had never visited this port of call before.

We ended up having a fantastic time on our excursion! Our tour brought us to the famous arch formation on an expedition-style speed boat. We had incredible views of the harbor from the sea, including a great view of our ship!   

The rest of our tour included tequila tasting, homemade quesadillas, touring a glass factory, and shopping in town. Both my mom and I were impressed with Cabo San Lucas, and we felt very safe throughout the tour.

Considering our cruise was only five nights, and we ended up enjoying Cabo San Lucas far more than we expected, I wish we had booked a longer itinerary. From the dramatic rock formations at Land’s End to lively beach clubs and the marina’s bustling atmosphere, there was so much to see and do!

Luckily, Ovation of the Seas isn’t limited to shorter sailings. The ship is scheduled to sail a variety of itineraries from Los Angeles, including 7-night and 8-night voyages that give travelers more time to explore ports.

Read more: I took my 64-year-old mom on a cruise. I learned 5 important lessons

Other itineraries this summer to Baja California included stops in Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta. Overnight ports are more common for cruises to Baja California, which are my favorite! Those longer cruises not only provide extra days ashore but also allow for more time onboard to enjoy the ship’s amenities. 

I love cruising on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class ships.

Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class is my favorite ship class in the entire fleet. These ships aren’t quite as big as Oasis or Icon class ships, but you can still find some of the most modern amenities.

Most importantly, I tend to prefer the port-intensive sailings with Royal Caribbean to experience new destinations whenever possible. In general, the cruise line’s biggest ships are more about the onboard experience and less about the destinations.

However, I’ve found that Quantum class ships have the perfect balance between state-of-the-art amenities and port-heavy itineraries. For instance, I’ve cruised to Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, and the Canary Islands aboard Quantum class ships — and these are some of my top cruise experiences ever!

Ovation of the Seas is almost 10 years old, but you wouldn’t guess her age based on the ship’s design, cutting-edge amenities, and modern features. You can also find Royal Caribbean’s signature onboard thrills, such as the FlowRider, North Star observation pod, and iFly skydiving simulator.

In addition, I love all of the dining options available on Quantum class ships. There are more complimentary restaurants available, such as the Solarium Bistro, Two70 Cafe, and Fish & Ships. Not to mention, Ovation of the Seas also features a variety of specialty dining restaurants, such as Chops Grille, Izumi Sushi, Wonderland, and Jamie’s Italian.

My mom and I tried two specialty dining restaurants during our cruise: Chops Grille and Jamie’s Italian. Both meals were excellent, and we always appreciate the elevated ambiance and service. However, we still had a great experience in the main dining room on the other nights.

Entertainment is another highlight on Ovation of the Seas. My mom and I love seeing all of the production shows onboard, and we hardly had time to see everything available. One of the production shows, Live Love Legs, was one of the best production shows we’ve ever seen on a cruise ship. My mom loved it so much, she watched the show multiple times!

We enjoyed our virtual balcony stateroom, although it was noisy.

For this cruise, we booked a virtual balcony interior stateroom. I had never experienced this type of cabin before, which featured a massive LED screen with live footage of the ship. I thought it might be gimmicky, so I didn’t have high expectations for the experience. To our surprise, we enjoyed the virtual balcony more than we anticipated.

At first, the picture wasn’t necessarily impressive — and we were surprised we actually had to close the curtains at night. I figured the screen could be turned off, but we couldn’t seem to find a switch. Luckily, we did pack a clothespin to secure the curtains each night and keep the room dark.

Once we arrived in Cabo San Lucas, we enjoyed being able to see the views from the ship. It was a nice feature in the cabin, although I wouldn’t necessarily want to spend extra for the virtual balcony.

Read more: 6 packing mistakes I made on my Mexican Riviera cruise, and 5 things I’d bring next time

The worst part of our stateroom was its location. We were located right under Adventure Ocean, meaning we could hear kids running and screaming throughout the day. Luckily, this wasn’t an issue at night when Adventure Ocean was closed, but it certainly interrupted my sea day naps!

I’d book another cruise on Ovation of the Seas, but I’d prefer a longer itinerary next time.

Royal Caribbean is clearly making a bigger commitment to the West Coast with its expanded presence in Los Angeles. Ovation of the Seas is the largest ship ever to sail from the port of Los Angeles, and it’s clear Royal Caribbean is beginning a new era of cruising in the region.

As a Florida resident, I am accustomed to quick and easy access to weekend cruises. But Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class is my favorite in the fleet, and I will never turn down an opportunity to sail on one of these ships.

However, this trip was a good reminder that when you travel a long distance to cruise, it is worth booking at least a 7-night itinerary. After a 10-hour travel day across the country, spending only five nights onboard Ovation of the Seas felt too short.

Even still, my mom and I had a wonderful time together on Ovation of the Seas, with Baja California being a highlight of the voyage. While the travel time to get there was lengthy, I would not hesitate to sail on the ship again. Next time, I would choose a longer West Coast itinerary that visits more ports of call to make the most of my time.

Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas is the latest ship in the cruise line's fleet to shift toward shorter Caribbean getaways. Now offering 3-night and 4-night cruises from Miami, Florida, Wonder of the Seas joins her sister ship, Utopia of the Seas, as the newest Oasis Class vessel sailing party-focused itineraries.

Last week, I set sail on Wonder of the Seas for the ship’s first 4-night cruise since debuting in 2022. Prior to this cruise, Wonder of the Seas has only been sailing 7-night itineraries. My best friend flew to Miami to join me on her first ever cruise! We were eager to see what the experience would be like, especially as Wonder of the Seas begins a new era of party cruises.

I’ll be honest: I’m not a huge partier. That’s not to say I don’t like to have fun, but I prefer spending my evenings attending the headliner production shows versus dancing in the nightclub into the late evening. Whenever I cruise with my 64-year-old parents, I’m often going to bed earlier than they are!

For this cruise, I challenged myself to attend the various parties offered onboard so I could review the entire party-centric experience. Many of the parties on the agenda were ones that I had never attended before, other than the classic Sailaway Party.

Whether you want to dance through the decades or rock a toga at the headphone disco, Wonder of the Seas had no shortage of parties. However, even with all of the parties, I never felt like the onboard crowd was out of control. After witnessing some crazy parties on rival Carnival Cruise Line, I was relieved to see a lively atmosphere without chaos.

During my Wonder of the Seas cruise, I attended five different parties to see how they compared. Here’s what each party was like, and which one was clearly better than the others!

1. Sailaway Party

Embarkation day is always exciting, as it’s the start of another cruise vacation! There’s no better way to kick off your cruise than a classic Sailaway Party on the pool deck. I’ve attended many of these parties throughout my years of cruising, so I was prepared for a crazy gathering as we sailed away from Miami.

We arrived shortly before the party started on the pool deck, right around 4:30 p.m. Many cruisers were already in the pool by the time the Sailaway Party started while others lined around the deck above the pool.

Unlike many cruise ships, Oasis Class vessels don’t have a traditional pool deck because of the open-air Central Park below. Instead, there are two pools split between the starboard and port sides. This layout limits the amount of open space for gathering, so most of the party action happens in the pools themselves.

We found chairs near the ship’s Royal Caribbean logo overlooking the two pools. This was a perfect spot, as it was slightly shaded without being too far from the action. The cruise director, live band, and activity staff members were across the deck and kept the party going.

To my surprise, the Sailaway Party felt relatively tame compared to others I’ve experienced. The crowd was excited and the music was plenty loud, but the overall energy seemed a bit lower than expected. Without much room to dance on the deck, perhaps people weren’t feeling the DJ music. I wasn’t looking for a crazy party like I’ve seen on Carnival cruises, so this Sailaway Party was lively, but laid-back. 

2. Bringing the Beat Back: A Party Through the Decades

On our first night onboard, we joined one of the sailing's first themed parties, held at 11:15 p.m. on Deck 5 in the Royal Promenade. After a hearty dinner at Chops Grille, the late start felt a little tough to rally for, but we did it!

This party was described as the following: “Bring the dance moves, the energy and the threads from your favorite decade — because we’re throwing it back tonight with a groove-tastic tour through the 70s, 80s and 90s. From shoulder pads to voguing, we can’t wait to turn back time.

As the evening began, we immediately noticed many party-goers had packed themed clothes for the occasion, with lots of 70s and 80s outfits onboard! Unfortunately, our suitcase space was tight, so we didn’t bring any costumes for this party.

When the party started at 11:15 p.m., the Royal Promenade was packed with people partying, singing, and dancing! The dancers and cruise director were leading the party on a small stage in front of Cafe Promenade. Others were watching from Deck 6, which overlooks the Royal Promenade, so it was a full house. 

Many of the party-goers were around my parents’ age, which makes sense considering the decades theme. In fact, my parents probably would have loved to attend this party with many of their favorite tunes playing! We didn’t stay too late, but the energy was high and it was a lot of fun to watch.

If you’re someone who wants to partake in the themed parties, be sure to check your Royal Caribbean app prior to embarkation. Most of the themed parties will be listed in the daily agendas, so you can pack accordingly. You can also check your email for communication directly from Royal Caribbean regarding the planned parties and themed nights.

3. Plunge Day Pool Party

One new-to-me party on the agenda was the Plunge Day Pool Party, which was scheduled to take place on the second day of our cruise. This event was held on the pool deck in the early afternoon during our sea day. 

The party was described as the following: “Party, chill, repeat — Vegas style! Our resident DJ brings vibes from The Strip poolside for a day party like no other. Get ready for surprise giveaways and get down to awesome throwback jams from every genre — while our crew uses water blasters to make it rain.”

