A cruise vacation offers one of the best values you can get right now compared to almost any trip.

Whether you are sailing to the Caribbean, Alaska, or Europe, cruise ships are among the best priced vacation options because of everything you get included with your cruise fare.

Even Royal Caribbean recognizes how good of a deal a cruise is these days. Last month, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty talked about the value proposition a  cruise vacation enjoys, "The value gap between a cruise and land based vacation during the pandemic expanded quite a bit."

"We're still at a significant value to what it would cost for you to have anything close to a similar experience on land."

A big component of what makes a cruise so darn enticing is everything that comes with it, including some fun activities.

Royal Caribbean has built a reputation over the years as the cruise line to go to when you want to enjoy lots to do on a ship. The cruise line is known for being a leader in "I can't believe they put that on a cruise ship."

So in the spirit of sharing that value, here's a list of some free things you can do on Royal Caribbean cruise ships so that you can make sure you enjoy all of it on your next cruise.

Go rock climbing

Royal Caribbean first made a name for itself in onboard activities when they added a rock climbing wall to its cruise ships.

Now a staple of any Royal Caribbean ship, the rock wall is an opportunity to challenge yourself to get to the top of the wall.

There are even multiple courses on each wall that provide varying degrees of difficulty so you can keep increasing the stakes to reach the top.

Play mini-golf

I can't think of another family-friendly activity not involving water that resonates so well as mini-golf.

Most Royal Caribbean cruise ships have a mini-golf course, where you can play 9 or more holes as often as you like.  Some ships even have the course traverse two decks, adding more to the experience.

Just like mini-golf on land, the choice of keeping score or keeping it casual is up to you.

Sing karaoke

Usually if you go to a karaoke bar on land, there's an expectation of a drink minimum, but not on Royal Caribbean.

Karaoke is one of the most popular evening activities, where you can see who has real skills, who thinks they have real skills, and who is clearly on stage just to have a good time.

You'll find  karaoke held almost every night (some ships have a dedicated karaoke lounge), and the song library are usually extensive enough to find something you know.

Don't hesitate if you think you might want to sing, because the sign up list tends to fill up fast.

If you have kids, look for special family and teen karaoke sessions, where the crowds can be more tolerable.

Try the water slides

For a long time, Royal Caribbean didn't really have water slides on their ships, but that's changed quite quickly.

Royal Caribbean offers water slides on most ships (although the Quantum Class notably doesn't have any), and these slides are open every day of your cruise to enjoy.

It's easy to label water slides as something for the kids, but adults will find these equally fun.

Learn to surf

If your Royal Caribbean ship has a FlowRider, you might try your hand at stand-up surfing.

Available on a first-come, first-served basis, the FlowRider is another signature activity on most Royal Caribbean ships where waves are simulated using powerful water jets.

To be honest, the mastering the FlowRider is more akin to skate boarding than perhaps surfing, but it's still a terrific physical challenge and something you can do over and over again (provided you wait in line for another turn).

Enjoy live music every night

Royal Caribbean's live musical entertainment is second-to-none in the cruise industry.

Every night you'll find plenty of live musical acts, including a guitarist, piano bar player, and live bands.

Much of this live music is meant to get the crowd into the experience, whether singing along or dancing to the music. 

A lot of cruisers will bar hop to check out the various live acts each evening. Sometimes one performer is so good that you want to spend all evening enjoying it.

Challenge your noggin at trivia

An underrated cruise ship activity are daily trivia sessions.

On any day of the cruise, Royal Caribbean will host all sorts of trivia sessions on a variety of topics. They can be general trivia, geography, music, favorite movies and more.

While there are cheap prizes if you win, the real fun of trivia is competing against other guests to see who know more on the topic.

On longer sailings, Royal Caribbean organizes progressive trivia, where each trivia session counts towards an overall score.

See Broadway show

Select Royal Caribbean ships offer Broadway shows that are the exact show you would have seen on The Great White Way, and included in your cruise fare.

The musicals available on Royal Caribbean include Mama Mia, Hairspray, Grease and more!

There  is no cost to making advanced reservations, and you certainly could wait to get a seat onboard if you so choose.

On other Royal Caribbean ships that don't have a Broadway show, there's still musical and dance acts that perform in the theater. While these lack the plot of a full show, they still incorporate a great deal of musical melodies you're likely to know.

Watch a new release movie

You can watch classics and recently released films on the ship's movie screen.

