Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship will have the first ever version of the most famous talent show at sea.

"America's Got Talent" will soon open on Legend of the Seas, and the cruise line has revealed which acts will perform onboard.

Unlike the show, guests won't be auditioning to show off their hidden talents.  Instead, AGT will bring some of its best acts from around the world and have them perform on the ship.

These headliner acts encompass different styles and talents that each bring a different flair to the stage.

Five acts in total will be aboard for the inaugural performances.  It's not clear yet how long a particular act will be on the ship, but this is what the first batch will entail.

Aaron Crow

Belgian performer Aaron Crow competed on Season 13 of America's Got Talent (2018), where he advanced to the semifinals.

Crow builds suspense using using knives, crossbows, and elaborate games of chance. During the show, he included judges like Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel as volunteers.

On the ship, it's likely guests can expect suspense with his act. Crow's signature style is to create stunts that look dangerous. His act combines psychological tension with remarkable accuracy.

In the past, this included performing acts blindfolded or slicing fruit off a volunteer's head.

Berywam

This is a French vocal quartet that have impressed many with how they push limits of human beatboxing.

Berywam appeared on France's Got Talent and made it to the finals. They also won the Beatbox World Championship.

If you're unfamiliar with beatboxing, the group uses the sound of an entire band using nothing but their voices. It's high energy, and they can guests can expect deep bass lines and realistic drum beats, as well as electronic music effects and vocal harmonies.

Duo Emyo

Another contestant from France, Duo Emyo is a husband-and-wife aerial duo specializing in aerial straps.

They won France's Got Talent season 20 in 2025 through their extraordinary strength, balance, and artistry.

Their routines perform high above the stage using only a pair of aerial straps.  It's a combination of athleticism and choreography. It feels a lot like dance than acrobatics.

Solange Kardinaly

Hailing from Porgual, Solange Kardinaly is an illusionist that appeared in America's Got Talent Season 19 (2024), finishing in fourth place. 

Her audition became one of the season's most-watched performances, and she's also holds a Guinness World Record for the most quick costume change illusions completed in one minute.

Quick-change combines illusion, choreography, and split-second timing to make costumes appear to transform instantly.

TT Boys

Appearing on Season 20 of America's Got Talent in 2025, TT Boys are an acrobatic duo that made it to the semifinals of the ship. Their act includes an explosive mix of hand-to-hand acrobatics, balancing, and high-risk throws.

Royal Caribbean calls their act "Icarian Games", which is when one performer launches and catches the other using only their feet while lying on their back.

It looks nearly impossible, but they use speed and precision to accomplish it.

A new headline show included onboard

The addition of AGT to Legend of the Seas is meant to push the envelope of what guests expect from entertainment on a cruise ship.

While Royal Caribbean has had headliner acts on its ships, such as magicians, mentalists, and ventriloquists, those were single acts without the pedigree of competing to appear on the well-known television show.

Moreover, it's a combination of many acts into one show that goes well beyond what's typically been done in the past.

"At Royal Caribbean, we are constantly redefining live entertainment at every turn—bringing jaw-dropping performances to life across stage, air, water, and ice—and America's Got Talent LIVE on Legend of the Seas is the perfect expression of that vision," said Christine Coachman, vice president of entertainment for Royal Caribbean.

There's no cost to enjoy AGT on Legend of the Seas, but reservations (free) are recommended.

Sailing in Europe this summer

Legend of the Seas has been sailing in Europe since early July, and is the new biggest cruise ship in the world.

This latest ship can handle over 5,000 passengers and has an entire waterpark, over 40 places to eat and drink onboard, and lots of entertainment too.

Legend offers 7-night Mediterranean cruises sailing from Barcelona, Spain, and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. Ports of call include destinations such as Marseille, Naples, and Palma de Mallorca.

In November, the brand new ship will move to Fort Lauderdale to offer 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean itineraries.

Caribbean sailings will include visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, along with destinations such as Aruba and Curaçao.

Can you believe it's the last few days of July already? It's the middle of Summer and there is a lot of Royal Caribbean news to catch up from during this week.

Royal Caribbean's best promotion is back for the first time in five years.

Double points is being offered again, and it's surprised so many of us.

This is the best way to move up the loyalty ranks faster, and it's a limited time offer.

