Royal Caribbean revealed the details of its scheduled refurbishment for Liberty of the Seas that will take place during her month-long drydock in January 2016.

When Liberty of the Seas returns from her drydock in February 2016, she is going to get quite a lot of new aquatic based activities including:

• Collection of waterslides called the Perfect Storm
  • Two new racer slides called Cyclone and Typhoon which will be located at the aft of the ship alongside the Flowrider surf simulator
• Tidal Wave, first Boomerang style slide at sea
  • The new hair-raising slide features a steep drop that propels riders up a near vertical wall for a moment of weightlessness and into free fall. 
    
• An adult-free zone with the introduction of Splashaway Bay, an aqua park featuring an interactive kid’s play area with water cannons, geysers and much more.

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Royal Caribbean had announced in July 2015 it would add a water slide to Liberty of the Seas.

The addition of Splashaway Bay and the Perfect Storm water slides are both features that were originally announced for Harmony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean did a similar addition when it introduced new features to Navigator of the Seas during her refurbishment in advance of those same features being introduced later on Quantum of the Seas.

There will also be new restaurants added to Liberty of the Seas

• Sabor Modern Mexican
• Giovanni's Table
• R-Bar

Royal Caribbean is also adding 26 new Panoramic Ocean View staterooms, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass walls, providing guests with breathtaking, unobstructed views as well as an additional 53 staterooms throughout the ship.

Liberty of the Seas will sail seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries every Sunday from Galveston starting from November 2015 , visiting exciting warm weather getaways in the Caribbean including: Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico; Falmouth, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico; and Roatan, Honduras.

Are you excited for these new additions coming to Liberty of the Seas? Tell us in the comments!

Royal Caribbean will kick off a big new sale next week that offers 30% off all ships and nearly all sailings.

The new cruise deal runs between October 12 and November 9, 2015 and applies to all ships and sailings departing on or after November 12, 2015, with the exception of China departures.

Guests will get 30% off the standard cruise fore for all guests in a stateroom plus

• $100 onboard credit per stateroom on Oasis or Allure of the Seas 7-night Caribbean sailings departing May-Sept. 2016
• $100 OBC per staterooms for any 2016 Alaska Cruisetour packages and stateroom category
• Purchase air from Royal AIR2SEA on Offer eligible Europe sailings departing April through Nov. 2016 onboard Jewel, Rhapsody, and Vision of the Seas and receive an EXTRA per stateroom cruise fare savings of up to $1,000:
  • Suites: $1000 cruise fare Savings per stateroom
  • Interior/Oceanview/Balcony: $500 cruise fare Savings per stateroom
• Bookings made Oct 12-18, 2015 for eligible sailings departing Dec 15 – 31 2015 or 2016 offer includes an onboard credit up to $500 OBC per stateroom
  • 6 nights or more
    • Interior, Oceanview, Balcony, Junior Suite: $200 onboard credit per stateroom
    • Grand Suite or above: $500 onboard credit per staterom
  • 5 nights or less
    • Interior, Oceanview, Balcony, Junior Suite: $100 onboard credit per stateroom
    • Grand Suite or above: $250 onboard credit per staterom

The 30% off discount is applied to the standard cruise fare for all guests in a stateroom, including third and fourth passengers; No category restrictions. All other charges, including, but not limited to, taxes, fees and port expenses, are additional and apply to all guests.

This offer will apply to single guests paying 200% single supplement on eligible sailings.

This new sale is combinable with Future Cruise Certificates, Letters of Credit, NextCruise bookings and Crown & Anchor Society savings benefits.

The 30% Savings and AIR2SEA Offers are not combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military). However, the OBC offers are combinable with 30% Savings and restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military). 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, Crown & Anchor Discount programs or rates. Single occupancy guests paying 200% cruise fare are eligible for Offer.

In just about a month, Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas will be arriving at her new homeport of Cape Liberty, New Jersey, and it will mark her debut in the United States.

Photo by Royal Caribbean

Anthem of the Seas' arrival stateside is a big deal because there will be a brand new cruise ship for guests to try out in one of the most populous parts of the country.

In anticipation for Anthem of the Seas' arrival, we are counting down the top reasons you ought to be excited to welcome Anthem of the Seas "home".

5. The biggest ship to call New York home

With Anthem of the Seas arrival in the New York City metro area, Anthem of the Seas will be the largest and most innovative ship ever to homeport in the New York region.

