Royal Caribbean is ready to do something it's never done before: bring back a retired cruise ship name to honor its next new vessel.

The cruise line confirmed a not-so-well-kept secret that it will name its third Icon Class cruise ship, Legend of the Seas.

The name was previously used for one of the cruise line's Vision Class ships, launched in 1995. 

That ship would have been dwarfed by the new Legend of the Seas, as the original was only 70,000 gross tons and had a capacity of about 2,000 passengers.  The new cruise ship will be able to handle about 7,000 passengers when at full capacity and is 250,800 gross tons in size.

In 2017, Royal Caribbean sold Legend of the Seas to a cruise line now known as Marella Cruises, where it was renamed Marella Discovery.

Being the third Icon Class ship, Legend of the Seas is going to follow-up on the tremendous success of the world's largest cruise ship Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. The Icon Class has been nothing short of incredible for Royal Caribbean.  

These ships have been a hit with passengers and critics alike, as it's set a new standard for what a megaship can offer.

Not only did Royal Caribbean share the ship's name, but we also have details on when she'll begin offering cruises.

Debuting in Europe first

Royal Caribbean will begin sailings on Legend of the Seas in the Mediterranean first, and then transition to Florida.

Beginning in August 2026, Legend of the Seas will offer 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona, Spain. (Originally the cruise line said it would be July, but the the new first sailing is in August 2026).

Legend will visit ports of call in France, Italy and Spain, that include historical significance and beautiful landscapes.

The inaugural Legend of the Seas cruise will be on August 2, 2026, which is a 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise departing Barcelona. It will visit Palma De Mallorca, Spain, Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy, Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, and Naples, Italy.

Here's a breakdown of the of inaugural European sailings:

After the summer cruising season concludes, Legend will move to her new homeport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Beginning in November 2026, Legend of the Seas will offer 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean cruises from Port Everglades.

The first sailing of Legend in Fort Lauderdale will be on November 11, and it's a 3-night voyage that visits just Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas

In addition, Legend of the Seas will remain in Fort Lauderdale until at least April 2027.

Bookings open tomorrow

You'll be able to start booking sailings this week.  Officially, it goes on sale Thursday, Feb. 20, but expect bookings to open up on Tuesday as an early start.

"A jaw dropping, showstopping, stunning ship"

Naming this new cruise ship Legend of the Seas is significant because of what the name means literally, as well as to the company.

"The Icon Class as a name really sets a really high bar...so we needed a third name that really fit with that," Kara Wallace, Royal Caribbean's chief marketing officer, told Royal Caribbean Blog in an exclusive interview.

"Legend is, not only fitting of the class, but an homage to everything that came before it."

Introducing a third Icon Class ship is something Royal Caribbean can't wait to debut, because of all the success Icon of the Seas has had so far.

"This ship truly has lived up to all of the hype and then some." Wallace said.

Bringing Legend to Europe first is something Royal Caribbean is doing to match what its customers have been clamoring for, "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," Wallace explained.

"The ship will come straight from delivery into Europe, and it's taking now what is going to be a legendary ship and bringing it to legendary destinations."

What will be different on Legend of the Seas?

Royal Caribbean didn't share many details about what will be different about Legend, but Ms. Wallace suggested it won't be a carbon copy of Icon or Star either.

"We'll tweak things as we learn and as we go along to make them both fresh, interesting, but also deliver on the experiences that our guests are asking for and will continue to do that on this ship alike," Wallace said. "Things like entertainment and shows, theming on some venues will constantly be adapted for market, and we'll reveal them in the coming months."

A change that has been leaked already is that the Supper Club will have a Hollywood theme to it.  

Icon of the Seas had a New York theme, and Star of the Seas' version will have a Chicagoland theme.

One thing you won't see is Legend being slightly bigger than Icon or Star of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider has previously said each Icon Class ship will not be a little bit bigger than the previous one.

"Star will not be a foot bigger. It will be 1198ft long. The third ship in the icon class will also be 1198ft long," he said during an interview held on Icon of the Seas.

Legend of the Seas is being built now

While the ship's name and homeport are news, the ship has been under construction for months.

The first piece of steel was cut in January 2024 for Legend of the Seas. When the steel cutting ceremony is held, it marks the official start of construction.

Then in October 2024, the keel was laid and the ship is being assembled as we speak.

Other milestones include floating out, and delivery.

Building on Icon's record-breaking success for Royal Caribbean

Ever since Icon of the Seas started wowing passengers, the new ship has exceeded even the company's highest expectations.

According to Ms. Wallace, the ship has set a new benchmark for guest satisfaction—not just within the cruise industry, but across all of hospitality.

"It’s delivering at the highest levels of guest satisfaction that we’ve ever seen across our brands, across the industry, and across all of hospitality,” Wallace said. “And that’s really by far and wide margin."

Royal Caribbean re-imagined what a cruise ship could be when it designed Icon of the Seas, calling the ship a "white paper" design because everything was conceived without any pre-existing ideas. Wallace highlighted how the ship’s vibrant design and innovative features created excitement from the moment it launched.

"I think it was highly anticipated when it came to market,” she said. “Last year, the demand for it was off the charts, creating excitement through its colors, its vibrancy, its energy."

One of the most talked-about features is Surfside, a neighborhood designed specifically for families, offering a space where they can “stay and play all day.” The AquaDome, a stunning architectural space with breathtaking exterior views and immersive entertainment, has also left a lasting impression.

Meanwhile, the ship’s water park, Thrill Island, brings an unprecedented level of excitement to the cruise experience.

"It wasn’t one slide, two slides—it’s multiple slides," Wallace said. "The slide experiences are great, and that theming and experience runs throughout a whole neighborhood."

Icon's connection to the water was also one of its primary goals that the ship delivered on, offering expansive sea views throughout the ship.

