I stayed in the worst cruise ship room on one of Royal Caribbean's newest ships and it reminded me the importance of good cabin locations.

While on Utopia of the Seas, I was assigned a room at the front of the ship near the bow. A cabin in this location is susceptible to more movement because it's all the way forward and anytime the ship docked, it felt like an earthquake.

The result was I got very little sleep because I was woken up every morning at dawn when the ship began docking in port. It was a good reminder how important picking a better area matters.

Picking the perfect cabin location on a cruise ship is critical because it is where you will spend the most time during the voyage. Everyone has different preferences, as some people want a cabin with better views on a high deck, while others want to be near the kids club or buffet for the convenience factor.

After going on 100 Royal Caribbean cruises, I've come up with my own list of cabins you should avoid.

Cabins above or below public areas

Perhaps the biggest concern is picking a room that is noisy because there's a bar, pool, or restaurant nearby.

Most Royal Caribbean staterooms do a pretty good job at muffling nearby noise, but no cabin is soundproof.

Before you book a room, look at the ship's deck plans and look what is above and below your stateroom.  Ideally, you want other staterooms on either deck and not public venues like pools, restaurants or other public venues.

Keep in mind that is not the worst thing if there is a public venue on a deck above or below your room, but it is a best practice if you can avoid it.

Cabins prone to movement

The sensation of movement affects everyone differently, but it is a mistake to book a stateroom all the way forward or all the way aft if you are prone to motion sickness.

Getting seasick on a cruise is something a lot of first time cruisers worry about, and while there are a lot of easy remedies in case it occurs, picking the right room can greatly help as well.

I recommend booking a room that is on a low deck and centrally located to lessen the feeling of movement. While balcony rooms are a good idea, you want to be on the lowest deck, with a room that is the most midship available.

Try to avoid higher decks, as well as cabins at the very front or back of the ship.

Cabins far from the elevators

On the bigger Royal Caribbean ships, where your room is in relation to the rest of the ship is a consideration to account for as well.

The proximity of your room to elevators, pools, Royal Promenade, and other popular areas can play a factor in picking the right room for you.

If you think you might spend a lot of time at the pool deck, picking a room on a deck closer to the pool deck might make more sense to avoid the hassle of going back and forth to your room across the ship.

Similarly, if you have mobility concerns, picking a stateroom closer to the elevator banks would be a good idea.

Cabins with too many people

Families going on a cruise often try to book a room that can accommodate everyone in one room. This may seem like the logical solution, but you should consider booking two (or more) smaller rooms instead.

While there are lot of cabins that can fit 4 people in one room, it may not be the most comfortable situation (plus the fact you are all sharing one bathroom).

Instead, consider booking two connecting rooms that have a common inside door between them.  Not only will this provide more room, physical separation and an extra bathroom, it may not be that much more money than trying to book one of the larger rooms.

Cheap cabins

We all have a limited vacation budget, but looking only at the price when choosing a cruise ship cabin is a big mistake.

You will want to look at more than just the price when choosing a cabin, including where it is located and what is (or is not) included with the room.

Your cabin is one part of the vacation where paying a little bit more for a higher category or better location can make a huge difference in your cruise enjoyment.

Read more: The epic Royal Caribbean suites 

Cabins that have noise bleed

Certain staterooms can have more than normal noise from public venues nearby, and that might be an issue if you're someone that goes to bed early or is a very light sleeper.

Royal Promenade View cabins are available on Freedom Class, Voyager Class and Oasis Class ships and they have cabins that face inward towards the Royal Promenade. Each of these rooms has a large bay window that looks out to the Promenade, but this window is not soundproof.

In the evenings especially, there can be noise emanating from the bars and parties below to your room.

In addition, these windows mean people can see into your cabin, so it's important to always keep the blinds drawn if you want privacy.  This is another reason Promenade view rooms may not be desirable.

On the Vision & Radiance Class ships, the first few cabins from the Centrum can also deal with noise bleed, as the Centrum is home to loud music in the evening.  

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

Cabins below the pool deck

If you value being able to sleep in, avoid a cabin that is immediately below the pool deck.

Music isn't the issue with these cabins, rather, noise from chairs being arranged tends to be heard in the room. In the early morning, crew members re-arrange deck chairs for the coming day. Unfortunately, the noise created by dragging heavy lounge chairs across a deck tends to be heard in the rooms below the deck.

Light sleepers or anyone that enjoys sleeping in could have a problem with rooms in this location, so try to book a cabin with another stateroom above your cabin.

Read more: Guide to Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabins and suites

Obstructed view cabins

It may be tempting to save money by booking an obstructed view cabin, but buyer's remorse sets in quickly.

Obstructed view cabins are rooms that have some physical structure blocking at least part of your balcony or porthole window view. Usually, these are lifeboats.

On Voyager and Freedom Class ships, aft balcony rooms have an obstructed view due to the metal structure on the back of the ship. You can still see the ocean, but it's not completely open either.

Read more: 6 reasons to reject a cruise ship cabin upgrade

Connecting cabins

Connecting cabins are a fantastic option for families, but if you aren't booking both rooms on either side of the common door, you're making a mistake.

The issue is the common door between the two staterooms is not soundproof and is actually quite easy for noise to pass through.

