I think a cruise is better when you go with friends, so the opportunity for a "guys cruise" sounded like the perfect trip.

As my kids have grown up, I've made friends with other dads from their friend group. Any parent knows you're thrown into meeting the parents of your children's friends, but their parents aren't necessarily going to be your friends.

In my case, I'm lucky a few of these parents became my own friends.  One of them, Kenny, thought it would be fun to go on a weekend cruise together.

We chose Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas because it was convenient to where we live in Orlando. Plus, it was over a weekend and that limited time away from home. I also had another reason for wanting to visit: the new Royal Beach Club would be fully open and I wanted to check it out.

So Kenny, Jason, Chris, and Craig all packed our bags and went onboard for what turned out to be a great getaway weekend.

A party ship even if we aren't the target crowd

Ever since Utopia of the Seas launched, it has been set as the weekend party ship as a way to attract new cruisers. While it has plenty of parties, we took it all in stride.

No matter which ship you go on, all of the activities are there for you to try and there's no obligation you have to do any of it.  This is what I really like about a cruise vacation.  You can choose to do all of it or none of it.

In our case, we participated in select activities that were of interest to us.

We were at the Mason Jar bar every night for the music up there, and participated in the Crazy Quest show too.

But we skipped the sailaway party and Rezolutions DJ party because they were a bit too loud for our taste.

Instead, we found lounges and bars to head to and spend our time together that way.

In fact, we tended to gravitate towards the casino for entertainment.

Royal Caribbean expanded the casino space on Utopia by replacing the comedy club and loyalty lounge with a non-smoking casino.  This was a welcome change from the traditional cruise ship casino that still smelled like smoke because it shared the space.

We also tried out the Price is Right game show onboard, in which I won $50 for coming in the top 10 of scores!

I won't pretend any of us were the party crowd that perhaps Utopia of the Seas caters to, but we liked having so many choices of what to do onboard.

All of the food became one of the best reasons to cruise together

Very quickly into the cruise, the food choices became a major focal point.

Royal Caribbean offers so much wonderful food choices on its ships, and I think while we may have skipped over parties, we never skipped a chance to nosh.

As soon as we stepped aboard, the Windjammer buffet had an entire seafood buffet that my friends relished.

Newer Royal Caribbean ships offer a seafood bounty on embarkation day in the Windjammer. As of the posting of this article, I believe it's just on Utopia, Icon, and Star of the Seas.

We planned to go to the Main Dining Room for dinners each night, so we spoke to the head waiter on embarkation day to get us a table together.

Sure enough, we had a large table to ourselves and the wait staff were fantastic.

We were wiped out from fun ashore on the second day, so we ended up having dinner in the Windjammer.  However, I really wanted the French Onion Soup from the Main Dining Room. So I went alone just to get soup and the waiters were happy to oblige!

For our final dinner onboard, we decided to try Hooked and the amount of food ordered was a bit embarrassing.  Don't worry, between all of us we managed to eat almost all of it.

We booked the cruise for the fun we anticipated, but stayed for all of the food.  A bit gluttonous, but the food is part of why I love to cruise.

Our visit to the Royal Beach Club was the perfect "guys day"

One reason we leaned towards this particular Utopia of the Seas sailing was it aligned perfectly with the opening of the new Royal Beach Club.

Royal Caribbean built this new kind of shore excursion as a way to offer its guests an elevated day ashore.

So what started out as a "research trip" for me, ended up becoming the perfect backdrop for my friends.

As dads, when we do almost any excursion with our kids, there's inevitably a lot of taking care of the family needs.  But since it was just us, we got to ease into a day of taking it easy in the pool.

We basically spent our day in the heated pool at Chill Beach, which meant we hung out and talked while occasionally going to the swim-up bar, enjoying the view, or sneaking in a nap.

There's no question that Royal Beach Club is a great choice for families (I'm taking mine there in the spring), but I think our day here was the best group activity we did over the weekend.

The trip felt completely different from our other adventures

Family vacations will always be the primary trip we all take, but it was nice to change things up with a friends cruise.

The cruise showed me how much we limit ourselves by only considering cruise ships for family vacations. Not every guys' trip has to look like a scene from "The Hangover".

Unlike going to a bar at home, we had more choices in what we did and none of the risks associated with having to drive after. 

Being in our 40's, we were never interested in a wild spring break kind of trip. Rather, it was the perfect excuse to get away for a few days.

Royal Caribbean is about to make it even easier to earn loyalty points while cruising on any of its brands of cruise ships.

Beginning January 30, the new Points Choice program will allow cruisers to earn loyalty points when cruising on any cruise line within the Royal Caribbean Group family.

This means you can take a Celebrity Cruise, but earn points in Crown and Anchor Society.

It's a major upgrade for cruisers because it makes it easier to expand your choices in where and how you cruise while still attaining status and climbing the loyalty ladder.

For the cruise company, the goal is to create a more flexible loyalty ecosystem across Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea.

Here’s a full breakdown of what Points Choice is, how it works, and when it starts.

Points Choice provides more choice and more value

Beginning January 30, Points Choice will allow cruisers to sail on Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, or Silversea and earn points back to the preferred loyalty program of their choice.

It will be available on sailings departing on or after January 30, 2026.

The program was initially announced in October 2025 when Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty revealed plans for the program.

"Points Choice is designed with our guests at the center," Mr. Liberty said in a statement today.

