Royal Caribbean’s fleet is home to the biggest and most advanced cruise ships in the world. The cruise line is best known for pushing the limits when it comes to ship design and innovation; as such, many people prefer to sail onboard Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ships. 

But, is bigger always better when it comes to cruise ships? Some will say yes without hesitation, but there are actually many perks to sailing on older cruise ship.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ships by age — Newest to Oldest

Last week, my sister and I sailed onboard Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship in the fleet: Grandeur of the Seas. This 72,000 gross ton cruise ship was built in 1996, making her nearly 26 years old.

Grandeur of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean’s Vision class of ships, which debuted between 1995-1998. While some of her sister ships have since been retired from the fleet (namely Legend of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas), four of the ships are still sailing for Royal Caribbean.

Although I’ve cruised with Royal Caribbean for most of my life, the majority of my cruises have been on some of the oldest and smallest ships in the fleet. I’ve sailed on all of the ships in the Vision class fleet, many of which are 20+ years old for Royal Caribbean. My first Royal Caribbean cruise was actually on Enchantment of the Seas, so the Vision class ship holds a special place in my heart!

These days, I prefer to choose my cruises based on the itinerary, sail date and price. If this means I am boarding a cruise ship that’s 20+ years old, this does not bother me. During my recent sailing on Grandeur of the Seas, my sister and I had a such a fantastic time, even though the ship is nearly the same age we are. 

I felt like this experience solidified my love of Royal Caribbean’s oldest and smallest ships. Here’s why I truly don’t mind sailing on these small ships and why you should consider sailing on them too. 

Older ships are more affordable

With all the hype around newer cruise ships, Royal Caribbean can charge a premium for their most in-demand vessels. On the other hand, the oldest cruise ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet are rarely in high demand unless there is a lucrative itinerary.

I’m someone who cruises frequently, so I try to save money whenever I can. I find the easiest way to save is to choose the cheapest cabin on an older ship. 

Read more: 45 easy ways how to save money on a cruise

For our weekend cruise on Grandeur of the Seas, we paid just $466 for the 4-night sailing, which included the cruise fare, pre-paid gratuities, port taxes and fees. Considering this was a last minute sailing, the pricing seemed appropriate. 

On the contrary, Royal Caribbean’s website shows a 4-night sailing on Utopia of the Seas for next summer at $836. This is nearly double the cost as our sailing on Grandeur of the Seas. As expected, this brand-new ship will cost you much more than sailing on an older and smaller ship. 

Of course, you won’t find as many amenities or things to do on an older and smaller ship; but, those looking for a more simple and quiet cruising experience should definitely consider sailing on an older ship. If you don’t need the bells and whistles of Royal Caribbean’s newest ships, consider pricing an itinerary on a Vision class ship to save some money. 

The smaller ships sail on more interesting itineraries

Although our recent sailing on Grandeur of the Seas was a weekend getaway to Cozumel, most of my cruises on Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships have been on interesting itineraries. I prefer to book my cruises based on their itineraries and I am not picky about which ship I am sailing on. 

Some of my favorite cruises have been on Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships. For example, I sailed on Rhapsody of the Seas for my honeymoon to Italy, Greece and Croatia. I also sailed on Vision of the Seas in high school from Norway to Paris, Liverpool and Edinburgh during my first European cruise. 

There are cruise ports have sizing restrictions when it comes to cruise ships docking. Therefore, the largest and newest ships are more limited when it comes to their itineraries. Because of this, you can normally find the more interesting itineraries on the oldest and smallest ships. 

Additionally, when your itinerary is full of exciting port stops, you might not even be spending much time onboard your cruise ship anyway. On an older and smaller ship, the focus is less on the ship and more about the destinations.

Last summer, my husband and I sailed to the Canary Islands, Spain and Portugal on Anthem of the Seas during a fantastic 12-night itinerary. We spent all day, everyday exploring the ports - leaving us little time to even enjoy this newer ship and all of her amenities. 

By the time we made our way back onboard and had dinner, we were too tired to partake in the evening festivities on the ship. Honestly, I felt a little guilty for not experiencing all of the entertainment and activities onboard but we also wanted to relax when we could. 

You’ll find less crowds onboard the oldest ships

Royal Caribbean’s newest ships are quite the engineering feat - these cruise ships feel like floating resorts! But, with ships becoming bigger than ever, you also have to deal with more people onboard your cruise. 

For example, Wonder of the Seas is currently the biggest ship in the world and it can fit around 9,300 passengers and crew members onboard. That’s bigger than some small towns! The new Icon of the Seas will be even larger, holding around 10,000 guests at double occupancy when you consider the crew members onboard. 

If you aren’t a fan of crowds, you might want to look at cruising on an older and smaller ship. While older cruise ships were considered large when they were first built, it’s a stark comparison to Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships. 

Grandeur of the Seas is nearly one third of the size of an Oasis-class ship. After sailing on Odyssey of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas last year, I was eager to see how it would feel sailing on Grandeur of the Seas in comparison. 

To my surprise, I found it refreshing that we didn’t have to deal with crowds most of the time. We had no issue finding a chair in the Solarium most days of the cruise, along with premium seats near the pool. While the Windjammer can be difficult to navigate with crowds and find a seat, this wasn’t the case for us either. We never had an issue finding a table at the buffet, even during peak times. Going the shows or activities on a smaller ship meant we didn't need to get there early to snag a seat. Overall, it was less stressful sailing with less people. 

Older ships offer a more intimate cruising experience

From the minute my sister and I stepped onboard Grandeur of the Seas, I remembered how much I love the intimacy of Royal Caribbean’s older ships. These smaller vessels just feel more like home. The welcoming atmosphere really cultivates a different cruising experience than you’ll find on newer and biggest cruise ships.

Measuring around 70,000 gross tons, Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships are considered small to medium cruise ships by today’s standards. Keep in mind though, these cruise ships are not small for the everyday person. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean ships by size

My sister and I both agreed that Grandeur of the Seas had a very cozy ambiance onboard. Everything felt more intimate and nothing was ever overwhelmingly large onboard. Although bigger ships have tons to do, you won’t have this feeling of intimacy on a mega-cruise ship. 

Everything is conveniently located on an older and smaller ship

During my sailing on Grandeur of the Seas, I also forgot about how nice it was to have everything easily accessible on a cruise ship. Our stateroom was located on Deck 3 and while this would feel like the dungeon on a newer cruise ship, we were centrally located on Grandeur of the Seas.

Wherever we wanted to go, it felt like nothing was too far away. We could also run back to our cabin quickly if we forgot something and it never took more than five minutes to get where we needed to go. On bigger cruise ships, you can clock in 10,000 steps just by navigating around the ship and finding where you need to go!

While I don’t mind getting in some steps during my cruise, it can be a pain wasting time running around the ship if you forget something. Although I don’t have any accessibility issues, I can see why those with mobility limitations would want to cruise on an older, smaller ship. These vessels are easy to navigate with everything being conveniently located. 

You won’t forget you’re on a cruise ship

The first morning of our cruise on Grandeur of the Seas, my sister and I grabbed coffee and sat by the open windows in the Centrum, or atrium area in the middle of the ship. We had no issue grabbing a chair and opted to sip our coffee while watching the ship sail through the glistening sea. 

One of my favorite features of the Vision class cruise ships is the glass-covered Centrum, which features floor to ceiling panels of windows. There is so much natural light that shines into the center of the ship - and this is something you will not really experience on a newer ship. Everywhere onboard Grandeur of the Seas felt like it had sprawling views of the sea. 

On a newer ship, it’s very easy to forget that you’re actually on a cruise ship. While this is can be a selling point for some, others want to feel like they are out at sea. On an older ship, you will find way more opportunities to sit back and enjoy the view than you’ll find on a newer ship. Because older ships do not have all the bells and whistles like bigger ships, the focus is really on enjoying the views.

It’s easier to relax

In my experiences, it’s easier to relax on an older ship because you are more limited on what amenities and activities you can do. Newer ships have so much to offer that it can feel overwhelming. With limited time onboard, you may want to do everything you can - which is not super relaxing.

While bigger ships have more things to do than you can imagine, older and smaller ships have far less to do. In general, you’ll find less amenities, entertainment and activities. Because of this, you can really focus on relaxation if that’s what you need on vacation.

Our sailing on Grandeur of the Seas was the most relaxing cruise I’ve had in a long time. I didn’t feel like there was pressure to do everything onboard. Instead, I lounged in the Solarium and took a nap each day. It was easy to feel disconnected onboard an older ship.

Older ships are well maintained

You might imagine that older ships are outdated rust buckets, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Although some cruise ships are better maintained than others, I’ve found that Royal Caribbean generally takes good care of its older ships. 

These older vessels require more maintenance, but I was impressed with the condition of Grandeur of the Seas, especially after reading many negative reviews online prior to sailing. There were a few instances of rust, which is expected for a 26-year-old ship. But, overall the ship was in great condition. 

The bottom line

If you have yet to sail on an older cruise ship with Royal Caribbean, I highly recommend considering a cruise on a Vision class ship. While you won’t find all of the glitz and glam of a newer ship, you might find that a more traditional cruising experience fits your vacation style - and budget - better than you envisioned.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love sailing on newer and bigger cruise ships. I find the entertainment and dining options to be selling points for those cruises. However, I don’t turn my nose at a cruise that sails on an older ship. If the price is right, I can have a great time on any cruise ship, regardless of age. 

Sailing on an older cruise ship is not everyone’s cup of tea. While some might prefer the latest and greatest cruise ships, nearly all cruise lines continue to sail vessels that are anywhere from 20 to 30 years old. 

You will not find all of the pizzaz of a mega-ship onboard these older vessels, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should dismiss a cruise simply because of its age. 

I recently returned from a 10-night sailing around the British Isles onboard one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s oldest ships, Norwegian Star. The ship was built in September 2001, making her over 22 years old during our cruise. 

Just last month, I also sailed on Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship in the cruise line’s fleet, Grandeur of the Seas.

Built in 1996, this ship - fondly referred to as “Lady G” - is nearly 27 years old. Although Royal Caribbean announced in 2019 that it would retire the vessel, the pandemic changed these plans and Grandeur of the Seas is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ships by age — Newest to Oldest

Both of these cruise ships are 20+ years old, so I was eager to see what these older and smaller cruise ships had to offer. As always, it’s important to properly research which ship you’ll be sailing on and manage your expectations accordingly. You can’t board a cruise line’s oldest ship and expect top-of-the-line, modern amenities. 

I was pleasantly surprised by both of my experiences onboard Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line’s older ships. From the dining options to the intimate, simple onboard experiences, I found that both of these ships have a lot to offer. 

Here’s how Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship compares to one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s oldest ships. 

Ship Overview

Both Grandeur of the Seas and Norwegian Star are considerably older and smaller than most ships sailing in their respective fleets. Both ships are considered small to midsize ships by today’s standards, although both were considered large when they debuted. 

Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas clocks in at 73,000 gross tons with a maximum capacity of 2,446 guests. The ship first debuted as part of the Vision Class of ships with Royal Caribbean. In comparison, the cruise line’s newest ship, Icon of the Seas, is more than three times the size of Grandeur of the Seas.

Although built in 1996, Grandeur of the Seas received a $48 million refurbishment in 2012, which added new dining venues and updated the ship with modern amenities. The ship has also received routine dry dock maintenance.

On the other hand, Norwegian Star is slightly bigger at 91,700 gross tons. However, the ship has a lower guest capacity, sailing with 2,348 passengers at maximum capacity. In comparison to Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Viva, the Norwegian Star is around 50% smaller.  

(Norwegian Star pool deck)

Norwegian Star was more recently refurbished in 2018 to include a new adults-only area, updated lounges and bars and upgraded staterooms with USB charging ports. 

Expectations and First Impressions

I’ve sailed on ships of all ages and sizes, so I had somewhat realistic expectations of what to expect onboard. Truthfully, I do not mind sailing on an older and smaller ships because I can appreciate a more subdued cruising experience without the onboard thrills. This is especially true on a port-intensive itinerary where there is not much time spent onboard anyway. 

After boarding both Grandeur of the Seas and Norwegian Star, I can honestly say that both of these cruise ships exceeded my expectations. I found both ships to be in very good condition despite their age. I was most impressed by Grandeur of the Seas, as my expectations were set low based on what I had read online before sailing.

While researching both of these cruises, I found tons of negative reviews about Grandeur of the Seas. Many people complained about the ship’s age, condition and lack of amenities onboard. I was surprised to see that Grandeur of the Seas was rated the worst ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet!

Once onboard, “Lady G” quickly grew on me. I loved all of the natural light and windows throughout the ship. I looked around for overt signs of rust and deterioration, but this was minimal. I noted how the carpets, furniture and public spaces were both clean and well-kept. Of course, some areas onboard felt outdated in design and decor, but this was expected.

Comparatively, while researching Norwegian Star, I found less complaints from cruisers. Most had positive experiences onboard, and many noted that the ship’s itinerary was the highlight of their cruise. Since our 10-night sailing had only one sea, I figured we would have a similar experience onboard. 

After boarding Norwegian Star in Southampton, England, I was very impressed with the ship’s overall condition and onboard amenities. I would have never guessed the ship was more than 20 years old. Her design and decor felt more modern than Grandeur of the Seas, which is likely due to her more recent refurbishment. 

However, we struggled to navigate around Norwegian Star even after the first few days. The ship’s overall design felt confusing for some reason, as we were constantly getting lost and looking towards deck plans. Perhaps Grandeur of the Seas’s size contributed to a better flow onboard, but I found Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship to have a better ship design overall. 

