Royal Caribbean offers cruises on 25 cruise ships to destinations in the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Asia, Australia and everywhere in between. 

That is a lot of cruises!

First time cruisers may find the choices a bit overwhelming with the various options. The good news is, the decision is not as complicated as it may seem. 

Here are a few guidelines that would make for a perfect first cruise.  

Ships

Royal Caribbean has built up a lot of cruise ships over the years and they each offer something different and interesting. 

For first time cruisers, the best choice is to lean towards the newer ships in the fleet because they will offer the latest innovations, entertainment and choices. 

Royal Caribbean's Oasis and Quantum class ships are perfect for first timers. In fact, it can be argued the Quantum class was designed with first time cruisers in mind.  

Ships such as Allure of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas pack a lot of entertainment, dining and tech onboard that offer the kind of "WOW moment" experiences many new to cruise guests have heard about. 

The other ships in the fleet are wonderful too, but we feel the Oasis and Quantum class ships are best suited for new cruisers. 

Itineraries

If you are trying to decide between itineraries like eastern or western Mediterranean or a Bahamas cruise or to visit Cozumel or St. Thomas, these are the typical quandaries those new to cruising all go through.

For a fist time cruiser, we think it makes the most sense to pick an itinerary that mixes in an even amount of sea days with port days.  The reason for this is so that you have ample opportunity to explore the ship as well as the places you visit.  

Cruise length

It may be tempting to pick a shorter cruise, but we recommend going with a five to seven night sailing because those three and four night cruises are really, really short.

By going with a slightly longer cruise, you will have the opportunity to really explore the ship and enjoy the experience.  Shorter cruises go by so quickly and for someone new to cruising, it may not provide enough time on ship or on shore to really get a sense of it all.

Royal Caribbean ships are designed to be destinations rather than just a floating hotel room, so you will want more time to experience it all.  We typically find cruises closer to a week in length provide a great balance of value, time and opportunity.

Picking the right sailing

An itinerary with a good mix of port calls and sea days will give first time cruisers a good sense of what a cruise is like, so try to avoid sailings with lots of sea days (such as repositioning cruises) or lots of port stops.

It is difficult to go wrong with an eastern or western Caribbean sailing that includes a stop at Royal Caribbean's private destinations of Labadee or CocoCay.  These private stops are great for a beach day and many guests really enjoy their time there.

In addition, cruises to the Caribbean offer fun islands to visit that are well-established with plenty to offer in terms of shore excursions.

For cruises that go to Europe, Asia or Alaska, it is important to look for sailings that mix in that blend of port stops and sea days. 

Saving money on your cruise

Regardless of which ship you pick and which sailing you want to cruise on, everyone wants to make sure they are getting the lowest price.  There are some good strategies for ensuring you get the lowest price possible.

Book early

If there is one rule of cruise pricing that you should remember, it is that it is always best to book your Royal Caribbean cruise as far in advance as you can.

There is no such thing as booking your cruise too early because as more guests book a sailing, inventory drops and prices start to creep up.

Cruising has never been more popular and Royal Caribbean ships routinely sail completely full, so it is best to book well in advance.

Ideally, you will book somewhere between 7-18 months prior to your sail date.  If you can manage to book earlier, that is even better.

Cruise during less busy times of the year

A great strategy to keeping your cruise fare low is to choose times of the year to sail when many others are not.

Royal Caribbean offers cruises year-round and like every industry, there are high seasons and low seasons.

For the best fares, consider cruises during these times of the year

• January (excluding New Years)
• Early February
• September
• October
• Early November
• First two weeks of December

If you can take a cruise during times of the year that do not coincide with school or government holidays, you will find lower prices overall.

Royal Caribbean's new BOGO FURTHER sale begins today, where guests can get Buy One Get One fares, reduced deposits, 25% off for 3rd and 4th guests and up to $300 to spend at sea — plus special bonuses on select sailings.

The new promotion includes:

• Buy One Guest, Get Second Guest 50% Off
• Up to $300 per stateroom onboard credit
  • Interior: $50 per stateroom
  • Oceanview: $100 per stateroom
  • Balcony: $200 per stateroom
  • Suite: $300 per stateroom
• 50% reduced deposit
• PLUS 25% Savings for 3/4 guests
• BONUS Select Beverage Package for 1st and 2nd guests aboard Jewel of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, and Rhapsody of the Seas roundtrip Europe sailings departing Apr.- Nov. 2016 ocean view and higher staterooms.