"I think the flow of the ship, of Icon Class, in terms of bringing the sea to the ship and the expansive views edge to edge, is something that we haven’t experienced on a class of ships like this yet," she noted. "And certainly what that did for the promenade experience and the inclusion of The Pearl—one of my favorite things to do is watch TikTok or Instagram videos when people first board Icon and they just see the magnitude of the ship. That first impression with The Pearl—there’s nothing like it."

Wallace also emphasized that social media has played a major role in Icon of the Seas’ success, as guests eagerly share their experiences online.

"We’re seeing that in the popularity—not just in how people are experiencing the ship, but how they’re also reliving and posting their experiences all over social media," she said. "It is truly a jaw-dropping, showstopping, stunning ship when you see it in person."

A key factor in Icon of the Seas’ success is its focus on families of all kinds. From young kids to teens, multi-generational groups to extended families, the ship offers an unmatched variety of accommodations and entertainment to suit every type of traveler.

"We are a family brand," Wallace said. "When we think about families, it’s every single type of family. It’s families with young kids, it’s families with teenagers, it’s extended families, multi-generational families. And when you think about Icon, it truly does have something for all of those different types of families."

Taking a long weekend vacation on the Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship is the perfect escape, and I think paying more for a balcony room was worth it.

In February, I went on Utopia of the Seas for a 3-night cruise to The Bahamas and I paid $1,723.54 for a category 4D balcony room instead of a cheaper inside room.

I went with a balcony because I wanted the natural light and extra space you get with the outdoor veranda, but the room itself was bigger than I expected.

We stayed in room 9282, which is on deck 9 and a short walk from the aft elevators.

I'm no stranger to Utopia, having sailed on her already a half dozen times.  Picking a room on deck 9 meant we were mostly equidistant to the public decks, but closer to the Royal Promenade than the pool decks.

Royal Caribbean doesn't let guests access their cabins until 1pm, but that's only a few hours of waiting (assuming you board the ship as early as possible).

I prefer to be close the elevators rather than pick a room down the hall. While I can appreciate the view you have on the back of the ship, I prefer the convenience of being near an elevator.

All cabins on Utopia of the Seas are opened with your SeaPass card, which uses RFID technology. This means just tapping your card against the reader instead of inserting the card in the door.

Because Utopia is a new ship, the rooms look about as contemporary as you'd expect in terms of aesthetics.

I had just stayed in a balcony room on an older and smaller ship a few weeks prior to this, and the differences in the room are rather stark.

I found this balcony room on Utopia to feel bigger and more open than the one on Enchantment of the Seas.  Of course the decor looks more dated on Enchantment, but that ship was built in the 1990s.

As you walk into the room, there's a vanity on your left and a couch on the right.

The vanity has a desk, chair, and mirror.  It also has a number of USB outlets.

Royal Caribbean has been steadily increasing the amount of USB outlets in its cabins, in addition to standard electrical outlets.  More people are bringing more devices with them on vacation.

I really think you could stay in a room on Utopia of the Seas and not need to bring a USB or power extender with you and not feel constricted with how to keep everything charged.

The couch is rather large, but doesn't open up into a bed.  

While I'd like to tell you I used the couch for leisurely afternoon naps or to sit and have a conversation with my wife, but in reality, the couch was the destination for so many of our belongings.

Bags, dirty laundry, pool towels, and souvenirs all seem to end up on the couch one way or another.

On either side of the couch are two rather large closets.

There's an impressive amount of storage space in this room, something I missed having on Icon of the Seas.

You'll also find the room's safe in one of the closets. 

My wife and I each took one closet, and that was more than enough room for our clothes on a short cruise. There was even an entire set of drawers opposite the closet we never used.

The drawers offer lots of storage access as well.  Eventually Utopia will stop doing just weekend cruises and move onto longer sailings.  When it does, rest assured there's enough room for all your clothes.

The king size bed is next to the balcony in this particular cabin.  Keep in mind every room alternates whether the sofa or the bed is near the balcony.

The bed can be split into two upon request by your stateroom attendant.

There's a nightstand on each side of the bed, and both have a lamp with one power outlet and one USB C outlet.

I cannot stress enough how convenient it is to have a power outlet near the bed so you can keep your phone charging at night while you use it from the comfort of being in bed.

Nearly all other ships don't have an outlet near the bed, so I have to plug it in back at the vanity.

Opposite the bed is the TV. It's a nice flatscreen television that's big enough to see from the bed.

The one feature it doesn't have is the ability to stream videos from a smart device or computer. Some other recent Royal Caribbean ships have that feature, but not Utopia.

While I would have liked the ability to cast a YouTube video or Office episode to the TV, the truth is I rarely watch any TV on a cruise.

Below the television are a set of hooks you can use to hang up items.

This is useful for keeping hats, umbrellas, or anything else lightweight off the floor (or couch, in my case). It's a case of Royal Caribbean noticing all the cruise cabin hacks calling for magnets to be brought onboard and providing something on their own.

Moving out to the balcony, a sliding door provides access and you'll find two chairs and a table.

Each chair has a foot rest, which is a really nice idea.

It's not a spacious balcony, but there's enough room for two people to comfortably sit or stand and enjoy the view and ocean breeze.

While I'm comfortable enough booking an inside cabin, paying more for a balcony is such a nice luxury. Being able to pop outside on a whim is lovely.

I don't spend nearly as much time out here as I should, but I really like going out in the morning to gauge the weather, or enjoying a sunset at night.  

Back inside our room, the bathroom was bigger than I expected.

The bathroom has a mirror, sink, toilet, and shower.  I was impressed that a standard stateroom has both a shower wand and shower head.  

While you can't use both at the same time, it's a feature usually only found in a suite.

Overall, I was quite pleased with my room selection.  We booked the connecting balcony room next to it for my kids to stay in, providing the ultimate family cruise hack that I rely on so often.

I didn't set any records for the cheapest cruise cabin price, but this is a brand new cruise ship.  New ships are just going to cost more, period.

