Royal Caribbean invested more space on its newest cruise ships for families, including rooms that are design with kids in mind.

I sailed on Star of the Seas for its first voyage with paying passengers, and wanted to try the Surfside Family Suite to see what it's like.

This is a new type of cruise ship stateroom, which was introduced with the Icon of the Seas. Like many other new room types on the Icon Class, these staterooms are designed with kids in mind.

I think Royal Caribbean wanted to do more with their spaces, and offer more room and separation.  Parents love their kids, but they don't want to be spending every minute with them either.

While I was cruising solo, I was interested to see how well this type of cabin would work if I was cruising with my kids.

I paid about $4,400 total for this cruise

I booked my reservation on Star of the Seas the first day the cruise became available, because it's the best strategy to lock in a really good price.

Originally I paid $4744.35 for my Surfside Family Suite with just me in the room, but that price dropped by $271.75 to a new total of $4472.60.

I paid for my cabin and was not compensated or subsidized by Royal Caribbean in any way.

Keep in mind because I'm cruising solo, I have the pay a single supplement fee, and the price would be about the same for two people in the room.

There's a good chance if I had kids, they would be free because of the popular Kids Sail Free deals offered.

The Surfside Family Suite is divided into three areas

The general layout of the Surfside Family Suite is all about giving space but breaking it apart.

I was staying in cabin 9693 on deck 9.

You'll find the main bedroom, kids room, and a balcony.

I was impressed how well the separation works to make each area feel apart.

The kids room is separated by a curtain. On Icon of the Seas, there was a metal door as well, but that is not present on Star of the Seas.

The suite was bigger than expected

Maybe it's the different rooms, but I liked how roomy it all felt in here.

My cabin measured 269 square feet, along with a 53 square foot balcony.

Obviously that's plenty of room for just me, but if I was sharing this room with my kids and wife, I still think we'd find enough space. At least, when my kids were younger.

I think this room is not big enough for my teenagers, but back when they were in elementary school, I think this room would have been great.

The split bathroom reduces waiting, but it's missing a tub

I love that there's a split bathroom in this suite, because it's such a benefit to families.

One bathroom has a shower and sink, while the other one has a sink and toilet.  This means someone showering isn't monopolizing the bathroom (and vice versa).

Disney Cruise Line has gotten many accolades for its split bathroom cabin design on its ships, and I like that Royal Caribbean is leaning into this direction now.

The only observation I have about this configuration is there's no bathtub, which is curious for two reasons.

First, Royal Caribbean suites usually come with bathtubs.  And second, families would especially find bathtubs useful since kids often bathe in them.

I wish there was more storage space

I've generally felt the amount of storage space on Icon Class ships is lacking compared to Quantum or Oasis Class ships, and that trend continues with this suite.

For a room designed for up to four passengers, I think there's a real lack of storage space.

There's also a vanity area near the closet with a few more outlets and two mirrors to use.

There are 3 drawers, 3 shelves and a giant closet.

The drawers each have things in them, such as the hair dryer or room service menus.  And one of the shelves is taken up by the safe.

I had enough space for my belongings, but I doubt my wife and I could easily share the space on a 7-night cruise, let alone with my kids.

The closet is massive, and there are two bins in the kids room.

If I were to redesign this room, I'd add more shelving on the walls.

The kids bed is bigger than I expected

The kids nook has a pullout sofa, and I think this is the smartest area of the suite.

During the day, it's a comfortable sofa to sit on and there's a television facing it.  With two televisions in the room, there's no less fighting about what to watch.

At night, the sofa can be converted to a bed.

Yes, I had the room attendant make it into the bed to see if I could fit in it. 

Surprisingly, I fit in the bed without my feet hanging off the end of it, but I'd probably sleep diagonally on it to prevent that from happening.

Like any sofa bed, it was rigid, but I think I could manage.

The main bedroom has a giant bed

The primary bed in the suite has a king size bed that could be separated into twin beds, if necessary.

There are nightstands on both sides of the bed. Each night stand has a USB-A and USB-C outlet, with one side having an electrical outlet too.

A large TV is found on the wall near the bed, but it swivels out quite nicely. I barely watch TV on a cruise, but it's nice it can be moved.

The balcony isn't massive, but it's a nice outdoor space

For a suite, the balcony isn't that large.  

I don't think it matters as much because this balcony faces into the Surfside neighborhood. Plus, I think the idea was to maximize the indoor space rather than the outdoor space.