"Points Choice gives every guest the power to direct their loyalty points within our family of brands where they will have the biggest impact for them"

With Points Choice, you can now earn points from the Royal Caribbean Group cruise brand of your choice, with the amount of points you earn from a cruise depending on:

• Cruise line
• Number of nights sailed
• Stateroom category

After your sailing completes, you have up to 2 weeks to complete an online form to request the points be transferred.

Up until now, you could only earn loyalty points under the program of the cruise line you sailed on.  Going forward, you'll have the option to transfer those points to another loyalty program, including:

• Crown & Anchor Society (Royal Caribbean International)
• Captain’s Club (Celebrity Cruises)
• Venetian Society (Silversea)

If a guest is happy keeping their points with the brand they sailed, no action is required.

Points exchange rates

Points will be converted using brand-specific exchange rates.

Exchange rates will be reviewed and published annually on our branded websites. 

Royal Caribbean International

Celebrity Cruises

Silversea

How you earn points if you're a solo cruiser

When you cruise solo, how many bonus points you earn depends on which cruise line’s loyalty program you apply those points to.

• Celebrity Cruises awards double points to solo travelers.
• Royal Caribbean gives solo guests one additional point per night.
• Silversea does not offer bonus credit for solo cruising.

For example, a solo guest sailing with Royal Caribbean in a balcony stateroom on a 7-night cruise would earn 14 points total—one base point per night, plus one additional point per night for traveling alone.

If that guest chose to transfer those points to Celebrity Cruises, they would receive 42 Captain’s Club points. That total reflects three base points per night under the exchange rate, plus three bonus points per night for sailing solo.

If the same points were transferred to Silversea, the guest would earn 2 VS days, based on the exchange rate, with no added solo bonus.

The same principle works in reverse. A solo traveler sailing with Celebrity Cruises in a veranda stateroom on a 7-night cruise would earn 42 points—three base points per night, plus three bonus points per night for traveling alone.

If those points were transferred to Royal Caribbean, they would convert to 14 points total, based on one base point per night under the exchange rate, plus one extra point per night for sailing solo.

If transferred to Silversea, the guest would again receive 2 VS days, with no solo travel bonus applied.

How to convert points

Points Choice will apply to sailings that depart on or after January 30, 2026.

After each eligible sailing ends, guests will have 14 days to submit a Points Choice request if they want to move their earned points to a different program:

• Through the Royal Caribbean app
• Royal Caribbean website

If no request is submitted within that window, the points will automatically remain with the brand sailed, just as loyalty points do today. 

There is one important requirement: you must already be enrolled in the loyalty program you want to apply points to.

For example:

• If you sail Royal Caribbean but want the points applied to Celebrity’s Captain’s Club, you must already be a Captain’s Club member.
• If you sail Celebrity and want points applied to Crown & Anchor, you must already be enrolled in Crown & Anchor.

To enroll, log in to your app and navigate to the Loyalty Match section to complete your enrollment.

A separate request form must be submitted for every sailing when you wish to apply points to another program. 

Allow up to 30 days after your cruise is completed and you submit your request.  Once submitted, requests cannot be changed, and points can only be transferred once between brands.

The cruise line plans to introduce a preference center later this year that will enable you to make your selection once for all future sailings. 

Lastly, you cannot apply loyalty points to another member.

No change to how you earn Crown and Anchor points

The big difference with Points Choice is you can now earn Crown and Anchor Society points by taking other cruises within the Royal Caribbean brands.

Nothing is changing as it relates to how many points are earned by cruising on Royal Caribbean.

Guests will continue earning points based on:

• Stateroom category
• Length of the cruise

Points Choice is about enabling fans of one line to be able to sail on another line while still moving up the loyalty ladder.

In addition, there's no change to any of the loyalty rewards and benefits. 

Making it easier to cruise more

Points Choice is part of the evolution of taken to offer more to cruisers that began with status matching, which allowed members of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Silversea's programs to enjoy reciprocal status regardless of which brand they sail with. 

This meant you could get a one-for-one status match across all three brands once you've accrued status with just one line.

If, for instance, you're a Diamond Crown & Anchor member, you'll automatically become an Elite Captain's Club member and Venetian Society member with 250 VS Days once all of the accounts have been connected. 

That change alone has afforded plenty of new perks when trying a new Royal Caribbean Group line.

Royal Caribbean built just one Ultimate Family Cabana that has more space than any other cabana it's ever built, and a price tag of $10,000.

Located within the Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, this one-of-a-kind two-story private retreat is aimed at those who want everything they could possibly need in a beach day.

The Royal Beach Club is a shore excursion developed and operated by Royal Caribbean. While admission to the beach club ranges between $100 - $250 per person (dynamic pricing means the exact price depends on your ship and date), there are cabanas you can rent that include admission.

While the UFC is not cheap, there's a market for it. 

"In the first hour when we opened for sale, we sold our ultimate family cabana for one day at $10,000, which was quite remarkable," said Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley during an earnings call last year.

"Subsequently, we've sold a lot of days in the Ultimate Family Cabana at $10,000."

What do you get for that price and what's it like inside? I took a tour of the new cabana to share photos of what you can expect.

The biggest cabana yet

Located in the Family Beach section of the Royal Beach Club, the Ultimate Family Cabana is in situated between the zero-entry pool and beach.

Among the other cabanas nearby, this stands out like a mansion among regular homes.

Landscaping and ropes ensure privacy as it's large footprint gives you plenty of space.

It's two stories tall, with a backyard beach and front patio.

