A list of 6 mistakes I saw other cruisers making during my recent cruise on Wonder of the Seas
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Alexa H. Bluth is a writer who lives in Sacramento with her husband, two sort of well-behaved teenage daughters, and two not-at-all well-behaved dogs. She took some time to write this guest post entry about what she's learned about cruising with teenagers and why they love taking Royal Caribbean cruises together as a family. You can check out a previous post she wrote about first time cruising here.
If there’s one thing nobody wants to hear on a family vacation, it’s “I’m bored.”
So parents of teenagers might be hesitant to take them on a cruise. A common misperception is that cruising is only for senior citizens and parents wanting to drop their small kids at daycare to go drink rum punch by the pool (not that there’s anything wrong with that!).
You might be wondering, "Will my teenagers have fun on a cruise?"
The answer is a resounding YES. Cruise vacations are ideal for families with teenagers, with ships brimming with fun-filled activities and ports full of adrenaline-packed adventures.
What is there for teens to love about cruises?
In addition to Adventure Ocean for younger kids, Royal Caribbean ships have teen areas on board for youth ages 12-17.
They can come and go from these venues without signing in or out (unlike the younger kids). These offer a spot to meet new friends, chill out, play games, and more. The teen club staff typically hosts a bunch of activities, from scavenger hunts and game shows to karaoke and teen-only time on the FlowRider.
You’ll get a weekly schedule of teen activities in your room, or you can pick one up in the teen club.
Pro tip: Make sure your teen goes to the teen lounge on night one to sign up for activities and start making friends immediately.
While this is an obvious one, teens can spend hours basking in the sunshine and sea air and swimming in brisk, clear pools on a cruise ship. The pool deck offers a vibrant spot, often pulsing with pop music, for teens to hang out.
They can sip a mocktail or enjoy a snack or soft serve cone while they’re at it. And don’t forget the water slides that many new and amped-up ships boast!
Most ships have arcades, offering a variety of games (for an extra charge). Teens can head there to enjoy a game of air hockey or Donkey Kong. Set a budget for them and let them enjoy!
I mean, they’re teenagers, so this one is a no-brainer. Ships offer a vast variety of food, including grab-and-go items that teens can snag until the wee hours of the night.
My teens particularly love venturing out for quesadillas from El Loco Fresh, pizza from Sorrento's, desserts (plural) from the buffet, and soft serve on the pool deck.
Another bonus is that picky eaters often are willing to try new things on cruises because of the wide selection of foods available. You might even get them to try escargot in the Main Dining Room! Never say never.
My kids always make friends in the teen areas with whom they meet up for the rest of the cruise. This is why having an internet package that allows them to message each other comes in handy.
Don’t be surprised if your teen meets new friends that they stay in touch with long after the cruise.
If you have a shy teen, don’t fret. The teen club staff are particularly skilled at coaxing quiet kids into participating. Or, of course, there is plenty for them to do if the teen club is not for them.
This is another of my kids’ favorite aspects of cruises. They don’t have to spend every moment with their parents and they have more freedom than on a land-based vacation.
They can hang out in the teen lounge or grab a slice of pizza at Sorrento's on their own. We typically let our kids have a fair amount of independence on cruises, but of course, it comes with a set of strict rules including never entering anyone else’s cabin, staying in populated public areas, behaving well, and not doing anything dangerous.
My eldest particularly enjoyed exploring the ship and going to game shows sans parents with their new-found friends and has even met up with one friend they met on a cruise who lives nearby.
Port excursions are cruise highlights, for sure. What teen wouldn’t love horseback riding on a beach, zip lining through a jungle, rafting along the rapids of a glacial river, jet skiing through crystal clear water, or snorkeling in a sea teeming with colorful fish?
Port days will not disappoint, even if it’s a chill beach day of sunbathing and boogie boarding or a cultural tour through a historic city. These priceless days offer endless options of activities that will create lifelong memories for the entire family.
Need I say more? Royal Caribbean’s private island literally has an area called Thrill Water Park. If your itinerary includes a trip there, teens will dig the daring water slides, the massive wave pool, and the variety of food that is included in your cruise fare.
Your drink package will work on CocoCay, too, so if you’ve sprung for the deluxe soda package (which I recommend you do), teens can sip a soda or mocktail while they soak in the fun.