My specific cabin was too close to the entrance to Surfside, so it was a bit strange how close my balcony is to people passing by.

I'm not someone to spend a lot of time on my balcony anyway, but it's always nice to have private outdoor space you can use from time to time.

Noise issues were not a problem at all

In case you're wondering, no, the Surfside Family Suites are not noisy at all.

Even during the day time, I rarely heard anything in my room.  I'd take afternoon naps and never hear a thing to disturb me.  And at night, Surfside is very quiet since most of the amenities in this neighborhood are closed.

In fact, it was great for sleeping because with the windows drawn and the lack of direct sunlight into the neighborhood, I was never woken up by the sun.

Changes are coming

It's important to note the perks that come with Surfside Family Suite are changing soon.

For my sailing, I was granted Sky Class suite benefits. However, for sailings on or after May 2, 2026 (regardless of when it was booked), that will come to an end.

After May 2, Surfside Family Suites will be downgraded to Sea Class.

This means they will no longer have access to the Suite Lounge, Suite Concierge services, complimentary internet access, complimentary beverages in the Suite Lounge, and can only dine at Coastal Kitchen restaurant for dinner only (instead of breakfast and lunch).

When the change was announced, Royal Caribbean's only explanation was, "we continuously strive to enhance guest experience onboard and reach alignment of our product offerings across the fleet."

Essentially, this downgrades the perks of this room back to a Junior Suite.

I think the Surfside Family Suite is great for young families, even without the perks

If my kids were under the age of 7 or 8, I wouldn't have hesitated to book a Surfside Family Suite for us.

I love the concept of having a kids nook. They'd love having their own space and TV.  Plus, they can people watch really easily from it.

As a parent, the split bathroom design is a wonderful idea.  Anytime you're sharing a room with more than two people, I think keeping the toilet in a different area makes it more manageable.

I was concerned about noise bleed, but I rarely ever heard anything while inside my room.

The downgraded Sky Class perks are disappointing, but I'm not sure this room truly feels like a suite to begin with.  Plus, when my kids were that young, we rarely took advantage of anything in the Suite Lounge anyway.  

I'm certainly not in favor of less perks while paying the same price (I doubt the prices are going down on these rooms when it transitions to Sea Class), but I think the selling point of this room is the arrangement for families. Unlike a Grand Suite, the perks are secondary to this.

I don't think families with teenagers or adults should book this room with that nook in mind. It's truly meant for young children.

Plus, it still gets twice a day cabin service, and that's a lovely benefit for families to keep the room tidier.

How does Royal Caribbean's top executive measure up to its past CEO?

A special event was held on Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas last week where Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty sat down for a public chat with his predecessor Richard Fain.

Mr. Liberty started off the event with a playful question: "It was about 20 years ago, almost to the day, that Richard hired me. So how am I doing?"

Without missing a beat, Fain quipped back: "You’re asking that about four years too late."

It drew a laugh from the audience, and set the tone for a reflection on where Royal Caribbean Group is headed.

Mr. Fain plainly said after the answer is in the results.

“If you look at the share price, employee satisfaction, the popularity and ratings on our cruises," Fain said with a smile, "apparently you’re doing a good job."

"It's the people"

Richard Fain lead Royal Caribbean for 33 years, and his legacy encompasses taking the company from cruise line to cruise giant.

Mr. Fain believes the secret to Royal Caribbean's success was never just about ships or flashy innovations. 

"It’s the people, it’s the people, it’s the people," he said. "Royal Caribbean has always attracted, promoted and dealt with the best and that has never left."

Having the right people to make their aspirations work is something Mr. Liberty agreed with.

"We’re surrounded by some of the greatest talent that walks on the planet, not just because they’re talented, but because they’re passionate," Liberty added.

A legacy that began in 1988

Richard Fain began working at Royal Caribbean in 1988, but he never imagined where the company would go and become in the decades since.

Under Mr. Fain's tenure, Royal Caribbean went from a cruise line with a handful of ships to a market leader with dozens of ships all over the world.

"It was hard for me to imagine it today. It’s so different than what we expected. But the one thing that hasn’t changed was to be a cut above and to be more than just a cruise line, but to be part of the vacation market."

Under his leadership, the age of the megaships was introduced and it redefined what a cruise vacation would encompass.

