While cruise ship casinos are a major draw for many passengers, the debate of allowing smoking in these venues has been a hot button topic.

While Royal Caribbean has not changed its policy at all, they have made an unexpected change on one of its cruise ships.

Freedom of the Seas went in for what was thought to be routine maintenance work at a dry dock in Spain, but returned with a brand new venue that could make a lot of would-be gamblers quite happy.

Confirming the news we were first to report, the Vintages wine bar on the Royal Promenade has been replaced by a non-smoking casino, providing a new alternative where non-smokers can gamble without any second-hand smoke issues.

Traditionally, cruise ship casinos are divided in half between smoking and non-smoking areas, but it's one large space where the smoke odor can easily travel between the two.

With Freedom of the Seas back in service, we've gotten our first look at this new venue.

The entrance to the casino is an open space, with tables inside and outside the venue.

Keeping tables nearby is likely an option for passengers to have when enjoying time on the Royal Promenade. Often these tables are used for a place to have a quick bite or drink, or sit and enjoy watching what's happening nearby.

When Vintages was still there, these tables were often used by guests that weren't ordering anything at Vintages.

The new casino is split into two sides, with a casino bar in the middle.

You'll find a variety of slot machines to play in this new non-smoking casino.  While the footprint is smaller than the main casino, there's a good variation of machines to play.

Having a bar in this non-smoking casino is a feature not found on the Oasis Class ships.

While the non-smoking venues on Oasis Class ships have waiter service to get drinks, being able to quickly get a drink at the bar is far more convenient.

Plus, adding a bar to this casino reduces the workload on the casino bar in the primary casino.

We also spotted numerous televisions throughout the casino, including at the bar.  

Since sport watching is so popular, there's now additional viewing opportunities when a game is on.

There's also a few table games in the casino, such as roulette.

The idea to replace a somewhat less popular venue with a casino was first introduced on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships.

The genesis of the concept began on Wonder of the Seas, which was originally destined for the Chinese cruise market.  In Asia, there's a need for more gambling venues so the original plan was to have a casino in lieu of Jazz on 4.

When plans changed and Wonder was re-routed to North America, Royal Caribbean decided to keep the idea.

Soon thereafter, all the Jazz on 4 venues were replaced by non-smoking casinos as a way to offer more passengers an opportunity to gamble.

This appears to be the same idea with Freedom, but this is the first time a non-Oasis Class ship received such a change.

There's been no official statement by Royal Caribbean or any official as to why they decided to make the change, but it's likely it has much to do with maximizing onboard revenue as it does addressing a need passengers have been asking for.

While Vintages was the only wine bar on the ship, the supply of wine should be unaffected to any passenger that wants it, since the bulk of the wine was always stored behind-the-scenes.

Could more ships be getting a non-smoking casino?

With this change to Freedom of the Seas, the next question becomes will other ships receive a similar change.

Royal Caribbean hasn't released any sort of update to indicate if it would. They didn't make any announcement with the Oasis Class either, but then systematically went through and made the change on each ship.

It's entirely possible other Freedom or Voyager Class ships would see their Vintages replaced with a casino, as the venue is nearly identical to Freedom's. 

A few ships already had their Vintages replaced with something else.  

Mariner and Navigator of the Seas have the Bamboo Room instead of Vintages, which is a tiki bar.  Adventure of the Seas has Izumi Japanese Restaurant in its place.

Cruise ships go through a lot of food in order to feed a small city worth of people each week, and this leaves the potential for massive quantities of food waste. 

Every ship has multiple restaurants, from buffets to elegant sit down restaurants, and not all the food gets eaten. Once food is put out at a buffet or served, it can't go back into the kitchen, so it's either eaten or thrown away.

Food waste isn't just a cruise problem, it's something affecting every restaurant, bakery, supermarket, and theme park. 

Thankfully, Royal Caribbean's commitment to responsible management of the food it sources and uses onboard has a built-in plan for minimizing the waste of perishables.

Over the last couple of years, the cruise line has embarked on a new mission of minimizing how much food ends up in the trash.

Royal Caribbean's commitment goes beyond the buffet

In 2021, Royal Caribbean set out to truly reduce food waste across all of its ships with a new program that went beyond just one restaurant.

The parent company, Royal Caribbean Group, set a goal of reducing food waste across the fleet by 50% by 2025. As of early 2024, Royal Caribbean says it's already reduced food waste by about 33% across its fleet, saving tens of millions of dollars a year and literally tons of food.

"Reducing food waste is the single easiest and most impactful thing every one of us can do make a positive impact to the planet," is what Linken D'Souza, Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President, Global Food & Beverage, said of this program that he calls "Win on Waste".