If you purchase the cabana, it includes admission for up to 12 people plus all of these perks:

• Cabana attendant
• Private bathroom
• Private shower
• Private changing room
• Wet bar
• Reserved beach space
• Heated whirlpool
• Spiral slide
• Wooden swing
• Hammock
• Suspended net lounger
• Frozen drink machine
• TV
• Mini fridge

The goal of this cabana is to deliver a "premium, opulent, over-the-top cabana", as described by Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider. After all, the idea was inspired by the Ultimate Family Suite and Ultimate Family Townhouses on Royal Caribbean ships.

As you enter on the lower level, there's a large living room set on wood decking. There are chairs and couches that look like they could easily be at someone's lanai.

The living space extends to offer outdoor couch space too, so you can enjoy being in the shade or the sun.

I also spotted a few board games that you can play at one of the many full length tables within the cabana.

As advertised, there is a frozen drink machine that can dispense pina coladas or daiquiris with no wait.

Don't worry, you don't have to get drinks yourself. A cabana attendant will serve food and drink, is included.

There's even a small kitchen, where you have a fridge, sink, and place for your cabana attendant to manage everything you need. Opposite the kitchen is a private restroom to use.

Walking out to the back, there is the heated hot tub that's just for your use.

Not only is the hot tub private, but it offers unfettered views of the beach and ocean.

If you prefer, there's also reserved beach chairs and umbrellas near the ocean, along with easy access to the blue waters.

There's a hammock nearby to take naps in, read a book, or to take a moment to appreciate everything this cabana offers.

Moving to the back of the cabana, stairs lead to the upper level.

Coming back down is much easier since there's giant slide to bring you right into a sandy finish.

The slide has a button at the top to "prime" it with water. It's a combo "wet/dry slide" but the water ensures you'll go down it with ease.

Upstairs, you'll find a day bed that faces the ocean. It's the perfect nap spot!

There are also beach loungers with some sun to enjoy being outside. You'll also find a wet bar upstairs, to ensure you only need to go back downstairs if you want to try the slide.

The views from the second floor are incredible. You have the perfect vantage point to people watch around the Family Beach pool, or take in the scenery of the beautiful Bahamian waters.

One heck of a way to spend your day

I could only spend a few minutes exploring the Ultimate Family Cabana, but I'd imagine this would be an incredible cabana to enjoy for the day.

Royal Caribbean isn't kidding when they say it has everything you'd need. There's just about everything I've ever seen in any cabana experience to date, plus a few extras.

Suffice to say, kids will never want to leave the cabana. It would be a mesmerizing experience with so much to do and try. It's a good thing there are plenty of places for a nap to recharge later.

I think one thing it needs is a white picket fence to keep astounded guests from wandering in, especially on the front porch area. 

The list price is $10,000, but I've seen it on sale for my upcoming cruises with discounts of up to 30% off.

Even at $7,000, it's still a very expensive splurge.  But there's no doubt renting one of these cabanas would create more memories than any other beach day I can imagine.

Royal Caribbean has cancelled more of its scheduled visits to Labadee, its private destination in Haiti, through the end of 2026.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we have extended our pause to Labadee through December 2026," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said in a statement confirming the news to Royal Caribbean Blog.

Prior to today's announcement, the cruise line had scrapped visits through April 2026.

This means no Royal Caribbean ship has visited Labadee as part of a scheduled port stop since April 2025. And that follows a stoppage of visits in 2024.

Extending the pause in visits to Labadee an additional 8 months is the result of putting safety first.

In previous announcements when Labadee was skipped for months, the cruise line explained the decision was made to ensure the wellbeing of guests and crew. 

Emails to guests sent out explain, "We have been monitoring the evolving situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and out of an abundance of caution, we're cancelling our visit to Labadee."

Labadee is a private beach owned and operated by Royal Caribbean offering cruise ship passengers an exclusive spot for a relaxing beach day. 

No other cruise lines sail to Haiti.

Where the ships will go instead

Travel agents were sent a list of replaced ports for ships that were scheduled to visit Labadee.