Royal Caribbean News

• Port Canaveral cruise passenger arrested over murder charge, 5 others also detained
• 3 ways to maximize the new Royal Caribbean double points offer
• The best way to spend just 72 hours on a cruise
• I tried 6 food hacks on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas
• How Royal Caribbean turns cruise ships around in hours
• Royal ONE or Royal ONE Plus? A side-by-side comparison
• The biggest Royal Caribbean policy changes over the last few years
• Photos of the Icon of the Seas suites
• The cheapest room wasn't worth it. What to book instead
• 5 must-dos when cruising with casual friends and people you don't know well

Video: 40 Nights On Royal Caribbean: These Little Things Made Every Cruise Better

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 — 40 Nights On Royal Caribbean: These Little Things Made Every Cruise Better — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Cruise ship hit with mechanical issue, prompting unexpected itinerary change

Utopia of the Seas sat in port for over 12 extra hours before finally departing.

The ship's Captain made an announcement that it would be delayed due to a mechanical issue, but the delays continued.

Once the ship was able to sail, its itinerary had to be completely swapped out.

Royal Caribbean opened a secret garden bar

There's a new area on Royal Caribbean's private island that you have to look for in order to discover.

The aptly named Secret Garden Bar was quietly opened this week, offering a new spot to sit and enjoy a drink and a read.

There's a bar in the middle, along with chairs and even a mini-library.

The Black Friday in July sale offers deep discounts on cruise extras

Royal Caribbean's new promotion has new discounts on drink packages, Wi-Fi, excursions, and more.

The Black Friday Sneak Peek sale is running for a few more days, and it could save you a lot of money.

There's up to 50% off bundles, 40% off beverage packages, and up to 50% off specialty dining packages.

What every aspect of a trip on Legend of the Seas costs

What's the price to go on Legend of the Seas and factor in everything from cruise fare to airfare to gratuities to casino spending?

Jenna finished a week on the brand new ship and added up all of her costs to illustrate what you should budget for a similar trip.

While cruising is a great value, there are still budgetary considerations that will add-up.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 618th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, with Matt's hot take on Carnival's Celebration Key.

Matt is back to answering your emails, including questions about drink package options, if Icon Class prices will ever drop, and more.

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.

What I did before my Alaska cruise mattered more than I expected.

Cruising to Alaska seems to involve a few extra considerations in planning compared to a Caribbean sailing. I went into my 7-night cruise knowing that I had to approach it differently this time from my previous trip.

It had been 4 years since my last trip, and I was determined to make this one the best yet by avoiding mistakes I made before and changing other things to make it even better.

After cruising a few times to Alaska, you quickly pick up what you should do to make it even better. 

Here are 4 things I did differently when I went back to Alaska this year.

I brought two warm layers to alternate between

It can seem overwhelming trying to pack for an Alaska cruise because of how many temperature changes and weather logistics you try to account for.

I made a decision to not go over the top with my cold weather gear.

Here's a truth about Alaska: you don't need to bring parkas or a week worth of jackets.

I brought a heavier hoodie and a thermal fleece with me, and that's it. I also had my rain jacket which could add an extra layer in a pinch.

This was more than enough for almost every day of the cruise. Even in early June, it never got cold enough where I felt either option felt insufficient. Moreover, alternating between the two was plenty and because I wore clothes underneath them, I didn't think they were soiled.

The only day where it got truly cold was on our glacier viewing day.  For that, I double layered and it worked well.

I saw some people on the ship's helipad with heavy jackets, but I cannot imagine how much space that took up in their luggage. 

Suffice to say, rely on re-using your warm layers and don't feel compelled to bring many of them.

I booked a private tour to see everything in one stop

What to do in Alaska is also a common source of "indecision paralysis", but I went all-in one Alaska shore excursion to ensure we had one tour that wouldn't disappoint.

I booked a private boat tour in Sitka that would take us on a wildlife viewing tour to see every animal we could by boat.

Going with a private excursion meant it would be personalized exactly to what we wanted without compromising on slow group pacing or competing with others for the perfect view.

Admittedly, this is an expensive option.  But Captain Patrick took us out and delivered the kind of excursion that checked all the boxes.

We saw two kinds of whales, sea otters, sea lions, and plenty of eagles too. He catered exactly to what we wanted, and it was easily the highlight of our entire cruise.