While the door will remain locked if you don't know the person in the other room, you're going to hear a lot of what's happening in their room and they'll hear what you're up to as well.

Look at a deck plan before booking any cabin, and avoid booking connecting rooms if you aren't going to book both cabins.

The best cruise I took last summer was my European adventure that brought me around Norway. But not everything went as I had hoped.

I cruised to Norway on three different sailings, including one on Silversea.  It's an incredibly beautiful country, and seeing as much of it by ship proved to be a great idea.

The issue I ran into was despite my planning, not every aspect worked out to my liking.

Still, I had a great vacation in Europe and it was the kind of trip I know my family will be talking about for many years.

Any good trip requires planning, packing, and a good strategy for tackling every day. You don't need military precision, just a smart approach that leverages experience and advice.

Here are five things I would've done differently on a recent cruise to Norway.

Planning out our hikes would have made it much more enjoyable

We thought it would be a good idea to mix in a hike, but for novices, it's not as simple as it sounds.

Hiking is a great way to appreciate the natural beauty of Norway, but there's a fine line between "leisurely" and "strenuous", especially since a lot of hikes are graded by people that do it all time.

While in Molde, we wanted to try out a hike that promised stunning views of the city and surrounding area. 

Our first mistake was implicitly trusting ChatGPT to pick a trail for us, even when specifying we needed something easy for kids. It suggested the Varden Molde Panorama.

However, if we had cross referenced that with a site like AllTrails, we would have seen it's listed as "moderately challenging route" and "takes an average of 3 h 7 min to complete."

The grade of the hike was too difficult for us, and made it barely half way up. We shared in a good laugh after how difficult it was, but I was dejected that we didn't get to conquer it.

Next time, I'll need to rely on human advice for picking out a fun, yet not-so-challenging trail to try.

I wish I had spent money on Uber a few times

In the cities we visited, walking seemed like the right idea to get around because the cities are mostly flat and not very large.

However, I regret how much walking we did just to save a few bucks on transportation.

The issue is we'd be full of energy and vigor and ready to walk all around a city. Inevitably, we'd reach our destinations on foot and then realize it's a lengthy walk back.

In Oslo, we wrestled with the notion if we should walk all the way back or pay for an expensive Uber ride. Our group ultimately decided on walking.  I saved money, but I also had sore feet.

The problem with sore feet is you're using those same feet the next day in port, and it all adds up.

I'm not advocating to explore Norway next time by private car everywhere, but I think it if there's a walkable, yet long distance, paying for transportation might be a smarter decision to ensure you can enjoy the trip.

I regret booking a multi-hour bus tour

If there's one shore excursion I instantly regretted, it was a bus tour of the fjords in Olden.

I booked a panoramic bus tour of Nordfjord, and while we did stop at some lovely places, the pacing and length of time on the bus diminished the value.

I think experiencing natural beauty is best with more time spent walking and exploring an area, rather than a 15 minute bus tour.

Bus tours might work for some people, but I despise how slow they move and how little time you seem to have in places you care about.

Worse, our bus tour was late getting back to the ship for the all aboard time. It was a Royal Caribbean excursion, so I wasn't worried about getting left behind.  But on principle it bothered me, and also meant we had no time to grab a souvenir afterwards.

If I could do Olden over again, I would have either booked a small group tour or simply stayed within Olden and enjoyed the stunning lakes there.

Relying on weather forecasts was a waste of time

Every evening my family and I would talk about plans the next day and inevitably we'd check weather forecasts and none of them ever agreed on what we could expect.

After a couple of days, I stopped even checking the weather forecast because they were inconsistent and usually incorrect.

Weather in Norway can best be summed up as, "it might be sunny, cloudy, rain a little, and then back to sunny again."

My advice is plan for a little of everything. Have a lightweight jacket that you can put on if it rains or if its cold, but something you can easily stuff into a backpack.

Dress with a t-shirt and sweater, so you can easily take the sweater off or put it back on.

I certainly would not make or cancel plans based purely on weather forecasts and "go with the flow".

I spent too much money on soda

An Americans, my family is used to having a Coca-Cola with lunch. But in Europe, that's an expensive habit.

A single can of Coke would cost at least 3 or 4 Euros, and that adds up quickly among everyone in the family and across multiple days.

There are two ideas I could have relied on to avoid this unnecessary expense.

First, is to rely on either water provided or bring a water bottle along. Given how much we walked, having water is probably a better choice anyway.

Second, we could have taken cans of soda off the ship with us for a meal.  

We had a beverage package onboard, and it would have been easy enough to stash it in a backpack if the kids really wanted a soft drink with their meals.

Royal Caribbean quietly rolled out a new add-on that bundles some of the most popular cruise add-ons into one combo package.

At first glance, these seem like the "easy button" solution, but at over $100 per person, per day, it's a major up-front investment.  However,  these bundles combine a full-cruise drink package with access to extra-cost areas at Perfect Day at CocoCay or the new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island. 

For the right cruiser, these combos can be a big money-saver. But others may be overpaying for things you might not use. 

Here's what Royal Caribbean's combo packages include, how the pricing really works, and how to decide if one actually makes sense for your cruise.

What's are the combo packages?