• Adventure of the Seas  
  • May 23 and June 20
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 9:00 AM and depart at 6:00 PM.
  • July 18  
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, arriving at 8:00 AM and departing at 5:00 PM. Additionally, before our first Sea Day, we'll now visit Nassau, Bahamas in place of Falmouth, Jamaica. We'll arrive in Nassau at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • August 15
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 7:00 AM and depart at 3:00 PM.
  • September 12 and October 10
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, arriving at 8:00 AM and departing at 5:00 PM. Additionally, we'll now visit Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic in place of Falmouth, Jamaica. We'll arrive in Puerto Plata at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • October 30
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Cozumel, Mexico. We'll arrive at 7:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted our departure time from Nassau, Bahamas. We'll now depart at 3:00 PM instead of 2:30 PM.
  • November 7
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos. We'll arrive at 10:00 AM and depart at 6:00 PM.
  • December 5
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
• Allure of the Seas:
  • May 10, May 24, July 5, July 19, August 16, August 30, September 13, September 27, and October 11
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • June 7
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 7:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted the times we'll visit Falmouth, Jamaica. We'll now be arriving in Falmouth at 8:00 AM and departing at 4:00 PM.
  • June 21 and August 2
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted the time we'll visit Falmouth, Jamaica, and Perfect Day at CocoCay. We'll now be arriving in Falmouth at 8:00 AM and departing at 4:00 PM and we'll now arrive in Perfect Day at CocoCay at 7:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • October 25
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at San Juan, Puerto Rico. We'll arrive at 10:30 AM and depart at 5:00 PM. Additionally, we're swapping our visit to Falmouth, Jamaica, for a visit to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. We'll be arriving at 9:30 AM and departing at 5:00 PM.
  • November 15, November 29, and December 13
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a relaxing Sea Day instead. Additionally, we'll now depart Falmouth, Jamaica, at 5:00 PM.
  • December 20
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted the times we'll visit San Juan, Puerto Rico. We'll now arrive at 9:30 AM and depart at 6:00 PM.
• Brilliance of the Seas:
  • December 21
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • December 28
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
• Explorer of the Seas:
  • November 13 and December 11
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • November 27
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted our departure time from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic the next day. We'll now depart at 4:00 PM instead of 5:00 PM.
  • December 21
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Grand Bahama Island. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
• Freedom of the Seas:
  • May 2
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • May 7, May 21, August 22, October 31, and December 17
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • May 16, May 30, June 13, June 27, July 11, July 25, August 8, September 5, September 19, October 3, and October 17
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 7:30 AM and depart at 5:30 PM.
  • November 14 and December 26
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Falmouth, Jamaica. We'll arrive at 7:00 AM and depart at 4:00 PM.
  • November 28
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at George Town, Grand Cayman*. We'll arrive at 10:00 AM and depart at 6:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted the times we'll visit Nassau, Bahamas. We'll now be arriving at 7:00 AM and departing at 4:00 PM.
  • December 12
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Costa Maya, Mexico. We'll arrive at 9:00 AM and depart at 6:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted the times we'll visit Nassau, Bahamas. We'll now arrive at 7:00 AM and depart at 4:00 PM.
• Icon of the Seas:
  • May 2
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Cozumel, Mexico. We'll arrive at 7:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM. Additionally, we're swapping out our visits to Philipsburg, St. Maarten and San Juan Puerto Rico. We're now excited to explore Costa Maya, Mexico and Roatan, Honduras. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM for both of these destinations.
• Independence of the Seas:
  • May 7, June 4, July 2, and July 30
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 4:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted our departure time from San Juan, Puerto Rico. We'll now be departing at 3:30 PM instead of 2:30 PM.
  • October 29
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. We'll arrive at 7:00 AM and depart at 4:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted the times we'll visit Kralendijk, Bonaire. We'll now arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • December 6
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a relaxing Sea Day. Additionally, we've adjusted the times we'll visit Falmouth, Jamaica. We'll now arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
• Jewel of the Seas:
  • May 25 and June 15
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
• Legend of the Seas:
  • November 22 and December 6
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a relaxing Sea Day. Additionally, we've adjusted our departure time from Falmouth, Jamaica. We'll now depart at 5:00 PM instead of 4:00 PM.
  • December 20
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a relaxing Sea Day. Additionally, we've adjusted the times we'll visit Falmouth, Jamaica. We'll now arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
• Oasis of the Seas:
  • April 29
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a relaxing Sea Day. Additionally, we've adjusted the day and times we'll visit Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida, and Nassau, Bahamas. We'll now be arriving in Orlando on Saturday at 8:00 AM and departing at 6:00 PM and we'll now arrive in Nassau on Monday at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
  • October 25
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at San, Juan, Puerto Rico. We'll arrive at 10:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM. Additionally, we've adjusted the times we'll visit Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. We'll now be departing Orlando at 7:00 PM, we'll now arrive in Perfect Day at CocoCay at 8:00 AM and depart at 4:00 PM, and we'll now arrive in Puerto Plata at 9:00 AM.
  • December 21
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a relaxing Sea Day. Additionally, we've adjusted the times we'll visit Falmouth, Jamaica. We'll now arrive at 7:00 AM and depart at 4:00 PM.
• Star of the Seas:
  • May 3
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a relaxing Sea Day. Additionally, we've swapped our visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for a day in Philipsburg, St. Maarten instead. We'll arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM. We've also adjusted the times for our visit to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and will now arrive at 8:00 AM and depart at 5:00 PM.
• Utopia of the Seas:
  • May 4
    • Instead of visiting Labadee, we'll now enjoy a stop at Nassau, Bahamas. We'll arrive at 7:30 AM and depart at 5:30 PM.

The challenge with replacing a port of call with less than a year before the sailing is port stops are planned years in advance, and that leaves few open slots in a port for a ship to call on.

Warning not to travel

Haiti has been in a state of emergency since March 2024 when gang violence surged and caused civil panic around its cities.

The U.S. State Department lists Haiti at its highest warning level possible, Level 4, with the warning "Do not travel".

The website then says, "Do not travel to Haiti for any reason."

"Crimes involving firearms are common in Haiti. They include robbery, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings for ransom."

In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard has concerns about security in the ports of Haiti. Until those are addressed, the Coast Guard advises mariners and passengers traveling through the ports of Haiti to exercise caution.

Haiti's ongoing crisis

With armed gangs now controlling much of the country, it's created a major humanitarian crisis because of widespread violence, hunger and displacement.

Much of today's troubles began in 2021 when President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated. As a result of governmental instability and major economic strife, armed gangs exploited the resulting power vacuum.

Today, gangs control nearly all of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital city, and are expanding their reach outward.

Armed groups compete violently for territory, showing little regard for civilian lives. As gang control spreads across northern and western Haiti, the humanitarian crisis has deepened.

The United Nations has engaged in multiple support missions to stabilize the country, but previous operations failed due to being underfunded and underequipped. 

A planned 2026 intervention is in the works.

Impact to Royal Caribbean's bottom line

Labadee isn't scheduled for many Royal Caribbean ships, but cancellations in previous months have impacted revenue.