Because I live about an hour by car from Port Canaveral, being able to quickly drive to the port and hop on a cruise ship for the weekend is worth the higher cruise fare compared to having to fly or travel a longer distance to another ship.

Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas is well-known for offering cruise ship passengers a great time, so should you pay extra for its exclusive beach club?

Perfect Day at CocoCay is divided up into different areas, including the Coco Beach Club that offers an elevated beach day experience and comes with an admission cost.

I've been to the Coco Beach Club a few times over the years, but hadn't gone recently because of rising costs and other areas competing for my attention.

Royal Caribbean has done such a good job with the places around the island that have no cost, so it seemed almost unnecessary to pay for a beach club.

But when I was able to find a great deal on Coco Beach Club passes and even a cabana during a recent sale, I thought now was the right to return and see what it's like now.

The Coco Beach Club is resort life meets cruise ship fun

In describing the Coco Beach Club, think of it like a less crowded, slightly more upscale beach day.

Located between Chill Island and South Beach, Coco Beach Club is a short 10 minute walk from where your ship docks.

You can buy a day pass for every person, or rent a cabana, which comes with admission for its guests. Kids are allowed, and welcome, within the club.

The exact price of a day pass varies, but the average price without a good sale going on is $200 per person or more.  

That cost gets you into the club, lunch at its restaurant, and access to the beach or heated infinity pool.

There's also a pastry cart and coffee that's complimentary, but all your other drinks within the club will cost extra. If you have a Royal Caribbean drink package, your benefits work here too.

There are beach chairs and some chairs by the pool, and it's all first-come, first reserved.

There are a few beds near the pool, and these are the most highly coveted spots within the Coco Beach Club. Some guests will pretty much run in as soon as their ship docks to reserve one for the day.  You can expect them all to be reserved by 9am.

When you check-in, you're greeted with a cool towel and welcome drink. 

If you booked a cabana, your cabana attendant will escort you to them.  Otherwise, guests with a day pass can walk in and pick a spot.

Cabanas offer privacy and views

There are two types of cabanas inside the Coco Beach Club.

The standard beach cabanas are adjacent to the main beach, and it's a secluded area just for you to enjoy.

Each cabana has plenty of space, including a couch, four loungers, a hammock, and a few chairs too.

A cabana rental includes floating mats, snorkel gear, Bluetooth speaker, ceiling fan, and of course the cabana itself that provides shade.

Your cabana attendant will come by periodically to see if you'd like any food or drinks brought over.

The other type of cabana are the floating cabanas, which are split up into two sections.

These are some of the biggest and most expensive cabanas you can rent.

Each cabana is situated over the ocean on a floating pontoon, so it looks like something out of the Maldives or Bora Bora.

Their layout is similar to the beach cabanas, but they're bigger, have a shower, and even your own slide to go right into the ocean.

Without a doubt, the cabanas are lovely and a great place to spend your day, but they're going to be the most expensive cabanas on the island.

I've seen prices recently for a floating cabana of more than $5,000 for each one.  That's a really high price.  

A beach cabana will cost less, but it's not uncommon to see both types of cabanas well north of $3,000.

I love the seclusion and service you get with a cabana. Without a doubt, it's the most relaxing way to spend a day with someone else bringing everything you need. 

If there's one thing I don't like about the cabanas it's the lunch situation, where your cabana attendant delivers the food to your cabana.

On the surface, this is a great idea.  But I don't like the pacing of the service and more importantly, your food becomes an instant magnet for a flock of seagulls who will dive bomb your table the second you step away.

I've gotten around this issue by requesting to dine at the restaurant instead, but the staff sometimes seems resistant to the idea.

The perfect pool and beach

If Royal Caribbean got something right about the Coco Beach Club, it's how you can spend your day in the club.

The infinity pool is located behind the beach, and it's easy to hop between both.

The entire premise of this area is that you're paying for the exclusivity.  There's no crowd of people to contend with and try to find a chair.

You can easily roll in at lunch time and still find plenty of chairs around the beach. 

The pool area doesn't have much seating, and it's probably something I'd love to see them improve on.

The infinity pool is heated, and that means it's always the perfect temperature.  This is such a boon when I visited in January and February and the ocean was chilly.

I like how large the pool is, with plenty of space.  No matter which day I've been to the club, the pool never felt crowded.

Over on the beach, you'll find lots of space to spread out.

Something really neat is each beach chair has a flag you can put up to indicate you'd like to have service from a waiter.

The beach has beautiful white sand that is manicured each day, and there's enough room for leisurely walks.

Fences on both sides of the beach club ensure only beach club guests have access to it.

Come for the beach, stay for the restaurant

While the beach may be the primary selling point of paying to come into the Coco Beach Club, I think the restaurant is a close second.

Included in your fare is a restaurant (it has no name, just Coco Beach Club restaurant) where each guest can go for lunch.

You'll need to make a reservation for a table, and you can do that when you enter the club. Some people make reservations on the ship at the Shore Excursion desk, but I've never done that.

It's a sit down meal, but everyone is in their bathing suits.  Nonetheless, it's a standout meal.

There's a choice of lobster, filet mignon, salads, and more.  

I was very impressed with the food, and I really think the steak served here is better than the steak on your ship.

And yes, they'll serve you as much of the food as you like so you can get a second serving.

If there's a gripe about the food in the Coco Beach Club from guests, it's not about the food served, but rather, the food not served.

CocoCay is well-known for its great fast food choices, but you won't find all the choices of the Snack Shack inside the club, as you would at the extra cost adults-only area, Hideaway Beach.

Our cabana attendant was able to bring us mozzarella sticks, but I don't think they're available to day pass guests otherwise.  You can certainly walk out of the club and over to the Snack Shack in about 5 minutes, but it requires leaving the grounds.

My advice is make an early reservation for lunch and don't miss out on it.