Combo packages are an all-in-one bundle that combines a beverage package with entry to extra cost areas of Perfect Day at CocoCay and/or Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.

Instead of buying each add-on separately, Royal Caribbean offers them together at a discounted daily price.

Each of the combo packages are priced per person, per day and the daily price includes an unlimited drink package, and up to two extra cost areas

• Deluxe Beverage Package + Royal Beach Club Open Bar Day Pass
• Refreshment Package + Royal Beach Club Non-Alcoholic Day Pass
• Deluxe Beverage Package  + Ultimate Beach Combo (Royal Beach Club & Hideaway Beach)
• Refreshment Package + Thrill & Chill Combo (Royal Beach Club & Thrill Waterpark)

There are a few things to know up front:

• The drink package applies to the entire length of the cruise, not just beach days
• Beach club and CocoCay access applies only on the port day
• Combos aren't available on every sailing
• Pre-cruise discounts are often tied to sales, casino offers, or loyalty status

They're also not available on every sailing. Primarily you can expect to find them on a sailing that visits either Nassau and CocoCay.

How much do they cost?

There's a daily fee for the entire duration of the cruise, and it's available to book before the cruise begins.

Like all of Royal Caribbean's pricing, it's based on your sail date, ship, and demand.  That means one person could pay more than someone else on a different ship.

Plus, Royal Caribbean has extra discounts tied to Casino Royale status, or Crown & Anchor status.

Here are example prices for an upcoming Utopia of the Seas 3-night cruise:

• Deluxe Beverage Package + Royal Beach Club: $110.99 per guest, per day
  • $332.97 total for 3 nights per person
• Refreshment Package + Royal Beach Club Non-Alcoholic Day Pass: $74.99 per adult, per day, $27.99 per child per day
  • $224.97 total for 3 nights per adult
  • $119.97 total for 3 nights per child
• Deluxe Beverage Package  + Ultimate Beach Combo: $124.99 per guest, per day
  • $374.97 total for 3 nights per person
• Refreshment Package + Thrill & Chill Combo: $100.99 per guest, per day
  • $302.97 total for 3 nights per adult
  • $227.97 total for 3 nights per child

If you have status with the casino, the Deluxe Beverage Package + Royal Beach Club price drops to $100.99 per guest, per day and the Deluxe Beverage Package  + Ultimate Beach Combo drops to $113.99 per guest, per day.

Combo packages vs buying separately

The obvious question is do these bundles actually save you any money compared to buying it all separately.

Using my Utopia sailing example, here is how the pricing works out for a combo versus booking the items individually. Keep in mind I have Prime casino status discount applied to my offers.

• Deluxe Beverage Package + Royal Beach Club: $302.97
  • Deluxe Beverage Package: $179.97
  • Royal Beach Club Day Pass: $136.99
  • Combo savings: $13.99
• Deluxe Beverage Package  + Ultimate Beach Combo: $341.97
  • Deluxe Beverage Package: $179.97
  • Royal Beach Club Day Pass: $136.99
  • Hideaway Beach Day Pass: $49.99
  • Combo savings: $24.98
• Refreshment Package + Royal Beach Club Non-Alcoholic Day Pass: $224.97
  • Refreshment Beverage Package: $92.97
  • Royal Beach Club Day Pass: $139.99
  • Combo savings: $7.99
• Refreshment Package + Thrill & Chill Combo: $302.97
  • Refreshment Beverage Package: $92.97
  • Royal Beach Club Day Pass: $139.99
  • Thrill Waterpark pass: $64.99
  • Combo savings:  -$5.02

In all but one package, I would save money by purchasing a combo.  Multiply the savings per person, and it can add up.

Are Royal Caribbean combo packages worth it?

Combo packages can make sense for the right buyer, assuming you were already interested in everything the bundle includes.

The cost savings aren't enormous, but it's enough that it's worth buying compared to each item individually.

The better question is, are you interested in everything the combos include?  Meaning, you already planned to buy a Deluxe Beverage Package and you were planning to visit Hideaway Beach, Thrill Waterpark, or Royal Beach Club anyway.

If so, the combo deal offers prepaid convenience and predictable onboard spending.

However, combo packages may not be ideal if:

• You don’t drink much alcohol (or any)
• You prefer free CocoCay areas
• You only want beach upgrades for one person in the cabin
• You’re sailing with kids who don’t need drink packages
• You don’t want to commit in advance

Should you buy a Royal Caribbean combo package?

Royal Caribbean is offering a convenient way to package popular add-ons into one, and it could save you money.

Before buying, I'd recommend doing the math to ensure the combo will actually save you money. These are not automatically a good deal. However, for the right cruiser, they can offer real savings and convenience. 

If you were already planning to buy a Deluxe Beverage Package and a paid beach experience, the combo is often cheaper, but only if you would’ve bought both anyway.

As with most cruise add-ons, it's important to match the package to how you actually will cruise before blindly buying it.

Royal Caribbean has announced more schedule changes for Spectrum of the Seas, with a number of sailings seeing significant changes that eliminate planned stops in Japan.

The impacted sailings are for upcoming departures from Shanghai, China that originally were scheduled to visit ports in Japan.  Passengers have been informed their their itineraries are changing just a few weeks before the sailing begins.