During the Royal Caribbean Group earnings call in October 2025, CEO Jason Liberty called the closure a "headwind", "Our fourth quarter year outlook has been trivially impacted due to adverse weather and the unplanned extension of the temporary closure of Labadee, one of our exclusive destinations."

During that quarter, Chief Financial Officer Naftali Holtz broke down the impact further by saying earnings per share were negatively impacted by $0.05 as a result of adverse weather events and the unplanned extension of the closure of Labadee.

The Izumi menu has been updated again following feedback from guests.

Just weeks after Royal Caribbean altered the menu to no longer include vegetables as part of its hibachi meal, it appears the "undo button" has been hit.

Izumi is a specialty restaurant that offers hibachi dining in addition to sushi. It's a very popular choice among cruisers.

However, during the holiday season a new menu listed vegetables were no longer included with the cost.

That meant the hibachi meal only included fried rice and two proteins. Grilled vegetables were available for $5 extra (or as one of the proteins).

The good news is the revised menu includes vegetables once again.

Back on the menu

Laurie Olivieri boarded Utopia of the Seas on Monday and noticed the menu has been changed.

It now says, "All entries come with vegetables and fried rice" above the list of proteins.

Previously, it said "All entries come with fried rice" only.

There's been no change to pricing.

Carol M. was also on Utopia and shared what she heard from a crew member that was preparing her food, "We had lunch at Izumi on Utopia today and every guest got veggies."

"When I asked the chef, he said they got so many complaints, especially from returning cruisers, that they are starting to give everyone veggies again."

"He said they were not serving everyone veggies last week, but it came down from headquarters to bring them back."

The cost to dine at Izumi hibachi is listed at $70 per adult for dinner, and $45 per adult for lunch.  Both meals are the same menu.

You can usually reserve Izumi hibachi for less when pre-booking prior to the start of the cruise. For example, on an upcoming Utopia of the Seas cruise, the cost is $55.99 per adult for dinner and $35.99 per adult for lunch.

Controversial change

When vegetables were removed suddenly, it caught a lot of cruisers off guard as to why it would have been done in the first place.

"Most ridiculous thing I have ever seen from Royal and they do a lot of crazy things," wrote Jeff Whiting on the Royal Caribbean Blog Facebook page.

Jessica Gomez added, "I would strongly urge [Royal Caribbean] to reconsider this decision. Continued price increases combined with reduced offerings risk alienating loyal customers."

"I usually stand with Royal’s decisions, but this one is just blatant cost cutting and is very disappointing," wrote Chris Barnes.

Why Izumi is so popular

Izumi hibachi is usually sold out on most sailings and it's largely because of how much of a crowd pleaser it is.

It's a fun experience where the chef cooking in front of you puts on a show that adds an entertainment factor. Plus, the menu appeals to even the pickiest of eaters: chicken or beef (along with seafood options).

In addition, hibachi has a fixed cost that includes appetizers, main course, rice, and dessert.

A quick fix

Ultimately, Royal Caribbean made a quick change to remedy the situation.

Guest feedback may have played a role in the menu rollback. Even small tweaks can alter the perception of any venue, leading to brushback.

Going forward, we can expect the veggies back as part of the meal.

The Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is a simple solution to a long-standing problem of cruise ship passengers finding a compelling and lovely way to spend the day in Nassau, Bahamas.

This new kind of shore excursion combines the best ideas Royal Caribbean had at its private islands, sprinkled in some new ideas, and built it in one of the best spots you could ever hope for in a tropical getaway.

It's definitely not a private island that's an extension of the ship. Rather, it's a Royal Caribbean built and designed optional excursion that applies what they know cruisers look for in a beach day.

Nassau is one of the most visited cruise ports in the Caribbean, but historically a lot of vacationers treated it like a sea day because the offerings had become stale.

I spoke with Jay Schneider, who is Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer and lead the development effort with the new beach club, about why Royal Caribbean built the new club, "We’ve heard from our guests that they’re looking for new and exciting experiences in Nassau."

"Over the last five to seven years, we’ve been on a mission to develop what we think is the ultimate beach day for them."

This new beach club is the answer people have openly asked for, and it's likely going to be a key differentiator for Royal Caribbean.

Open only to passengers of Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises, guests pay an admission fee to enter the Royal Beach Club. There's dynamic pricing, but you can expect to pay around $100 - $200 per person if you pre-purchase a ticket. The list price onboard is $250 per person.

I paid for my day pass admission about 2 months before the cruise and it cost me $130 for the pass with unlimited alcohol.

I visited for the day while sailing on Utopia of the Seas and found the kind of beach and pool day that eclipsed anything else I've experienced in The Bahamas.

A new kind of day at the beach

I'm no stranger to day passes as a shore excursion. I've been to dozens of day passes around the Caribbean, including Atlantis and the British Colonial.

The difference with the Royal Beach Club is it offers more than any of those do, while adding superior service and convenience.

It appears Royal Caribbean took the best ideas from Perfect Day at CocoCay with Hideaway Beach and Coco Beach Club and used that as its starting point for the new beach club.

Mr. Schneider thinks the finished product sets a new standard, "This is the perfect beach day. I think the design here actually exceeds CocoCay’s — and I’d argue it rivals any beach and pool club on the planet."

Your day pass includes transportation from the ship to the beach club.  The piece of land is close enough to see from your cruise ship, but it's not connected to the cruise port. Instead, you board complimentary water ferries that take you there.

It's a short 5 minute ferry ride over, where you have the choice of stopping at either end of the property.

Royal Beach Club is 17 acres, split into three zones:

• Chill Beach
• Party Cove
• Family Beach

The names allude to the sort of vibe you can expect, but you can go to any of them and there's no adult-only areas.