Why you should pay extra to go to the Coco Beach Club

The appeal of paying for the Coco Beach Club is for you can enjoy a less crowded day with enhanced options than anywhere else around Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Kids can come too, and you're going to get significantly better food, great service, and a less crowded day overall.

It reminds me a bit of first class seating on an airplane, where the core experience is the same, but those within the club feel a little more special.

I love the heated pool and restaurant, and I'd book the day pass just for those.  Plus, the cabanas are so beautiful, especially those floating cabanas.

The real reason not to book the Coco Beach Club is the price you'll see when you go to buy a pass.

I spot checked prices for a few upcoming cruises, and it's not cheap. 

• Icon of the Seas March 2025 sailing: $206.78
• Star of the Seas November 2025 sailing: $194.68

Cabana prices start at about $3,000 for one, and while that includes admission for up to eight guests, it's still quite pricey.

You're not going to be disappointed once inside the Coco Beach Club, as it offers a very serene and relaxing day. 

There's no DJ or loud music, but everyone is there to enjoy a fun day in the sand, water, and around.

While you don't need to pay for the Coco Beach Club in order to have a really good time on Perfect Day at CocoCay, it's a lovely way to spend it too.

Ideally, you'll nab a good deal on admission like I did for my visits.  But that's not always practical.

Ultimately, I'd recommend paying to go to the Coco Beach Club if you truly value exclusivity and being somewhere uncrowded. If that describes you, then I think even the price tag can be justified.

👍Less crowds
👍Best food available on the island, rivaling specialty restaurants
👍Heated pool
👍Bragworthy cabanas
👍Great service
👍Floating mats included
👍Towels provided

👎Expensive
👎Very little seating near the pool
👎Not as many casual food choices as Hideaway Beach

Hope you are having a great weekend.  Here is all of this week's Royal Caribbean cruise news.

Royal Caribbean added a new California home port.

More cruise ships will be sailing from the west coast, as the cruise line announced it will expand to a new homeport in San Diego.

The new west coast deployments were released this week, including two ships from Los Angeles.

Royal Caribbean News

• Where to save and splurge on a cruise vacation
• Photos show new Bahamas beach club is inching closer to completion
• It's too late to book a spring break cruise, but here's what an expert says you should book instead
• 4 common Facebook cruise vacation scams
• 7 reasons to avoid cruises with lots of port stops
• My family went on Icon of the Seas. We hated the tech, but loved the ship
• I always choose this time to have my cruise room cleaned. It's not perfect but I think it's the most convenient
• I used to always book a cabin on a high deck on a cruise ship, but now I prefer a low deck room instead

New RCB Video: What I wish someone told me about food on a cruise

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—What I wish someone told me about food on a cruise— and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Why Royal Caribbean's price match is the best way to take advantage of price drops

Did you know you could take advantage of a price drop?

It's not very well known, but there is a mechanism for price adjustments, but there are a few caveats.

The ability to re-price cruises has saved me thousands of dollars over the years, and it's the best way to get a cruise deal.

Royal Caribbean sued by passenger after jet ski accident at CocoCay

A lawsuit was filed by a passenger against Royal Caribbean after an accident at their private island.

The lawsuit alleges the person was on a jet ski excursion and was hit by a jet ski operated by the tour operator.

She claimed she suffered four spinal fractures and extensive internal injuries and is seeking $5 million in damages.

4 Royal Caribbean extra costs I never thought I'd buy

I may have scoffed at these extra costs at one point, but now they're always in my cart.

Royal Caribbean trots out new options all the time, and a few have resonated with me as must-buys.

Part of the fun of going on vacation is splurging and enjoying your time, and I have four I always look to buy first.

Vintage photos of a Royal Caribbean cruise in the 70s and 80s

I love looking back at the way cruise ships used to look, especially before the age of the megaship.

Cruise ships have evolved a lot, including what they and passengers looked like.  Mirroring society, cruise ships have moved on with the times and they looked a lot different 40 years ago.

While ships were big for their time, they definitely had a few key differences compared to ships today.

Royal Caribbean's first ever beach club is actively moving forward in its construction.

Located in Nassau, Bahamas, the cruise line is working to open something it's never done before with a pure land operation that goes beyond a private island experience.

Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will open in December 2025 and is sort of like Royal Caribbean's owned and operated shore excursion available exclusively for its customers.

The cruise line doesn't share many construction updates, so we took our own photos.

We have a new update on how progress is going on the ground, thanks to photos taken of the construction site on February 15.

With the grounds cleared of debris and previous buildings, active construction is underway to lay the foundations of the beach club's structures.

According to Royal Caribbean, site construction began in September 2024 after the official ground breaking in April.

The beach club is located on a 17-acre piece of land on the western end of Paradise Island near Nassau.  It's basically across from where all the cruise ships dock in Nassau.

Guests can get to the beach club via a new water taxi system that Royal Caribbean is also working on, which departs from the pier.

Admission is all-inclusive, which is another first for Royal Caribbean to offer such an amenity.

A day pass will include:

• Access to all amenities
• Water taxi ride between pier and beach club
• All food and beverage, including alcohol
• Beach chairs
• Umbrellas

The beach club has beaches and pools, three swim-up bars, seven beach bars, and more than 40 cabanas.

There are going to be different zones to encapsulate the vibe they want to provide passengers.

Party Cove, Family Beach, and Chill Beach all offer a different take on how to spend your day.

According to Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, approximately 1 million guests are expected to go into the Beach Club in the first full year of operation.

Mr. Bayley also said tickets will go on sale sometime in April 2025.

About 2,000 people will be able to purchase a pass each day. 

No word yet on how much it will cost to go in, but day passes to other Nassau resorts aren't cheap.

The nearby Atlantis resort charges $255 for adults to use its Aquaventure waterpark.

Margaritaville Beach Resort charges $125-145 per adult, and Baha Mar resort has a $160 admission cost for its waterpark. 

None of those day passes are all-inclusive.

Royal Caribbean wants to offer something no other cruise line can compete with, and not just in Nassau.