Out of all the events, this was the one I couldn’t wait for, as the description promised plenty of fun. Since I’m not someone who loves to stay up late, a daytime party is more of my vibe! By the time I arrived for the Plunge Day Pool Party, both of the pools were full of people. Many already had a drink in hand for the event when the music started playing.

The cruise director hyped up the crowd, racing around the pool deck with a camera crew and spotlighting party-goers on the big screen. People were jumping around and dancing to the DJ's tunes - it was such a fun environment! I didn’t end up catching the water blasters or any of the surprise giveaways, but the music delivered on its promise with a mix of genres that kept the energy high on the pool deck. 

There were good vibes all around, and I enjoyed attending this event the most! If you love pool parties, this is one you won’t want to miss. Even if you can’t find a spot in the pool, hang around one of the chairs or loungers to soak in the fun. 

4. Royal Kappa Chi (Adults 18+)

Nothing screams party quite like a college frat house! This was another party that I hadn’t seen before on a Royal Caribbean cruise, so I made sure to attend and see what it was all about.

This fraternity-style gathering was described as the following: "School is in session. Gather up your crew for the ultimate collegiate party with Royal Kappa Chi. We’re talking late-night pong battles and the chance to reclaim the title of flip cup champions. It’s just like the good old days, only better — with DJ mashups and party vibes.”

The Royal Kappa Chi party was held on the final night of the cruise at 8:30 p.m. in The Attic, which is a versatile lounge space on Wonder of the Seas. There were tables set up across the venue with red solo cups, perfectly branded with Royal Caribbean’s “fraternity” logo.

The tables were set up for games of beer pong, although the cups were actually filled with water. Everyone at the party was playing beer pong when I arrived, although I’m sure you could play your favorite party game with the cups. The bar was also busy, and most of the attendees were hovering near this area. 

The music was definitely geared toward the college party vibes, which was fitting for the occasion. This was a popular party with the younger crowd, as I didn’t see many older folks attending this gathering. 

Considering the event is meant to be like a fraternity party, I wasn’t surprised by the attendance demographics. I just turned 30, and I was on the older side of guests attending this party. I would guess most attendees were in their early 20s and some looked like they were still in college. If you miss your college days, this party is for you!

5. Silent Toga Party (Adults 18+)

The Silent Toga Party was held on the final night of our cruise at 10:45 p.m. in the adults-only Solarium. This themed event first debuted on sister-ship Utopia of the Seas and was originally exclusive to that vessel. The party was clearly popular, leading Royal Caribbean to add the Silent Toga Party to Wonder of the Seas as well.

The party was described as the following: “Silent disco or toga party? It’s the best of both worlds. Put on your most chic Roman garb or grab a free toga, power up those headphones, and groove to your choice of Zeus-approved jams as three DJs deliver EDM, Latin, and pop hits.”

I normally love attending the silent disco, as it’s a family favorite, especially for my dad. But, to be honest, I wasn’t overly excited about this party taking place on the last night of the cruise.

The final evening is always a bit hectic with packing and preparing for disembarkation the next morning, especially if you need to have your suitcases packed and set out in the hallway. For that reason, I would have preferred the Silent Toga Party to be scheduled the night before.

However, I can see how others might enjoy having a lively send-off on the final night. Togas are provided at the event, so you don’t need to rip apart your bedsheet for the party. There was also someone from the activities staff helping everyone assemble their togas properly. 

Regardless of it being the final night, the Silent Toga Party was well-attended with everyone donning their bedsheet togas! The dance floor filled up quickly while I was there, and everyone was dancing the night away. 

The Plunge Day Pool Party was my favorite party during the entire cruise!

Looking back, I was surprised by how much fun I had attending all of the parties on Wonder of the Seas. While late-night parties aren’t usually my thing, I loved that the sailing featured plenty of different events so everyone could find something to enjoy.

Each party had its own personality, whether it was dancing through the decades in the Royal Promenade, reliving college days at Royal Kappa Chi, or sporting a toga for a silent disco send-off.

But the Plunge Day Pool Party was, without a doubt, my favorite party on the cruise!  As someone who doesn’t usually stay up late on cruises, I loved that this party was held during the day instead of late into the evening. The Plunge Day Pool Party was fun, energetic, and lively without being too crazy. The music amplified the experience, and it perfectly fit the pool party theme!

There’s no shortage of parties on Wonder of the Seas, but even if that’s not your scene, you’ll still find plenty to love about the cruise. From the jaw-dropping entertainment to the wide selection of specialty dining restaurants, onboard thrills, and activities, there is truly something for everyone.

If you're looking for a fun-filled weekend but don't want to use up a lot of PTO days, Wonder of the Seas is a new fix for that.

Wonder of the Seas is the newest Royal Caribbean party ship sailing from Miami, Florida, and I was lucky enough to be onboard for the ship's first 4-night sailing. 

Joining her sister ship, Utopia of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean's push to have more of its big ships sailing short Caribbean itineraries.

These getaway cruises have proven to be massively popular for the cruise line, as cruisers can vacation without taking as many vacation days. To meet the rising demand for shorter cruises, Royal Caribbean is shifting its strategy by offering its biggest, most impressive cruise ships.

I’m a big fan of shorter cruises, as I have a hard time taking too much PTO from work. After recently cruising on Utopia of the Seas this winter, I was excited to see Wonder of the Seas beginning her season of short Caribbean itineraries. 

Here’s what it was like sailing a short cruise on Royal Caribbean’s newest party ship.

Wonder of the Seas has plenty of parties and late-night activities

Royal Caribbean has been branding Wonder of the Seas as “Miami’s New Weekend Wonder.” The ship is now decked out for “wilder weekends” with 10 next-level parties. The Oasis class vessel features more than 15 dining spots with international flavors, four pools, and 10 onboard bars.

As promised, our cruise was packed with parties and late-night activities. In fact, I ran out of time to try all of the hosted parties during our short 4-night cruise to the Bahamas. Starting with the lively Sailaway Party, it was easy to see our cruise would have a lively crowd.

Later that evening, the ship hosted Bring the Beat Back: A Party Through the Decades, a themed party in the Royal Promenade with music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. This party was extremely popular and well-attended, and many cruisers dressed for the occasion.

During our sea day the next morning, I was eager to attend the Plunge Day Pool Party on the pool deck. The vibes were high with many cruisers dancing and singing from Wonder’s two main pools. This was one of my favorite parties of the entire cruise, as I much prefer a mid-day party versus a late-night gathering.

Other popular parties included the Let’s Dance Street Party, Royal Kappa Chi, and Silent Toga Party. In addition, you could attend karaoke, midnight parties in the nightclub, and the famous Crazy Quest gameshow. If you’re someone who likes to party and dance the night away, there’s no shortage of parties to attend.

Our sailing was popular for groups traveling together

Our 4-night cruise on Wonder of the Seas was packed with large travel parties. This isn’t surprising, as shorter cruises are ideal for everything from family reunions to bachelor and bachelorette parties, milestone birthdays, and other celebrations at sea.

These quick getaway sailings are especially popular for large parties because they’re affordable, convenient, and easy to coordinate. With most short cruises lasting just 3 to 5 nights, they’re far less expensive than weeklong itineraries. In addition, longer cruises require more PTO days and planning, which can be difficult to align across busy work, school, and family schedules.

In fact, I’d argue that Oasis Class ships are some of the best in the industry for group travel. Most of my extended family cruises have been aboard Oasis Class vessels, and they’re always crowdpleasers for kids, adults, and everyone in between.

Read more: 6 things to know before you book Wonder of the Seas

At 236,000 gross tons, Wonder of the Seas truly has something for everyone. Families with children can enjoy nonstop action, from onboard thrills to Adventure Ocean youth programs and the Social100 teen club. Adults hoping for a reprieve from the youngest cruisers can enjoy the expansive adults-only Solarium, along with an array of bars and lounges.

Between the variety of dining, onboard attractions, entertainment, and multiple neighborhoods, Wonder of the Seas was a popular choice for groups traveling together. Don’t be surprised to find large travel parties if you’re cruising on Wonder of the Seas, as the party atmosphere will likely continue to attract celebratory groups.

The cruise was energetic, but never out of control

I’ve taken my fair share of party cruises, including a few particularly spirited cruises with Carnival Cruise Line. I wasn’t sure what to expect for our cruise on Wonder of the Seas, although I’ve been on other Royal Caribbean weekend cruises, and the craziest experiences have been over spring break.

Even still, I was prepared for a party atmosphere onboard, especially considering Royal Caribbean’s “wildest weekend” branding for this cruise. I love having a good time, but chaotic, out-of-control crowds aren’t really my scene.

Throughout our cruise, there was definitely an energetic ambiance, but I never felt like things were rowdy, hectic, or disorderly. The only time we experienced a noisy crowd was during our Nassau sailaway in the Solarium. Even then, the group of adults chanting and taking shots wasn’t over-the-top.

If anything, I found the older kids and rambunctious teens to be more of an issue. It wasn’t uncommon to find groups of teens sitting around the stairwell. I even saw a few teens hitting their vapes throughout the ship, and not in the designated smoking areas.

The ship was busy at times with some long lines

One of the biggest downfalls of cruising on a mainstream, mega cruise ship is dealing with crowds. This can inadvertently lead to long lines across the ship for the popular amenities and restaurants.

Although the ship was definitely busy at times, Royal Caribbean designed Wonder of the Seas in a way that helps ease crowds and prevent bottlenecks. Like all Oasis class vessels, Wonder of the Seas utilizes its distinct neighborhood concept to disperse crowds and reduce congestion.

