The Port of Galveston has evolved from an industrial port to become one of the busiest cruise ports in the United States, offering year-round sailings to the Caribbean.

With Royal Caribbean's opening of a brand new $125 million cruise terminal, the popularity of a cruise from Texas has never been more popular. The new terminal can handle the biggest cruise ships in the world, as well as expedite the embarkation and disembarkation process.

A cruise from Galveston will likely take you around the Western Caribbean, with stops in destinations such as Cozumel, Mexico; Progreso, Mexico; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Roatan, Honduras.

On top of that, Royal Caribbean is planning a new private beach club to open in Cozumel to open sometime in 2026.

Here's everything you need to know about planning a cruise from Galveston, from booking flights and hotels to arriving at the port.

In this guide:

• Where is the Port of Galveston?
• Which airport should I fly into for a cruise from Galveston?
• How to get from the airport to the Port of Galveston
• What time should I schedule my return flight after the cruise?
• Parking at the Port of Galveston
• Where to stay the night before your cruise
• Which Royal Caribbean ships sail from Galveston?

Where is the Port of Galveston?

Royal Caribbean’s ships operate out of Terminal 10 and is located at 1028 Harborside Dr, Galveston, TX 77550.

Which airport should I fly into for a cruise from Galveston?

Passengers arriving by plane to board a cruise in Galveston will fly into one of two Houston airports: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) or William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

IAH is the busiest airport in Houston, serving all major US airlines, and you’ll often find competitive pricing when flying into IAH.

It is the second-largest hub for United Airlines, meaning there are nonstop flights from nearly every major US city and over 70 international destinations.

William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)

HOU is the smaller of Houston’s airports, but it’s more convenient as it’s located only 7 miles from downtown Houston.

Houston Hobby is primarily served by Southwest Airlines. The vast majority of flights to Houston Hobby will be on Southwest, so if you live near a Southwest hub, you’re likely to find well-priced, nonstop flights to HOU.

Houston Hobby is located closer to the Port of Galveston, so we recommend searching for flights into this airport first. If prices are significantly higher or there are fewer direct options, however, flying into IAH would be the best option.

How to get from the airport to the Port of Galveston

Once you’ve booked a flight to Houston, your next task is figuring out how you’ll travel from the airport to port.

Unfortunately, the airports are located 40 miles (HOU) and 70 miles (IAH) from the Port of Galveston, so getting from the airport to port is not as convenient in Galveston compared to other ports like Miami or Fort Lauderdale.

That being said, there are several recommended ways to reach the port from the airport:

Rideshare service

The most convenient way to reach the Port of Galveston from a Houston airport is through a rideshare service like Lyft.

Lyft is the exclusive rideshare company at the Galveston terminal, so you cannot use Uber.

This option is best for those traveling with larger groups, as the cost of the Lyft is per vehicle and not per person like many shuttle services. Most Lyfts should be able to fit four passengers in addition to the driver. This brings the travel cost per passenger down significantly when compared to booking a shuttle service.

Expect to pay between $50-60 one-way when traveling from Houston Hobby airport to the Port of Galveston and $90-100 one-way when traveling from George Bush Intercontinental airport to the port. Tipping the driver is standard practice.

If you are traveling with large suitcases or have more than four passengers, you’ll want to book a Lyft XL. These are larger vehicles that can better accommodate luggage and higher numbers of passengers. The cost will be a bit higher for this service than a regular-sized vehicle.

Taxi service

Taxi service is also available from both airports in Houston, but the price of a taxi will likely be higher than what you will pay for a rideshare service. Expect to pay at least $125+ one-way from IAH airport and $75+ from HOU airport.

Because the prices of taxis are higher, we recommend using a rideshare service first.

Booking shuttles through Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean offers a shuttle service to and from both the George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports, and this can be one of the most convenient options for travelers.

Royal Caribbean’s round trip shuttle service pricing varies by airport and is priced per person. 

• George Bush Intercontinental: $80 roundtrip
• William P. Hobby: $64 roundtrip

Note: These were the prices I was given for a tentative sailing in October 2022, although prices are subject to change. For the most up to date pricing, contact your travel agent or Royal Caribbean’s Air2Sea program.

When traveling with one or two guests, a shuttle service can make sense, but the price can get high when traveling with 3, 4, 5, or more guests. In this scenario, booking a rideshare or taxi service usually has a better price-per-person ratio.

Independent shuttle companies

While booking through the cruise line can be convenient, you’ll find a better shuttle price through independently operated shuttle companies in Galveston.

Several companies offer shuttle service to and from both the IAH and HOU airports:

Galveston Express offers shuttles priced at $60-65 roundtrip from HOU airport and $70-75 roundtrip from IAH airport.

Galveston Limousine offers the lowest prices, at $50 roundtrip from HOU airport and $60 roundtrip from IAH airport.

Island Breeze Shuttle does pricing a bit differently than their competitors. They price their shuttle at $150 roundtrip from HOU airport and $190 roundtrip from IAH, but the pricing is for 2 passengers.

The 3rd and 4th passenger from HOU airport cost $60 and $30, respectively, and the 3rd and 4th passenger from IAH airport cost $85 and $50. Group rates are also available.

Should I rent a car to get to the Port of Galveston?

Some passengers may look into renting a car from the airport in Houston and driving to the Port of Galveston themselves.

However, this is typically not going to be the most convenient nor cost effective option, especially if you’re unable to secure a one-way car rental and have to pay to park the car for a week.

It can’t hurt to check pricing and availability, though, especially if you’re traveling with a large family and would prefer having a private vehicle. It can also be a nice option if you plan to explore more of the Galveston or Houston areas before or after your cruise.

What time should I schedule my return flight after the cruise?

Because Houston’s airports are located 40-70 miles from the Port of Galveston, it’s important to budget enough time to disembark the cruise ship, travel to Houston, check-in for your flight, and go through security.

Even if your cruise itinerary says you will arrive at the Port of Galveston at 6 or 7 in the morning on disembarkation day, you may not disembark until 7:30-9AM.

Following disembarkation, you’ll need to catch a rideshare/taxi service or board a shuttle bus to the airport. Factoring in traffic and any potential delays, it might take longer than you anticipate to travel from the cruise ship to the airport.

Therefore, the earliest we recommend booking a flight home from Galveston/Houston is 1PM or later on disembarkation day.

Parking at the Port of Galveston

If you live within driving distance of Galveston and plan to drive to the port yourself, you’ll find many parking options for the duration of the cruise. Here are some of the most convenient and/or best priced options.

Port of Galveston (official parking)

The Port of Galveston offers official parking at Terminal 10, Royal Caribbean’s new cruise terminal in Galveston. Parking can be booked in advance directly from the Port of Galveston’s website.

There are three lots at Cruise Terminal 3: the North Lot, South Lot, and Pier 14 Lot. There are shuttle services offered as well.

The price per day is $22 to $25.

Independently-owned parking lots

There are several independently owned and operated parking lots near the Port of Galveston. All of these lots, however, are located near the original cruise terminals and not Royal Caribbean’s new Galveston terminal.

Most of these parking lots will be about a 7-10 minute drive from the port (or a 30 minute walk). Because Royal Caribbean’s terminal is brand new, it’s best to call the parking companies to check whether or not they will provide shuttles from the lot to Cruise Terminal 3.

Independently owned lots typically offer nice savings when compared to the port’s official parking lots, although prices may be subject to change with the distance required to reach Royal Caribbean’s new cruise terminal.

Here are a few of the best rated places to park near the Port of Galveston:

• EZ Cruise Parking
• Galveston Park N Cruise
• Falstaff Cruise Parking
• Discount Cruise Parking

Where to stay the night before your cruise

We always recommend arriving at the cruise port the day before your cruise begins. Unexpected delays and airline cancellations are all too common, so planning to arrive a day ahead of time gives you more wiggle room in case of any mishaps.

Related: Why you shouldn't fly to your cruise the same day it begins

If you arrive in Houston late at night, your best bet is to stay near the airport and catch a shuttle or rideshare service to Galveston the following morning. Be sure to still allow yourself plenty of time to travel between Houston and Galveston in case of traffic or other delays.

If you arrive earlier in the day, however, we recommend traveling to Galveston the day before your cruise and spending the night there instead. This ensures you are already at the cruise port and will not have to travel the morning of your cruise.

Several Royal Caribbean Blog readers have shared their best hotel recommendations in our message boards:

• Baymont by Wyndham Galveston
• Springhill Suites by Marriott Galveston Island
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Galveston Beach

Which Royal Caribbean ships sail from Galveston?

Harmony of the Seas

Once Allure heads back to Florida in fall 2023, Harmony of the Seas will come to Galveston to offer 7-night Western Caribbean cruises visiting Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel.

Mariner of the Seas

Mariner offers primarily 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston that visit ports in Mexico. There's also a few holiday cruises in December that are 7-nights for Mariner.

With Mariner of the Seas making short sailings to the Western Caribbean from Galveston, it's also convenient for those who live nearby and don't want to have to pay for airfare.

5-night cruises will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, while 4-night voyages will only visit Cozumel. 

Allure of the Seas

Allure of the Seas will return to Galveston after a stint in Florida making longer voyages to the Caribbean following her Royal Amplification in early 2025. 

Allure of the Seas will offer primarily 7-night Western Caribbean cruises visiting Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel.

Jewel of the Seas

Beginning in Fall 2024, Jewel of the Seas will call Texas her home.

Between November 2024 and March 2025, Jewel will offer Western and Southern Caribbean itineraries. All of the sailings are on the longer end, with cruises ranging between 8- and 11-night cruises.

Not only will these cruises visit Mexico, but there are stops scheduled in Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, and Grand Cayman.

Planning a Royal Caribbean cruise? Start here:

• First-time cruise tips for Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?

The Royal Caribbean customer loyalty program has different levels of rewards for anyone that cruises multiple times with them.

It's called the Crown and Anchor Society, and the more nights you go on a cruise ship, the more points you earn.  With more points, you can reach higher levels.

Some of the most popular perks include priority check-in, onboard discounts, and even complimentary beverages during their cruise. Additionally, members have access to dedicated venues, private cocktail parties onboard the ship, and more.

At the top tier levels, you'll get complimentary drinks every day of your cruise, free photos, internet access, and even a free cruise if you reach the very top tier.

All in all, Crown and Anchor Society provides great incentives for frequent Royal Caribbean passengers who want to take advantage of special offers throughout their cruising experience. It's a great way for guests to be rewarded for their loyalty.

How do I earn points?

You'll earn points for the Crown & Anchor Society loyalty program based on each night of a cruise you sail.  For example, if your cruise is seven nights, you will earn seven Crown and Anchor points.

You can earn more points per night if you stay in a suite, as that will get you two points per night.  Booking a suite for a 7-night cruise would is worth 14 points. Likewise, you will also earn double points by cruising solo in a regular (non-studio) cabin. 

If you happen to be cruising solo and are staying in a suite, then you get 3 points per night of your cruise.  

Points are not rewarded until after you have completed a sailing. This means if you technically reach the next tier of the Crown and Anchor Society on day two of a cruise, your upgraded status will not be recognized until your next cruise.

Crown and Anchor points never expire and the status you earn is good indefinitely.

Joining the Crown and Anchor Society is free and we recommend creating an account prior to your first cruise. If you did not have a Crown and Anchor Society account before your cruise, you can create one and link past sailings from the previous 12 months.

Royal Caribbean status levels

There are six tiers to the Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society program:

• Gold - 3 points
• Platinum - 30 points
• Emerald - 55 points
• Diamond - 80 points
• Diamond Plus - 175 points
• Pinnacle Club - 700 points

There is also the Pre-Gold level, which is where every guest will start on their first Royal Caribbean cruise. As most sailings are 3 nights or longer, the majority of guests will reach Gold status after their first cruise.

Gold

Ranging from 3-29 points, the Gold level is the first official tier of the Crown & Anchor Society program. As a Gold member, you do not receive an extensive list of benefits, but you will receive the following:

• SeaPass card recognition
• Crown and Anchor Exclusive Rates
• 50% off any glass of wine, beer or soda (two coupons per sailing)
• 50% off a Johnny Rockets milkshake (two coupons per sailing, on select ships)
• Access to a private departure lounge with continental breakfast
• 10% discount on any glass of wine, beer or soda (this is separate from the above coupon offer)
• 25% discount on any coffee beverage, excluding Starbucks coffee
• 10% discount on any internet package purchased on board (not combinable with any other internet offer)
• Crown and Anchor Society Desk for membership inquiries
• $2 in Free Play at shipboard casinos
• One free card when buying a bingo package
• 10% discount on any spa service (excluding medi-spa services)
• 10% discount on Royal Caribbean logo products (with a $25 minimum purchase)
• Priority notice on special offers, new ships and itineraries
• Additional cruise points for purchasing suite accommodations and/or single pricing type
• Exclusive email offers
• Crown and Anchor Society Exclusive member newsletter
• Loyalty match with Celebrity Cruises Captain's Club and Silversea Venetian Society

Platinum

From 30-54 points you will be a Platinum member of the Crown and Anchor Society. If you have accumulated this many points, you are likely a seasoned cruiser compared to your Pre-Gold days. Platinum members receive all benefits listed above with the addition of:

• 50% discount on any coffee beverage, excluding Starbucks coffee
• Buy a specialty restaurant dinner and receive one complimentary non-alcoholic specialty coffee beverage, excluding Starbucks
• 15% discount on any internet package purchased on board (not combinable with any other internet offer)
• Exclusive Top Tier Event on 5+ sailings
• $4 in Free Play at shipboard casinos
• 3 free cards when buying a bingo package
• Robes for use onboard
• $5 off $25 dry-clean or press
• $5 discount on $34.99 wash and fold laundry bag on 5+ nights
• 20% discount on a single photo, photo package, or photobook
• 15% discount on any spa service (excluding medi-spa services)
• Discounts on balcony and suite staterooms

Emerald

An Emerald member does not see a substantial increase in onboard and cruise planning benefits compared to the Platinum level. Emerald members, from 55 to 79 points, receive all benefits listed above with the addition of:

• 2 complimentary welcome waters (per adult)
• $6 in Free Play at shipboard casinos
• 6 free cards when buying a bingo package
• 25% discount on a single photo, photo package, or photobook
• Bigger discount on balcony and suite staterooms compared to a Platinum member

If you took eight week-long cruises in a non-suite cabin, you could reach the Emerald level fastest.

Diamond

Becoming a Diamond member is a right of passage for Royal Caribbean cruise fans. Whereas Gold, Platinum, and Emerald all see a few benefits, the Diamond level, from 80 to 174 points, is where you begin to receive benefits that will better impact your cruise vacation.

As a Diamond member, one of the best benefits you receive is access to the Crown Lounge (formerly known as the Diamond Lounge). Reaching 80 points means that you now have access to a completely new area onboard and all of the benefits that come with it, like complimentary food, coffee, and access to the Diamond concierge.