Spending a lot isn't the only way to have a great tour.  There are some really good cheap and free Alaska excursions that won't disappoint.  But in this case, I think the investment for a private tour was well worth it.

I planned dinners in the ports because of our late departure times

In both Juneau and Ketchikan, we found a restaurant in town to have dinner instead of going back to the cruise ship.

Our Serenade of the Seas cruise had a lot of late port stays, where we didn't sail away until after 7 or 8pm.

I took advantage of this by purposefully staying in town after our tours to eat dinner.

I believe you have to maximize your time in the places you visit on any cruise, so staying late is a good excuse to check out the local cuisine.

I probably could have researched a bit more to find a better restaurant, but I liked getting a break from the usual cruise line food and indulging in something different.

I paid extra for direct flights to make travelling easier

Paying extra for a direct flight is always worth the expense.

Sailing from Vancouver leaves far fewer flight options than Seattle, but I think prioritizing direct flights made for a much easier journey back and forth.

Living on the east coast of the United States, it's about six hours of flight time in addition to the transit time to and from the airport.  It's almost a full day of travel, but I was grateful I minimized my time in flight and in the airport.

I really think it helped ensure we weren't as tired, and it reduced the chances of flight delays or cancellations.

Just like the private tour tip earlier, you don't have to overspend to have a successful trip. But sometimes paying more gets you a lot better results.

Every week, Royal Caribbean cruise ships begin the process of finishing one sailing, while preparing for the next in a matter of hours.

The process of turnaround day is a logistical challenge that involves just about every crew member on the ship to prepare for the next voyage.

Royal Caribbean has fine tuned this process down to a science, and usually has the ship ready to set sail in less than 8 hours.

Passengers are blissfully unaware of how much turnover is occurring, as work begins in the early morning hours and then right up until it's time to set sail.

Here's what happens in-between cruises and the major steps involved to get a cruise ship turned over.

Cruise ships return to port in the early morning hours

Royal Caribbean cruise ships will sail back into their homeport before most passengers wake up.

The exact time varies, but usually a ship is pulling up to the pier and docking around 6 or 7am.  Some of their newest ships, like Star of the Seas, will arrive even earlier.

Docking is a slow procedure, where the ship maneuvers itself alongside the pier using its bow thrusters and Azipods to position itself. Once docked, it will be tied up to ensure it won't go anywhere.

But before anyone can leave the ship, it has to be cleared by the local authorities.

Every country has its own procedures. This could take a matter of minutes, or a thorough inspection may be required that could take hours.

In the United States, both the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security are involved in allowing a cruise ship to be approved for disembarkation.

Passengers, luggage, and waste are all systematically taken off the ship

Once cleared, Royal Caribbean begins the process of getting everyone and everything off the ship that won't be sailing for the next voyage.

Passengers are directed to walk off the ship based on their luggage. If they are carrying their own luggage, they can walk off the ship as soon as the ship has been cleared.

But Royal Caribbean gives passengers the option to deliver their luggage from the ship into the cruise terminal. Bags are left out overnight and picked up by crew members to be delivered in the morning.

All of that luggage is brought off the ship in groups, and staged in the cruise terminal to be picked up.  

Guests are able to disembark once their bags are ready for pickup in the terminal, and that's done by luggage tag numbers.  An announcement is made to alert guests when a certain baggage number is ready for pickup.

Meanwhile, other crew members are moving trash and waste off.

Royal Caribbean has agreements in place to remove waste from the ship and have it transported to a waste management facility. This includes food, human waste, recycling, and any other goods they won't need anymore.

Because every ship has a waste treatment facility onboard, all the waste is as compact and prepared to be offloaded. Glass, cardboard, plastic, and metal can all be recycled onboard.  Then plastic, aluminum, paper, and glass is transported through a vendor off the ship.

Every passenger is usually off the ship by 9 or 10am.  In the United States, maritime laws require the ship to be at a "zero count", which means every single passenger must be off the ship before anyone else can get onboard.

Crew members begin cleaning everywhere

Concurrently, there are crew members that are cleaning and preparing every venue on the ship.

Royal Caribbean requires passengers to vacate their cabins by 8am, and as soon as someone checks out of their stateroom, there's a crew member there to start cleaning it.

