Royal Caribbean has begun notifying guests sailing on upcoming Mariner of the Seas sailings that their cruise will make use of the brand new cruise terminal the cruise has built in PortMiami.

Terminal A is a brand new, state-of-the-art cruise terminal and the October 26, 2018 Mariner of the Seas sailing will make use of the port when she returns to Miami. The cruise will begin from Terminal G, but return to Terminal A.

Thanks to Nancy Ritter for sharing this screenshot.

The terminal will feature stunning architecture, a new boarding experience, and an impressive gold propellor that is 15,000 lbs. and 56 ft. tall. Terminal A was designed to accommodate the passengers of two of the world’s largest ships, the new Symphony of the Seas and her sister, Allure of the Seas. 

Guests sailing on other Mariner of the Seas sailings received emails informing them that they too will be cruising to and from the new terminal.

Thanks to Frank for providing this email

A grand opening ceremony is scheduled for November 2nd, 2018 that will formally open the the new terminal to the public.

Every Friday, we show off the Royal Caribbean photos that our readers have sent us in a special blog post.  Each week, we invite our readers to send us their favorite Royal Caribbean photos and we post them right here.

Without further adieu, let's jump right into this week's batch of photos!

We start with this photo by Roger Salzmann of Rhapsody of the Seas in Santorini.

Check out this beautiful photo of sunrise on Harmony of the Seas, taken by Mike Sperduto.

Next is a photo of Anthem of the Seas in Labadee. Photo by Michael Kho.

Allyson Yoshida took this photo from on top of Mount Roberts Tramway in Juneau, Alaska while sailing on Radiance of the Seas.

Here is a photo of sister ships docked next to each other by Henry Greenfield.

Rob Young took this photo of Freedom of the Seas docked in St. Thomas.

David Morris took this photo of night view of Central Park while on Symphony of the Seas.

Would you like to submit your Royal Caribbean photos for a future Friday Photos post? Use this form to send them to us and we will feature them very soon!

Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship, Spectrum of the Seas, had her primary means of propulsion delivered to the shipyard recently.

Spectrum of the Seas received her two azipods. The azipods are used to propel and safety maneuver the ship on the high seas.

Spectrum of the Seas under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The ship is scheduled to be delivered in April 2019.

Royal Caribbean will hold a conference call on October 25, 2018, at 10am to discuss its third quarter 2018 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.

Royal Caribbean has added a new option for guests booking a cruise directly with the cruise line via its website, where they can finance the cruise fare cost.

An update to the Royal Caribbean website now offers a monthly payment plan option, along side the traditional booking option.

The montly payment option is financed through a third-party service known as UpLift, in which a first payment is due at booking and subsequent payments taken each month thereafter.  An annual percentage rate (APR) is also tacked onto the total cost for the financing service.

Upon checkout, the user is given the choice to use Pay Monthly for the cruise, at which point the site will check the person's credit rating to determine the exact annual percentage rate that will be used.

UpLift advertises itself as a provider of consumer financing exclusively for the purpose of travel. It works with over 200 travel providers, such as airlines, resorts, hotels and more.

Do you think you will take advantage of this service? Share your thoughts on this option in this blog post's comments section.

With full-scale stage, ice, aerial and aqua productions on board Symphony of the Seas, high-tech and high-energy entertainment is at every turn. But what does it take to make it all come to life? Producing a lineup of shows befitting of the world's largest cruise ship takes plenty of time, dedication and rehearsal. From the AquaTheater, showcasing jaw-dropping stunts by acrobats and high divers against a backdrop of stunning projections, to a cast of 48 drones joining their human counterparts for ice shows in Studio B, watch as the team puts on the finishing touches to ensure that each show is ready for opening night.

Royal Caribbean's Double Up Sale rolled out today, which offers combinable instant savings and money to spend at sea.

The Double Up Sale is valid on cruises booked October 18 - 21, 2018 on sailings departing on or after November 18, 2018.

The deal includes:

• BOGO60 - Buy one guest, get second guest at 60% off.
• Kids Sail For Less: 30% off third and fourth guests
• Instant savings
  • 5 Nights or Fewer
    • Interior / Ocean View: $25 USD per stateroom
    • Balcony: $50 USD per stateroom
    • Suite: $75 USD per stateroom
  • 6 Nights or Longer
    • Interior / Ocean View: $25 USD per stateroom
    • Balcony: $75 USD per stateroom
    • Suite: $200 USD per stateroom
• Onboard credit
  • 5 Nights or Fewer
    • Interior / Ocean View: $25 USD per stateroom
    • Balcony: $50 USD per stateroom
    • Suite: $75 USD per stateroom
  • 6 Nights or Longer
    • Interior / Ocean View: $25 USD per stateroom
    • Balcony: $75 USD per stateroom
    • Suite: $100 USD per stateroom

BOGO and Deck the Holidays Deals are combinable with Double Up Sale, NRBD OBC, promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, Instant
Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. Double Up Sale is combinable with 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.