Diamond members receive all benefits listed above with the addition of:

• Milestone recognition
• 20% discount on any glass of wine, beer or soda
• 4 complimentary daily drinks up to $14 (excludes Starbucks, Bionic Bar, and Desserted)
• 1 free day of internet (for 1 device)
• Priority waitlist for Shore Excursions/Vitality Spa services
• Priority waitlist seating request in the Main Dining Room
• Entertainment Tour on 5+ sailings
• Crown Lounge access with nightly happy hour
• $10 discount on $34.99 wash and fold laundry bag on 5+ nights
• Stateroom phone discount rate of $2 per minute
• Chef's Choice gift on 5+ sailings
• 30% discount on a single photo, photo package, or photobook
• 1 free digital or printed photo
• 15% discount on Royal Caribbean logo products (with a $25 minimum purchase)
• 20% discount on any spa service (excluding medi-spa services)
• Signature lapel pin
• Milestone crystal block (beginning at 140 cruise points)
• Bigger discount on balcony and suite staterooms compared to an Emerald member

If you took 12 week-long cruises in a non-suite cabin, you could reach the Diamond level fastest.

Diamond Plus

The jump from Diamond to Diamond Plus in the Crown and Anchor Society is a big milestone. Whereas you can reach the Diamond level after “just” 80 points, reaching Diamond Plus requires more than double that at 175 points.

And once you reach Diamond Plus you will likely stay in this tier for a long time, as Diamond Plus ranges from 175-699 Crown and Anchor points.

Solo cruisers are sure to love the 150% reduction (125% for transatlantic, transpacific, and Panama Canal sailings) in the single supplement charge that occurs at 340 points.

Diamond Plus members receive all benefits listed above with the addition of:

• 25% discount on any glass of wine, beer or soda
• 5 complimentary daily drinks up to $14 (excludes Starbucks, Bionic Bar, and Desserted)
• Purchase a specialty restaurant dinner cover charge during the first or second night of your cruise and enjoy complimentary dining for the second guest
  • Valid for dinner reservations on the first or second night only. Excludes Celebration Table, Chef's Table, Empire Supper Club, Hooked, Izumi, Johnny Rockets, Playmakers, Potside BBQ, and Royal Railway.
• 30% discount on Deluxe Beverage Packages
• 2 free days of internet (for 1 device)
• Personalized Gift/Amenity (per household)
• Exclusive Top Tier Event
• Early access to Royal Theater, ice show, and AquaTheater events
• Cheers with an Officer for members with 340+ cruise points on 7+ nights
• Upgraded bathroom amenities for members with 340+ cruise points
• 3 complimentary welcome waters (per adult)
• One free $34.99 wash and fold bag on 5+ nights
• Bonus gift (per household)
• Complimentary add-on spa treatment (excludes medi-spa services)
• Exclusive access to Diamond Plus & Pinnacle Club call center staff members
• Single supplement cruise fare reduced to 150% from 200% for members that have 340+ cruise points
  • This offer is based on availability with certain restrictions. Ocean Voyage Packages, Holiday sailings (Christmas, New Year's, Thanksgiving, Easter/Spring break) and the peak summer months of June 15 through August 15 are not included in this offer.
• Bigger discount on balcony and suite staterooms compared to a Diamond member

Pinnacle Club

The most coveted tier of the Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society is the Pinnacle Club. Making up only a very small percentage of C&A members, a whopping 700 points must be earned to reach the Pinnacle Club level.

Reaching Pinnacle is a huge milestone for Royal Caribbean fans. As Royal Caribbean Blog writer Marcy Miyar explained, though, you don’t necessarily have to spend 700 nights on a cruise ship to reach Pinnacle. Booking suites or cruising solo allows you to earn more than one point per night, thus making your pathway to Pinnacle Club a little bit quicker.

Pinnacle Club members receive the very best benefits of all, including what's been listed above with the addition of:

• 6 complimentary daily drinks up to $14 (excludes Starbucks, Bionic Bar, and Desserted)
• 40% discount on Deluxe Beverage Packages
• Coastal Kitchen access (varies by ship)
• Suite/Concierge Lounge access
• Flexible arrival
• $25 off specialty dining on 5+ nights (Oasis and Quantum Class ships only and excludes the same specialty restaurants as mentioned above)
• Free unlimited internet for 1 device
• Personalized lapel pin for Pinnacle Club
• Daily breakfast at a specialty restaurant
• Milestone cruise certificate valued at the prevailing rate of a 7-night balcony stateroom for 700 and 1,050 cruise points
• Milestone cruise certificate valued at the prevailing rate of a Junior Suite stateroom for 1,400 and every 350 cruise points thereafter
• Bigger discount on Balcony & Suite staterooms compared to a Diamond Plus member

Member Benefits for Youth & Companions

Your kids can get the same loyalty perks as you up until they turn 18.

Family members in the same household of a Crown and Anchor Society member can be added into a relationship with the member and receive equal tier status. Points listed in the family member’s account will be according to the amount of cruises that individual has taken. However, they will still receive all benefits of the tier level they earned as someone in the household of a Crown and Anchor Society member.

For example, if you are a Diamond Plus member, your kids will automatically be Diamond Plus members as well after their first cruise, even if their own Crown and Anchor Society account only has a few points. 

The only exception to this rule is with the Pinnacle Club. Dependents are not able to receive Pinnacle Club status from their parents or guardians and must achieve that milestone themselves. Spouses and domestic partners are able to reach Pinnacle status through their partners.

Other benefits for youth members of the Crown and Anchor Society include:

• 50% off one scoop of ice cream at the ice cream parlor (on select ships)
• Internet discounts equal to parents' benefit
• Buy 1 movie rental in your stateroom and receive the second free
• Spend $15 in arcade credits to get $5 off your onboard expense account, or spend $50 in arcade credits to get $25 off
• Complimentary daily non-alcoholic drinks up to $14 (excludes Starbucks and Desserted)
  • 4 for Diamond, 5 for Diamond Plus, 6 for Pinnacle

Recent Policy Changes

Since the restart of cruises in 2021, Royal Caribbean has added enhancements and temporary adjustments to the Crown and Anchor Society benefits. These benefits include:

• Flexible arrival for Pinnacle Club and Suite guests, allowing early check-in at the terminal
• Pinnacle members are still able to dine in Coastal Kitchen, but reservations are required
• “Master Class-type experience” for an insider view into the ship’s entertainment
• Early access at onboard entertainment for Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members
• “Meal with an Officer” for Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members has been evolved to a physical-distanced “Cheers with an Officer”

Royal Caribbean announced in December 2022 that Diamond Plus guests would no longer have access to the Concierge Lounge on ships that lack a Suite Lounge.

Due to high counts of top-tier members on most sailings, Royal Caribbean decided it had to limit access to the Concierge Lounge altogether.

What is the Crown Lounge (Diamond Lounge)?

Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle guests can access the Crown Lounge (which used to be called the Diamond Lounge) while onboard. The Crown Lounge is open 24 hours a day and is an exclusive area only for Diamond members. Comfy seating and complimentary snacks and coffee are available throughout the day.

In addition, the Crown Lounge has a concierge available that can help with booking things like dining, entertainment, shore excursions, and spa appointments while onboard. They are also available for general questions about the ship and any problems you may encounter.

The Crown Lounge also has a happy hour each evening. Prior to the cruise industry shutdown, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages in the Crown Lounge were complimentary during happy hour. This benefit has changed, though. Now Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club members are given a select number of drink vouchers per day to be used at happy hour or at bars around the ship. Diamond members receive 4 vouchers, Diamond Plus receive 5, and Pinnacle Club members receive 6 vouchers per day.

Most Royal Caribbean ships have a Crown Lounge. If a ship does not have a Crown Lounge, a Diamond-exclusive event will be held each night at a designated venue onboard.

Crown and Anchor Society Onboard Offers

When you board a cruise ship as a member of the Crown and Anchor Society, there will be a paper waiting for you in your stateroom listing your exclusive onboard offers. These offers increase by your Crown and Anchor Society tier and help you save money on your cruise vacation. Here are the current offers by membership level:

Gold

Wine & Dine

• 50% off coupon for any glass of wine, beer, or soda (two coupons per sailing)
• 25% off any coffee beverage (Starbucks not included)
• Two 50% off coupons for Johnny Rockets milkshakes
• 10% off any wine, beer, or soda by the glass

Entertainment

• Buy a Bingo Package, get one free Jackpot Card
• 10% off any Internet Package
• $2 Free Play

Shopping & Services

• 10% off RCCL logo products (must spend $25)
• 10% off any spa service (excluding Medi-Spa)

Platinum

Wine & Dine

• 50% off coupon for any glass of wine, beer, or soda (two coupons per sailing)
• 50% off any coffee beverage (Starbucks not included) (two coupons per sailing)
• Two 50% off coupons for Johnny Rockets milkshakes
• 10% off any wine, beer, or soda by the glass
• Receive one free non-alcoholic specialty coffee with the purchase of one specialty restaurant dinner

Entertainment

• Buy a Bingo Package, get three free Jackpot Cards
• 15% off any Internet Package
• $4 Free Play

Shopping & Services

• 20% off a single photo, photo package, or photobook
• 10% off RCCL logo products (must spend $25)
• 15% off any spa service (excluding Medi-Spa)
• $5 off a $25 Dry Clean or Press
• $5 off a $34.99 Wash & Fold Laundry Bag (5+ night sailings)

Emerald

Wine & Dine

• 50% off coupon for any glass of wine, beer, or soda (two coupons per sailing)
• 50% off any coffee beverage (Starbucks not included) (two coupons per sailing)
• Two 50% off coupons for Johnny Rockets milkshakes
• 10% off any wine, beer, or soda by the glass
• Receive one free non-alcoholic specialty coffee with the purchase of one specialty restaurant dinner

Entertainment

• Buy a Bingo Package, get six free Jackpot Cards
• 15% off any Internet Package
• $6 Free Play

Shopping & Services

• 25% off a single photo, photo package, or photobook
• 10% off RCCL Logo products (must spend $25)
• 15% off any spa service (excluding Medi-Spa)
• $5 off a $25 Dry Clean or Press
• $5 off a $34.99 Wash & Fold Laundry Bag (5+ night sailings)

Diamond

Wine & Dine

• Four free drinks daily up to $14 value (except Starbucks, Bionic Bar, and Desserted)
• 50% off coupon for any glass of wine, beer, or soda (two coupons per sailing)
• Two 50% off coupons for Johnny Rockets milkshakes
• 20% off any wine, beer, or soda by the glass
• Receive one free non-alcoholic specialty coffee with the purchase of one specialty restaurant dinner

Entertainment

• One free day of internet for 1 device or price equivalent discount
• Buy a Bingo Package, get six free Jackpot Cards
• $6 Free Play

Shopping & Services

• One free photo
• 30% off a single photo, photo package, or photobook
• 15% off RCCL Logo Products (must spend $25)
• 20% off any spa service (excluding Medi-Spa)
• $5 off a $25 Dry Clean or Press
• $10 off a $34.99 Wash & Fold Laundry Bag (5+ night sailings)
• Receive a discounted stateroom phone rate of $2 per minute

Diamond Plus

Wine & Dine

• Five free drinks daily up to $14 value (except Starbucks, Bionic Bar, and Desserted)
• 50% off coupon for any glass of wine, beer, or soda (two coupons per sailing)
• 25% off any wine, beer, or soda by the glass
• Two 50% off coupons for Johnny Rockets milkshakes
• 30% off Deluxe Beverage Package
• Buy one specialty restaurant cover charge, get one free. For dinner on Day 1 or 2 only (exclusions apply)
• Receive one free non-alcoholic specialty coffee with the purchase of one specialty restaurant dinner

Entertainment

• Two free days of Surf Internet for 1 device or price equivalent discount
• Buy a Bingo Package, get six free Jackpot Cards
• $6 Free Play

Shopping & Services

• One free photo
• 30% off a single photo, photo package, or photobook
• 15% off RCCL Logo Products (must spend $25)
• Complimentary add-on spa service (excluding Medi-spa)
• 20% off any spa service (excluding Medi-Spa)
• 10% off a photo package or photobook
• A free $34.99 Wash & Fold Laundry Bag (5+ night sailings)
• $5 off a $25 Dry Clean or Press
• Receive a discounted stateroom phone rate of $2 per minute

Pinnacle Club

Wine & Dine

• Six free drinks daily up to $14 value (except Starbucks, Bionic Bar, and Desserted)
• 50% off coupon for any glass of wine, beer, or soda (two coupons per sailing)
• 25% off any wine, beer, or soda by the glass
• Two 50% off coupons for Johnny Rockets Milkshakes
• 40% off Deluxe Beverage Package
• Buy one specialty restaurant cover charge, get one free. For dinner on Day 1 or 2 only (exclusions apply)
• $25 off specialty dining on Oasis or Quantum Class ships (exclusions apply)

Entertainment

• Free internet package for the full voyage on one device
• Buy a Bingo Package, get six free Jackpot Cards
• $6 Free Play

Shopping & Services

• One free photo
• 30% off a single photo, photo package, or photobook
• 15% off RCCL Logo Products (must spend $25)
• Complimentary add-on spa service (excluding Medi-spa)
• 20% off any spa service (excluding Medi-Spa)
• 10% off a photo package or photobook
• A free $34.99 Wash & Fold Laundry Bag (5+ night sailings)
• $5 off a $25 Dry Clean or Press
• Receive a discounted stateroom phone rate of $2 per minute

Loyalty matching with other cruise lines

Royal Caribbean guests can status match to perks with Celebrity Cruises and SilverSea Cruises. Cruisers, however, do not earn collective points. Each program is still on its own in terms of accruing points based on nights you sail.

Royal Caribbean Group, which owns all three brands, offers new status matching opportunities that began in June 2024.

Once you attain any status within the Crown and Anchor Society, you can qualify for matching status with Celebrity Cruises' Captain's Club loyalty program or Silversea's Venetian Society.

Depending on your status within Crown and Anchor Society, you could get different benefits across the other sister brands.

You'll get matching status at the Select level in the Captain's Club Program. That will get you benefits such as:

• 25% discount on internet packages
• 30% discount on photo packages
• 10% discount on spa treatments
• Priority status for the shore excursion waitlist

Royal Caribbean's Diamond members and Celebrity's Elite members who match their status to the 250 Venetian Society Days level in the Silversea program will instantly qualify for a 10% discount on Silversea cruises. Additionally, they will enjoy other exclusive perks that are not typically available to first-time Silversea cruisers.