All cruise lines have struggled for years with low guest satisfaction rates in Nassau because of a lack of things to do its customers want.

Building a beach club for cruise passengers by the cruise line is a way Royal Caribbean hopes to solve that problem.

Moreover, their strategy is to combine a beach club day with a day at its award winning private island in nearby Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The idea is to offer visits to places no other land resort or cruise line can possibly top.

The internet is a great place to find information about cruises, but it's also home to some nasty scams.

A lot of people flock to places like Facebook to find more information and learn about their cruise.  In fact, this is a good strategy because there are great resources there, and all over the internet.

However, some offers are indeed too good to be true.

Thankfully, if you know what to look for, scammers are easily spotted. But the prospect of a great deal is tempting for many people, and it leads to disappointment if they were to try to book them.

Bar crawl or group offers

One common scam on Facebook is for someone to try to sell you bar crawl, t-shirts, travel mugs, or lanyards for their sailing.

Many times groups will want to set up fun events for themselves on their cruise, such as a group bar tasting, slot pulls, or other events where everyone in the Facebook group gets to hang out and try it out.

These can be fun ways to make new friends, as well as see what the ship has to offer.

Jenn Yazzetti, an admin in the Symphony of the Seas Facebook group, warned people trying to sell you on these items, "more often than not, they are scammers."

How to avoid getting scammed: You definitely don't have to pay to participate in an event, or gain access to a bar onboard.

And if you get hungry, stop by one of the complimentary food stops along the way.

Someone looking for a cabin mate

Another "seems innocent until it's not" scam is related to people asking for someone cruising solo and wanting to share a cabin with them to save money.

Royal Caribbean charges a hefty fee if you book a regular cabin by yourself, which is known as the single supplement fee.

Essentially, cruise ship cabins are priced based on double occupancy, and if you book a room by yourself, you end up paying for the missing second person.

So sharing a cabin with someone else and splitting the cost would definitely save money.

Unfortunately, some people take advantage of this need by trying to get money out of it.

Julie Nedelko shared this warning, "Be suspicious of any post that talks about being a solo traveler looking for a companion to save on cruise fare."

"Sometimes it starts out with just a complaint about paying extra to be solo, or too bad my friend can’t go. This could be a phishing scam looking for victims."

She admits there could be legitimate postings, but you need to look into it far more before opening yourself up to something like this.

• Is the profile new?
• Does this person have less than ten friends?
• Is there just one or two friends and where are they from?
• Has the person joined many groups and used the same cut and paste message?
• Does the person want to message you off platform?
• Do they start giving personal compliments?

How to avoid getting scammed: I think she's spot on about keeping a healthy amount of suspicion with anyone that wants to share a room. 

This is a stranger on the internet, and even if it is a real person, you still have to effectively live with this person for the duration of the sailing.

If you are going to go down this route of trying to save money, I'd set up a call and really get to know them before paying for anything.  My advice is pay the single supplement fee, as it's far less risky.

Selling cruising ducks

The hottest trend in cruising right now is hiding ducks on a cruise for others to find.

No matter which cruise I go on, there's a few different people who are hiding them and interest grows as the sailing continues.

As people learn about this idea, it leads to them wanting to try it out too and this is where the scammer comes in.

A person on Facebook recently posted, "some groups are having trouble with scams from fake accounts trying to sell unwanted rubber cruise ducks due to a change in plans."

Another person responded, "This scam with same photos showed up in a page for cruise dates that I moderate. Several people got scammed!"

How to avoid getting scammed: If you want to hide ducks on your upcoming cruise, but them yourself from an online retailer.  

You can find batches of them cheaply, like 30 ducks for $19.99 on Amazon (this link contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing but I make a small commission).

T-shirt sales

Similar to the first scam, this is where someone tries to sell shirts for your specific cruise.

Naturally there's a lot of excitement about a cruise and if you're like me, those last few weeks are very exciting as you try to get everything you need.

In Facebook groups you'll see someone with a link to a website selling t-shirts for your ship, sail date, or both.

Wayne Green wrote, "Warning to everyone. These t-shirt sales are scams to get your card details and address. They have warnings on other groups as many have been scammed."

How to avoid getting scammed: Just like the cruising ducks, if you want a custom t-shirt or any shirt related to your cruise, order it yourself through a reputable seller.  Vistaprint, Etsy, or Spreadshirt are all good options.

How to report a Facebook Group scam

If someone messages you directly on Facebook Messenger and it looks like a scam, stop communicating with them immediately and report the incident to Facebook. 

If you're in a Facebook group and think a post is a scam, the first thing you can do is report the post to the group admin. It will get deleted the quickest in this manner.

1. Click the three-dot menu to the right of the post
2. Click Report Post To Group Admins
3. You can also click Report Post
   1. This sends the post to Facebook for review

In my experience, reporting to group admins works best because Facebook's review seems to use artificial intelligence and it takes forever to get a resolution. 

Group admins should delete it a heck of a lot quicker so no one else is potentially scammed.

Many people are unaware of the best way to save money in the long term on a Royal Caribbean cruise is by taking advantage of a price drop.

To be fair, the cruise line does not do a very good job of advertising their price match option.  Even some travel agents are unaware of how it works. Plus, it's limited to residents of certain countries.

I cruise a dozen times each year, and the ability to reduce my fare after a price drop has easily saved me save thousands of dollars.

With cruise prices only seeming to go up, this strategy won't necessarily work on every cruise you have booked.  But I've been pleasantly surprised when it does work.

Here's how Royal Caribbean's price match works and when you can use it.

You can reprice up until final payment date

For residents of select countries, you can re-price your cruise all the way up until the final payment date if there is a price drop.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing for all of its cruises. This means the cost of the cruise fare can vary from sailing to sailing, and with its algorithm, could change minute to minute.

First and foremost, this only applies to residents of the United States, Canada, and a few others.  Notably residents of the United Kingdom cannot utilize this.