Mr. Liberty gave credit to Fain for the years of dedication that lead Royal Caribbean's growth, "The culture of this company is really rooted in the culture that Richard built. The amount of pride to see his flowers bloom must be exceptional."

More talk of Project Discovery

During the question and answer session, a travel agent asked about plans for a smaller cruise ship design and Mr. Liberty touched on the rumored plans.

Liberty acknowledged that the company is also investing in "Project Discovery," a new class of slightly smaller ships designed to deliver the same signature Royal Caribbean experiences at a more approachable scale.

"There's also an opportunity to build ships that have a lot of the same amenities and activities, but on a slightly smaller platform," he said.

He admitted it's still in the "dream engine" phase, but more to come, "hopefully relatively soon."

Fain added that size has never been the point: "It wasn't a team fixated on large or small. It was a team that could bring magic to whatever size it was."

City tours are in the past

A really interesting discussion centered around their vision for the future.

Mr. Liberty had a bold statement about how people want to explore the world, "The time of city tours, I think, is of the past," he said. 

"The time of experience building with your friends and family is where we are today, and I think where we’re going to be tomorrow."

He's alluding to the idea that going to a city simply to sightsee isn't as engaging from a memory making family vacation as a cruise can be in that regard.

"Vacation experiences have to be something that you want to brag about on social media or things that you’ll build legacies for a lifetime," Liberty added

Royal Caribbean could bring one of the biggest cruise ships in the world to Texas.

Speaking at an event on the newly launched Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley was asked about plans for a ship like Star to sail from Galveston.

Mr. Bayley didn't confirm or announce any plans, but he certainly didn't dismiss the idea either.

A travel agent specifically asked, "when will an Icon class ship be arriving in Galveston, Texas."

Mr. Bayley quickly answered, "We're not going to answer that question. But I can tell you it's coming, baby."

The crowd erupted in applause.

As of now, the Icon Class ships are operating out of Florida.  Icon of the Seas sails from Miami, Star from Port Canaveral, and Legend of the Seas will call Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) home when she begins cruising next year.

At 1,200 feet long and a gross tonnage of 250,800, the Icon Class ships are the biggest in the world. With 20 decks, she can accommodate 7,600 passengers (or 5,600 at double occupancy), plus another 2,350 crew members.

The ship is divided up into 8 neighborhoods and has six water slides, seven pools, and more than 40 places to dine, drink, and have a good time.

Ever since Icon of the Seas debuted, it's become a smash hit with both critics and consumers.

An Icon in Galveston: Inevitability?

Mr. Bayley's comment last week is one of many tips of the hat that strongly point to Royal Caribbean bringing an Icon Class ship to a Texas port.

At a similar event in January 2024, the same question was asked by a travel agent and once again, Mr. Bayley had an interesting response.

"It wasn't an accident that we built that 100 and whatever it was million dollar terminal in Galveston, Texas," he replied when asked about bringing a bigger ship there.

Royal Caribbean opened a brand new cruise terminal at Pier 10 that was designed to handle Oasis or Icon Class ships.

Later in the year, the Port of Galveston made a comment saying they could accommodate an Icon Class ship, "We can handle it" is what Port CEO Rodger Rees said in April 2024.

With Star of the Seas launched, there are at least two more Icon Class ships on order and the option to build an additional two more ships beyond that.

Galveston is also positioned right in the middle of Royal Caribbean's major plans.

The cruise line is on the precipice of building two major port projects in the Western Caribbean that are especially attractive to the Galveston cruise market.

Perfect Day Mexico will open in 2027 and be a crown jewel in Royal Caribbean's private destination lineup.

It adds a great deal of value and incentive to take Western Caribbean cruises since the repeat factor is substantially higher with a Perfect Day product there.

There's also a plan to build a beach club in Cozumel, a commonly visited cruise port located just north of where Perfect Day Mexico is going to be located.

Unlike Perfect Day, the beach club is an optional purchase offered exclusively to Royal Caribbean passengers.  Think of it like an all-inclusive beach shore excursion that's run by Royal Caribbean.

And since cruises from Galveston are all but exclusive to the Western Caribbean, putting a big new ship in that market increases the return on investment for the company.

Executives haven't been shy about saying as much too.

"[Perfect Day Mexico] allows us to further grow the large and growing Gulf Coast area, including the Texas market, which...has a similar cruise consideration [to Florida] but only half the penetration," Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty said in October 2024.

Royal Caribbean has a new look to its wristbands you can optionally wear on its cruise ships.