The headliner shows on the main stage are often can’t miss, featuring everything from Broadway-style shows to juggling acts. The comedians on board often have a family-friendly show earlier in the evenings that teens can enjoy, too.
Meanwhile, teens tend to love trivia, “Name that Tune,” and other game shows. They might grumble about the idea at first, but trust me, once they’re playing, that competitive spirit will kick in and they’ll have a blast.
The cruise director staff’s enthusiasm is always reliably infectious. My teens tended to roll their eyes at the idea of “80s music trivia” but inevitably had fun with us trying to remember whether David Bowie or Billy Idol sang a song. If you really need a hook to get them to try it out, just tell them there are prizes. Teens love free stuff.
A scavenger hunt may sound cheesy to some teens, but you’d be surprised how much fun they’ll have racing through the ship searching for selfies with a couple with matching shirts, a crew member, or three generations of the same family. Plus, there are plenty more ship-sanctioned activities, such as silent discos and belly flop contests, that teens will love.
Many Royal Caribbean ships also have mini-golf courses, sports courts, and movies offered at the theater or by the pool. The newest ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet offer all sorts of incredible opportunities right on board. These include simulated skydiving, water slides, FlowRider surf simulators, bumper cars, ice skating, and water slides. Enough said.
Family time, you say?! With teenagers?! Yep. There is something magical about cruising that truly does create memorable “together time.”
Don’t get me wrong, they will bury their faces in their phones, be embarrassed by everything you do, toss their soaking wet towels everywhere in the cabin, and glare at you when you wake them for an early port day. There will be many special moments, too, perhaps as you sail away from port with virgin daiquiris in hand and music blaring that makes it impossible not to be happy.
You might also find that they enjoy dinners together in the Main Dining Room. They might also laugh at you screaming your head off while zip-lining on an excursion.
Yep. Let’s be real, they’re teenagers. Get the internet package.
They will love posting selfies on Instagram and making TikToks at sunset. They can use the ship’s app to find out about activities or find their way around the ship.
And, as mentioned above, they can communicate and make plans with their new-found friends, and with their parents of course.
Give teenagers some credit. They, too, will enjoy the spectacular ocean views and mesmerizing sunsets.
Encourage them to find a perch for the perfect sunset selfie or give them binoculars and designate them as the official family wildlife spotter.
I promise they will never forget these special moments on the vacation of a lifetime, and I guarantee that two words you won’t be hearing are “I’m bored.”
Watching your favorite team play doesn't take a break when you're on a cruise ship, and for those that are passionate fans, this means catching the game and rooting for their team no matter what.
Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade is Royal Caribbean's sports bar venue, and it features lots of televisions that show a variety of sports programming. For casual game watching, it's a hot spot and can get very busy when there are major events happening.
On Wonder of the Seas, Playmakers has the Owner's Box, which is a private VIP alcove you can rent for a few hours and I wanted to see what it was like to get this during the onset of March Madness in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
The first Playmakers opened on Symphony of the Seas when that ship launched, and it's become a favorite of cruisers for its a la carte menu, viewing opportunities, and causal atmosphere.
Now it's found on several ships across Royal Caribbean's fleet, including the brand new Icon of the Seas.
Read more: Icon of the Seas information, tips & tricks
The seating in Playmakers is on a first-come, first-reserved basis. There's no ability to make advanced reservations, which can be problematic if you really want to see a particular game and many other passengers do too.
The newer Playmakers have the Owners Box, which you can book during the cruise to assure you of space for your group.
It's really meant as a group activity, with enough space for a dozen or so people.
On our spring break sailing, I wanted to catch the opening of the basketball tournament to see the University of Connecticut play (Go Huskies!).
It costs $350 for 2 and a half hours, although the staff were adamant we could stay for as long as our game was playing.
You get two pitchers of beer, 12 wings, and 2 appetizers from the regular menu. The beer is limited to what's on tap.
A velvet rope sections off the Owner's Box from the rest of Playmakers, and you'll find the most comfortable chairs surrounded by televisions.
The staff welcomed us in and the restaurant's manager came by to ensure the games we wanted to see were on the screen. There are two large televisions, along with a few smaller sets that line the walls. You can easily watch 3-4 games at the same time, although Royal Caribbean's satellite feed is not quite the same as at home.
