Thanks for joining us for another weekly look at all of the Royal Caribbean news from this week.  The late-summer heat is still on, and we have plenty of Royal Caribbean news to share from this week.

Earlier this week, one Royal Caribbean crew member was lucky enough to be picked as having the Best Job at Sea.

Cassandra, a 26-year old originally from Mexico, has been exploring the world with Royal Caribbean as a Cruise Director’s Staff since 2016. Beginning in November, she will kick off her 6-month journey as Royal Caribbean’s first Traveling Content Creator onboard the all-new Symphony of the Seas.

 “This makes me feel fulfilled and complete,” said Cassandra. Dancing is one of her passions and as a Cruise Director’s Staff, she can share her energy and help people have a great time. “I truly love what I do,” Cassandra included. On her time off, she always like to get off the ship with her camera in hand, immerse in the culture, and portrait the best of our ports of call. 

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean is looking to replace its phone tree with a virtual assistant.
• Our picks for the best cruises for kids.
• Royal Caribbean is looking for the best Bionic Bar drink recipes.
• Here is the answer to the question of do you need a passport for a cruise.
• Here is a list of the newest Royal Caribbean ships in the fleet.
• Royal Caribbean released a new video all about its glow-in-the-dark laser tag.
• Thinking of taking a cruise to Cuba? Here is what you need to know about Royal Caribbean cruises to Cuba.
• Our full review of the Craigdarroch Castle and Butchart Garden shore excursion in Victoria, Canada.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 264th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where we compare and contrast Royal Caribbean to Norwegian Cruise Line.

Many cruisers are curious to know the differences between Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, so this week, we invited a couple of friends to share their experiences on both cruise lines.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Cruiseable posted a list of the new activities on Mariner of the Seas.

Travel Weekly reported on Mariner of the Seas' big makeover.

Cruise Critic has a list of 20 movies that will leave you wanting to take a cruise.

Royal Caribbean is looking for the best Bionic Bar drink recipe to add to its drink menu on Symphony of the Seas.

The Bionic Bar is a pair of robots that were engineered in Italy to be able to muddle, stir, shake and strain all types of drinks; the cocktail combinations are endless, with 30 spirits and 21 mixers from which to choose. 

Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society sent the open invitation to all past cruisers to share with the cruise line their drink recipe submission, and encourages as much creativity as possible. You will have the opportunity to name the drink too.

Guests can fill out the Bionic Bar Recipe Contest form and see if their favorite concoction makes the cut as the next new cocktail.

The robot bartenders can produce two drinks per minute and can make up to 1,000 each day. Guests create an order—whether a custom request or standard menu item—on a specially programed tablet or with staff. They can keep track of their order on the digital screen next to the bar, and once it’s ready, the bartenders will release their drink with a simple tap of their SeaPass card or WOWband.

Every Friday, we share our readers favorite Royal Caribbean cruise photos because, we all can use a "virtual escape" to relive some great cruising memories.

If you want your photo featured in an upcoming Friday Photos post, be sure to use this form to send it to us.

We begin with this photo by Lindsay Janek of a 747 landing near Maho Beach in St. Maarten.

Soeren Ellehauge captured this photo of the sunrise in Barcelona while on Symphony of the Seas.

Next is a photo of Explorer of the Seas in Seattle, Washington, which was taken by Kimberly as she boarded.

Travis N. took this photo of Independence of the Seas anchored off the coast of Grand Cayman.

Take a look at this shot of the Boardwalk on Oasis of the Seas, taken by Wayne D Stephens.

David Ep sent in this photo of Allure and Grandeur of the Seas in St. Thomas.

Our final photo this week is by Donna Clark, and it is of St. Kitts as Freedom of the Seas approached the island.

Thank you to everyone that sent in their photos that were featured this week, and we want to see your Royal Caribbean photos too! Use this form to send them in and we will feature them in an upcoming edition of Friday Photos!

Royal Caribbean is running a 48-hour sale on pre-cruises purchases made via its Cruise Planner with the Endless Summer Sale.

The Endless Summer Sale is valid on Cruise Planner bookings made prior to the voyage departure between August 24, 2018 – August 27, 2018. Offer applies to select tours on select sailings between September 1, 2018-February 15, 2019. It is valid on select Alaska, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Cuba, Europe, Hawaii, New Zealand, South Pacific & Transatlantic sailings

• Beverage: Up to 30% off onboard prices
  • Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship
  • Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship
  • Refreshment Package: Save 30% off onboard prices
• Shore Excursions: Save up to 25% on select tours on select sailings. Discount varies by ship
• Internet: Up to 30% off onboard prices
  • VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship
  • VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Royal Caribbean's Dash Deals sale begins today, where guests can get up to $100 instant savings on top of the August offer.

The weekend sale is valid on cruises booked between August 24 - 27, 2018 on all sailings departing on or after September 24, 2018.