Dining and Food

Indulging in all of the delicious cuisine onboard a cruise is one of my favorite parts of cruising. Let me first note that food is highly subjective, however. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to food and this is based on my own experiences. 

In addition, I sailed on Norwegian Star for 10 nights in comparison to my 4-night cruise on Grandeur of the Seas. Because of this, I had more opportunities to try the food on Norwegian compared to my cruise on Royal Caribbean. Regardless, I’ve sailed on Royal Caribbean multiple times this year, including a 12-night sailing this summer, so I do think this provides a solid foundation for comparison.

Overall, I was very impressed with the complimentary dining options on Norwegian Star. In fact, I would go as far to say the quality blew me away in comparison to Grandeur of the Seas, along with other Royal Caribbean experiences I’ve had this year. 

(Above: Versailles is one of Norwegian Star's complimentary restaurants)  

We dined in the main dining rooms most nights, although we also tried the Asian restaurant and pub. I felt the food was flavorful, fresh and high quality. The menus had diverse options each evening as well, including a ‘Classics’ section with the same nightly options. Even the food in the buffet seemed to be consistently good with everything I tried. 

Unfortunately, Grandeur of the Seas would struggle to compete with Norwegian Star. During our 4-night cruise, we dined in the main dining room most nights with the exception of one night at specialty dining. The food was decent, although we heard from many that the first night was not good. The food in the buffet was very hit or miss with some very bland options.

(French onion soup on Grandeur of the Seas)

Additionally, Norwegian Star had six complimentary dining options onboard, including two dining rooms, the buffet, Topsider’s Poolside Bar and Grill, O’Sheehan’s Pub and Ginza Asian. Grandeur of the Seas only has one main dining room, the Windjammer Buffet, Park Cafe and Cafe Latitude. 

Of course, Norwegian Cruise Line is known for its Freestyle Cruising approach. This means you can go to dinner at any restaurant at whatever time you choose. There are no set dining times. I actually liked this dining approach for our port-intensive cruise because we often had varying schedules with busy days. 

Having so many complimentary dining options onboard Norwegian Star was impressive, especially given its age. I think Royal Caribbean could take some notes from Norwegian when it comes to complimentary dining options onboard. I would love to see Royal Caribbean add more complimentary dining options onboard their older ships.

Entertainment

One of the biggest drawbacks of sailing on an older - and smaller - ship is having less entertainment options. Bigger ships tend to have flashy production shows; for Norwegian, this is typically full-length Broadway shows and for Royal Caribbean, ice skating spectacles and high-diving shows. 

For both of these sailings, entertainment was generally more limited and simple. Personally, I found Grandeur of the Seas to have better headliner shows and entertainment each evening. For each evening onboard, Grandeur of the Seas had at least one production show. 

During our cruise, this consisted of a comedy show, along with an impersonator and a production show called Broadway Rhythm and Rhyme. We liked all of the shows in the theatre, although nothing blew us away. It was nice to have an evening show available to attend each night of the cruise.  

(Production show on Grandeur of the Seas)

Contrary to Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Star’s entertainment was much more limited. Some evenings onboard did not even have a major theatre show. On a 10-night cruise, I anticipated having a few major productions, but this was not the case. We only attended two shows in the theatre, including a contortionist and illusionist. Both of these were excellent - and I wished that Norwegian had more entertainment to offer. This was one of the most disappointing aspects of the cruise, in my opinion. 

Cost

Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are both considered mainstream cruise lines and aim to offer affordable fares. My cruise on Grandeur of the Seas was only four nights, so the cost was inherently cheaper overall compared to my 10-night sailing on Norwegian Cruise Line. 

In my experiences, Norwegian Cruise Line is slightly more expensive than Royal Caribbean; however, pricing is more obscure. Norwegian offers its “Free at Sea” perks which allow you to book a drink package, internet minutes, specialty dining nights and shore excursion credits. You can also add flights when booking your Norwegian cruise, which can have huge savings when promotions are happening.

We snagged a killer deal for our 10-night British Isles cruise! We booked this cruise for $1,600 each - this included the cruise fare, gratuities, port fees, taxes AND round-trip airfare to London Heathrow on Delta. We also received 150 free internet minutes and $50 shore excursion credits for each port. This comes out to $160 per day. 

For our 4-night cruise to Cozumel, we paid $466 each for the cruise fare, gratuities, port taxes and fees. This comes out to $116.50 per night to sail on the oldest ship. We also booked flights to Tampa for $250 round-trip. If you include the cost of the flight in the daily cost, this comes out to $179 per day. 

We could have added the drink package for only $220 each for our Norwegian Star cruise with the Free at Sea promotion; in hindsight, this would have probably been worthwhile for that cheap price! On the other hand, Royal Caribbean’s drink package for 4-nights was nearly $400 each - more than double the price. 

These two cruise fares are relatively similar, although I think our Norwegian Star cruise was a better value given the port-intensive itinerary to Scotland, Ireland and England. If you consider the cost of an international round-trip flight being included in the cost as well, it was irresistible!

Bars and Lounges

To start, cruises were vastly different in terms of clientele and length. Our 4-night cruise on Grandeur of the Seas was over the weekend to Mexico and filled with bachelorette parties. In contrast, the 10-night sailing had a much older, quieter demographic. 

Grandeur of the Seas only had a few bars onboard and they were always packed. With so many people onboard looking to party the weekend away, it was no surprise the bars could not keep up. Anytime we wanted a drink, we contemplated whether we wanted to wait in the long lines. The issue was only exacerbated by Grandeur of the Seas only having five bars open throughout our cruise. 

On the other hand, Norwegian Star had 10 bars available with very few lines. Also, keep in mind that one bartender told us 80% of guests onboard have a drink package with the Free at Sea perks. Even with this, the bars and lounges were never too busy and we always had quick service. We particularly loved the SugarCane Mojito Bar and the Proof Whisky Bar, which were specially themed.   

Staterooms

For both of these sailings, I sailed in an inside cabin guarantee - this was the cheapest cabin available. This means you cannot book your stateroom’s location beforehand; instead, you save a little money and let the cruise line decide your cabin’s fate. I almost exclusively book inside cabins because of the price, although booking guaranteed cabins have become more of a gamble with ships sailing at higher capacity.

As I anticipated, I was assigned cabins in bad locations for both of these cruises. My inside cabin on Grandeur of the Seas was located at the very front of the ship while my cabin on Norwegian Star was at the very back.

However, my cabin location on Norwegian Star was arguably worse, as it was next to a Crew Only door and right above the nightclub lounge. We could hear maintenance noises all day while listening to the DJ play party tunes until midnight each evening. 

Despite the poor location, our stateroom on Norwegian Star was comfortable and cozy. I found the stateroom to be in good condition and especially appreciated the USB plugs for charging. We each had a USB port on our individual nightlights and the cabin also had two more outlets near the small vanity. When we sailed on Grandeur of the Seas, our cabin lacked these modern amenities and instead featured two outlets to share for the cabin. 

On both cruises, we had the beds separated, which made the space feel bigger. I found both bathrooms to exceed my expectations, although Norwegian Star takes the cake for having the better bathroom of the two. 

Both cabins were approximately 140 square feet, so nearly identical in size. Based on my observations, it appears Royal Caribbean allocated more space in the cabin itself while Norwegian prioritized having a bigger bathroom and shower. 

(Inside cabin on Grandeur of the Seas)

While I appreciated having this additional area for seating on Royal Caribbean, having a larger shower on Norwegian Star felt like a luxury. Our bathroom on Grandeur of the Seas has a tiny, oddly-shaped shower with a clingy shower curtain. Alternatively, we had a big walk-in shower on Norwegian Star. Now, I don’t go on cruises to have a luxurious showering experience each night, but this was a design choice that we appreciated on Norwegian Star. 

(Walk-in shower on Norwegian Star)

The biggest downside of our cabin on Norwegian Star was the exposed bunk bed above one of the beds. Since an inside cabin is already small, having this exposed bunk bed sit atop one of the beds made the space feel more cramped. Since we only had two people in the cabin, it would be nice if these unused bunk beds came down from the ceiling only when needed.

Regardless, I found both cabins to be in better condition than expected. I would prefer staying in Norwegian Star’s inside cabin if I had to pick between the two, but each stateroom had its advantages. 

Final Thoughts

Regardless of a cruise ship’s age, it’s possible to have a fantastic vacation with the right mindset and expectations - and this was the case for me onboard Grandeur of the Seas and Norwegian Star. 

Both cruise ships impressed me for their age; both were clean and well maintained. I found the food to be better quality onboard Norwegian Star compared to Grandeur of the Seas; in addition, there were more bars and complimentary dining options onboard despite the ship being similar size and age to Grandeur. 

On the other hand, Grandeur of the Seas had better entertainment with nightly shows in comparison to Norwegian Star’s sporadic entertainment schedule. With an older and smaller ship, entertainment is limited regardless; however, both ships had plenty to do for activities, events and shows. 

Both cabins had their pros and cons when comparing the two, although Norwegian Star’s ahead-of-its-time shower and modern amenities were the selling points for me. Each inside cabin was clean, comfortable and cozy with everything needed for a comfortable stay. 

It’s hard to beat the cost of our Norwegian Star cruise, costing just $1,600 for the entire cruise, gratuities and round-trip flight to London. For the price, Norwegian Star was the better value between the two cruises. 

I wouldn’t hesitate to book another cruise onboard these ships again; however, I would definitely choose another port-intensive itinerary since both ships are limited in terms of amenities and entertainment. 

Celebrity’s top-tier loyalty members will soon have their own dedicated lounge space on longer sailings.

In an email sent to Captain’s Club members on Wednesday, the cruise line announced that it would start designating an existing lounge space onboard its cruises for Elite, Elite Plus and Zenith members. The lounge space will be used “to gather on board during the daily Elite Cocktail hour,” said CEO Laura Hodges Bethge in the email. 

According to Celebrity Cruises, the lounge space will be available twice per cruise on sailings between 5 nights and 7 nights. For longer sailings of 8 nights or longer, the lounge will be available three times. The cruise line said the lounge space will be available from 5pm to 7pm, which aligns with the Elite Cocktail Hour that already takes place onboard. 

Those who have earned Elite, Elite Plus or Zenith Captain’s Club status with Celebrity Cruises are eligible to enter the dedicated lounge space. The email sent to Captain’s Club members indicates that the concierge team on each cruise will inform members of the specific days and locations when the gatherings will take place. 

Thanks to Royal Caribbean Group’s status reciprocity program, anyone with Crown and Anchor Diamond status or above will be eligible to visit this new lounge. This is because Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members automatically earn Elite status when cruising with Celebrity Cruises.

Finally, the announcement clarifies that complimentary drinks for Elite, Elite Plus and Zenith members are still available at bars and lounges throughout the ship. Those who qualify for the nightly happy hour will need to present their Seapass card if they do not prefer using the dedicated lounge space. 

Based on the email, it sounds like the change was made to allow like-minded guests onboard to gather in a dedicated space. “I have heard from many of our loyal Captain’s Club members, such as yourself, that one of the program’s most gratifying aspects is the opportunity to be part of a community of like-minded travelers with whom you can share your experiences on board,” said Celebrity Cruises' CEO in her email. 

Parallels with Royal Caribbean’s Diamond Lounge

Because Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are owned by the same parent company, Royal Caribbean Group, there are many similarities between the two cruise lines. 

Royal Caribbean has always offered a Diamond Lounge onboard its cruise ships, which is one of the lucrative benefits of being a top-tier loyalty member. The lounge was once the only place that Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members could receive complimentary drinks on a daily basis. As such, having access to the lounge was a highly coveted benefit of earning Diamond status through the Crown and Anchor society. 

Royal Caribbean has since adjusted their loyalty drink policy, instead allowing Diamond members and above to receive daily drink vouchers. Vouchers can now be used anywhere onboard Royal Caribbean’s ships and are no longer limited just to the Diamond Lounge. While many guests welcome this change with more flexibility, others were disappointed that the loyalty drink perk is no longer unlimited like it once was in the Diamond Lounge. 

However, Celebrity Cruises continues to operate its loyalty drink perks in a different manner. Captain’s Club members with Elite, Elite Plus and Zenith status have access to a nightly happy hour with unlimited drinks from a set menu. Drinks are available from 5pm to 7pm onboard, with many bars participating in the Elite Cocktail Hour.  

Now, guests will have access to a dedicated loyalty lounge during the happy hour where they can mingle with other top-tier members. Since many top-tier loyalty members share a similar passion for cruising and traveling, the lounge provides an opportunity to cultivate a more community feel onboard. 

It’s important to note this change does not imply that Celebrity Cruises is adding a new lounge onboard. Instead, the email states that an existing lounge onboard will be used to host the Captain’s Club Elite Cocktail hour. This is different than Royal Caribbean, which has always had a dedicated lounge space onboard called the Diamond Club. 

Regardless, this is a nice change for cruisers looking to mingle with other Captain’s Club members.

Captain’s Club reciprocity with Royal Caribbean’s loyalty statuses

With both cruise lines being operated under the same company, Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor society members can enjoy similar benefits and perks when sailing with Celebrity Cruises. Similarly, those who have earned status with Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club can also take advantage of the reciprocity program when sailing on Royal Caribbean.

With the status reciprocity program, members of each loyalty program can still enjoy similar benefits and perks regardless of which cruise line they are sailing with. Although the benefits are not exactly equal, the cruise line says they are "comparable."