These movie screens are giant, and you can pull up a chair from just about anywhere on the pool deck to watch it with your family. Many cruisers opt to stay in the pool and watch the movie while floating.

On Radiance Class ships, there is actually a dedicated movie theater with movies throughout the day.

Bungee jump

Combine virtual reality and a bungee experience and you get the SkyPad.

The SkyPad straps guests into bungee chords, where you can bounce up and down with an optional VR helmet on to provide the sensation of moving through an augmented reality world.

Ice skate

On Royal Caribbean ships that have an ice skating rink, guests can put on a pair of ice skates and hit the ice rink during their sailing.

Check the Cruise Compass for open skate sessions during your sailing.  Royal Caribbean will provide you with complimentary ice skate and safety equipment rentals.  Just be sure to pack long pants and socks.

Ride the carousel

Guests of any age (that means you) can enjoy a ride on the carousel in the Boardwalk for no additional cost.

The carousel is just plain fun for kids and adults. Eighteen figures are suspended from stainless steel poles along with one ADA accessible chariot are rideable.

Be sure to also check out the carousel at night because like the fairs of the past, nighttime is when these rides really shine when they are all lit up.

Sky dive (safely)

The Quantum Class ships offers every guest one time in the  iFly by RipCord "indoor" skydiving simulator.

RipCord by iFly is a skydiving simulator that will be a first for cruise ships.  Rather than descend from 10,000 feet in the sky, RipCord allows guests to get the sensation of skydiving without the incredible risk.

Set in a recirculating indoor vertical wind tunnel, guests can feel like they're falling from the heavens in a safe environment.  You wear the gear and goggles as if you were jumping out of an airplane, so it's as authentic an experience as you can get without the airplane.  Trained instructors are with you the whole time in a totally controlled environment.

Try a zip line

On Oasis class ships, guests can soar 9 decks above the Boardwalk neighborhood, stretching 82 feet from end to end.

Passengers must be at least 52" tall to participate and weigh a maximum of 275 pound, also must at least weigh 75 pounds.

The zip line is free and guests must sign a waiver.

Weekend in the Bahamas

If your cruise happens to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, it's hard to overlook the value of what a day here gets you as part of the cruise.

Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas is more than just a plot of sand with an umbrella nearby. There's multiple beaches, a pool, and lots of food to keep you busy at no additional cost.

So many cruises from the United States now visit CocoCay, and that means you get an entire day to take advantage of what you can do there.

The "Perfect Day" moniker may be a marketing tool, but there's real truth to how much fun you can have while visiting. In fact, so much of the experiences found at CocoCay are included with your cruise fare.

If you're between the age of 18 and 25, there's now more activities for you to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship than before.

Royal Caribbean has quietly unveiled a new activities program aimed at an age group that has traditionally found itself on the periphery of things to do on a cruise ship.

The new activities are referred to as the Hyperlink program, and they aim to bridge cruise ship activities following the teen club age to the more common adult offerings.

Speaking to travel agents on Wonder of the Seas last week, Royal Caribbean Director of Entertainment Activities & Media Operations, Ken Rush, talked briefly about the new option.

"We have been doing we've been doing a trial on the Symphony of the Seas of what we're calling the Hyperlink program, which is going to be a new program for the 18 to 25 year olds. So we're doing that right now and it's coming."

Since then, the program has been spotted in the Cruise Compass of other ships across the fleet, including Odyssey of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas.

It's not clear yet which ships offer it or not.

Addressing a need

For many young adults on a cruise, they see a gap in programming that appeals to them once they are too old for the teen club.

Royal Caribbean limits the teen club to passengers 17 years and younger, which means anyone between the age of 18-20 is found in a middle ground of being too old for the teen club, but not old enough to drink.

Examples of events

In looking through the Royal Caribbean app, we can see examples of the events the Hyperlink program includes.

Similar to the teen events, there are now special events listed that cater only to guests between the age of 18-25.

It appears the goal is to gather passengers of this age so they can meet and spend time together with the intention of fostering new friendships.

Just like other events, there's no pre-registration needed. Guests of this age can simply show up at the selected time and location.

Royal Caribbean's activities staff curate the event, just like other events onboard.

More for millennials

There are an estimated 80 million millennials in the United States, making them the largest generation currently.

The Hyperlink program is aimed at guests at the younger end of the spectrum, as the millennial generation spans anyone born between 1980 and 2000.

