Merry Christmas! The holidays are here, and so is our weekly round up of this week's Royal Caribbean news.

We have a sneak peek at Royal Caribbean's first beach club that will open in a few days in The Bahamas.

After taking a 10 minute ferry ride, Matt got to try out what this special kind of shore excursion has to offer.

From heated pools, to powder white sand, to a DJ party, we have a first look to share of what you can expect.

Royal Caribbean News

• 7 things that surprised me on my first visit to the Royal Beach Club
• Royal Caribbean surveying guests about what they want at new Greek Isles beach club
• Star of the Seas cabins to avoid
• 9 first time cruise questions that a group of 100 influencers asked
• 13 gifts that are perfect for a cruise too
• How I decorated my cruise ship cabin for Christmas for just $40
• I broke my own cardinal cruising rule and while it worked out, I had more anxiety than was worth it

Video: Royal Beach Club - First Look!

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video: Royal Beach Club - First Look! 

Multiple Royal Caribbean sailings cancelled after one ship is redeployed

At least 18 sailings on Freedom of the Seas have been cancelled so far as a result of a change in Royal Caribbean's schedule.

Affected guests were emailed a notification that their plans have been changed and the ship has been forced to be redeployed.

"We apologize for the inconvenience," the email said with an explanation of what options guests have to rebook or cancel.

Bigger cruise ships could finally be coming to Baltimore

Newly approved plans by the Maryland Transportation Authority Board could finally allow bigger ships to sail to Baltimore.

A vote was held to approve new bridges over Chesapeake Bay that would give enough clearance for bigger cruise ships.

Up until now, the bridges were too low for anything but Royal Caribbean's oldest and smallest ships.

Royal Caribbean doesn't have free Wi-Fi, but here are the internet options on a cruise ship

Royal Caribbean will likely never offer free Wi-Fi, but there are different options to stay connected.

Passengers can buy internet access packages, or rely purely on the Royal Caribbean app for free. Plus, there are other options to.

We recommend understanding your options before you sail to save money and be ready to go on the first day.

Royal Caribbean to help redevelop St. Thomas cruise port

Royal Caribbean is partnering with another Caribbean port to help redevelop what it offers.

The project's goal is to transform Crown Bay District into a vibrant, mixed-use destination for residents and visitors, with better commercial, recreational, and cultural spaces. 

Details are slim right now, but plans are in place to move forward.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 588th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, with Matt's thoughts on recent awards.

Cruise Critic announced its 2025 award winners, and Matt thought a few categories had the wrong winner chosen.

Please feel free to subscribe via YouTube, iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Going on a cruise is an easy way to travel, but first timers are bound to have questions.

I recently sailed with a group of 100 influencers, media, and vloggers aboard Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. Our group chat was filled with excitement, karaoke seeking validation, and a lot of first time cruise questions.

I think it's natural to have questions, especially once you get onboard the ship. I know when I've traveled to a new country or region I'm never totally certain what to expect.

I compiled all of the newbie questions so someone else new to cruising can benefit from knowing the answers before they board.

How to do muster drill

Before any cruise can begin, an important safety drill is required of every passenger sailing.

It's called the muster drill, and it's similar to the spiel you hear on an airplane before it takes off.  You need to know what to do and where to go in case of an emergency.

One person wrote in the chat, "What was the thing we need to do check into before 4pm otherwise they call us out over the intercom."

They're right that you need to complete it before sail away, but it's really quick and easy.

With the Royal Caribbean app downloaded, click the Safety icon in the bottom menu and then watch the safety video and listen to a recording of the ship's emergency signal.

The last step is to go to your muster station and check-in. 

Your muster station location is listed in the app as well as on the back of your stateroom door. You can ask any crew member for help finding where your muster station is located.

When you arrive at your muster station, a crew member will scan your SetSail pass (or SeaPass card) and confirm you know what to do in case of an emergency.

That's it! You can knock it out quickly in just a few minutes and avoid being paged over the entire ship's public address system!

How to connect to Wi-Fi

As you might imagine, influencers are going to want to be connected to the internet and I've seen plenty of people struggle with it.

It's not complicated, but somewhat confusing how to get started. This is evidenced by the usual line of people on embarkation day at the Voom desk.

Connect your device to the ship's Wi-Fi network and you'll be given a prompt to either just use the Royal Caribbean app and have no internet access, or create an account for internet access.

Whether you prepaid for an internet package or want to buy it onboard, you need to first create an account.  This is your login for how you can switch devices later.

After creating an account, you'll have the choice to leverage the prepaid package you have or buy access on the spot.