If the price of the exact cabin category you booked drops below what you paid and you're before the final payment date, you can have the cruise line match the lower price.

It has to be for the exact same cabin category, meaning the exact cabin category code needs to match.  Remember, there are sub categories of cabins beyond inside, oceanview, balcony, or suite.  So if you booked a category 5D Balcony on Mariner of the Seas, the price has to have dropped for another 5D Balcony on Mariner for the same sailing as you.

Your travel agent can do it for you. If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean, then you need to call them and ask for the price adjustment.

To be honest, not all travel agents or even phone agents at Royal Caribbean are aware of this strategy.  I've heard back from cruisers who have been denied a price adjustment because the person they talked to was unaware of the policy.  

As long as you're before final payment date, a resident of an applicable country, and the fare you're trying to match is the exact room category on your specific sailing, you should be able to do it.  Call back and speak to someone else who should know about it.  Or better yet, work with a really good travel agent that does this all the time.

What if there's a price drop after final payment?

If the price goes down after your final payment date, you're out of luck and there's nothing else to be done.

Royal Caribbean won't adjust the price of any fare if the price goes lower.

One thing to keep in mind is if the price goes down for a higher category cabin after final payment date and it costs more than you paid, it's been my experience they'll let you pay to upgrade to that cabin.

Not to be confused with the Royal Caribbean Best Price Guarantee

Often the ability to price match is mixed up with another policy, the Best Price Guarantee.

This is similar, but would apply whether or not you're past final payment or not.

Within 48 hours of booking a cruise, Royal Caribbean will honor any price drop.

• If you're before final payment, you can get a refund for the price difference
• If you're after final payment, you can either get an upgrade to a higher room at the same price or get the difference back as a non-refundable Onboard Credit.

This policy is far more well advertised and because it works even after final payment date, it's somewhat different.

Do cruise prices go down?

I know it seems like prices are only getting more expensive for a cruise, but they do fluctuate.

Depending on what the demand is for a particular sailing, Royal Caribbean will use its pricing to help boost or dampen sales to keep it steady.

Most commonly, you'll see cruise fare fluctuations with longer sailings, or cruises from less traditional homeports.  Examples include transatlantic cruises, or cruises that depart from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The "catch" with price drops is the cruise line won't alert you to it.  The only want to truly know if there is a price drop is to check yourself.

To check the price of the cruise after you booked, you'll need to go to Royal Caribbean's website and do a mock booking where you pretend to be trying to book the exact room category on the sailing you're already booked on.

Remember, it has to be the same exact room category code as yours to qualify.

Price drops are why being early is the best time to book cruise

Taking advantage of price drops is why I love to book a cruise as early as possible.

If you're curious when is the best time to book a cruise, I recommend booking it as soon as you can because prices tend to go up.

While price drops do occur, they're not the norm by any means.  But if you book immediately, you can keep track of the price and take advantage of a price drop later.

Even without the ability to re-price a cruise, Royal Caribbean executives have said repeatedly they expect prices to only go up.

Booking early lets you also pay for a cruise over time

Another advantage to reserving a cruise earlier is you have more time to pay for it.

Travel agents can do this for you quite easily, where you can instruct them to take installments up until your final payment date.  You could pay it monthly or in random lump sums.

In addition, Royal Caribbean also offers a monthly payment option for those that book a cruise directly with the cruise line through a service called UpLift.

This allows you to spread out monthly payments, even after your cruise sails.  It's essentially financing, and there's an interest rate you'll pay with it.

When you go on a Royal Caribbean cruise, there's all sorts of extras you can buy for it, and a few are must-buys that at one point I scoffed at.

I'm lucky that it's my job to try out different things Royal Caribbean offers in order to evaluate how useful it is.  After all, one of the most common questions I get from readers about anything the cruise line does is, "is it worth it?".

I prefer to mix up my repertoire of cruise experiences and I really try not to do the same thing on every sailing, especially when I'm on the same ship or going on the same itinerary again.

Over the years, I've come to truly love certain extras the cruise line offers and it's unusual if I go on a cruise and don't have all of them booked.

I came up with a list of four things I always buy now, even though I probably at one point wasn't sure I'd ever like it. But they turned out to be so good, that they have nearly permanent spots in my online shopping cart before I go onboard

Cabana rentals

Many years ago I tried my first cabana when my good friend, supporter of this site, and travel partner, Beci Mahnken from MEI Travel invited me to her hilltop cabana at Labadee.

Cabanas are available for rent during the day at either Perfect Day at CocoCay or Labadee, and they have a flat cost for up to a certain amount of people to use it.

I was so impressed by the furnishings, level of service provided, and privacy it included. When my kids were younger, it was the perfect base of operations for my family.

Royal Caribbean has slowly added more cabana types to different places across its private destinations.  Most recently, I tried the Hideout Cabanas at the Hideaway Beach Club.

This cabana is located within the adults-only area, and having your own plunge pool is just about my favorite thing ever.

The problem with cabanas is their popularity is no secret, and demand has been so high that prices have skyrocketed in recent years.

I admit I don't always buy a cabana, but I at least look.  I've found with some careful planning in advance, you can sometimes nab a cabana for a better price with the right sale.

Spa treatments

I asked my wife what's something she swears by now on a cruise, and her answer was the Vitality Spa.

There are all sorts of treatments you can buy at the spa, and she really enjoys going in for a massage.  It's a way to treat herself, as well as set herself up for a relaxing vacation.

I think the best approach is to pre-book online to lock in a good time and good price.  Plus, there's no issue with any sales push to book more appointments or longer ones.

Her favorite treatments are either the traditional Swedish massage or a hot rock massage.

I think a lot of people that cruise often have a few "traditions" that they do and it officially kicks off a cruise, and the spa is one for my wife.

Air2Sea

For years I resisted booking my flights through Royal Caribbean because I thought the service fee negated any perceived savings.