There are five main focuses on how they plan to achieve that, and all of them are already in place as they work towards reaching their initial goal:

• Developing a proprietary platform to monitor food supply and accurately estimate how much food should be produced, prepped and ordered on a given day.
• Using artificial intelligence (AI) to adjust food production in real time.
• Introducing a dedicated onboard food waste role to monitor and train crew members.
• Tracking guest demand for specific menu items and adjusting menu preparation and ordering accordingly.
• Introducing a food waste awareness campaign in the crew dining areas fleet wide.

Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) allows chefs to better estimate how much food should be produced, prepped, thawed, and ordered, on a given day, at any given time.

They do this by entering the demographics of passengers onboard, where the ship is sailing, and even the weather to come up with the right amount of food and type of cuisine that will fit passengers on that sailing.

Data dashboards are reviewed by ship and corporate leaders to inform adjustments and track initiative progress. 

The purpose AI serves is to prevent generation of the food waste in the first place.

Some of the changes are less technical, but make logistical sense, such as food procurement.

A ship is supplied with all sorts of food, but it needs to be ready for every day of the sailing.  Royal Caribbean orders bananas at various stags of ripeness and held separately to ensure perfectly ripe bananas are available throughout each sailing.

At the buffet, there's been changes to how much food is prepared and how it's served to guests.

While there's still the traditional trays of food, many hot items are prepared using small batches and "À la Minute" cooking methods. Plus, cooking or carving stations ensure proper portion sizes and preserve quality, while engaging guests.

You'll also see less perishable food displays and decorations at buffets.

When there is food waste, frequently wasted items are noted to inform future adjustments. Waste datasets are reviewed daily by ship Food & Beverage leaders.

Reducing food waste with AI technology on the biggest cruise ship in the world

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas is the biggest cruise ship in the world, and can accommodate up to 10,000 people that all have to have thousands of meals prepared every day.

When Icon departs Miami, it has more than 130,000 pounds of food onboard so that all of the more than 40 restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues are fully stocked.

To not only ensure they have enough food but also make sure as little as possible is wasted, Royal Caribbean has equipped this ship with a new AI system.

The new AI system will be able to better predict exactly how much food, down to individual ingredients a vessel will need for a specific cruise.

By leveraging AI, Royal Caribbean can tell their chefs and crew onboard how much meat, vegetables, and other food they'll need to match the needs of passengers on that specific sailing.

When Icon of the Seas first started sailing, the AI system was able to ensure the ship was utilizing 86% of its food onboard.

A fun fact about the food waste on Icon of the Seas is that the ship's waterpark is actually partially powered by it.

The power for the water slides here is generated partly by food waste, trashed cardboard and bio waste. They get converted into pellets that, when heated, give off steam that generates power.

It pains me when I see cruise passengers making easily avoidable mistakes, but I saw many again when I was on my Utopia of the Seas cruise last week.

I just sailed on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas for a 3-night cruise, and it was a great escape for a few days to some of the best weather I've ever had on a cruise.

This particular ships is so adept at appealing to people that have never been on a cruise ship before, and that's great for the cruise line's bottom line to grow their customer base.

Unfortunately, first time cruisers are among the most likely to commit a cruise ship faux pas, and it was evident on this sailing too.

Before you go on Utopia, make sure you aren't making any of these mistakes.

Not specifying liquors

It's so easy to walk up to a bar and ask for a drink by name, but you ought to do one other thing.

When you order just the drink name, a majority of the time you're going to get well liquor, which is the cheapest brand and those brands tend to have the worst "bite" to them.

Name brand liquors tend to be smoother, or they have a particular flavor that you might prefer.

It's less an issue with a cocktail Royal Caribbean has created for a specific bar, like the PB&J Old Fashioned at the Mason Jar, or the Goalpost Margarita at Playmakers.

What I'm talking about is when you simply ask for a Bloody Mary, Pina Colada, or Margarita.

You should always specify the liquor you want.  If you have a drink package, it's included with the cost. Plus, it will taste better and perhaps be even more potent.

Waiting to go onto CocoCay later in the morning

Since Utopia of the Seas visits Royal Caribbean's private island of Perfect Day of CocoCay every cruise, I thought I should include a CocoCay specific mistake too.

While I'm all for sleeping in on vacation, you really ought to get up early and hit the beach or pool before 10am.

Certain areas of the island will have chairs get taken up quite quickly, especially since there's almost always two ships in port.

Oasis Lagoon in particular seems to run out of chairs first, and Chill Island will only have chairs at the very far end left if you wait too late.

If you bought admission to the Coco Beach Club or Hideaway Beach, there are couches by the pool that are on a first-come, first-served basis.  Those pretty much get gobbled up in the first hour the ship is docked.

Personally, I don't want to have to search for a chair and umbrella. Or relegate us to sharing just one or two chairs because that's all that's left.

Another added bonus of getting off the ship early is during the summer months when afternoon thunderstorms are common.

If you get to the island in the morning, that's usually when you'll find the best weather. It's coolest in the morning hours, and the greatest chance of precipitation is in the afternoon.