Folks living in the North East definitely hold themselves in high regard and having a significantly larger Royal Caribbean ship than ever before means there is a lot to enjoy about her.

4. Lots of WOWs

​Of course, this massive ship contains lots of WOWs onboard and there ought to be enough to enjoy on Anthem of the Seas to satisfy the Big Apple's appetite.

Onboard Anthem of the Seas, guests will find quite a variety of onboard activities, dining options and places to relax.

There is no way to fit them all into one post but here are the ones not to miss:

• We Will Rock You, the Olivier Award-winning musical
• Bionic Bar
• Bumper cars
• Two70 theater
• Music Hall
• iFly skydiving simulator

3. Seeing the New York City skyline from North Star

Few skylines are as easily recongizable and beloved as the New York City skyline, but you have to see it from over 300 feet above sea level!

North Star is Royal Caribbean's amazing observation capsule, that takes guests smoothly into the air to provide breathtaking views of New York City, the Statue of Liberty and the surrounding areas.

Once you see New York from North Star, it will give you a view of the area that you have never experienced before.

2. The arrival of Dynamic Dining Classic

Dynamic Dining is not new to the United States but Royal Caribbean has introduced a new option to Dynamic Dining for those that want a more traditional dining experience.

Onboard Anthem of the Seas, guests can choose Dynamic Dining Classic if they prefer the traditional main dining style with the same dining time each night, with the same wait staff and dining companions throughout the cruise. 

Guests will rotate through restaurants onboard the ship, giving them the Dynamic Dining experience coupled with the traditional dining memories they have enjoyed on past cruises.

Dynamic Dining Classic is available on a first come, first serve basis. 

1. Longer itineraries

Photo by Miguelángel

Royal Caribbean designed Anthem of the Seas for longer itineraries and that means this new ship will take New Yorkers, New Jerseyians and Connecticitians to more exotic and beautiful destinations than ever before.

Anthem of the Seas will offer cruises to 

• The Caribbean
• The Bahamas
• Canada & New England
• Bermuda

Anthem of the Seas offers sailings that are 7-, 8-, 10- and 12-nights that are sure to meet the needs of all Royal Caribbean fans looking to get away.

Sailing from the northeast means no plane rides south required and more time onboard, enjoying the ambiance and views only a cruise ship can provide.

What are you most excited about to experience on Anthem of the Seas? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Royal Caribbean is famous for the onboard innovations it offers its guests, including ice skating at sea!

Being in the middle of the Caribbean or Mediterranean does not mean you can't put on a pair of skates and go ice skating like it's December in Minnesota.  

If you want to enjoy ice skating as part of your Royal Caribbean cruise (it's complimentary), here are some important things to know.

Ships offering ice skating

Select Royal Caribbean ships offer ice skating, so be sure you are booked on one of these ships in order to enjoy it

• Voyager of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Sympohony of the Seas

Long pants are required to skate

Regardless of how good or bad you are at ice skating, all guests must wear long pants to skate.

Be sure to pack accordingly, especially during summer months when you may not be thinking about packing pants.

You also should pack a pair of socks to wear with the skates.

Helmets are provided for you

Royal Caribbean requires all ice skaters to wear a helmet while skating.

This is for your safety because with ice skating, you have to not only worry about what you are doing but what others are doing as well.

Falls happen a lot during the course of an ice skating session, so there is no excuse for not being safe.

Have you ice skated on a Royal Caribbean cruise before? Tell us about it in the comments!

Royal Caribbean has posted some new photos that showcase the construction progress being made on its third Quantum-class cruise ship, Ovation of the Ses.

Ovation of the Seas will be debuting in April 2016 and will be offering cruises in Asia and Australia.

These photos were taken at the Meyer Werft ship yard in Papenburg, Germany. All photos are copyright Royal Caribbean International

We're still about 6 months away from the debut of Royal Caribbean's brand new cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas and like so many of our readers, I just can't wait to see everything this ship has to offer.

Royal Caribbean has been holding back some details about the ship to help build up the excitement so today we're going to list the top five things we're excited to finally hear about.

5. Who will be her Godmother?

It is part of maritime tradition for a cruise ship to have a celebratory Godmother, whose job it is to christen the ship officially.

The Godmother is present for a vessel's naming ceremony, where she officially proclaims the ship's name and wishes it safe journeys to all its passengers and crew.