An estimated 32% of millennials have already taken a cruise in the last five years, and Millennials seem to like the idea that cruises are transportation and accommodation in one. The appeal of leaving your bags unpacked the entire trip has caught on, and cruise lines are highlighting this as they expand their offerings.

While millennials may not make up the majority of cruise passengers right now, getting them on board will become increasingly more important as they get older.

When your pull into port, how long does it take to deboard a cruise ship?

Cruise ships travel the world, with stops in many ports along the way. Whether it's the last day of your cruise or just a scheduled visit somewhere, the disembarkation process can be different depending on a few factors.

There's crowds to contend with, along with the logistics of getting passengers and belongings off the ship, local authorities, and more.

If you're to cruising, you want to know how long does it take to get off the cruise ship. Let's break down everything you need to know about debarking a cruise ship so you know exactly what to expect.

How long does it take to get off a cruise ship at port?

On a day your cruise ship visits a port of call, the disembarkation process depends on a few factors.

Before anyone can get off a cruise ship, the country you are visiting needs to clear the ship. Usually a maritime entity will board the ship and do some kind of an inspection to verify the paperwork is accurate and all regulations are being followed.

This must be done at every port of call, even private islands operated by the cruise lines.

How long it takes local authorities to clear a ship depends and can be a few minutes or closer to an hour.

Once the ship is good to proceed the next question is your ship docking at a pier or shuttling guests off via tenders?

The fastest option is if your ship can dock at a pier.  Once the ship is tied up and local authorities clear the ship, guests can walk off the ship just as fast as they can pass through security to indicate they've checked out for the day.

Tender boats have a limited capacity and it takes time to load them up and then subsequently unload them later. The result is usually a wait onboard the ship for a spot on a tender, followed by a wait for the tender to proceed to shore.

No matter which method you have to disembark the ship, you'll need to scan your SeaPass card to show you're off the ship. This is done to have an accurate guest head count for later in the day to know if all passengers are onboard.

Keep in mind any minors need to have an adult present when disembarking the ship, including teenagers. If you want to meet your teens later on shore, they will need an adult with them to disembark the ship. If not, they'll be denied disembarkation.

So how long does it take to get off cruise ship? Once the gangway is open for disembarkation, the real wait is simply how many other people are ahead of you.

When the gangway is open early in the morning, there's rarely a backup of guests to get off the ship (unless it's a tender stop).

If your ship is docked at a pier, expect the disembarkation process to only take a few minutes from when you get down to the gangway area.  In most cases, the longest time required  is the time needed to walk down the pier once off the ship.

If your ship is tendering, you're at the mercy of how many tenders are available, distance from shore, and demand from fellow guests. It could be 10-15 minutes or as long as an hour. 

How long does it take to disembark a cruise ship when it's over?

The process for getting off your cruise ship and going home when the cruise is over has a few more steps you should be aware of.

Royal Caribbean will publish a time your ship is due back into port, but this is only the time the ship docks.  Not the time guests can actually walk off the ship.

Just like a port call, your cruise ship will first need to get clearance from local authorities. Sometimes this is a mere formality and sometimes the inspection takes a while longer. There's no way to know in advance what to expect.

In order to prevent a mass exodus at the same time, Royal Caribbean divides up its passengers by groups. 

Once the ship is cleared, the first people allowed off the ship will be anyone taking their own luggage off the ship. 

Known as self-debark or "walking off the ship on your own", you are responsible for taking all your belongings off the ship and getting them through the cruise terminal.

The longest wait for this is from other people wanting to be among the first to walk off the ship, and there can sometimes be a line of guests waiting to walk off the ship in the morning. This is especially true for weekend cruises when locals are eager to get off the ship and back to work in time.

The good news is the time to walk off the ship is fairly quick once the line starts moving.  As long as there's no delay in the cruise terminal backing up the line, you should be able to walk off the ship in a matter of minutes since all you'll need to do is scan your SeaPass card to indicate you are off the ship.

I've found the longest waits can be for elevators in the morning of the last day of the cruise, rather than a wait to walk off the ship.

If you chose to have Royal Caribbean take your luggage off the ship for you, then you'll need to wait for your group number to be called.

The group numbers correspond to your luggage tag number. When a number is called, it means all the luggage for that number are ready to be picked up in the cruise terminal.