Paying fees for cash at table games

When I sat down to play Blackjack in the ship's casino, I saw at least two different people request cash to play from the dealer and they got hit with a 5% fee.

Royal Caribbean charges a fee for cash withdrawals in the casino, unless you're a Prime member or higher in the casino loyalty program.

However, anyone can avoid the fee by going to a slot machine and pulling cash from there.

For some reason, there's no fee when you use the banker feature on a slot machine to get cash. You can then immediately cash out, go to the cashier and exchange it for cash. At that point, you can go to the Blackjack table and try your luck, and you'll be up 5%!

Waiting to buy a drink package on the ship

I doubt people waiting to buy a Royal Caribbean beverage package on the cruise ship ever goes away, but plenty still do it.

If you sit at any bar on embarkation day, sooner or later someone asks the bartender to buy a drink package and they'll end up paying full price.

On Utopia of the Seas, it was $115 per person, per day to buy a drink package on the ship!

That same drink package could have been had for 30% less or more if they had pre-purchased before the cruise began.

If there's even a remote chance you'll want the drink package, always pre-pay to save money.

Ordering typical drinks instead of fun new cocktails

If there's one area Royal Caribbean doesn't get enough credit for, it's their cocktail menus.

I totally understand why pina coladas, margaritas, and daiquiris are so popular because they're essentially ubiquitous with a tropical vacation.

While it's not a mistake to order one, Royal Caribbean has spent a lot of time coming up with fun new cocktails that are way more interesting.

There are so many great choices available, and they all work with a beverage package.

Here are some ones to look out for:

• 1400 - 1400 Bar
• No Joke, Smoke & Coke - Mason Jar
• She's A Geisha - Izumi
• The Urban Garden Martini - 150 Central Park
• Toasted marshmallow old fashioned - Schooner Bar

There's plenty more, but keep an eye out for new ones to try. They might end up being your go-to favorite.

Overlooked Solarium Bistro

I'm guilty of this mistake too, but the best alternative restaurant you're not eating at on Utopia of the Seas (and other ships) is the Solarium Bistro.

Solarium Bistro is complimentary and open for all three meals. It's a combination of buffet and sit down restaurant, and it's probably way less crowded than the Windjammer.

I'd argue Solarium Bistro is the best choice for a more laid back breakfast, and it's usually a ghost town at dinner.

Plus, it has beautiful windows to see the ocean from.

And yes, kids are allowed in this restaurant even thought it's in the adults-only Solarium.

Trying to leave the ship without a SeaPass card

No matter which ship it is, it seems inevitable someone tries to disembark the ship on the last day without their SeaPass card.

Before you can leave the ship at the conclusion of a sailing, you need to scan your SeaPass with the ship's security one last time.  The purpose is to check you out of the ship.

This means you'll need to have your SeaPass with you as you leave.  Unfortunately, there are a few people who don't have it, and it stops the line dead in its tracks.

At this point, security needs to look them up in the system and manually check them out, but this takes some time and it slows down the disembarkation line.  On Royal Caribbean's older ships, this backs up the line and it inconveniences everyone.

Make sure you have everyone's SeaPass card with you when you leave your ship on that final morning.

Packing prohibited items leads to problems later

Something else related to the last day of the cruise is the table of prohibited items I saw for pickup.

Royal Caribbean bans a lot of things from being brought on a cruise ship because they are a danger, risk, or troublesome. 

By far the two most common things people bring on a cruise that are absolutely not allowed are clothing irons and steamers.

On the final morning, there was a table full of them.

But here's the other problem with packing something you're not supposed to have: it holds up your luggage delivery.

When the ship's security sees you packed a prohibited item, your suitcase is held back and you have to go down to security to retrieve your bag.

Make sure you read through all the things you cannot bring on a cruise before you start packing.

Happy Sunday, and I hope you had a great week. It was a busy week of Royal Caribbean fun, and I have a round-up of all of it in this hand-dandy blog post.

Royal Caribbean shared itineraries and details about its new Legend of the Seas cruise ship.

For the first time, Royal Caribbean is bringing its Icon Class to Europe. Bookings are now open to make reservations through April 2027.

The third Icon Class ship will set sail from Barcelona, Spain, in August 2026, launching with seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises. Then in November, the ship will move to Fort Lauderdale for winter cruises.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean is deeply discounting its drink packages because of an obscure holiday
• Pair of owls stowaway on transatlantic cruise for two weeks
• I booked a cabana at Coco Beach Club for $1400
• 4 snorkel secrets at Perfect Day at CocoCay
• Royal Caribbean cruisers are combining these two snacks to make one delicious dessert
• I tried out the $200 per person private beach club at CocoCay

New RCB Video: The Best and Worst Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships, Ranked

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 — The Best and Worst Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships, Ranked — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

We've just released the 556th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast. In it, Matt walks through everything announced about Legend of the Seas and what his plans are for trying the ship out.

You can subscribe to the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast via iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or RSS.