If you can get to Diamond in Crown and Anchor Society, you can match to Elite Level within Captain's Club. Status matching across both lines is a great way to maximize the value of your loyalty because you will get more benefits such as:

• 90 complimentary minutes of streaming
• 40% off a digital or print photo package
• $200 off The Studio photo packages
• Unlimited free drinks from the Captain’s Club menu each day between 5 and 7 p.m. at most bars and lounges on the ship
• Access to the Captain’s Club Coffee Lounge
• Free access to the Persian Garden spa zone on one port day of your choice (Millennium & Solstice Class ships only)
• 30% off Wi-Fi packages and upgrades
• 15% discount on a drink package or a premium drink package upgrade

The best benefits for status matching are for the top-tier guests on each line, who can instantly qualify for top-tier status with the other lines and enjoy the best benefits. Members are now able to match all the way up to the highest tiers, Zenith and Pinnacle.

To qualify for the status matching, cruisers must enroll in a program before receiving a status match.

Finding a good cruise deal is easier than you think, as long as you know when to book (and what to look for). 

No one wants to pay more than they have to for a cruise vacation, and luckily there are several easy tips you can use to find the best cruise deals available.

The top reason someone might not get the best price on a cruise is because they miss out on the tried and true strategies that usually get the lowest price.

It's more difficult than ever to get a great cruise deal because of how immensely popular taking a cruise is right now. Demand is so high for cruising that cruise lines are disincentivized from offering major discounts.

There's also a game to finding a cruise deal, because sometimes there aren't any deals for a specific sailing. The more flexible you are, the better your chances at finding an amazing cruise deal.

If you’re wondering how to get the best cruise deals, here are 15 easy tips.

Always book as early as possible

More often than not, the best cruise deals are found on sailings one to two years in the future. In most scenarios, if you’re looking for the best deals, we recommend booking as soon as possible rather than waiting until the last minute.

Most cruise itineraries are announced around two years in advance. As itineraries open up for bookings, you can often find great deals, especially if you’re hoping to book a balcony room or suite. Plus, if you’re searching for a rare cruise cabin it’s important to book early not only to find a cruise deal, but to book before the cabin sells out.

Cruise when others cannot

If you want a really cheap cruise, my advice is book a sailing when families cannot or will not cruise.

Booking a cruise during the shoulder season instead of the peak season often saves the most money.

Peak season varies by destination, but generally coincides with school holidays. Summer, holiday weekends, and school breaks for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break tend to see the most demand for cruises.

Therefore, if you’re able to cruise outside of these peak times, you can almost always find cheaper cruise deals. Sailing to Alaska in early September, for example, can be hundreds of dollars cheaper than sailing in mid July.

Likewise, booking a Caribbean cruise during hurricane season is typically much more affordable than during Thanksgiving. While there’s a slight chance of a hurricane affecting your cruise, most itineraries will sail smoothly with no itinerary changes or cancellations.

Related: What to know about cruising during hurricane season in the Caribbean

While not everyone can take advantage of sailing at non-peak times, particularly if they have kids still in school, it can lead to great cruise deals for those with more flexibility.

Sail on older and smaller ships

Besides time of year, you will consistently find lower prices on Royal Caribbean's older cruise ships.

The oldest Royal Caribbean ships—Vision, Radiance, and Voyager Class ships—often see some of the lowest prices. Despite the smaller size, many cruisers appreciate the more relaxed atmosphere of these ships and the unique ports on their itineraries.

Why are they cheaper? Because they don't have all the latest features that many vacationers are looking for, such as water slides, lots of restaurants, Broadway shows, or top deck activities.

Related: I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s newest and oldest cruise ships: here’s what it’s like to cruise on each

If you’re hoping for a blend of a cheap deal and "new" ship, look at cruising on an amplified cruise ship. As part of Royal Caribbean’s Royal Amplified program, the cruise line made significant refurbishments on select older vessels. During the process, they added features such as waterslides, new dining venues, and revamped pool decks.

Despite the addition of new features, cruise fares are still reasonable on amplified vessels—some of the best values in a cruise vacation can be found on amplified ships like Mariner of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, and Navigator of the Seas.

Look for last-minute deals

Booking a cruise at the last minute might seem counterintuitive to our advice about booking a cruise early. And although we usually recommend booking early as opposed to later, you can often snag a cheap cruise deal by booking at the last minute.

Related: How to get last minute cruise deals

If a cruise itinerary still has a significant number of empty cabins in the months leading up to the sailing, Royal Caribbean may drop the price in order to increase demand. This is most common after the final payment date for a particular sailing has passed—between 75 and 90 days before the cruise.

To find a last-minute cruise deal on Royal Caribbean, search the website for cruises and filter the results to see the lowest price first. You can also use a website such as VacationsToGo.com, which has a 90-day ticker showing the best, cheapest cruise deals departing within the next three months.

Sail a one-way Alaska itinerary

Alaska cruises have a reputation for being more expensive than other itineraries. After all, it’s not uncommon to spend over $2000 for an interior cabin during the state’s peak summer season.

Despite this, we’ve noticed a pricing trend for the past two years on select Alaska itineraries. One-way Alaska itineraries tend to offer fantastic cruise deals, often as low as just $550 per person including taxes and fees.

One-way Alaska cruises travel from Vancouver, Canada to Seward, Alaska and vice versa. These 7-night itineraries allow guests to visit more Alaska ports as well as spend time in Alaska’s interior before or after the cruise. While providing an excellent itinerary, one-way cruises see less demand compared to roundtrip sailings due to the inconvenience of starting and ending in different ports.

If Royal Caribbean sees low demand in the months leading up to the sailing, the prices for these sailings will drop drastically. Keeping an eye on one-way Alaska cruise deals 3-6 months before the cruise begins is a sure-fire way to find a deal on cruising to the Last Frontier.

Book with a travel agent

I book every single cruise with a travel agent, whether a short weekend cruise to the Bahamas or a two week trip to Greenland. Doing so has saved me hundreds of dollars over the past few years, and that’s not even mentioning the added service and resources my travel agent provides before, during, and after the sailing.

Whenever I book a cruise, I first email my travel agent for a quote; the quote I receive is often cheaper than what I could find on Royal Caribbean’s website. Depending on the travel agency you work with, they may offer group rates on select itineraries, which can save you money on your cruise fare.

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

Additionally, I almost always receive extra onboard credit through my travel agent. Having onboard credit means I can enjoy my cruise even more, whether I use it to book a specialty restaurant dinner or order an extra cocktail on the pool deck.

Aside from potential savings, though, are other benefits to using a travel agent. Travel agents are available to answer any questions you may have about your Royal Caribbean cruise, and they provide service in the case of any problems you encounter leading up to your sailing.

Be flexible with your departure ports

Flexibility is key to finding the best cruise deals; if you’re flexible with your departure port, you may have a better chance at finding a cheap deal.

Instead of cruising from Miami, look at sailings from Tampa or Port Canaveral. Or, if you live in the Northeast, check if there are any cheap deals from Cape Liberty, Boston, or Baltimore. You might be surprised to find a cheap cruise leaving from a less common cruise port.

Don’t overlook more faraway departure ports as well. As someone who lives on the west coast of the United States, I’m often shocked at the price of domestic flights to South Florida from my home airport. In fact, it’s often nearly the same price to fly to Barcelona, Spain as it is to Miami!

While there’s certainly more travel time required to get to Europe as opposed to Florida, searching a wider range of departure ports means opening up the possibility for more cheap deals.

Look at any and all cruise itineraries

Just as it's important to be flexible on your cruise ship and departure port, you should also be flexible on your cruise itinerary in order to find the best deals.

If you’re set on visiting a particular port—whether Bermuda or Santorini—you’ll be more limited in cruise options. Having more limitations means you have fewer options available, meaning you’ll miss out on some of the best cruise deals.

Related: 15 countries you didn’t know you could cruise to on Royal Caribbean

If you’re looking for the absolute cheapest, best cruise fares, keep your destination availability open. All of Royal Caribbean’s cruise ports have something to offer, from the coral reefs of Australia to the cruise line’s private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The more flexible you are in itinerary choice, the better chance you’ll have at scoring a great deal.

Book a guarantee cabin

Booking a guarantee cabin on Royal Caribbean means you can save money on cruise fare with the caveat of not being able to choose your exact cabin location.

When you book a guarantee cabin, you give Royal Caribbean the power to select where on the ship your room will be located. If you book a guarantee balcony cabin, for example, you will be assigned (at least) a balcony room, but it could be located anywhere on the ship, from deck 7 forward to deck 12 aft.

Related: Should I book a guarantee stateroom on a cruise?

The advantage of booking a guarantee room, of course, is to save money—depending on the offer, you may be able to save over a hundred dollars by not choosing your cabin location. The disadvantage is that you cannot select the location. If you’re picky on cabin location, it’s best to pay extra to select the location yourself.

Despite the lack of flexibility, booking a guarantee cabin is one of the best ways to make a great cruise deal even cheaper.

Book during a Kids Sail Free promotion

If you’re planning a cruise with kids, the best time to book is during one of Royal Caribbean’s Kids Sail Free promotions.

As the name implies, a Kids Sail Free promotion is an offer in which kids can sail “free” on a Royal Caribbean cruise. In reality, this means that any third guest and higher in a cabin who is 12 years old or younger can sail free on a cruise longer than four nights.

Related: Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free Dates & Tips

Of course, there are a few conditions to the Kids Sail Free offer. First are blackout dates, which are commonly found during school holidays. The second caveat is that you still have to pay taxes, fees, and gratuities for all kids—the “free” deal is for the base cruise fare only.

Despite these exceptions, booking during Kids Sail Free can usually save families money on a Royal Caribbean cruise if their schedule is flexible.

Book a longer itinerary

The shorter the cruise, the cheaper the cruise will cost… right? Not exactly!

Most people assume that booking a shorter cruise will lead to a cheaper cruise fare, but that’s not necessarily the case. As a matter of fact, some of the cheapest cruises are found on Royal Caribbean’s longest itineraries!

If you’re cruising with a limited budget, don’t search for only the shortest itineraries. While a 3-night weekend cruise might seem like it would be the cheapest option, this is hardly ever the case!

Instead, keep your search flexible and search for cruises of varying lengths. Royal Caribbean’s cruise fares aren’t necessarily priced according to cruise length, but are based on a variety of factors including ship age, time of year, itinerary, and demand for a particular sailing.

Some of the longest itineraries—such as repositioning cruises and transatlantic itineraries—see the lowest price per day of any cruise itinerary. Being open to more unique, longer itineraries can be a good way to stretch your vacation budget further and have more time onboard.

Keep an eye on Going, Going, Gone rates

Every week, Royal Caribbean publishes a PDF flyer online of their “Going, Going, Gone” rates. This list of last-minute cruise deals is one of the most convenient ways to check for the cheapest cruise fares available. You can view the list here.

The flyer is published once per week (usually late on Monday) but it is not updated throughout the week. Therefore, it’s recommended to check the flyer on late Monday night or early Tuesday morning in order to help ensure all deals listed are still available. As cruises book up during the week, the deals listed on the PDF may no longer be valid.

Subscribe to email newsletters

Hoping to be notified about the best cruise deals? Subscribing to email newsletters from your favorite cruise lines and cruise websites helps you stay in the loop.

The Royal Caribbean Blog newsletter, for example, is a weekly email in which we send out the week’s top stories, some of which may include information on cruise deals. Likewise, you may want to subscribe to Royal Caribbean’s official newsletter here—the cruise line sends promotional emails listing the current top deals and offers.

Stay loyal to a cruise line

The higher your loyalty status with a particular cruise line, the better chance you have of finding cheap cruise deals. If you cruise often with Royal Caribbean, we recommend sticking to the cruise line in order to grow your loyalty status in the Crown & Anchor Society.

Platinum members and above in the Crown & Anchor Society receive discounts on balcony and suite staterooms in addition to exclusive Crown & Anchor rates. Not only that, but single supplement fares are reduced for select Diamond Plus members and Pinnacle Club members receive a free 7-night cruise at 700 and 1050 cruise points.

Related: 11 of our favorite under-the-radar Crown & Anchor perks

Although most passengers “Loyal to Royal” won’t reach Pinnacle Club status, they can still receive the benefits of discounted cabins and onboard offers. Even if you don’t find the cheapest cruise deal available, you’ll still save significant money with Crown & Anchor benefits like free drinks and complimentary laundry.

Book with special rates for military, senior, and residency deals

Select groups of people may be eligible for special rates on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Knowing if you qualify for a special rate is helpful before you book in order to ensure you find the best cruise deal for your sailing.

Royal Caribbean’s list of guests who may qualify for discounts includes:

• Guests 55 years of age and older on select sailings
• Police and firefighters (active or retired employee or volunteer)
• Active or retired personnel in the military
• Airline personnel

We recommend checking Royal Caribbean’s detailed list here to check if you qualify for any discounts.

Before you sail on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, there are a few things you should know before stepping foot onboard.

Wonder of the Seas is one of the biggest ships in the world and also a newer Royal Caribbean cruise ship. With eight distinct neighborhoods, mind-blowing entertainment, and an abundance of family-friendly activities, the ship makes an ideal vacation for those in search of a fun getaway.

Like any cruise ship, it’s helpful to do a little research ahead of time to avoid any surprises once onboard. Knowing what to expect when it comes to the ship’s size, activity offerings, dining choices, and entertainment will better help you plan your vacation.

Sure, you can board a ship having done no prior research, but it’s in your best interest to be at least a little prepared for a Royal Caribbean cruise.

If you’re hoping to book a cruise on Wonder of the Seas, here are six things to know.

Wonder of the Seas is one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, and will start sailing short cruises soon

Wonder of the Seas is one of the biggest cruise ships in the world.:

• Wonder of the Seas weighs 235,600 gross tons
• She is 1,188 feet long and 215 feet wide (362 meters long and 65 meters wide)
• Her total guest capacity is 7,084 and she has 2,867 cabins
• There are 18 decks on Wonder of the Seas, 16 of which are accessible to passengers

Because of her size, Wonder of the Seas is among Royal Caribbean's most family-friendly ships. She features activities like a zip line, laser tag, waterslides, mini golf, a surfing simulator, and rock climbing wall.

Outside of these thrills are activities including karaoke, live music, production shows, trivia, and comedians. Suffice to say, you won't feel bored on this ship.

Wonder of the Seas currently sails from Port Canaveral, Florida. She offers primarily 7-night roundtrip itineraries visiting either the Western or Eastern Caribbean, with port stops including St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

In 2025, Wonder will shift and start offering short weekend cruises only.

Beginning in September 2025, Wonder of the Seas will move to Miami, where she will begin offering 3- and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas.

Wonder of the Seas has several design differences compared to her four sister ships in the Oasis Class

If you have sailed on other Oasis Class ships before, such as Harmony of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, you’ll notice a few design differences with Wonder of the Seas.

Most of the layout and activity offerings on Wonder of the Seas are the same as other ships in the Oasis Class. The ship still features an outdoor Boardwalk neighborhood with a carousel and AquaTheater, a Central Park with live plants, and a spacious Royal Promenade with shopping, restaurants, and lounges.

Despite similarities, Wonder of the Seas is not a carbon copy of her Oasis Class sisters.