For example, guests who have earned Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle status on Royal Caribbean automatically earn Elite status on Celebrity Cruises. This is the highest status you can earn through reciprocity on Celebrity Cruises. If you wish to earn Elite Plus or Zenith status, this must be earned on your own.

In the same way, those with Elite, Elite Plus and Zenith status with Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club can earn Diamond status on Royal Caribbean. This is the highest level of status that can received through the reciprocity program, meaning Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members must earn their own status. 

In the spring, I sailed with Celebrity Cruises as a Diamond Plus member on Royal Caribbean. My sister and I enjoyed trying out the status match ourselves with our Elite status. Some of these perks included the nightly happy hour, access to the thermal spa, free gelato, discounts on internet packages and access to a morning coffeehouse-style breakfast. I was impressed by the status match, which allowed me to have high-tier status without ever stepping foot on a Celebrity ship prior to this cruise. 

I took a quick, 4-night weekend getaway cruise onboard Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas, which is the oldest ship in the cruise line’s fleet. Debuting in 1996, this Vision-class cruise ship is nearly 26 years old!

My sister and I booked the smallest and cheapest room available onboard Grandeur of the Seas to stick to our travel budget. We always like to save money when we can, so we tend to book the cheapest cabins onboard.

Like most cruises, the cheapest cabin available for this itinerary was an inside stateroom guarantee. Inside cabins have no windows or natural light, but still provide everything needed for a comfortable say. With a guarantee cabin, you cannot choose the location of your stateroom onboard. This often means staying in less desirable locations, typically in the front or back of the ship. 

Read more: Inside cabin vs. balcony room on a cruise ship

My sister and I had been looking for a weekend cruise to take this fall together, so we were excited to find a cheap sailing from Tampa, Florida. I had never cruised from Tampa before, although I reside in Florida, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to visit the city. 

Given the ship’s age, we were not entirely sure what to expect onboard. Needless to say, we set our expectations pretty low about the entire cruise experience so we wouldn’t be disappointed. Of course, age is but a number if a ship is well maintained and refurbished from time to time.

The affordable price was the biggest draw for us to book this sailing, costing just $466 each. This 4-night itinerary featured two sea days, along with one day in Cozumel, Mexico. This price included gratuities, taxes and fees. Therefore, we each paid about $116 per day for this sailing, which felt reasonable considering we booked only the cruise two months ago.  

Our inside cabin was only 142 square feet, but I wouldn’t hesitate to book the same stateroom again on a Vision Class ship. Here’s what our cheap and small cabin looked like on Grandeur of the Seas. 

While Royal Caribbean is known for building the biggest and most innovative cruise ships in the world, Grandeur of the Seas is far from big or innovative

Instead, Royal Caribbean’s smallest cruise ship offers a completely different vacation than anything shown in the cruise line’s marketing material. 

You won’t find waterslides, zip lines or surf simulators on the top deck of Grandeur of the Seas. Rather, you can enjoy beautiful ocean views with plenty of places to relax around the small ship. Grandeur of the Seas represents a more traditional era of cruising before ships became floating mega-resorts.  

I love all kinds of cruising, so I was excited to step back in time onboard Grandeur of the Seas for a more low-key Royal Caribbean experience. Because there was less to do onboard, we ended up spending more time in our cabin than we normally do. With two sea days, it was fairly hot and humid to be on the outside decks, so we enjoyed retreating to our air conditioned inside cabin throughout the day.  

For this sailing, we were assigned cabin 3505 on Deck 3. As expected, our cabin was located at the very front of the ship

Since this sailing was short, we really did not care about the location of our stateroom. We anticipated that we would be assigned a cabin at the front or back of the ship, as these are often the cabins that people do not want to book. When you book a guarantee cabin, you get assigned the leftover staterooms. 

Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

We were not surprised to find that our cabin was located at the very front of the ship. We were nearly the last row of inside staterooms while walking towards the front of the ship. The hallway had an interesting design as we approached the front of the ship, with a zig-zag hallway leading to our cabin. 

It’s been a while since I’ve stayed on a cabin located as low as deck 3! This made for easy access to the ship’s main atrium, which starts on Deck 4. I particularly appreciated the quick access to Cafe Latitudes in the morning, as I love a warm latte to start my day. 

Grandeur of the Seas also represents a time where many ships were built with more inside and outside cabins than balcony cabins; as such, there were very few balconies available to book onboard. 

On this small cruise ship, there are around 1,000 cabins onboard for guests to book and 780 of these are inside or outside cabins. There are only 95 suites and 122 balconies available. So, if you’re planning to sail on Grandeur of the Seas - or any other Vision-class ship - you will likely end up in either an inside or outside cabin like us. 

To our surprise, the inside cabin was in fairly good condition and the stateroom felt bigger than we anticipated

Once we boarded Grandeur of the Seas, we made our way to our cabin to unload our bags and check out our home-away-from-home for the next four nights. Since the ship was very old, we did not have high expectations for the condition of the stateroom. I anticipated a lot of rust, along with worn down furniture and an outdated bathroom.

After weaving towards the front of the ship, we found cabin 3505. At just 142 square feet, this cabin is on the smaller side for inside staterooms. For comparison, Royal Caribbean’s new Odyssey of the Seas has inside staterooms around 185 square feet in size. 

Regardless, our inside cabin on Grandeur of the Seas felt bigger than we had expected. We had a king bed at the back of the cabin, although we ended up separating the beds after one evening. While I prefer having the beds together, my sister insisted on separating the bed into the twin beds configuration after the first night. 

I will admit, it was difficult navigating around the side of the beds when they were configured together as a king bed. Once we separated the beds, we were able to navigate easier and the room felt more spacious. 

The bed was very comfortable. I was worried the mattress would feel over used given the ship’s age, but the beds seemed to be in good condition. Everything was clean as well. 

Next to the bed, we each had a small nightstand to use. These nightstands felt larger than a typical cabin nightstand, which we appreciated!

Behind the bed, we had two small lights that we used in the evening before bedtime. I wish these lamps had USB plugs for us to use, but we made do.

Adjacent to the bed was a small loveseat for additional seating in the cabin. I always appreciate having another place to sit other than the beds in a cabin. If you’re like us, this additional seating also becomes additional storage!

The cabin also featured a vanity with drawers for storage, along with a small TV and a safe to use during the cruise

As with most cruise cabins, we had a vanity space surrounded by drawers and shelving. The mirror was also illuminated with a bright light, which I use to get ready each day.

The sides of the mirror also opened for additional shelving. This was one area of the cabin where you could really see the wear and tear. This was simply cosmetic, but the hinges looked pretty rusted out and worn down. 

The drawers were quite large on the right side of the vanity - I was actually able to unpack my entire suitcase into these three drawers. We did not even use the space above the TV, although having ample storage would be necessary for a longer itinerary. 

We also noted that our cabin did not have a mini fridge, which is typically standard for most cabins these days. It would have been nice to keep our bottled water cool in a fridge, as this was a hot and humid sailing to Mexico!

As with most older ships, we had limited outlets to use for charging devices

Older cruise ships will only feature one or two outlets for you to use in your cabin. Newer ships have implemented charging strips with multiple outlets and USB ports to use, which is a welcomed change. To make sure I have enough ports to charge everything, I always bring a USB adapter to plug into the European outlets in my cabin.

This cruise I was a little scatterbrained - and unfortunately forgot to pack this. I also forgot to pack my portable charger, so I was struggling with just one outlet. 

My sister and I shared the two outlets during our cruise, so we had to be purposeful with our charging. Every time we left the room, we made sure to charge something for later. I did remember to grab my extra long phone charger, which was useful to charge my phone while using it in bed. 

The closet had ample space to unpack with hangers and drawers

While unpacking, we had more space for storage than we needed for this quick sailing. My sister and I both traveled with just carry-on luggage, so we did not have much to unpack. I ended up using the vanity drawers, so my sister used the closet space. She was able to hang everything up and we ended had extra space to store our luggage in the closet.

The closet came with a few hangers, although you might be needing more depending on how long your cruise is. The closet also featured more drawers rather than shelving, which was notable. Overall, we had plenty of space to unpack and store our things.

Our cabin was located next to noisy neighbors, and we could often hear them talking in the morning and late at night

The crowd onboard our sailing was there to have a good time! I can’t tell you how many bachelorette and bachelor parties we saw during our cruise, along with friend groups and family reunions sailing together.

As such, the sailing was not a quiet one! The hallways were buzzing with people ready to party. We could hear the cabin next to us whenever they were in the room - it felt as though we could hear their entire conversation. While we did not have much foot traffic at the very front of the ship, it still felt like we could hear plenty of noise. Luckily, I never forget to bring my earplugs when I cruise and this helped me sleep each night. 

One of the biggest surprises in our inside cabin was the condition of the bathroom, which we expected to be very outdated

After looking around the cabin, we decided to check out the bathroom. Typically on older ships, the bathrooms feel very outdated in terms of design and decor. In the spring, I sailed on one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s oldest ships, Norwegian Sun, and our bathroom was lime green colored! Last summer, our cabin on the oldest Carnival ship - Carnival Ecstasy - had bright blue, squishy flooring. In fact, the bathroom's toilet was also so close to the wall that we nearly had to sit sideways. 

Needless to say, we had low expectations for the condition of our bathroom for an old ship. I was expecting outdated decor, poor design and lots of rust.

To our surprise, the bathroom was much better than we anticipated and must have been refurbished in the recent decade. The vanity had light woodwork, which accented the white flooring and walls. There was a colorful backsplash behind the sink as well, which was a fun addition. 

Noticeably, we didn’t have much counter space or storage in the bathroom. Between the two of us, we filled up the bathroom counter quickly with our cosmetics. 

While the bathroom was better than anticipated, the shower was one of the worst I’ve had on a cruise ship

A cruise ship shower is normally nothing to write home about. Older ships tend to feature small, cramped showers - which are anything but luxurious. It’s not uncommon to have a capsule shower with either a dingy shower curtain or a space-pod type of plastic door. 

Luckily, newer cruise ships have redesigned bathroom spaces with larger showers, which really makes a big difference in the cruise showering experience. 

The shower was oddly shaped, almost like a trapezoid.  The worst part of the experience was the shower curtain, which would cling to us while showering. This made the tiny space feel even smaller! If you tried to push the curtain away, you had to deal with dripping water all over the bottom of the bathroom floor. 

I’ll admit that I don’t go on cruises to have a spectacular showering experience and I realize it is a small (maybe even silly) thing to complain about. But, it is a daily activity that we did not enjoy on Grandeur of the Seas. Also, if you had to bathe your kids, I can imagine it would be a nightmare experience in this cabin! 

Because of our loyalty status, we were also able to request upgraded toiletries for our sailing

When cruising with Royal Caribbean in a standard cabin, you will typically only find a 2-in-1 mystery liquid in your cabin - it’s advertised as ‘double duty’ shampoo and body wash. This soap leaves my hair feeling dried out normally, so I usually pack my own shampoo and conditioner when I cruise. I am fine using the provided mystery liquid as body wash, but having conditioner and better shampoo is a must. 

My sister informed me on this cruise that we can request exclusive toiletries onboard because of our Diamond + status. I had completely forgotten about this amenity, so we requested the upgraded toiletries from our stateroom attendant. After returning to the cabin on our first evening, these were provided for us to use! We loved having higher quality toiletries during our sailing. 

Overall, this inside cabin was comfortable during our short cruise on Grandeur of the Seas - and I would book it again!

Because this cruise was only four nights, this cheap and small inside cabin was perfect for us. Inside cabins have everything needed for a comfortable stay, especially during a short itinerary. I had set my expectations low for this cabin considering the ship’s age; to our surprise, it was better than expected. 

While the cabin was understandably outdated, I found the stateroom to be in similar condition to cabins onboard Royal Caribbean’s Voyager-class ships and Radiance-class ships. I’ve recently sailed on both of these ship classes, and our cabin on Grandeur of the Seas was very similar to my staterooms on Jewel of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. 

I would absolutely book another inside cabin onboard Grandeur of the Seas. With very few balconies and suites to book anyway, most guests will find themselves in an inside or outside cabin onboard as well. Even though the room was quite small at 142 square feet, the stateroom become a cozy place to return to each evening. 

Amazon’s October Prime Deal Day is finally here - just in time for your upcoming cruise travels this fall and winter! You can snag some awesome deals for all of your travel and cruising essentials. 

Throughout the year, Amazon will host massive sales with steep discounts on thousands of items. You might imagine Black Friday as the best online shopping day of the year, but Amazon’s big October sale, called Amazon’s Big Deal Days, is one you shouldn’t miss. Thousands of travel and cruising essentials will receive substantial price slashes - up to 75% off. 

If you’re in the market for new luggage or headphones for your cruise, there are some great options to consider during the October Amazon Prime Day sale. With so many options on sale, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed trying to find the best deals. In fact, I was also a little overwhelmed scouring deals for this article list! 

Amazon’s Big Deal Days begins today, October 10, and will continue for 48 hours through October 11. This is a very quick sale, as most of Amazon's sales are, so you’ll want to make sure you purchase any items you're eyeing before they sell out. 

For this big sale, Amazon Prime members receive the best discounts. However, you can also consider activating a 30-day free trial for Amazon Prime to take advantage of the good deals.

Here we have compiled some of the best deals on Amazon for our favorite must-have cruising products. These are items that we recommend for your upcoming cruise vacation - many of which are popular in the travel and cruise industry. Some are even beloved by our Royal Caribbean Blog followers!