You could walk off the ship before your luggage tag number is called, but you'll simply end up waiting in the cruise terminal for all the luggage to be brought out. Plus, you'll create a crowd and that causes issues for everyone else.

Once your number is called, then you proceed to the gangway area and scan your SeaPass card as you leave the ship.

The time needed to walk off the ship is usually pretty steady, especially at Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship terminals. This includes:

• Port Canaveral: Terminal 1
• PortMiami: Terminal A
• Port Everglades: Terminal 18
• Galveston: Terminal 3

Don't worry if your cruise comes back to another terminal, things will likely still move quick enough.

The biggest issue with knowing how long it will take to walk off the ship are factors no one can truly know in advance:

• How many other guests will try to get off the ship at the same time as you?
• How long it will take authorities to clear the ship?
• Will there be any logistical issues encountered that slow the process?

It could take a few minutes or an hour to walk off the ship once it's over.

The entire process will take a few hours to get every single passenger off the ship when the cruise is over. Usually the last guests are walking off the ship in the 9:00am hour.

Suite guests

If you're staying in a Royal Caribbean suite, the disembarkation process can be faster than for other guests.

The suite concierge can provide expedited disembarkation, which means they will escort you and other suite guests off the ship at a pre-arranged time and bypass some of the line.

In my experience, this means the concierge will walk you past some or all of the line leading up to the check-point where you scan your SeaPass card.  This can save a lot of time, if the check-out line is backed up.

Similarly, a Royal Genie will provide the same service for their guests, albeit just for Star Class passengers. This includes a dedicated elevator and better luggage support on the final morning.

What's earliest time you can walk off if you take your own luggage?

Self assist early walk off is the first to leave the ship after clearance from local authorities. 

The issue here is what time the ship gets cleared, and there's no definitive way to know in advance.

In a lot of cases, it can begin around 7:00am. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later.

Do not assume the time listed for your ship to dock at the pier is the time you can actually walk off the ship.

Top ways to get off the ship fastest when your cruise is over

If your goal is to be able to get off your cruise ship fastest when it's over, here are some tried-and-true methods that work for a lot of people.

1. Walk off with your own luggage

If you can take your own luggage off the ship, then you can disembark just as soon as the ship is cleared. This puts you more in control of your own destiny.

You can even start lining up for disembarkation before the ship is cleared to ensure you're among the first off the vessel.

Of course, this means you have to lug all your belongings out of your room, down the hall, and into an elevator.  Then you have to be able to physically carry everything without any assistance off the ship. Solo cruisers and couples may be able to do this, but families usually find it impossible.

2. Have a passport

If you have a passport, you'll be able to get through the cruise terminal much faster than if you have just a birth certificate.

Most Royal Caribbean terminals now have facial recognition for guests with a passport. It's the fastest way to get on your way.

3. Stay in a suite

The suite concierge provides so many benefits, and priority disembarkation can be worth its weight in gold if getting off the ship with a minimal wait is important to you.

When long lines develop for walking off, the concierge can shave off a lot of time with their ability to cut the line.

You'll need to stay in a Grand Suite or higher for this benefit, and suites are far from inexpensive.

4. Purchase The Key

A benefit of being a guest that purchases Royal Caribbean's VIP program, The Key, is you'll get a special luggage tag.

You won't get to cut the line, but you will be assured your luggage is among the first delivered to the cruise terminal.

Welcome to the first week of 2022, and here is your look at all of the Royal Caribbean news you might have missed in the past week.

New internet speeds, ship construction, and island expansions are just some of the changes Royal Caribbean has lined up for 2023.

The new year means a variety of initiatives and projects will become reality this year, and it's important you're aware of these big changes.

Check out our list of 5 changes coming to Royal Caribbean in 2023.

Royal Caribbean News

• What does tender mean on a cruise ship?
• The 10 best-selling cruise ship products our readers couldn’t stop buying in 2022
• How I kept from gaining weight on my cruise
• Best Miami hotels near the cruise port
• Ultimate Guide to Puerto Plata cruise port

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 481st episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, recorded live while onboard Wonder of the Seas.

Matt and Beci sum up the final group cruise of 2022, and talk about the fun they had onboard.

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.

New RCB Video: A look at the secret crew-only areas on cruise ships

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — A look at the secret crew-only areas on cruise ships — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

12 things I'd tell anyone new to cruise ship travel

A cruise vacation is unlike other kinds of vacation, which is a compliment and an advisory of what to expect.