Sheets and towels are removed and replaced with clean ones; Carpets are vacuumed; Trash removed; And everything in the room is re-arranged back to its original configuration.

There are a team of crew members that will work all morning until the early afternoon to prep guest rooms.  A ship like Star of the Seas has 2,805 staterooms and that requires groups of crew members to move room by room to get them all ready.

With all guests out of their cabins by 8am, that leaves them usually just five hours to have them all cleaned and prepped by 1pm.

Meanwhile, new supplies are brought onboard

After all the waste has been removed from the ship, new supplies are brought onboard.

Royal Caribbean works with its distributors to have more than enough provisions for the next voyage.

Frozen items, such as prime rib or fish, are brough every two or three weeks. More than 10,000 rolls of toilet tissue, 1,000 new light bulbs, almost 2,000 pounds of coffee are typically brought onboard.

How much of everything they'll need depends on the length of the voyage, the demographics of who's sailing, and the exact itinerary and where they are visiting. Royal Caribbean usually overstocks what it needs to prevent running out of something, or if a sailing needs to be extended because of bad weather.

In fact, Royal Caribbean uses Artificial Intelligence to predict and prevent food waste. Their system analyzes consumption patterns and operational data to ensure it has enough of everything, without oversupplying.

The cruise line has said for its Oasis Class ships, about 600,000 pounds of food and beverages get loaded on the ship.

Trucks will bring 500 pallets of new inventory to the terminal to be loaded onboard.  Forklifts move it from the pier to the ship, at which point crew members begin stocking it all.

New passengers begin boarding the ship, along with loading their bags

Once all the passengers from the previous sailing have disembarked, it's time to welcome the next sailings' guests.

Passengers drop off most of their luggage with porters that work at the cruise terminal.  Their job is to take the bags and load them onto the ship.

Luggage is tagged by guests to indicate which cabin and deck it needs to go to.  Once on the ship, security will scan each piece of luggage to ensure there are no prohibited items.

Crew members then begin delivering suitcases to each cabin.  It's a process of staging groups of bags by deck, and then moving them to the proper room.

Meanwhile Royal Caribbean starts the boarding process by groups.  I think Royal Caribbean has the best and most efficient boarding process of any cruise line because of their adept use of technology to expedite it all.

The boarding window is open until about 3pm for most cruises.

Every passenger must complete the safety drill before the ship can sail

There's one thing every passenger must do on the ship before the vessel is able to depart.  

Guests must complete the safety drill so they know what to do and where to go in the case of an emergency.

Royal Caribbean employs a digital muster drill, where guests can use their smart device to watch a safety video and know what the emergency signal sounds like.

They then must go to their assigned muster station to confirm they understand what would be expected of them.

A cruise ship can depart once everyone and everything is onboard

In about 8 hours or so, a cruise ship should be ready to drop its lines and make its way out to sea.

The entire process is very similar to how airplanes are unloaded and loaded and then get authorization to begin a new trip.

Since cruise ships have many more passengers, supplies, and provisions, it's a more complex process.

In the space of a day, the biggest cruise ships in the world will handle over 10,000 people in total as one sailing ends and another begins.

Nearly every crew member and officer is involved in making it all happen. It's a massive effort to get it right, while largely unseen by vacationers who are there for a fun trip.

The first time I went on a three-night cruise, I treated it like a race.

I was determined to milk every minute of every activity from that ship because I had just a few days onboard instead of the usual week.

I woke up early, and tried to make it to every bar, show, activity, and restaurant before disembarking.

While I did experience a lot, it left me exhausted. I felt like I had spent more time trying to get everything done instead of enjoying any of it.

I've taken a lot of 3-night cruises since then (I'm up to nine on Utopia of the Seas), and I've completely changed how I approach a shorter sailing. I stopped trying to squeeze a full week into 72 hours, and I definitely enjoy them more.

If you're going to take a three-night cruise, here's how I'd recommend enjoying it.

You need a different mindset

If you've taken longer sailings already, you're going to need to change how you think about a short cruise.

The best analogy I have is like going to a restaurant and only ordering appetizers to share instead of a full meal. You get a taste, but it's not what you're used to typically.

I think people that treat a short cruise like a seven-night cruise are often disappointed because they try to cram so much into a short period of time.