Luckily, they had most of the games available to watch, so it was just a matter of having the staff change the channel on each television to match what we wanted.
The box is open air, which means noise from the Boardwalk can easily bleed through. Moreover, while the restaurant is air conditioned, the open air nature of the restaurant means the outside heat and humidity certain seeps in.
When we sat down, there was a large family activity going on that was quite loud. Plus, I'd be concerned in the warmer months of the year how hot it gets in the venue.
Noise bleed from around the bar and in the Boardwalk is going to happen, so Royal Caribbean installed what I call "sound bubbles".
These speakers in the ceiling have a plastic dome around them to direct the sound directly downwards to whomever is sitting below it.
They do indeed work, and it allows you to easily hear the game you want to watch, even if it's noisy around you.
Burgers, wings, nachos, oh my!
Whether you're in the Owner's Box or not, the comfort food at Playmakers is your typical sports bar selections that hits the spot for most people.
A lot of the menu is great for sharing, which is conducive to a group experience in the Owner's Box. It's easy to get nachos, and place it in the middle to share.
Besides the snacks and beer included with the rental, you can order anything else you'd like off of the regular menu.
I think the onion ring tower, nachos, and buffalo crunch rolls are all worth trying there. Those are great for sharing, but order your own Campfire Cookie because you won't want to give any of that up.
UCONN won its game, and we enjoyed all the food and drinks provided, but I'm not sure I need to experience this again.
At $350, it's not outrageously expensive for a large group, but I'm not sure I need to spend the money for a dedicated area again.
If you're a die-hard fan and you're on a cruise for a critical game, then you might consider renting the Owner's Box for your group. It certainly is nice having reserved seats and space to spread out.
The bar's service was impeccable, and they did just about anything to ensure we got what we wanted.
I glanced around a few times and even though it was the NCAA tournament, there were still stools and booths available that we could have sat at for free to watch the game. Perhaps if the price was closer to $100, it might have been worth it.
The decision to rent the Owner's Box truly comes down to your passion as a fan, and how important it is to you to have a reserved section.
On one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, you'll find a giant suite that has more space and amenities than you ever thought possible on a cruise ship.
Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas has an entire neighborhood dedicated to just suites, and it's where you'll find some of the largest cabins on any cruise ship.
The Royal Loft Suite is one of the biggest suites on the ship, and also one of the most expensive. It comes with the ship's best perks, known as Star Class. It comes with complimentary drink package, specialty dining, gratuities, and the services of the Royal Genie.
Read more: My advice for someone using a Royal Genie on a Royal Caribbean cruise
It's a big room with the best benefits Royal Caribbean offers, and we got a chance to tour the cabin. Let's take a look inside.
The Royal Loft Suite is located within the suite neighborhood, which is an area of the ship that only has suite cabins. There are suites on other decks too, but this area is reserved exclusively for suite guests.
Unlike other suites that share a common hallway, the Royal Loft Suite has its own glass door that stops anyone from even reaching the actual door to the cabin. It's like its own mini-hallway.
A chime outside the glass door rings inside the cabin to allow entry.
As you walk into the Royal Loft Suite, it becomes apparent quickly this is a very different cruise ship cabin.
There is a baby grand piano on your right, a wet bar on your left, and floor-to-ceiling windows leading to the balcony.
The look of the room is also quite opulent, with hardwood floors and marble furnishings.
Sprawling is the best word to describe this cabin, as the main floor has a dining room table that can seat up to 8 people.
Room service is included with this suite, and that includes being able to order food from specialty restaurants or the Main Dining Room. Guests staying in this cabin are able to have their meal served in the dining room.
To the right is the living room, and it has lots of space to relax.
There is a large couch, chair, and even a pair of hanging rocking chairs. I especially liked the couch had a chaise to it, making it far more comfortable for lounging.
As the name implies, there is an upper loft area that is just for the master bedroom and bath.
Stairs lead to the upper level, where you'll find a king size bed. The bed overlooks the rest of the suite and has views to the windows, providing ocean views.
If you need privacy, a curtain can be extended by the push of a button to completely envelop the bedroom.
Behind the bed are more closets than you could possibly need, with floor-to-ceiling doors that offer drawers and hanging space.
The amount of extra space continues into the master bath, with dual sinks and lots of counter space.