Known as WOW Bands, cruise ship passengers have had the choice to buy these bracelets for years on select ships as a more convenient alternative to the Seapass card.

Made from silicone, the wristbands have an embedded RFID chip for use to scan to buy a drink, open a stateroom door, or check into an activity.

With the launch of Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean has updated their look, design, and price.

Sleek new look

There are four new colors to choose from with the updated look.

Blue and green are the two primary colors to consider, but there are two other colors that tie into Inter Miami CF soccer team.

The Miami-based MLS team features Royal Caribbean as its front-of-jersey partner, and the WOW Bands are a way for fans to show their pride.

Inter Miami is best known for its star player, Lionel Messi, who happens to be the Icon (godfather) to Icon of the Seas cruise ship.

Each band has been also updated with a ridged aesthetic to it, which is somewhat reminiscent of certain Apple Watch bands. 

The older WOW Bands were flatter and the silicone was less rigid.

In our early testing, it's made it easier to slide on and off.

No word yet on if or when the new band design will be brought to other ships in the fleet.

New pricing

In addition to the new look comes a higher price tag too.

The WOW Bands on Star of the Seas cost $14.99 each to purchase, although you can re-use them on other ships and sailings in the future.

Prior to this change, a WOW Band cost $9.99 for one.

If you have an older WOW Band, those still work and can continue to be used onboard too.  These new bands are simply a different look and updated version.

You can buy the WOW Band at any time at Guest Services, although they had them for sale in Dueling Pianos on embarkation day to reduce the overall lines at Guest Services.

You can get WOW Bands on these ships:

• Adventure of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Icon of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Star of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas

A WOW Band to track your kids

Part of the new WOW Band design on Star of the Seas is the introduction of a tracking wearable.

The "Find My Kid" bands are only purchasable at Adventure Ocean, and it's a new way to know where children are onboard.

Priced also at $14.99 per band, it's a way to track kids between the age of 3-12 years old.

This is a colorful, waterproof wristband specially designed to integrate with the Royal Caribbean app's tracking system.

Here's how it works:

Purchase and Register: Families can stop by the Adventure Ocean to purchase and register the band.

Connect to Wi‑Fi: The parent pairs the band with the “Find My Kid” feature via the Royal Caribbean app. No Wi-Fi package purchase required because the app can use the free option.

Track: Parents can view their child’s location displayed on ship-deck maps within the app, seeing where they are in public areas or near staterooms

The benefit of this band is it makes it simpler to keep tabs on kids while onboard, and it's peace of mind.

For many parents, granting their children a little bit of freedom while on vacation is a welcome change, but being able to know where they are adds a certain level of comfort to it.

Royal Caribbean originally tested this idea out on Icon of the Seas in mid-2024, but it's now available on Star of the Seas exclusively for the time being.

Thanks for joining us for another weekly look at all of the Royal Caribbean news from this week.  The late-summer heat is still on, and we have plenty of Royal Caribbean news to share from this week.

The most popular specialty restaurant in Royal Caribbean isn't a steakhouse anymore.

Their popular Japanese restaurant chain, Izumi, has surpassed Chops Grille for the busiest restaurant in the fleet.

The combination of sushi and teppanyaki dining has catapulted Izumi to the top spot for the first time ever.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean CEO says Icon, Star, and Perfect Day are the best-rated things in cruising today
• Star of the Seas officially starts sailing with paying customers
• Royal Caribbean diverts cruise ship away from Bermuda due to developing tropical storm
• Travel agents complain to Royal Caribbean about free casino offers
• Royal Caribbean adds a way to track your kids on the its newest cruise ship
• I found the best free food hack on Royal Caribbean that changed how I snack
• How much a 7-night Alaska cruise really cost
• 5 reasons you might want a Junior Suite instead of a Grand Suite
• Ovation of the Seas upgrade plans revealed, deck-by-deck
• Diana Ross pulls out as Godmother for new Royal Caribbean cruise ship

New RCB Video: 9 Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips for a Smoother Trip

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 — 9 Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips for a Smoother Trip — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean passenger plans to file lawsuit after water slide partially breaks, injuring him

The cruise ship passenger that was injured after riding a water slide that broke as he was going down is going to sue Royal Caribbean.

He was injured on the “Frightening Bolt” water slide, which is a drop slide on Icon of the Seas.