The reason for the changes? It stems from growing geopolitical friction between China and Japan and recent travel guidance from Chinese authorities advising against travel to Japan.

As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process, we’ve modified our upcoming sailing. We’re excited to bring you this refreshed experience and appreciate your understanding, as itinerary planning is an ongoing process that requires cruises to have a certain level of flexibility.

Impacted cruises are sailings between May 2026 and April 2027, and the result has been some sailings shortened, changed routes, or swapping out to alternative ports. All of the sailings are for Spectrum of the Seas.

Spectrum can accommodate over 4,200 guests at double occupancy and operates year-round in Asia with deployments out of Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Emails sent to passengers by the cruise line say the changes as part of "ongoing itinerary planning."

Email copy provided by reb6

Some of the itinerary changes are comprised of conventional port swaps, but on longer sailings that were scheduled to be Japan-centric, the sailings have had to be restructured or truncated.

Among the Japanese ports removed from multiple itineraries are Okinawa, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, and Kumamoto. In their place, Spectrum of the Seas is now scheduled to call on South Korean destinations such as Busan, Jeju, Seoul, and Yeosu, depending on the specific sailing.

However, not every single sailing to Japan has been changed. 

Compensation and options

Depending on how drastic the changes have been to the itinerary, there are different compensation being offered.

This includes partial refunds, onboard credit, and reimbursement of change fees for associated flights and ground transportation, where applicable. 

Guests may also have the option to rebook onto alternate departures that more closely resemble their original itinerary, although space is limited.

More changes after initially announced last month

Today's round of itinerary changes follows similar itinerary updates that occurred in December 2025.

More than a dozen scheduled sailings of Spectrum of the Seas out of Shanghai between January and April 2026 were updated, removing planned visits to Japanese ports in favor of alternate destinations, primarily in South Korea such as Jeju Island, Busan, and Seoul (Incheon).

While Royal Caribbean did not explicitly cite the geopolitical situation, the timing of these adjustments coincides with rising tensions between China and Japan and related travel advisories.

Affected guests received notifications outlining specific port swaps and updated departure details, with the cruise line describing the changes as part of its "ongoing itinerary planning process."

Itineraries originally calling on destinations like Okinawa, Ishigaki, Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima were altered to avoid Japan, reflecting the concerns with travel between the two countries.

Continuing trouble between China and Japan

The issue at hand began in late 2025 when diplomatic relations between China and Japan deteriorated sharply following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments in parliament about the possibility of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces taking action if China were to attack Taiwan. 

The subject of Taiwan and it's sovereignty as it relates to mainland China has been a third rail topic for decades.

China views Taiwan as part of its territory and strongly opposes any suggestion of external military involvement. 

Japan's remarks were interpreted in Beijing as crossing a diplomatic "red line," sparking widespread protests from Chinese officials.

Royal Caribbean has a big year of Alaska cruises planned, and one ship is going to take more passengers farther northwest than ever before.

The 2026 Alaska cruise season will begin in May, and there are four Royal Caribbean cruise ships offering cruises through September.

Before you pick a ship, it's important to know the pros and cons of each, and why you might want to choose one over another.  This is especially important in a region like Alaska, because where you go on the sailing matters a lot.

This year's schedule has a big change, with Ovation of the Seas mixing up the usual order of things and doing something totally different.  But is that the right choice for you?

The largest cruise ship to to combine a cruise with a Denali land tour

A major change for Royal Caribbean this summer is Ovation of the Seas is taking over the weeklong one-way voyages between Seward, Alaska, and Vancouver, British Columbia. 

Going on Ovation means more access to what you can do within Alaska's interior. Sailings include visits across the Gulf of Alaska between Hubbard Glacier and Seward. Ports of call include Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point and Sitka, Alaska.

The advantage of going on Ovation is you can tack on up to six additional nights for land-based exploration that can take you to places such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna and Alyeska. There's even excursions that can take you tundra trekking and glass-dome train rides.

In past years, this was a route for the smaller Radiance Class ships, but Royal Caribbean wants to offer a big, bold choice. Typically, only big ships sail roundtrip from Seattle.  

This is significant change because now you can enjoy a big ship with everything there is to do onboard, while also adding a cruisetour to it. Those preferring megaships won't have to compromise between their preferred ship size and their desired itinerary.

Before you book, you should expect a higher price tag to get to and from this sailing. In many cases, you'll have to book two separate one-way flights, one of them departing from an Alaska city, which often costs more than a simple round-trip out of Seattle or Vancouver. If you’re trying to keep expenses down, that extra airfare can add up quickly.

Another big ship with roundtrip cruises from Seattle

If you're looking for a more convenient Alaska cruise on a megaship, Anthem of the Seas might be the choice for you.

Based in Seattle, Anthem of the Seas will offer 7-night roundtrip sailings to the most popular Alaskan ports.

One thing to look for before you pick a sailing is if a glacier viewing is included.

Not all of Anthem's sailings include a glacier viewing day.  You'll know if it does if "Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier" is listed.

The reason why a glacier viewing is preferred is it allows potentially the best viewing of a glacier you can get without boarding a helicopter or seaplane.

Your ship will get as close as safe to the glacier and then proceed to do a 360-degree turn to offer everyone a view. It's incredible to see.