Within the shower is a rainforest shower with a pair of handheld shower heads, along with various nozzles.
There's also a soaking tub nearby.
The toilet is separated by a door, and has a remote controlled bidet.
I was surprised by how much smaller the balcony space was on this balcony compared to the Royal Loft Suite balcony on Allure of the Seas, but Royal Caribbean made up for it with an ocean view that doesn't have the privacy issues other ships have.
The balcony has its own hot tub to enjoy, along with a table and chairs nearby.
There's also two more hanging rocking chairs that face the ocean, along with a wet bar and television.
On the lower floor is the second bedroom, which can sleep an additional two guests. The bed does not separate.
This room has its own doorway, along with storage and even a chair. Just like the master bedroom, the television retracts down from the ceiling.
While the bathroom is not nearly as large as the master bathroom, it's still quite nice and has multiple faucets inside the shower.
Just as important as the room is the services of the Royal Genie, who isn't quite a butler, but is just as helpful.
The genie is responsible for three cabins on Wonder of the Seas, and assists with just about every need their guests might have. Dinner reservations, seats for a show, escorting on and off the ship, and even getting elevators for their guests are just some of the benefits they provide.
Think of a genie as an "easy button" for the cruise, where you don't need to pre-book things and simply inform the genie what you want to do, and they will make it happen.
Cruise ships have become well-known for offering incredible experiences that you can't believe are available at sea, and this suite certainly fits the bill.
Suite accommodations are not about providing a dollar-for-dollar value, but rather, an option for the well-to-do that can afford it. Walking through the cabin, you quickly get a sense this is unlike other cruise ship cabins (or even lesser suites).
The combination of sprawling space and services of the Royal Genie mean anyone willing to pay the price tag to enjoy a stay here.
It looks as though Royal Caribbean will shift its cruise ship impacted by the Baltimore bridge collapse to Norfolk.
Vision of the Seas is the sole Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailing from Baltimore, and was out on a long sailing when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship.
Guests booked on the April 12 sailing of Vision of the Seas received an update late on Thursday to inform them that the ship will sail from Norfolk, Virginia instead.
Reddit user thrawaway1234567890 posted a copy of the letter confirming the change in operations.
"After the recent bridge collapse, Baltimore will not be prepared to safely embark guests on April 12, 2024. After exploring all options, Norfolk, Virginia was the best temporary alternate home port for Vision of the Seas," the letter explained.
Royal Caribbean last used Norfolk as a homeport between 2007 and 2010.
In addition, the April 12 sailing will need to be shortened by a day to come back on April 19 instead of April 20, resulting in a change in itinerary and dropping a visit to Royal Caribbean's private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Vision of the Seas is currently on a 12-night Southern Caribbean sailing that is not due back into port until April 4.
Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas sails out of Maryland, offering cruises to the Bahamas, Southern Caribbean, Bermuda, and Canada/New England. Other cruise lines, such as Norwegian and Carnival, sail from Baltimore, too.
Carnival Cruise Line announced a move to Norfolk earlier this week.
While the situation in Baltimore remains in flux as it relates to re-opening the Port of Baltimore waterways, Carnival announced they would temporarily move Carnival Legend’s Baltimore operations to Norfolk, Virginia.
Carnival Legend is scheduled to return from its current voyage on Sunday, March 31. It will now return to Norfolk on Sunday, and guests will be provided complimentary bus service back to Baltimore. Carnival Legend’s next seven-day itinerary on March 31 will then operate from and return to Norfolk. Guests on the current and upcoming cruises are being informed of this change.
In the early morning hours on Tuesday, March 26, a cargo ship that suddenly lost power crashed into one of the support columns of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing parts of the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River.
Video footage shows cars and trucks falling into the cold water below.
The nearly 1,000-foot-long cargo ship lost propulsion shortly after leaving the Port of Baltimore. The ship was traveling at a speed of 8 knots, which is about 9 mph, before crashing into the bridge.
The Singapore-owned ship, called the Dali, was departing Baltimore and heading to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.
Moments before the crash, the crew onboard issued a mayday call to the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transit Authority so traffic could be stopped from both sides of the bridge. According to Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott, this mayday call “saved many lives.”
The mayor, along with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, declared a state of emergency soon after the bridge collapsed.