Your day pass gets you access to any of the chairs and umbrellas, which are first-come, first-reserved. You can also get to any of the pools or hot tubs.

You also get unlimited food, drink, Wi-Fi, and ferry transportation. Towels are provided too, so there's no need to bring any from the ship.

All of the pools are heated, which is one of the best features because the ocean may not be optimal temperature year-round. Having been to unheated pools, it can be quite chilly. If you've been to Oasis Lagoon at CocoCay, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

One thing you'll notice quickly about the property is it's deceptively large. There's more than enough room to spread out.

You can stay as long as you like with ferries running continuously. 

One note about the ferry service is when you want to depart back to the ship, the ferry will drop you off at the far side of the Nassau cruise port.  

I timed the walk back to the ship, and it was about 15 minutes, including a line to go through security.  It's a lengthy walk and could be problematic during the hotter months with kids. After a long day of fun in the sun and surf, I could envision meltdowns on the long walk back.

Service as good as any cruise

One thing about the experience I was curious about was would it feel like an elevated day.  I was worried with everyone having unlimited food and drink, getting service would be a challenge.

My fears were quickly assuaged as my day progressed. Each area of the beach, pool and walkways has a server that's assigned to that area to get drinks.

If you sit down at a chair, there's a bartender there to take your order.  But if you go to a bar or swim-up bar, there's another group of bartenders there to take your drink order.

This makes it easy to meander and enjoy the entire beach club without being subject to one or two waiters, which is usually how it works at other day pass clubs I've been to in the Caribbean.

I was able to get my drinks quickly and there was a good mix of creative cocktails to sample, as well as tried-and-true favorites.

The only strange issue was at the swim-up bar where the bartenders needed to scan our SeaPass card for every drink. I found this strange considering it's all-inclusive so clearly we all get drinks. All it did was slow everything down (the bartender said it was for inventory management).

There are multiple restaurants in each zone, but it's the same menu at each one.  The idea is to make food service quick and convenient and to reduce trekking around to track down the food you want.

I'm not a food critic, but I think the food menu was good, not great.  I didn't love it as much as the Snack Shack location at Perfect Day, but Royal Caribbean overhauled the menu just days after my visit.

The chicken fingers were easily my favorite food, although they do have a kick to them even without the BBQ sauce.

I also think the chicken wrap and burger were quite satisfying.

Luxury options if you prefer more luxury in your beach day

In addition to the day passes, there are cabanas and day beds you could rent.

Each of them includes admission for a certain amount of people, and it comes with added service as well as private and reserved areas.

I generally like renting a cabana with my family because it offers a home base of operations, dedicated service, and shade.

If you have the budget for it, they are a fabulous way to splurge and elevate your day even further.  Your cabana host will bring you any food and drink you want (same menu as everywhere else), which means you never have to leave your private spot.

There are beach cabanas, pool cabanas, cabanas with views of both, and more. 

In fact, there's even an over-the-top Ultimate Family Cabana that costs $10,000 that looks incredible given how many amenities it has. 

Those with the money to spend, it has a private hot tub, beach area, two levels, frozen drink machine, and more.

A super excursion with everything you'd want for a day by the water

Is the Royal Beach Club worth it? I think so, given how much is included and how well it's all delivered.

I think a lot of families want a captivating spot for fun in the sun, and I think Royal Caribbean really delivered the beach/pool day experience most would want.

When comparing it to other day pass options in Nassau, none include as much or offer nearly as good amenities. 

Plus, the pool and beach set up are picture perfect. It feels like any spot you pick is worthy of a postcard because the views are stunning.

The beauty of the property really stood out to me, as the club delivers on the idyllic tropical setting I think so many people envision when they think about taking a Caribbean cruise.

"The entire site is breathtakingly beautiful — from the big design moments like the floating flamingo bar to the smallest details, including art from local Bahamian artists and even the design of back-of-house buildings," Schneider told me.

Plus, it's very close to where the ships are located. 

It's not a cheap excursion, but considering it's all-inclusive and includes transportation, I think it's worth the cost when you can take advantage of a pre-cruise sale that brings the price down to under $150 per person.

Royal Beach Club tips and advice

If you have the Royal Beach Club booked, here are some tricks and ways to maximize your visit.

Always prebook admission so you can save money. Do not wait to book it before the cruise begins.

It's a good idea to get to the island early. I'd recommend before 10am for pick of almost any spot. 

Don't bring towels. There are complimentary towels at the club, and they're much nicer than the blue ones your ship has.

There are beach wheelchairs and paved areas around, so accessibility should not be an issue.

If you want the quietest spots, head to the very end of either Family Beach or Chill Beach.  The further down the beach you go, it gets very secluded.

There's also complimentary reef-safe sunscreen provided at the towel stations and cabana check-in. No excuse for getting sunburned!

Happy weekend! We hope you are enjoying a wonderful and relaxing weekend and managing to stay warm. Now it is time to sit back with a cuppa tea or java, and check out the latest in Royal Caribbean cruise news.

A woman was charged for defrauding her clients over $50,000, including making fake Royal Caribbean cruise bookings.

Tavia Thomas is alleged to have defrauded families by taking payments for vacations and failing to actually book them.