As a note, we receive a small commission when you purchase any items during Prime Day from the links below. This costs you absolutely nothing extra, but the small commission helps support our site.  As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Packing Cubes

I am a huge fan of packing cubes. While I heard other rave about them for years, I just hopped on the bandwagon last year. Now, I won’t travel without them! You can easily stay organized while also squeezing more into your luggage. It’s also extremely easy to unpack when you get on your cruise, as you can just remove the cubes from your suitcase and place them in the cabin’s drawers and shelves.

These have been the best selling packing cubes for our Royal Caribbean Blog followers - and for good reason. Here are the best deals we found for packing cubes on today’s Amazon Big Deal Days. 

If you’ve been holding out on purchasing packing cubes, consider snagging this 8-piece set of cubes from Veken. For 43% off, you can have an entire set of packing cubes for your next cruise. This is a highly-rated set of packing cubes. You can also find multiple colors. There is currently an additional 20% off coupon you can apply, which will bring down the price even more. 

• Link: Veken 8 Set Packing Cubes for Suitcases, Travel Essentials Bag Organizers for Carry on, Luggage Organizer Bags Set for Travel Accessories in 4 Sizes (Extra Large, Large, Medium, Small), Black
• Price: $16.99 (Originally $30)
• 20% additional coupon also applicable

If you prefer the 6-piece set of packing cubes, Veken is also having another sale during Amazon’s October Big Deal Days. Some of the colors are not on sale, so be sure to look at the price before purchasing. 

• Link: 6 Set Packing Cubes for Suitcases, Travel Organizer Bags for Carry on Luggage, Veken Suitcase Organizer Bags Set for Travel Essentials Travel Accessories in 4 Sizes(Extra Large, Large, Medium, Small)
• Price: $16.99 (Originally $27.99)
• 15% additional coupon also applicable

Another fantastic deal for packing cubes comes from OlarHike. highly-rated set of packing cubes comes from with 8 pieces. There is currently a 50% off coupon for the black set, with other colors available offering varying discounts. 

• Link: OlarHike 8 Set Packing Cubes for Travel, Luggage Organizer Bags for Travel Accessories Travel Essentials, Travel Cubes for Carry on Suitcases
• Price: $12 (Originally $24.99)

Those needing extra space might want to consider these compression packing cubes. These I can personally attest to. I have a purple set and I absolutely love them - they’re currently packed in my suitcase for my next cruise laster this week. I am always shocked by the amount of space saved. 

• Link: Gonex Compression Packing Cubes, 3pcs/4pcs Expandable Storage Travel Luggage Bags Organizers. Organizers
• Price: $23.99 (Originally $32.99)

There is another sale for a 4-piece compression packing cubes I found on sale for  45% off. This set includes 7 pieces and includes a toiletry bag for carry-on luggage too, so it’s a great deal for everything included. 

• Link: PFEYRPK Lightweight Compression Packing Cubes for Suitcases, Compressible Expandable Travel Packing Organizer with Clear Toiletries and Backpack Bag, Travel Essentials for Carry on Luggage 7 Set
• Price: $19.99 (Originally $39.99)

Electronics

We’ve compiled the following best deals for Amazon Prime Day electronics for all of your cruising needs. Everything from organizers, chargers and converters are on sale. 

One of the top deals for electronics is a set of Apple AirPods. Apple rarely has sales on their products so snagging this deal is a fantastic find! I also have a set of these Apple AirPods and they are the best headphones I’ve ever owned. Wireless headphones are an essential for cruisers and travelers these days.

The sale applies to Apple AirPod Pros with noise canceling for just $199, which is 20% off the original price.

• Link: Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) Wireless Earbuds, Up to 2X More Active Noise Cancelling, Adaptive Transparency, Personalized Spatial Audio, MagSafe Charging Case, Bluetooth Headphones for iPhone
• Price: $199 (Originally $249.99)

There is also a sale for 2nd Generation AirPods. These are being sold for just $89 during October’s Amazon Prime Day. This is 31% off the original price - another great deal for Apple!

• Link: Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) Wireless Earbuds with Lightning Charging Case Included. Over 24 Hours of Battery Life, Effortless Setup. Bluetooth Headphones for iPhone-
• Price: $89 (Originally $129.99)

One of my cruise essentials is to bring a portable charger, which helps to keep electronics charged on the go. I’ve also found a portable charger can be useful overnight with the lack of outlets available on older ships. Most of the older cruise ships only have one or two outlets for everyone in the room to use, so this comes in handy. 

• Link: Portable Charger Power Bank 25800mAh, Ultra-High Capacity Fast Phone Charging with Newest Intelligent Controlling IC, 2 USB Port External Cell Phone Battery Pack Compatible with iPhone,Android et
• Compatible with iPhone,Samsung,Android.
• Price: $19.99 (Originally $49.95)

Unless you’re sailing on a new cruise ship, again, you might not have enough outlets available to charge all of your devices. This is our go-to USB expander that plugs into European outlets on cruise ships. It provides 3 additional outlets and 2 USB port. Honestly, I take this on every single cruise and it works great - even better, it’s on sale for 28% for Amazon Big Deal Days!

• Link: Cruise Power Strip No Surge Protector with USB Outlets - Ship Approved (Non Surge Protection) Cruise Essentials
• Price: $17.99 (Originally $24.99)

Another cruise essential is an extra long iPhone cord. This one is on sale and measures 6 feet long! An extra long cord is perfect for your small cruise cabin, especially if there is only one available outlet on the vanity. This allows you to charge your device while using it in your bed or on the couch. 

• Link: 3 Pack Apple MFi Certified Charger Cable 6ft, Lightning to USB Cable Cord 6 Foot, 2.4A Fast Charging,Apple Phone Long Chargers for iPhone 13/12/11/11Pro/11Max/ X/XS/XR/XS Max/8/7/6
• Price: $11.49 (Originally $18.99)

One of the best selling products for our followers during the last Amazon sale was this cheap electronics organizer. I am a huge fan of my electronics case as a place to keep all of my cords and chargers organized. This has helped so much with staying organized in my luggage and onboard in my cruise cabin. This one is on sale for just $7.54, which is 46% off the original price. 

• Link: Electronic Accessories Case, Universal Cable Cord Holder Organizer/Electronic Case, Waterproof Portable Cable Organizer Bag, USB Flash Drives Bag, Cable case Bag, USB Case Organizer,USB Charger Bag
• Price: $7.59 (Originally $13.99)

Cruising Essentials

Here’s a list of all your favorite cruise essentials that are on sale for Amazon Prime Day this year. From magnetic hooks to beach bags and collapsable laundry baskets, you can find some of our favorite cruise essentials below. 

One of the best selling products for our followers of all time is this set of cruise luggage tags. These allow you to print your luggage tags for your Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruise and place the tag inside a plastic holder. This prevents the tag from getting damaged or torn off, making it easier for your bag to make it to your stateroom. During this sale, the tags are 63% off!

• Link: Cruise Luggage Tags for Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruise Essentials in 2023-2024
• Price: $5.99 (Originally $15.99)

Another cruising essential is a set of Magnetic Hooks. In fact, these are considered a cruising essential for many people because the hooks are easy to use in your cruise ship cabin thanks to the magnetic walls. Now, you can easily hang jackets, hats, bags, etc. on your cabin walls. Even better, these are on sale for Amazon Prime Day at 31% off! 

• Link: DIYMAG Magnetic Hooks, 25lbs+ heavy duty magnetic hooks cruise for hanging,
• Price: $10.99 (Originally $15.99)

Finally, having a hanging travel cosmetic bag with a hanging hook is a huge space-saver in those tiny cruise ship cabins. These bags hang perfectly on the back of your cabin’s bathroom door, allowing you to save counter space. Bagsmart has one for 22% off. 

• Link: BAGSMART Toiletry Bag Travel Bag with Hanging Hook, Water-resistant Makeup Cosmetic Bag Travel Organizer for Accessories, Shampoo, Full Sized Container, Toiletries https://amzn.to/3O6MRUZ
  • Price: $22.99 (Originally $29.47)

I find that the perfect shoes for cruising are Rubber sandals - like these on sale!. These sandals are very comfortable while still being stylish. They are also quick to dry when you’ve spent your day at the pool deck or the beach. In the evening, you can wear these  onboard while you attend all of the events and entertainment.  

• Link: Weweya Sandals for Women and Men - Pillow Slippers - Double Buckle Adjustable Slides - EVA Flat Sandal.
• Price: $21.98 (Originally $39.99)

Luggage Deals 

Regardless of whether you are planning to fly to your next cruise or you live close enough to make the drive, you still need luggage regardless. This year, I’ve decided to invest in higher quality luggage (upgrading from the TJMaxx luggage section). Amazon’s Big Deal Days has quite a few different luggage options for sale, so be sure to check them out below. Here are some of the best deals we found.

One of the top luggage deals is this Samsonite Carry-On. This one is an expandable carry-on measuring 21 inches. The hard side spinner available for 17% off. We’ve taken many cruises with just a carry-on, so having a solid suitcase for cruising is a must! 

• Link: Samsonite Freeform Hardside Expandable with Double Spinner Wheels, Carry-On 21-Inch, Black
• Link: https://amzn.to/3RMCTuo
• Price: $149 (Originally $179.99)

If you need more than just a carry-on, it’s also a fantastic time to buy luggage sets so you can have matching pieces. This is a 3-piece luggage set from Coolife that has received rave ratings for 50% off. There are many colors available, although a brighter color will be easier for you to spot in the cruise terminal. Even better, these suitcases have TSA built-in locks. This means you can ensure your items are safely stored at the airport and cruise terminal. 

• Link: Coolife Luggage 3 Piece Set Suitcase Spinner Hardshell Lightweight TSA Lock
• https://amzn.to/3tmsLON
• Price: $159 (Originally $300)

One of the best deal on luggage that we found is this 2-piece hardshell luggage set from Rockland. For 62% off, you can purchase this matching set with a 28-inch carry-on sized suitcase and the matching carry-on. The set comes with thousands of positive reviews, too.

• Link: Rockland Melbourne Hardside Expandable Spinner Wheel Luggage, Blue, 2-Piece Set (20/28)
• Price: $102 (Originally $340)

Another great deal from Coolife is this stylish 3-piece luggage set — which has some of the best luggage deals during Amazon’s sale. This set includes a carry-on spinner, along with a matching weekender duffel bag with a sleeve to attach to the trolley. The set also includes a matching cosmetic bag. 

• Link: Coolife Suitcase Set 3 Piece Carry On Hardside Luggage with TSA Lock Spinner Wheels (White, S(20in))
• Price: $90 (Originally $299)

Cruise Accessories and Bags

You’ll definitely want to pack a variety of bags for your cruise vacation, including a beach bag, clutch for dinner and a bag to use for in-port exploration. Here are some of the best deals for Amazon Prime Day that would be perfect for your cruise!

For your cruise, you should consider packing a lanyard with an ID holder. Having this kind of ID holder will allow you to carry your cruise card around without needing to worry about it falling out. This one has a zipped pouch, so you can also put some cash, credit cards, hand sanitizer, ID and more. For Amazon Big Deal Days, you can get this one for 50% off.

• Link: Vera Bradley Women's Cotton Zip Id Case and Lanyard Combo.
• Price: $21 (Originally $42)

You’ll want to have a nice beach bag to use for your cruise if you’re heading somewhere beach, like the Caribbean. This is perfect for your excursions, beach days and pool lounging on the ship. For 42% off, this beach bag is a great purchase and comes highly rated!

• Link: Tainehs Mesh Beach Tote Large Bag 2023 Upgrade for Women with Multiple Pockets for Family Travel Swimming Waterproof Pool Bag
• Price: $11.49 (Originally $16)

You probably already know that fanny packs have been making a strong comeback! These pouches are perfect for cruising because they allow you to conveniently carry all of your belongings. This one is highly rated and comes in tons of colors - perfect for men and women

• Link: MAXTOP Large Crossbody Fanny Pack with 4-Zipper Pockets,Gifts for Enjoy Sports Festival Workout Traveling Running Casual Hands-Free Wallets Waist Pack Phone Bag Carrying All Phones.
• Price: $11.99 (Originally $20)

Finally, for my cruising ladies, I always pack an evening clutch for nights onboard. I hate having to lug around a backpack or large purse. This one is super cute, partial and perfect for your upcoming Caribbean cruises.

• Link: Aovtero Straw Clutch Purse Women Crossbody Bag Summer Beach Shoulder Bags Envelope Wallet Handbags.
• Price: $12.99 (Originally $23)

Royal Caribbean has canceled at least two itineraries on Rhapsody of the Seas due to Saturday’s surprise attacks by Gaza militants.

On Friday evening, Royal Caribbean announced that the October 9, 2023 and October 13, 2023 sailings on Rhapsody of the Seas were both canceled. Both of these itineraries were scheduled to set sail on round-trip itineraries from Haifa, Israel in the coming days.  

The cruise line stated, “We’ve been closely monitoring the geopolitical situation in Israel. With your safety and well-being in mind, and in conjunction with our Global Security Department, we've decided that we must cancel our October 9, 2023 and October 13, 2023 Rhapsody of the Seas sailings.”

Rhapsody of the Seas was originally scheduled to sail on a 4-night and 5-night itinerary to Cyprus and Greece from Haifa, which is located in the northern region of the country. Both of these itineraries are now canceled and guests will receive full refunds. 