However, how close your ship can get to the glacier depends on the weather and how much ice is in the channel. It's not uncommon to have a glacier viewing cancelled or simply held quite far back.

Just like Ovation, Anthem is a Quantum Class ship and that means there's lots to do onboard. In fact, Anthem of the Seas has the West End musical, "We Will Rock You".

The budget big ship in Alaska this year

Voyager of the Seas may not be as big or new as Anthem, but there's lots to love about this classic Royal Caribbean ship. There's still a big ship feel, and Voyager will sail from Seattle to offer 7-night cruises.

This will be the first year Voyager is in Alaska, but Royal Caribbean has had Voyager Class ships here in the past.

Just like Anthem, not all of its itineraries include a glacier viewing. The advantage of the non-glacier viewing sailings is you get an extra port of call in the port of Sitka. An extra port visit is arguably just as good as a glacier viewing opportunity.

This ship first debuted in 1999 and set the standard for modern cruise ships by introducing features that are still crowd-favorites today, such as the Royal Promenade, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink.

There's also FlowRider surf simulator and Perfect Storm waterslides on the top deck, provided you don't mind the cooler temperatures on an Alaska cruise.

The hidden gem offering round-trip Alaska cruises from Vancouver

If you're looking for something a little different, Serenade of the Seas will offer 7-night Inside Passage sailings from Vancouver that have slightly more interesting itineraries than what you'll find in Seattle.

Embarking an Alaska cruise in Vancouver gives guests the opportunity to sail through Canada’s Inside Passage. As the ship departs the city, guests can enjoy mountain landscapes surrounding both sides of the ship. This provides a sneak peek into the remarkable scenery yet to come.

There are seven different itineraries, including visits to Sawyer Glacier.  Plus, some sailings stop at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Both of these are uncommon places for a Royal Caribbean ship to sail to on an Alaska cruise.

Serenade of the Seas is a Radiance Class cruise ship, which makes her significantly smaller in size and capacity compared to Ovation and Anthem of the Seas.

Her smaller size makes it easy to get around, as well as enjoy views from around the ship.  Radiance Class ships have a lot of glass and outward viewing opportunities from inside.

However, there's far less activities to do onboard. This may be an issue for families or thrill seekers that want a higher caliber of entertainment on their cruise.

How to choose the right ship for an Alaska cruise

I think the ship is secondary to the places you'll visit on an Alaska cruise, but your ship choice shouldn't be overlooked either.

There are three different ship classes in Alaska for the 2026 cruise season, and each has its advantages.

If you want to see the most possible in Alaska, a cruise on Ovation of the Seas is going to be the best choice.

The one-way sailings can be combined with a Cruisetour, so you can visit places such as Denali National Park and Preserve and Banff National Park. It's arguably the best way to see all of Alaska in one trip.

However, if you want to save money while still seeing Alaska, I'd recommend one of the ships sailing from Seattle.

Both Anthem of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas offer roundtrip cruises that will likely reduce the cost of flights because there are many more flights into Seattle than Vancouver.

Anthem of the Seas offers state-of-the-art amenities. The vessel is more modern than Voyager or Serenade, having been launched over ten years after the latter.

Voyager, especially, is a great value because of the ship's age.  But you still get the "big ship feel" and activities onboard.

You should pick Serenade of the Seas for a ship that has more of a laid back vibe. It may not have all the bells and whistles of the Quantum Class ships, but a lot of cruisers that love Alaska pick a ship of this size for the atmosphere.

Serenade of the Seas is fairly small, with just 2,500 passengers, but the places it sails is the best reason to book it.

Departing from Vancouver on a Radiance Class ship means passengers can enjoy a more in-depth itinerary once in Alaska.

Ovation is making a big splash

I think the fact Royal Caribbean is offering a megaship to do the open-jaw sailings for the first time this year, is a big deal.

Historically, this route was relegated to older, smaller ships and it was a bit of a compromise.

If you're going to do one Alaska cruise ever, Ovation might be the best choice to check the box.

If you decide to try Ovation, I'd recommend booking a back-to-back sailing so you can do a roundtrip flight from Vancouver to make your travel plans simplest.

For years I skipped Hooked Seafood on Royal Caribbean ships because I never thought the food was very good, and because I don't eat shellfish.

However, I wanted to go back to Hooked because I made a New Years cruise resolution to make this the year I revisit restaurants I swore off in the past. I figured it was time to give them all another chance, and Hooked as at the top of my list.

I've eaten at Hooked at least two or three times over the years, and I came away with the same thought as Caesar had in the classic film History of the World, Part 1, "Nice. Not thrilling, but nice."

Friends and other cruisers seemed to usually have a similar review that Hooked wasn't bad, but wasn't impressive either.

So when I went on Utopia of the Seas and had the chance to try Hooked again, I wanted to see if this restaurant had improved or changed in any way.

I brought with me four friends who love to eat shellfish, figuring I could lean on their tastes to determine what it's like at Hooked now.

The Hooked menu is different than I remember

Hooked is a specialty restaurant that costs extra to dine at, with a cover charge that includes all the food on the menu.

You'll find the restaurant at the very front of the ship above the adults-only Solarium.  Don't worry, kids can eat here.