The man had minor scratches, but immediately after he went down the slide the acrylic glass panel cracked and water began gushing through the hole left in its wake.

Royal Caribbean expands adults-only rule to swim-up bar on its new cruise ship

The Swim & Tonic pool is now officially adults-only.

After running a test on Icon of the Seas, the policy has been added to Star of the Seas too.

This means only guests at least 18 years old are welcome to use the Swim & Tonic pool.

What it's like spending half the year living on a cruise ship

Greg Brockman spent about six months living on a cruise ship, and he shared with us how he did it.

Booking that many cruises to be on a ship for half the year means he leverages deals from the casino, and picks his sailings carefully.

The reality is there are some downsides too from living that long on a ship.

Royal Caribbean replaces Diana Ross as Godmother after she cancels

Diana Ross cancelled her plans to be the Godmother to Star of the Seas, but a replacement has been found.

Space advocate and commercial astronaut Kellie Gerardi was selected to help welcome the new ship into the fleet.

She is well known for bioastronautics and STEM advocacy.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 573rd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast, is available where Matt shares his review of his time on Star of the Seas from a short preview sailing.

We update our podcast weekly, so subscribe for more updates via YouTube, iTunes, Google Podcasts, or RSS.

You can also leave us a rating or review on iTunes, so go ahead and check it out! We appreciate your feedback.

Royal Caribbean has tapped an explorer and scientist to be the godmother to Star of the Seas.

Space advocate and commercial astronaut Kellie Gerardi has been named the godmother of Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship.

"Research astronaut and payload specialist Kellie Gerardi will officially bless this incredible ship as Godmother, bringing the spirit of adventure, exploration, and groundbreaking innovation to the world's best family vacation," Royal Caribbean said in an announcement email.

She is well known for bioastronautics and STEM advocacy.

Ms. Gerardi's selection follows the unexpected cancellation by Diana Ross to be the ship's godmother, who withdrew due to unforeseen circumstances.

With Ms. Gerardi in place, she'll sail on the showcase cruise out of Port Canaveral on August 20 on a 3-night cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.

Who is Kellie Gerardi?

Kellie Gerardi is one of the first 100 women to go into space, and she has been involved in space travel for many years.

She's an American science communicator, former payload specialist, and grew up close to where Star of the Seas is based out from.

She grew up in Jupiter, Florida, and started off her career at Palantir Technologies in mission operations and became the director of human spaceflight operations for the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS).

On November 2, 2023, Gerardi made her suborbital spaceflight aboard Virgin Galactic’s Galactic 05 mission as a payload specialist. She was responsible for conducting key experiments in microgravity, such as fluid dynamics and glucose monitoring.

She's also well known on social media. She has over a million followers on Instagram and hundreds of thousands on TikTok, authored Not Necessarily Rocket Science, and created children’s books like Luna Muna to spark curiosity and representation in science. She was also selected to TIME100 Creators list.

Her selection as godmother is likely because of her commitment to exploration, science, and pushing boundaries.

Her social media feed has a great deal of STEM advocacy, and public outreach empower kids to dream big.

What happened to Diana Ross?

Royal Caribbean had selected Diana Ross to be the godmother, but the famous singer and movie star pulled out at the last minute.

She was named Godmother to the second Icon Class ship in June 2025.

Ross, who has five kids and eight grandchildren, also revealed that her whole family was invited on the cruise.

"That’s really what this ship is all about, joy and family fun," she stated.

Then this week, news broke Ms. Ross was out.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, Diana Ross will be unable to appear," a rep for Ross announced earlier this week.

She said later in an interview that her current priorities in life are "health and well-being."

"We are disappointed that Diana Ross is unable to join us to be godmother of Star of the Seas," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said in a statement.

Choosing a Godmother

A Godmother is a ceremonial position that all ships have, and different women are chosen for various reasons. The role is often held by renowned athletes, celebrities and royalty.

The godmother's job is to give the ship a blessing for the safety of the crew members and passengers who will sail onboard it.

The godfather for Icon of the Seas was soccer megastar Lionel Messi, whereas the godmother for Wonder of the Seas was the result of a contest on TikTok to find the right person.

For most people, a cruise is a week or so vacation and then it's back to reality.  For Greg Brockman, a cruise is more like his second house.

He spends roughly six months onboard Royal Caribbean ships, booking a series of cruises in a row in a sort of "binge" to stay onboard for weeks at a time before a brief return home.