At the time of the collapse, there was a team of construction workers who were filling potholes on the bridge. With the bridge collapse, the workers were sadly tossed into the Patapsco River. Of the eight workers, two were rescued, two bodies were recovered, and four are still missing and presumed dead (at the time of this article).
The FBI stated that this incident did not have any terrorist involvement. It was purely an accident.
According to some analysts, The Port of Baltimore could be reopened in less than a year, but rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge could take up to 10 years. Construction of the bridge cannot begin until after the cleanup.
President Joe Biden said in a briefing, “This is going to take some time. And the people of Baltimore can count on us, though, to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt."
The Francis Scott Key Bridge was more than 1.6 miles long and was one of the longest continuous truss bridges in the world.
Investigation is currently taking place to understand what caused the cargo ship to lose power.
Matt is back from Wonder of the Seas for Spring Break.
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Cruise prices are on the rise, and that makes free cruise offers through the ship's casino much more enticing than ever before.
Royal Caribbean has its own loyalty program tied to gambling in its casinos. Similar to land casinos, the more you play, the better benefits you get.
I never paid much attention to the casino offers and its perks because I only casually gambled on my cruises and wasn't aware of how lucrative the program can be. The more I cruised, the more I became aware of what it offered, and I was intrigued.
Read more: How to get free cruises through the casino
Let's stop here and remind everyone gambling is very addictive and is not for everyone. Know your limits, and you could easily spend much more in gambling losses than what you could get on a cruise. There is definitely a bigger picture to consider.
You can earn free cruise offers based on how much you gamble during a sailing, and if things go moderately right, you could come home with a free cruiser offer.
On my spring break cruise in March, I had some good fortune in the casino and won enough money at the beginning of the cruise to budget my gambling for the remainder of the sailing.
Usually I'll play $100-200 on any given day in the casino, primarily in the evening after dinner and nightly entertainment on the ship. But on this cruise, my early win allowed me to play a bit more since I had a cushion.
In short, you can earn one point for every few dollars you wager (not wins or losses, just how much you play).
At the casino host desk, there is a sheet that lists how many points during that sailing you need to reach certain reward thresholds. The lowest milestone is 1200 points, where you can get an inside stateroom for free and just pay taxes and port fees.
If you get more points, you can qualify for better cabins and/or more free play to go with it.
I got my 1200 points, and then booked an open cruise booking with NextCruise, which is a requirement to get your free room. Once I got home, I called Casino Royale and booked my cruise based on the available sailings that qualify.
Read more: 4 common mistakes people make when booking another cruise onboard their ship
You can't use the free cabin offer on any cruise. There are a list of blacked out sailings, and it's no surprise they are over holidays.
I found an offer on Freedom of the Seas in May, and went ahead and booked it. I opted for an inside guarantee cabin, because I would get an additional $25 in free play at the casino if I went with that instead of picking a room.
I then checked how much my room would have cost if I paid cash for it that same day, and it was $1499.29.
I paid $204.29 for my free room, which was just the port fees and taxes. Meaning, I saved $1295 on the booking.
Of course, I'd have to refer back to how much I gambled on my cruise to get it, and in this case, I came out ahead because of my windfall that buoyed my play. That's not always going to be case.
The counter-argument when someone says "you're paying for the room, it's just in gambling losses" is while true, some people are going to gamble anyway in the casino. It's one thing to go out of your way to gamble, but some people play enough whether there's a free room offer or not.
By offering cruises to further entice play, someone could continue to cruise and save a lot of money on their cruise fare.
Of course, luck isn't always on your side. I've been on cruises where it seems like the you cannot win anything, and losses can mount quickly. It's entirely possible to lose thousands of dollars and come home with just an inside cabin on a weekend cruise to show for it. It's important to keep this in mind when playing, and be realistic about your play.
In addition to winning a cruise based on your play, Royal Caribbean will periodically send offers select members to entice them to come sail again and play in the casino.
It's not uncommon to get online, email, or even printed letters with an offer of a free or reduced fare cruise. Often, these are for sailings coming up in the next few months.
With regular fares being so much more expensive, it's impressive how lucrative these casino offers can be even for just casual play.
An added bonus to relying on casino bookings is you can cruise more, which helps catapult you up the Crown and Anchor Society membership tier ladder faster.