Related: Wonder of the Seas vs other Oasis Class ships

On the sports deck, you’ll find just one FlowRider surf simulator instead of two. In its place is the Wonder Playscape, an underwater-themed playground for young children with small slides, climbing nets, and playground games.

Additionally, a new bar called The Vue replaced what would be a second cantilevered hot tub on the pool deck. This bar is one of the best places onboard to watch sailaway, as it jets off the side of the ship offering sweeping views both day and night.

Speaking of the pool deck, the Wonder of the Seas pool deck has a revamped layout compared to other Oasis Class ships. Not only does the pool deck have a Caribbean resort-style theme, but it features private casitas, a Lime and Coconut Bar, and the largest TV screen on any Royal Caribbean ship.

The pool deck’s adults-only Solarium is fully indoors, another difference from other Oasis Class ships, allowing for more climate control compared to the usual open-air spaces.

Most differences on Wonder of the Seas are positive, and they won’t make an impact on your overall cruise experience. If you’re a hardcore FlowRider surfer, though, it might be best to book a ship with two FlowRiders for more surfing time.

You should try the Southern comfort food restaurant

Don't miss out on the Southern comfort food spot on Wonder that serves brunch and dinner.

The Mason Jar is available only on Wonder of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas. In comparison to the international cuisines typically found at Royal Caribbean’s specialty restaurants, The Mason Jar’s menu is curated from dishes from around the American South.

Related: The Mason Jar Southern Food Restaurant Review on Wonder of the Seas

Open for brunch and dinner, you’ll find everything from chicken and waffles to red velvet pancakes, blackened cajun catfish, and chicken pot pie on the menu. The unique offerings, inspired by dishes from Louisiana to Kentucky and beyond, are unlike any dishes you’ll find elsewhere onboard.

Many passengers on Wonder of the Seas do not dine at southern cuisine restaurants often at home, making it a special occasion when on the ship.

In addition to the restaurant itself is The Mason Jar Bar, which serves up southern-inspired cocktails like a PB&J Old Fashioned and Mississippi Moonlight. Small bites are also available to order from the bar without dining in the restaurant, including crab beignets and a crispy chicken sandwich.

A southern band plays country tunes most evenings of the cruise as well, and the bar is among the most popular places for a late-night hangout onboard.

The Mason Jar is a specialty restaurant, meaning it comes with an extra cost on top of your cruise fare. Brunch has a cover charge of $24.99 and dinner will set passengers back $39.99. Small appetizers and sandwiches ordered at the bar range from $3-9 each.

If you’re staying in a suite, it doesn’t get better than Wonder of the Seas

The suite-only areas on Wonder of the Seas truly stand out from the rest of the fleet.

Oasis Class cruise ships have seven neighborhoods, all of which have a different theme and are designed to spread out crowds around the ship. Neighborhoods include Central Park, where guests can relax among nature, and Entertainment Place, home to theaters and live performances each evening.

Related: Wonder of the Seas neighborhoods tour

On Wonder of the Seas, however, there are eight neighborhoods, the eighth of which is the Suite Neighborhood. In the past, ships had a few suites-only areas scattered around the ship, including a Suite Lounge and Suite Sun Deck.

With Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean wanted to put all suites-only areas in one place, thus creating the Suite Neighborhood. In the Suite Neighborhood you’ll find a Suite Lounge, Coastal Kitchen suites-only restaurant, and expansive Suite Sun Deck with a private plunge pool, bar, and comfy loungers.

Wonder of the Seas’ Suite Neighborhood is the closest you’ll get to a “ship within a ship” concept on Royal Caribbean, and it’s truly a luxurious enclave on an otherwise busy cruise ship.

Wonder of the Seas does not have a Broadway show, but there’s no shortage of entertainment

Several of Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ships, including the first four ships in the Oasis Class, feature a Broadway show in the theater. Whether Mamma Mia, Cats, Hairspray, or Grease, watching a Broadway show is a favorite activity among cruise fans.

If you enjoy attending Broadway shows on Royal Caribbean, you may be surprised to find out that Wonder of the Seas does not have a Broadway show. Instead, the ship features original productions in the theater, ice-skating rink, and AquaTheater.

Luckily, the lack of a Broadway show does not mean there’s not quality entertainment onboard. In fact, we’d argue Wonder of the Seas has the best productions in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Broadway show or not, you should make a point to see as many shows as possible during your week on the ship.

In the AquaTheater you’ll find InTENse. As the name implies, this show features an intense performance of high diving, slack lining, tightroping, acrobatics, and synchronized swimming by an all-female cast.

The ice-skating rink, Studio B, is home to the production of 365: The Seasons on Ice, which transports guests to all four seasons through technology-driven set design and professional performers. You’ll almost certainly be amazed watching the cast perform backflips, triple axels, and aerial performances on ice!

In The Royal Theater you’ll find the original production of The Effectors II: Crash n’ Burn, telling the story of a band of superheroes fighting their arch-nemesis, Crash. Although the storyline might sound cheesy, the combination of technology, drones, singing, and dancing makes this show a must-see while onboard.

Aside from these three main shows are smaller production shows and live music around the ship. Despite the lack of a Broadway show, there is more than enough entertainment to enjoy on Wonder of the Seas—it will be practically impossible to see it all in just one week.

The buffet is huge

One complaint you’ll often hear about Oasis Class ships is that the Windjammer buffet is too small, but this isn’t the case on Wonder of the Seas.

When Royal Caribbean designed the Oasis Class, they designed the ships with a wide selection of complimentary dining venues such as El Loco Fresh, Solarium Bistro, and Park Cafe. In theory, the cruise line thought that increasing the amount of dining venues would decrease the amount of guests eating at the buffet.

Related: Guide to Royal Caribbean’s Windjammer Cafe buffet

As a result, they designed the Windjammer on Oasis Class ships to be smaller than what would usually be expected for such a large vessel. What they later realized, however, was that guests still wanted to dine at the buffet despite the other options available.

Taking customer feedback into consideration, Royal Caribbean designed the Windjammer on Wonder of the Seas to be the largest buffet in the fleet. The Windjammer wraps around the entirety of the aft of deck 15 and is better suited to the amount of passengers onboard.

If you’re a Windjammer fan, you’re sure to find the buffet on Wonder of the Seas to be less crowded and chaotic compared to other Oasis Class ships.

Not a buffet fan? The good news is that, like other Oasis Class ships, there are many dining options available that are included in your cruise fare. Outside of the Windjammer, guests can dine at the following venues:

• Main Dining Room
• Solarium Bistro
• Park Cafe
• Cafe Promenade
• Sorrento’s Pizza
• Boardwalk Dog House
• El Loco Fresh
• Vitality Cafe
• Coastal Kitchen (suites only)
• Room service (continental breakfast only)
• Johnny Rockets (breakfast only)

Booking a cruise on Wonder of the Seas? Here are more helpful tips:

• Top 10 Wonder of the Seas Hidden Secrets
• 10 things Royal Caribbean got right with Wonder of the Seas
• All about Oasis Class cruise ships

Ready to take your kids on a Royal Caribbean cruise and have the best vacation ever? I've found easy tips for maximizing the trip!

When you go on a cruise with your family, it can mean a mix of ages and even generations. While lots of parents take their kids on cruises, multi-gen cruising is another popular option so that grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins can spend time together onboard.

So while there are plenty of secrets I could share that apply to just about everyone, I wanted to focus on the sort of things families should know before they go on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Here are our top 50 best tips for cruising with kids on Royal Caribbean.

Shortcuts:

• Planning tips
• Money saving tips
• Cruise cabin tips
• Packing tips
• Dining tips
• Adventure Ocean tips
• Miscellaneous tips

Planning tips

1. Buy your kids a passport

Passports cost money and kids passports expire after just 5 years, but they are worth the investment.

Having a passport for everyone in your party (that means you should get one too) makes the check-in, embarkation, and disembarkation process so much easier.

Related: Do you need a passport for a cruise?

I think one of the biggest sources of frustration for families on a cruise are the lines and steps required to check-in and out of your cruise. Having a passport makes it all faster and simpler.

2. Make sure your ship has a nursery

If you are going on a cruise with kids under 36 months old, make sure the ship you booked has a nursery.

Most Royal Caribbean cruise ships have gotten a nursery added over the last few years, but a few still do not, and I would say you should avoid these ships.

The nursery is a godsend for parents with toddlers, because it offers excellent supervised child care for children of that age. Kids can eat, play, and even nap in the nursery, making it an important resource for parents who want a break now and then.

Related: Introduction to bringing toddlers on Royal Caribbean

3. Be aware of age restrictions for babies

Before booking a cruise with your newborn, make sure you’re aware of Royal Caribbean’s current infant policy.

Infants sailing on most cruises in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia must be at least 6 months old by the first day of the cruise.

For transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, select South America and other selected cruises, infants must be at least 12 months old by the first day of the cruise.

Any cruise that has 3 or more consecutive sea days requires infants to be at least 12 months old by the first day of the cruise.

4. Choose a ship with Splashaway Bay

Splashaway Bay is a kids-only aqua park on Royal Caribbean where you’ll find small slides, water cannons, a drench bucket, and jungle gym placed in shallow water.

If you aren’t sailing on a ship with Splashaway Bay, check if the ship has a baby splash pad available. Kids in diapers are not allowed in Royal Caribbean’s pools with the exception of the baby splash pad.

5. Consider an internet package

Teenagers have a lot of freedom onboard a Royal Caribbean ship, but it’s important to be able to communicate with them throughout the day while they’re off exploring with new friends.

There are two main ways to stay connected on a cruise: an internet package or the Royal Caribbean app’s chat feature.

If you’re traveling with teens, consider booking an internet package so you can stay in touch while onboard. Internet packages are typically priced around $20 per device, per day.

6. Choose a cruise itinerary wisely

Before selecting a cruise itinerary, consider if it is the best option for everyone in your travel party.

Touring cathedrals in Italy every day on a Mediterranean cruise may seem appealing to you, for example, but it may not be the most exciting destination for toddlers.

Likewise, if you are choosing a long cruise (8+ nights), consider how many sea days are on the itinerary compared to port days. If a cruise has 5+ sea days in a row, this may not be the best choice for some kids.

Itinerary choice depends on your family’s interests and ages, but be sure to browse the options available before booking the first cruise you see.

Related: How do I pick the perfect first cruise?

7. Book a ship with water slides

While pools are fun, water slides are kings among kids, and not every Royal Caribbean ship has a water slide.

When you decide to have a pool day, kids always want something else to do other than relaxing by the pool. Water slides have been a boom for families since it offers them an activity kids can do over and over again.

Before you book, research to check if the ship you are looking at booking has a water slide.

Related: Which Royal Caribbean ships have water slides?

8. Set spending limits for your kids

For older kids who carry their own SeaPass card, you may want to enable spending limits to avoid a potential problem later.

First, when checking in online, you can choose the option “No onboard expense account” to prevent your children from using their SeaPass card for onboard purchases.

Once onboard, you can stop by Guest Services and set a pre-established limit.

The arcade, for example, has its own $50 per person daily limit, although you can increase/decrease this limit to whichever amount you would like by speaking to the arcade attendant once onboard.

9. Look for kid-friendly shore excursions

Consider your children's’ ages, fitness levels, and interests before booking a shore excursion.

Some shore excursions have age restrictions. Discover Scuba Diving tours, for example, often have a minimum age of 12.

Other shore excursions may include strenuous activities like kayaking or hiking. If you don’t think your toddler will fare well with hiking 5 miles, it might be best to plan something different in port.

You can filter shore excursions on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner site by interest, duration, and activity level to help find the best excursion to fit your family.

10. Arrive one day before your cruise begins

If you’re flying into your cruise port, be sure to arrive at least one day before the cruise begins.

Airline travel can be unpredictable, and you want to ensure your family arrives in the cruise departure city with plenty of time to spare.

Plan to arrive the day before the cruise and spend a night in a hotel prior to boarding the ship the following day. Not only does this help ensure you’ll make it to your cruise, but it also gives you a head-start on your vacation.

11. Book with a travel agent

We always recommend booking with a travel agent, and this tip is even more helpful when cruising with kids.

Travel agents can look for family stateroom categories you can’t otherwise book on Royal Caribbean’s website, can recommend shore excursions, and are available whenever a question arises in the planning process.

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

12. Get your kids involved in planning the cruise

A Royal Caribbean cruise will undoubtedly be a fun experience for kids, so why not get them involved in the cruise planning process before you set sail?

Researching dining options, shore excursions, and onboard activities can get kids even more excited about their upcoming cruise vacation.

Another way to get kids involved in the cruise planning process is by finding YouTube videos or books about the cruise ship and ports of call. Watching a video tour of the ship you’ll be sailing on, for example, can help kids become more familiar with the cruise experience before your vacation begins.

Money saving tips

13. Don’t buy kids a dining package

Kids get special pricing at specialty restaurants, so buy dining packages only for the adults in your travel party.

Children between the ages of 0-5 are complimentary and ages 6-12 are $10 per child at any specialty restaurant.

When you make a reservation for a restaurant onboard, let your server know the adults have a dining package, but kids don’t and you will get a better price than if you bought the dining package for everyone.

14. Free ice cream on the pool deck

If your kids are craving ice cream but you don’t want to shell out extra money for Ben & Jerry’s, head to the pool deck for unlimited soft serve ice cream.

Not much makes kids happier than “unlimited” ice cream, and the soft serve station is usually available from around 11 AM to 6 PM each day.

15. Book during a Kids Sail Free promotion

Royal Caribbean regularly runs kids sail free deals that include the cruise fare of the third or fourth passenger in the same cabin as first two people paying normal price.

The "catch" with kids sail free are the blackout dates.  If you can find a qualifying sale, it can really save you a lot, especially if you book a suite.

Related: Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free Dates & Tips

Cruise cabin tips for families

16. Book two staterooms instead of one

My favorite family cruise tip is to book two connecting cabins instead of putting everyone into one room.

The conventional thought process is for a family of four or five to book one room for everyone. This is usually what families do at hotels or resorts, so why would a cruise be different?

Unlike hotels, cabins on a cruise are short on living space, so the experience is not exactly the same in sharing a room on a ship compared to on land.

Related: Choosing a cabin for your cruise

Booking two connecting cabins not only provides more living space, but you get an extra bathroom (a huge benefit if your kids are older). Plus, you’ll have separation from your kids when it’s time to go to sleep.

Moreover, booking two connecting smaller rooms instead of one larger room may actually save you money.

17. Get a balcony room for some peace and quiet

If you have a child who will be napping during the day on your cruise, consider booking a balcony stateroom.

Having access to a private balcony means you can relax, chat, and make noise without worrying about waking your child up from his or her nap. You won’t have to worry about being extra quiet and silently sitting in the cabin.

Plus, you’ll have access to beautiful ocean views from your balcony. You’ll likely spend more time in your stateroom than normal when cruising with a young child, so splurging a bit more on extra comforts can be nice.