Naturally, people have questions about how he can manage to do this. Greg isn't retired and still works. 

Here’s what Greg says about the reality of living at sea for months at a time, including the perks, the drawbacks, and the strategies that make it possible.

Do you get tired of visiting the same places?

Royal Caribbean ships tend to repeat the same itineraries often. While the cruise line welcomes repeat cruisers, the sailings aren't designed for someone to effectively live onboard.

"When it comes to traveling onboard ship, after several weeks, it feels more like home than living in a floating hotel room," Greg says.

He picks a ship based on what it offers to maximize his time onboard, "You look for entertainment options, dining options, and local activities that are appealing and align with your interests."

Even if the ports repeat, the experience changes. "Although the ports might be the same, consecutive cruisers can attest, there can be a dramatic difference in the experience based on your fellow passengers. Some crowds are more active and outgoing than others."

How Greg pays for all those cruises

You might be wondering how he can afford to pay to cruise for half the year, and the casino is his secret weapon.

You can earn complimentary cruises by gambling enough in Royal Caribbean's casino, and he maximizes that perk.

"The casino plays a huge role in my ability to travel as much as I do on the budget I set for myself," he explains.

"I took 100% of my cruise fare as my budget for the casino and I played just enough to earn a complimentary interior cabin. Then I stop playing." 

From there, he uses "Pay Now, Book Later" to lock in future freeplay, then books consecutive cruises.

"It’s cheaper to pay to upgrade to a balcony than play the points, unless I am on a big winning streak," Greg says. 

According to Greg, the casino loyalty program has let him cruise "30+ sailings a year for usually far less than 50% of the cruise fare."

The casino does require 200 points on comp cruises to keep the offers coming, but Greg has even “earned the cruise certificate completely on their money and spent none of mine."

Working from a cruise ship

Since Greg isn't retired, he still needs to put in work and he does it from onboard.

For the last three years, Greg has worked as a real estate trainer and coach. Since most of his job can be performed remotely, he's able to take Zoom meetings and phone calls from the ship. 

He gets free internet packages from both his Pinnacle status and casino perks, which not only keeps him connected but reduces the out of pocket costs.

Sometimes, he even works from unconventional spots: "Occasionally, I was able to use vacant rooms in the conference center in a pinch, with guest services approval."

Greg believes cruise lines could take this further: “With more and more careers offering remote work options, Royal could get a jump on ‘Remote at Sea’ to accommodate a growing number of remote workers."

Do you get sick of the food?

"The food can be tricky, but there are so many options," Greg explains. He cycles between specialty dining, the Main Dining Room, Windjammer, and other restaurants like Cafe Promenade, or Park Cafe.

"With more cruises come more Crown and Anchor points. I’m fortunate to have Coastal Kitchen access on Oasis, Quantum, and Icon Class ships," he says. 

He claims the chefs sometimes even go off-menu for back-to-back guests: "They have offered some custom dishes and meals they do not often make."

Over time, his eating habits shift, "After 7–10 days onboard, I’m less interested in breads and the pizzas, but find I am eating more often but far smaller portions."

"It’s been a few days since anyone has starved on a cruise ship, and I find I am skipping the cookies for a banana, kiwi, pineapple, or other fresh fruit option."

The drawbacks of cruising so much

It's not all rainbows, unicorns, and Sorrento's pizza when you cruise for an extended period of time.

One downside is trying to balance his social life at home versus onboard, "I have land friends that never cruise, and then I have fellow travelers who I see onboard. This can strain relationships with both over time if you don’t work to try to maintain both."

Cruise friendships, he says, are "the most forgiving for not staying in touch directly."

Being apart from his dog is also a negative to how much he travels, "I have a dog at home — Sasha, named after a Royal Caribbean ice skater I met on Liberty — a 6-year-old Samoyed that I leave with friends while I’m gone. That is also why I break up my trips into 3–6 week blocks so I can spend time with her."

And just like his friends at home, cruising means being apart from family, "My sister and husband have visited me on various ships, including the recent 8-night Northern European Cities sailing on Independence on June 19, 2025. My mom stayed on with me for the next two. My brother and his family joined me on Ovation for an Alaska sailing.”

Crew members matter even more when you're onboard so often

Being on a cruise ship for such a long period of time has afforded him the opportunity to get to know a lot of crew members, and he values those friendships.