BOGO FURTHER offer applies to all deployed ships and sailings, excluding China departures. The free Select Beverage Package bonus is only applicable to guests sailing in Europe onboard Jewel of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, and Rhapsody of the Seas departing between April - November, 2016.

BOGO is combinable with the adjoining OBC, 3rd and 4th Guest Savings, Select Beverage Package Offer, Crown & Anchor discounts and NextCruise offers; BOGO and 3rd and 4th Guest Savings are not combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military). OBC and Select Beverage Offer are combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, BOGO) and NextCruise offers. OBC and Select Beverage Package Offer are not combinable with Crown & Anchor discounts. All offers are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, weekly Sales Events, Net Rates, Shareholder Benefits and Quick Getaway Fares.

BOGO FURTHER offer is combinable for Future Cruise Certificates and Letters of Credit.

Offer available to residents of United States and Canada.

Royal Caribbean announced due to the progress of Tropical Cyclone Ula, the planned itinerary for Legend of the Seas will have be changed.

The cyclone has required Royal Caribbean to alter Legend of the Seas current 11 night South Pacific cruise, which, departed Brisbane on December 30, 2015.

Instead of calling at Lautoka and Suva in Fiji, the cruise will now call on January 6 at Champagne Bay, Vanuatu.

Royal Caribbean's decision to cancel the calls in Fiji is centered around the safety of guests and crew and to avoid the path of the storm.

All pre-booked Royal Caribbean Fiji shore excursions will be refunded as a result of this change.

Perhaps you were sitting in front of your iPad, computer or mobile device and thought to yourself, "I would love a virtual trip to Royal Caribbean's private destination of Labadee" today.  Wish granted!

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Elena Oliboni shared these photos from her trip to Labadee this week on Independence of the Seas. 

Enjoy this virtual vacation!

Happy New Year! We hope your 2016 is off to a great start and that you have a wonderful year in the days to come.

The big news this week was Royal Caribbean's decision to remove Devinly Decadence on Anthem of the Seas just before the New Year.

Celebrity chef Devin Alexander confirmed that the restaurant was being removed from Anthem of the Seas due to a conflict in commitments.

Devinly Decadence was among the initial restaurants announced for its Quantum class ships and started out as a specialty restaurant on Quantum of the Seas.

There was lots more Royal Caribbean news this week, so let's jump right in!

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean's next sale promotion begins tomorrow with a new BOGO deal.
• Readers spotted a new one-day unlimited alcohol package on Enchantment of the Seas.
• We also spotted a new 10 drink punch card ticket on Grandeur of the Seas.
• Royal Caribbean leveraged local to make a big social media push in 2015.
• Everything you need to know about CocoCay beach loungers.
• Royal Caribbean is hinting at some new entertainment on Harmony of the Seas.
• We shared two new photo tours of balcony staterooms on Independence of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.
• Here are the best Royal Caribbean photos of 2015.

Royal Caribbean Blog Reader Finds

If you are on a Royal Caribbean cruise and spot something cool, new or just fun, share a photo with us on Facebook or Twitter so we can add it to our Royal Caribbean Blog Reader Finds each Sunday!

Nick Vitani shared this great photo of Enchantment of the Seas at dawn, while in Nassau.

Barbara Murphy shared with us our favorite angle on Jewel of the Seas, looking down into the Centrum.

Chris Curl took a minute to post this helipd selfie on Brilliance of the Seas before their cruise started.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 126th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, we are joined by Brian to share his experience on Allure of the Seas.

In this episode, Brian returns from his Allure of the Seas cruise to talk about what he liked about it, review some of his onboard and onshore experiences and tell us if Royal Caribbean is his new favorite cruise line.

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

Meet us in Atlanta!

The first ever Royal Caribbean Blog meet up is happening on January 10 in downtown Atlanta and you are invited!

Join us for our first ever meetup at the Johnny Rockets near the Atlanta Aquarium on Sunday, January 10, 2016 at 1pm.

Everyone is welcome and you can RSVP for the fun on our Facebook event page to let us know that you will be coming!

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

From the Deck Chair shares why Aaron is super excited for the return of Empress of the Seas.

Eat Sleep Cruise offers the top six reasons to dress up on formal night.

Leo Laporte shared a 360 video of his amazing suite on Anthem of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas has a lot of stateroom options to choose from and today we have a great photo tour of two connecting staterooms that share a balcony.

On Oasis of the Seas, Kim Olsen shared photos of staterooms 8574 and 8576, which are located on Deck 8.  Entry to the room is via your SeaPass card.