We analyzed price data and the cheapest prices for cruises were a lot earlier than we expected

A lot of people know they should book a cruise early, but when exactly do prices fluctuate?

Due to the dynamic nature of cruise prices, fares will go up and down, but as the cruise date approaches, prices tend to go up quickly.

We went through 13 different cruise ship price data to determine the best time to book your cruise to receive the cheapest price.

"None of em pay taxes!" Trump official calls out cruise ships for not paying taxes

A top U.S. official said the Trump Administration would seek to make cruise ships pay taxes.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested the federal government would order a crackdown on taxes paid by cruise operators.

"None of them pay taxes," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said, adding that "this is going to end."

Utopia of the Seas connecting balcony cabin review

Matt went on a 3-night sailing aboard Utopia of the Seas in a balcony cabin and shared what it's like to stay in this room.

He paid $1,723.54 for a category 4D balcony room instead of a cheaper inside room.

While the room may not have been the cheapest deal ever, it was more comfortable than expected.

Is a short 3-night cruise worth it?

Royal Caribbean is shifting more of its big ships to offer 3-night cruises in order to attract new cruisers, but is it worth it?

They are certainly convenient, and offer people that have never cruised before the chance to try out a cruise vacation without committing to a week.

The downside to a short cruise can be a lack of itinerary variations, and a higher cost than you might think.

I've visited Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay dozens of times since the island was revamped, and I've been to the Coco Beach Club a few times.

On my most recent visit, I booked a cabana instead of just buying passes because of a lucrative Black Friday sale that cut the price down considerably compared to what it usually sells for.

I booked the Coco Beach Club Beach Cabana to use for the entire day our ship was docked at Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas.

The cost of one of these cabanas is usually priced over $3,000 for the day, as demand for cabanas has skyrocketed in recent years. But I was able to get it for just $1,448.99.

I picked the beach cabana instead of the overwater cabanas because they are cheaper and I assumed it might not be hot enough in February to spend time in the ocean.  The beach cabana accommodates up to 8 people, and includes passes for each person into the Coco Beach Club.

When my family and friends arrived at Coco Beach Club, check-in for the cabana was easy

Once you walk down the pier, Royal Caribbean offers trams around its island at no cost. This makes getting to the beach club much faster and easier.

The short two minute ride stops near the club's entrance, where you are greeted by the club staff at the entrance.

In order to gain access to the Coco Beach Club, you need a day pass.  Since a cabana rental includes admission, I mentioned we booked a cabana and they welcomed us with a cooling towel and complimentary welcome drink.

At this point a cabana attendant is assigned to you, and escorts you to the cabana.

My cabana was steps from the infinity pool, restaurant, and bathrooms

We were assigned cabana 23, which is the closest one to the restaurant and infinity pool.  The convenient location was fantastic, and I'll request this one every time in the future because of how easy it was to get back and forth.

One advantage of the Beach Cabanas over the over the Overwater Cabanas is how much less walking is involved when leaving the cabana.

Since we preferred the infinity pool over the ocean anyway, and the ocean temperatures were a bit too chilly for our comfort, being mere steps away was lovely.

The pool is heated, so it's the perfect alternative.

Plus, our cabana is the closest one to the main set of rest rooms.

Each cabana has many amenities

I was impressed how much seating this cabana included, beyond of course the array of wonderful things that come with a rental.

There was a large couch inside the cabana, along with two chairs facing the couch.  Then there were four loungers facing the ocean, along with two beach loungers outside the cabana.  

And there's even a hammock that you can use too.

We had four adults and four kids, and there was enough seating for everyone and so many of the choices were quite comfortable.

Cabana rentals include towels for your use, so there was a pile of them available and our cabana attendant would replenish them at any point.

There was also a cooler filled with complimentary bottled water we could use. There's also a mini-fridge full of beers, soft drinks and soft drinks that cost extra (unless you have a drink package).

In the middle of the cabana is a table that doubles as a safe where we could store our wallets, phones, and other valuables. There's more storage space in the closet, which is includes complimentary snorkels to use.

Our cabana attendant was superb

One of my favorite perks of any cabana rental is the attendant that brings you anything you may need.

The cabana attendant can bring more towels and water, as well as deliver food, snacks, and cocktails to the cabana.

After being escorted to the cabana, she explained how everything in the cabana works, patiently answered any questions we had, and offered to bring us anything else we needed.

The only complaint I had was cabana attendants require everyone wear a bracelet during your stay, which is impossible to remove until you get back to the ship and track down scissors. I'd prefer not to wear it until I left my cabana.

She stopped by our cabana periodically to check if we needed anything, but there was an intercom we could use if we needed her attention quicker.

I was able to have lunch delivered to our cabana

The Coco Beach Club food is legendary for how good it is, and it's so convenient having food brought when you have kids and they prefer to take a few bites and then go back to playing.