The offer includes:

• 50% off cruise fare of second guest booked in the same stateroom as first full-fare paying guest
• 25% off cruise fare for third guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualified guests
• Instant savings of up to $100 per stateroom determined by category booked and sailing length (for all ships excluding Anthem of the Seas):
  • On sailings 5 nights or less, $25 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $50 for Balconies and $75 for Suites
  • On sailing 6 nights or longer, $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $100 for Suites

BOGO and Deck the Holiday Deals are combinable with each other as well as with Dash Deals Sale, Fall/Winter Sailings Promo Code Driven Promotion, Free Upgrades, NRBD OBC, promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, Instant Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. Dash Deals Sale is combinable with Fall/Winter Sailings Promo Code Driven Promotion, Free Upgrades, NRDB OBC, OBC, instant savings, NextCruise offers, restricted discounts (for example, Senior, Resident, Military) but not combinable with Shareholder benefits and Crown and Anchor discounts. All offers are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, Net Rates.  

Offer available to residents of United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and select countries in the Caribbean. 

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (the parent company of Royal Caribbean International) is actively working on a plan to let its customers bypass annoying phone trees and instead interact with a virtual assistant to speed up the customer service process.

Travel Weekly shared details of the new tech initiative, which is scheduled for "selective rollout in the fall, with an end to phone tree envisioned in the spring of 2019".

Details provided by Royal Caribbean vice president  & Chief Guest Experience Officer Carlos Leyva indicates the new virtual assistant would be an automated system that would feature a more natural sounding voice programming.  Royal Caribbean was sure to mention that a human backup would be available to step in for situations where the virtual assistant cannot understand or process what the customer is saying.

In addition, text messaging support will launch in the fall, beginning with customer-service functions. Leyva indicated the new system will begin with travel agents and then become available to consumers directly.

Royal Caribbean has picked its first-ever Best Job at Sea contest winner by selecting 26-year-old Cassandra Aragon from Mexico as the winner. 

Cassandra has been exploring the world with Royal Caribbean as a Cruise Director’s Staff since 2016. Beginning in November, she will kick off her 6-month journey as Royal Caribbean’s first Traveling Content Creator onboard the all-new Symphony of the Seas.

To win this prestigious honor, Royal Caribbean reached out to its Crew Ambassadors to find which crew members could tell the best stories and capture the essence of different locales through their photography. From a pool of many, Cassandra stood out as the winner.

After working as a Cruise Director’s Staff, for 2 years on 5 different ships, Cassandra realized that she belonged by the sea. Her career with Royal Caribbean began in May 2016 on Anthem of the Seas and continued on Vision of the Seas until she injured her knee. As a result, Cassandra had to return home for knee surgery and stop working for 10 months. Slowly but surely Cassandra went back to ship life by doing fills onboard Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas, until finally the great Symphony of the Seas. 

Traveling 24/7, dancing, and creating content for her YouTube channel and Instagram account has encouraged her to inspire and have a positive impact on people. “This makes me feel fulfilled and complete,” said Cassandra. Dancing is one of her passions and as a Cruise Director’s Staff, she can share her energy and help people have a great time. “I truly love what I do,” Cassandra included. On her time off, she always like to get off the ship with her camera in hand, immerse in the culture, and portrait the best of our ports of call. 

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

Episode 264 is available for downloading where we have an in-depth comparisson of Royal Caribbean versus Norwegian Cruise Line.

Erin and Kristen help Matt compare and contrast experiences on Norwegian Cruise Line to those on Royal Caribbean International.  Our roundtable discussion looks at the two cruise line experiences and seeing which line does better in various aspects of the cruise experience.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 264. 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!

Royal Caribbean offers regular cruise sailings to the island of Cuba, where guests can enjoy the Cuban culture, history and cuisine that has been a signature of the country for centuries.  Vibrant culture. Iconic music. Storied architecture — there really is nowhere in the world quite like Cuba. 

Royal Caribbean visits three one-of-a-kind ports around the island, with two ships that sail to Cuba regularly.  Many itineraries offer overnight stays in the capital of Cuba, Havana.

Royal Caribbean ships sailing to Cuba

Two Royal Caribbean ships can currently visit Cuba.  The Cuban port infrastructure is limited, so only smaller cruise ships can fit into the docking facilities.

Empress of the  Seas

Royal Caribbean brought back Empress of the Seas into the fleet specifically to offer cruises to Cuba.  Empress of the Seas offers cruises  to Cuba from Miami, Florida on a refurbished 1,602 passenger vessel.         

Guests sailing on Empress of the Seas will enjoy curated people-to-people experiences designed to immerse them in the country’s architecture, cuisine, music, art and natural beauty. They’ll explore Old Havana—a UNESCO World Heritage site—as well as a rum museum, Hemingway’s former residence, a local artisan market, and more. 

Onboard, Empress will have a range of activities designed to bring the spirit of the island to life for the duration of the journey. Look for cortaditos and café con leche in Café Royal, along with live salsa music alongside signature amenities like a rock-climbing wall, new pools and whirlpools, an adults-only Solarium, a Vitality Spa and a complimentary Adventure Ocean youth program.

Majesty of the Seas

With the popularity of cruising to Cuba, Royal Caribbean added Majesty of the Seas to the roster of cruise ships sailing to Cuba.  Majesty of the Seas began offering cruises to Cuba in 2018.