However, when you’re cruising with thousands of other passengers, there are bound to be crowds. In particular, embarkation day was especially busy in the Windjammer buffet and Royal Promenade. Actually, the Windjammer buffet was always busy and crowded when we visited. In my opinion, the buffet space is too small to accommodate such a large crowd.

Another busy venue was Sorrento’s pizzeria in the Royal Promenade. While the line moved quickly, there was always a small mob of people waiting for a fresh slice of pizza. Because this was one of the few late-night food options, the party crowd seemed to gravitate here in the evenings.

The most popular attractions also had long lines. For instance, I considered riding the zip-line across the top deck, but the line was always too long. In the scorching summer heat, the slow-moving line wasn’t worthwhile for me. Those cruising on Wonder of the Seas should consider trying all of the onboard thrills on embarkation day or while the ship is docked in port to avoid the longer lines.

We loved Royal Caribbean’s signature entertainment each night

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class vessels have some of the best entertainment in the entire cruise industry. While other cruise lines are making obvious cost cuts to their entertainment, Royal Caribbean continues to invest heavily in its signature wow-factor entertainment.

The first evening, we attended the ice show on Wonder of the Seas, known as 365: The Seasons on Ice. I’m a huge fan of Royal Caribbean’s ice skating performances, as they’re the only cruise line with this style of entertainment. We were amazed at the ice stunts throughout the awe-inspiring performance.

Wonder of the Seas also features an AquaTheatre in the aft of the ship. This is another signature performance venue that you can only find on Oasis class ships, although the new Icon class features a redesigned, indoor AquaDome.

Read more: Review of Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas Cruise Ship

Onboard Wonder of the Seas, the AquaTheatre show is called inTENse and features an all-women cast of highly-skilled athletes. The women perform gravity-defying stunts, high dives, synchronized swimming, and acrobatics in the small pool. This impressive production was fantastic, so much so that we attended the show again. You won’t find entertainment like this on any other cruise ship!

In the Royal Theatre, you’ll find other production shows, including the technologically-heavy Effectors II: Crash and Burn. This musical headliner show is certainly geared towards kids and families with its superhero-themed storyline and music. While it won’t win any awards, the full-scale production was fun to watch with cutting-edge technology.

Finally, Wonder of the Seas also featured Voices, an a cappella-style production in the Royal Theatre. This was our least favorite production show of the cruise, as the pre-recorded vocals felt gimmicky for an “all-voices” performance. The graphics also featured obvious post-pandemic photos with masks and social distancing, which might have better aligned with the ship’s debut in 2022.

Four nights weren’t enough time to do everything we wanted

Wonder of the Seas is a massive vessel, clocking in as the 4th largest cruise ship in the world. The only cruise ships larger include Royal Caribbean’s Icon class ships and sister-ship Utopia of the Seas.

Being a ship of this magnitude, it’s impossible to experience every restaurant, amenity, and activity onboard. In a short 4-night cruise, you have to accept that you can’t do it all.

We did our best to make the most of our time onboard. For instance, we splurged on a dinner at Chops Grille the first evening so my friend could experience one of the specialty restaurants on her first cruise.

The other evenings, we had fantastic dinners in the main dining room, which is included in your cruise fare. Because we enjoyed the main dining room experience so much, we opted to visit Izumi Sushi for lunch instead of dinner. I highly recommend checking the schedule for a specialty dining lunch, as it can often save you money compared to the standard dinner price.

We didn’t get a chance to try all the complimentary restaurants, including Boardwalk Dog House and Solarium Bistro — and we barely scratched the surface of all the specialty dining options.

In particular, we wished we could have tried venues besides the Windjammer buffet for breakfast. With late nights watching the entertainment and attending the parties, we often missed the 9 a.m. cutoff time for the additional breakfast spots, such as Johnny Rockets and the main dining room. This would also alleviate some congestion in the Windjammer, which is the only breakfast option open after 10 a.m.

Brunch was not offered in the dining room either, which would be a seemingly good fit for a party-branded cruise ship. I hope Royal Caribbean reconsiders the operating hours for breakfast, given the late-night vibe of the ship.

I already booked another 4-night cruise, but this time on Utopia of the Seas

For many years, Carnival Cruise Line dominated the short cruise market, but Royal Caribbean is now shifting the landscape. With some of the world’s newest and biggest ships sailing on 3-night and 4-night itineraries, short cruises no longer mean sacrificing ship size.

It’s hard for me to take time away from work to sail on 7-night cruises, so I prefer embarking on quick, getaway cruises to save time and money. It’s just enough time to get into a vacation mindset, even if I don’t get around to experiencing every single restaurant, show, or activity onboard.

I’ve already booked another weekend getaway cruise for February 2026, but I’ll be sailing on Utopia of the Seas from Port Canaveral, Florida. This is only because cruising from central Florida is more convenient from my home in the Panhandle!

I wouldn’t hesitate to take a short cruise on Wonder of the Seas again, as we had a fantastic time without too much chaos onboard. There are plenty of parties to keep the most energetic cruisers entertained, but the energy was never out of control. Overall, Wonder of the Seas showed that a short cruise can still feel like a real vacation with a perfect mix of fun, relaxation, and big-ship experiences, without feeling overwhelmed.

For many cruisers, indulging in delicious cuisine is a major highlight of cruising. With such an emphasis on the dining experience, many cruisers like to plan ahead of time to make the most of their time onboard. Not to mention, there are so many dining options to choose from during your cruise, including both specialty and complimentary restaurants. 

Thankfully, Royal Caribbean makes it simple to browse dining menus right from their app. You can see the planned menus for each night of your cruise before you even set sail! For a routine itinerary, such as a 3-night or 4-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas, menus can be available months in advance in the app. 

However, menu availability can change based on your specific Royal Caribbean cruise. For example, unique sailings, such as repositioning itineraries, transatlantic cruises, or one-way sailings, may not have menus available until closer to embarkation. In addition, even if you see menus populating for each night, it could change as the sailing approaches.

Also, it's important to note that specialty dining menus are the same every night during your cruise. In fact, specialty dining menus are standardized across Royal Caribbean’s fleet. In this way, what you see in the app is what you can expect to find once you’re onboard.  This can make it easy to decide in advance if a restaurant like Chops Grille or Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is worth booking for your trip.

If you’re planning to book a meal at one of Royal Caribbean’s specialty dining restaurants, I recommend checking the main dining room menus beforehand. It’s not unusual to have one or two menus that don’t excite you, which presents the perfect opportunity for specialty dining.

For this reason, I personally love having access to Royal Caribbean’s menus in advance. This makes planning my dining schedule easy and also ensures reservations fit nicely into my busy cruise plans. 

I’ve been cruising with Royal Caribbean since I was a kid. I vividly remember the excitement each night of arriving to dinner and seeing what’s on the nightly menu. Eventually, that evolved into menus being displayed on the electronic screens outside of the elevators each day. Now, we are lucky to have access to every menu during our cruises directly in the Royal Caribbean app. How times have changed!

Within the Royal Caribbean app, you can see the rotating nightly menus in the main dining room, including what’s being served for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. Additionally, you can browse the specialty dining restaurants before you book a table or opt to book a dining package for your cruise. 

If you're curious how to navigate the dining section of your Royal Caribbean app, you've come to the right place! Here’s a step-by-step guide to navigating the app so you can preview your meals before stepping onboard. I’ll be using screenshots from my upcoming cruise on Wonder of the Seas, so keep in mind that your ship’s specific restaurant selection might be different. Either way, the navigation process is the same.

Step 1: Open the Royal Caribbean App

First, download the Royal Caribbean app from your phone’s app store, then log in with your cruise reservation details. Once your sailing is linked, you’ll want to select your upcoming cruise. This will take you to a homepage for your specific cruise. It should look something like this with an image of your ship, along with your itinerary and daily agenda.

If your cruise is in the future, the app will say “Day 1” with your embarkation port at the top. This screen also provides important details like the all-aboard time, the daily weather forecast, and a welcome message. At the bottom, you can switch between your Daily Planner and My Calendar, or use the navigation bar to access shortcuts like dining, beverages, and excursions.

At the bottom menu bar, you’ll see a few icons including Cart, Check-In, For You, and Beverage. Tap “More” (three dots icon) at the end of the bottom menu. You should see this in the bottom right corner. A shortcut screen will appear, and this is where you’ll select “Dining” to begin exploring your options.

Step 2: Choose Between Specialty Dining and Main Dining

Once you’ve tapped into the Dining section, the app will display the dining homepage. On the home page, you will notice several tabs across the top of the screen for restaurants, dining experiences, bars, dining packages and more. If you're visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay, you can even access the island's menus here!

Each tab helps you quickly find what you’re looking for between complimentary and specialty dining. If you’re looking for the included dining options, swipe over to the “Main Dining” tab. This section will show you everything served in the main dining room, including nightly menus for dinner onboard.

Here’s a brief summary of what you can find under the a few of the tabs.

Restaurants

This tab shows all of the specialty dining venues onboard, such as Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Hooked Seafood, Chops Grille, and Izumi. These restaurants come with an extra charge, but their menus are consistent each night of your cruise. The menus here are standardized across the Royal Caribbean fleet, so if you’ve sailed before, you’ll often see familiar options here.

Main Dining

This is where you’ll find the complimentary dining rooms, which are included in your cruise fare. Unlike specialty restaurants, these menus rotate nightly, so you’ll see different appetizers, entrees, and desserts throughout your sailing. Breakfast is available each morning in the dining room, although lunch and brunch can be available on a select few days during your itinerary.