It was so nice having mozzarella sticks and other snacks delivered when we needed it, as well as having lunch brought to our cabana.

There's a table and chairs you, as well as the cabana table/safe where you can have lunch delivered as part of the service.

The lunch menu is the same as what they serve in the restaurant, which includes filet mignon, lobster, and more.

I spent about more time in the cabana than I expected

I brought my laptop with me off the ship and started off my day working from the comfort of the cabana, which is the best kind of office.

Even after I finished my work, it was nice to play music through the cabana's Bluetooth speaker and hang out with our friends and otherwise relax.

While visiting CocoCay in February meant the ocean water was too chilly for my preference, the benefit was it was quite comfortable to simply be outside. I enjoyed lounging in the chairs, and my wife spent most of the afternoon in the hammock reading her book.

I still prefer the Hideout Cabanas, but with kids this is a great option

My favorite cabanas on CocoCay remain the Hideout Cabanas that are inside the adults-only area because they have their own plunge pool to enjoy.

Since we travel with kids, getting into Hideaway Beach isn't an option.  Luckily, kids are welcome inside the Coco Beach Club.

Compared to the Overwater Cabanas, there's no denying how idyllic those look.  I know our staff loves them because it situates you right on the ocean with amazing views.

The advantage the Beach Cabana has is it's closer to all the facilities, and no less worry about someone going in the ocean accidentally.

Cabana life is wonderful, but I'd only book it again for the right price

The Beach Cabana rental was a great choice for our group as a way to enjoy not only the Coco Beach Club, but fun day together.

Admittedly, the price of this cabana is usually too much to justify. I wouldn't pay $3,000 or more for this cabana.  But with the right sale price, I think it's well worth it for families.  

Considering it can handle up to 8 people, you could easily invite friends and help split the cost.

The convenience of having food and drinks delivered while providing a base for the kids to come and go easily is lovely.  Plus, having the shade it provides is a welcome refuge.

The next time I get a push notification from the Royal Caribbean app of a new sale, I'll definitely check the price of a cabana to see if it's been discounted so we can come back again.

A weekend cruise is short and seems to ends just as it starts, but they're exactly what many people that have never cruised before tend to book.

According to Royal Caribbean Group executives, the market for people that have never gone on a cruise before has been growing at a rate of 16% year over year.

The company told investors recently that short cruises are an important entry point for new-to-cruise customers, and Utopia of the Seas has been the vector for attracting even more of those customers.

"Caribbean bookings have been strong with Icon and Utopia continuing to perform well above expectations," said Naftali Holtz, Chief Financial Officer for Royal Caribbean Group.

With such focus on a short cruise, I went back on Utopia of the Seas to try it out again.

I took my wife and daughters on a weekend sailing that departed on Friday and returned on Monday, booking connecting balcony rooms.

Here's what you should consider before you decide on a short cruise.

The best thing about a short cruise is you can squeeze it in almost anytime

The saying "better than being at home" holds true for the reasons to book a weekend cruise.

The best thing about a cruise that begins on a Friday and ends on a Monday is the convenience factor.

With the weekend taking up most of the itinerary, you can minimize the amount of days off from school or work you need to take.

In my case, I can have the kids skip work on a Friday, but still make it in for school on Monday morning. For most other people, a weekend cruise means less days out of the office than a week-long one.

There's a good chance the fare for a 3-night cruise will cost less than a 7-night cruise, and that's attractive to most people.

Anyone on a tight budget may gravitate towards a short sailing in order to save money. Granted, the cost per night may be more on a short cruise, but it's still relatively inexpensive.

Plus, that low price tag makes it easier to bring friends and family.  It seems there's always a wedding, quinceanera, or bachelorette party on a weekend sailing.

Also, Royal Caribbean isn't wrong that a short sailing is a great introduction to cruising.

New cruisers are usually tepid about committing to a week on a ship because they're unsure if they'll like this vacation, worried they'll get seasick, or think they'll be bored.

A quick few days is easier to manage, and it's attractive because you get to give a cruise a try without a lot of risk.

To that point, the cruise line is also stacking short cruises with visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas so first-timers have no sea days.

Short cruises are quick and not as cheap as you think

There are a few realities of a short cruise worth considering before you pick it out.

By definition, the nature of this sailing is that it's only a few nights and it will feel like it's over before you know it.

With just a few days onboard combined with a port visit every day, it leaves little time to "see it all" on the ship, and this is compounded by the fact Royal Caribbean has giant Oasis Class ships sailing these short cruises.

Utopia of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas have more things to do see, eat, and do onboard than you can in a week, let alone a weekend.

I'm lucky enough to have sailed on Utopia a half dozen times, but I hear all the time from people they didn't get to see everything because of how limited their time was aboard.

I feel it takes a day or two to get fully into "cruise mode" where you settle into life on a cruise ship, and that basically means the cruise is over before you know it.

Another issue is the cost. While the overall cruise fare is probably going to be cheaper than a longer one, the per-night cost tends to be much more.