When I step aboard, I go in knowing I won't be able to do everything and there will be areas of the ship I never see. But that's okay, because I can come back again for another short cruise.

The pace of the trip will feel different, so you need to adjust how your priorities accordingly.

Short cruises are perfect for booking an inside room

I've stayed in inside, balcony, and suite cabins while sailing on short cruises. My takeaway is there is just not enough time in your cabin.

There's an argument to book a less expensive inside room of, "how much time will you actually spend in your room? So why pay more for a nicer one you'll barely be in?" and it really applies for short cruises.

The first day of the cruise is a blur because you're running around a lot trying to see and do things.  But Royal Caribbean ships pack two port days after that, meaning there are no sea days on a three-nighter. When you're off the ship early in the morning and then come back to shower and change for dinner, that leaves barely any time in the cabin.

I've started leaning towards cheaper inside staterooms so that I can save money. I'd rather take that extra couple hundred dollars I'd save from not booking a balcony and instead use it towards a cabana rental or admission to a beach day pass.

Or you can just pocket the savings. Either way, it feels like there is less time in your cabin.

Board the ship as early as possible

When you only have 72 hours of a cruise, don't waste it in your hotel room.

Check-in for a cruise begins around 10am and guests have between then and 2-3pm to get onboard.

Royal Caribbean assigns check-in times via the app, so I'd recommend getting the earliest check-in time possible so you can get on the ship sooner.

Getting an extra few hours will make embarkation day feel much longer, and it's also the best time to hit the Windjammer, water slides, or other popular areas before they get slammed with other passengers later.

I've made it a habit of mine to check-in for my cruise 45 days before embarkation so I can get an early check-in time.

Make reservations immediately

While I said you have to change your mindset for short cruises, that doesn't mean give up on doing anything.

Check the Royal Caribbean app to make reservations for comedy, stage shows, dining, escape room, and anything else limited.

Here's a tip that works very well: I'll always pick the first Aquatheater show to see instead of ones later in the sailing. This is because if bad weather plays a role in postponing shows, you want to see it early for the best chance of not missing out.

Royal Caribbean will cancel shows if the winds or rocking motion are too strong. So never assume you'll have a chance to see the show later.

Once onboard the ship, certain activities open up reservations once you connect to the ship's Wi-Fi. Laser tag and additional reservations for shows are examples of this.  Connect to the Wi-Fi and check for any extra reservations once you have a minute on the ship.

Do a half day at CocoCay or Nassau so you enjoy the ship

An underrated cruise tip is to find something to do in either of your cruise ports, but return to the ship before everyone else.

If you can get a few hours at either Perfect Day at CocoCay or Nassau, Bahamas and then go back onboard, you will be able to enjoy a less crowded ship.

In fact, this works best if you're wearing your swim suit already and go immediately back onboard to the pool or waterslides.  Those venues will be far less busy because most people are off the ship.

Royal Caribbean is getting a very early start on the holiday shopping season with a new sale that could save you lots on your next cruise.

Their Black Friday Sneak Peek sale reflects the eagerly anticipated hottest shopping day of the year in November, but instead it's being offered in July.

The sale is live now through July 28, 2026 on select sailings departing July 24, 2026 - June 30, 2027.

Royal Caribbean prices all of its extras dynamically, which means the price will vary from sailing to sailing and ship to ship.

Up to 50% off discounts

The Black Friday Sneak Peek sale spans every category of things you can pre-purchase for a cruise, including drink packages, Wi-Fi, shore excursions, and more.

Royal Caribbean advertises you can expect up to 50% off select items, but the percentage off varies depending on the category of item.

• Shore excursions: up to 40% off
• Royal Beach Club bundles: up to 50% off
• Royal Beach Club day passes: up to 35% off
• Beverage packages: up to 40% off
• Unlimited Dining Package: up to 50% off
• Internet package (multi-device plans): up to 50% off

It's important to note that just because there is a Cruise Planner sale doesn't mean the prices of items you see has gone down. Cruise add-on prices aren't marketed the same as apparel or electronics, where prices are marked down across the board.

What's the best price for the popular things

Royal Caribbean offers a lot of add-ons you can buy for a cruise, but a handful are my favorites that are worth checking for a price drop.