Bars & Lounges

If you’re curious about the drink options onboard, this tab highlights the different bars and lounges on your ship. This is where you can find drink menus for cocktails, mocktails, wine, beer, or specialty coffee. It can be especially handy if you have a drink package and want to know what’s available at different venues.

Step 3: Select a Dining Room

After navigating to the dining tab, your ship might list multiple dining rooms to choose from. This will usually include My Time Dining Room and the main dining rooms. Before boarding, your ship's main dining rooms will likely be named Main Dining Room 1, Main Dining Room 2, etc. Once you’re onboard, these will update to show the exact name of the dining rooms.

It doesn’t matter which dining room you select, as they will each serve the same menu. In the app, you can usually click on any of the main dining rooms to see the same menus. If one doesn’t work, try selecting a different dining room. You can also see the dining times in this area once you’re onboard, which can be helpful for planning your meals.

Tap on a dining room, then hit “View Menu” to see what’s being served. 

Step 4: Browse the Menus by Day

When you open a dining room menu, it will default to Day 1 Dinner. This is usually the “Welcome Aboard” dinner in the main dining room, but this could differ. 

Scroll down to browse the specific menu for that evening. Here you’ll see the Chef’s Recommendation, appetizers, main courses, and desserts for that night, along with a wine menu. 

At the bottom of the screen, you’ll find a row of tabs for each day of your cruise (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, etc.). Tapping through these allows you to preview the menus for the entire sailing. 

Each night has a different theme, such as Taste of France with escargot, Italian Night with tiramisu, Caribbean Night with jerk pork chops, and Royal Night with lobster. You can also toggle between breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus here. 

Step 5: Explore Specialty Dining Menus

If you’re planning to splurge on a specialty dining meal, you can also view the restaurant's menu in Royal Caribbean’s app. As mentioned, these are fixed menus for each restaurant across the fleet. Each venue will be listed with its pricing and description. You can also see when each restaurant will be open during your cruise.

Tap on a restaurant like Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen or Hooked Seafood, then hit “View Menu.” You can view all of the menus for every specialty dining venue on your ship. In addition, you can even make reservations for these restaurants directly on the Royal Caribbean app. 

Why this can be helpful for planning your cruise

During your Royal Caribbean cruise, you can dine every evening in the main dining room, as this is included in your cruise fare. If you want a more upscale dining experience, you can also pay extra for specialty dining during your cruise.

Being able to view the menus ahead of time makes it easier to plan your meals during the cruise. For example, you may decide to book a specialty dining reservation on a night when the main dining room menu doesn’t look as appealing. Moreover, you might prefer the main dining room’s lunch menu versus grabbing something quick in the Windjammer buffet.

This can also help those with dietary restrictions or meal preferences, such as vegetarians or vegans. If you have any dietary preferences, make sure to tell your dining room staff and they are always happy to accommodate you.

The dining section of Royal Caribbean's app is also where you can purchase a dining package for your sailing. This allows you to pre-pay for specialty dining meals, including the unlimited dining package. 

Finally, some of Royal Caribbean's biggest ships have a wider selection of restaurants to choose from, such as the Oasis and Icon class. Being able to view menus across the ship ahead of time helps you prioritize where you want to eat so you don't miss out on any must-try spots. If your future cruise isn't displaying menus, keep checking back as the sailing approaches. 

When could you book Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Star of the Seas, and get the best price on it?

As the newest ships for Royal Caribbean, these vessels have quickly become some of the most popular in the cruise line's fleet. Between the ship's record-breaking size, cutting-edge design, and wide array of family-focused amenities, Icon Class ships have so much to offer. 

But, all these innovations and fun things to do come with a price tag to it.  New cruise ships always command higher prices, but the public wants to be able to try it all out without paying top dollar.

If you’re looking to sail aboard Star of the Seas in the next couple years, you’ve come to the right place! As a data analyst by day (and cruise writer by night), I spent some time combing through pricing data on Gangwaze.com to determine the best times to cruise on Star of the Seas.

My analysis looks at balcony stateroom pricing per person for Star of the Seas’ itineraries through April 2027. Some values are normalized to calculate an average nightly price for comparative purposes. Additionally, I’ve incorporated data for Icon of the Seas to see how pricing compares between two of the largest cruise ships in the world. 

Here’s when you should consider booking your cruise on Star of the Seas, especially if you’re hoping to save money.

How much does it cost to cruise on Star of the Seas?

Before diving into the pricing trends, let’s get a better idea of how much you can expect to pay nightly on a per person basis. 

All of Star of the Seas’ itineraries are 7-night sailings to Eastern or Western Caribbean. In addition, all of her itineraries include a stop at Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Using data provided by Gangwaze, here’s a breakdown of the different cabin categories and the average nightly cost per person.

• Inside cabin: ~$241
• Oceanview cabin: ~$267
• Balcony cabin: ~$301
• Suite: ~$732

As expected, interior cabins without windows are the most affordable staterooms on Star of the Seas, followed by Oceanview cabins. Balcony cabins cost only slightly more, likely because of the higher proportion of balcony staterooms available on the ship. On the other hand, suites are priced much higher than all other categories. 

Additionally, some of the prices for Star of the Seas vary slightly depending on the itinerary, particularly between Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings. We can also see this pricing gap becomes more pronounced in 2026 and 2027.

For instance, the data shows that Star of the Seas' Western Caribbean sailings are marginally cheaper overall. 

The average cost for a balcony stateroom per person is $2,070 for Western Caribbean sailings compared to Eastern Caribbean itineraries at $2,075. These itineraries include ports of call in Cozumel (Mexico), Costa Maya (Mexico), Roatan (Honduras), and Perfect Day at CocoCay (Bahamas).

Comparatively, Eastern Caribbean itineraries on Star of the Seas visit destinations like Perfect Day at CocoCay (Bahamas), Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas), and Philipsburg (St. Maarten). These ports of call tend to be more popular, likely leading to higher demand and higher prices overall. 

Looking only at 2026 sailings, we see the average cost per person for Eastern Caribbean itineraries is $2,176. However, Western Caribbean sailings are slightly cheaper at $2,167. The gap widens even further in 2027 with Eastern Caribbean itineraries averaging a cost of $2,023 per person and $1,980 per person for Western Caribbean.

When is the cheapest month to sail on Star of the Seas?

Cruise fares typically fluctuate throughout the year with obvious seasonality trends. To better understand seasonality impacts and pricing trends for Star of the Seas, I analyzed the month-over-month pricing averages. Statistically, we can see that month of year explains about 56% of pricing variance for Star of the Seas. 

Regardless of the ship’s age, seasonality is still an important factor to consider if you’re wanting to save money. Overall, we see prices for Star of the Seas continue to climb each month throughout the remainder of the year. Surprisingly, itineraries in the next few months on Star of the Seas are some of the ship’s cheapest sailings. For instance, the average price for September 2025 is $1,506, compared to $1,899 in September 2026. 

June 2026 and July 2026 are the most expensive months to sail on Star of the Seas, with average prices of $2,674 and $2,700 per person, respectively. By September 2026, however, fares drop sharply to an average of $1,899. This is a 29.67% decrease from the summer peak!

Since Star of the Seas is branded as the “World’s Best Family Vacation,” it’s no surprise that demand skyrockets during school breaks. Families tend to book heavily in June and July, which drives up prices to match the surge in demand.

(Balcony pricing by sail date for Star of the Seas, from Gangwaze)

If you’re hoping to save money and avoid sailing with as many families onboard, September and October are the best months to book. Whenever possible, it’s worth skipping peak summer months altogether for a more affordable and relaxing experience.

Of course, we also see obvious price increases during other peak cruising months, including spring break and holidays. Massive pricing surges are observed for December 2025 and 2026. While early December itineraries have more typical pricing (around $1,930), holiday itineraries over Christmas skyrocket to $2,881 and $3,443 per person.  

Looking at all available monthly data, September is consistently the cheapest month to cruise on Star of the Seas. The average cost for a balcony stateroom per person drops to $1,730 in September compared to summer months. With kids back in school and hurricane season at its peak, September tends to see some of the lowest demand and most affordable fares for Star of the Seas.

Other months to consider booking for saving money include January (average cost of $1,908) and October (average cost of $1,892). 

How does the price compare to Icon of the Seas?

With Star of the Seas joining her sister-ship as the latest Icon Class vessel, you might be wondering how the pricing compares between the two. Since Icon of the Seas has been sailing for nearly two years, prices have leveled out as the initial hype has worn off.

In addition, Star of the Seas isn’t the first of its kind like Icon of the Seas was. Therefore, pricing is already slightly less volatile than we experienced with Icon of the Seas during her inaugural season.

Overall, pricing for Icon of the Seas follows the same seasonality trends as Star of the Seas. The highest prices are seen in June and July, followed by the holiday season in December. Over the next two years, pricing between Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas steadily comes into alignment with almost identical pricing in 2027. However, Star of the Seas will continue to be more expensive than Icon of the Seas through 2026.

In 2025, Star of the Seas has an average balcony price around $1,870.90 per person. Comparatively, Icon of the Seas has a lower average cost, around $1,767.80 per person. In 2026, this gap widens even further. The average cost for Star of the Seas increases to $2,229.90 while Icon of the Seas is about $262 less, at $1,968 per person. With Star of the Seas continuing to sail for her inaugural year, pricing seems to be consistently inflated throughout 2026.

However, we see a big shift in pricing trends in 2027. Looking at pricing data for 2027 sailings, Star of the Seas has an average price per person of $2,000 while Icon of the Seas is similarly priced at $1,966. By this point, the cost difference between Star of the Seas and Icon of the Seas is marginal at only $34. 