As I was seated, I noticed immediately the menu has changed since my last visit.

I recall there being a messy fish sandwich that required a bib to eat, but it wasn't on the dinner menu.  

Looking over the menu, I was impressed by how many choices there were overall.  

Royal Caribbean doesn't limit how much you can order, so you're free to go all out and order as many appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

We had just spent the day enjoying Perfect Day at CocoCay, so my group was ready to eat.  We asked the waiter to bring out one of every appetizer to sample.

Our waiter informed us there were a few specials, including a blackened salmon.

The appetizers were impressive

Since all the appetizers had shellfish in it, I relied on my friends to try it all.

The serving size of each appetizer was much bigger than I expected.  Most are great for sharing, so I'd recommend rethinking how many you'll go for with each.

Here's a look at each of the appetizers:

Calamari

Biscuits

Oysters

Coconut shrimp

Crab cakes

Baked oysters

New England Clam Chowder

According to the group, the best appetizer they had were the raw oysters.

Some were new to oysters, but all of them thought the quality was great and an impressive value considering how many you get.

The least favorite appetizer were the crab cakes.

It wasn't so much that the crab cake were bad, just not that that good. Someone mentioned the texture wasn't what they were used to when they've had crab cakes in the past.

I admit, I sampled one piece of calamari (don't tell my Rabbi). It's hard to ever go wrong with fried food, and it didn't taste rubbery.

I don't think most people order one of everything from the appetizers, but I don't recall another Royal Caribbean restaurant that had such large serving sizes for their appetizers.

This is a great choice for sharing among a larger group. But if you're dining with just you and someone else, consider sharing an app or two.

The best steak in the fleet

I'll go ahead and say it: the filet mignon I had at Hooked was the best filet I've had on any Royal Caribbean ship.

I think it was the seasoning that made this steak stand out.  There was no sauce, just a perfectly cooked steak that wasn't tough and had the perfect texture to it. Soft, juicy, and really flavorful.

Without a doubt it's superior to the filet mignon from Chops Grille, and I think it's even better than the beef tenderloin from 150 Central Park.

Not to be outdone, I also ordered that blackened salmon special and I was really impressed by it.

Once again, the salmon was cooked to perfection and it had really good flavor to it.  

I liked it so much, but almost regretted ordering it because I'm afraid it won't be available on my next visit.

My friends ordered various combinations of steak, lobster, or shrimp.

I'd bet the lobster tail is the most popular option on the menu, and it's a very large tail. Certainly bigger and tastier to what you can get in the Main Dining Room or Windjammer.

As you can see from the photos, the entrees don't skimp on serving portions either. You may like or dislike Hooked, but you cannot argue the serving sizes are anything but generous here.

Hooked deserves to be reconsidered

I couldn't believe I called my wife to tell her I wanted to eat at Hooked on our next cruise, because just the food I could eat was outstanding.

The menu relies heavily on seafood, so if you don't eat shrimp, calamari, or lobster, I think you'll be quite limited in what you can order.

Before our meal, I joked all I could eat was steak and Caesar salad, but having tried it, I'd gladly take that.

The portion sizes are impressive, which makes it easier to justify the cost. 

The onboard price is $65.00 per person for dinner, although you can usually get it cheaper if you pre-book before the cruise.  For my upcoming Utopia of the Seas cruise, I can reserve Hooked for $44.99 per adult.

I went in hesitantly to retrying Hooked, but I was really impressed by how good my food was.  In fact, now I'd love to go back and try it again to see if it's as good the second time around.

Construction has begun on a new Royal Caribbean cruise ship that could set a new record for being big.

On Tuesday at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, the first piece of steel was cut for a new Royal Caribbean vessel that will become the fifth Icon Class ship. Perhaps it will assume the title of the biggest cruise ship in the world too.

Scheduled to debut in 2028, the as-yet-unnamed megaship will be another of the incredible Icon Class ships that set a new standard since the launch of Icon of the Seas in 2024.

Royal Caribbean doesn't share many details of a cruise ship this early in its development, but the official start of construction is an important milestone.

A ceremony was held at the shipyard attended by both Royal Caribbean Group executives, as well as the Meyer Turku organization, and the classification society.

What follows is two years of construction and a lot of attention for a new ship that is likely to introduce new features and other ways it will distinguish itself from its predecessors.

Meanwhile, we'll need to wait for this ship's name. Neither Icon 4 nor Icon 5 have names revealed yet.

How big this ship will be

There's no official word yet as to exactly how large this new cruise ship will be, but typically new ships within a class tend to edge out the previous ones in one way or another.

These are big ships with plenty to see and do onboard.

The Icon Class ships come in at 250,800 gross tons and will have 6 waterslides, more than 20 bars and lounges, the Royal Promenade, and the open-air Central Park lined with more than 30,500 real plants and restaurants.

Icon Class ships can handle 5,610 guests at double occupancy, but if you max it out, a little over 7,000 passengers can sail on them.

Those numbers may differ slightly depending on if new cabins are added, or if pools or other features get added.

Two cruise ships will launch first

The beginning of construction is important, but there's already another ship in the pipeline.

A fourth Icon Class ship has been under construction at the same shipyard for a while, and that ship will enter service next year.