Drink packages

Arguably the most popular add-on to buy for a cruise, Royal Caribbean's drink packages are the most sought after discount because the onboard prices are as much as $100 per person, per day.

Royal Caribbean offers a number of beverage packages, but the Deluxe Beverage Package and the Refreshment Package are the two most commonly purchased ones.

A good price for a Deluxe Beverage Package is if you can get it below $75.00 per day.  If you can get it for less than $60 per day, it's a great deal.

The Refreshment Package is usually around $30 per day when pre-purchased.  Anything less than that is a great deal.

Internet packages

Royal Caribbean loves to deeply discount its Wi-Fi packages before the cruise begins, but it's best if you are buying a multi-device package.

You can buy up to a 4 device package, and yes, you can share Wi-Fi packages with other people. There's no rule against that.

It's important to do some math here, because often the per device price is better if you buy those.

For example, my upcoming Utopia of the Seas cruise is priced as follows:

• 1 device package: $65.97
• 2 device package: $104.97
• 3 device package: $134.97
• 4 device package: $143.97

The percentage off gradually increases, from 35% off the 1 device plan, but 50% off for per device for the 4 device plan.

Beach day passes

I'll always check with any Royal Caribbean sale if the price of a day pass to any of its beach clubs has gotten better.

There are four day passes Royal Caribbean sells to its beach clubs:

• Coco Beach Club
• Hideaway Beach
• Royal Beach Club Paradise Island
• Thrill Waterpark

Generally speaking, a really good price for each of these is if you can find it as follows:

• Coco Beach Club: Less than $150 per person
• Hideaway Beach: Less than $60 per person
• Royal Beach Club Paradise Island: Less than $125 per person
• Thrill Waterpark: Less than $70 per person

I'm sure some of our readers will disagree with me, but based on where prices have been most recently, this is the threshold I look for.

Specialty restaurants & packages

Discounts on specialty restaurants can be more hit or miss with pre-cruise sales, but I'll check for discounts on specific restaurants or packages.

I've found better discounts on dining packages, especially the Unlimited Dining Package, which can take the sting out of eating at multiple restaurants.

The closer you can get the per-night rate down to $30 per night, the better the deal.

Buy now because you can reprice later

You can log into the Royal Caribbean app or Cruise Planner website to check for what the prices are for your sailing.

Please keep in mind that the sale may not actually discount more what you have previously seen. Royal Caribbean's sales aren't across the board discounts.  

The cruise line uses AI to price their items based on a specific ship and sailing's demand, length, ship age, and even demographic of who's sailing on it.

I recommend buying anything you see that is at a reasonable price that you are comfortable with. Remember, it will cost you more if you want to book it onboard.

The other advantage of buying these items now is you can lock in the price and guard against a price going up.  

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel and then re-purchase the same item. There's no cancellation penalty.

A mechanical issue delayed the start of Utopia of the Seas on Monday.

One of the largest cruise ships in the world, Utopia was originally scheduled to depart at 3pm, but an announcement quickly warned guests that it would be delayed.

Guests onboard the ship posted updates on social media as the delays began to mount.

Utopia of the Seas was scheduled to sail from Port Canaveral, and offer a 4-night cruise to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas.

Utopia of the Seas launched in 2024 and is 225,282 gross tons. It has 2,834 staterooms and can accommodate 5,668 passengers at double occupancy.

While the ship was able to depart eventually, there's been an update to its schedule

The Captain announced a maintenance issue

Initially, the delayed departure was supposed to only be a few hours, with a revised departure time of 6pm.

"We are on it too and the [Captain] just announced ongoing issue," one person wrote on Facebook.

Another person added, "They made an announcement that they had a delay with maintenance and it would be a 2 hour delay before departure."

But the hours started ticking away.

Utopia of the Seas remained safely docked in Port Canaveral until the undisclosed issue was resolved.

The ship eventually was able to depart Port Canaveral sometime in the early morning, between 3 and 5am. Different cruisers reported varying times that the ship finally left.

A revised itinerary

The good news is Utopia of the Seas had very little distance to travel in order to make its ports of call in The Bahamas.

According to passengers onboard, the new itinerary was to have a sea day on Tuesday, followed by Nassau on Wednesday, and Perfect Day at CocoCay on Thursday.

The original plan was for Utopia to be at CocoCay on Tuesday.