18. Bring a laundry basket

One of our best cabin hacks is to bring a cheap, pop-up laundry hamper for dirty clothes throughout the cruise.

It’s easy for cruise ship cabins to get messy quickly, especially when traveling with kids. Many cruisers find they have nowhere to put their dirty laundry and end up throwing clothes into a pile on the floor.

Instead, purchase a cheap pop-up laundry hamper to place in your stateroom. These hampers do not take up much space in your luggage but can be a life-saver when trying to keep your cruise ship cabin organized and clean.

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

19. Use magnetic hooks to hang extra belongings

Another cruise cabin hack we recommend is to pack magnetic hooks for extra storage space. Because Royal Caribbean cabins have magnetic walls, you can hang anything magnetic in your stateroom.

Purchasing a pack of sturdy magnetic hooks means you have extra space to hang things like jackets, towels, swimwear, hats, and backpacks.

20. Pack a USB hub

There are limited outlets in Royal Caribbean’s cruise cabins, particularly on the fleet’s older ships. It can be helpful to pack a USB hub to get more “charging space” from one outlet.

This is helpful when traveling with kids when you need to charge devices for 4+ guests, especially if you’re all staying in one room.

21. You can get a crib for the room

There’s no need to pack a Pack and Play for your kids on a Royal Caribbean cruise, as Royal Caribbean will provide a crib for your child free of charge.

When booking your cruise, you’ll indicate your child’s age. This will tell Royal Caribbean when a crib is necessary for your stateroom. However, it’s a good idea to call Royal Caribbean and request a crib directly.

If you realize there is no crib in the room once onboard, simply ask your stateroom attendant and they will provide the correct arrangements.

22. Pack a night light

Cruise ship cabins can be extremely dark at night, especially if you’re staying in an interior room.

Consider packing a small night light to place in the room so your kids can navigate the room should they wake up during the night.

Being in an unfamiliar place can be confusing for kids, especially if it’s pitch black, so this can help negate any uneasy feelings. Plus, it might even prevent you from running into furniture in the middle of the night!

23. Decorate your stateroom door

The walls and doors of your stateroom cabin are magnetic, and you’ll find that many passengers decorate their stateroom door with fun decorations.

Making custom door decorations or picking out decorations on a site like Etsy can be a fun way to get your kids involved in the cruise planning process.

Packing tips

24. Pack more diapers and supplies than you think you’ll need

While you might use X amount of diapers and baby wipes at home each day, you’re going to want to pack more supplies than you think you’ll need on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

We recommend that you pack at least 25% more diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, etc. Closer to 50% extra is ideal to ensure you won’t run out of supplies.

Related: The ultimate kids cruise packing list

If you do run out of baby supplies, you’ll be forced to either buy diapers, wipes, and other baby supplies onboard or at a pharmacy in port. Both options are not ideal, as onboard prices will be significantly higher than at home and pharmacies in foreign countries may not have the same brands you're used to.

25. Be sure to pack athletic shoes, long pants, and socks

If your kids are interested in trying onboard activities like the rock climbing wall, ice skating, zip lining, or the basketball court, be sure to pack the appropriate clothing.

It’s mandatory to wear closed-toed shoes to participate in sports activities onboard. Your kids won’t be permitted on the Sports Court or zip line without proper footwear. Avoid slip-on tennis shoes without laces or velcro as these may not be permitted on activities like the zip line.

Likewise, be sure to pack socks for the rock climbing wall and ice skating rink. Long pants are required for the ice skating rink, too.

26. Pack a first aid kit

Between running around the ship and exploring new ports, it’s not uncommon for kids to be in need of a band-aid, antibiotics, seasickness medication, and other essentials.

While these are available onboard, it’s much easier to pack a few items in a first aid kit for easy access.

27. Consider sun protective swim suits

Most kids on a Royal Caribbean cruise will spend their days soaking up the sun, whether at the pool, water slides, or FlowRider. When combined with beach days in port, this leads to a lot of time spent in the sun.

Consider purchasing UV swimwear for your kids before a cruise to avoid any painful sunburns. UV swimwear protects against sunburn by blocking harmful UV radiation.

While you can apply and reapply sunscreen over and over again, using more protective swimwear for kids is recommended.

28. Don’t bring a car seat

This may sound crazy, but you really should not bring a car seat with you on the cruise.

You won’t find car seats in most taxis in the Caribbean, and it’s unlikely you’ll want to lug a car seat around port each day. For a short ride, we recommend doing as the locals do: putting your kids on your lap or buckling them in with regular seat belts.

While we don’t recommend this at home, it’s the way of life in many cruise ports.

29. Pack snacks from home

Passengers are permitted to bring non-perishable food onto a Royal Caribbean cruise. While there is no shortage of food to enjoy on any cruise ship, having easy-to-pack snacks available for kids can be helpful when visiting ports or spending time on the ship.

Avoiding temper tantrums is a must for parents whenever possible, and having some of your child’s favorite snacks available if they get hungry is helpful.

Items like granola bars, boxes of cereal, bags of chips, and trail mix can make for excellent snacks to bring on a cruise.

30. Bring an umbrella stroller

While you might have the latest and greatest stroller at home, consider packing something smaller while on a cruise ship.

We recommend bringing an umbrella stroller on a cruise ship, as these are much easier to navigate around the ship compared to a bulkier option.

Dining tips

31. Tips for picky eaters

Kids can be very picky about what they will eat.

The Windjammer is always a go-to option for picky eaters, as you’ll find kid-friendly food like pizza, french fries, hamburgers, and pasta available every day.

The Main Dining Room has a kids menu available every evening, with options like chicken noodle soup, chicken fingers, and grilled cheese sure to be enjoyed by even the pickiest of eaters.

If you want to dine with your kids at a sit-down restaurant, you can always bring food in from another restaurant (such as pizza or chicken nuggets). Most waiters will even go as far as to grab something simple like pizza from another restaurant for the kids.

Something else you can do is ask your head waiter for additional options for the kids. In the Main Dining Room, they can customize a lot of options; just give them a heads up in advance to ensure the chefs have enough time to prepare something.

If all else fails, grabbing a slide of pizza from Sorrento’s is sure to keep your kids satisfied.

32. Kids can order off the adult menu at specialty restaurants

Even though kids can dine at specialty restaurants at a reduced cost, the waiters do not mind offering your kids the same options as adults.

Specialty restaurants have kids menus, but if the kids want something off the adult menu, there is rarely an issue with doing so (even at their lower price).

33. Take kids to the Windjammer for dinner before Adventure Ocean

One of our best strategies for cruising with kids is to bring the kids up to the Windjammer for dinner, then take them to Adventure Ocean for the evening.

After that, the adults can go to dinner wherever they like. There’s no need to sacrifice dining options to please your kids when you can get the best of both worlds!

Adventure Ocean tips

34. Register for Adventure Ocean on the first day

On the first day of the cruise, be sure to head up to Adventure Ocean to sign your kids up as soon as registration opens.

Not only does this knock out an important must-do, but it ensures you can get up there before lines develop later on. Moreover, you don’t want to be that parent in line to register your kids while all the other families already did so and just want to drop their kids off.

Unfortunately you cannot pre-register your kids online before the cruise, but head up there on day one in the afternoon during the Adventure Ocean open house to meet the staff, get questions answered, and avoid time wasted later.

35. Bring kids to Adventure Ocean on the first day

After you register your kids for Adventure Ocean on embarkation day, encourage them to attend the first evening’s session. Just like at school or in extracurricular activities, the first day is often when friendships and cliques are formed.

It’s recommended to attend on the first day of the cruise so kids can make friends right away, especially for older children or kids who tend to be shy.

36. Our favorite nursery tip: call ahead

If your baby is ready for a nap, call the nursery and see if you can drop them off. The nursery is open throughout the day and in a lot of cases, they have availability in the morning and afternoon because most parents book up evening hours.

What I would do is call the nursery and ask if I can drop my child off. I’d let them know my kid is ready for a nap, and to provide whatever pre-nap routine they need (i.e. bottle, stroller, etc.) and to put them down for a nap and call me when they wake up.

This frees up both me and my wife so we can enjoy some time aboard while my kid takes a nap, instead of one of us being stuck in the cabin with them.

37. You can leave your kids in Adventure Ocean while you go on a shore excursion

It may feel weird to leave your kids on the ship while you go ashore, but you can safely use this option if you prefer.

Some excursions may not be open to kids under a certain age, or perhaps your kids just want to hang out onboard instead of go on a tour. Whatever the reason, Adventure Ocean is open while your ship is in port.

If your tour begins early in the morning before Adventure Ocean is set to open, let the staff know the day before and if it is a Royal Caribbean excursion. They can ensure someone will open up Adventure Ocean for you.

38. Bring kids to the Play Place

With limited space in a cruise ship cabin and other public areas on the ship, it can be difficult to find the best area for kids to run and play freely.

Select Royal Caribbean ships have a Play Place room in Adventure Ocean, which is an indoor, open play area where kids can run around, play with toys, and get any excess energy out onboard.

The Play Place is unsupervised, so children must be supervised by an adult while at the Play Place, and using the space is free of charge.

39. Know the difference between the old and new Adventure Ocean

There are two types of Adventure Ocean programming available on Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

The first is the "original" rendition of Adventure Ocean, which divides kids into the following age groups:

• Royal Babies & Tots (6-36 months)
• Aquanauts (3-5)
• Explorers (6-8)
• Voyagers (9-11)
• Teen club (12-17)

The new rendition of Adventure Ocean has different age groups:

• AO Babies (6-36 months)
• AO Juniors (3-5)
• AO Kids (6-12)
• Teens (13-17)

The “old” Adventure Ocean focuses more on organized play, whereas the new rendition of Adventure Ocean gives kids more flexibility in what they would like to do. Each Adventure Ocean style has arts and crafts, video games, sports, talent shows, science labs, and more fun-filled programming.

40. Look for family activities scheduled in Adventure Ocean

While Adventure Ocean is Royal Caribbean kids-only programming, there are select scheduled activities for families throughout the cruise.

Activities like crafts, science lab programs, and family-friendly movies may be offered throughout the cruise for the whole family. You can check for scheduled activities in the Royal Caribbean app.

41. Understand the extra charges at Adventure Ocean

While the majority of Adventure Ocean programming is complimentary, there are two exceptions.

Any childcare for kids aged 6-36 months in the nursery comes at an hourly charge. This charge is $6 per hour from 9 AM to 6 PM and $8 per hour from 6 PM to midnight.

In addition, childcare for ages 3-11 from 10 PM to 2 AM is charged at an hourly rate of $7 per child.

Miscellaneous tips

42. Pack everything you’ll need on day 1 in your carry-on bag

Be sure to drop your luggage off with the porters at the cruise terminal on embarkation day. Your luggage will be delivered to your stateroom, so there's no need to lug suitcases around the ship for several hours until the stateroom is ready.

However, you'll want to make sure you have a day bag packed with any essentials you'll need on the first day of the cruise.

Luggage may not get delivered to your stateroom until 4 or 5 PM on embarkation day, so make note of what you'll need handy that first day.

Diapers, toys, swimsuits, and important documents are all great things to place in your carry-on bag.

Related: The Ultimate Cruise Packing List

43. Download movies and videos before you sail

While there are countless activities for kids to enjoy on any Royal Caribbean cruise, sometimes all your kids might want to do is watch a movie in the cabin.

Download movies from Netflix onto your phone, computer, or tablet before the cruise to ensure you have entertainment options for your kids when necessary. You can also download YouTube videos to watch offline as well.

While you can technically stream Netflix and YouTube if you have an internet package, there’s no guarantee that the internet will always be working properly, so it’s best to download entertainment you can watch offline.

44. Have a movie night at the pool

There is a movie screen on the pool deck of most Royal Caribbean ships*, and family-friendly movies are shown every evening of the cruise at no additional cost.

Watching a movie on the pool deck can be a fun activity for the whole family, and a different movie is shown each night of the cruise.

BONUS: If you’re cruising on a Radiance Class cruise ship, there is an indoor cinema onboard with 5 showtimes per day, every day of the cruise.

*The movie screen is at the AquaTheater on Oasis Class cruise ships (excluding Wonder of the Seas).

45. Set expectations with kids and their freedom onboard

Setting expectations with your kids before the cruise is important to ensure there aren't any problems during the sailing.

Kids find they have a lot more freedom on a cruise ship compared to their day-to-day life, and it can be challenging to find a balance between supervision and allowing kids some self-exploration.

Decide what works for you and your family in terms of letting kids explore on their own, and make sure your kids also understand that there is a curfew for passengers under 18 at 1 AM each night.

46. Slow down your cruising routine

Even though there is a plethora of activities available at any given time on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you don't have to do them all at once.

It may be tempting to plan every day from sunrise to sunset, but make sure to take some time to relax.

Slow down your cruising routine so that you and your family don't feel exhausted at the end of the day.

47. Use the complimentary life jackets

All Royal Caribbean cruise ships have complimentary life jackets available on the pool deck. There’s no need to pack floaties for your kids to use onboard. Instead, just borrow a life jacket and enjoy stress-free swimming at the pool.

Complimentary life jackets are also available at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Note that life jackets are not able to be brought off the ship and into port. If you plan on bringing your kids to the beach, you may want to consider packing your own life jacket, floaties, etc.

48. Don’t forget the muster drill

One of the first things you’ll have to do on embarkation day is complete the muster drill. This safety drill involves three steps: watching a safety video, listening to the sound of the ship’s emergency horn, and listening to a short safety briefing at your muster station.

You can do the first two steps before getting onboard, but you’ll have to visit the muster station in person to complete step three.

It can be pretty hectic when boarding a cruise ship with kids, and they’re most definitely going to want to head immediately to the water slides and pool. We recommend, however, finishing the muster drill process as soon as possible once onboard so you don’t have to worry about it later on in the day.

49. Keep kids safe around the railings

Always keep an eye on your children when they are near railings, balconies, or windows. Kids love climbing and exploring, and they can quickly get themselves into a dangerous situation if you’re not careful.

Never leave young children unattended on a balcony or the pool deck.

50. Remember: this is your vacation too!

Cruising with kids often means planning your day around their interests and needs. It’s common to see parents spending their days at Splashaway Bay, dining at the Windjammer, and shuttling kids from activity to activity.

While cruising with kids can certainly be fun, it’s important to remember that this is your vacation too.

Be sure to take time for yourself on a cruise, whether planning a date night at a specialty restaurant, booking a spa treatment, or sipping a glass of wine at Vintages.

Don’t feel guilty for dropping kids off at Adventure Ocean to enjoy time to yourself. Odds are both you and your children will have a fun experience even if you’re in different areas of the ship!

Save this blog on Pinterest

I booked a cruise to one of the world’s most jaw-dropping destinations, but my balcony’s view was blocked by a bright orange lifeboat.