Another question was can only one person be connected to Wi-Fi, and the answer is you can have as many devices connected at once as included in your package.

If you bought a one device package, you can have one device connected at at time. But you can log out of device one and then log in with device two.  There's no restriction on people, so if you want to let your spouse, friend, or vlogger friend use your account, you can share the login with them.

Are drinks in pineapples included in a drink package?

It's so tempting when you walk on the pool deck to order a pina colada that comes in a pineapple, but that will cost you extra.

Your Royal Caribbean Deluxe Beverage Package includes most drinks on the ship, but souvenir glasses or specialty drinks that come in fruit are not included.

If you order a drink served in a pineapple, you would only pay the difference for the pineapple. The drink package covers the actual beverage part, so you would pay the difference to cover the souvenir cup or fruit creation.

Do I need to carry photo ID?

In addition to your SeaPass card, someone asked if they needed to have their drivers license or passport with them while around the ship.

You definitely do not need to carry ID with you, as the ship has all your pertinent information associated with your SeaPass account.

With a scan of your SeaPass card, they can verify your name, age, and who you're cruising with.  In short, your room keys act as ID.

Does the ship accept Apple Pay?

Royal Caribbean ships are cashless, and you cannot use a credit card or tap to pay either.

Every transaction is done via your SeaPass card.  You cannot use Apple Pay, Google Pay, or a credit card for a specific transaction onboard.

"I checked and every single show is sold out for the entire cruise"

After boarding the ship, one person in our group was surprised to discover all the shows were already sold out for the sailing.

The truth is you need to prebook entertainment before the cruise begins. About a month before the sailing, you should be able to make reservations for any of the shows on Royal Caribbean's bigger ships.

There's no cost to make a reservation.

If, however, you find yourself in the same situation as this person and there are no more reservations left, there is always a standby line you can go to about 20-30 minutes before the show begins.

The reality is a lot of cruisers will make pre-cruise reservations for shows, but when it comes time for the show, they don't go because they're busy doing something else.

This is why the standby line usually works. But you'll want to arrive early to ensure you can get in.

Where is the shampoo and conditioner?

I think a lot of first time cruisers are genuinely surprised by the lack of included toiletries in standard cabins.

"Are the rooms supposed to have shampoo and conditioner? We can't find any," is what one person wrote.

Every cabin has a 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash in a dispenser that's inside the shower, but that's it. If you're in a suite, then they have upgraded toiletries that include shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion.

My recommendation is bring your own toiletries, especially if you have special needs hair.  

I always pack my own shampoo and conditioner for cruising, because the stuff provided isn't high quality. At the very least, it's not the same hair products you're used to at home.

Where can I get something for motion sickness?

I think the chances you will get seasick on a cruise ship are pretty low, but it could happen.

If you find yourself feeling queasy, then you can go to Guest Services and ask for medicine.  Theoretically, they will provide you with free meds to take.

Personally, I prescribe to a "always be prepared" mentality, so I pack my own.  Bonine or Dramamine work quite well and you can get it without a prescription.

What food and drink is included and what costs extra?

Perhaps the top question any new cruiser has is what food is free on Royal Caribbean and what will cost you extra.

There were questions throughout our sailing regarding if certain foods, drinks, or services were included with the cost of the cruise.

A Royal Caribbean cruise includes the basics, so you won't go hungry or thirsty onboard.  But there's some food and drink that has an extra cost to it.

The exact specifics will depend on the ship, but there are few inclusions that are universal, regardless of ship:

• Main Dining Room
• Windjammer buffet
• Coffee shop with light snacks and pizza
• Water
• Milk
• Regular coffee and tea
• Flavored waters
• Hot chocolate (via instant packets)
• Lemonade
• Iced tea

This is a generalization, but the ship you sail on may have more options included.

When in doubt, you can ask a crew member before ordering what's extra.

I was excited for my first visit to Royal Caribbean's new beach club in The Bahamas, but a few things jumped out as surprises about this new offering.

I think the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is poised to become easily the best thing you can do in Nassau. It's a high quality, limited capacity, beach offering exclusive to Royal Caribbean cruisers and it includes everything you'd want.

I tracked this project since its early inception, but a few things about my day weren't what I expected.  After all, this is a shore excursion, and there are differences you should be aware of compared to any other shore excursion or a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Here are a few surprises and fun observations I made while at Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.

Yes, the pools are heated

The number one question I've been asked since visiting the Royal Beach Club is about the pools.

Fear not, all of the pools are heated within the beach club. In fact, every beach club going forward will have heated pools.