It cost me $1,723.54 for two people in an oceanview balcony cabin. That means I paid $3447.08 for two connecting rooms for my family. That cost is on par with a weeklong cruise on other ships.

As an example, a 3-night Utopia of the Seas in a balcony cabin over July 4th weekend, costs $841.23 per person. But a 7-night cruise on Harmony of the Seas over the same week costs $1659.96 per person.

The per night cost, is actually cheaper on Harmony.  And that difference grows dramatically if you opt for a smaller and older ship doing a 7-night sailing.

Speaking of costs, you've got to factor the cost of flights and transportation into your vacation budget, and those flights might be more expensive than your three nighter.

Ideally, a weekend cruise is best for those that can drive to the port easily.  But if you're going to fly down for it, you'll need to incur the cost of airfare, hotel, rental car, food, and more.  Definitely don't even think about flying down the same day the cruise begins.

One more potential issue with a weekend cruise is you're only ever going to The Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean would tout this fact as a plus, given how popular it's private island is among everyone.  While this is true, there's simply no alternatives if you want to mix it up if you're taking a weekend cruise from Florida.

To be fair, there are 3-night cruises that sail from Los Angeles, and four-night cruises from Tampa, or Galveston, and those do offer sailings to Mexico instead. 

A short cruise is worth it, but longer cruises are better

I had a great time on Utopia of the Seas for the weekend, but it greatly helps that I live so close to make it very convenient.

My recommendation for a new cruiser is to go with a 7-night voyage instead so there's a mix of sea days and port days, and you get more variation in where you sail to. Plus, nearly all of Royal Caribbean's cruises around the Caribbean visit Perfect Day at CocoCay too.

However, I know how attractive it is to hop on a cruise ship for the weekend and getaway from it all.  If the numbers from the cruise line are any indication, more and more people are doing just this.

The biggest downside to a short cruise is how quickly it comes to an end, leaving you little time to try to squeeze everything in.

It's refreshing that Royal Caribbean puts some of its biggest and newest cruise ships on 3- and 4-night cruises, but it's a struggle to do everything you wanted to.

Pros and Cons of a short weekend cruise

✅ Low risk option
✅ Cheaper than a week
✅ Less days off work/school

❌ Cruise is over before you know it
❌ Expensive if you add airfare & hotel
❌ No itinerary variation

Nonetheless, it's great to get away for a few days and be on a cruise ship than not.  And for first timers, there's a good chance they experience it, love it, and come back again for more.

If you're going to take a 3-night cruise, plan your time accordingly so you can maximize every minute.

A member of the Trump administration made a bold warning to foreign flagged vessels, including cruise ships, regarding avoiding paying taxes.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick appeared on Fox News on Wednesday talking about how U.S. President Donald Trump wants to abolish the Internal Revenue Service. He then went on a tirade about how cruise ships, super-tankers, and foreign produced alcohol don't pay taxes.

"None of em pay taxes...this is going to end and those taxes are going to be paid," Secretary Lutnick said.

He then pointed out how large ocean going vessels are all flagged in different countries, such as Panama or Liberia, in an effort to avoid federal income tax.

$CCL $RCL | Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said President Trump’s goal is simple—abolish the IRS and “let all the outsiders pay.” He even pointed to cruise lines not paying taxes as an example.pic.twitter.com/2sXbMucD2p

— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) February 20, 2025

The statement instantly sent cruise line stock prices down, with Royal Caribbean Group's stock down about 9% for the day on the Nasdaq exchange.

While no one disputes the fact the ships are foreign flagged, Secretary Lutnick is missing the bigger picture surrounding taxes and what cruise lines pay.

Cruise lines do a pay lots of taxes

Federal income tax is one tax, but there are many others that cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, pay in large amount.

The major cruise lines have their headquarters in the United States.  Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line all have offices in Florida, where they employ thousands of Americans in their offices and across the country. They pay payroll taxes as well as a variety of fees.

Those fees include port fees, with just over 30 million passengers sailing through U.S. ports in a given year. As an example, Alaska alone adds $250-300 per person to a sailing in port fees.

According to Cruise Lines International Association, cruise lines pay nearly $2.5 billion in taxes.

Plus, CLIA points out the halo effect the cruise industry has, which amounted to $65 billion in meaningful economic contributions to the US economy in 2023.

U.S. laws make it impossible to build a cruise ship with a U.S. flag on it

"You ever see a cruise ship with an American flag on the back?" Lutnick said. 

Modern cruise ships simply aren't built in America, because the law has made it nearly impossible.

In 1886, U.S. President Grover Cleveland signed the Passenger Vessel Services Act into law to protect American jobs. Among the regulations this law added, for a ship to qualify to be flagged by the United States, it must be made at a U.S. shipbuilding facility, owned by an American company and staffed by an American crew. All the officers must be U.S. citizens and 70% of the crew must be at least resident aliens (Green card holders).