Like many balcony staterooms, there is a lot of natural light coming from the balcony upon entering the stateroom.

These staterooms offer a lot of storage options inside. It seems like the newer the Royal Caribbean ship, the more storage space there is.

Each Category D7 stateroom features floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that lead to your private veranda, two twin beds that convert to a queen-sized bed, considerable closet space, a private bathroom with shower, as well as a living area with desk, drawer space, vanity, and sofa.

Each stateroom also has its own flat-screen television, thermostat controlled air-conditioning, internet access, direct-dial telephone, radio, mini bar, individual safe, and 24 hour room service.

The balcony measures 53 square feet and in this case of connecting staterooms, Kim's stateroom attendant was able to open up the balcony dividers.

Here is a great shot of both staterooms with their doors open.

Happy New Year! If you're ready for a mental escape to a Royal Caribbean cruise, then you're at the right place because we have some great Royal Caribbean photos our readers have sent in.  Each week we ask our readers to send us their best Royal Caribbean photos to showcase right here on the blog so be sure to send yours in too!

First up, we have a photo from Michael Poole of Anthem of the Seas docked in Nassau, Bahamas as seen from Enchantment of the Seas.  I really like the color contrast!

Next up is this shot of the Royal Promenade on Independence of the Seas by Tom and Diane Trudnowski.  Oh, what I would not give to be there right now!

Here is a great shot of "twin sisters", Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, in Cozumel, by James Carruthers.  Hard to go wrong with those Freedom class ships.

Here is a great early morning photo from Nick Vitani of Enchantment of the Seas.  The colors you get around dawn are hard to beat.

Rounding things out is this photo of Anthem of the Seas on her first day in Southampton, by Neil Barnes.  

Thank you to everyone that sent in their photos this week and if you have Royal Caribbean photos, well, we want to see them!  You can use this form to send us your photos and we will feature them on an upcoming Friday Photos blog post!

It seems like everyone is curious what the various stateroom types look like, so we bring to you these photo tours of various stateroom categories.

Today, we have a Superior Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony on Independence of the Seas in category D3.

On Independence of the Seas, Elena Oliboni took photos of stateroom 6450, which is located on deck 6 closest to the forward elevator bank. Entry to the room is by your SeaPass card.

Category D3 staterooms on Independence of the Seas are listed at 199 square feet, with a 65 square foot balcony.

The bed is joined together but can be split apart if need be, with a nightstand on either side of the bed.  

There is also an expanded living area with desk, drawer space, vanity, and sofa. Each stateroom also has its own flat-screen television, thermostat controlled air-conditioning, internet access, direct-dial telephone, radio, mini bar, individual safe, and 24 hour room service.

The bathroom contains a sink, shower and toilet.  

At 65 square feet, the balcony has enough room for two chairs and a table.  There is lots of room for two guests to enjoy the views here.

Royal Caribbean is testing a new punch card system on Grandeur of the Seas for guests to enjoy 10 drinks for a fixed price.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Rich T shared this photo from the Cruise Compass on Grandeur of the Seas, wher guests could purchase 10 drinks for $89.95.

The drink card is valid for the purchase of most beers, glasses of wine and cocktails as well as fountain soda and specialty coffee.

Guests had reported also seeing this kind of a drink card system tested on other ships, including Liberty of the Seas.

This just one of a few tests Royal Caribbean is testing in regards to different beverage packages and price structures these days. With ships full of guests that are more inclined to party with the holidays, it seems to be an opportunity to try offers like this punch card out.

Royal Caribbean spokesperson Celia de la Llama told Cruise Critic, "Ships have 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."

Earlier this week, a one day sea day beverage package was also spotted on a few Royal Caribbean ships.

Would you buy a drink ticket like this instead of an unlimited alcohol package? Share your thoughts in the comments!

It appears Royal Caribbean has changed the complimentary restaurant Devinly Decadence to the Solarium Bistro onboard Anthem of the Seas.

Message board members on Cruise Critic first reported the change that as of the December 19th sailing, the restaurant was being changed over to Solarium Bistro.

Devinly Decadence was inspired by celebrity chef Devin Alexander, and she confirmed the restaurant was being removed from Anthem of the Seas due to a conflict in commitments.

Devinly Decadence was among the initial restaurants announced for its Quantum class ships and started out as a specialty restaurant on Quantum of the Seas.

In January 2015 Royal Caribbean dropped the cover charge for guests to dine there and made complimentary on Anthem of the Seas as well.