Thomas faces three counts of third-degree grand larceny, three counts of first-degree scheme to defraud, and two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean breaks ground on new Miami cruise terminal
• Quantum of the Seas embarkation delayed by over four hours because of medical emergency
• The Royal Up bid trick (it's all luck and availability)
• 16 Do's and Don'ts of taking a Royal Caribbean cruise in 2026
• Can you cruise with a felony?
• 8 ways to celebrate a birthday on your Royal Caribbean cruise
• Rare look inside a cruise ship captain's living quarters
• The trick to finding cheap cruises is picking the right time
• 10 stylish and casual outfits that are perfect for a cruise and the office

New RCB Video: Boarding day cruise ship tips for 2026

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 — Boarding day cruise ship tips for 2026 — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.

Royal Caribbean rumored to announce new ship class soon

A new report claims a French shipyard is poised to announce plans to build a new Royal Caribbean ship class.

According to the report, it's for a "a class of medium to large tonnage ships for Royal Caribbean."

It's speculated this could refer to the Discovery Class ships.

Royal Caribbean banned new tech gear

There's now a new list of things Royal Caribbean won't let you bring on a cruise ship.

The cruise line's list of banned items that you aren't allowed to bring on a ship now includes more cybersecurity gear.

The changes include things like satellite dishes, routers, and more.

Royal Caribbean recategorizes some cabins on Legend of the Seas

Passengers booked on Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship got emails about a change in room assignments.

Guests booked in certain cabins on Legend of the Seas got a notification that cabins have been recategorized and it's necessitated a change in rooms.

That's lead to some people to be upgraded or moved to a different cabin that can accommodate their party size.

16 best foods on Royal Caribbean

There's lots of great food to try, but Matt has his list of 16 best food that he'll eat every time.

While he admits he's no food critic, these are routinely the kind of food that never disappoints.

French onion soup, crepes, Tomahawk steak, and more made his list. 

When it comes to making a bid to upgrade your Royal Caribbean cabin, there's a mix of strategy and a dash of luck involved.

Cruise ship passengers can choose to bid for a stateroom upgrade through Royal Up for less than it would have cost to have booked the room outright.

The cruise line uses Royal Up to sell unsold cabins, while passengers could get a better room.

The trick to winning a Royal Up bid isn't as simple as putting in the highest possible bid. Based on our experience, there's a few different factors at play.

If you're wondering what it will take to get a room upgrade, here are the tricks other cruisers have found.

First, check if there's actually a room available

The first truth of Royal Up is just because you can place a bid does not mean there's a room available.

Royal Up is used for both selling unsold cabins and guarding against a last-minute cancellation.

What it's really asking is if there was a room available, how much would you bid for it.

Before you get hopes up, I'd recommend making a mock booking for the cruise you're sailing on via Royal Caribbean's website to see if there are actually cabins in that category available.

This is especially important with suites, as they are the most desirable staterooms and have the least inventory.

The closer you are to your sail date, the less likely there are unsold cabins left.

While you're looking at which cabins are left, you could also simply call Royal Caribbean and ask how much to upgrade your cabin "the old fashioned way". Not only could it be for a reasonable price, but there's no guessing or algorithm to contend with.

The room you're already booked in plays a factor

Many cruisers swear the cabin you booked is taken into consideration for which bid is accepted.

A reader wrote, "It's as much the cabin you're currently assigned as it is your bidding."

"If you have a cabin type that will sell easily vs a more expensive cabin, your chances increase. Last two upgrades were from junior suites to higher category suites."

For example, if you're booked in a centrally located balcony, your bid would be more desirable than someone booked in a balcony at the very front of the ship. Or at least, that's what we think.

Part of the reason Royal Caribbean offers stateroom bidding is to maximize the profitability of a sailing. Many people believe the algorithm takes into account:

• How much you originally paid for the cabin
• How much you bid
• How likely and how much it could resell your old cabin

No one really knows how the Royal Up system works, but this rationale seems to hold up given that simply placing a maximum bid doesn't always work.

Try bidding for upgrades on an offseason cruise

I think your highest chance of success with Royal Up is to try it out on a less popular cruise.

If you can take advantage of a shoulder season cruise when there are less families onboard and demand is lower, you might have better luck.

Being on a cruise with higher availability of rooms simply will help your chances.

That isn't to say you can't win an upgrade on a spring break or Christmas cruise, but it's likely Royal Caribbean will sell the cabins conventionally without needing to offer them as an upgrade.

More bid upgrade tips

Many cruisers have shared in their experience, bidding a little more than the minimum has won them a Royal Up.

Going just a few dollars above the minimum price works just as well as max bid.

Plus, in some cases the max bid price will cost more than the stateroom might have cost outright.

Also, keep your hopes in check for that suite.

Reality check: everyone wants a suite, but bidding on a Promenade View cabin is more likely to get accepted because less people are interested in it.

If you book your cruise in an interior room, I think you'll have a better shot at winning a Royal Up when trying for a balcony or lower category room.

Royal Caribbean ships typically have a lot of room categories that offer different views and spaces.  Even just upgrading to a "spacious" room could make your voyage more enjoyable.

Don't rely on Royal Up as your primary room selection strategy

Think of Royal Up like playing the lotto at home: you don't play it expecting to win.  

Instead, book the room you really want and will enjoy for a cruise. You should never depend on winning a Royal Up because the odds are against you with so many other people trying to Royal Up too.

As someone who travels almost every month on Royal Caribbean ships, I get to try a lot of cruise ship food.

Royal Caribbean executives have said that food is one of the top two reasons people book a cruise, and I've found a list of my favorites that I'll order every time I visit.

While I'm no food critic, I think these are dishes that truly stand out as being really darn satisfying.  

Based on my dining experiences and personal tastes, these are the top 15 best Royal Caribbean food if you love to eat.