Currently, Rhapsody of the Seas is sailing off the coast of Santorini, Greece and was scheduled to return to Haifa on October 9, 2023. It is unclear at this time where Rhapsody of the Seas will sail given the unrest in Israel. 

Royal Caribbean stated that guests affected by the canceled sailings on Rhapsody of the Seas will receive a 100% refund, including taxes and fees. In addition, all refunds will be processed for pre-paid packages, gratuities, amenities and shore excursions. 

Those who purchased airfare through Air2Sea will receive an automatic refund, along with those who purchased Royal Caribbean’s Travel Protection. Guests who used Future Cruise Credit will receive a refund for new funds paid above the certificate amount and Royal Caribbean will also reinstate the original certificate.  

There has been a new wave of violence in the region due to the surprise attacks on Israel by Hamas terrorists. However, this isn’t the first time cruise lines have changed course due to unrest in the region. Historically, these incidents have turned cruise ships away.

Because of the attacks by Palestinian militants, the Israel government has now declared war. Rockets were fired indiscriminately into Israel and gunmen were also sent into Israel's territory. There has been a longstanding history of unrest between the two sides, one that has spanned decades. As such, traveling to the region has always come with some level of risk, although cruise lines are quick to make decisions for safety purposes. 

Celebrity Apex and Odyssey of the Seas impacted too

Rhapsody of the Seas is not the only ship that has been impacted by the unexpected attacks in Israel. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises also announced on Saturday that itinerary changes would be made to the current sailings on Celebrity Apex and Odyssey of the Seas. 

Celebrity Apex was sailing to Haifa, Israel as its next port stop before the itinerary change was announced. One guest on Celebrity Apex posted on a message board that the ship’s scheduled stops in Israel are now canceled. 

Instead, Celebrity Apex will apparently have an overnight in Cyprus and an extra overnight in Egypt, as the ship was already scheduled for one overnight in Egypt on its current itinerary. 

In addition, Celebrity Apex’s next sailing on October 16, 2023 will replace Israel ports with stops in Greece, including Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes.

“I personally am feeling not so bad...... We will of course be extremely disappointed to miss Israel, truly a once in a lifetime chance for us - but to not have 3 sea days as a replacement is welcome, considering the tragic circumstances under which this had to be done” said one passenger scheduled to sail on the next Celebrity Apex itinerary.

Odyssey of the Seas, which is also sailing in the Mediterranean on a Holy Land itinerary, has made adjustments due to the sudden unrest in the region.  Another passenger currently sailing on Odyssey of the Seas posted on a Royal Caribbean Blog message forum that the ship would no longer visit the Israeli ports. 

The passenger shares how captain made a ship-wide announcement, “That we will not visit Israel due to the geopolitical situation, decision taken together with security experts and in view of the safety of passengers, staff and ship.” 

Odyssey of the Seas is now scheduled to visit Bodrum, Turkey and Limassol, Cyprus instead of its scheduled stops in Haifa and Ashdod in Israel. Guests received letters in their stateroom regarding the updated itinerary.

Other cruise lines are making arrangements for sailings scheduled to visit Israel as well. In fact, passengers on Holland American’s Nieuw Statendam from HAL were already docked in Haifa when the attacks took place. Passengers were quickly recalled back to the ship. Passengers only had about three hours in the country before being recalled to the ship for safety.

Royal Caribbean is known for having the biggest, most technologically advanced cruise ships at sea. The cruise line's advertisements are filled with families having adventure-packed vacations on Royal Caribbean’s most exciting ships. Everything in Royal Caribbean’s marketing is colorful and upbeat, with the promise of offering a fun-filled cruise vacation for your whole family. 

In fact, the cruise line’s newest ship, Icon of the Seas, will be making her highly anticipated debut in January 2024. The massive ship will take the coveted title of being the biggest ship in the world, clocking in at an astonishing 250,000 gross tons and holding close to 8,000 passengers. 

With all the hype around the newest and biggest ships, you might forget that Royal Caribbean offers cruises on substantially older and smaller vessels. The fleet’s oldest ships can be found in the Vision Class of cruise ships, which offer an entirely different Royal Caribbean experience than you might imagine. 

Currently, the oldest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet is Grandeur of the Seas, which was built nearly 26 years ago in 1996. Although Royal Caribbean announced in 2019 that the ship would be sold, the pandemic altered the course of these plans. Now, Grandeur of the Seas will continue to sail for Royal Caribbean for the foreseeable future.  

Given her age and size, many are quick to scoff at the thought of cruising onboard Grandeur of the Seas. Who would want to spend their time and money sailing on a ‘rust bucket’ or ‘worn down’ cruise ship?

Well, I took one for the team and decided to book a short sailing onboard Grandeur of the Seas. I was hesitant to spend my time and money on a cruise ship that many wouldn’t even consider sailing on. But, I’ve sailed on Grandeur’s sister ships, Vision of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas, so I had some realistic expectations about the experience.

After sailing on Grandeur of the Seas, I found this old and small ship to be quite charming, nicely refurbished and well maintained. Others on the cruise shared how the ship holds a special place in their hearts, fondly referring to Grandeur of the Seas as, “Lady G”. 

Here’s how our experience onboard Royal Caribbean’s oldest and smallest ship was better than we envisioned.

While Royal Caribbean has been known for its ship design and advancement, it’s hard to believe Grandeur of the Seas was innovative at one point in history.

Royal Caribbean has been pushing the boundaries when it comes to cruise ship size for decades. In fact, the cruise line has held the title of biggest cruise ship in the world since 2006. 

Most agree that Royal Caribbean’s push towards innovation is one of the biggest contributors to the cruise line’s success. This has undoubtedly helped establish the company as one of the world’s leading cruise lines. 

But, back in the 1990s, innovation looked a lot different than it does today. Nearly three decades ago, Royal Caribbean was building ships for its new Vision Class. These vessels would debut as some of the biggest cruise ships in the world, measuring a modest 73,000 gross tons. While still not tiny for today’s standards, these ships offer an entirely different cruise experience.

When Grandeur of the Seas was first built, the ship was known for its sleek ship design, which featured a thoughtfully-designed layout. Other features included advanced technology onboard and widespread, panoramic views of the ocean. 

We read many negative reviews about sailing on Grandeur of the Seas in 2023, which had us questioning whether we wanted to book our cruise or not.

Looking online, it seemed as though people either loved sailing on Grandeur of the Seas or they absolutely hated it. Many websites cite Grandeur of the Seas as the worst ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, such as US News & World Travel.

Many felt the ship was boring and outdated. One person described the ship as, “old and raggedy” on Cruise Critic. Another felt like the ship only catered to an older crowd onboard without much to do. 

“The Grandeur of the Seas is the worse ship I’ve ever been on by FAR. It was rumored that this ship was going to be retired a few years ago and it should have,” said one upset reviewer.

I’ve also heard rumbles from other cruisers that Grandeur of the Seas was the worst cruise they had been on. Even our very own Matt from Royal Caribbean Blog said he considers Grandeur of the Seas to be Royal Caribbean’s worst ship!

Needless to say, my sister and I were a little hesitant to book this cruise. No one wants to spend their time or money just to experience a disappointing vacation. It had also been more than five years since my last time sailing on a Vision Class ship, so I was also eager to see what the current experience was like.

My sister and I booked a 4-night sailing from Tampa to visit Cozumel; our itinerary also featured two sea days. This was plenty of time for us to experience everything Grandeur had to offer, including dining, entertainment, activities and more. 

From the minute we stepped onboard, we were welcomed into the warm and inviting Centrum. 

The Centrum is a glass-covered atrium at the heart of Grandeur of the Seas and features multiple places to sit, most of which offer beautiful views of the sea. My sister and I found the Centrum to be one of our favorite places onboard during the cruise. We never had an issue finding a place to sit, even during boarding day. 

The first morning, we sipped on our coffee while watching the ocean pass by. I had forgotten this design feature on Vision Class ships - and it's one of the best aspects of Grandeur of the Seas. The glass panels allow so much natural light. You won’t forget that you’re on a cruise ship, unlike Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships. I find that on Oasis-class ships, it’s very easy to forget that you’re sailing on a cruise ship because it’s so massive and the indoor spaces lack natural light. 

In the evenings and during sea days, the atrium transformed into an entertainment venue for shows and live music. I remember my cruise on Vision of the Seas featured an aerial, acrobatic show in the Centrum, which was stunning! During our sailing, there was no atrium show offered and it appears these shows are no longer running on Vision-class ships. This is a shame, as it was a unique entertainment option and utilized the expansive space. 

Our sailing seemed to host a rowdier crowd, perhaps because Grandeur of the Seas offers cheap sailings.

One of the biggest surprises for this sailing was how rowdy our cruise was. Everyone was there to party! Honestly, you could have fooled me that this was a Carnival cruise with how many people were on the cruise to let loose and have a good time. I’ve never seen so many tables filled with empty beer and booze glasses!

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I was surprised to find a party crowd onboard. While many people worry about cruising during spring break, I had never thought about bachelorette and bachelor parties looking to cruise before the fall wedding season begins. My sister had just returned from a cruise the week prior, and she also found many wedding parties onboard celebrating the bride and groom. 

As such, the bars were constantly packed and I felt like the bartenders could not keep up. Everyone seemed to have the drink package, which kept the bartenders scrambling. Since Grandeur of the Seas only has a few bars overall, this meant they were always packed! 

But, the ambiance onboard was also very energetic with a younger demographic onboard. All of the interactive events - like the Love and Marriage Game Show and karaoke - were very fun and entertaining with this crowd. 

I envisioned that Grandeur of the Seas might attract an older crowd, but this wasn’t the case at all. Perhaps this is because our sailing was very cheap, around $466 each. For locals, this is a cheap getaway and the dates would be perfect over the weekend. 

I was particularly concerned about our stateroom’s condition, which we envisioned would be very outdated.

Last summer, I sailed onboard Carnival Ecstasy, which was the oldest ship in Carnival’s fleet at the time. The ship was built in 1991 and our cabin was very outdated. The worst part was the bathroom, which featured blue, squishy flooring and a toilet that was so close to the wall, we had to sit sideways. 

We had booked an inside cabin guarantee for this sailing and ended up in cabin 3505. Our stateroom was located at the very front of the ship on Deck 3. Inside cabins are typically barebones, although you have everything you need for a comfortable stay.

My sister and I were pleasantly surprised by the cabin’s good condition. The stateroom was 142 square feet, which is relatively small. The beds were very comfortable and we appreciated having a loveseat for additional seating. There was plenty of storage between the vanity’s drawers and the closet; we had more than enough space for our 4-night sailing.

The bathroom was the biggest surprise - in a good way! I was surprised to see the bathroom with light woodwork and white flooring. Most of the older ships that I’ve sailed on from the 1990s have colorful, yet outdated, bathrooms for their staterooms. For example, I sailed on Norwegian Sun this spring, which is one of Norwegian’s oldest cruise ships, and our bathroom was lime green!

The shower was the worst part of the bathroom, as it was oddly shaped like a trapezoid. The clingy curtain made the shower feel even more cramped.

Of course, it was also relatively small and we noticed there was little counter space to share near the sink. Because our bathroom also lacked any shelving, the counter became cluttered quickly. Honestly, the bathroom in our stateroom was in great condition and exceeded my expectations. 

The food onboard Grandeur of the Seas did not leave us disappointed, much to the contrary of others. 

One of the biggest complains we saw online was about the food onboard, with many complaining about the Windjammer’s quality and selection. “The food tasted like it was prepackaged. Horrible food selection,” stated one review.

During this sailing, we dined one evening at Giovanni’s Italian and then the other three evenings in the main dining room. Our specialty dining experience was excellent - my sister and I both loved our meals. We heard from many others onboard that the main dining room had a rough evening on the first night, with many people complaining about the food.

When we tried the main dining room for the first time, we were hesitant to see what others were talking about. However, we had delicious food and great service. Our neighbors, who did not like their meals on the first night, said the second night was much better. We also liked our meals on the other evenings in the dining room. 

The Windjammer buffet was more hit or miss. The first day, my sister had some pasta and pork that tasted very bland. I enjoyed my hot dog, but it’s hard to mess up a hot dog! We went back a few other times throughout and agreed the quality was hit or miss. I found there to be ample selection, but some items tasted better than others.

We also tried the other complimentary dining spot onboard, Park Cafe. This was located in the Solarium and served up pizza, salad and sandwiches. We grabbed lunch and snacks here during the cruise, and we thought the food and selection was decent. 

Overall, the highlight for us was specialty dining - as it should be when you pay extra for an elevated dining experience! However, we enjoyed our dinners in the main dining room even though this seemed to be a point on contention for others. The Windjammer was not our favorite - and the design of the space also lead to a hot and stuffy atmosphere. We did not spend much time in the Windjammer because of this. 

You won’t find dazzling entertainment onboard, but there were still plenty of activities and things to do.

You might be used to Royal Caribbean’s ships being filled with waterslides, zip lines, surf simulators and endless onboard thrills. However, Grandeur of the Seas is nothing like this. The top deck features one main pool and a few hot tubs. Nearby is the adults-only Solarium, which has another pool and hot tub. There is also a rock climbing wall on the aft of the ship.

But, I still think you can find plenty of things to do onboard. The entertainment staff is running activities and hosting events shows all day. You can find trivia, movies and game shows throughout the day, The sea days also feature the Men’s Belly Flop Competition and Sexiest Man competition, which are a hoot on the pool deck. 