Royal Caribbean recognized early on that having heated pools would be beneficial during the winter months, as The Bahamas can get warm, but not necessarily hot.

Combine that with strong breezes that are common for a barrier island that the club resides on, and having warm water is a good idea.

There's a mailbox to send postcards

A simple, yet fun idea was to include a mail drop on the island.

This beach club is not only in The Bahamas, but located within the country's capital of Nassau.  So mail service is possible since the beach club isn't located on a remote island, as CocoCay is.

The mail drop claims someone comes once a day to check it.  

Since you probably don't travel with postcards and international postage, they will sell you it at the nearby stand.  It costs about $4 to buy and send a postcard.

This can be a fun souvenir to send home and get later, or to share FOMO with friends and families that didn't come on the cruise.

There are very few power outlets, so bring a power brick

Maybe it's just me, but I wanted to capture all the moments from my day.  I think a lot of cruisers do too.

However, there's basically no power outlets to recharge your phone later.

The only power outlets I could find were in the cabanas that are available to rent.  I could not find power outlets at any of the bars or restaurants.

I recommend bringing a portable charger with you (like this one for just $20) so you won't run out of battery. (This link contains an affiliate link that costs you nothing extra, but I make a small commission)

You need to bring photo ID with you, even if you're just going to the beach club

Unlike a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, you need to take photo ID with you off the ship.

Royal Caribbean doesn't need it, but you'll need it before getting back on the ship.

When it's time to head back to the ship, the ferry will drop you off in the Nassau cruise port.  Even if you bypass all the shops and attractions, you need to show ID and your SeaPass card in order to get back on the pier and eventually the ship.

You could bring a passport, but a driver's license will work too. The port just wants to confirm you are who your SeaPass card claims to be.

The fritters don't have conch in them because it's not sustainable

In the name of research, I sampled everything on the menu at Paradise Grill. When I got to the "Fire Engine Fritters", something tasted different about it.

As it turns out, there's no conch in them.

I spoke with Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, and he said Royal Caribbean made the decision to not include conch because it's not a sustainable food.

The cruise line is very sensitive to environmental needs and being a part of solutions to protect the waters their ships visit.

The fritters weren't bad at all, and I thought with the "crack sauce" it came with had really good flavor.

Royal Caribbean hid security cameras in the lights

Maybe only I appreciate this level of "cruise nerd", but Royal Caribbean actually hid their security cameras so it doesn't take away from the tropical vibe.

An executive pointed out that they wanted the club's theming to really evoke a fun and tropical experience. Seeing hardware like a security camera detracts from it.

So if you pay close attention, the bottom of the lights on poles have a fisheye security camera that I would have never noticed until it was pointed out to me.

You can't use your SeaPass card to pay for anything in the beach club

I'm so used to CocoCay that I was a little surprised when I learned my SeaPass card wouldn't work on the island.

All the bars and souvenir shops take credit card, cash, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. 

In addition, it's a good idea to bring cash for tipping.

With just a week before its official grand opening, Royal Caribbean's new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in the Bahamas is nearing completion.

Royal Caribbean invited me to experience this first-of-its-kind offering that it hopes will be a key differentiator from any competitor.

The beach club will open on December 23rd, but I got the chance to see most of the new club and what guests can expect when they arrive.

Let's take a tour of this new exclusive beach and party spot.

A new way to beach

Royal Caribbean built this beach club to offer something no one else has: combining a memorable cruise vacation with beach day add-on.

Located in Nassau, Bahamas it is strategically positioned to cater to many Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises ships that visit nearly every day.

Exemplifying how popular a port Nassau is, over 31,000 passengers visited the port on April 8, 2025.

Despite its record-breaking numbers, Nassau isn't the most popular cruise destination. Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, even noted that it falls within the bottom ten percent in overall guest demand.

Enter the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island. This new experience is designed to appeal to guests who might otherwise stay on the ship or skip itineraries with Nassau. Its goal is to deliver on the high standards the cruise line has developed at other private destinations and on board its vessels. 

The 17-acre beach club gives Royal Caribbean and Celebrity passengers exclusive access to a pristine stretch of beach away from the crowds. 

The area is divided into three zones — Family Beach, Chill Beach, and Party Cove — to ensure that there's something for everyone. 

Chill Beach is a peaceful oceanfront area with a pool, swim-up bar, beachside bars, Paradise Grill, cabanas, and more.

According to the cruise line, must-try items at the Bahamian grill include the BBQ Black Bean Burger, Fire Engine Fritters, Pinwheel Shrimp Skewers with Guava Glaze, Bahama-Style Baked Mac & Cheese, and more. 