Would you ever book an obstructed view cabin on a cruise? These cabins, while identical to others on the inside, have a partially blocked view of the outdoors. Most commonly, the obstruction is caused by a lifeboat or other structural element on the ship.

Obstructed staterooms are frequently noted as “cabins to avoid” by cruise experts, and the partial view can be an unwelcome sight on a special vacation, especially if you didn’t expect it.

Having been on nearly thirty cruises, I always tried to avoid obstructed cabins. Yet on a recent 7-night cruise to Norway aboard Celebrity Silhouette, it was the only balcony option within my budget.

I figured any view was better than no view at all, so I gave it a shot as I sailed through Norway’s majestic fjords.

This is what it was really like to cruise in an obstructed balcony cabin, and whether or not I would do it again.

Originally I booked an interior cabin for my Norwegian fjords cruise. Five months before the sailing, I regretted my decision

As someone who cruises on a budget, I typically book interior cabins. While there’s nothing fancy about a closet-sized cabin without a window, the savings of the cheapest option are hard to beat.

When I originally booked my Celebrity Silhouette cruise to Norway, I booked an interior cabin for $1,830. The price included the cruise fare for two adults along with taxes, port fees, and gratuities.

Related: Inside cabin vs. balcony cabin on a cruise ship

While booking the cruise, I really wanted to book a balcony room, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t in the budget. I knew my cruise to Norway would incur additional expenses compared to a cruise departing from North America.

My airfare would be more expensive and, given the distance from home, I also wanted to budget for a few extra days in the Netherlands—the embarkation country—after the cruise ended. Additionally, Norway is one of the world’s most expensive destinations, so I needed to make sure I could budget for shore excursions, souvenirs, and food in port, too.

In the months leading up to my sailing, though, I started to regret my decision to be as cheap as possible. Cruises to Norway offer spectacular views not only in port, but also when sailing from place to place through the fjords.

I didn’t want to miss out on any of the beauty while in my windowless cabin, but I knew I wouldn’t want to spend the whole cruise on outdoor public decks, either.

Unfortunately, no regular balconies were available—my only economical choice was the obstructed option

I toyed with the idea of upgrading to a balcony for a few days, and I emailed my travel agent for options. Yet with just five months left before my sail date, she informed me that there were no more standard balcony cabins available.

Instead, I had two options.

The first was the obstructed cabin, which Celebrity calls a Partial View Veranda. For the week, this cabin would cost $2,686, or $856 extra compared to my interior cabin. It came with all the same amenities and perks as the cabin I already booked, aside from the addition of a balcony.

The second, and more expensive option, was a non-obstructed balcony cabin in Celebrity’s Aqua Class. At $3,723 for the week—$1,893 more than the interior room—the cabin included perks like meals at an exclusive restaurant, Blu, and complimentary access to the thermal suite.

Related: Celebrity Cruises guide: Ships, itineraries, tips & more

Still budget-conscious, the decision was a no-brainer for me. Paying $856 extra for an obstructed balcony didn’t seem outrageous. I figured that any view was worth it when cruising around somewhere as wonderful as Norway.

On embarkation day, I was worried the view would be completely blocked by a lifeboat

Obstructed view cabins vary greatly from cruise line to cruise line, and even from ship to ship within a particular line.

Sometimes there’s no telling how badly your view will be obstructed. Deck plans only tell you so much, and unless you’re lucky enough to find a video tour of your specific cabin online, you might be walking into the room blindly.

As I boarded Celebrity Silhouette in Rotterdam, I felt nervous. Would the $856 I spent on the Partial View Veranda be worth it, or would the view be completely ruined by an obstruction?

Fortunately, the view was less obstructed than I thought it would be

As I walked into cabin 6186 for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I could see from my obstructed view balcony.

As I expected, a lifeboat was in front of my balcony, but the balcony was a few feet higher than the lifeboat. Because of this, there were no major obstructions when standing on the balcony and looking toward the horizon.

Related: 8 reasons a balcony cabin is worth it to book on a cruise

Sitting on the balcony’s loungers, however, gave a more obstructed view—the lifeboats were directly in line with my eyesight. Additionally, looking straight down was not possible due to the lifeboat.

I did notice that the heights of the lifeboats differed from each other, and mine was slightly higher than the lifeboat next door.

Nevertheless, I was happy the view was only partially obstructed. Sure, that giant lifeboat would always be in view, but given its height, I felt confident it would never be completely in the way of Norway’s scenery.

Inside, I found the cabin cozy and spacious

Aside from the balcony, my cabin’s overall condition was excellent. The room had a good amount of walking space, but I wished there were more storage options and additional outlets to charge my electronics.

When I cruise in interior cabins, I try to spend as little time as possible in my room. There’s really no reason to hang out in a dark, windowless stateroom, so I'm usually in the cabin only to shower, sleep, and change.

Yet when I cruise in balcony cabins, I spend a lot of time in the room. I love having a private outdoor space to call my own, so much so that I have to force myself to leave the cabin to try other activities onboard.

Because of this, I was happy to see that my cabin on Celebrity Silhouette was relatively modern and well-kept. The light furnishings kept the room bright, and I loved having a sofa next to the balcony door so I could enjoy the views from the warmth of my room.

The bathroom was roomier than most cruise bathrooms I've stayed in, and because Celebrity is a premium cruise line, it came stocked with body wash, lotion, shampoo, and conditioner.

Related: 7 bathroom hacks to use in your cruise ship cabin

I had minimal complaints with my cabin overall, but I wish the room had more storage space and better outlet locations.

Storage was limited, with only four drawers near the desk and two shelves above the bed (which I found hard to reach). There were no shelves in the closet, so it only worked for hanging clothing, making the space less functional. As far as outlets, the only ones in the cabin were near the desk, which was not convenient for charging my phone at night.

Despite the few faults, I was still happy with my choice to book an obstructed view cabin as we set sail toward Norway.

Having a balcony enhanced my Norwegian fjords experience, but the obstruction wasn’t totally ideal

As Celebrity Silhouette approached Norway, it was officially time to put my obstructed balcony cabin to the test. While I did not mind the slight obstruction on our first sea day, I was curious whether the lifeboat would seem more cumbersome while sailing through the Norwegian fjords.

After four port days in Norway, I came to the conclusion that the upgrade to a balcony was still worth it even if it came with a few downsides.

I won’t lie—if I sat on the chairs on my balcony, the view was more obstructed than I would have preferred. At eye level, most of my view was blocked by not only the lifeboat, but also the balcony railing.

Most of the time, therefore, I preferred standing near the railing to watch the scenery.

When doing so, I didn’t feel as if the lifeboat made my view any “worse” than what I could have seen with a regular balcony.

I also appreciated the natural light the balcony brought into the room, and watching the scenery from my bed was incredibly relaxing.

That being said, I still headed to the ship’s upper decks from time to time for a more complete view. Even though I had my own private balcony, there’s no denying that the outdoor decks provided a more panoramic view of the Norwegian fjords.

Whereas my balcony had views on one side of the ship, I could see scenery on both sides of the ship from Celebrity Silhouette’s upper decks. I could also take better landscape pictures from these decks, as the lifeboats were always in the way when I took photos from my balcony.

I wouldn’t hesitate to book an obstructed cabin again, but I’d pick a regular balcony first

All in all, the cabin was far less obstructed than I initially thought. While not everything was perfect about my Partial View Veranda, it was still a worthy investment. At $856 extra, upgrading from an interior room to the obstructed balcony wasn’t a budget-breaker, and it certainly enhanced my cruise overall.

If I had to pick between an obstructed balcony and a regular balcony, I would, without a doubt, choose a regular balcony. When checking prices on Celebrity’s website, I noticed that the price difference between the two cabin categories is often negligible. Sometimes, it’s even the same price!

I could see choosing the obstructed view if it were several hundred dollars cheaper, or if it was the only balcony option available. If a regular balcony was available for the same price, there would be no reason to book an obstructed view.

In my scenario, I didn’t have an option due to the fact that I decided to upgrade just a few months before my sail date. Even still, I do not have any regrets about booking the obstructed balcony cabin, and I would book it again if it were the only option.

Norway was even more stunning than I could have ever imagined, and I relished every opportunity I could to view the country’s extravagant landscapes—lifeboat in the way or not.

They say the grass is always greener on the other side, and after twenty Royal Caribbean cruises, I booked my first Celebrity cruise. I thought I was ready for a change, but my seven nights onboard solidified my preference for Royal Caribbean.

I’ve been mostly “Loyal to Royal” ever since my first Royal Caribbean cruise three years ago. Even though I’ve occasionally ventured to other cruise lines, such as Princess and MSC, I’ve always found myself returning to my cruising roots.

Royal Caribbean, in my opinion, has the most innovative ships at sea. I’ve never once had a bad experience onboard, even when cruising on the line’s oldest and smallest ships. With high quality entertainment, top-notch dining, and a diverse array of onboard thrills, I had little reason to look elsewhere for a cruise vacation.

Throughout the past year, however, several of my fellow Royal Caribbean Blog writers have tried Celebrity Cruises for the first time. Reading about their experiences, I was intrigued by the cruise line’s unique itineraries, adult-focused ships, and more upscale atmosphere.

So when planning a summer cruise to Europe, I booked a 7-night Norwegian Fjords cruise on Celebrity Silhouette. I figured it was time to experience what Celebrity was all about.

I boarded my first Celebrity cruise feeling optimistic about my next week onboard, but I quickly realized that I preferred Royal Caribbean.

From the lucrative loyalty status perks to dining options, here’s why I’m going back to Royal Caribbean for my next cruise.

Crown & Anchor Society offers more useful benefits compared to Captain’s Club

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises enable guests to match their loyalty status from one cruise line to the other, but the benefits are not equal. For my travel style, I find Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society offers more lucrative benefits.

As a Diamond Plus member with Royal Caribbean, my status was matched to Celebrity’s Elite Plus status. This meant I could enjoy access to exclusive parties, a continental breakfast in a specialty restaurant each morning, discounts on select add-ons, and two complimentary bags of laundry, among other benefits.

Related: Celebrity Cruises Captain's Club loyalty program info, tips & secrets

I appreciated the benefits not offered by Royal Caribbean, including a free day of access to the ship's thermal suite and a complimentary scoop of gelato at the gelateria. That being said, I didn’t make use of all the benefits, especially because my travel partner did not have status in the Captain’s Club, so I didn’t care to go to private events alone.

I missed certain aspects of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society while on Celebrity, like grabbing evening hors d'oeuvres in the Crown Lounge and using my buy one, get one free benefit at specialty restaurants.

Most of all, though, I missed my free Diamond drinks.

My favorite benefit of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society are the Diamond drink vouchers, which offer a number of complimentary drinks each day depending on your loyalty status. As a Diamond Plus member, I receive five drink vouchers a day.

Onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, I can use these drink vouchers whenever and wherever I want with very few restrictions. In addition, the vouchers can be used ashore at Perfect Day at CocoCay. I’m not a huge drinker, but I love utilizing the Diamond drink vouchers to sample cocktails around the ship, whether it be the Toasted Marshmallow Old Fashioned or Cucumber Martini.

Related: 21 best drinks to order if you have a cruise drink package

Celebrity Cruises also provides a drink benefit to those with Elite status and higher, but it pales in comparison to what Royal Caribbean offers.

You can order drinks from a Happy Hour menu from 5-7PM each evening. While you can enjoy as many drinks as you'd like during this time, the selection of beverages is extremely limited.

Forget trying the Martini Bar’s inventive Bananas Foster cocktail or a refreshing piña colada on the pool deck. The happy hour drinks were far more basic, such as a vodka soda or glass of wine.

I was still grateful to receive complimentary beverages during my sailing, but I really missed the flexibility of the Crown & Anchor Society’s drink benefit.

I thought I would prefer an adult-focused cruise, but I missed Royal Caribbean’s onboard activities

As a 20-something without kids, I occasionally find Royal Caribbean’s family-friendly atmosphere—particularly on the cruise line’s newest ships—unnecessary for my travel style. While I would have loved that carousel and trendy teen club as a kid, these features don’t necessarily appeal to me as an adult.

Nevertheless, it’s pretty easy to “escape” the kid-focused activities on Royal Caribbean’s ships. Most of these amenities are located in a few select areas of the ship, and by venturing elsewhere, you can find a quieter, adult-centered experience onboard.

Related: The best Royal Caribbean cruise ships for adults

Even so, the lack of family-focused activities on Celebrity Cruises caught my eye. Although the cruise line still has a kids club and activities like family karaoke, there’s a noticeable lack of thrilling attractions like water slides and zip lines on Celebrity’s ships.

I thought this would make the cruise more enjoyable as an adult traveler, since there would be (presumably) fewer screaming kids running around the ship.

Instead, I found myself missing Royal Caribbean’s unique attractions during my Celebrity cruise. Despite attending activities like watercolor class, trivia, and a murder mystery game show, I actually missed my workouts on Royal Caribbean’s rock climbing wall and afternoon rounds of mini golf.

It’s easy to assume activities like the FlowRider, indoor skydiving simulator, and bumper cars are meant for children, but these activities are a lot of fun for adults, too.

During my seven nights on Celebrity Silhouette, I came to the realization that I prefer high-energy, active activities onboard a cruise ship instead of just sitting on a chair for a round of trivia.

It’s unlikely that Celebrity will ever offer these types of thrills in the future, so I’ll probably book my future cruises with Royal Caribbean instead despite the higher number of kids and families onboard.

It’s hard to beat the variety of entertainment on Royal Caribbean

After sailing on five separate cruise lines, Royal Caribbean's entertainment has been the crème de la crème.

Entertainment is always quite low on my list of reasons to book a particular ship or cruise line. I always appreciate the amount of theater shows available while cruising, but if I’m being honest, I don’t always attend the shows. Most evenings I prefer listening to music at a bar instead or lounging on the outdoor decks to watch the sunset.

The exception to this is when I cruise with Royal Caribbean. Aside from the oldest Vision and Radiance Class cruise ships, all of the cruise line’s vessels offer unique entertainment venues, whether it’s the ice-skating shows, technology-focused performances at Two70, Broadway productions, or diving spectacles at the AquaTheater.

With so many unique venues, Royal Caribbean is more the exception than the rule. Traditionally, cruise ships have always offered productions in a theater, and theater shows were the only style of performance offered on Celebrity Silhouette.

I attended the ship’s production of “On Broadway” while onboard, which featured live music and choreography from a selection of Broadway shows, including Hairspray and Les Misérables. I didn’t have any complaints with the show, but it, of course, couldn’t compare to the full-length Broadway productions available on Royal Caribbean.

Both cruise lines fared equally well when it came to other entertainment, such as live bands and comedians. Yet if I had to pick a cruise line based on entertainment, I would choose Royal Caribbean in a heartbeat.

Celebrity offered upscale dining, but I prefer Royal Caribbean's food options

Nearly every review I read about Celebrity raved about the cruise line’s food, but I honestly prefer the dining venues on Royal Caribbean. Given the positive reviews, this was one of the biggest surprises of my vacation.