In the evenings, entertainment is more limited when it comes to production shows. Some evenings only had one showtime for a certain production. We were able to see a comedian one night followed by a singing and dancing production by Royal Caribbean’s singers and dancers. Another night featured an impersonator as the headlining act. 

We enjoyed all of the shows onboard Grandeur of the Seas and never felt like we were bored. Were these shows absolutely jaw-dropping and life-changing? Not exactly. But, we still felt engaged and entertained.

I can see how a longer itinerary could feel more limited in this sense. A smaller ship is more limited in general for entertainment - and Royal Caribbean is known for having some of the most unique shows at sea (ice skating spectacles and high-diving shows, for example). If you’re looking to see the best of what Royal Caribbean offers for entertainment, you’ll want to sail on a newer and bigger ship.  

You might not find much pizzazz onboard, but Grandeur of the Seas shines with her simplicity.

I wanted to keep an open mind about our Grandeur of the Seas cruise. In all honesty, I’ve never disliked any of the 38 cruises that I’ve been on. My parents used to always say, “If you can’t find something you like on a cruise, there’s something wrong with you and not the cruise!”

In general, I’ve found this to be true. I prefer to focus on the positive aspects of a cruise experience, even if the ship is old and small like Grandeur of the Seas. 

Even still, I had low expectations for what the ship’s condition would be, along with what kind of cruise experience this ship would offer. Reading so many bad reviews had me and my sister a little hesitant about whether we would feel that our time and money spent was worthwhile. 

My sister and I were mostly looking to relax and enjoy being pampered for a few days. We wanted to have fun and sip a cocktail by the pool. In fact, this was one of the most relaxing cruises I’ve had in a while. I took a nap every single day - and I actually came back feeling refreshed. I’ve sailed on some cruises where I feel like I did so much that I needed a vacation from my vacation, but this was not the case.

Having a more simple cruise was just what I needed. There was no pressure to do everything and see everything because Grandeur of the Seas is more about just enjoying the sea life. Sometimes it is nice to disconnect from reality on a cruise and take advantage of the many quiet spaces onboard.

This was another lesson to take reviews with a gain of salt. I was impressed with Grandeur’s overall condition - honestly.

I anticipated that Grandeur of the Seas would be in similar condition to my recent experience on Carnival Ecstasy (with broken mirrors, rust everywhere and duct tape on the windows), but this was not the case. I would even argue that Grandeur of the Seas was in better condition than my last Royal Caribbean cruise on Jewel of the Seas over the summer.

We could tell the ship had been maintained very well - and we could even hear the constant maintenance throughout our cruise. There were not obvious signs of rust or wear and tear unless you were purposely looking for them. In general, the ship did not look its age. 

Would I want to do a transatlantic cruise on Grandeur of the Seas? Probably not. For a longer sailing with more sea days, I would want to be one a bigger ship with more modern amenities available.

For a short getaway, I thought Grandeur of the Seas was perfect. I would definitely book another cruise onboard without hesitation, although I would probably look for a port-intensive or destination-focused sailing. If you are looking to make Grandeur of the Seas your moving hotel while spending most of your days in port exploring, I think the ship’s size and age is perfectly suitable.

The saying goes, “Age is just a number,” but is this really true when it comes to cruise ships?  

Last weekend, I set sail on Royal Caribbean’s worst rated cruise ship: Grandeur of the Seas. My itinerary was a quick 4-night sailing to Cozumel, but this was more than enough time to experience everything this old and small cruise ship had to offer. 

I’ve heard many cruisers state that Grandeur of the Seas is the worst ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. This perception is likely due to the ship’s old age and lack of modern amenities. In fact, I avoided sailing on this ship for many years because of this! 

Needless to say, Grandeur of the Seas’ reputation precedes her… and clearly not in the best way.

“Worst cruise of my 23 cruises,” shared one reviewer on Cruise Critic. 

Another said the ship was a “nightmare” and the AC in their cabin did not work, leaving them to sleep in the heat.

“Welcome to 1996. Ship is an old, rusty, rundown bucket. Cabins desperately need refurbishing,” wrote another reviewer. 

And it’s not just rumors that Grandeur of the Seas is the worst ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. According to US News & World Reports, Grandeur of the Seas was ranked the worst Royal Caribbean ship of the entire fleet. “While the ship boasts a rock climbing wall and six whirlpools, it lacks some of the modern amenities found on other Royal Caribbean ships, like a surf simulator and waterslides,” the review states. 

Additionally, Cruise Critic ranks Grandeur of the Seas with a below-average score of 3.9/5.0. The editorial review says, “The lack of top deck attractions poses an activity challenge for families; cabins feel dated.”

Some sailing on Grandeur of the Seas might feel catfished by Royal Caribbean; after all, the cruise line’s advertisements showcase new ships with tons of things to do onboard. Boarding Grandeur of the Seas is a stark contrast and I can see how this could lead to some disappointment.

While the cruise ship is far from tiny, measuring 73,000 gross tons, the onboard experience is vastly different than Royal Caribbean’s newest ships. During my short cruise, I had plenty of time onboard to see if the rumors were true. Here’s what it was really like to sail on Royal Caribbean’s worst rated ship. 

Grandeur of the Seas, which debuted in 1996 as part of the Vision class, is the oldest ship in the cruise line’s fleet

Royal Caribbean is known for building some of the biggest and most innovative cruise ships in the world. Most of the cruise line’s ships are filled with adrenaline pumping thrills, such as waterslides, zip lines, skydiving simulators and ice skating rinks. The newest cruise ships are so large that Royal Caribbean had to divide the ships into separate neighborhoods!

However, Royal Caribbean’s oldest cruise ships are a far cry from being big or innovative. You won’t find any onboard thrills on a Vision class ship, except for a rock climbing wall at the ship’s aft.

Grandeur of the Seas represents an entirely different era of cruising, one of intimacy and simplicity. Back in the 1990s, cruise ships were considered modestly sized and the onboard experience centered around relaxing on the pool deck with a drink in hand.

The ship went through a major refurbishment in 2012, costing $48 million to add new restaurants, onboard internet, Diamond Lounge, Concierge Lounge and entertainment venues. 

Back in 2019, it was announced that the ship would be sold to sister-brand Pullmantur Cruises, retiring Grandeur from the Royal Caribbean fleet. These plans were eventually reversed during the pandemic in mid-2020, presumably a financial decision.

Now, Grandeur of the Seas will be sailing for Royal Caribbean for the foreseeable future. 

While I’ve sailed on other Vision class ships before, I set my expectations very low for this weekend sailing

I’ve been cruising with Royal Caribbean for almost 20 years and I have sailed multiple times on Vision class ships. My very first Royal Caribbean cruise was onboard Enchantment of the Seas back in 2005. Although I was just a kid, the cruising experience still wowed me. 

I later sailed on Vision of the Seas in 2012 for my first European cruise with my family. The tiny ship whisked us from Norway to France, England, Ireland and Scotland. Seeing Paris was my lifelong dream at 16 years old - and Vision of the Seas made it happen!

Later, my husband and I sailed in 2018 on Rhapsody of the Seas for our honeymoon. It was a magical, port-intensive itinerary visiting ports in Italy, Greece and Croatia. 

Needless to say, I’ve had very positive and memorable experiences on Vision class ships! These small ships often sail on more interesting itineraries for an affordable price. For those who don’t need the glitz that you find on bigger cruise ships, Vision class ships can be a great choice. 

However, I had never sailed on Grandeur of the Seas before and it had been a while since my last Vision class cruise. My recent sailing on Jewel of the Seas - a slightly newer and bigger ship - left me slightly disappointed in the ship’s overall condition. I didn’t want to be disappointed this time around, so I anticipated that the ship would show its age. 

I figured I would see a lot of rust around the ship, including a poorly designed and dated stateroom. I think managing expectations is important when you book a cheap cruise, as I did not expect much from Grandeur of the Seas.

After boarding the ship in Tampa, we were pleasantly surprised by the ship’s condition

My sister and I made our way to Tampa to board Grandeur of the Seas for a weekend sailing to Cozumel. We had two sea days to enjoy the ship as well, which I was looking forward to. 

Once we boarded the ship, I started to look for signs of wear and tear. Given Grandeur’s reputation, I kept a keen eye to look for signs of deterioration and rust. 

To my surprise, Grandeur of the Seas appeared to be in very good condition! Of course, the ship felt older and her overall design was dated. But, it was not near as bad as I anticipated. Certainly there were few signs of rust as we wandered around the ship, but nothing outrageous. 

Not to mention, last summer I sailed on Carnival’s oldest cruise ship, Carnival Ecstasy, and that cruise ship was covered in rust. While we had a lot of fun, the ship was one month from retirement in the scrapyard. It was not surprising that the ship’s condition was subpar, along with most of the decor looking gaudy and outdated. We even saw duct tape on a porthole window!

(Carnival Ecstasy colorful hallway during August 2022 sailing)

The elevators and carpet were all in better-than-expected condition. It seemed as though the ship had been well maintained - it didn't feel like an old ship. Nothing looked extremely outdated or worn-down, which was a pleasant surprise. Based on all of the negative reviews I had seen, I truly expected the ship to be in rough condition. 

Almost immediately, I noticed how many spaces Grandeur of the Seas had to soak in ocean views

We entered the ship on Deck 5 into the center atrium of the ship. The six-story atrium, called the Centrum, is surrounded by glass walls and even a glass ceiling. It’s beautifully designed and lets in so much natural light.

Throughout the cruise, this became one of my favorite aspects of Grandeur of the Seas. There were so many spaces onboard where you could see the ocean and enjoy the views. The first morning, my sister and I sipped on our coffee while overlooking the glass panels in the Centrum. 

On Deck 5, you could quickly access the promenade deck if you wanted to get outside to see the sea views. I saw more people taking pictures with the sunset than ever! In the aft of the ship, we found a stunning view of the ship’s wake on the last night. 

Without all the commotion of a big cruise ship, I felt more relaxed being at sea. There was not pressure to do and try everything possible. Instead, I simply just enjoyed taking in the beautiful sea views and relaxing. 

This short cruise actually reminded me of my Semester at Sea experience in college. I sailed on a ship for four months while studying abroad. Our ship was one third of the size of Grandeur of the Seas and had just a small pool for activities. But, the experience was about the destinations, connecting with others and embracing the sea life.

My short time on Grandeur of the Seas brought be back to that time of being disconnected while living at sea.

We anticipated an outdated cruise cabin, especially considering we had booked the cheapest stateroom onboard

My sister and I didn’t want to blow too much money on this weekend cruise. We were surprised by the cheap prices we found for Grandeur of the Seas. For an inside cabin guarantee, we paid $466 each and this included gratuities, port fees and taxes. 

Read more: Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin and suite guide

Some of the reviews mentioned that Grandeur’s cabins were too outdated, but my sister and I didn’t find this a point of contention. Most of the ships we’ve sailed on recently also had outdated cabins, so perhaps we had realistic expectations. 

Again, we had low expectations for what our cabin experience would be like on Grandeur of the Seas. We were assigned cabin 3505, which was located on Deck 3. As with most guarantee cabins, our stateroom was located at the very front of the ship, which wouldn’t be my first choice. But, location is not as important to me on a short itinerary. 

Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

Our cabin was small, but had enough space for everything we needed. The square footage was right around 142 square feet. Everything in the cabin also felt well maintained. The cabin was outdated, but it felt similar in design and age to Radiance and Voyager class ships. 

The bathroom really surprised us! I fully anticipated to have a very outdated bathroom, but this appeared to be refurbished from the original design. The light woodwork nicely accented the white flooring, with a colorful backsplash.

The biggest disappointment in the cabin was our shower. It was oddly shaped and required the use of a clingy shower curtain. If you didn’t want the curtain to hug you throughout your shower, then you had to deal with wet floors in the bathroom. 

We only had one outlet each to share, which was a pain. I forgot to pack my USB extender, which made it more difficult to charge all of my devices efficiently. But, this was not surprising. Most older ships feature cabins that do not have modern amenities unless a cruise line has prioritized upgrading cabins on an older ship. Instead, maintenance is the priority.  

Overall, the cabin was comfortable and clean. It wasn’t modern by any means, but it certainly didn’t feel as outdated as I anticipated. We slept well each evening, and found ourselves spending more time in our cabin than usual because the ship did not have as much to do. It was a quiet, cozy space to return to each evening.

Many of the negative reviews mentioned that the food on Grandeur of the Seas was lackluster

Talking about cruise food is a hot topic, especially on a Royal Caribbean cruise. What one person loves, another might hate. The recently changed Main Dining Room menus have only added fuel to the fire. As such, food is generally more subjective and I take negative reviews with a grain of salt. 

Grandeur of the Seas has four complimentary dining venues: Windjammer, Main Dining Room, Park Cafe and Cafe Latitudes. There are also specialty dining options: Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi and Chef’s Table. 

The first evening, we dined in Giovanni’s Table to take advantage of our BOGO Diamond Plus benefit. We had an amazing meal, consisting of carbonara, gnocchi, burrata caprese salad and filet mignon. The service was wonderful and we enjoyed the quiet ambiance. 

Read more: The Crown and Anchor perks you should use on every Royal Caribbean cruise

However, we heard from many fellow guests that the dinner in the Main Dining Room on the first night was not good. Since we didn’t dine there the first night, we did not experience this. The remaining three evenings during our sailing, we had dinner in the Main Dining Room. We enjoyed our meals and the service was great! 

The final evening, we witnessed quite the send-off party with waiters dancing around the tables Greek style!