In my situation, I found my Freedom of the Seas sailing to be a steal. I paid money to gamble that I probably would have done even if there was no free cruise offer, and I came away with a bonus sailing.
While you should expect gambling losses, I still think the Casino Royale offers are the best deal you can get on a cruise these days, especially on a close-in sailing.
It's certainly not an option for everyone, but those that have a stomach for casual gambling might find the best Royal Caribbean cruise deals coming through the casino.
Royal Caribbean is positioning itself to have a combination of port options no other cruise line can rival.
Private islands have been part of every major cruise line's game plan for decades, but Royal Caribbean is embarking on something different that will make it stand out. They're investing in their private islands while building out a collection of beach clubs.
Last Friday, Royal Caribbean announced it would open a beach club in Cozumel, Mexico in 2026, and that's the latest in the line's salvo of upgrades and additions aimed at making it the market leader in what a cruise vacation is all about.
Cruise ships have long been seen as floating destinations, but the ports of call are just as important to what vacationers are looking for in their cruise. Last year, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider, said the top two reasons people book a cruise are the destinations and food.
While a cruise line has control over the onboard experience, a poor experience on shore still reflects on the overall cruise experience. To that point, Royal Caribbean seems to want to improve that aspect of the overall vacation by giving guests more in-house choices to enjoy.
This strategy has a multi-faceted approach in how it benefits passengers and the company at the same time.
From the cruise passenger standpoint, offering beach clubs add to a growing collection of Royal Caribbean branded and operated spots in the Caribbean.
New cruisers, which are the burgeoning market for any cruise line, struggle mightily with finding good choices for shore excursions. Even excursions sold through a cruise line can have its issues, as they're all operated by third-parties. There's a lack of consistency in the product.
With Royal Caribbean's traditional private islands, it offers passengers a safe place they can rely on to deliver a certain quality of experience.
Private islands are wonderful, but very expensive. Plus, you can't just buy up a private island anywhere, especially along routes already frequented by cruise ships.
Enter the beach club.
Royal Caribbean now has two beach clubs set to open in the next two years, in Nassau, Bahamas and Cozumel. Each addresses a need Royal Caribbean's customers have.
The Royal Beach Club in Nassau is located on a strip of land near where the cruise ships dock, which makes it extremely convenient.
More importantly, Nassau is a port is one of the worst rated ports by Royal Caribbean's passengers.
Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said in April 2023 "Nassau is in the bottom ten percent," of customer feedback.
Mr. Bayley said cruise ship passengers have, "come here many times before and there’s nothing new, fresh or innovative. Secondly, there needs to be more product, more experience, more uniqueness, more options."
A beach club adds a quality product that passengers can trust, along with the sort of experiences Royal Caribbean already knows its customers want.
It will be 17 acres in size and there will be pools, beaches, dining experiences, and live entertainment too.
In 2026, the Royal Beach Club in Cozumel will open, and that serves a need for a different market.
Royal Caribbean is investing heavily in the Galveston, Texas cruise market. They've built a brand new terminal, and deployed some of its newest and biggest cruise ships there.
The need for a cruise from Galveston is something else to do, as ships sailing from Texas are limited to a handful of ports in this region.
Cozumel is a very common port of call for any ship sailing the Western Caribbean, similar to Nassau in how much traffic it gets.
Opening a second beach club in Cozumel means a new option exclusively for Royal Caribbean's ships, and a trusted spot.
While Cozumel is not as poorly rated as Nassau, there's always going to be subset of customers who greatly prefer cruise line-run operations. And it's something flashy that will get the attention of the highly sought-after new cruiser market.
Besides guest satisfaction, Royal Caribbean stands to improve its bottom line with beach clubs.
If there's been one lesson the company can glean from Perfect Day at CocoCay it's that running a highly rated destination brings in a lot of money.
CocoCay has drawn a lot of interest from new cruisers, and it was designed to attract customers who otherwise wouldn't be taking a cruise.
Adding beach clubs to the mix means more money spent by customers that goes to Royal Caribbean. Ever since Perfect Day at CocoCay opened in 2019, it's been responsible for higher returns to the line, thanks to higher pricing.
Royal Caribbean Group estimates 3 million guests will visit the island in 2024, which is up from 2.5 million in 2023. Mr. Bayley spoke of the island’s success, "The demand for that product [Perfect Day at CocoCay] is exceptionally high. The demand not only is there from a volume perspective, but the rate is there and that rate has been going up again in a very healthy way."
