The weekend is here and we love to welcome some well-deserved time off with our readers' favorite Royal Caribbean photos.  Each week, we ask our readers to submit their best Royal Caribbean photos, so that we can showcase them right here.

Our first photo this week is from Bob Carpenter, and it was taken on the pool deck of Empress of the Seas. Bob noted he has never seen a hammock on a Royal Caribbean ship and neither have we!

Speaking of older Royal Caribbean ships, Jan-Arild Knutsen took a photo of the former Sun Viking, as they were sailing on Ovation of the Seas.  Evidently, this former Royal Caribbean ship is now functioning as a casino ship.

Here is a fun photo from Becky Bowen from Enchantment of the Seas.  That Jump Zone is a lot of fun!

Did you know Royal Caribbean allows its guests to go to Hell? Hell, Grand Cayman, that is! Blake Baldwin took this photo on a recent visit there.

Adrian Chan took this photo of Independence of the Seas docked in Labadee.  Wish I was there right now!

Here is a photo of Voyager of the Seas in Sydney by Darren, as they were disembarking Explorer of the Seas.  Love the sun's reflection on the water, right above the Sydney Opera House.

Lastly, we have this photo of Radiance of the Seas in Icy Straights Alaska harbor.  This photo was taken by Peter Chapman and it has a great backdrop!

Thank you to everyone that sent in their photos.  Would you like your Royal Caribbean photo to be showcased? Submit your photo via this form and we will use it in a future post!

Royal Caribbean is inviting any one of the 214 million registered drivers in the United States to skip parking their car and instead, park themselves on a free cruise aboard Harmony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's "Ticket to Adventure" promotion is giving residents of the United States a chance to win one of 55 trips for two onboard Harmony of the Seas during an exclusive preview sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in November.

To enter, simply visit the Ticket to Adventure site between now and October 1 and enter the code “PARKINGTICKET.”

While at the promotion site consumers can also virtually discover and explore Harmony’s thrilling features and seven neighborhoods, and enter for their chance to win other exciting prizes that range from a seven-night Caribbean cruise for four, to more than 150 GoPro HERO4 cameras, over $40,000 in cash gift cards, and more.  

Have you heard about the drink cards Royal Caribbean has offered on select sailings that offer a reduced cost for a select amount of drinks?  

Drink cards started popping up in the last year or so, building on the popularity of Royal Caribbean's beverage packages. Guests like having a predictable and convenient way to enjoy all the drinks they like, and Royal Caribbean likes getting guests spending more money for their cruise.  The thing is, many guests opt not to get a drink package because they do not feel they can drink enough to make the package worthwhile financially.

Drink cards are the alternative to drink packages, where guests pay a fixed-cost for a card that can be used to purchase pretty much any drink that the drink package would cover. 

If you have heard about the drink cards before, or are wondering how to get one and how they work exactly, this will help answer all of your questions.

How does the drink card work?

Drink cards can only be purchased on a Royal Caribbean ship from almost any bar or lounge. Each card is good for ordering ten drinks.

At the time of purchase, guests pre-pay the card's full amount and then can use it at any bar, restaurant or lounge onboard to get a drink.  For each drink they order, the waiter or bartender will mark off one of the numbers on the bottom to card to indicate it was used.

The drink cards cover pretty much any drink that a regular drink package covers. This includes most beers, glasses of wine, and cocktails, as well as fountain sodas, specialty coffee and fresh juices.  The drink card also covers the gratuity for the purchase.

One key difference between the drink card and a drink package is the benefits of a drink card are shareable with other guests.  So you can purchase a card and let your spouse, friends or family use the card benefits as well.

What does the drink card not include?

The Royal Caribbean drink card does not include mini bar items, canned sodas, bottled juice and souvenir glassware, specialty beers as listed on bar menus, or super premium category beverages.

How much does a drink card cost?

The price seems to differ from ship to ship and sailing to sailing.  We have heard of the drink card costing somewhere between $70-$90 per card. 

The card cost will be charged to your SeaPass account and is non-refundable.

Can I get a drink card on my upcoming cruise?

Here is the catch about the drink card: you can never be sure it will be available on your cruise or when on the cruise it will be available.

Even if it is offered, it tends to become available on various days of the sailing.  Some cruises have seen it on day 3 of a seventh night cruise, others on day 5 of a seven night cruise. Other times it was offered on the last day of a 4 night cruise.

Each Royal Caribbean ship has been given the option to test different beverage package offerings onboard. The decision of which program to offer, if any, is made by the ship. That means, there is no guarantee it will be available on your sailing, or when it will be available and for how much.

Essentially, you will not be able to determine if a drink card will be available until you are onboard your Royal Caribbean cruise and well into the sailing.

Are the drink cards a good value?