Tomahawk steak from Chops

If you're a steak lover, you probably should try the Tomahawk steak option.

It's available as one of the premium cuts at the Chops Grille specialty restaurant. That means there's an additional cost on top of the restaurant's cover charge. 

My readers raved about this steak and implored me to try it when I sailed on Icon of the Seas recently. It's a giant piece of high quality steak.

I don't consider myself a steak expert, but I think this is the ultimate steak for anyone that considers themselves one.

World from Wonderland

One of the most different specialty restaurants you'll find is Wonderland, which is loosely based on the Alice in Wonderland tales.

Their dessert is so darn good. It not only tastes good, but looks so cool.

You are served a chocolate globe and then warm chocolate is poured on top of it to melt it all into a gooey and rich dish.

French Onion Soup from Main Dining Room

You don't have to pay extra for all of the best food, because an all-time favorite Royal Caribbean food is the French Onion Soup.

I've had French Onion Soup at a lot of restaurants, but Royal Caribbean's version is verifiably better. I'm not sure exactly why, but they do it right.

It's served piping hot with a fresh layer of melted cheese and just the right mix of onions, broth and bread.  Plus, the soup broth flavor is top notch.

It's also available every night at Coastal Kitchen on the dinner menu there.

There's a DIY version of this soup on some nights in the Windjammer, but it never hits the same way.

Crepes from Aquadome Marketplace

I probably could call out each of the food halls at Aquadome Market as worthy of being on this list, but the Crepes station deserves top honors.

The proof is in the consistently long lines for people waiting to get one.

It's freshly made just the way you want, and the perfect snack or meal.

Brisket from Portside BBQ

One of the most underrated restaurants across Royal Caribbean is Portside BBQ.  I don't know why it isn't on more ships, but it's really good.

Among the choices on the menu, I don't think you can go wrong with the beef brisket.  It's tender, smoked, and almost melts as you eat it.

Ranger Cookie from Cafe Promenade

Whenever I poll cruise fans for their favorite snack on Royal Caribbean, the Ranger Cookie comes up as a winner.

First and foremost, it's chewy and not brittle.  That's a win.  Plus it has a really good sweet flavor to it.

I'm not a huge coconut fan, but these cookies are probably the best quick snack around.

Kummelwick Sandwich from Park Cafe

Ever since I tried my first Kummelwick sandwich on Oasis of the Seas back in 2010, I've been hooked on this snack.

It's a roast beef sandwich served on a Kummelwick roll, and you can choose to have mustard, au jus, and/or horseradish served on it.

I think they've tweaked the sandwich over the years, but it's still a solid "I wasn't hungry, but I want one" kind of snack.

Broiled cod from Izumi Omakase

When I tried the new chef-driven Japanese restaurant on Utopia of the Seas, I expected the sushi to be my favorite food. But I fell in love with the broiled black cod.

Among the courses, this was my favorite for the incredible flavor.

It's really tender and after I finished it I wanted two more (I didn't get them, but I need to get back and have it again).

"Deep dish pizza" bread from Lincoln Park Supper Club

I'm a sucker for a good starter, and Lincoln Park Supper Club was exactly the right choice.

The "Deep dish pizza" bread is essentially a deconstructed pizza.  You are served the bread, and then add the cheese and toppings.

Indian curry from Windjammer

Want to know the most underrated food Royal Caribbean has on all of its ships? Indian curry.

You can get it every day in the Windjammer buffet or at dinner at the Main Dining Room. Each day they offer different varieties. 

I've been eating Indian food on Royal Caribbean since my first cruise and it's consistently one of the most flavorful dishes you'll find and remarkably satisfying.

Spaghetti Bolognese from the Main Dining Room

I know spaghetti and meat sauce isn't an exotic dish or something new you've never tried, but it's still one of my go-to MDR dishes to order.

There's something about their sauce that stands out, but the Spaghetti Bolognese is likely my top comfort food on Royal Caribbean.

Asian stir fry station in the Windjammer

The variety of food served at the cruise ship buffet is amazing, but I'll overlook it all if there's Asian stir fry available.

At one of the cooking stations that are usually at the back of the Windjammer, there is a custom stir fry offered (it's sometimes called Mongolian Grill too). You tell the chef which ingredients to include, as well as the sauce.

It's combined with noodles and a protein and it's the kind of food you can eat over and over again.

Margherita pizza from Giovanni's Italian Kitchen

Ever since Royal Caribbean overhauled Giovanni's, I've found so many new favorites.  But I think the margherita pizza is their best option.

It's not that surprising considering the cruise line tapped a master pizza expert to help them craft their pizzas.

Trust me, it's so much better than what you'll get at Sorrento's.

Filet mignon from Coco Beach Club

There are many candidates for the best steak across Royal Caribbean, but I think the best filet mignon isn't even on a cruise ship.

Available at the Coco Beach Club, it's easily the best steak I'll reserve the beach club just to have it.

I'm not good at describing how steak tastes, but compared to the versions at Chops, 150 Central Park, or other restaurants, I'll always prefer the Coco Beach Club version.

Fried cheesecake at 150 Central Park

Fried food usually a solid win for taste, but the fried cheesecake at 150 Central Park is worth the cost of admission alone.

This dessert is so sweet, and they serve you two.  Every time I think "I'll only eat one" but of course, I cannot help but eat them both.

Buddha bowl at Pier 7

Easily overlooked, but Pier 7 on the Icon Class ships has some great food, including the Buddha bowl.

A mix of fresh vegetables, fruit, grains, and a protein, I think it has a great combination of satisfaction while feeling guilt-free.