Royal Caribbean changed plans for Wonder of the Seas too

According to Cruise Fever, Wonder of the Seas also changed its plans as a result of Utopia's change.

Wonder is a similar size ship as Utopia and sailing a similar itinerary from Miami.

Read more: Utopia of the Seas vs. Wonder of the Seas

Royal Caribbean also changed Wonder's plan to visit CocoCay on Thursday instead of Tuesday.

Why did they change Wonder's plans too? It's likely to keep all the pre-booked tours and rentals in place without having to cancel and rebook everything.

Typically when a cruise ship changes plans, any pre-booked excursions have to be cancelled and refunds issued. But by keeping the same ships in port at Royal Caribbean's private island on a day in which no other ships were scheduled to visit, it allows for them to keep everything booked.

What happens onboard when a ship is delayed?

Unlike an airplane, a cruise ship with maintenance issues can still operate normally for guests.

Royal Caribbean keeps nearly all of its venues open and its activity schedule executing as planned.

There are bars, restaurants and shows to enjoy even while the ship remains docked in port.  Guests would likely not notice much of a difference other than the ship not moving.

The two areas of the ship that cannot legally be open while a cruise ship remains in port are its casino and onboard shops.

Cruise lines have an agreement with the countries they visit to usually keep both of those venues closed while in port, as not to compete with the local options.

Once the ship departs and is sufficiently far away from land, then the casino and shops can open.

Double points is back for the first time in many years.

You have now until the end of July to get double loyalty points when booking a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Royal Caribbean is offering guests bonus loyalty points, in which they can earn double the normal amount of points.

This promotion was originally offered during the cruise industry shutdown of 2020 and 2021 as a way to entice new bookings at a time when cruise ships weren't sailing and the company needed an influx of money.

It was quite popular with passengers, because extra points makes it easier to get to the next loyalty tier.

Double points is back for new cruise bookings.

Double points offer

Beginning July 21, new cruises booked qualify for the double points offer.

Targeting the cruise line's loyalty members, the Double Points offer is just what it sounds like: Customers who book a cruise during the promotion will get double the normal amount of Crown & Anchor loyalty points when cruising.

Every category of cabin on Royal Caribbean ships is eligible for the promotion.

New cruises booked between July 21 - 31, 2026 on sailings departing September 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027 will receive double the cruise points to Crown & Anchor Society members.

Here is the breakdown of the points you will receive under the Double Points offer:

A 7-night cruise in a standard cabin will earn 14 points, instead of the regular 7 points.

Transatlantic and Transpacific sailings are excluded from this offer, because they would potentially earn too many points.

Double Points is available to Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members.

Double Points Offer is combinable with BOGO60, Kids Sail Free and Free 3rd & 4th Guests, as well as promotional OBCs, Next Cruise offers, instant savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Crown & Anchor discounts, and Shareholder Benefits. Not combinable with any offer or promotion including but not limited to complimentary cruises, employee cruises, casino offers, seminar rates, or travel agent reduced rates. 

One caveat is you cannot earn double points through this promotion and then apply to transfer them to a different cruise line through the Points Choice program.  You would forfeit the bonus points in such a situation.

Why this is such a good offer

Being able to get double the amount of points than normal is both lucrative to cruisers and rare.

Anyone that takes advantage of this new offer can reach the higher tiers of Crown & Anchor Society faster, such as Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club. These are the tiers when more freebies are available and perks start to really add up.

This includes complimentary drink vouchers, Wi-Fi, reserved seating at shows, photos, and more.

Since Royal Caribbean loyalty status doesn't expire, it's a benefit that never goes away.  Anyone that's serious about attaining higher status will likely find great value since you can shoot up the loyalty ladder.

For example, someone staying solo in a suite could get 42 points for that voyage. That would allow a new cruiser to get to Platinum or Emerald in just one sailing (depending on how many points they had before the sailing).

The number of points you need for Royal Caribbean's tier levels breaks down like this:

• Gold: 3 Cruise Points
• Platinum: 30 Cruise Points
• Emerald: 55 Cruise Points
• Diamond: 80 Cruise Points
• Diamond Plus: 175 Cruise Points
• Pinnacle Club: 700 Points

The catch is it's for new cruises only

Before you start planning out your Pinnacle party, there are two catches.