Sister ship Oasis of the Seas had seven godmothers, one for each neighborhood: Gloria Estefan, Michelle Kwan, Dara Torres, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Shawn Johnson, Jane Seymour and Daisy Fuentes.

Harmony of the Seas' other sister ship, Allure of the Seas, had Princess Fiona (from Shrek fame) as her godmother.

4. Abyss slide details

Royal Caribbean has been hinting at what we can expect with the 10-story slide coming to Harmony of the Seas but we do not know everything yet.

Specifically, we do not know what the new slide will look like or where exactly in the Boardwalk the slide will be.

We do know it is a "dry slide" (as opposed to a water slide) and it will begin in the Pool and Sports Zone at the aft of the ship down to the Boardwalk neighborhood below.

3. What will be the Broadway show?

It seems no new Royal Caribbean ship can be launched these days without a Broadway show and we have yet to find out which show from the Great White Way will debut on Harmony of the Seas.

Ever since Royal Caribbean started adding Broadway shows to its ships with Oasis of the Seas, fans have been clamoring for more great Broadway entertainment onboard.

Royal Caribbean has had these Broadway shows call a ship home over the last few years

• Hairspray (retired from all ships)
• Saturday Night Fever
• Chicago (retired from all ships)
• Mamma Mia
• We Will Rock You

2. Shows and other onboard entertainment

Broadway shows are not the only kind of entertainment we want to know more about.  Oasis class ships have a reputation for amazing entertainment and there's plenty more to learn about.

Ice skating shows, AquaTheater shows, shows in the Royal Theater and other kinds of entertainment are always at the top of Royal Caribbean fans priority list.

Looking back on the shows we have enjoyed on the other two Oasis class ships, there are definitely some questions about what we can expect to find listed in the Cruise Compass every day.

1. What will be the other cool surprises?

My gut feeling is that Royal Caribbean is far from done trying to WOW us with what to expect on Harmonyof the Seas.  

This is a company that is always looking to out do themselves, so I'm most excited to read about what amazing new innovations are also coming to Harmony of the Seas.

Perhaps some of these surprises will be covered in the questions asked earlier, but whatever surprises come our way will help shape the direction of Harmony of the Seas and help make this ship stand out in a very competitive market.

What are you most interested to still know about Harmony of the Seas? Tell us in the comments!

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

Episode 114 is available for downloading and this week we are reviewing the beautiful island of St. Maarten.

Matt and Scott are talking about the island paradise of St. Thomas today, where they discuss the popular activities to do in St. Thomas.  Matt and Scott share their favorite excursions and tips for visiting St. Thomas.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 114. 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 has provided a look at its Simulation Training Center at Resolve Maritime Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

The 7,000 square foot training center launched in 2012 and cost $6.5 million, where the bridge facilities have been replicated for a safe place to train Royal Caribbean junior officers on how the real thing works.

The computer simulations displayed on high-definition screens include some 200 ports visited by Royal Caribbean ships, with all their landmarks, buildings and seaside facilities. As various conditions and perils are brought to bear, trainees respond using controls just as they exist on their actual ship’s bridge.

Officers here can practice and refine their skills onshore to handle any situation that may occur at sea.

“Most simulators in the world are generic,” says Captain Patrik Dahlgren, Royal Caribbean vice president for marine operations. “This simulator is made up to look and feel and work the same as a real bridge on board our specific vessels. You actually have the physical consoles and all the equipment looks exactly the same as it does on board the vessel.”

There is a new design for the souvenir Coca-Cola cups guests get with their unlimited drink packages that matches Coca-Cola's "Share A Coke" marketing campaign.

The new souvenir cups are available on Royal Caribbean ships when a guest purchases one of the unlimited drink packages.

It is not clear yet when these new souvenir cup designs began being sold, but it is likely to have changed somewhat recently.

These souvenir cups are compatible with the self-serve soda machines on the pool deck as well as the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines. The Coca-Cola souvenir cup has a special chip in it which activates the machine.

Do you like the design of these souvenir Coca-Cola cups? Tell us in the comments below!

Royal Caribbean has released a new batch of photos showing off parts of Harmony of the Seas' construction.

Harmony of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's third Oasis class cruise ship, and will debut in Spring 2016.

The photos were taken in October 2015 at the STX shipyard in St. Nazairre, France. All photos are copyright Royal Caribbean International.