In all the variations of the drink package we have seen, the drink card makes a lot of financial sense, assuming you can drink the ten drinks allocated and drink cocktails.  If you neglect to consume even one beverage offered by the card by the end of your cruise, it is a poor decision.

Taking the $90 card cost as a "worst case scenario," that means each drink costs you $9, including gratuity. Depending on which drink you buy, most mixed drinks cost between $10-12 (before gratuity).

In addition, the drink card can be shared, which makes it a far more powerful value.  It is great for family and friends who cruise together, and can pool together their drinking onto these cards and save everyone money.

The drink card does cover other kinds of beverages other than cocktails, but they are poor choices to use the drink card for.  Assuming each drink is $9 with the drink card, most beers, juices, premium coffees and sodas are well below that $9 value.

If you like mixed drinks and/or wine by the glass, a drink card works quite well financially, given the per-price break down.  The key is to take advantage of drinks that are more expensive than the per-drink card value.  

Would you purchase a drink card if it were offered on your Royal Caribbean cruise? Tell us in the comments!

Royal Caribbean released new aerial photos of Harmony of the Seas, this time in the Mediterranean.

Harmony of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship and it is the company's third Oasis-class cruise ship. She is currently sailing in the Mediterranean for the summer season, and will head to Port Everglades, Florida in November to her new homeport.

This is the second batch of aerial photos released, with the first batch posted in early June.

Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Episode 151 is available for downloading, where we provide an overview of Junior Suite staterooms and why you might (or might not) want to book one.

In this episode, Matt looks at the category of staterooms that offers some suite class perks, but with a price closer to a standard balcony.  We consider what Junior Suites offer, the differences between it and other categories and why you might want to book one.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 151. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Stitcher or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!

This weekend, Royal Caribbean is offering up to an extra $50 in onboard credit on select cruises.

Between June 24-27, 2016, all sailings departing on or after July 25, 2016 (excluding China departures) can get bonus money to spend onboard:

• Interior/ Oceanview– $25 onboard credit per stateroom
• Balcony/ Deluxe – $50 onboard credit per stateroom

Offer is combinable with current standard/full fare rates, 1,2, Free, Free Children, Resident Bonus, restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military) and Next Cruise offers. Offer is not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including but not limited to Group Standard, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, Net Rates, Crown & Anchor Discounts, and Shareholder benefits.

Offer open to residents of the United States and Canada.

Royal Caribbean extended the Kids Sail Free deal through June 27, 2016.

Guests tumble into a culinary adventure when they set foot inside Harmony of the Seas’ Wonderland. The striking two-story restaurant is a must-try sensory experience and serves whimsical meals that will delight and inspire from beginning to end.

Season three of the YouTube series aimed at tweens and young teenagers and set on a Royal Caribbean cruise has been released.

Episode one of the third season of "Royal Crush" was released on Monday.  The new season follows the events of season two, when Desi broke up with Sebastian and is now on a girls trip with her best friends Paige and Isla, only to find out that Sebastian and his best friend Oliver are on the same ship. Now, Desi and Sebastian must figure out the future of their relationship while their friends navigate familiar waters.

"Royal Crush" is a collaboration between Royal Caribbean and YouTube channel AwesomenessTV.  It is a marketing push to show off how much fun Royal Caribbean ships are to teens and tweens, with the hopes of raising awareness of a cruise vacation.

New episodes of "Royal Crush" are released every Monday on AwesomenessTV.

Many Royal Caribbean ships make stops in a little piece of paradise that just so happens to be part of the United States, St. Thomas. Known as "the gateway island" of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, St. Thomas is known for its beaches, snorkeling and sportfishing.

Frankly, there is a lot to see and do in St. Thomas, with the island's capital, Charlotte Amalie, being a busy cruise ship port with high-end restaurants and shopping.

The First European settlement on St. Thomas consisted of four taverns. Now known as Charlotte Amalie, today it is a haven for shoppers, but was once a pirate sanctuary. Legitimate trade gained popularity in the 1700s when it was declared a free port, making it the trading center of the West Indies. More than 1.7 million cruise ship guests visited here last year to enjoy the duty-free shops, historic attractions, pristine beaches and friendly locals.

Royal Caribbean ships dock at Crown Bay or at the West Indian Dock, approximately 1 1/2 miles from downtown Charlotte Amalie. Regardless of what you choose to do, there is a lot of great choices for things to do in St. Thomas.

Magens Bay

If you have ever heard of St. Thomas, you probably also heard someone mention Magens Bay, and for good reason.  Magens Bay is known for its turquoise waters and pristine sands that make for a picturesque beach getaway. Magen's Bay Beach is considered one of the world's most beautiful. Arguably, this is the best thing to do in St. Thomas on a cruise.