Based on early trends for 2027 itineraries, pricing for Star of the Seas appears to stabilize, as we would expect with the ship entering her second year of service. 

Right now, Star of the Seas is less sensitive to seasonality fluctuations

Both Star of the Seas and Icon of the Seas follow clear seasonal demand patterns, with prices peaking in the summer and dipping in the fall. However, Star of the Seas is currently less sensitive to seasonality changes.

During the busy summer months when families are most likely to vacation, Star of the Seas and Icon of the Seas have the highest prices of the entire year. However, once the prices begin to fall, Icon of the Seas has a steeper drop in pricing compared to Star of the Seas. For instance, from December 2025 to January 2026, Icon of the Seas declines in price by 33.28% while Star of the Seas decreases by 26.14%.

The difference here is how sharply the ships respond to these seasonal swings. Icon of the Seas is now almost two years old and shows steeper seasonal discounts as the initial launch hype has worn off.

On the other hand, Star of the Seas is still basking in the “new ship” effect and holds its pricing power more firmly over the next year. We see less dramatic pricing fluctuations with Star of the Seas right now.

However, it’s important to note that Royal Caribbean will introduce a third Icon Class ship, Legend of the Seas, in summer 2026. Once Legend of the Seas makes her debut in Europe, Star of the Seas will no longer hold the “newest ship” spotlight.

As a result, Star of the Seas' pricing is likely to normalize and follow a path more like Icon of the Seas with strong summer peaks and steeper discounts. Right now, Star of the Seas resists seasonality more than Icon of the Seas thanks to her novelty, but that advantage will fade once Legend of the Seas launches.

Surprisingly, you can still book impressive last-minute deals for Star of the Seas.

Last-minute cruise deals are largely a thing of the past. With most ships sailing at or near full capacity, waiting until closer to your departure date usually means paying more for your cruise. However, I was surprised to find some last-minute deals for Star of the Seas during my pricing analysis.

Considering Star of the Seas is brand-new, I would expect that a last-minute sailing for this fall would be astronomical. In fact, we see the opposite. You can book some of the cheapest fares for Star of the Seas in September 2025. Currently, Royal Caribbean has two sailings next month with an average price of $1,506 for a balcony stateroom. Interior cabins are even cheaper, as these windowless staterooms are priced around $1,300 for next month.

This could be related to September being considered peak hurricane season with lower demand. Regardless, it’s unusual to see lower prices for a last-minute deal on a brand-new vessel. If you have flexibility in your schedule and you’re looking for a spontaneous getaway, check out some of the September itineraries for Star of the Seas.

In addition, if you’re looking to plan a cruise on Star of the Seas in 2027, it’s best if you book your sailing soon. In general, we recommend booking your cruises as far in advance as you can. For those who aren’t able to plan years in advance, this might not always be realistic. However, for those who can plan this far in the future, you can grab a more affordable rate for Star of the Seas in April 2027.

Royal Caribbean has officially expanded its adults‑only Swim & Tonic policy from Icon of the Seas to its newest ship, Star of the Seas.

The brand-new vessel just debuted as the newest Icon Class ship for Royal Caribbean, welcoming guests onboard for its first revenue sailing. Previously, Star of the Seas had sailed a few short media cruises for travel agents, influencers, and content creators. Now that revenue guests are onboard, new details about Star of the Seas are beginning to emerge.

Royal Caribbean Blog’s Matt Hochberg is currently sailing on Star of the Seas for her first two revenue cruises, and we can confirm that the entire Swim & Tonic pool has been designated as adults-only on the ship.

Royal Caribbean first introduced the adults-only policy at Swim & Tonic onboard Icon of the Seas last month as a trial.

Last month, Royal Caribbean made a statement about the policy change for its swim-up bar on Icon of the Seas. The cruise line confirmed, "At Royal Caribbean, we're consistently listening to guest feedback and exploring opportunities to enhance our guests' vacations. Currently, we are piloting an 18+ age requirement at Swim & Tonic pool onboard Icon of the Seas. This will only be tested onboard Icon.”

Now, the positive response appears to have influenced Royal Caribbean’s decision to extend it to Star of the Seas as well. In photos taken by Matt, we can see the Swim & Tonic pool has a sign that reads, “Welcoming guests 18 and older.”

Located in the Chill Island neighborhood, Swim & Tonic is considered the world’s largest swim‑up bar at sea. It’s one of the many innovative venues aboard Icon class ships. Swim & Tonic features a full swim-up bar on one end, along with in-pool tables for setting drinks and in-water loungers to relax.

Initially, families with children were allowed to swim in the Swim & Tonic pool. The shallow depth made the pool especially enticing to kids, but many adults were not happy about the disruptions. 

In response to feedback, specifically about children splashing pool water into guests' drinks, Royal Caribbean tested the adults-only rule at Swim & Tonic on Icon of the Seas. The pilot was designed to create a more relaxed, adult-focused atmosphere.

Royal Caribbean’s leadership team confirmed the change was a result of guest feedback.

During a recent travel‑agent Q&A aboard Star of the Seas, Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support & Service Vicki Freed acknowledged the Swim & Tonic policy change as a direct result of the advisors’ feedback.

While addressing the travel agents on Star of the Seas, Freed stated, “I also want to thank you for the comment that you just made about the Swim & Tonic bar. It was because of the feedback that we received.”

“Last year, that comment was brought up, ‘Don’t let kids in that pool,’ and we heard you. We changed the policy. And your question was, will it be in effect on Star of the Seas? Yes. It's 18 and older now in our swim-up bars. And so, you've got our commitment.”

Many cruisers complained about disruptive children in the Swim & Tonic pool.

During a Q&A session with travel agents on a Utopia of the Seas preview cruise last summer, one advisor raised a concern about the Swim & Tonic experience. The agent explained how children in the pool had become a distraction at Swim & Tonic. The agent remarked, “Icon is fantastic, but at the swim-up bar, there are kids splashing into your drinks.”

Following the feedback, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley responded that the cruise line hears passengers' concerns and will look into it. With the new adults-only policy now in place on both Icon Class ships, it’s clear that Royal Caribbean has acted on that feedback.

In general, the response has been positive about the policy change, too. One Royal Caribbean Blog reader commented, “Great change! Going back again in a few weeks and not having splash attacks ruin my drink is a welcome change. My experience was the Swim & Tonic pool was used by kids whose parents were lounging nearby not at the bar.”

“Fantastic idea. I don't want to see kids splashing around in the pool, being ignored by their parents drinking at the bar, and suddenly have the lifeguards having to rescue a drowning child,” commented another cruiser.

One Royal Caribbean Blog reader responded on Facebook, “The kids have plenty of other places to swim. Plus, Hideaway is not quite big enough for the adult-only crowd. Hopefully this will help having two adult-only pool areas.”

While you might be thrilled to receive a “free cruise” through Royal Caribbean’s Casino Royale program, it's not always good news for travel agents.

During a recent Q&A session aboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Star of the Seas, multiple travel agents expressed their concern and frustration with the cruise line’s casino offers. While many gamblers are happy to accept a free (or "comped") cruise, travel agents are finding that Royal Caribbean’s current system is cutting into their business.

Essentially, some travel agents find that clients will first reserve their cruise at retail pricing, earning the agent a standard commission, but later receive a complimentary offer for the same sailing through Royal Caribbean's Casino Royale.

When this happens, most guests will cancel their original reservation with the travel agent and rebook under the casino offer to take advantage of the savings. For example, an agent might have a $5,000 booking lined up at full commission, but if the client switches to a comp casino offer, that income drops significantly - sometimes to just a small percentage of the original amount.

Travel agents are still able to book casino-comped sailings for clients, but their commission is virtually nonexistent. These reservations also don’t count toward an agency’s travel revenue or group booking totals, which can further impact benefits and perks. For many travel agents in the industry, this is especially frustrating because it directly cuts into their income and undermines the value of relationships they’ve built with loyal clients.

Several agents also noted that Royal Caribbean appears to be sending out more casino offers than before, meaning the issue is cropping up more frequently. As such, it became one of the most talked-about topics during the Q&A session aboard Star of the Seas.

Travel agents were quick to bring up the casino issue on Star of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean is currently hosting travel agents aboard its newly-built Star of the Seas. In a Q&A session with some of the cruise line’s top travel partners, Royal Caribbean’s top leaders were present to answer questions from travel advisors in the audience. This included Royal Caribbean International President and CEO, Michael Bayley; Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support, and Service, Vicki Freed; and Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group.

At the beginning of the Q&A, Freed first praised the travel agents for their hard work and business collaboration with Royal Caribbean. 

She stated, “I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you. Your success is truly our success. You are the people that really guide the consumer into making the right buying decision. And we really depend on you to help us, bring us the best clients, the best guests. And we thank you for from the bottom of our hearts.”

Following these opening statements, the first question asked by travel agents involved the ongoing dilemma with casino comps.

The travel agent stated, “I've been a travel advisor specializing actually, in Royal Caribbean, 75% to 80% of my sales are with Royal Caribbean because I love it very much. My husband and I escort group [cruises] a couple times a year. A lot of our passengers are now casino comps, a lot of them, and they don't bother to come through me.”

The agent continued, “Their reason is, well, we don't want to bother you. We know you don't get much commission on it. We don't want to bother you. But, since we have group [cruises], I'm still doing the work. I have a pre-cruise party at my house, I pre-arranged excursions, I pre-arranged dining, I do all that stuff and now I feel like I've lost them.”