"The bonus on top of the amazing travel adventures are the friendships I have with crew," Greg says. "Some even play a role on which ships I book because I know the Hotel Director or the Cruise Director onboard."

He’s also a self-professed Royal Entertainment junkie, "In November/December 2024, I spent 6 weeks on Allure and watched almost every showing of Mamma Mia."

When he boarded Independence of the Seas this summer, "I was recognized by 3 crew members I have sailed with in the past. There is a complete feeling of relaxation when you see a familiar face."

Royal Caribbean is doubling down on its biggest ships and private destinations because that's what cruisers love the most.

Speaking aboard the brand-new Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley answered travel agent questions and was asked about what makes going on an Icon Class ship or an itinerary to a new private destination worth the cost.

Royal Caribbean is in the midst of a spending spree, with at least two more Icon Class ships on order and new beach clubs and a second Perfect Day opening over the next few years.

Mr. Bayley believes those products are setting the standard for guest satisfaction across the industry.

He illustrated his point by talking about the overwhelming popularity of short cruises that include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay and the debut of Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas as examples of products delivering exceptional value and memorable vacations.

"When you look at the Net Promoter score, the satisfaction that comes back from our customers on these products, the top-rated products are typically ships like Icon and Star," Bayley said. 

"People are paying good, good price, but I can tell you that they perceive the value as exceptionally high."

Very high guest satisfaction

When Royal Caribbean talks about a ship or island being highly rated, they're referring to their guest feedback system.

The cruise line does an incredible amount of guest research. Every passenger is asked for a post-cruise survey, and Royal Caribbean regularly conducts focus groups and sends out surveys to better understand what its customers want and like.

One means of measuring guest satisfaction is using Net Promoter Score (NPS), a standard metric that tracks how likely customers are to recommend a product to friends and family.

"The Net Promoter Score on Star and Icon is about 85, and if you’re familiar with an NPS, 85 is phenomenal," Bayley explained. 

For context, in most industries, an NPS above 50 is considered excellent. Scores in the 80s are considered "world class", and much more typical for luxury brands.

"That means that people are paying the price and they are deeply satisfied with the experience, and they are going to recommend that experience to their friends and family."

According to Bayley, he thinks those high scores are the result of, "great quality, great value and wonderful satisfaction."

"We feel like we’re really kind of leading the way with delivering that kind of experience," he said.

Why they're focusing on short cruises

Mr. Bayley spoke about the high demand Royal Caribbean has for three- and four-night cruises that sail from Florida and include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

These itineraries are part of a shift with Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships, and it's generated a lot of debate among cruisers.

The reason more big ships are switching to short sailings is to attract new customers who might have never considered a cruise before.

"Certainly there is a huge popularity for the three- and four-day product," Bayley explained. "And that’s why we have a certain percentage of our products doing those runs to Perfect Day and the beach clubs."

The idea is offer the very best new cruise ships sailing short cruises to top-rated private destinations to give new cruisers an obvious choice of which ship is best for them to try. 

CocoCay is the most in-demand cruise destination in the world

Part of why Royal Caribbean is building Perfect Day Mexico is because of how well Perfect Day at CocoCay has been received by its guests.

Mr. Bayley said that Perfect Day at CocoCay has become Royal Caribbean’s most sought-after stop worldwide.

"It’s our number one demand destination on the planet," Bayley told the audience. "I think this year we took maybe 3.5 million guests to Perfect Day."

Once again, guest feedback played a role in crafting CocoCay's makeover. During the dreaming process for Perfect Day, Royal Caribbean surveyed guests on what would make a day in the Caribbean truly perfect. The answer: "the thrill, the chill, keep the kids happy."

"That’s what we built," Bayley said.

With Perfect Day Mexico coming next, he thinks it will be another game changer.

"This is going to be an absolutely epically stunning, unbelievable Perfect Day," he said, highlighting its accessibility to the Texas Gulf Coast drive market. "There’s a huge opportunity coming in all of the Gulf states and, for example, North Florida."

Currently, cruise penetration in Texas is around 3%, compared to 6% in Florida. Royal Caribbean sees that gap as untapped potential.

When asked about an Icon Class ship being based in Galveston, Texas, he didn't answer the question, but hinted something could be in the works.

Expanding the shore experience

Mr. Bayley also talked about Royal Caribbean’s efforts to improve the onshore experience in destinations beyond its private islands. 