Once at Magens Bay, you have the choice to swim or snorkel in this gorgeous, balmy, palm-lined, turquoise bay situated along St. Thomas' coast simply enjoy the beach.

Getting to Magens Bay is fairly easy, with organized shore excursions and taxis readily available to bring guests to this idealic beach. Most excursions through Royal Caribbean include stops along the way at scenic overlooks and other places of historic significance. 

The beach has a small fee for admission, so the bulk of the cost to get to Magens Bay will be in transportation back and forth.

If you want a good alternative beach that is a heck of a lot closer to Charlotte Amalie, try Emerald Beach.

Shopping in Charlotte Amalie

​If exploring the island's capital is more your fancy, you will find a wealth of great shopping and dining choices in Charlotte Amalie.

There are over 400 shops along the Main Street area in Charlotte Amalie and some 50 more in Havensight Mall and Yacht Haven Grande. Often we hear the best deals are on luxury items such as fine jewelry, watches, perfume, leather, imported linens, china and crystal. Cameras, electronic goods and designer clothing are also available. Check out the selection of island rums and liquors, as well as the bargains on your favorite spirits

Charlotte Amalie’s downtown and shopping area is a short taxi ride from the dock – $4 per person each way from Crown Bay or $4 per person each way from the West Indian Dock. Want to take a beautiful walk? Take a 30 minute walk to town from Havensight Mall. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Skyride to Paradise Point

If you are going to see the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, why not see it from over 700 feet above sea level? The Skyride to Paradise Point allows guests to go to the top of a mountain and enjoy a stunning view of the island.

Guests embark on a panoramic gondola ride to mountaintop Paradise Point, where they can seer excellent views of the city and dazzling waters below. Once at the top, you have the choice to shop for souvenirs, engage in live bird shows, or savor a tasty lunch in a local café.

Getting to the skyride and up the mountain is pretty simple and the only caveat worth mentioning is there are a lot of stairs involved, so if you have a stroller or wheelchair, keep in mind that there is no alternative to the stairs.

Interestingly enough, it is cheaper to purchase this excursion through Royal Caribbean than going to the tram directly and you can do the skyride at your leisure, since it is continuously operating throughout the day.

Visit St. John

St. Thomas is a beautiful island, but its neighbor St. John is equally beautifully and far more pristine.  Many Royal Caribbean veterans opt to take the ferry to the nearby island paradise for a taste of something a little different. All you have to do is hop on the ferry from Charlotte Amalie the provides an excellent opportunity to check out the spectacular coastal scenery and soothing breezes.

St. John offers a lot, such as exploring the sub-tropical forests and semi-arid scrublands of the Virgin Islands National Park, or enjoying the quaint Cruz Bay. Perhaps you would like to hop in an open-air safari vehicle for a ride around the national park's coastal swamplands and sugar plantation ruins, viewing 800 species of plants.  Trunk Bay is known for a long stretch of white sand, sparkling water and lush foliage, and features an underwater reef trail.​

Given a ferry is involved in getting to and from St. Johns, we prefer to book shore excursions with Royal Caribbean when visiting St. John for the peace of mind associated with not missing the shop upon returning to St. Thomas.

Coral World

For those that want a little nature in their visit to St. Thomas, check out Coral World Ocean Park, were you can see tons of marline life without ever getting wet.

At Coral World, you will encounter a variety of marine life including sharks, stingrays, turtles and more. Coral World boasts the opportunity to see a recreated living reef and 21 aquariums in Marine Gardens.You can even pet, snuggle and take photos with sea lions or try a Sea Trek Helmet Dive. Visit the shark pool where you can pet a shark or hand feed a stingray. Visit with the Lorikeets which will flock to your arm when offered a cup of nectar.

Many guests opt to combine Coral World with a stop in Magens Bay, since the two are close by each other and offer the opportunity to experience both in one stop.

Island Tour

Since there is so much to see in St. Thomas, a lot of times a tour of the island makes a lot of sense. Taking a tour of St. Thomas allows you to get a "taste" of the highlights and maybe set yourself up for something on a future visit.

There are a lot of tours you can take, either on your own, with a private driver or through a group tour.  Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, and one of the big factors will be cost. Group tours will be the least expensive options, but you will be at the mercy of the pace of the group.  Conversely, a private tour will allow you to do what you want, when you want, but with the caveat that you will pay more for it.

Island tours are very popular shore excursions and available through third parties or with Royal Caribbean. When choosing, it is worth noting that traffic on the island can be an issue in the later afternoon, so getting back to the ship on time should be factored into your plans.  Of course, Royal Caribbean shore excursions promise the ship will wait for you.

A lot of the island tours will visit popular spots like Mountain Top, Drake's Seat, Bluebeard's Castle and more.

Your Thoughts

Have you tried any of the places we outlined? Do you have a recommendation for something to do in St. Thomas? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments below!