A new wind farm agreement complements Royal Caribbean’s comprehensive carbon reduction initiatives. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced that they’re furthering their carbon reduction initiatives by partnering with Southern Power on a wind farm that will offset up to 12% of Royal Caribbean’s emissions beginning in 2020! 

Read more about this agreement here.

Mariner of the Seas has quickly become one of Royal Caribbean's most popular cruise ships, thanks to a $120 million refurbishment in 2018 that amped the ship up with new thrills, restaurants, staterooms and entertainment. 

There is a lot to love about this ship, and we are sharing out top must-do tips for going on a Mariner of the Seas cruise.

Don't miss the signature activities

A big component of the ship's refurbishment was to add new thrills and activities onboard the ship, and you have to make time to check them all out on your sailing.

We begin with the Sky Pad, a gravity-defying bungee trampoline experience amped up with virtual reality.  Royal Caribbean took the idea of a bungee trampoline, and infused it with a few different augmented reality options to offer guests a really fun experience.

The FlowRider surf simulator has become a staple of fun on many Royal Caribbean ships. and Mariner of the Seas now offers one as well. The 40-foot-long surf simulator allows guests to try their hand at surfing or boogie boarding.  Or you can take a seat in the bleachers and watch other guests give it a shot.

Families are sure to love the new Perfect Storm water slides on Mariner of the Seas. A thrilling pair of three-story-high racer water slides called Cyclone and Typhoon beckon to be ridden again and again and again.

Get a drink in the Bamboo Room

Lounges are not new to Royal Caribbean, but the cruise line hit a homerun with the Bamboo Room lounge.  It is the first in Royal Caribbean's fleet and offers a laidback Polynesian throwback vibe, featuring kitschy-cool craft cocktails like the Island Old Fashioned and Tiki Tea.

What makes the Bamboo Room so darn cool is the combination of decor, great menu, and fun times.  When you are looking for a spot to grab a few drinks, the Bamboo Room is a must-visit place.

Book a panoramic stateroom

If you are eyeing going on Mariner of the Seas, be sure to price out one of the newly added Panoramic staterooms. 

The Panoramic Ocean View Stateroom gives much more of a view than a traditional oceanview room, with a floor to ceiling wrap around panoramic window that is 76 inches high by 103-321 inches wide.  That is a big window.

As you might imagine, the reason to book a stateroom like this is for the amazing views without the balcony view price.  

Perfect Day at CocoCay

Royal Caribbean moved Mariner of the Seas back to the United States in 2018 to offer short 3- and 4-night sailings, and that means every cruise visits the cruise line's private destination of CocoCay.

Beginning May 2019, Mariner will sail to the new Perfect Day at CocoCay, the first destination in Royal Caribbean’s recently announced collection of private island experiences around the world. This means CocoCay will offer a new water park, pool, zipline, private enclaves, new dining opportunities and more.  Perfect Day at CocoCay is sure to be a hit with families, and Mariner of the Seas can take you there on every sailing.

Try a specialty restaurant (or two)

In addition to the new thrills added to Mariner of the Seas, the ship offers some terrific specialty dining venues that should not be missed.

One of our favorite specialty dining options on any ship is Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, which is Asian-inspired dining featuring hibachi, sushi and sashimi and more.  A hibachi meal is fun for the whole family, and offers authentic flavors, the freshest ingredients and impeccable presentation.

Jamie's Italian serves fresh, handmade and rustic Italian fare by Chef Jamie Oliver, one of Britain’s most famous chefs. Jamie's Italian was created by Jamie Oliver because of all the types of food to choose from, he loves Italian the most. In terms of this restaurant's theory, Jamie designed the menu to strip food down to its essence, working with simple, quality ingredients with no pretense or ego.

Chops Grille has become a staple of Royal Caribbean dining and it is a restaurant guests come back to time and time again because they really enjoy everything about the experience. Steak cooked to order, along with an array of complimentary side dishes and excellent appetizers make for a truly compelling choice for dinner any night of the cruise.

Your thoughts

What is your favorite thing about Mariner of the Seas?  Is it on our list or do you have something you think is worth the cruise fare alone? Tell us about in this blog post's comments!

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

Episode 272 is available for downloading, where we share what essential items should be in your carry-on luggage on embarkation day.

What to carry with you on the ship versus what to put in your luggage to be delivered later to your stateroom is a bigger decision than you might think.  This week, Matt shares the top items to keep with you on embarkation day to avoid potential problems later.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 272. 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!