The Party Cove is the social hub of the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island and is primarily geared toward adults. 

The heart and soul of the area is the two-story Floating Flamingo Pool & Swim-Up Bar. The colorful, open-air structure serves as a visual focal point, setting the tone for lively fun.

Not only is the Floating Flamingo Swim-Up Bar the largest swim-up bar in the world, but it also features a resident DJ who keeps the energy high throughout the day, similar to the DJ at Hideaway Beach at Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

Another Paradise Grill location is situated within the Party Cove, ensuring guests have easy access to food, regardless of where they choose to spend their day.

Finally, Family Beach offers a casual, kid-friendly atmosphere with convenient access to food, drinks, and private spaces. It's home to the Shallow End Pool, a zero-entry pool with its own swim-up bar, as well as the third Paradise Grill location.

Unfortunately, the finishing touches are still being applied to this area, so I was unable to preview it.

However, this fun-filled area is where you'll find the two-story Ultimate Family Cabana, which goes for $10,000 per day. Despite its price, Royal Caribbean reports strong demand for the luxurious retreat.

The cabana includes a dedicated attendant and admission for up to 12 guests. Inside, families will find a private bathroom, a heated whirlpool, a spiral slide, a frozen drink machine, a television, and more. Don't worry, though — there are beachside and poolside cabanas that are more modestly priced, too. 

Admission to the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is not included in your cruise fare. Similar to the Deluxe Beverage Package, the day passes are priced dynamically based on factors like the ship and sailing date. 

There are two types of passes available. The all-inclusive Day Pass with Unlimited Open Bar & Dining starts at $169.99 per person. 

Alternatively, the Day Pass with Non-Alcoholic Drinks & Dining is priced at $129.99 for guests ages 13 and older and $109.99 for children ages 4 to 12.

For a cruise aboard Utopia of the Seas in July 2026, the pre-cruise sale on the Cruise Planner has the Unlimited Open Bar pass listed at $139.99 per person, which highlights the value of booking in advance to secure the lowest pricing.

All inclusive, with food, drinks, and Wi-Fi

Something that makes the Royal Beach Club different is that it's all-inclusive.

Your day pass includes not just admission, but also unlimited food from the various restaurants around the club.

There's a mix of traditional favorites and Bahamian leaning cuisine too.

And of course, there's a wide selection of drinks too.

If you bought the non-alcoholic day pass, you could purchase individual alcoholic beverages.

The idea is to have the perfect beach experience, everything is already here waiting.

Bigger than I expected, and more chill too

After a few hours walking and exploring Royal Beach Club, it's clear how expansive this narrow strip of land truly is.

While it's narrow, it's also quite large. The total property is 17 acres in size, and while it may not seem that large when you see it from the ship, it feels much bigger when you arrive.

While one area wasn't open for my visit, I was still impressed how large the area feels. I'd call it deceptively large, and that means there's much more space to spread out and find your own area.

The other thing I loved immediately was how comfortable it felt, thanks to a strong breeze.

While December in The Bahamas is far from the hottest month of the year, there's a consistent breeze that helps keep things comfortable.

Depending on the time of year, there could be easterly trade winds or a fresh breeze.  Since it's kind of a barrier island, it enjoys more wind than if you were inland.  All of this means I think it may not feel as hot out as it is.

If there's one piece of cruise advice I always give, it's never travel the same day your cruise departs.  So when I broke that rule, it gave me more trouble than it was worth.

The reason why you never want to fly the same day your cruise departs is a travel delay could cause you to miss your cruise, putting your entire vacation in jeopardy.

So when Royal Caribbean invited me to sail on Wonder of the Seas to preview the opening of its new beach club in The Bahamas, I decided to break my own rule and roll the dice.

Why would I flagrantly choose to travel the same day as my cruise? I had a family commitment the day before the cruise began that wasn't negotiable. And I had spent a lot of time away from home this year on over a dozen cruises.

I booked a Brightline train that took me from Orlando to Miami. It departed at 5:40am and would arrive in Miami at 9:15am. Taking a train instead of flying lessened my concerns because Brightline's fleet tends to run on time with less delays or cancellations.

The good news is my train was on time and I made it to my Wonder of the Seas cruise, but I also regretted my choice a few times and realized why I won't do this again.

No matter how good the plan sounded, I had more anxiety than I expected

Maybe I'm just a worrywart, but until my train was firmly in South Florida, the level of anxiety I experienced surprised me.