“And as travel advisors, I think we would really love to partner with you on this and so that everybody's happy. I don't want to continue to lose my passengers. I have passengers that [have] sailed with us for 30 years and now they're not. So again, we love everything that you do, but if you could help us partner with you on that, we would really appreciate it. Thank you,” concluded the travel agent.

The topic continued to surface throughout the discussion with multiple travel agents bringing their concerns to Royal Caribbean’s leadership team. While the cruise line was receptive to feedback provided by the travel agents, it’s an issue that’s clearly becoming more prevalent for advisors.

Royal Caribbean’s casino program is still an important revenue stream for onboard spending.

It’s no surprise that Royal Caribbean’s casino program is an important component of the company's income, as gambling is a massive source of revenue for the cruise line. During the Q&A, Freed noted, “Casino [spending] is an important revenue source for us. So, it's something that we do need.”

Royal Caribbean’s casino operates its own loyalty program that is separate from its Crown and Anchor Society. Unlike the traditional loyalty program, your Casino Royale tier is determined by the number of points you accrue within a single gaming year.

Gamblers who meet a certain spending threshold can earn annual cruise certificates, along with other perks and discounts. While onboard, higher-tier members may also enjoy perks such as free drinks in the casino, discounts on internet access, and complimentary casino play money. In addition, some players may receive targeted offers or promotional mailers for complimentary cruises.

For many cruisers, Royal Caribbean’s casino rewards can offer excellent value, allowing them to take advantage of enticing perks. However, gambling carries inherent risks and can be addictive, so it’s important to gamble responsibly. It’s also worth noting that there’s no guarantee your gambling will result in a complimentary cruise.

Why travel agents find casino comps frustrating.

Travel agents primarily earn their income through commissions, as most do not charge clients any fees for booking their cruise. For many travel agents, the commission compensates their hours spent working with clients, managing payments, answering questions, comparing itineraries, and troubleshooting when plans change.

Losing existing reservations to Royal Caribbean's Casino Royale is a direct hit to a travel agent's income. For instance, many cruisers sail multiple times throughout the year with numerous bookings under the same travel agent. Clients benefit from the services and perks that come with booking through a travel agency, while the agent earns commission as compensation for their time, expertise, and industry knowledge.

Unfortunately, if a loyal client starts receiving ongoing promotions for comped cruises through Casino Royale, it can have a long-term negative impact on a travel agent’s business. Each time the client books through one of these offers, the agent loses another commission opportunity.

Moreover, if the guest was originally part of a group booking, rebooking under a casino offer can also remove that cabin from the group’s total count. This not only creates logistical challenges for the agent when managing group arrangements, but it can also affect their ability to offer extra perks or amenities tied to group size. The casino reservation would also likely deduct from the agency’s revenue, as casino offers do not have an associated cruise fare.

Not to mention, that travel agent might be the reason the client was introduced to Royal Caribbean in the first place. Advisors that work with Royal Caribbean are often the ones who introduce new clients to the brand. They may have spent years building trust with their client and recommending Royal Caribbean as their preferred cruise line.

As mentioned, travel agents earn only a minimal commission for booking comped cruises through Casino Royale, and many find the process frustrating. For example, agents must call Casino Royale directly to make the booking, and several have reported that Royal Caribbean makes this process cumbersome.

As a result, some travel agents choose not to handle casino-comped bookings at all, feeling the effort isn’t worth the low payout. However, other travel agents continue to book these offers as a way to maintain long-term relationships with their clients.

Multiple travel agents voiced their frustration with casino comps during the Q&A.

After the first travel agent raised the issue of comped casino bookings, others quickly spoke up. 

Another travel agent stated, “On a recent Allure of the Seas Mediterranean cruise, I had 300 people in my group, and about 30% of them, including my husband, received a casino certificate during the sailing. While I was promoting my next group cruise, I realized many of those same people might rebook through Casino Royale.”

“If there’s any way to flag guests who are part of a group or booked by a travel agent, that would help. And if that’s not possible, can you at least give us credit for those casino bookings? Right now, we can’t move them into the group, so they’re not recognized, and it would make a big difference if we could get that credit," the travel agent requested.

In other words, this travel agent is asking Royal Caribbean to either link casino-booked passengers back to their original group or at least give the travel agent credit for those cabins. Without this credit, the agent loses the group booking recognition, which can reduce perks for everyone in the group.

Another travel agent echoed this sentiment, commenting, “I won't belabor the point, but the casino comp issue, it's really, really important to us. We need your help with this, guys. And we're counting on you. You've been good to us since day one. Don't let us down with this. We need your help.”

Finally, another agent shared to the leadership team, "Now real quick, that casino thing is why I'm here. The team in the Casino Royale is horrible. They don't like agents. They put other people's names on your reservations and it takes forever to fix it. And I'm really sorry, but that's the truth."

“You have our commitment”

Despite multiple travel agents expressing their frustration with casino comps, Royal Caribbean's leadership team was very receptive to their feedback. First, Freed assured travel agents that the casino program isn’t meant to pull business away from them.

She explained, “We are in no way trying to take your clients and bring them to us via the casino. If you run into a problem, please let me know, I’m always available to help you. I hear what you’re saying, and we’re looking at programs right now where we can partner with travel advisors to bring both of us clients, including casino players. We're not trying to take these clients away from you.”

She also noted that Royal Caribbean has acted on agent feedback in other areas, citing the recent change to make the Swim & Tonic bar an adults-only space.

“It was because of the feedback we received last year that we made the decision not to allow children in that pool. You asked if this policy would be in effect on Star of the Seas. Yes, it’s now 18 and older in our swim-up bars. You have our commitment.”

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley also addressed the concern, noting that adjustments to the casino program will take time but stressing that travel agents’ feedback is being taken seriously.

“As Vicki mentioned, it’s a journey and a learning process. We value your feedback, and we’ll work to refine this so we can find win-win solutions. It will take a little time, but we’ll work to find the right balance. We value you, and we don’t want to harm your business, so we’ll keep working on it and provide updates along the way," stated Bayley. 

As the Q&A session wrapped up, Freed reiterated Royal Caribbean’s commitment to addressing and improving the casino comp program. She stated, “You have our commitment. We are really going to take a hard look at the casino. We are going to start from scratch, I promise you. Your comments are very important to us. We will figure it out. And we promise you, you have our commitment."

Cruises are meant to whisk you away from one idyllic port of call to the next. With so many cruise ports located around the world, some destinations are certainly more popular than others. On the other hand, a handful of cruise ports are infamous for offering a less-than-desirable experience.

A Reddit user recently asked the r/Cruise community, “Big time cruisers - what is one port that you will NEVER go to again?”

In the caption, the poster continued, “Hey cruisers! As a cruise lover (25+ cruises so far), I love introducing cruising to my friends and helping them with questions along the way. My question to you: if you are a big time cruiser, what port would you NEVER visit again and what happened to make you feel this way?”

The thread has garnered over 600 comments from fellow travelers, with many detailing their disappointing, and even scary, situations in different ports of call. With so many comments, a handful of ports were repeatedly mentioned by numerous cruisers.

Here’s a list of cruise ports that longtime travelers say they’d never want to visit again, based entirely on real cruiser experiences shared on Reddit.

Colon, Panama

Among the many responses on Reddit, one of the most common responses was Colon in Panama. For cruisers who have always wanted to visit the Panama Canal, they’ve likely experienced the disappointing and unsafe city of Colon.

Located on the Caribbean coast of Panama, Colon is located at the northern entrance to the world-famous Panama Canal. In this way, the city serves as a gateway port for ships that are transiting the Panama Canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

In addition, some Caribbean itineraries include a port stop in Colon, Panama, for a partial transit through the canal. Colon is often used as a starting point for excursions visiting the Gatun Lake or Panama Canal locks. For many, seeing the engineering marvel of the canal is a bucket-list experience.

Unfortunately, the city of Colon leaves a lot to be desired. Many cruisers stated the port itself felt extremely unsafe, and the port lacked development or infrastructure.

“Colon, Panama. High unemployment & resulting crime rates. They built a huge shopping mall adjacent to the port that is mostly empty. We did a tour of Gatun Lake to see waterfowl, sloths and howler monkeys. That was fine, but one and done for me,” reads the top comment.

One cruiser shared, “We had to wait at that sad little mall two hours for our ship to go through the locks to pick us up. The tour guide was from Colon and even she said not to leave that mall under any circumstance.”

“So dangerous!! Nothing there. Panama City wonderful! Colon not so much,” echoed another commenter.

One cruiser even questioned Royal Caribbean’s decision to use Colon as an embarkation port for future itineraries: “We are American expats who live in Panamá. Colon is really sketchy. Royal Caribbean is starting cruises from Colon in October. Almost $1000 base rate for an inside cabin for 7 days?!?!”

“Colon Panama. It was our debarkation port. Complete and utter chaos. People waited out in the blazing sun for hours. The military shouting at people. Never again,” explained another cruiser.

Jamaica

As one of the more popular ports in the Caribbean, Jamaica was repeatedly mentioned as a least favorite destination. The island nation is a staple destination for many Western Caribbean itineraries, with Ocho Rios, Falmouth, and Montego Bay as the three main ports.

Jamaica is often advertised with lush mountains, reggae music, beautiful beaches, and vibrant culture. The Dunn’s River Falls is one of the main attractions. Sadly, many cruisers on Reddit criticized the country for aggressive vendors and described safety concerns with visiting Jamaica.