With that one exception, for the last 50 years, American shipbuilders have not riveted together a single cruise ship that fulfills the requirements set forth in 1886.

The only U.S flagged ships operating within the United States are river and coastal cruise lines that are quite small and extremely expensive. And Norwegian Cruise Line has Pride of America, which operates in Hawaii.

Following World War 2, the United States added strong protectionist legislation meant to preserve the maritime industry, but it actually had the reverse effect. Many shipyards domestically closed, and the few left are only focused on military work that rely on government paid contracts to ensure there is a profit.

You'll find most cruise ships built in shipyards in Europe or Asia.  In fact, all of Royal Caribbean's ships have been built in one shipyard or another in Europe over the years.

According to Commander Don Goldstein, Retired United States Coast Guard, American shipyards are not equipped with the experience building modern cruise ships, nor do they have the capacity or supply chain to assemble cruise ships. 

Even if you wanted to convert a Royal Caribbean ship to a U.S. flagged one, it's impossible once again to U.S. law.

Coast Guard regulations provide that a U.S.-built vessel must be assembled entirely in the United States and all “major components of the hull and superstructure” must be fabricated in the United States.

The Coast Guard's policy through a number of precedents, has determined that a "component" must exceed 1.5 percent of the vessel’s steelweight to be considered "major."

Could additional port fees be the answer?

The comments about the cruise industry prompted speculation about what would realistically happen, if anything.

Vince Ciepiel with Cleveland Research thinks the most plausible "tax" would be to raise port fees for U.S. ports, similar to what Greece and Mexico have alluded to.

"Taking a quick look at port passengers, the U.S. sees just over 30M in passengers travel through U.S. ports (the two largest being Miami over 7M and Port Canaveral near 7M). If the U.S. government were to impose an additional ~$30 fee (not anchored to this guess, we welcome any feedback here) on passengers, that would raise about $1B in tax revenue," he explained.

He believes if that scenario did materialize, the added taxes would be passed along to consumers, "An incremental $1B in price hikes on what is like $40B of ocean cruise industry revenue touching U.S. shores would be equivalent to a 2.5% price hike, which again does not seem that material/could probably easily be passed on to the consumer."

I really like the food you can find around Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas, and there's a clever hack I've begun to embrace.

There are a few different spots around Perfect Day at CocoCay where you can get lunch or just a snack, and it goes well beyond just burgers and hot dogs.

As part of the major makeover the island got when Royal Caribbean poured $250 million into it, they also increased their food game substantially.

Almost immediately, guests started coming up with fun ways to make the food even better, including at the ice cream station.

Once I saw a few people doing this hack, I had to try it out myself.

The Ice Cream Sandwich Hack: How to DIY

At either Skipper's Grill or Chill Grill, there's a soft service ice cream machine. Crew members will serve you as much of it as you like.

There's no cost to the ice cream or anything else in this hack, so let the kids go at it!

It's similar to what you'll find on your cruise ship near the pool, and most people get their ice cream in a cone by default.

However, the hack here is to stop by the dessert station first.

Grab two chocolate chip cookies and then go to the ice cream station and ask them to dispense the ice cream directly onto the cookie.

Put the second cookie on top, and you have your own ice cream sandwich!

It tastes as good as it looks, and I like that the ice cream helps soften up the cookie a bit.

This is a fun and customizable treat, and it's the perfect way to cool down in the Bahamian heat.

Admittedly, it gets messy quickly, especially because the crew member wasn't holding back with the amount of ice cream she served.

While it may not top a Cookiewich (because it's not totally frozen to begin with), it's the next best thing.

You can also re-create this hack back on the cruise ship in the Main Dining Room.

The kids menu has ice cream and chocolate chip cookies as dessert options each night that can be ordered.

A variation on this is to get the ice cream dispensed onto a plate, and then use the cookies to either scoop it up or spoon smaller amounts of ice cream onto the cookie to keep it manageable.

Another idea is to forgo the cookie all together and grab a water cup and have the ice cream poured directly into the cup.  No cone or mess, and you can travel more easily with it.

More sweet treats available at CocoCay

If ice cream isn't your thing, you'll find other fun desserts around CocoCay.

As previously mentioned, there are a few different restaurants included in your cruise fare around the island.

Both Chill Grill Skipper’s Grill have cookies, brownies, and fruit too.  

A real hidden gem among the desserts is at the Snack Shack.

While there's no ice cream at the Snack Shack, they do have funnel cake and it smells as good as it tastes.

Funnel cake is served hot, and it's an ooey gooey mess but so good.

If you happen to buy admission to the Coco Beach Club, I think their rum cake is heavenly.

You'll definitely smell the rum before you taste it, but it's about the best rum cake I've had.

There's also gelato and couple of cakes to sample here too.

More ice cream cruise hacks

This got me thinking about other ways to make the complimentary soft serve work better.