At first it was concern over if my alarm would go off and would I wake up on time.  Then it was worrying about finding a parking spot at the train station.  And finally, would the train get me there on time.

I cannot even imagine how much more worried I would have been if I had been flying.  Flights are notorious for being delayed for all sorts of mundane reasons.

Boarding at the cruise terminal begins at 10am, but you have to be onboard by 3pm usually.  That means your buffer for delay or mistake is only a few hours.

In my situation, I felt better that I could always drive myself down to Miami in roughly the same amount of time the train would take.  That's not usually a fallback people who elect to fly can say.

I didn't expect to be so tired all day because of my long travel day

It came as no surprise waking up at 4am was difficult and I was initially tired, but it really dragged me down all day.

My plan was to nap on the ship once the staterooms opened at 1pm, but it was rough getting to that point.

I stopped to get coffee on my way to the train station, so that helped perk me up initially. But those first few hours onboard after boarding before cabins opened were rougher than I expected. I just wanted to lay down and nap.

When my room was ready, that's exactly what I did and it felt glorious.  But my nap left me feeling more lethargic than energized.

A very early start of travel started me off tired and it never really wore off.

In fact, I was in my cabin by 10pm because I just couldn't summon the energy to stay out later.

Had I traveled to Miami the day before, I could have slept much longer the night before the cruise and gotten onboard with a lot more rest.

My plans worked out, but I wouldn't want to do it again

In my case, I was lucky that I was able to make this cruise as scheduled. But I can't say I enjoyed how it all happened on embarkation day.

There are countless examples in the news of a family that misses their cruise ship because of a delayed flight or some other travel mishap.

Even when things go to plan, I found having such a small amount of buffer removed all the pre-cruise excitement and replaced it with angst.

Would I wake up on time? Would my train have delays? Will there be enough parking?

This isn't how I want any vacation to start, and I doubt others would too.  Perhaps there are que sera sera people out there that let fate take its course, but its definitely not my style.

My recommendation remains always travel at least one day before your cruise begins, and don't do what I did.

If you're wondering, "Does Royal Caribbean have free Wi-Fi", you might be surprised it doesn't, especially with more airlines and hotels including it.

Because being online is so ubiquitous today, I'll often see genuine shock that cruisers have to pay for internet access on their ship.

Royal Caribbean sells internet packages that offer unlimited access throughout your cruise, with the only limitation how many devices you want to have connected at one time.

There are two reasons why Royal Caribbean doesn't include Wi-Fi for free. First, high speed satellite internet is expensive and cruise lines don't have a large business travel segment to leverage like hotels and airlines.

Second, Royal Caribbean employs a modular approach to their cruise pricing because most of its customers don't want to pay for amenities they won't use. Basically, offering a Wi-Fi package as an optional add-on keeps the base fare lower for those that don't want or need internet access.

Before you sail on Royal Caribbean, here's a look at the internet options available on your cruise ship.

"Are we going to give free Wi-Fi? No."

You're not the first person to wonder if Royal Caribbean will ever start offering free Wi-Fi.

At an event in 2024, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International Michael Bayley was asked that exact question by cruise fans.

He explained the high cost makes charging for internet on a cruise an unavoidable reality.

"We got to pay a ton, a ton, a ton of money for Wi-Fi," Mr. Bayley said.

"Are we going to give free WiFi? No."

Hotels and resorts have the luxury of cheaper cable-based internet access.

The app is free to use without Wi-Fi

While Royal Caribbean doesn't have free Wi-Fi, it does have a free app you can use while on the ship.

The Royal Caribbean app is free to download, even while you're onboard the ship. The cruise line wants you to take advantage of the app because it makes planning and understanding what's happening onboard easier.

Once downloaded on your device, you just need to connect to Royal Caribbean's Wi-Fi network. Don't worry, you won't be charged.

You'll have two options: log into your Wi-Fi package or just use the app.

With the app, you can use all of its functions without paying for an internet package, including the free chat feature.

The chat allows you to text anyone else on the ship that has the app downloaded and it's one of the top reasons you can skip paying for Wi-Fi so you can still communicate with friends and family sailing with you.

Wi-Fi packages for sale

If you need internet access, paying for an unlimited internet package is the best option.

You can buy internet access before the cruise or onboard.  You specify how many devices at once you'd like to have and then pay for it.

You can log out devices and log in other devices. The limit is simply how many devices can be logged in at one time.

Always pre-purchase a Wi-Fi package because it's discounted before the cruise begins. Waiting to book it onboard is a mistake because it will cost more.