When the new Hideaway Beach expansion went on sale in 2023, sales were described as "gangbusters" by top officials.
Clearly the company is seeing a correlation between high guest satisfaction, premium prices, and better profits.
Another competitive advantage of Royal Caribbean's plan is it gives them something other lines can't offer.
Royal Caribbean wants to be the top choice for anyone considering a cruise, and in a crowed market, having both private islands and beach clubs could be a difference maker.
Cruise lines don't usually compete with each other for established customers because the new-to-cruise market is enormous and cheaper to attract. People that have never cruised before certainly take note of what stands out, whether it's a new ship or something fun to do.
While other cruise lines have their own private islands, none have announced plans similar to Royal Caribbean's beach club strategy.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore partially collapsed early Tuesday morning after a container ship ran into it, which will have a wide impact, including the cruise industry.
Maryland officials confirmed the ship lost power and ran into the bridge, causing its collapse. People and vehicles were sent into the water, creating a state of emergency.
The bridge's collapse has far ranging humanitarian, logistical and economic impacts, as well as the cruise industry.
Royal Caribbean operates year-round service from the Port of Baltimore, which is located inside the harbor and impacted and/or blocked by the now collapsed bridge.
A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson issued a statement no decisions have been finalized yet as it relates to cruise ship operations.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragedy and collapse of the Key Bridge that occurred last night and extend our heartfelt prayers to all those impacted."
"Our Port Logistics team is currently working on alternatives for our ongoing and upcoming sailings. We will message our guests and travel partners directly once our plans are finalized."
Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas sails out of Maryland, offering cruises to the Bahamas, Southern Caribbean, Bermuda, and Canada/New England. Other cruise lines, such as Norwegian and Carnival, sail from Baltimore, too.
Vision of the Seas is currently on a 12-night Southern Caribbean sailing that is not due back into port until April 4.
Traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore has been suspended following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge suffered a fatal blow after being hit by a large container ship early Tuesday. Meer moments after the collision, the bridge collapsed, sending vehicles and people into the Patapsco River.
Officials were searching for "upwards of seven people," according to the Baltimore City fire chief, James Wallace. Two people have already been rescued, with one declining medical service and the other being transported to a trauma center in serious condition.
At the time of the collision, workers were on the bridge completing repairs to its concrete deck. However, according to Paul J. Wiedefeld, Maryland’s transportation secretary, it's unclear how many workers were on-site during the incident.
The container ship, named The Dali, was on its way out of Baltimore on a 27-day journey to Sri Lanka, striking the bridge less than thirty minutes after departing the port around 1:30am EST. It was scheduled to arrive on April 22, according to VesselFinder.
This isn't the first time The Dali has been involved in an incident, as the ship hit a stone wall at the port of Antwerp in 2016. Thankfully, nobody was injured; however, the vessel did sustain minor damage.
In addition to rescue efforts streamlined by the Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a no-fly order around the bridge to allow workers to search for survivors from the air.
According to the FBI, no evidence suggests this was a terrorist attack; however, the investigation is ongoing. Richard Worley, the Baltimore Police commissioner, made a similar statement, claiming that there's "absolutely no indication" the ship struck the bridge on purpose.
No matter the cruise, there's always going to be a large contingent of first-time cruisers that inevitably make mistakes.
I took my family on a 7-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas for spring break. It's an annual cruise tradition, as taking the kids out of school during the course of the calendar year gets more difficult as they get older.
Spring break has its pros and cons to sailing this time of year, but we find the comfortable outdoor temperatures, lack of tropical storms, and built-in time off as good reasons to sail this month.
Over the span of the week, I ran into many cruisers and couldn't help but notice some of the clearly new ones struggling with things I think could have been avoided. I'm far from perfect, but I've gotten a lot better at avoiding common pitfalls from experience. Therefore, I think it's helpful to share with our readers ways they can improve too.
Here are the six mistakes I saw first-time cruisers committing on my cruise. These are the ones I witnessed, although I'm sure other first-time cruise mistakes were being committed elsewhere.
This may seem obvious, but there are always a few people genuinely surprised to be on a spring break cruise. Maybe it's because where they are from, spring break is a different week of the year. Or they don't think of March as when spring break might happen.