But before Icon 4 starts sailing, the third Icon Class ship joins the fleet. Legend of the Seas will begin offering cruises this summer.

Royal Caribbean has another cruise ship coming in 2028

Icon 5 will be joined in 2028 by the seventh Oasis Class ship.

Neither ship has a name and we don't know yet which ship will launch first. Both are slated to launch in 2028.

This could be the last in the Oasis Class, with the first one debuting in 2009. Oasis Class ships are known for being really big as well.

There are swimming pools, water slides, rock climbing walls, surfing simulators, over 40 bars and lounges (plus dozens of restaurants) and even a miniature golf course, ice-skating rink and a basketball court.

The Icon Class ships are slightly larger than the Oasis Class, but their capacity is quite similar. Utopia of the Seas is 236,860 gross tons, compared to Star of the Seas at 250,800.

There could be orders for even more Icon Class ships

Royal Caribbean still holds options to build a 6th and 7th Icon Class ship.

These options are reserved slots at the shipyard that allows the cruise line more time to decide on placing an order without losing its place in line to be built.

If those options are exercised, it could mean new Icon Class ships beginning sailing in 2030 or beyond.

More cruise ships are rumored

If all of these new cruise ship plans aren't enough, there's actually talk of more on the horizon.

Royal Caribbean confirmed in September 2025 that it is working on "a new, game-changing class of ship beyond Icon." The ship will eventually be built at Meyer Turku.

And if the rumor mill is accurate, a new ship class will be announced at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France in the "coming weeks".

Soft drinks cost extra on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but you can buy a soda package and enjoy unlimited Cokes, Sprites, and more.

This is actually the cheapest unlimited beverage package offered by Royal Caribbean, and it's quite popular with families.

Unlike the more expensive drink packages, the soda package includes just one type of beverage and that's it: sodas.

It's a straightforward option, but the most common question is if it's worth it.

Here's what you need to know about Royal Caribbean's soda package before you buy it.

What drinks are included?

A soda package includes as much fountain or canned sodas as you can drink, from any bar, restaurant or lounge.

This includes:

• Fountain sodas
• Souvenir Coca-Cola cup (16oz)
• Coca-Cola Freestyle machines and flavor options
  • Sodas
  • Sugar free sodas
  • Minute Maid lemonades
  • Powerade
  • Vitaminwater
  • Iced tea
  • Fruit punch
  • Still water
  • Sparkling water
• Diet & caffeine-free sodas
• Sodas at Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee

It does not, however, include bottled water of any kind. 

Certain Royal Caribbean ships have Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, but not all of them.  

• Icon of the Seas
• Star of the Seas
• Legend of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Grandeur of the Seas
• Rhapsody of the Seas

Ships that do have a Freestyle machine can only be used if you have a drink package. This means you cannot purchase individual drinks at the machine without a package.  Not only do the machines have fun flavor combinations, but they also often have additional soda flavors and brands that you cannot get elsewhere on the ship.

Soda package cost

There are two prices for the soda package: how much you can get it for on the ship and how much less it costs if you pre-purchase.

Royal Caribbean charges a daily cost, and you must buy it for every day of your cruise. You cannot "cherry pick" days to have it.

Depending on the sale, you can expect to pay between $9.99 to $18.00 per person per day, plus gratuity.

If you wait to buy it on the ship, the standard price is $18.00 per person, per day. Without a doubt, you should pre-purchase it on the Royal Caribbean app or website before the cruise begins to save money.

The exact cost will vary depending on your ship, sail date, and length of your cruise. Royal Caribbean typically charges more for drink packages short cruises and/or newer ships.

If you're wondering, the cost of a single soda if you were to buy it without a package is $3.50 before gratuity.

How the soda package works

Once you buy the soda package, your SeaPass card is ready to be scanned to order drinks. Any bartender or waiter can see you have the package by either scanning the card or seeing the soda package sticker on the front of it.

You can go to any bar, restaurant, or lounge and order a soda and you won't be charged anything for it. Usually there's not even a receipt to sign! 

In my experience, you don't even have to tell the crew member you have a drink package. They'll know when they scan your card.

If your cruise ship has a Freestyle machine, you'll need to have your cup with you.  The Coca-Cola cup is the only cup that will work with the machine. 

Speaking of the cup, you only need to carry the cup to use the Freestyle machine. You do not need to carry the cup with you to get a soda at a bar or lounge.

Simply put the cup in the designated location and select from the drink options and dispense. You can mix and match at will.

There are a few limitations and important rules to know about the soda package.

First and foremost, you're not allowed to share the soda package benefit with anyone else. This means you cannot give friends or family sodas at all.  Royal Caribbean will cancel your drink package without a refund if you're caught doing this.

The Freestyle machines also have a time limit between uses. It's usually just a few minutes, and this is designed to prevent abuse and waste.

Who I recommend the soda package for

Royal Caribbean's soda package is worth it if you'll drink enough every day to save money compared to paying $3.50 each for sodas.

Heavy soda drinkers are the ideal buyer, as these are people that like to have not just a few sodas with their meals but drinks inbetween.

Likewise, the soda package is very popular with kids and teens.  On some ships, the teen club actually has a Freestyle machine inside of it.