Cruise ship cell plans

Some cellular carriers now offer internet access while on the ship.

AT&T, Verizon, and other major carriers offer an optional "day pass" where you can connect to the ship's cellular antenna and use your phone like you would at home, including internet access.

I was pleasantly surprised how well AT&T's cruise ship pass worked when I've tried it. Not only is it easy, but impressively fast too.

One advantage using a cell phone day pass has over buying a Voom package from Royal Caribbean is you can "cherry pick" which days to pay for internet access.  Royal Caribbean does offer a 24 hour pass when on the ship, but it costs about $30, whereas cell phone day passes are about half that cost.

The internet loophole that might work

I've found a loophole that might work for you to get limited internet access without paying, but I can't promise it will.

If you have an iPhone, once connected to the ship's free Wi-Fi option to just use the app, you're able to send and receive basic messages and push notifications.

The reason this works is because I believe Royal Caribbean has to open certain protocols to make push notifications within its app work properly. 

You cannot send or receive photos or attachments, and it basically only works with iMessage, although you may have luck with other apps.

Since this is an unintentional loophole, Royal Caribbean could close it at any time and I make no guarantees it actually works.  But in practice, it's been something that I've observed for years.

Good news, we are all one week closer to our next Royal Caribbean cruise!  In case you missed any of the Royal Caribbean fun from this week, here is our weekly round up!

A grandmother was caught with a loaded gun while on a Royal Caribbean Cruise and was jailed in a prison in The Bahamas.

She claims she "accidentally" forgot to leave the gun in her car before the cruise.

She was arrested when trying to reboard Liberty of the Seas while docked in Nassau, Bahamas. The Royal Bahamas Police Force boarded the ship and arrested her for possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Royal Caribbean News

• Family sues Royal Caribbean after cruise passenger died, was allegedly served 33 drinks
• Royal Caribbean "crowns" new beach club with 43 foot tall logo.
• "Challenging" winds forces Royal Caribbean to delay cruise ship return
• Royal Caribbean changes over a dozen itineraries on Spectrum of the Seas to avoid Japan
• Burrowing owls set to return to the U.S. after stowing away aboard cruise ship
• Royal Caribbean submits plans to Mexico for its new beach club
• Virgin Voyages offers status matching to Royal Caribbean and Celebrity guests
• I always do 6 things before I book a cruise if I have to fly there
• I tried 8 new things on cruise ships this year and one is my new favorite
• Royal Loft Suite on Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas photo tour
• I always check my cruise bill for 5 things before the sailing ends to avoid fixing it later
• 8 real-world tips you need for cruising this holiday season

New RCB Video: Changes Royal Caribbean Made In 2025 That I DON’T Like

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Changes Royal Caribbean Made In 2025 That I DON’T Like — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Unruly passenger punches cruise ship crew member: video

A guest punched a crew member in the face after some kind of a disagreement, and it was captured on video.

The incident took place on Icon of the Seas at its waterpark.

The man yelled and argued with a crew member before he punched him and then quickly left.

How honest should you be with Royal Caribbean's post-cruise survey?

One question on Royal Caribbean's post-cruise survey has a lot of passengers confused as to how they should really answer it.

The survey is an important tool for evaluating how well each ship, department, and service is onboard.  The cruise line takes it very seriously because feedback can alter policies and promotions.

Some cruisers are worried about how their responses impact the careers of crew on the ship they just sailed on.

When is Perfect Day Mexico going to open?

With 2027-2028 cruises available to book, the big question is when will the first passengers be able to visit Perfect Day Mexico?

It's slated to open sometime in 2027, but there's been no official date and no sailings advertise they will visit it yet.

Executives have hinted when we might see the gates open.

New seasonal 2027-2028 cruises have been released

The last batch of new cruises for the 2027-2028 season in North America were released this week.

13 ships based out of Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Panama are part of this week's release, including Allure of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, and Enchantment of the Seas. 

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 587th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available at all our links.

Some things Royal Caribbean offered instantly became Matt's favorites, only to be removed later. It seems like Matt might be the "kiss of death" for them.

Please feel free to subscribe via YouTube, iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

After your cruise is over, Royal Caribbean will send you a survey to get feedback on your vacation, but there's one question that trips up a lot of people.

The Royal Caribbean survey is emailed to all passengers and it's used for staffing decisions, service improvements, and crew recognition.

The company wants to know what you thought of the trip, what stood out, and to rank pretty much everything you experienced.  But it's also a tool for evaluating crew members.

One question, in particular, is a potential red flag for crew members and passengers certainly don't want to get anyone in trouble.