I was really wrong.

You can book a flight through Royal Caribbean after you have a cruise booked.  You can do it on your own or your travel agent can do it for you.

Last year I had a cruise booked that departed Panama.  I booked my own flight and paid for non-refundable air fare because I was certain I was going on the sailing.

Then Royal Caribbean cancelled the Panama Canal transit, and I thought the new itinerary was lackluster. So I cancelled the cruise I was certain I was going on, and ended up with a giant airfare bill.

If I had booked with Air2Sea, I would have been covered.

In addition, Royal Caribbean regularly subsidizes airfare to Europe and Alaska when you book in advance through Air2Sea.

For my upcoming European cruises this summer, I saved almost $2,000 by booking my flights with Air2Sea instead of directly with the airline. I was amazed how much I saved, because I always though booking directly was cheaper.

Did you know you can book a flight with Air2Sea and not pay a penny until your cruise final payment date? This is a huge advantage for families that want to budget out their trip and split up payments.

The Air2Sea website used to be more wonky to use, but it's gotten better recently.

For the money savings alone, I'll book my flights with Royal Caribbean.  Plus, it offers some protections too.

Royal Railway

When Royal Caribbean announced it was going to build an immersive dining experience, I thought I'd definitely try it once. I never thought it would join my "must-eat there all the time" list.

Royal Railway at Utopia Station is a simulated classic train car dinner, where you board a full-size replica train. Using technology, sounds, and even a little motion, it feels like you're transported to The Old West.

The implementation was great, and I thought they did such a good job evoking the look and feel of what a train car of that era looks like. 

Plus, the food is really good too and I could eat the braised short ribs, empanadas, and pretty much any dessert on the menu!

It wasn't until I got onboard and experienced it for myself that I truly got it.  I think when Royal Caribbean finally rolls out additional themes and menus, this is going to be a revolutionary restaurant.

Whereas I tried Empire Supper Club on Icon of the Seas and felt content, Royal Railway is something I wanted to go back to again and again.

Royal Caribbean is going to offer more cruise ships, from more cruise ports on the West Coast of the United States.

The cruise line released new sailings from California that includes a shakeup of its lineup, along with a new homeport.

Beginning in October 2026, Royal Caribbean will homeport a ship in San Diego.

Serenade of the Seas will offer a variety of sailings from San Diego down to Ensenada, Mexico and the Mexican Riviera.

Other than a repositioning cruise through the Panama Canal, Royal Caribbean has not used San Diego as a homeport for a long time. This marks an expansion for the cruise line to a second homeport in California.

Two other Royal Caribbean ships will call California home as well in the 2026-2027 cruise season.

Voyager of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas will be based out of Los Angeles (San Pedro), and also offer cruises to the Mexican Riviera.

For the first time since 2021, Navigator of the Seas will not sail from LA, and instead, Voyager will take her place.

Navigator is headed to Asia for her regular maintenance work, and then is rumored to be sailing from Australia.

Voyager of the Seas will offer a mix of 3- to 7-night cruises from Los Angeles to destinations such as Cabo San Lucas, Catalina Island, and Mazatlan.

Ovation of the Seas will mirror what Voyager has, and be a second ship based from LA.

Ovation is even bigger than Voyager, and is best known for its entertainment and dining choices onboard.

Quantum Class ships also offer more modern amenities, including the North Star observation pod, a skydiving simulator, and an enclosed SeaPlex, which features activities like bumper cars and roller skating.

The new sailings are available to book immediately.

Best things to try on Mexican Riviera cruise

The West Coast of Mexico is unlike so much of the rest of Mexico, especially if you're only used to Cozumel.

The Mexican Riviera extends south from California, and is best known for its rich cultural and culinary choices, beautiful beaches, and scuba diving.

Here's what you could try in each of the ports.

Ensenada

Ensenada is located quite close to the United States, and while it's not the most popular port in Mexico, there's more to do here if you look past the tourist bars.

It's home to a natural wonder, La Bufadora, which is a natural geyser that you can see and hear.

There's also many wineries in the area that are highly regarded.

And yes, there's a big party scene here, so if that's your thing, try Hussong's Cantina. It's famous for being where the margarita was invented, and is the oldest and best known cantina in Baja California, Mexico.

Catalina Island

An island retreat across from Los Angeles, Catalina Island is the perfect spot to enjoy shopping and dining.

The most popular activity is to rent a golf cart and explore the island on your own.

Cabo San Lucas

There's so much to try in Cabo, especially if you book a cruise that overnights here.

Whale watching is popular to spot migrating humpback whales between December and April.

Swimming and golf are popular too, along with a visit to Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo tequila bar.

Mazatlan

The "old town" of Mazatlan is the most famous spot in this city, which has a number of historic sites from the cities origins.

If history isn't your thing, there's plenty of beaches to enjoy as well. You can walk down the 10-mile long seaside promenade and enjoy the ocean and nearby shops or restaurants.

Puerto Vallarta

Known for its culinary delights as well as colonial history, Puerto Vallarta is where so many Americans living on the West Coast vacation because its beaches and offerings are so good.

You could go to El Centro and explore arguably the best food in Mexico, or head to one of the many beach resorts with a day pass.

More cruises to be announced in coming weeks

Royal Caribbean is on the precipice of releasing many more cruises.

Following the newly released California cruises, we can expect a steady stream of new releases as follows:

• Week of February 17, 2025: Europe 2.0
• Week of February 24, 2025: Short Caribbean
• Week of March 3, 2025: Seasonal Caribbean
• Week of March 10, 2025: China
• Week of March 17, 2025: Singapore
• Week of June 2, 2025: Australia 

Keep in mind that Royal Caribbean has changed its deployment schedule quite a few times already, so this schedule is subject to change.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas has gotten so much praise as the new best cruise ship for families, that a lot of people are eager to give it a try.

I've taken my family on Icon and absolutely loved it.  In fact, it's my new favorite ship and I'll be back onboard for spring break.