“Anywhere in Jamaica. Every time I’ve been, I’ve been called a [slur] and have felt completely unsafe. It’s also generally been dirty and full of scammers. And one time we went, and the port was literally on fire lol. We had to turn around and go back out to sea,” states one of the top responses.

Read more: I visited 25 Caribbean destinations on a cruise ship. These are the 4 I'd return to and the 3 I'd skip

One cruiser even shared a scary experience attempting to walk outside of the port area. “Our cruise stopped at Falmouth a few years ago. It was me and my two sons, probably ages 9 and 12 at the time. Once we left the port area, things got sketchy quickly.”

The commenter continued, “There was a uniformed and heavily armed police officer at every corner. We were hounded by people selling stuff. After walking a couple of blocks, we turned around and got back on the ship. To put this experience in perspective, I've walked alone at 1AM in Chicago easily 100 times and felt unsafe only once. Falmouth was an order of magnitude beyond.”

“Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Been once, no desire to go back. Just a super busy shopping center with people yelling at you the entire time,” replied one cruiser. “Went to Falmouth. We did a bus tour. Passed through multiple armed checkpoints. Never again,” stated another responder.

Belize City, Belize

Although not as widely disliked as Jamaica and Colon, Panama, another common response in the Reddit thread was Belize City, Belize. Located on the eastern coast of the country, Belize City is the main port and largest urban area in the country.

For many cruisers, Belize City is a gateway to the country’s renowned Barrier Reef snorkeling, Mayan Ruins, and Cave Tubing. However, Belize City itself is an unpopular destination due to poor infrastructure and inconvenient tendering. Many responders also mention staying onboard in Belize City due to these concerns.

“Belize City. Loooong tender into a pretty lousy port area. Not much around either,” reads one of the top comments.

Additionally, one cruiser shared, “The tours you can do are great, but they're mostly all things where you leave Belize City immediately. It's not a port you'd want to get off in and just walk or drive around exploring the city on your own.”

“We just got back from a cruise with a stop in Belize, it was on Celebrity Equinox, we should have stayed on the ship - we paid a lot I think like $200 each to do the excursion to swim with mana rays and baby sharks and snorkel. It was two long boring boats to get there and then it felt slightly scary in the water with the rays swimming around your feet. There was an emergency nurse on board in case,” explained one cruiser.

“It's been a long time but that port scared me. We had an excursion that we really enjoyed but after that, we stayed on the ship while there.”

Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau, Bahamas, might be one of the most visited cruise ports in the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s a favorite among cruisers. Because of its close proximity to Florida, Nassau is often included on shorter Caribbean itineraries. 

Although the cruise port can be found on many different itineraries, Nassau is infamously unpopular. The main cruise terminal was recently renovated with a $300+ million investment to the pier. Nearby attractions include the Atlantis Paradise Island, Junkanoo Beach, and Queen’s Staircase.

However, multiple commenters in the Reddit thread expressed their disdain for the Bahamian capital, stating they would rather stay on the ship than visit Nassau again.

One responder shared, “Nassau. Not much to do without getting hassled. We’ve done all of the easy stuff: tours around the area, Junkanoo beach, Atlantis, Señor Frogs, Queens Staircase, etc. Ends up being a lovely day to stay on the ship!”

“Crime, annoying vendors, lack of charm, not much to do besides shop for imported crap and drink heavily,” shared one responder. Another cruiser stated, “I can live a fulfilled life without ever needing to go back to Nassau.”

In addition, one cruiser shared, “Nassau by far. High pressure, high price, aggressive street vendors. Felt unsafe.”

“Nassau. It used to be super fun, until the really big ships started docking there. It’s pretty dangerous if you leave the tourist area. Now it’s just dirty sleazy bars & expensive souvenirs,” replied one cruiser.

Costa Maya, Mexico

Considered one of the biggest tourist traps in the Caribbean, Costa Maya is one of the more common ports of call for Western Caribbean sailings. The cruise terminal itself is built entirely for tourists and filled with shops, restaurants, wildlife encounters, a swim-up bar, and live entertainment.

For those wanting to venture outside of the port, excursions are offered to Mayan ruins and the relaxing beach of Mahahual. Regardless, many cruisers expressed their disappointment with the Costa Maya port during their cruise, citing the inauthentic feel.

“Puerto Costa Maya is my least favorite. It's a giant trap to separate you from your money,” replied one cruiser.

Another cruiser echoed, “It’s a total maze to get out of the port area! I hated that.”

“I wouldn’t get off the ship at this port if I ended up there again. We did the Mayan Ruin tour when we were there last time and it was good, but there wasn’t much else to do. It was just a giant shopping mall in the middle of nowhere,” noted another cruiser.

One passenger mentioned, “Costa Maya. We will visit it and there were some good excursions, but you have to beware of credit card theft. There are instances of have you card cloned when you scan at some vendors then they start buying things with your card.”

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

While some cruisers rave about their experience in Cabo San Lucas, not everyone was impressed by this port of call. Located on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, Cabo San Lucas is known for its iconic landscapes, beautiful beaches, and beachside parties.

However, for some, the cruise experience in Cabo San Lucas was underwhelming, with pushy locals and aggressive salespeople. Others find the port to lack authentic Mexican culture with too many tourist shops. Additionally, lengthy and uncomfortable tendering operations worsen the experience for many.

“Cabo. For the hundredth time I don’t want to buy a bracelet or [terrible] jewelry,” commented one cruiser. One Redditor replied, “Cabo is Taco Bell with jewelry shops and fishing charters. Not Mexico, at all.”

Read more: I hadn’t cruised from the West Coast in 15 years. I had a great time, but I’m not sure I would do it again

“Also Cabo. Tendering in was [horrible] on extremely rough waters and there is absolutely nothing to do in the port area unless you book an excursion,” explained another cruiser.

“They are aggressive in Cabo. We stopped there on a cruise and the people selling stuff wouldn’t leave us alone.”

Cartagena, Colombia

For Southern Caribbean itineraries, most sailings include a visit to Cartagena, Colombia. This port city is known for its vibrant and authentic culture, along with its colonial architecture, historic walled city, local markets, and colorful streets.

In addition, the city’s Historic Old Town, Ciudad Amurallada, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The walled city is perfectly preserved with cobblestones, plazas, churches, and colorful buildings. However, the vendors can be aggressive, which can leave some cruisers feeling overwhelmed and unsafe.

“Cartagena. Vendors swarmed our excursion bus when we stopped at the fort. They shook the bus and climbed up to the windows to show their wares,” detailed one responder. Another replied similarly, “Cartagena, Colombia. Horrible street vendors.”

“Cartagena. I’ve never felt unsafe on a cruise until we went there. Step a foot outside the port and it’s scary. Aggressiveness was off the charts.”

One cruiser replied, “We’ve had vendors walk behind us all the way to the bus trying to get us to buy whatever we said no to! Crazy!”

“One port we didn't enjoy at all was an excursion in Cartagena, Colombia. If you ever go there, do tours that take you away from the walled part of the city. We did a tour there and the venders swarmed us the whole time. Our guide did nothing to help so the only time we were away from them was when we were able to go inside somewhere,” described another cruiser.

“Cartagena Colombia. Street vendors are just way too over the top aggressive,” shared one responder.

Santorini, Greece

As one of the most picturesque ports in the Mediterranean, Santorini is an island in Greece. Known for its iconic blue-domed churches, stunning cliffside views, and quaint village of Oia, Santorini is often considered a bucket-list destination for many.

Because of its popularity, many itineraries around the Greek Isles include a port stop in Santorini. However, some cruisers found the small island to be overcrowded and difficult to navigate. Given the island’s rocky landscape, cruisers typically need to take a cable car ride, walk the steep steps, or ride a donkey while visiting the tender port.

“Probably an unpopular opinion - I’d say Santorini - too sad to see the donkeys taking passengers up and down the cliffs, and the queue to the cable car is too long. Ok views at the top but quite dirty in general,” replied one traveler.

In addition, one cruiser shared, "I agree with you… Santorini is our least favorite port… crowded! And the wait to go down to the dock on the cable car was long (40 minutes) and we were the only ship in port that day. People should definitely watch YouTube videos to acquaint themselves with this port.”

“Surprised most of these are Caribbean, would assume big time cruisers would have gotten bored with that. I'll throw out Santorini, beautiful (especially Oia) but way too many people and way too commercial,” stated another cruiser.

One cruiser shared, “It was my first cruise and we did the excursion with RCI, we got tender to the old port I believe then bus the whole way up till we got to Oia, on our way to Fira we did a wine tasting. I think we waited an hour to an hour and an half to get down with the cable car.”

As a frequent traveler, I often pride myself on packing strategically and efficiently. However, I made a few notable packing mistakes on my recent Mexican Riviera cruise that I definitely won’t make again for future travels.

Whenever possible, I try to cruise with just a carry-on suitcase to keep my luggage to a minimum. This also makes it easier navigating the airports and cruise terminals with fewer suitcases to haul around. I especially try to pack lightly when I’m flying to my embarkation port, as checking a bag with the airline can slow me down at the airport.

Of course, packing with just a carry-on is typically easier on shorter cruises to warmer destinations. With these itineraries, you don’t need to pack as much, and summer clothes usually take up less space in your suitcase. Longer itineraries with varied climate and unpredictable weather forecasts can make this much more difficult.

For instance, when I sailed to Norway last summer and to Iceland the year before, I ended up checking two suitcases with bulky winter clothes for my cruise! On the flip side, I never struggle to pack just a carry-on for cruises to the warm and sunny Caribbean, even for weeklong itineraries.