Food is so subjective that I was apprehensive to even include a food review on this list, so my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt. If you ask five cruisers to review food amongst a list of cruise lines, you’d likely see five drastically different rankings.

For instance, I found the food on both of my MSC cruises to be excellent; the emphasis on high-quality Italian food matched my palette perfectly. Others, however, rank MSC dead-last in their rankings on cruise ship food—some even call it inedible!

All that said, I thought the food on Celebrity Silhouette was not as seasoned as I prefer, and menu options were sometimes too elegant for my tastes.

As a traveler who loves spicy, international flavors, I’m not sure I am in the cruise line’s target demographic for menu options.

I enjoyed the variety of food at the buffet, Oceanview Café, and there were items I’ve rarely seen in Royal Caribbean’s buffet, including hummus, ceviche, and even lobster mac and cheese. Despite this, I felt that most dishes could have used more flavor.

Most of the time, I stuck to the stir-fry station so I could customize the dish to my liking with extra spice and seasonings.

As far as the Main Dining Room, I found myself missing Royal Caribbean’s menu. I love how Royal Caribbean incorporates a theme into each evening, whether Italian or French night. At times, I felt Celebrity tried a little too hard to make classic dishes elevated.

Related: 21 Tips for the Best Cruise Ship Main Dining Room experience

Instead of a classic basil pesto found in Royal Caribbean’s Main Dining Room, for instance, Celebrity offered a more enhanced version, made with walnut-arugula pesto, asparagus, tomato confit, and parmesan cheese.

While fancier, the dish was quite earthy in taste, and I felt the classic dish would have tasted better, despite being more simple.

Again, food is a subjective topic, and perhaps my palette is not as refined as other cruisers onboard. There were plenty of dishes I enjoyed during the week, especially the Indian curries, but I simply prefer the food offerings and menus offered on Royal Caribbean.

I’d still book a cruise on Celebrity, but mostly for the itinerary

Even though I preferred Royal Caribbean over Celebrity, one reason I would book a Celebrity cruise over the former is because of the itinerary options.

Celebrity Cruises offers a wider range of itineraries compared to Royal Caribbean—you can find cruises to countries like Argentina, Peru, Samoa, and India, along with more traditional itineraries. The line even offers cruises to Antarctica, which allow guests to sail by the continent and enjoy views from onboard, as well as expedition cruises to the Galapagos.

Related: The best cruise itineraries for every type of traveler

Royal Caribbean still offers intriguing itinerary options, and I’ve sailed on the line in North America, Europe, and Australia. Nonetheless, as someone who chooses cruises primarily for the destination, Celebrity’s offerings are worth browsing.

If I were choosing between a similar itinerary, I would likely pick Royal Caribbean over Celebrity. If I wanted to book that bucket-list cruise to Patagonia, though, I wouldn’t hesitate to book another Celebrity cruise.

Sometimes it takes trial and error to find the best cruise line for you

Every cruiser has their own travel style. Some prefer the party atmosphere of a Carnival cruise while others enjoy a luxury experience onboard a cruise line like Silversea. There’s no right or wrong way to cruise, and sometimes it takes a few tries to find the cruise line that fits you best.

After taking so many Royal Caribbean cruises, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a better cruise option out there. Yet after trying five cruise lines in the past three years, I’ve come to appreciate the quality and consistency of Royal Caribbean's product.

Whether it’s the morning mimosa with my Diamond drink voucher, afternoon ride on the zip line, or evening stroll through Central Park, I love how diverse the Royal Caribbean cruise experience can be.

In the end, I’m happy I tried Celebrity Cruises. I made wonderful memories during my time in Norway, and I had nothing but great experiences with the ship’s condition, service from crew members, and itinerary.

Yet ultimately, I’m still loyal to Royal.

I was able to take advantage of a few smart strategies to help make my money go further on my first Celebrity cruise.

While I’m usually a budget cruiser, my recent cruise on Celebrity Silhouette initially proved otherwise.

I upgraded from my typical interior cabin to a balcony room, and I booked my airfare way too late, which set me back a staggering $1,400.

Additionally, my cruise itinerary was set to visit Norway, a country frequently listed as one of the most expensive in the world. I felt as if I were setting myself up for failure as far as budget was concerned, but I was still determined to save money wherever I could.

By utilizing Celebrity’s loyalty status perks, forgoing splurges onboard, and keeping in-port spending to a minimum, I was surprised with the savvy ways I was able to save money throughout my weeklong cruise.

Here are the five ways I saved money on my first Celebrity cruise.

I took advantage of Celebrity’s loyalty status matching program, maximizing benefits to save as much as possible

One of the easiest ways I saved money on my Celebrity cruise was through matching my Crown & Anchor Society status on Royal Caribbean to Celebrity’s Captain’s Club program.

Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean allow guests to match their loyalty status from one cruise line to the other, allowing passengers to reap the benefits of the reciprocal loyalty program—even if it’s their first time on the cruise line.

Related: Celebrity Cruises Captain's Club loyalty program info, tips & secrets

As a Diamond Plus member on Royal Caribbean, I matched my status to Celebrity’s Captain’s Club when I booked my cruise. My status matched Celebrity's Elite Plus status, the second-highest tier of the loyalty program.

This led to lucrative benefits during my cruise, including discounts on wifi and drink packages, a 15% discount at specialty restaurants, two complimentary bags of laundry, one free scoop of gelato, a day in the thermal suite, and access to exclusive events.

Although I didn’t take advantage of every benefit offered, a few select benefits led to great savings. The Elite Happy Hour, for instance, allowed me to enjoy complimentary alcoholic beverages from 5-7PM every evening, and I could also start each day with a complimentary latte from the onboard coffee shop, Café Al Bacio.

I was grateful for these benefits as they enabled me to minimize my onboard spending. I didn’t need to worry about paying for laundry or spending $15 for a single cocktail, and saving nearly $40 on the wifi package was an awesome perk, too.

I planned my own activities in port because Celebrity’s excursion prices were steep

Norway and budget-friendly don’t necessarily go hand in hand, but I was still surprised by the prices of shore excursions offered by Celebrity Cruises.

Having never been to Norway before, I was looking forward to exploring the four ports of call on my itinerary. The Norwegian fjords looked spectacular, and I knew I wanted to see as much as I could in each destination. As an active traveler, I was particularly interested in excursions involving hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor pursuits.

Related: Is it better to book excursions through the cruise ship?

Unfortunately, looking at Celebrity’s excursions ahead of my cruise left me disappointed. Organized tours to destinations like Briksdal Glacier and Pulpit Rock (Norway’s most famous hike) were over $200 or $300 a person. Even independent tours I found on GetYourGuide and Viator were expensive. Norway was already living up to its pricey reputation, and hadn’t even arrived in the country yet!

Before shelling out nearly $1,000 on excursions, I checked whether or not I could get to each port's top attractions on my own. Luckily, I found economical ways to do the same activities I wanted to book with a cruise-sponsored excursion.

Instead of booking a $170 excursion to hike Pulpit Rock, I booked a $40 shuttle bus that departed from central Stavanger and dropped me off at the trailhead. The return trip left five hours later, giving me more than enough time to finish the trail (and grab a well-deserved ice cream at the basecamp).

In Olden, I booked the Loen Skylift on my own to enjoy enchanting views of Norway’s Nordfjord. The cable car’s ticket was $53 for a roundtrip ride, and I got to and from the skylift in just six minutes on a local bus (just $3 each way).

My port days in Ålesund and Molde were easier to plan independently, as I planned to stay within the city centers. Each town offered charming, historic streets, quaint cafes, and gorgeous views from the waterfront. My expenses were minimal in both of these destinations.

I took public transportation to the port instead of a taxi or shuttle

One of the hidden expenses of a cruise vacation is the expense of getting to and from your cruise port. Although you might book airfare far in advance, it’s easy to forget about planning transportation logistics to the ship itself.

My cruise itinerary departed from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, but my flight arrived at the country’s main airport outside of Amsterdam. As always, I arrived a day prior to my cruise. I spent the night in Amsterdam with a plan of traveling to Rotterdam on embarkation morning.

Related: How to prepare for a cruise: Last minute things you should do

One of the most convenient aspects of cruising in Europe is the extensive public transportation network in major cities. In most circumstances, there’s no need to book expensive private transfers or call an Uber to the port when cheaper—and arguably more convenient—options exist.

So instead of booking Celebrity’s $40 transfer or shelling out over €100 for a taxi, I searched for directions to the port on Google Maps. An $18 train ride from Amsterdam brought me to Rotterdam’s central station in under an hour. From there, a short, $2 metro ride brought me just a 5-minute walk away from the city’s cruise port.

If you’re traveling with more than two people, or if you have large suitcases, there’s an argument to be made for private transfers. In my scenario, though, taking public transportation made the most sense whilst also saving money.

I kept souvenir shopping to a minimum and avoided expensive meals in port

After reading how fellow cruise writer Allie spent over $800 on souvenirs on her recent European cruise, I was worried about whether or not I could keep my shopping budget to a minimum. She stated how the cost of souvenirs in Norway was exorbitant, with $40 t-shirts and $60 crewnecks.

Reading this beforehand, I made a mental note to keep souvenir spending to a minimum. Of course, traveling with a carry-on suitcase helped, as I couldn’t fit much more into the bag anyway. So instead of purchasing heavy knickknacks and clothing, I bought small souvenirs like magnets, which were cheaper and easier to pack.

Related: Top 30 extra cruise costs that aren't included

Furthermore, I saved money by avoiding the more expensive dining options in port. On long port days, it’s inevitable that you’ll spend some money on food, whether a sit-down meal or grab-and-go snack.

Most restaurants in Norway are anything but budget-friendly; sit-down meals seemed to average around $25 for an entrée. I could see these prices breaking my budget on a land-based trip, but because I only had four days in Norway, spending $100 on four lunches while in port wasn’t a huge deal.

Even still, I tended to choose more casual dining venues instead of the fancier sit-down options. One of my best meals, in fact, was from a Thai food truck in Ålesund, and the meal only set me back $13. If I needed a quick snack, I could find a scrumptious pastry at a local bakery for around $3-5.

Staying budget-conscious with souvenir and food purchases in port helped me avoid spending more than I wanted to. Luckily, I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything by doing so.

I stuck to only included dining options, despite the intriguing specialty restaurants

Although I usually cruise on a budget, one of the add-ons I frequently splurge for on a cruise is specialty dining. There’s not anything wrong with the included food on a cruise ship, but I prefer the enhanced dining experience of specialty venues, both in ambiance and cuisine variety.

Yet on Celebrity Silhouette, I forwent the specialty options and dined at only included restaurants. I split my meals between the Main Dining Room and Oceanview Cafe buffet. Outside of these venues, the ship offered complimentary burgers at Mast Grill, grab-and-go pastries at Café Al Bacio, and health-focused fare at Spa Café.

Related: What's included on a Celebrity cruise?

I also made sure to avoid food and beverage classes offered by Celebrity. Although the pizza making class they offered onboard was probably fun, I couldn’t fathom spending over $70 for the experience.

The included restaurants provided enough variety that I didn’t feel the need to spend extra at specialty restaurants. By spending nothing extra for food onboard, I could allocate these savings toward meals and snacks in port instead.

Sometimes splurging is worth the convenience, but I was happy to keep to a budget on my Celebrity cruise

At the end of the day, I’m glad I used these savvy tricks in order to save money on my Celebrity cruise. That being said, there’s a time and a place for using these budget-saving strategies.

There’s no denying that booking shore excursions through the cruise line is convenient, for example, and not all travelers want to deal with the hassle of planning port days on their own. Sometimes, spending an extra $100 on an organized tour is worth it for a stress-free trip.

Plus, add-ons like drink packages and specialty dining can greatly enhance a passenger’s onboard experience. There were times I wanted to try those picture-perfect cocktails at the Martini Bar, or that steamy bowl of ramen from Raw on 5, without thinking about the cost of each purchase.

At the end of the day, though, saving money on a cruise enables me to cruise more often. Every cruiser has a different travel style, and I’ll stick to even the tightest budget if it means I can continue booking cruises to far-flung destinations around the world.

Royal Caribbean cruise ships offer a cabin for any budget, but there is one suite that shines above all others, both in amenities and price: the Ultimate Family Suite.

As a family-focused cruise line, Royal Caribbean is no stranger to kid-friendly activities onboard its vessels. Whether waterslides, zip lines, or laser tag, there are countless ways to keep kids (and adults!) entertained onboard.

The vast majority of families book interior, ocean view, and balcony cabins, as these staterooms provide all the necessary amenities at a reasonable price point. Yet what if you could bring family-friendly fun into your cruise cabin?

The Ultimate Family Suite does just that, and this two-story, colorful cabin offers a truly unique experience in the cruise industry. The mind-blowing cabin is available on just four ships—Symphony, Wonder, Icon, and Utopia of the Seas. 

Royal Caribbean Blog had the chance to tour the cabin on a recent Utopia of the Seas cruise.

Staying in the Ultimate Family Suite isn’t cheap—prices average around $10,000 per night

With an in-cabin slide, private jacuzzi, cozy movie room, and gorgeous ocean views, the Ultimate Family Suite on Utopia of the Seas is one of the most expensive cabins on Royal Caribbean, second only to the slightly larger Ultimate Family Townhouse on Icon of the Seas.

Prices vary from sailing to sailing, but on average, guests can expect to pay between $20,000 and $50,000 for a 3 or 4-night sailing on Utopia of the Seas.

With two adults and two kids in the cabin, a 4-night cruise in April came out to $37,332 for the cabin, whereas a cruise in late February was priced at a whopping $59,124. “Budget” sailings can occasionally be found, with a 3-night cruise in August priced at just $22,948.

The suite can accommodate up to nine passengers, and guests enjoy Star Class benefits

If a $59,000 cruise gave you a jump scare, I do have some good news—up to nine guests* can stay in the Ultimate Family Suite. The more guests in the cabin, the lower the price per passenger.

The 4-night cruise in late February, for example, costs $14,781 per person with four guests in the cabin. If nine guests (four adults and six kids) stayed in the suite instead, the price per person is just $6,866 per person, or $61,796 total.

Related: Royal Caribbean suites guide & review

While not everyone wants to sail with nine passengers in a single stateroom, it can be a great option for larger travel parties. Additionally, the Ultimate Family Suite shares a connecting door with a Crown Loft Suite, which can accommodate an additional four passengers.

Plus, not only does the price include lodging in the opulent cabin, but passengers also receive Royal Caribbean’s Star Class benefits.

Star Class is the highest tier of the cruise line’s Royal Suite Class, and comes with impressive perks like a personal Royal Genie, access to exclusive suite areas, and complimentary internet, drink, and dining packages.

Let’s jump in and take a look inside the Ultimate Family Suite

Whether you’re planning a cruise in the Ultimate Family Suite or adding the room to your wishlist, it’s helpful to know the ins and outs of this remarkable cabin.