Here's what to do with the post-cruise survey and how honest you should be about crew asking for positive ratings.

What Royal Caribbean wants you to do with that question

Royal Caribbean places a great deal of emphasis on its post-cruise survey because it offers the best opportunity to gather feedback from customers immediately after sailing.

There's one question that seems to trip some cruisers up because they aren't sure how to answer it.

"Were you asked by any crew member(s) to provide positive ratings/reviews on this survey?"

This question is aimed at protecting the integrity of the survey. 

The reason Royal Caribbean asks if someone asked for a high score is because it skews the reality of how well something is working.

The cruise line wants you to be honest so it can improve what needs improving and maintain what's well-received. But if the responses are the result of a crew member guilting, coaching, or encouraging a higher score than deserved, it artificially drives up scores and doesn't allow for a proper evaluation.

Royal Caribbean uses Net Promoter Scores (NPS) to evaluate how effective its cruise ships and private destinations operate.

In short, this is a tool for measuring customer loyalty and predicting business growth. 

Each question is calculated on a scale of 0-10, and the answer has a major impact on how it sees performance:

• 9-10: Promoters, Loyal enthusiasts who fuel growth.
• 7-8: Passives, Satisfied but unenthusiastic; vulnerable to competitors (not included in score).
• 0-6: Detractors, Unhappy customers who can damage your brand.

Basically, this is a way to take the question of "On a scale of 1 - 10, how likely are you to recommend ____", but apply it to different kinds of questions.

You take the percentage of Promoters and subtract the percentage of Detractors from it.  

Why crew members sometimes ask for positive ratings

Based on things crew members have shared in the past, NPS scores are a major factor in how they are rated.

Every crew member on a ship works on a contract, and when it's time for a new contract or for a promotion, Royal Caribbean will use guest survey results as a factor in determining if they should get a new contract, raise, or higher position.

Publicly, there's only anecdotal evidence as to how the NPS scores factor into a crew member's career.

One person posted on Facebook, "I did a galley tour last month, and saw the sign for the employees. The staff person with the top survey numbers over one month would get a day off. The second top person would get a Half-Day off. Considering the number of workers that is a huge prize."

Similarly, lower scores could signal there's a problem.

Mark Lipton, professor emeritus of management at The New School and Parsons School of Design, said in a recent interview how NPS scores tied to compensation can lead to gaming the system, "Whenever something is going to impact my compensation, my odds of a promotion or my very stability in keeping my job here, I am going to be driven to see how I can influence those numbers."

"I never know how to answer this"

Cruisers get confused because most don't want to get the hard working crew members in trouble.

On Facebook, someone asked "I never know how to answer this. Our server did ask for a 10/10 review. But if I said yes, would I get anyone in trouble?"

On the one hand, answering "yes" could alert the cruise line to someone trying to spike scores higher than they should be.

But on the other hand, is this question a test to see if crew members are effectively communicating to guests the importance of the survey and answering "no" gets someone in trouble?

Over 500 comments were shared to the original Facebook post, garnering lots of opinions:

"I answered yes, I feel it is a management issue and if they want true results they should not be trying to skew your response."

"Say no always, but if a specific crew member was off putting, then address that one specifically."

"The answer is No! We just confirmed this on our Oct cruise with a well seasoned bartender. We were informed no staff member is supposed to ask that you give them a 10 rating nor suggest any rating at all!"

"I always say yes, but I never provide names or anything. Because almost every staff member asks in every department."

How I answer this survey question every time

I don't claim to be an NPS expert, but I believe it's important to be honest about the answer if a crew member is clearly trying to push for a higher score out of a sense of guilt or fear.

Crew members can remind you about taking the survey or even say how important the survey is in evaluating them. I feel these are perfectly acceptable reminders because most people on a cruise ship are brand new to cruising.

However, specifically asking for a perfect score or inferring anything less than a perfect score will cause a problem is likely grounds for answering "yes" to the question.

Regardless of how you answer the question, I think it's vitally important to use the open comment section at the end of the survey to call out your favorite crew members and explain why.

That section is indexed and searchable, and managers will pull from this data to identify which crew members stand out as being recognized by guests.

Royal Caribbean offers cruises around the world, which in many cases requires flying to reach.

Just this past cruise season, I flew four times to get to cruises around Europe. It's not as simple as hopping in a car, but mixing up the destinations and itineraries is well worth it.

However, before I commit to any cruise overseas, I have to take airfare into consideration because it might be the difference in if the trip makes practical sense or not.