Read more: 40 essential things to bring on a cruise

And although I’ve cruised on many itineraries across North America, I had never visited Cabo San Lucas on a Baja Mexico cruise. With the highly-anticipated arrival of Ovation of the Seas in Los Angeles earlier this summer, my mom and I decided to fly across the country for an inaugural sailing. 

Ovation of the Seas is a Quantum class ship, and the biggest ship to ever sail from Los Angeles, California. As such, we were excited to be on the first sailing to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico aboard Ovation of the Seas! My mom and I had never visited this popular port of call in Baja, Mexico, and the cruise was surprisingly affordable at $700 each for the 5-night cruise.

This particular itinerary featured an overnight stay in Cabo San Lucas with two days at sea in between. Having an overnight port is one of my favorite features of an itinerary, as it allows more time to explore the destination without rushing to return to the ship.

We arrived in Los Angeles the night before embarkation and drove across town to the cruise terminal the next morning. For this sailing, I packed for the weeklong adventure with just a carry-on and personal item. I encouraged my mom to do the same, given some logistics of our travel days, so we were both prioritizing packing light for this cruise.

Throughout the cruise, I was disappointed in myself for making a few rookie packing mistakes. In fact, some of these forgotten items are ones that I never leave behind! Here are some of the amateur mistakes I made when packing for this Mexican Riviera cruise, including a few items I won’t forget again.

1. Forgetting a pair of long pants

When I picture cruising to Mexico in the summer, I think of the scorching heat and stifling humidity. However, most of my summer itineraries to Mexico have departed from Florida and visited ports of call like Cozumel and Costa Maya. Moreover, as a Florida resident, I typically cruise from the ports near me, and I haven’t spent much time on the West Coast while traveling.

Although I had looked at the weather before packing, I focused on packing summer clothes for the warm and sunny days in Cabo San Lucas. Unfortunately, I somehow forgot to pack a pair of pants for this cruise to Mexico. Instead, I prioritized shorts, dresses, and skirts for our time both onboard and ashore in Mexico. I completely disregarded the possibility that our embarkation port and sea days might be chilly.

To my surprise, Los Angeles was quite cool with cloudy weather and low humidity on the first morning. This is when I learned about California’s “June Gloom," which is a Southern California term I had never heard before.

June Gloom describes the weather patterns in the early summer with cloudy, overcast skies. This usually brings cooler temperatures, often accompanied by a foggy marine layer. Supposedly, May is called “May Gray” and July has been dubbed “No Sky July” because of this weather phenomenon. Naively, I had assumed June in California would be sunny and warm!

Because most cruisers onboard were local, the majority of people on our cruise were wearing pants for the first two days with the cloudy weather. While I was comfortable inside the ship, I definitely felt chilly when my mom and I walked around the top deck during the day or strolled along the promenade after dinner.

The chilly breeze was a big surprise for us, and not packing pants was a complete oversight on my part. In the future, I’ll definitely plan to pack at least one pair of leggings or pants for my cruises. 

Read more: My 64-year-old parents love to cruise. Here are 10 essentials they always pack

2. Choosing not to pack personal shower products

Although cruise cabins are well appointed, Royal Caribbean’s bathrooms only include one basic product for shampoo and body wash. The 2-in-1 combination product works fine as a body wash for me, but I prefer to pack my own shampoo and conditioner usually.

Because my suitcase was packed to the brim, I decided to minimize the amount of cosmetics packed to save space. In addition, I didn’t want to have too many travel-sized products and get flagged by TSA for airport security (which has happened before). I was also relying on the upgraded bathroom products provided by Royal Caribbean to Diamond Plus loyalty members.

Because of this, I chose to pack a small bottle of conditioner and planned to use the shampoo and body wash provided by Royal Caribbean. We requested the upgraded shower products from our cabin steward on embarkation day and received them on the first night. While we were given shampoo, body wash, and lotion, there was no conditioner included for some reason.

Read more: 5 Dollar Tree Items Cruisers Should Stock Up on Before Their Sailing

Sadly, forgetting to pack conditioner was a big mistake. At some point, I apparently decided to use my travel conditioner bottle for lotion instead. I wasn't able to tell the difference when packing, given the similar texture of lotion and conditioner.

Halfway through the cruise, I realized I was conditioning my hair with cocoa butter instead of actual conditioner. That certainly explained why my hair was so greasy! By the end of the trip, my hair was looking less than impressive. Thankfully, my mom had packed a small bottle of conditioner that I borrowed on the last night. But, the half-filled bottle was not enough for us to share for the entirety of the cruise.

I was relying on the cruise line to provide conditioner for this cruise, but that ended up being a mistake. Even if I’m tight on space in the future, I’ll prioritize packing my own shower products.

3. Not bringing enough casual outfits for the ship

Our 5-night itinerary on Ovation of the Seas included two sea days and two days in Cabo San Lucas. While packing for this cruise, I planned to bring three nicer outfits for our time in port, three evening dresses for dinner, and exactly three casual outfits for our time onboard.

For this vacation, my mom and I booked an excursion on the first day in Cabo San Lucas to make the most of our time in port. On the second day, we had planned to venture ashore for a little exploring before the ship's all aboard time. 

However, after a full-day excursion in Mexico, we were completely worn out by that evening. On top of that, Cabo San Lucas is a tender port, which requires extra planning and dealing with the tender boats to get ashore. Our tender boat on the first day was quite small while navigating the choppy waters, leaving me a little woozy before the excursion even started.

On the second day, all aboard was scheduled for early afternoon, so we decided to stay on the ship instead of going ashore in Cabo San Lucas as we originally planned. We didn’t want to deal with the tendering process again, especially since we had already seen and done so much during our excursion the day before.

Because I had packed only three casual outfits to wear on the ship, I ran out of casual clothes by the last day. While I wasn’t left without something to wear, I wished I had packed more comfortable lounging outfits for onboard the ship and worried less about packing specific outfits for Mexico.

Not to mention, this meant I was rewearing the same stinky, stale airport outfit from my first travel day to California. This was a good reminder to always pack a couple of extra versatile pieces that you can wear, no matter how your plans change.

Read more: Caribbean and Mexico cruise outfits for women

4. Leaving behind an evening purse for dinner

Whenever I cruise, I typically pack a different purse to use onboard the ship for the evenings. However, I had already packed my daily crossbody pouch and a small backpack to use ashore in Cabo San Lucas that could hold my larger camera. 

While trying to keep my suitcase from overflowing, I opted to ditch the evening purse, but I did end up regretting this. Instead, I was using my casual crossbody pouch for evenings onboard, and I felt underdressed and mismatched.

For instance, on formal night, I thought my crossbody pouch looked pretty tacky with my nicer black dress for the occasion. Although no one else probably noticed or cared, I would have preferred having a nicer accessory for our evenings onboard.

Next time, I’ll plan to pack a more versatile option for both daily use and evenings onboard the ship, like my leather crossbody purse from a Mediterranean cruise. When it comes to packing minimally, having clothes and accessories that can serve multiple purposes is key, and my bag choice on this trip was definitely a packing mistake.

On the other hand, my mom went the opposite route and ended up packing too many bags for this cruise! She is notorious for bringing multiple bags while traveling, even if they’re not practical. Like usual, she didn’t end up using every bag she packed. While they didn’t take up much space in her suitcase, she definitely could have narrowed down her selection and saved herself the extra clutter.

5. Forgetting to pack a few magnetic hooks

While magnetic hooks are a popular cruise staple for many, we opted to forgo packing these because of our shorter cruise itinerary. I always pack these for longer sailings to make the cabin more functional and organized. However, I convinced my mom that we didn’t need to bring any magnetic hooks this time because a full set can be heavy and take up unnecessary room in our suitcases.

In hindsight, magnetic hooks are useful no matter how lightly you decide to pack. While our cabin had plenty of storage for us, having a few magnetic hooks on the walls would have made it so much easier to grab things quickly, like a light sweater or our cabin lanyards. This also helps reduce clutter in your cruise cabin, especially when you have minimal counter space on the vanity or dresser.

Next time, I’ll plan to pack at least one or two magnetic hooks for my cruise, even if I’m convinced they won’t be necessary. A full set might be too bulky for a short cruise, but bringing just a couple can make the cabin feel more organized without adding much weight to my luggage.

Read more: 21 Cruise Cabin Essentials Everyone Should Pack

6. I should have left more room for souvenirs

I love shopping while cruising, but traveling with only a carry-on can make it challenging to leave extra space for souvenirs. In fact, sometimes I intentionally don’t leave room in my suitcase just to keep myself from shopping too much. If there’s no room for souvenirs, I shouldn’t be tempted to browse the local markets for trinkets and treasures.

Even still, I was excited when I found a small set of hot sauces for my husband during our excursion in Mexico. It was also Father’s Day weekend, so I purchased a T-shirt and baseball hat to send back with my mom for my dad's present. We did resist the temptation to purchase tequila during our tasting event, as there were only a few travel-sized bottles that would fit in our suitcase.

We also enjoyed some of the onboard shops, as we are both suckers for a good cruise T-shirt! I try to avoid looking in the shops because I usually find something I like, and I know they’re overpriced.

At the end of the trip, even a few souvenirs were difficult to pack in our already-full suitcases. My mom and I both struggled to find room for the small treasures, even though we made a conscious effort to minimize our shopping.

It’s always best to leave a little bit of wiggle room while traveling, as you never know what you’ll find! This also alleviates some stress when packing your suitcase at the end of the cruise, as my mom and I needed to spend a few hours strategically packing. Luckily, we were able to squeeze everything in and bring home our finds without too much trouble.