One such idea is a new category of VIP shore excursions, that offer more exclusive, small-group experiences. They're available in select markets, including Alaska and Europe.

"We’ve just started to roll those out," he said. 

"It’s a different level of experience. It’s slightly more exclusive. It’s more elevated. It costs more because it does cost more. And we think from the early results of the testing that we’ve done that it’s very popular."

The idea is to not only offer great tours, but add a premium level to them for those that value paying more to enjoy a first class experience.

There's a new king of specialty restaurants at Royal Caribbean, as Chops Grille, a long-time favorite, has been dethroned.

While speaking during a webinar for travel agents, Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, shared an anecdote that Chops Grille is no longer Royal Caribbean’s top specialty dining venue by sheer number of guests served.

"Izumi is actually the most popular restaurant by volume in the fleet," Mr. D'Souza said while speaking to travel agents in the conference call.

"Especially teppanyaki," he explained. "It's a really wonderful experience. I think it's a perfect experience while you're on vacation."

The change shouldn't be that much of a surprise given how wide and far Izumi has spread across the fleet.

Chops Grille's reign

Chops Grille had been synonymous with specialty dining on Royal Caribbean ships, as it's been a concept that goes back decades.

Before specialty dining became as popular as it is today, Royal Caribbean cruise ships might have only had one or two specialty restaurants, and Chops Grille was one of them.

It's dominance at the top is no secret. It's available on every single ship in the fleet, serves a type of food that's quite familiar and appealing to all passengers, and it's had a consistent experience.

In my experience, Chops is often the first specialty restaurant people try when sailing with Royal Caribbean. I believe that's because it has a warm ambiance that evokes "date night" or a special evening out.

Izumi's rise to the top

Izumi is no "new kid on the block", but it's made steady progress to reach this point.

The first Izumi location opened on Oasis of the Seas in 2009, with demand for sushi on a ship increasing ever since then.

Royal Caribbean expanded Izumi's size, gave it better locations, and added new dining options that went beyond sushi.

The first Izumi location was on deck 16 near the Windjammer on Oasis of the Seas.  Since then, Royal Caribbean has put Izumi front and center on its ships.

The addition of hibachi teppanyaki shows has been an incredibly popular change.

Izumi hibachi is a teppanyaki-style restaurant, which is sometimes referred to as a "Japanese steakhouse."  The experience combines cooking and service into one fun performance.

Today, there are to-go sushi counters, and even a chef-driven experience too.

Izumi's rise in popularity isn't just luck.  Izumi Master Chef Travis Kamiyama has over 30 years experience working in Japanese cuisine.

He attributes the popularity of Izumi to creating a really good dining experience for guests, "I think the consistency and becoming iconic."

"And it was all by guests raving about it and all the numbers showing it. And that's what it was all about. It was all purely proven."

The experiential dining trend has helped too

Without a doubt, the hibachi experience came about at the same time the cruising public has started to embrace experiences that simply go beyond cuisine.

Mr. D'Souza calls it "eatertainment", and it's something Izumi started with its hibachi, "This concept of entertainment is something that we try to fit into all of our experiences."

Royal Caribbean has leaned into eatertainment more and more on its ships, with restaurants that offer more than food.  The idea is to combine dining with a show element that fosters memory making experiences.

Royal Caribbean sees themselves competing against major tourist destinations on land, such as Las Vegas or New York.  

"I don't want you to get bored when you're having dinner," Mr. D'Souza said in an earlier interview about Royal Caribbean's dining strategy.

"We’ve been leaning into this notion of eatertainment where we’re really trying to blend entertainment and great dining together."

Examples of the restaurants include:

• Mason Jar: Southern American cooking meets fun country music bar
• Empire Supper Club: Swanky jazz club pairs food, cocktails and music
• Royal Railway: Immersive digital experience that feels like you're dining on a classic train

The results speak for themselves, as these restaurants are often the hottest ticket to book on any ship that has it.

The Lincoln Park supper club has a $200 per person price tag, and is "sold out every night" on Star of the Seas.

This trend has had the side effect of elevating the popularity of Izumi, because guests can dine as a family and have a fun meal with a high chance it creates positive memories.

"If you think about Lincoln Park Supper Club, when you think about Izumi, it's about the fun and enjoyment and happiness that those experiences create while you're on board our ship," Mr. D'Souza explained.

"It's all about the happiness, whether that's ice cream running down your face or the chef that's tossing a piece of chicken for you to catch."