Grab your chopsticks and wasbi, because we have a brand new video all about my favorite foods at Izumi on Royal Caribbean.

Izumi is Royal Caribbean's signature Japanese specialty restaurant, and it has become a real favorite across the fleet.  Their menu offers a lot of fantastic choices, and I am sharing my top picks in this video.

And if you love this video, we have lots of other great cruise videos to watch on our Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel!

By the way, have you subscribed yet? Be sure to subscribe to our channel and never miss a single video!

So check out the video and then let us know: What is your favorite thing to order at Izumi?

Royal Caribbean announced today the features, activities, entertainment and more coming to Odyssey of the Seas in November 2020.

The first Quantum Ultra Class ship to arrive in North America, will feature a two-level pool deck, as well as a collection of restaurant choices to enjoy.

Thrills & Activities

Odyssey of the Seas will feature a variety of new offerings for the family ro enjoy, including the next generation of Royal Caribbean’s signature SeaPlex, the largest indoor activity space at sea. The most interactive arcade to ever sail will dominate the upper level of SeaPlex with VR games for individual and group play, augmented reality walls and floors for high-tech competitions and family experiences.

The SeaPlex on Odyssey will have a full-sized sports court with bumper cars, and a flying trapeze. The space will also double as a glow-in-the-dark laser tag arena in Clash for the Crystal City. 

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade is coming to the SeaPlex, which will offer club-level views of the competition in the SeaPlex as well as on onscreen. Playmakers will serve up buffalo wings, sliders and the signature Playmakers Burger, alongside ice-cold brews. Guests can also enjoy classic board games, step up to the most interactive arcade at sea, play trivia and pool. Also available is the Owner’s Box VIP area.

Also onboard Odyssey of the Seas will be the FlowRider surf simulator, RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, 40-foot rock climbing wall, and SkyPad bungee trampoline experience.

Pool time

If you want to relax and unwind, the pool deck on Odyssey of the Seas will feature two open-air, resort-style pools and four whirlpools, surrounded by plenty of shady casitas and hammocks.

The Lime & Coconut will also be onboard, featuring two stories of drinks and pool views. El Loco Fresh will also be nearby, with authentic Mexican grab-and-go fare, from tacos and burritos, to quesadillas and an array of fresh salsas.

Kids will be able to enjoy Splashaway Bay, an aqua park that boasts colorful waterslides, fountains, water cannons and more.

Adults can retreat to the Solarium, an exclusive space on the top deck, for some much needed “me time,” including swimming pools and whirlpools, a full-service bar, daybeds and hidden nooks for ultimate relaxation.

Entertainment

Two70 will be on Odyssey of the Seas, boasting 270-degree panoramic windows with sweeping ocean views that can transform into a 135-foot-wide and 22-foot-tall screen to utilize the Vistarama technology.  The iconic venue at the aft of the ship becomes a multidimensional theater – where a troupe of six agile Roboscreens come to life in sync with music, special effects and multitalented live performers and aerialists.  

Guests looking for live music will head to the Music Hall to enjoy cover bands, dancing and lounge space.

The Bionic Bar will also be onboard, which features robots serving up drinks on-demand.

Dining

A number of specialty dining choices will be on Odyssey of the Seas including:

• Teppanyaki, the restaurant serving authentic oriental flavors cooked in one of Japan’s traditional styles.
• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, Royal Caribbean’s new take on its signature Italian trattoria.
• Izumi, serving sushi and sashimi.
• Chops Grille steakhouse
• Chef's Table
• Wonderland

Debuting in 2020

In November 2020, the ship’s inaugural year will kick off with 8- and 6-night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, FL. Odyssey will then sail to her homeport of Rome in May 2021 and become the first Quantum Ultra Class ship to cruise Europe for the summer. 

Royal Caribbean International's President and CEO Michael Bayley seems very excited about its next new cruise ship, Odyssey of the Seas, because he recently talked about some big things coming with this ship.

According to trade publication Travel Market Report, Bayley spoke to a number of travel agents about Odyssey of the Seas and the impact it will have on the industry.

"We’re not going to talk about it yet, but it will be a game changer with a lot of brand-new ideas, just as Oasis class was a real game changer. We’ve got a huge amount of innovation and new stuff coming online in the next couple of years that’s going to change the game.”

"We’re working on something super-special for Odyssey. We were in a meeting yesterday and I’m very excited about what we will be announcing, a twist we will be very pleased to announce."

Mr. Bayley also mentioned Odyssey of the Seas will be sailing out of Rome into the Eastern Mediterranean. Following the ship's inaugural season out of Port Everglades, Odyssey will sail back to Rome in the spring for seven- and nine-night sailings in summer 2021 and then return to Fort Lauderdale.

Odyssey of the Seas will also re-focus on its kids programming with new features for children. The ship will feature an area known as The Play Place and include:

• Climbable creations
• Art and science projects workshop
• Tech studio
• "The Arena" for competitive sports and games
• The Hangout with video games
• Revamped Adventure Ocean babies program, with lots of interactive and learning play and music
• Adventure Ocean Junior space (for 3-5 year olds)

Senior VP of Sales, Trade Support and Service Vicki Freed talked about a significant change to the teens area on Odyssey.  The teen club will feature a secret Speakeasy entrance. “It won’t have a sign; it will be a secret place,” Freed said. “To get in, you have to know where it is.” Teens also will have a private outdoor deck and a new arcade lounge with arcade games teenaged guests have suggested.