Some even jumped on the table and chairs to dance. It was an absolute riot with everyone in the dining room joining in the fun! I loved seeing the waiters letting loose and having fun as well.

On the other hand, the Windjammer buffet was less impressive

It was strange to me that the Windjammer buffet was located at the front of the ship. The venue was covered with glass, even on the ceiling. While this gave nice views of the sea, the buffet always felt stuffy. We couldn’t sit in there too long without being uncomfortably hot. 

My sister said most of the things she tried in the Windjammer tasted a bit bland, while I had better luck with my selections. Breakfast was better than lunch, at least in our experience. There were plenty of options to choose from, and we never had an issue finding a table. 

In general, the Windjammer was a hit or miss. Normally, I don’t have any issues with the Windjammer onboard Royal Caribbean, but it did feel more inconsistent on Grandeur of the Seas. My sister also agreed that her food seemed bland in comparison to her other cruises. 

The Solarium onboard also featured another complimentary dining option: Park Cafe

I was surprised to see a Park Cafe onboard Grandeur of the Seas, which was located in the corner of the adults-only Solarium. This is where you could grab a snack during off-hours when the Windjammer is closed; for example, between 3pm and 6pm, this is one of the only places to grab food.

Park Cafe was bigger than a typical Solarium Cafe. There were options for soups, sandwiches, pizza and dessert. There was also a dedicated salad bar! Since Grandeur of the Seas does not have Royal Caribbean’s signature Sorrento’s, this was the only place to come get complimentary pizza. 

We grabbed snacks here a few times during our cruise - and everything tasted great! The pizza was nothing to get excited about, but it tasted good. 

When it comes to entertainment, Grandeur of the Seas had simple production shows and activities

Some of Royal Caribbean’s bigger ships have Broadway-style productions, high diving shows and ice skating spectacles. However, you won’t find anything of the like on Grandeur of the Seas.

Instead, everything is relatively simple onboard for entertainment. Each evening, you can find one production in the Palladium theatre. During our sailing, this consisted of a comedy show, an impersonator and a show called Broadway Rhythm and Rhyme. Some shows only had one time, so we were unable to attend one evening because of our dinner time. 

Activities during the day were also limited to trivia, adult coloring, a belly flop contest, volleyball and the sexiest man competition. In the evening, you could attend events like karaoke and game shows. There was also live music around the ship, along with big themed parties in the evenings - like Hush Disco and the 70s party.

We found that the activities were busy, but might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Since the cruise ship had little to do for kids and teens, it seemed like many kids joined into the adult competitions. This could be avoided with activities that were specially designated for adults versus families. 

Considering Grandeur of the Seas only has one main pool available for kids and a rock climbing wall, this ship would not be suitable for children. This is likely why we did not see many kids onboard, as I would guess many would be bored. I’d suggest a Voyager class ship or newer if you want to bring your kids onboard and be confident that they would have enough to do to keep busy.

Regardless, my sister and I had a good time each evening with the entertainment. Nothing wowed us, but we never felt bored. 

Our sailing was packed with bachelorette parties, family reunions and large groups traveling together - and the bars could not keep up

Everyone worries about spring break partiers, but I don’t see many people mention bachelorette and bachelor parties on cruises! During this sailing, we saw tons of people celebrating a bride or groom onboard. This is likely because our sailing was cheap and short, along with the fact that many people get married in the fall.

Because of this, our sailing was one big party! The bars were constantly packed, so much so that I often didn’t want to wait in line to get a drink. Grandeur of the Seas only has a few bars, including the pool bar, Solarium bar and Schooner bar. At any given hour of the day, these were packed.

We also noticed tables of empty drink cups during our cruise. It was as if one person set down their empty drink glass and then everyone followed, although this area was not a place for empty cups. I think the staff had a hard time keeping up with all of the drinking. 

I have never seen the bars be so consistently busy. I think with so many groups traveling together, many people purchased the drink package. The bartenders were doing their best to keep up - and my liver probably thanks me for not having too much to drink!

Overall, Grandeur of the Seas exceeded my expectations and I wouldn’t hesitate to sail onboard again

Because my expectations were low, I was anticipating the ship to be rusty and worn down. I am pleased to say that the ship exceeded my expectations! 

We found the ship to be in relatively good condition for being 26 years old. The service onboard was also fantastic, and we also liked the food and entertainment. It almost felt like we were looking for things to be wrong so we could see what the negative reviews were stating. 

The internet was more reliable than expected - Grandeur of the Seas is even outfitted with Starlink. We were able to stream and FaceTime without issue, even in our cabin. I wouldn’t be concerned trying to get some work done if needed onboard. 

After this experience, I truly would not hesitate to book another sailing onboard Grandeur of the Seas or any other Vision class ship. Sailing on a smaller ship had its perks, such as fewer crowds and easy access to everything onboard. You were never too far away from your cabin or the destination you were heading.

We spent most of our downtime in the Solarium relaxing on the loungers. We never had an issue finding an empty chair, which is very different than Royal Caribbean's bigger ships. In general, Grandeur of the Seas never felt too crowded and most places onboard felt spacious. It was a nice change to not feel cramped, which is often a complaint of the bigger, mega cruise ships.

However, I wouldn’t want to sail on Grandeur of the Seas with too many sea days. There is not much to do onboard and I would probably get a little bored after too much time on the ship. If there was a port-intensive itinerary where the destination was the focus of the cruise, I would be totally comfortable sailing onboard Grandeur of the Seas. 

Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are two of the biggest and most popular cruise lines in the world. Each cruise line has a lot to offer when it comes to dining, entertainment, amenities, attractions and the overall onboard experience. 

Carnival is known for having the 'most fun ships at sea', while Royal Caribbean aims to provide unparalleled entertainment and onboard thrills for the whole family.

Comparatively, Royal Caribbean is also known for being more innovative with its ship design and infrastructure, with Carnival only now just building more advanced cruise ships with its Excel-class. 

Both cruise lines, however, aim to be an affordable vacation option for the whole family. Itineraries are offered around the world, although Royal Caribbean has a more international presence. On the other hand, Carnival focuses on attracting domestic cruisers within driving distance to its U.S. ports across the country.

But which cruise line is the best? 

Of course, this is a subjective question, as everyone has their own preferred cruise line that best fits their budget and travel style. And let’s be honest - there are things to love and hate about every cruise line. 

A recent post on Reddit asked users the following question: Why do you prefer Royal Caribbean over Carnival? 

Many provided insight into why they prefer cruising with Royal Caribbean instead of Carnival Cruise Line - and the responses were quite interesting. As someone who has cruised with Carnival a few times in the last year, I found these responses to mostly align with my own perspective of comparing the two cruise lines. But, I continue to be loyal to Royal Caribbean, as I have been sailing with the cruise line since I was 10 years old.

Here’s why fans say they prefer Royal Caribbean over Carnival Cruise Line.

First, many seem to prefer the more relaxing environment on Royal Caribbean compared to Carnival’s non-stop party atmosphere. 

When Carnival says it has the most fun ships at sea, they are not joking; Carnival takes fun very seriously. The parties really do not stop from the minute you step onboard a Carnival ship! Until last year, I hadn’t sailed with Carnival since my college spring break days. After a few days onboard, we concluded that Carnival has crazier parties, louder music and more drinks flowing more than Royal Caribbean. 

When asked why cruisers prefer Royal Caribbean, one user responded, “We went on one Carnival cruise, and never again, it's the party boat."

“In my humble opinion, Carnival is the cruise line for people who like to party. And I don't like to party, at all," shared one cruiser.

“Carnival’s reputation is a 'party cruise' and tends to have rowdier crowds," another person agreed.

Many people echoed this sentiment, agreeing the party-like atmosphere onboard Carnival simply does not align with their cruising style. In fact, this was one of the biggest things that surprised me about my recent Carnival cruises - the parties are truly on another level.

Because Carnival’s branding centers heavily around fun, it’s also integrated into every aspect of the cruising experience. This was another difference that really stood out on my recent Carnival cruise. The word ‘fun’ is literally plastered everywhere: the entertainment team is called the ‘Fun Squad’, the shops are called the Fun Shops, and every announcement seemed to have the word 'fun' it as well.

One user responded, “Also the never ending announcements on Carnival that tries to send subliminal messages that you’re having fun are really annoying. ‘Don’t forget the sale in the fun shop’, ‘hope you have an amazing day on this fun ship’, ‘check out the fun times’, fun fun fun….”

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing - if you’re someone who loves to let loose for your vacation, Carnival is a great fit for having fun. Those who prefer a bit slower pace on vacation will probably enjoy Royal Caribbean’s experience more.

Another common response included Carnival’s ship design compared to Royal Caribbean’s innovative, well-designed cruise ships. 

As mentioned earlier, Royal Caribbean is known for its innovative, forward-thinking ship designs. Especially in the last two decades, Royal Caribbean has been building cruise ships that have revolutionized the cruise industry. The cruise line has held the title for biggest cruise ship in the world for nearly twenty years since the construction of Freedom of the Seas. 

Until recently, it was apparent that Carnival was not focused on advancing its ship design or innovation. Each ship class that Carnival debuted had very similar deck plans and infrastructure, rarely showcasing something new or revolutionary. The new Excel-class ship has upped Carnival’s game with new technology and ship design, which was long overdue for Carnival to stay competitive in an industry thriving on mega cruise ships. 

The top response on the Reddit forum came from one user sharing that they prefer Royal Caribbean’s ship design over Carnival. The user shared, “The ship layouts and finishes. Anywhere on Royal ships feel like you're on vacation. On Carnival ships, many public areas and hallways feel unfinished and very mechanical.”

One user responded and agreed with this take on Carnival’s ship design, writing, “Hard agree on #1. Went on a carnival cruise in June 2019 and it’s odd how they don’t really have a central promenade, and how most of the walkways are on the sides of the boat. Makes everything feel secluded."

“While I was on an older ship (the Carnival Sunshine) I feel that Royal's ship designers are just a step above. The layout of the Sunshine was not the most intuitive, and some areas turned into a serious traffic jam," shared another user. 

In the forum, one Reddit expanded on their preference of Royal Caribbean’s ship design, saying, “Royal's ship design, in my honest opinion, was a lot better for a long time (flow of people around the ship, etc.), although I think Carnival's newest ships have caught up a fair bit.”

Based on my own Carnival experiences, I agree strongly with this comparison. Royal Caribbean’s ships have always felt thoughtfully designed - and it’s only improved over time. When I sailed on Carnival Ecstasy last summer (the oldest ship in Carnival’s fleet at the time), my sister and I were shocked at how difficult it was to navigate.

This relatively small cruise ship seemed to have too many bottlenecks and dead-ends. We continually found ourselves lost in crowded spaces. But, Carnival’s newest ships in the Excel-class feature modern design with better passenger flow. 

The dining experience between Royal Caribbean and Carnival appeared to be more of a hot topic, with some preferring Carnival’s quick service options. 

When it comes to comparing Royal Caribbean and Carnival, dining was a very common response. While many shared that they prefer Royal Caribbean’s food quality and service, quite a few shared they actually enjoy Carnival’s quick service venues more than Royal Caribbean’s options. 

One user responded, “Food was of lower quality on Carnival - and I’m not a picky foodie so if I noticed, then that doesn’t bode well” while another shared, “I prefer RC for a more relaxing atmosphere, and I honestly prefer their food as well”.

“Dining experience in MDR is worlds better on Royal. Customer service is also better on Royal," shared another person.

However, many of the responses heavily favored Carnival’s casual dining options onboard, such as Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina and Shaq’s Big Chicken. “I do like the carnival food (guys burger joint is crazy good), but Carnival seems a lot cornier and appeals to quick laughs” said one respondent. This prompted multiple responses from others in agreement.

Another user agreed, saying, “True. Guy’s is great and I’ve heard good things about Shaq’s chicken place. So carnival has some bright spots casual food-wise that Royal doesn’t really match with the hotdog place and Johnny Rockets. I’m hopeful Royal will adopt some of that kind of feel with what they’re doing with the food court section on Icon.”

“I really enjoy the Carnival ships, shows, and food…the food is better in every category except the buffet. That being said, my whole family prefers RCL over Carnival (and even Disney) because of the better activities on the ship and entertainment" said another cruiser. 

On my Carnival cruises last year, this was the biggest takeaway from my experience as well. Even on Carnival’s oldest ship, we had multiple places to grab a quick bite, such as Guy’s Burger Joint. We appreciated having so many options for dining other than the traditional buffet. 

I do wish Royal Caribbean would incorporate more casual eatery options, especially during refurbishment of older ships, to expand complimentary dining options. I also agree that Royal Caribbean could improve the quality of their casual dining to compete with Carnival’s quick service options. 

Many cruisers found Royal Caribbean’s renowned entertainment to be better in comparison to Carnival. 

Entertainment is another crucial pillar to the overall cruising experience. Royal Caribbean has some of the most unique entertainment options in the industry, with ice skating performances, diving and swimming productions and even Broadway musicals.

In comparison, Carnival’s entertainment centers around nightly comedy shows, interactive game shows and easy-to-watch productions with singers and dancers. The cruise line’s newest ships do feature more advanced entertainment with impressive acrobatics and aerialists. 

“I definitely prefer the entertainment and common areas” while another agreed, “The shows are way better on Royal Caribbean," said one cruiser who responded on Reddit. 

One user expanded, “I was recently on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, and the refinement and amenities remain undefeated - the promenade, entertainment, and bars are so much more well done, even on the Voyager/Freedom class ships. Carnival’s ships (aside from Vista/Destiny/Excel class) don’t hold a candle to Royal.”