Sailings to Cuba on Majesty of the Seas leave from either Tampa or Fort Lauderdale to Havana, and includes stops elsewhere in the Caribbean such as Cozumel, Key West or Nassau.

Majesty of the Seas underwent a dry dock in 2016 that added new upgrades and received new onboard amenities.  Guests on Majesty of the Seas can enjoy Voom high speed internet to stay connected, brag about their vacation to friends and family, stream their favorite movies and music, and enjoy popular online video gaming. Splashaway Bay, an interactive aqua park for kids, features  a vibrant waterscape for kids and toddlers with sea creature water cannons, winding slides, a gigantic drench bucket and a multi-platform jungle-gym. In addition, the pool deck was revamped to include a new expanded bar area, family-friendly Jacuzzis and a poolside movie screen. 

Ports of call in Cuba

Royal Caribbean sails to three incredible destinations in Cuba.

Havana

The capital of Cuba is home to unforgettable sights of the place where yesterday lives today. Guests can ride along the historic Malecón in a classic car guided by a local. Or experience one of the famed Cabaret Tropicana’s folklore-laden musical extravaganzas. In Havana, timeless sights and sounds await around every corner.

Santiago de Cuba

From castles to cathedrals, quiet parks to towering landmarks, Santiago de Cuba offers endless discoveries. Guests can learn about Cuba’s spiritual heritage at the El Cobre cathedral. Discover how cigars are hand-rolled by locals at La Casa del Habano. And learn some Danzón steps from a local during one of the city’s many colorful carnivals.

Cienfuegos

For a taste of Cuban culture that few get to savor, Cienfuegos is the place to be. Spot stalagmites in Martin Infierno Cave, explore forest trails in Parque El Nicho and soak up the city’s French-colonial history as you stroll past centuries old buildings. In Cienfuegos, paths lead to new discoveries.

Important Cuba cruise tips

Before you cruise to Cuba on Royal Caribbean, here are some helpful things to know about Cuba cruises.

Documentation

To enter Cuba, American citizens need to meet certain standards for at least one of the 12 categories of travel approved by the U.S. Treasury Department. Royal Caribbean will take care of providing each guest with a Cuban visa.  The cost of a visa is $75 per person, and will be processed by the cruise line and will be waiting for you when you board the ship.  You just need to sign an affidavit certifying participation in one of the ship’s excursions or ensure that you qualify for another category.

In order to satisfy United States law, you will need to to fulfill on one of the allowed reasons for visiting, but that’s easy too. You just need to book a shore excursion that complies with U.S. requirements (this includes any Royal Caribbean shore excursion).  Just be sure to know that a day tour must be booked; night tours alone won’t meet the requirement.

The Cuban government requires all U.S. visitors to have health insurance coverage during their time discovering the island nation. Chances are, your current insurance will not cover you while in Cuba, but no worries: Royal Caribbean also has this covered for you, so there’s no extra work needed on your end. The cruise fare also includes a local health insurance fee should any medical attention onshore be required. 

Passports

Guests need their actual passport book — passport cards, birth certificates and driver’s licenses will not be accepted to go on-shore.

Note: Make sure your passport is valid for six months past your sailing date.

Currency

There are two main currencies in Cuba  — the Cuban Peso (used by locals) and Cuban Convertible Peso (used by tourists).

Most businesses accept cash-only, and small U.S. bills can be exchanged at the cruise terminal, in banks and exchange offices (ask for a “CADECA”), and in hotels.

Like U.S.-based mobile phone service, credit card service can be equally limited on the island. Restrictions on U.S. credit cards have been lifted but banks and merchants are still working out what’s needed to support them. Your best bet is to carry cash while in Cuba.

Souvenirs

For the most part tourists are free to purchase goods to bring back and enjoy in the U.S. — even the world-renowned cigars and rum. Just make sure they’re bought from authorized sellers.

Internet & Connectivity

In general, internet connectivity in Cuba is nearly non-existent, so do not expect to find WiFi access while on shore. Your best bet is to rely on your cruise ship's Voom high speed internet signal, which will work while the ship is docked in Cuba.

Your U.S.-based cell phone might work in Cuba, but it’s safer to bet it won’t. Some carriers currently offer roaming service in the country, but like much of the tourism infrastructure, many providers are working on rolling out services to the island. Check with your carrier prior to sailing to Cuba to avoid any pricey fees.

Accessibility

Wheelchair users should note that accessibility is limited in Cuba. There is a lack of curb cuts, ramps, accessible vehicles and elevators. Doors may not be as wide and grab bars unavailable

More Cruises to Cuba

• Expert tips and advice for visiting Cuba on a cruise
• Majesty of the Seas cruise to Cuba review
• Old Havana City Sightseeing shore excursion review

Introducing Royal Caribbean’s glow-in-the-dark laser tag experience, Battle for Planet Z has families, friends and strangers go head to head for control of the galaxy’s last planet. Guests of all ages can gear up for a stellar time on board with this total intergalactic adventure, complete with state-of-the-art technology and special effects.