Colorful signage, along with a hopscotch carpet, welcome guests to the Ultimate Family Suite. Even before walking through the doors, it’s clear you’re about to enter somewhere special.

The entryway leads to the suite’s dining table, which also functions as a digital play area. Screens provide endless entertainment, with digital coloring apps and card games available with the touch of a button.

There are eight separate game areas at the table, which can also be switched off in order to transform the screens into a regular table.

If you’d prefer screen-free play, opt for the drawing board behind the table instead. Alternatively, the cabin’s Lego wall near the entryway is sure to be a hit with adults and kids alike.

The pièce de résistance of the suite, of course, is the massive two-story living room.

Colorful and vibrant, just this single room sets the Ultimate Family Suite apart from any other cabin on the ship.

A spacious television area comes complete with two lounge chairs along with a sofa, which can be converted into a bed for those traveling with a large party.

Don’t forget about the cozy nook next to the television, either, which features adorable fruit-shaped pillows.

I’d be remiss not to mention the Ultimate Family Suite’s in-cabin slide, which takes guests from the second to first floor.

There is no other cabin on the ship with its own slide, making it an extra-unique feature of the stateroom. After all, why take the stairs when you can slide downstairs instead?

If the slide weren’t cool enough, there’s also a hidden cranny behind the slide with pillows, a giant Connect 4 game, and a suspended chair.

Undoubtedly, though, the best hideaway for kids in the Ultimate Family Suite is the movie room.

With two TVs, a mini bar, and giant couch, there’s really no reason to ever leave the cabin and venture elsewhere onboard.

If a regular couch is too lame for the kids, they can watch a movie from the room’s shark-themed nook instead.

The last room downstairs is the spare bedroom.

Whereas the second floor features the master bedroom and kids room, the downstairs room is meant for extra guests, whether traveling with grandparents, additional kids, or a second family altogether.

The room features a king-sized bed along with a chair, desk, closets, and drawers for storage. A bathroom—the third in the cabin—is downstairs, too, which has a double vanity and shower.

Now let’s head upstairs, and no, we can’t take the slide to the second floor.

Still in the theme of making the Ultimate Family Suite as fun as possible, Royal Caribbean created a piano staircase. When walking up or down, each footstep creates a note, making a song as guests travel between floors.

Luckily, the sound can be switched off if you’re worried about the constant noise.

The stairs lead to the master bedroom. Unlike the spare room downstairs, the master bedroom is not separated from the rest of the cabin by a wall.

Although this makes the room less private, a curtain can separate the bedroom from the living room below. Plus, it means parents can enjoy sprawling views from the cabin’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

Being a suite, the master bedroom (along with the other rooms) comes with upgraded amenities compared to standard cabins on Utopia of the Seas, including mattresses and linens.

Aside from the bed, the master bedroom also features a lounge chair, desk, and four closets. A mini fridge is inside one of the closets, providing a convenient way to enjoy a refreshment without the need to go downstairs.

The master bedroom has its own bathroom with a dual vanity and large shower, which offers a rainforest shower head along with adjustable shower wands and jets along the shower’s walls.

The bathroom, like the others in the Ultimate Family Suite, comes equipped with Malin + Goetz body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.

A door separates the master bedroom from the kids room next door. The door can be opened regularly or, as another option, tiny cruisers can crawl through the door’s miniature opening from one room to the next.

The space-themed kids room features four twin beds, each of which has a set of outlets and a television.

One of the bottom beds functions as a couch, but it can be converted to a bed if needed.

The kids room has its own bathroom, too. Unlike the other bathrooms in the suite, you'll find a bathtub.

Now let’s check out the Ultimate Family Suite’s stunning outdoor space. To get there, we’ll take the slide.

There are regular cruise ship balconies… and then there’s the Ultimate Family Suite’s balcony.

The balcony offers an unobstructed view of the ocean along with an 8-person dining table and climbing area for kids. Perhaps the most dreamy feature of all is the balcony’s private jacuzzi—a major upgrade compared to sharing jacuzzis with other guests on the pool deck.

All in all, the Ultimate Family Suite is definitely a splurge. As someone who typically books the cheapest interior cabins when I cruise, my short tour was probably the closest I’ll get to staying in this cabin myself.

For many passengers, just the thought of spending $10,000 a night on a cruise cabin seems outrageous. Other guests, on the other hand, book the suite as a special, once-in-a-lifetime type of cruise experience.

Related: 5 best cruise ship suites on Royal Caribbean

Regardless of where you fall on the book-it-or-not debate, there’s no denying that the Ultimate Family Suite offers a unique cabin experience. There’s no suite quite like it anywhere else in the cruise industry, and its innovative features certainly provide an unmatched, unforgettable experience for families.

*Note: Royal Caribbean's website states up to ten guests can stay in the suite, but when checking prices, a reservation agent stated the cabin can only accommodate nine guests

Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas promises epic parties, thrilling activities, and dreamy beach days, but the ship also packs a punch when it comes to dining.

It’s no secret that food is an integral part of a cruise vacation. When I booked a 3-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas—the newest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet—I was excited to try the vessel’s extensive selection of restaurants.

As one of the world’s biggest cruise ships, Utopia of the Seas offers dining choices for any type of traveler. Budget cruisers can choose from over ten complimentary venues, but the ship also features more than ten specialty restaurants that come with an extra charge.

Everything from Japanese hibachi to a Mexican buffet and Italian trattoria are available onboard, and I couldn’t wait to try as many dishes as possible on my short weekend getaway. I splurged on the Unlimited Dining Package for $164, which allowed me to try not only the ship’s free restaurants, but the specialty options, too.

After three days onboard (and a few pounds gained) here are the 6 best and 5 worst things I ate on Utopia of the Seas.

BEST: Lobster Thermidor at 150 Central Park

I never knew I liked lobster until I tried the delectable, tender Lobster Thermidor at Utopia’s 150 Central Park. In short, I was blown away by the flavor and presentation of the dish, and I regret not trying it sooner.

150 Central Park is an elegant specialty dining option on Utopia of the Seas. Each dish at the restaurant is prepared with locally sourced ingredients, all of which are harvested during the peak of their season. I booked the restaurant with my Unlimited Dining Package, but the meal costs around $59 per person without it.

Related: Utopia of the Seas restaurant and dining guide

I usually don't care for shellfish, but I decided to step outside my comfort zone and try the menu's renowned Lobster Thermidor. I knew if I didn't like the dish I could order something else instead, so I decided it was worth a shot.

It wasn't my first time at 150 Central Park—the restaurant is available on all of Royal Caribbean's other Oasis Class ships. Yet after tasting my first bite of Lobster Thermidor, I couldn't believe I waited so long to try the dish.

The lobster was tender, seasoned with tarragon and parmesan cheese, and coated with a cognac cream sauce. It was easily the best dish I had on the entire cruise, and I’ll certainly be reserving 150 Central Park on my next sailing.

WORST: Spaghetti Pomodoro at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen

Royal Caribbean offers three Italian specialty restaurants across the fleet, with Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen—the newest Italian restaurant—offered on Utopia of the Seas.

Like the fleet’s other Italian restaurants, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen offers a variety of pastas along with meat and seafood entrees. The restaurant differs from the others, however, in that it also offers a pizza menu.

Being Italian-American myself, I’ll admit I have high standards when it comes to Italian food. No restaurant’s red sauce could ever compare to my mom's or grandma's recipe! Even still, I can usually find something to like at any Italian restaurant.

Unfortunately, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen fell flat for me. I prefer pastas without meat, but I found options limited, with only a spaghetti pomodoro dish offered on the menu. I wish the menu had more vegetarian options outside of pizza, whether a pesto ravioli or eggplant parmesan. As is, the menu options felt rather limited.

The spaghetti pomodoro wasn’t bad, but it didn’t taste significantly better than the free pasta at the Windjammer or Main Dining Room. In hindsight, I wish I had used the last night of my dining package at Izumi sushi or hibachi, which offer food options I cannot find elsewhere onboard.

BEST: Pizza at Sorrento’s

Utopia of the Seas is called "The World’s Biggest Weekend” for a reason. The ship aims to provide the ultimate party experience for her short 3 and 4-night itineraries, and this will surely lead to a few late nights onboard.

As an early riser, I was surprised to find myself out well into the night on Utopia of the Seas. Whether dancing at the toga party or cheering on my team at The Quest game show, I partied harder than ever before on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Related: 5 things Utopia of the Seas does better than other Oasis Class ships

Frequent cruisers know that nothing tastes quite as good as Sorrento's pizza after a few drinks, and the free, unlimited pizza hit the spot every evening of my cruise.

WORST: Raspberry Cheesecake at The Spare Tire

When Royal Caribbean first introduced The Spare Tire—the ship’s new food truck concept—I was intrigued. The fast, casual, and complimentary option seemed like it would be a convenient place to grab a snack while lounging on the pool deck.

Unfortunately, while I still find the concept great, the implementation felt slightly lackluster. I appreciated being able to walk up to the “food truck” and grab an item myself, but the food choices weren’t the most appealing.

It appeared many of the snacks were pre-made and reheated. The Tornados, for instance, were from the same brand of taquitos you could find at a gas station. Likewise, the raspberry cheesecake I tried was from the brand Mini Chimis.

While the cheesecake bite was palatable, the snack paled in comparison to the freshly-made desserts I could enjoy elsewhere on the ship.

That being said, The Spare Tire’s veggie wrap and chicken sandwich appeared to be made fresh onboard; I found these much more enticing than the pre-made alternatives.

BEST: Southern Breakfast at The Mason Jar

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and no restaurant on Utopia of the Seas does breakfast quite as well as The Mason Jar.

As Royal Caribbean’s only Southern-inspired restaurant, The Mason Jar offers both a brunch and dinner menu. While dinner sees favorites like crawfish gumbo and beef brisket, brunch offers a variety of sweet and savory items.

The brunch menu’s diverse options—cinnamon rolls, stuffed French toast, buttery breakfast biscuits, and pimento cheese omelets—were too tempting to pass up. As soon as I boarded Utopia of the Seas, I headed to The Mason Jar for a much-needed brunch after my busy travel day.

Related: The Mason Jar Southern food restaurant review

Feeling something savory, I ordered the Southern Breakfast (sans bacon). My breakfast skillet came with two eggs atop a bed of sweet potato hash. You can’t go wrong with fried eggs, but I loved the stir-fried onions, peppers, and crispy sweet potatoes.

The Southern Breakfast served with sides of Meemaw’s biscuits and jalapeño cornbread easily made this dish one of my favorites on the weekend getaway.

WORST: Red Velvet Pancakes at The Mason Jar

Following the scrumptious breakfast skillet, I couldn’t pass up a sweet treat to end my brunch.

I loved The Mason Jar’s fluffy red velvet pancakes during my first visit to the restaurant two years ago on Wonder of the Seas. This time, however, the pancakes were not as delicious as I remembered.

Despite their pretty appearance, I found the pancakes quite dry. I didn’t mind the thick, cakey texture, but the ratio of cream cheese icing to pancakes felt off. Even though I could have asked for more icing, I was already full from my previous course, so I left most of the pancakes on the plate.

I wouldn’t be opposed to ordering the red velvet pancakes again, but I would definitely ask for an extra cup of icing next time!

BEST: Shaved Ice at Wipeout Bar

A brand new concept to Royal Caribbean is the shaved ice available at Wipeout Bar, Utopia of the Seas’ bustling bar on the ship’s sports deck.

Starting at $6 for a small and $9 for a large, guests can choose up to three syrup flavors from a selection of seventeen. Toppings, including fruit and condensed milk, are priced at $0.50 each, and there are also boozy options sold for $14.

Unfortunately, the shaved ice is not included in the drink package or dining package, and Diamond drink vouchers cannot be applied to the dessert, either.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package

Regardless, I was tempted to try a shaved ice on embarkation day to cool down in Florida’s oppressive July humidity. It worked, because my watermelon ice was not only tasty, but tremendously refreshing.

I thought the price was somewhat steep given the product (ice and syrup), but it was so revitalizing in the moment that I didn’t even care. Nevertheless, I hope the shaved ice will be included in packages and Diamond vouchers in the future.

WORST: Bubble Cone at Izumi in the Park

Although Instagram-worthy, I didn’t love the bubble cone I ordered at Izumi in the Park, Royal Caribbean’s walkup Japanese cuisine window.

Izumi in the Park focuses primarily on grab-and-go sushi and gyoza, but the casual venue also offers waffle bubble cones. There are five flavors available, including the Strawberry Bliss and Rainbow Mochi, and each flavor promises a warm waffle filled with ice cream and toppings.

Currently, the bubble cone costs $8, but one cone is permitted every 24 hours for passengers with the Unlimited Dining Package.

Even though I found the concept great, I thought the price was rather steep for what was offered. The ice cream used was the same soft-serve I could enjoy on the pool deck for free.

Nonetheless, the waffle and toppings were a nice addition to a standard ice cream cone. I would probably pay $5 for the cone, but $8 was a little high. I was glad it was included in my dining package, though, so the price didn’t really matter in the end.

BEST: Jalapeño Poppers at Playmakers

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade is one of my favorite casual restaurants on Royal Caribbean ships. Although the venue comes with an extra charge, I find the prices reasonable. The bar’s nachos, wings, sandwiches, and appetizers are priced à la carte, with most between $7 and $12.

The Unlimited Dining Package includes a daily $20 credit at Playmakers, so I ordered both nachos and jalapeño poppers. It’s hard to go wrong with nachos, but the jalapeño poppers were the star of the show.

Crispy and with the perfect blend of spicy and sweet, the fried jalapeños were filled with cream cheese and served with ranch and sweet chili dipping sauces. I don’t eat red meat, so I was happy the poppers were not wrapped with bacon.

I never thought to dip jalapeño poppers in sweet chili sauce, but the combination was delightful! This cheesy appetizer will undoubtedly become a go-to whenever I sail on a Royal Caribbean ship with Playmakers.

BEST: Breakfast at the Windjammer

Weekend cruises on Utopia of the Seas are busy—there’s no doubt about that. The last best thing I ate on Utopia of the Seas was also the most simple: breakfast at the Windjammer buffet.

In between port days in The Bahamas, stunning entertainment shows, and all of the ship’s wild parties, there’s little time for a sit-down breakfast. Instead of starting my day with a leisurely meal in the Main Dining Room, I preferred a quick meal in the Windjammer.

Related: Guide to Royal Caribbean's Windjammer Cafe buffet

Utopia of the Seas’ main buffet is anything but limited. The complimentary venue offers unlimited food, whether made-to-order omelets, bagels and lox, or a waffle station complete with a wide variety of toppings.

I enjoyed a toasted bagel and eggs at the Windjammer most mornings. I never struggled to find a seat in the extra-spacious venue, and the convenience of the buffet was hard to beat.