While sailing on Carnival Ecstasy, my sister and I attended the nightly production shows. While we enjoyed the Punchliner Comedy club, we were less than impressed with Carnival’s other shows in the theatre. It did feel almost like a high school production, which was likely due to the theatre's small size. 

“Royal Caribbean definitely has an advantage when it comes to onboard activities and entertainment. For one, Royal Caribbean has a real theater while Carnival’s felt like a glorified high school cafeteria, with the seats that you typically find at a banquet hall, like a step up from a folding chair," said one respondent. 

Finally, multiple fans mentioned preferring Royal Caribbean’s itineraries in comparison to Carnival’s destinations. 

Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line have a global presence, although both cruise lines have different approaches to their itineraries offered. When it comes to international itineraries, Royal Caribbean offers way more destinations in Europe, Asia and Australia compared to Carnival. 

Because Carnival is focused on offering the most affordable cruise fares, the cruise line aims to be within driving distance for most Americans. This helps keep vacation costs down without needing to fly to your cruise port. With this approach, Carnival does not have many international sailings; instead, you will find many Caribbean and Mexico sailings. Occasionally, you can find a European sailing if one of Carnival’s ships needs to dry dock across the pond, but not much else. 

“I’m very itinerary/departure port driven. I picked Royal for my first cruise because of the itinerary - I was looking for a Baltic cruise on specific dates and needed an accessible cabin for my mother. Royal met those criteria. I was happy with the product and took several more," said one Royal Caribbean fan. 

“When we were first researching cruises, we found that both RC and Carnival operated out of Baltimore, less than an hour from where we live. At the time Royal offered 4 different itineraries out of Baltimore and Carnival offered 2. And since then we’ve stuck with Royal even though we have cruising out of other ports (in Florida and Europe) due to the loyalty program," said another fan. 

This is one of the reasons that I’ve remained loyal to Royal Caribbean over many years as well. I started sailing with the cruise line at a young age, but continued to cruise with Royal Caribbean because I love their unique itineraries. I’m also a destination-focused cruiser and I’ve loved my sailing across Europe and Asia with Royal Caribbean. 

On the other hand, Carnival has limited itineraries outside of North America. Unless you sail on a limited series of exotic sailings called Carnival Journeys, you’ll mostly find Caribbean itineraries and plenty of weekend getaway itineraries. These are the exact sailings that are perfect for bachelorette parties and spring breakers, adding to the party atmosphere.

At the end of the day, everyone has a preference for the cruise line that best fits their budget, travel style and cruising vibe. Some might enjoy the upbeat, party-style of Carnival while others appreciate a more upscale vibe on Royal Caribbean. 

If you’re in the market for a new travel credit card, you might be considering applying for the Royal Caribbean credit card. The Visa Signature credit card is offered from Bank of America and aimed at Royal Caribbean's most loyal cruisers.

Choosing the right travel credit card can be daunting. There are tons of options out there, each with their own pros and cons. Some have huge annual fees with a slew of benefits while others cost you nothing with $0 annual fees. 

But, if you aren’t careful about choosing a credit card that fits your travel needs (and budget), you risk not get your money’s worth. On the other hand, having a travel card that aligns with your spending and redemption preferences can be very rewarding and save you money over time.

The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card is aimed at loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers who vacation with the cruise line multiple times a year. With no annual fee and the potential to unlock some decent benefits at sea with Royal Caribbean, it might seem like a good fit for you.

But, even the most loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers could find the redemption options to be limited. Honestly, the benefits from this no-annual-fee credit card are lackluster, at best.

Here is what you need to know about the credit card, along with some pros and cons that could make the Royal Caribbean credit card right (or wrong) for you.

The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees

One of the biggest advantages to having the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card is that you won’t be paying an annual fee. When you have an annual fee on a credit card, you want to ensure you are getting your money’s worth each year with the benefits offered. 

With the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card, you won’t need to justify the card's cost. Anything you redeem from the card can be worthwhile from this perspective. 

Another advantage for the Royal Caribbean credit card is the fact that it has no foreign transaction fees. If you travel internationally, it’s important to have a credit card that does not charge you for foreign transaction fees. Without this, you will be paying a small fee on every foreign purchase - and it can add up on international travels. 

Having a Visa credit card is also recommended for international travel, as American Express and Discover credit cards are not as widely accepted outside of the United States. Visa is the most commonly accepted credit card around the world, along with MasterCard. So, this is considered a pro for the credit card. 

With the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature, you’ll earn reward points called MyCruise points

When it comes to everyday spending, you’ll earn the following rates with qualifying purchases:

• For every $1 spent on Royal Caribbean or sister-brand Celebrity Cruises, you’ll earn 2 MyCruise points
• For every $1 on all other purchases, you’ll earn 1 MyCruise point

For example, if you spend $2,000 on a Royal Caribbean or Celebrity cruise, you will earn 4,000 MyCruise points. If you are not spending frequently with either cruise line, it will take you much longer to accrue enough points for a worthwhile reward. 

Generally speaking, this is not a great earning structure for a travel credit card. Unless you spend a good chunk of change with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises exclusively, you’ll pretty much be earning 1 point per $1 spent. 

Currently, Royal Caribbean is offering a sign-up bonus of 25,000 MyCruise points and a $50 Air2Sea discount for new cardholders

As with most credit cards, you’ll earn a sign-up bonus if you reach a minimum spending threshold within the first few months of having your new credit card.

Royal Caribbean is currently advertising a sign-up bonus of 25,000 MyCruise points after spending $1,000 or more on purchases within 90 days of opening your new account. This is considered a limited time online offer, so you will want to act fast if you are thinking of signing up for Royal Caribbean’s credit card. 

Those with an upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise could benefit from this the most, as the 25,000 bonus points can be redeemed for $250 onboard credit, stateroom upgrades and more, according to the cruise line’s website. You’ll want to make sure you can spend $1,000 on the new card to earn the points before planning to redeem for your cruise. 

The typical welcome offer is 10,000 MyCruise points, although you only need to make one qualifying purchase within 90 days to earn these bonus points. Therefore, it is a better time than most to open the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card. 

You’ll also receive a $50 discount on Royal Caribbean’s Air2Sea program, but this is only redeemable after you’ve spent $3,500 in card purchases within 90 days of opening the credit card.  

Rewards for MyCruise points can be used for onboard credit, stateroom upgrades, companion fares, cruise discounts and more

Generally speaking, you can redeem your MyCruise points at a rate of 1 cent for every 1 point; however, there are some redemption offers that will earn closer to 2 cents for every 1 point. The more points you earn, the more options you have to get the most bang for your buck. 

If you earn the sign-up bonus of 25,000 MyCruise points, you can redeem these onboard your Royal Caribbean cruise for $250. As you earn more points, you can redeem more lucrative benefits. 

Redemption for rewards start at 1,000 MyCruise points, in which you can donate the equivalent of $10 to World Wildlife Fund. This is a conservation fund that aims to protect the world’s oceans through sustainability efforts. More lucrative benefits start at 5,000 points, where you can start to request stateroom upgrades for short sailings and onboard credit (valued at $50) and Royal Caribbean robes, supposedly valued at $100. 

Once you earn 75,000+ MyCruise points, you can request upgrades for 7-night sailings or utilize a companion cruise fare (valued up to $1,500 on a 5 to 7-night sailing). You can also request an upgrade on a 7-night European sailings (valued at $800) or a 7-night Alaska cruise ($1,200 value) for 75,000 points. These are all earning more than 1 cent per 1 MyCruise point, so any of these redemptions would be a solid use of your MyCruise points. 

MyCruise points can only be redeemed with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises with little flexibility

One of the biggest downsides to the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card is that you have little flexibility for redeeming your MyCruise points. 

To start, MyCruise points need to be redeemed at least 7 business days prior to boarding your cruise for the rewards to be applied. Should you forget to redeem your points prior to your embarkation, then you are out of luck, unfortunately.

Another limitation is that you can only earn a maximum of 540,000 MyCruise points. This is worth around $5,400 for most redemption options; while still a sizable amount, most travel credit cards do not cap your earning potential. 

Finally, you should know that MyCruise points expire after five years. Again, this is fairly uncommon for travel cards. Most common travel credit cards do not accrue points that expire.

Royal Caribbean’s Visa Signature card has a high APR, with no introductory rate, so carrying balances on your card can be expensive

Of course, it’s best to pay your statement balance in full each month to avoid interest-rate charges. But, should you carry a balance on your Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card, you’ll be looking at an ongoing APR between 18.24%-28.24% (this is variable, but based on September 2023 rates). 

In general, this APR is higher than the average interest-rate charges that you will find for credit cards that incur interest. So, this is something to heavily consider if you plan to carry a balance.

Compared to other credit cards, Investopedia rates the Royal Caribbean Signature Visa an overall score of 2.9 out of 5 stars

Investopedia reviewed the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card and the card earned a lackluster score of 2.9/5 overall.

This score is based on low point-earning potential (only 1x points on non-Royal Caribbean purchases), high APR, limited redemption choices and minimal benefits. But, the card earned praise for having no annual fee and providing a decent sign-up bonus, currently worth $250. 

The general consensus of the review found that you’d need to be frequently spending money with Royal Caribbean to make the card worthwhile because the most lucrative redemption options come from the higher point tiers. You’ll need to be spending a big chunk of change with Royal Caribbean - likely near $37,500 - to start earning the best redemption options. For example, companion fares only appear as a reward options once you've earned 75,000 MyCruise points.  

However, the sign-up bonus right now with 25,000 bonus MyCruise points could help you get to those higher thresholds quicker. 

All other purchases only earn 1 MyCruise point per $1 spent, which is likely not worthwhile compared to other travel credit cards out there. You are also capped at 540,000 MyCruise points and points expire after 5 years. 

Reviews are mixed on whether the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card is worth it, according to our site’s readers

Here on RoyalCaribbeanBlog, some of our readers have posed the question to others about whether the Royal Caribbean credit card is a good choice. As with most financial decisions, the credit card is a better fit for some than others. 

User Steverk asked “Royal Caribbean credit card… Is it a good deal?”

As you can imagine, he received a myriad of responses from many who have the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card and those who prefer other cards. One response from smokeybandit said, “RC's card is probably one of the worst out there for accumulating points.”

However, another user, waaaytooo, responded, “We just cashed in $1650 in OBC (and there is still $300 more for another cruise to use later) for our upcoming cruise.  For our strategy of accumulating points for onboard credit, this card is great.”

Another interesting response was from Adam Brian Dada, who claims that he prefers the card for one simple reason: redeeming points for onboard credit. If he needs to reprice an excursion or drink package, the onboard credit is available immediately compared to waiting for credit card refunds.

One user, Peter D, says he has the Royal Caribbean credit card but barely uses it. He shares, "I have the BofA Royal Caribbean card, but rarely use it, even for RCL travel.  It might be worth getting it for the first bonus points, but the card does not really have many other good perks.”

While some have found the Royal Caribbean credit card valuable, others find other credit cards more worthwhile.  

You’ll need to weigh the pros and cons of the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature is worthwhile for you

The Royal Caribbean Visa Signature credit card could be most valuable for those who cruise often - and exclusively - with Royal Caribbean. This is the only time you earn 2x points with the Royal Caribbean credit card, so it’s your best bet for earning MyCruise points and rewards.

Generally speaking, you can probably find a better travel credit that fits not only your travel spending, but also everyday purchases. 

Having no annual fee makes the decision a little easier, as you won’t need to evaluate whether the benefits are worth the cost of the card. The current sign-on bonus promotion is also a nice perk, although RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers have reported seeing higher welcome bonuses onboard cruises. 

You’ll need to do a lot of spending though with Royal Caribbean to earn enough points to redeem the most lucrative benefits. For example, you need at least 75,000 points to earn a companion fare (or BOGO cruise, essentially).

However, the card’s major downfall is earning just 1 point per $1 spend on all other purchases. You are probably better off pursuing a different credit card that rewards you for also making purchases at restaurants, grocery stores and general travel expenses. 

One example is the Wells Fargo Autograph Visa credit card, which has no annual fee, and you’ll earn 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas, transit, streaming services, and even your cell phone plan. Points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards and statement credits. You also receive some other benefits, such as cell phone protection. Roadside dispatch, travel service assistance and auto rental collision damage waiver. 

If you are willing to pay for an annual fee, you have some great travel credit card options to consider

Even a small annual fee on a credit card can unlock better benefits and higher earning potential with points and rewards. These credit cards also earn more points for everyday purchases, allowing you to earn more points than you’d receive with the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature card.  

One of the best travel credit cards out there continues to be the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. This card only has an annual fee of $95, but you’ll earn 60,000 bonus sign-up points when applying - this is worth $750 when redeemed through the Chase travel portal. You earn 2x points on travel, 3x points on dining, 3x points on streaming services. Even better, you get basic built-in travel insurance for things like trip cancellations, baggage delays and trip delays.

At a slightly higher fee, you could also consider the American Express Green Card with an annual fee of $150. You’ll earn 3x points on all travel, transit and restaurants. Currently, the card has a 40,000 sign-up bonus for new cardholders, which is valued around $600 when redeemed for travel. Similar to the Chase Preferred, you also receive basic, built-in travel insurance for trip delays, baggage insurance and rental car loss/damage insurance.

Of course, these are just two popular travel credit cards. There are hundreds of options available, so it’s important to understand where you spend your money most and how you prefer to earn and redeem your points.