You might also buy a soda package if having predictable onboard costs are important to you. Like any drink package, buy a soda package limits how much you'll spend on drinks, so the are no surprises later.

Skip the soda package if you only want a couple of sodas per day

If you think you'll drink just one or two sodas per day, then the soda package isn't worth it.

Light drinkers or someone that has a soda with dinner simply won't drink enough each day to make up for the cost.

To make the soda package worthwhile, you should be easily drinking 4-5 sodas each day.  Otherwise, you'll spend less money overall by purchasing sodas individually.

Soda Package vs Refreshment Package

Many cruisers debate if they should buy a soda package or upgrade to the Refreshment Package.

The Refreshment Package has a higher cost, but it also includes much more.

With the Refreshment Package, you get everything the soda package includes, plus premium coffees, teas, juices, bottled water, and more.

The soda package costs less, but it's just sodas.

Having bottled water, coffees, and juice is typically the determining factor in choosing one over the other, as well as if there's a particularly good discount offered.

Pros and Cons of the Royal Caribbean soda package

Here are the best reasons to buy a soda package (or to skip it):

Pros

• Unlimited sodas
• One fixed cost for easy budgeting
• Greater variety of flavors with the Freestyle machine

Cons

• Limited to soda (compared to other drink packages)
• Requires carrying the cup to use the Freestyle machines
• Daily cost, whether you drink or not

Without question, you should pre-purchase the drink package to get the lowest possible price.  Never wait until you're on the ship to book it because you'll overpay.

The soda package works extremely well for someone that can easily drink 3-4 sodas every day, especially during meals.

I love that the soda package benefits also work at Royal Caribbean's private destinations too.

Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas has ships visiting almost every day, but there aren't overnight visits yet.

Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay is one of the most popular destinations among cruisers, so much so that Royal Caribbean's newest ships sail exclusively to the private island. Despite that, though, CocoCay itineraries are limited to daytime visits only. 

In a recent Reddit post on the r/royalcaribbean thread, cruisers questioned why the cruise line doesn't offer overnight stays to CocoCay. Rival MSC Cruises, for example, offers late-night stays to its private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. 

"I think [overnight stays would] be amazing especially with a themed all white night or something for a sunset party. I also [don't] know the logistics and legalities behind having this as an option on international waters," wrote No_ThankYouu. 

Another Redditor added, "I get [that] logistically it probably can't happen. But how awesome would it be to have options to have a beach bonfire, or glow-kayaks, or [a] luau pool party."

Royal Caribbean toyed with late-night and overnight stays in the past 

While the idea was great in theory, it turned out not to be feasible. 

"I've been considering overnight stays for Perfect Day almost since the beginning. One of the issues that we had, ironically, was that we had so many ships going there, it became problematic," said Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley during a webinar in April 2020.  

"Part of the ongoing capital investment in Perfect Day was allowing us to accommodate additional ships so we could have one ship stay overnight."

Bayley added that many capital projects that were lined up were put on hold since they didn't have any revenue coming in during the pandemic. 

Years later, however, Royal Caribbean is reporting record-breaking demand and revenue, with ships sailing at or near full capacity to Perfect Day at CocoCay. Even so, the cruise line has shown no indication that overnight or late-night stays are moving forward.

With CocoCay already delivering strong guest satisfaction as a daytime port of call, there's little financial incentive to restructure the model that’s already working.

Offering late-night stays would require significant operational changes that would impact the ships' staffing. 

"[I]t doesn't look like we will be doing overnights because our guests, even with our late-night stays, once they want to come back, they really do want to come back onto the ship and enjoy the fine dining and they want to enjoy the entertainment that we have onboard," Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Relations, said. 

In another webinar with travel agents, Freed added that many guests would prefer a two-day visit to CocoCay, rather than an overnight stay. 

Other Redditors chimed in with their own speculations about why Royal Caribbean won't offer late-night visits to CocoCay

One person brought up the fact that late-night stays would require the crew to remain on the island, thus reducing the ability to provide services on the cruise ship. This means, for example, fewer bartenders and servers in the restaurants. 

Another important consideration is that Royal Caribbean would lose revenue from the onboard shops and casino. Although the casino remains open while docked at CocoCay, it’s restricted to slot machines — table games can’t operate until the ship is back in international waters. 

Table games, like blackjack, poker, and roulette, are a significant draw for many gamblers and generate a lot of revenue for the cruise line. 

Additionally, with cruisers staying out on the island later, fewer would opt for add-ons like specialty dining. 

Then, there's the issue of safety, as liability concerns related to nighttime beaches are likely a major factor holding them back. They would need to ensure that the island has proper lighting and lifeguard coverage. 

Some hazards, including marine life, are harder to see at night, too. You wouldn't want to be in the ocean, steps away from a stingray or shark, and not be able to see it!

Although late-night visits to CocoCay aren't likely to happen in the near future, guests can still make the most of their time on the island. 

If you get off as early as possible, you'll have at least seven hours to enjoy everything the island has to offer — from Thrill Waterpark to the upscale Coco Beach Club, adults-only Hideaway Beach, Oasis Lagoon pool, and multiple beaches. 

Read more: Hideaway Beach vs Coco Beach Club: Which Royal Caribbean day pass is worth it?