Most ships have an ice cream machine on the pool deck, usually just outside the Windjammer buffet.

If you have a beverage package, bring your Coca-Cola Freestyle cup that comes with your drink package purchase to the Main Dining Room, Windjammer, or anywhere else they serve ice cream.

Order a scoop of vanilla ice cream to put into your cup to create an ice cream float. This works great with Fanta Orange or Coca-Cola.

Another cruiser told me they like to take a scoop of ice cream and add it to their coffee from the Windjammer.

If you want to spice it up, try to make your own version of Affogato, which is an Italian dessert coffee.

You'll need to combine espresso, ice cream, and a shot of liqueur. If you have a drink package, this should be something you can order in the Windjammer and then grab the ice cream too.

Royal Caribbean has opened up bookings for its newest cruise ship, Legend of the Seas.

While the cruise line advertised the official opening for bookings is on Thursday, Feb. 20, in practical terms, it's open for bookings now.

In case you missed it, Legend of the Seas will be the name of the third Icon Class ship, and Royal Caribbean revealed details about the ship yesterday.

This is going to be one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, coming in at 250,800 gross tons, and be able to accommodate up to 7,600 passengers.

Unlike the two ships that came before it, Legend will begin sailing in Europe before coming to the United States.  Here's what to know about the first sailings.

First sailings on two continents

You could book the first sailing across two different inaugural voyages.

Legend of the Seas will welcome paying guests for the first time when she departs Barcelona, Spain on August 2, 2026.

The first sailing is a 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise that will visit France, Spain, and Italy.

It's a significant move to have a new ship start in Europe, as Royal Caribbean has shied away from this for a while.

According to Royal Caribbean, it's an opportunity to answer demand from Europeans who have wanted an Icon Class ship, "our guests across Europe have been asking for for an Icon Class ship to to be based there. And this was the right time to bring it," said Royal Caribbean Chief Marketing Officer Kara Wallace.

Legend remains in Europe through October, until the ship departs on a 13-night transatlantic sailing.

The new ship heads to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where the first sailing is a quick 3-night sailing to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

There are additional 6- and 8-night Caribbean voyages through April 2027.

How much does Legend of the Seas cost?

If you're looking to book a cruise on Legend, it's not going to be a cheap deal.

New cruise ships tend to come with higher prices, and Legend of the Seas is no exception to that trend.

In the first hours the new bookings are available to book, the least expensive sailing on the vessel available to book was the 3-night inaugural sailing from Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 11, 2026.

It starts at $918.99 per person, including taxes, fees, and port charges.

Of course, that 3-night cruise is an outlier, as it's the only short sailing.  

The next least expensive sailing is one of the last cruises in Europe before Legend transitions to North America.

The September 20, 2026 7-night cruise from Barcelona, Spain starts at $1,567.67 per person, including taxes, fees, and port charges.

Not surprisingly, the most expensive sailing is a 6-night western Caribbean Christmas voyage that begins on Dec. 20, 2026.

There are 28 stateroom categories, including some truly amazing suites with eye-opening prices.

There's some sticker shock with the price for the top two suites on Legend of the Seas, but that's been a trend since Icon of the Seas first went on sale.

At the upper end of the spectrum, the Royal Loft Suite will cost $115,972.40 for two people on that aforementioned Dec. 20 sailing.

That gets you 2,088 sq. ft of living space, which is the most luxurious suite within the Royal Caribbean fleet.

On the same cruise, the incredible Ultimate Family Townhouse that spans three decks, a slide, white picket fence, and movie room will cost you $110,232.40 for two people.

These two suites are the biggest suites on the ship, with enough space and features to rival some homes. Plus, they come with the cruise line's top perks that include almost everything in your cruise fare and provide front of the line access in many cases.

Suites are always a splurge and expensive, but they also come with tremendous benefits.

Other suites are priced comparatively lower, but like all cabins on a brand new ship, you'll pay a premium for that privilege.

Prices will probably only go up

Don't expect fares for Legend of the Seas to come down anytime soon.

Royal Caribbean Group executives said as much during a recent earnings call, when they forecasted the trend of cruise prices rising to continue through 2025 and beyond.

"Demand for 2025 is strong with book load factors in line with prior years and at higher rates, allowing for further pricing and yield growth as 2025 bookings continue to ramp up," said Royal Caribbean Chief Financial Officer Naftali Holtz during an earnings call with investors.

Your best price strategy for cruising on Legend of the Seas is too book quickly before prices go higher.

A recent analysis of Royal Caribbean cruise prices indicate fares start rising about 10-12 months before the sailing begins.

Pricing trends show fluctuations in price a year before the sail date, but once you reach that 10 month window, prices only tend to trend upwards.

An added benefit to booking a cruise so far in advance is you might be able to reprice the cruise if there are price drops later.

Residents of select countries can utilize Royal Caribbean's price match option, assuming they take the time to track their cruise fare price.