Royal Caribbean will hold a conference call on October 30, 2019, at 10am to discuss its third quarter 2019 financial results.

The call will be available on-line at the company's investor relations web site, www.rclinvestor.com. To listen to the call by phone, please dial (877) 663-9606 in the US and Canada. International phone calls should be made to (706) 758-4628. There is no passcode or meeting number.

A replay of the webcast will be available at the same site for a month following the call.

Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Episode 325 is available for downloading where I will be reading more of your questions this week all about Royal Caribbean.

Matt is diving into the email bag this week to answer your emails all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 325. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Stitcher or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!

In 2020, Royal Caribbean will sail to more than 100 destinations across seven ships in Europe, and we have a look at what options are out there for booking next summer.

Here is a look Royal Caribbean has ready for next summer across the continent.

Northern Europe

Explore the Baltic, British Isles, Scandinavia and Russia with 7 to 12 night itineraries onboard Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, and Anthem of the Seas.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Brilliance of the Seas
10-NIGHT BRITISH ISLES
12-NIGHT BALTIC

Stockholm, Sweden

Jewel of the Seas
7-NIGHT SCANDINAVIA & RUSSIA

Copenhagen, Denmark

Jewel of the Seas
7 NIGHT NORWEGIAN FJORDS-COPENHAGEN
7/11 NIGHT SCANDINAVIA & RUSSIA
11 NIGHT ARCTIC CIRCLE

Southampton, United Kingdom

Anthem of the Seas
8-NIGHT NORTHERN EUROPE CITIES
5-NIGHT PARIS & BILBAO- SOUTHAMPTON

Mediterranean/Greece & The Greek Isles

Two newly Amped ships will offer sailings in Europe in 2020, with the arrival of Explorer of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. Both ships will offer 7-night family-friendly Western Mediterranean adventures. Radiance of the Seas will hop around the Greek Isles.

Guests have the choice of 6-14 night itineraries ranging from Greek Isles, Italy or Spain centric, Canary Islands and Mediterranean onboard the Explorer, Vision, Jewel, and Anthem of the Seas.

Barcelona, Spain

Allure of the Seas
7 NIGHT WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN
Jewel of the Seas
7 NIGHT ITALY, FRANCE & SPAIN
12 NIGHT MEDITERRANEAN VENICE
12 NIGHT MEDITERRANEAN GREEK ISLES
Vision of the Seas
12 NIGHT MEDITERRANEAN
12 NIGHT MEDITERRANEAN GREEK ISLES

Rome, Italy

Explorer of the Seas
7/9 NIGHT GREEK ISLES
6/7 NIGHT WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN
7/8/9/10 NIGHT GREEK ISLES
12-NIGHT HOLY LAND
Jewel of the Seas
12-NIGHT HOLY LAND

Venice, Italy

Rhapsody of the Seas
6/7/8-NIGHT GREECE & CROATIA
7-NIGHT GREEK ISLES

Southampton, United Kingdom

Anthem of the Seas
8-NIGHT SPAIN & PORTUGAL
6/7/8-NIGHT FRANCE & SPAIN
14-NIGHT ITALIAN MEDITERRANEAN
13-NIGHT MEDITERRANEAN BEACHES
14-NIGHT DISCOVER THE CANARIES
13-NIGHT ITALIAN MEDITERRANEAN
10-NIGHT SUNSHINE IN THE CANARIES

Do you have a Royal Caribbean cruise to Europe booked in 2020? Let us know in the comments where you will be sailing!

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Carnival Corporation & plc signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Saint Lucia to manage the current cruise pier and terminal facilities in Saint Lucia, and work together to construct and operate a new cruise port on southern part of island.

Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean and the government of Saint Lucia will establish a long-term concession agreement to formalize the terms and responsibilities for the joint venture to manage and operate the current cruise pier and terminal facilities at the Port of Castries.

Additionally, the joint venture will design, finance, construct and operate a new cruise port in Vieux Fort on the southern part of the island that will be able to accommodate the latest and most innovative ships in the cruise industry.

"The cruise market is the fastest growing sector of tourism and in the next decade cruising in the Caribbean region is anticipated to increase by 40%," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean. "We are excited to partner with the Government of Saint Lucia to ensure that the destination directly benefits from that growth, while giving more guests the opportunity to visit this unique gem in the Caribbean."

Under the new agreement, the joint venture would optimize the experience for guests visiting Saint Lucia while developing additional cruise infrastructure to support the industry's latest ships and promote the growth of cruise tourism on the island.

Should you cruise on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class or a Quantum Class cruise ship? For families, this is a tough decision, with each offering something different and we have a breakdown of what each ship excels at and why it is a great choice.

In our brand new RoyalCaribbeanBlog video, we offer a look at what makes each class of cruise ship different and which types of cruisers would enjoy each.

And if you love this video, we have lots of other great cruise videos to watch on our Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel!

By the way, have you subscribed yet? Be sure to subscribe to our channel and never miss a single video!

So check out the video and then let us know: Do you prefer an Oasis Class or Quantum Class ship and why?