This offer applies to new bookings only. Any existing bookings you have do not qualify for double points. 

Second, you can only book up to two cruises with the offer. 

Just like five years ago, Royal Caribbean is using this new offer as a way to spur new bookings. The company is in a much better financial situation today, so it's likely they want to simply help their bottom line.

During a press event aboard Odyssey of the Seas in 2021, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley outlined exactly this sort of a situation to offer double points.

When he was asked if double points would return, he answered they would use it "strategically."

"You'll see more of that coming, but it's not going to be a blanket open book."

You're going on a Royal Caribbean cruise with your neighbor, the family of your kids' friend, or a coworker. This will either be a great vacation to enjoy together or an exercise in awkwardness.

It seemed like a good idea when you proposed booking the same cruise with friends, but suddenly you realize you don't know them very well and have no clue what they're like for more than a couple hours at a time. Plus, you don't want to ruin your friendship.

I've certainly had these types of cruises, where people I know from my everyday life want to come on a cruise and as the sailing approaches, I'm unsure what to expect in terms of the overall dynamic we will have. 

The good news is I think with the right approach, you can have a great vacation, spend time with them, and not put your entire relationship in jeopardy afterwards.

Don't treat the cruise like a group project

I think the biggest mistake you can make when cruising with friends is to act like you have to do everything together.

The beauty of a cruise vacation is you're together on the ship, but you don't have to do the same things all the time. Unlike visiting a city together, a cruise allows for more independence while still feeling like you're experiencing the same things.

One mantra of all the advice in this article is you shouldn't feel guilty about doing your own thing.

You'll likely pick up on your friends cruise differently than you. They might wake up at 6am to go to the gym, or they might sleep until 10am.  You might want to try all the trivia events, but they want to hang out at the pool all day.

That's completely normal, and you should avoid the temptation to over plan how you spend your days together.

You don't have to book every excursion together

Sometimes the best idea is to split up.

I think sharing a group excursion is actually a great idea, especially to lower the costs. But you shouldn't feel obligated to always do every tour together.

When I cruised to Alaska with friends, I had a different idea of a fun excursion than my friends. While I did look to see if there was something else we could do, ultimately we chose to do our own tours and meet up later in town. 

We split up, but then met back onboard and shared stories about it.

I would start by looking for excursions you can enjoy together, but don't be afraid to say "we'll do our thing, and you do yours" if tours don't line up.

Give each other permission to say "no"

Before I book a cruise with casual friends, the first thing I'll say is they don't have to do everything with us all the time.

It's important to normalize phrases like, "I'm going to skip this one" or "You guys go ahead".  

There shouldn't be any guilt if you'd rather not participate in something. 

For example, I can't stand magic shows or the Battle of the Sexes game shows, but it seems like a lot of first-time cruisers really enjoy it.  So when they bring up the idea of going to that, I'll politely decline.

The important thing is not to guilt anyone who opts not to try something, but still invite them to join you. I find everyone is happier when there's less regiment and more freedom to join in or not.

Buy an internet package to make communicating easy

I think if there's one thing to buy for your cruise, it's an internet package to make it simpler to be able to message each other.

Royal Caribbean's app has a free messaging feature, but notifications can be tricky. Moreover, using the texting app you're used to at home is just plain easier.

Being able to easily and quickly message each other is essential to avoid the problem of feeling like someone disappeared.

I've cruised with friends and then realized after a day or two no one has heard from them.  Then you start playing the game of do they want to be left alone? Or are they waiting for you to contact them?

Agree on a messaging app before the cruise and check-in regularly to keep the lines of communication open. You cannot rely on the idea you'll run into each other when cruising together.

Book the cruise with the same travel agent

There are a lot of good reasons to use the same travel agent when booking a cruise with friends.

You do not want to be your friends' personal reminder to make final payment, help them solve payment issues, or assist with getting your dining times coordinated.  Let a travel agent do all of that, especially the billing issues.

If you are traveling with a large group, using the same travel agent could get everyone group benefits if there are enough of you sailing together. You'd need at least 6 cabins, but speak to your travel agent about further details on this idea.

Ultimately, I'll recommend my friends use a travel agent so when they have changes, questions, or issues to deal with, the travel agent can handle it all. Those are the sort of issues that people get frustrated with, and I don't want to be the "middle man" in that.