A reddit user posted their thoughts on Icon, outlining exactly what they liked, didn't like, and tips for best enjoying this ship for anyone else going on.

Getting outside perspectives is a great way to learn about different ways a ship stands out, as well as get feedback on what worked and didn't work.

Here's the critiques and thoughts Ten_Horn_Sign shared about his recent Icon of the Seas sailing from last week.

Icon is well put together

Icon of the Seas is the biggest cruise ship in the world, and some people might think they'd never know where to go on a ship like that.

But Ten_Horn_Sign found the ship easy to navigate and the ideas incorporated into the ship design were fantastic, "the boat is super easy to navigate, there are ample plugs in the room for charging stuff, there is plenty of storage in the room for suitcases and clothes."

They pointed out was "lots of hand wringing" about how to maximize an inside cabin, but they didn't think it applied necessarily to rooms on Icon.

Everything flows well on Icon

Something else Royal Caribbean seemingly got right with Icon was the logistics of the ship.

"The ability of the cruise line to move people is really quite amazing," they wrote.

"On embarkation day we showed up at 1, strolled through the port with 0 lines, walked right onto the ship, and went straight to our cabin."

While some advocated they should arrive earlier than their assigned time, Ten_Horn_Sign felt rolling in at 1pm allowed for an effortless check-in and embarkation process.

"But boarding the ship at ports of call, going through security, moving luggage etc - this industry seems to have logistics nailed down. Shocked at how efficient they are, really amazed."

"The greatest customer service I've ever experienced"

Another thing that stood out about Icon was how good the crew members were in the Main Dining Room at dinner.

Specifically, it was the personalized service that stood out and how much they went above and beyond to cater to their family.

• On day one we went to the main dining room and our travel companion asked to order a cocktail, which they don't serve in the MDR. On day two when we were seated, they'd placed a cocktail menu there for him.
• One of the kids really liked a specific variety of the buns in the bread basket; at the kids' end of the table, they filled the basket with that specific bun.
• One of the kids just wanted mashed potatoes for dinner (not on the menu) - no problem, we will get you mashed potatoes

Ten_Horn_Sign summed it up, "the personalized service was like nothing I've ever experienced and was really truly memorable."

What it was like going to the medical facility

One of the kids had to go to Icon's medical facility.

Every cruise ship has a doctor, nurses, and medical bay onboard to handle minor issues. 

After their kid had an allergic reaction, the medical staff took care of the child and gave him steroids and antihistamines and made a follow up check up to see and re-dose the steroids.

The cost for the visit was $264.

Unfortunately, the same kid had to go back again for a second visit after accidentally slicing his toe on the cabin door.

"They cleaned it with a disinfectant and bandaged it, and the ship's safety officer contacted us to file a report, so I gather they take this quite seriously. I don't think I was charged for this, as injuries on the ship are treated for free (as they should be)."

Crew worked hard on ship upkeep

Something else Ten_Horn_Sign was impressed by on Icon of the Seas was how hard the crew worked to keep this new ship looking brand new.

"I saw with my own eyes workers on their knees scrubbing stains out of carpets, or using tiny paintbrushes to touch up scuffed or scratched walls. I watched them disinfect and hose down the Surfside grill. I watched them remove the ice cream machines from the Sprinkles cubicles and clean behind them."

"They deep clean daily and it shows."

Shows were amazing

Royal Caribbean's wheelhouse has traditionally been entertainment, and the shows on Icon did not disappoint.

" Why does nobody ever talk about Effectors? The story was childish but man, the show is great - synchronized drones? Lasers? That effect where Pixel is duplicating herself with copies appearing behind the moving screen? This show was GREAT!"

"We also saw Adam Kario. If you'd tried to get me to pay to see a juggler I'd have rolled my eyes. But that would be my loss - his show was brilliant and funny and the kids and I both loved it."

Too much technology

Onto the the things Ten_Horn_Sign didn't enjoy about Icon, starting with the tech onboard.

"Too much technology, too poorly implemented," is how they described it.

One issue they had was with touchless buttons to open doors, which was problematic with kids in public bathrooms.  

"I understand, post-Covid, why touchless everything sounds good. But honestly, the touchless systems on this ship are downright irritating."

They also were frustrated by the Wowbands onboard, where one kid's band didn't work at all on the arcades, even after two visits to customer service and one replacement bracelet. 

"Cabin door sensors are terrible"

Ten_Horn_Sign claims their stateroom door key worked "10% of the time".

"I don't mean that I was locked out, but I would scan my card and get "red" 9 times out of ten before finally being granted access to my room."

Hard to find quiet areas

Another complaint was there weren't many quiet spaces, lamenting the lack of a library.

Royal Caribbean experimented on Icon with no library on Icon. In general, however, their issue was finding areas to chill.

"A chill lounge would be nice."

Issue with spa billing

One other problem on Icon related to how they were billed for a spa treatment.

My wife and our cruise companion both went to the spa and both had the same treatments. Our cruise companion had won a $50 spa voucher on the ship. "Somehow" the same treatments resulted in a $70 bill for my wife and a $100 bill for our companion. 

So beware that if you think you've got a voucher for something discounted, the ship may just jack up the base charge to avoid giving you much at all.

Icon of the Seas tips and tricks

To round out their review, Ten_Horn_Sign shared some quick tips for anyone cruising on Icon of the Seas.

• There's a black plastic tab on the shower temperature lever you have to depress that lets you go hotter than the child-safe limit.
• Buy champagne by the glass, not the bottle.
• You can control the cabin's light, temperature, and even television with the Royal Caribbean app.
• Surfside restaurant serves a typical "American" breakfast without the lines of the Windjammer.
• Refreshment package is a waste for kids: "In hindsight, strongly wish I'd passed on the drink package; I'd have saved a few hundred bucks and had the exact same experience."

Be sure to check out our own list of ways to master your time on Icon of the Seas.