There were about 1700 children on our spring break cruise. To be clear, a ship like Wonder of the Seas would have been full if it were spring break or not. The difference is you have more kids than other weeks, but all the cabins would have been sold out one way or another given how popular cruising is, and how cruise lines sell their ships to sail at full capacity every week as a matter of economics.
Spring break might seem like it's one or two weeks, but in reality, it encompasses a few months. Most people consider spring break season to begin in mid-February when it's President's Day weekend in the United States and go all the way through Easter.
That means you'll find spring breakers cruising anytime in late February, March, or early April. Depending on when Easter falls on the calendar, the season can be longer or shorter. You should expect more kids on the ship any of these weeks.
One way to double check is to spot check school calendars, especially if you're on the fringe of spring break. Google your own hometown school calendar, as well as a few others. For what it's worth, Orange County schools in Florida had their spring break beginning on March 18, while Osceola County had theirs March 11.
The good news is you don't get the rowdy college spring breakers on a 7-night cruise, as much as you would on a 4-night cruise. However, there are definitely more families onboard and that just means lines for the water slides, laser tag, or hot tub might be longer.
If you truly want to avoid a spring break cruise, try a cruise in January, early February, or May.
As I barely stopped in my cruise check-in process, I couldn't help but shake my head at the folks who had to stop and have the terminal staff enter their paperwork for boarding.
Royal Caribbean allows you to start checking in for your cruise up to 45 days before the cruise begins, and you really should do all the pre-cruise check-in steps while you're at home (or work, I promise not to tell your boss).
In short, the time it takes to enter your travel information in the app at home is time saved in the terminal. I'm willing to bet it's faster for you to enter the information than the terminal staff can do it.
Whether it saves you five minutes or an hour, I personally would rather expedite the process to get on the ship and not start my vacation with an unnecessary line.
Read more: Royal Caribbean check-in process
Whether you buy a Royal Caribbean drink package or not, when you tell the bartender which drink you'd like, always specify the brand of liquor.
All too often, I see someone come up to the bar and ask for "a pina colada" or "a bloody mary" and not ask for Kraken rum or Tito's vodka.
When you ask for a liquor, you're almost always going to get the cheapest brand of liquor they have (better known as "well liquor"). It won't be nearly as smooth, and usually results in that cringe face after the first few sips.
Don't worry, most types of liquor are included with a drink package. Unless you're asking for something super top shelf, it won't affect the price.
Read more: Avoid these Royal Caribbean drink package mistakes
This next one isn't so much of a mistake, as it is something to think about for next time.
When you choose which dining time for dinner on your cruise, you have to pick between Traditional or My Time Dining. There are pros and cons to both, but I really felt bad for the folks in My Time Dining.
When I walked past the Main Dining Room on Deck 4 at 6:30pm, there were two giant lines that went almost back into the casino.
I went back a half hour later to check, and the line had subsided, but hadn't gone away.
My Time Dining is a good choice for those that want flexibility in when they eat, but understand you may have to wait for a table.
To be fair, experienced cruisers succumb to the sunburn just as easily as a new cruiser. But it seems like new cruisers tend to end up with that "lobster glow" more often.
Even though it's only March, the sun is strong and a sunburn is something no one wants.
Not only should you remember to apply sunscreen before you start your day on shore, but you need to re-apply. A lot.
Every two hours or so is a good idea, and you want to take a break to avoid getting burned. Once you're burned, it can be really uncomfortable for the next few days.
Similarly, it's easy to start having a great time relaxing in the ocean or pool, but be sure to take breaks and remember to not over do it.
Eating before you start day drinking is always a solid bet, and pace yourself. It's easy to get swept up in the fun and keep the drinks flowing, but drink responsibly so you don't end up being "that guy" later in the day.
Read more: 22 unpleasant cruise ship problems you aren't prepared for
At first I thought there was just one person that did this, but then I saw lots of bags.
The luggage tags you attached to your bag on embarkation should not be on your bags still when it's time to leave the luggage out on the final night of the cruise.
I have no idea how often (if at all) this really gets anyone into trouble with their luggage being lost, but if removing the original luggage tags is definitely a good practice to get into so there is absolutely no confusion if a piece of luggage in the cruise terminal is for a guest disembarking or a new guest boarding the ship.