There's cost, logistics, and how well it all fits into my cruise plans. The last thing I want to do is pick what seems like a fantastic cruise, but create a problem for myself in trying to get there and back.

Here are the six things I'll always do before booking any cruise where I have to fly.

I first look at if there are direct flights available

Not only are direct flights more convenient, they are essential to mitigate the chances of travel delays messing up my cruise.

Getting a direct flight isn't always possible, but I'll prioritize them over spending less on connecting flights.  

Simply put, airline flight schedules are notorious for getting messed up because of bad weather, mechanical issues, late crew members, and a whole array of other unexpected problems. 

Taking a direct flight means I have just one flight with potential hiccups, instead of two or more.

Plus, direct flights mean less travel time and that reduces stress and fatigue. I'm all for starting my trip as relaxed and happy as possible.

I'll check with the cruise line to book flights as a first choice

If there's one lesson I've learned the hard way, it's that booking flights through Royal Caribbean is a smart choice.

Royal Caribbean offers flights through Air2Sea, and I've been impressed by how much cheaper it can be to book through them.

The cruise line regularly discounts flights to places like Alaska and Europe as an incentive to book the flight with them.

As an example, air bookings made between October 1, 2025 - June 6, 2026 for Europe and Alaska sailings departing between March 15, 2026 - November 2, 2026 can qualify for a discount.

Up to $250 per person discount, depending on the destination and airfare:

• Alaska
  • $50 USD per person for Economy and Premium Economy Class seats
  • $100 USD per person for First and Business Class seats
• Europe
  • $100 USD per person for Economy seats
  • $150 USD per person for Premium Economy Class seats
  • $250 USD per person for First and Business Class seats

Last year I booked a flight with the airline only to cancel and rebook with Air2Seas because of the savings offered.

In addition, you can add an Air2Sea flight that remains refundable until final payment due date and it doesn't cost anything to make the booking.  If you find a better deal, cancel the Air2Sea booking before final payment due date at no cost.

I also like that Air2Sea has an "Assured Arrival" policy that can help if an airline mess causes you to miss the cruise.  

I come up with a jet lag plan

Each time I've flown to Europe for a cruise, I've had to come up with a way to combat jetlag.

Jetlag isn't just annoying, it can downright ruin the first few days of your trip. The last thing I want to do is sleep away half my trip.

Depending on what time you land in Europe, I'll craft a strategy that is built around acclimating myself to the local time as fast as possible.

I can't sleep on airplanes, no matter how much I try. I'm just too nervous when I fly and cannot get comfortable enough to get meaningful sleep.  Even in lay flat seats in business class it hasn't worked.

Ideally, I'll get a flight that lands as late in the afternoon as possible.  The idea is to land, get to my hotel, and then go to sleep when it's appropriate for the local time.

Unfortunately, most of my European flights have landed in the morning.  That meant I forced myself to stay awake all day without any naps.  Not easy, but there's no question it got me on the local time so much faster.

I never book a flight to land the same day my cruise begins

If you take one tip from this entire article, let it be this one: never fly the same day your cruise departs.

I cannot imagine the anxiety I would have trying to fly the same day my cruise departed.

Travel delays are too numerous to put your entire vacation at risk because you didn't want to pay for a hotel the night before the cruise.

Even when flying domestically, I won't consider it because I'm just too paranoid about missing the ship. Even with Air2Sea's backing, I'd rather travel with less stress and get to my destination city with lots of time to spare.

Plus, I enjoy exploring the city I'm sailing from and playing tourist there for a day or two. Not only is it fun, but it expands your vacation.

I never fly (or cruise) without travel insurance

If there's one extra cost I think everyone should buy for their cruise, it's a travel insurance policy.

Like all insurance, it's a waste of money until you need it. Then it feels like the best investment you ever made.

I think most people will find travel insurance to cost less than expected, and it covers both the flights and cruise.

Travel insurance covers you for so many possible scenarios in which you'd be on your own otherwise financially to deal with. Lost luggage, travel delays preventing you from making the cruise, accidents and more are covered.

The peace of mind it offers is why I'll buy it every single time.

Pad my flight home

No one wants the "should I book a 10:45am flight?" anxiety spiral. 

While I also don't want to sit in the airport all day after my cruise is over, I'd rather be bored than upset I missed my flight.

Depending on which airport you're flying out of and how far that is from the cruise terminal, you should always give yourself more time to travel to the airport, check luggage, and then get through security and immigration.

If the flight isn't until much later in the afternoon, I'll buy a day pass to nearby hotel. That way I can relax, take a shower, and nap without having to feel like I'm living at the airport that day.