No doubt a first cruise brings with it all sorts of emotions and expectations, so in planning a cruise, Matt has a list of things every new cruiser should know.

Hopefully these 12 tips for a new traveler will help anyone avoid some early mistakes.

2023 Cruise Planning Guide

Ready to jump head-first into planning a Royal Caribbean cruise?

There's so much to tackle when you start looking at any cruise vacation, so we've come up with the perfect jumping-off point of information and advice for anyone planning a cruise.

Consider this a "Royal Caribbean 101" approach to cruise planning.

What a $13,000 suite on Wonder of the Seas looks like

Have you ever wanted to see what one of the biggest suites on Wonder of the Seas looks like?

I recently stayed in a two bedroom AquaTheater suite on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, which came out to cost around $13,000.

Take a tour of spacious my hotel room at sea complete with views of the ocean and two bedrooms.

To celebrate my daughter's birthday, we spent six nights in a two-bedroom AquaTheater suite on the Wonder of the Seas.

The stateroom is one of the Star Class suites, which means it has the top benefits offered by Royal Caribbean and is one of the most palatial staterooms. For my family of 4, the price came out to $13,000 for the 6-night cruise.

We had originally booked Harmony of the Seas but Royal Caribbean changed deployments and swapped out Harmony for the cruise line's newest mega ship, the Wonder of the Seas.

Take a tour of spacious my hotel room at sea complete with views of the ocean and two bedrooms.

Let's take a look around my room complete with views of the ocean, two bedrooms, living room, and plenty of storage.

My suite is located on deck nine, near the Boardwalk neighborhood...

...an outdoor area that has dining and entertainment.

My stateroom is located at the end of the deck, which means it is a far walk to the elevators. But it has a ton of living space.

When I tapped my room key card and opened the door, I walked into the living room.

This suite has two bedrooms, let's start with the master bedroom.

It has a bed, desk, television, and so much closet space.

Next to each side of the bed are built-in outlets, including USB outlets.

The plush bed is surrounded by a wood structure with two large closets on the left of the bed.

The two full-size closets have hangers provided for you

We found the amount of closet space to be more than we needed, even on a seven night cruise

Like all staterooms, there is a safe for personal documents, cash, and any other valuables

The master bathroom has a shower and tub, with adjustable shower head.

All suites have a bathtub in addition to a shower (even Junior Suites)

The shower head can be detached, as well as moved up and down for optimal positioning

There's also a long, yet narrow, countertop with sink.

The other bedroom can sleep up to 4 people, with two pullman beds that can be opened from the walls.

The second bedroom has its own door, which makes for better privacy for anyone sleeping here.

It also has its own television, along with desk and mirror.

Across from the second bedroom is a full bathroom

Each shower has upgraded shower toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, and body wash

Hand soap is included as well

The living room curtains and air conditioning are controlled by a touch panel, which you can use to open or close curtains.

Now let's move into the living room

The living room has a large couch, table with chairs, and comfortable chair

The table is the perfect spot for snacks or meals delivered by room service

There is also a large television in the living room

The in-room coffee maker can make a quick cup of coffee anytime you want

The "pièce de résistance" of the AquaTheater suite is the balcony.

There are two balcony doors, one in the living room and one in the master bedroom

All AquaTheater suites are on the back of the ship, with a giant wrap-around balcony that extends to both sides of the cabin

As the name implies, you can get perfect views of the AquaTheater during any of the evening performances

There is also a very large table for gatherings on the balcony

Royal Caribbean also included lots of chairs and loungers to use while on the balcony

Arguably the best benefit of this suite is the Royal Genie services, which provides VIP privileges to everyone staying in the cabin.

While not cheap, I felt overall the suite delivered on a luxurious space for my family with an expansive amount of living space that make it a good option for families looking to splurge.

More information:

• Royal Caribbean Suites Guide & Review
• My advice for someone using a Royal Genie on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• What is the difference between suite concierge and a Royal Genie?
• A beginner's guide to sailing in Star Class
• What is the most expensive suite on Royal Caribbean?
• How to maximize the value of a cruise ship suite

Merry Christmas! The holidays are here, and so is our weekly round up of this week's Royal Caribbean news.

Royal Caribbean teased a celebration for its customer loyalty program that will include new offerings.

Coinciding with Crown and Anchor's 25th anniversary, guests can expect events to take place throughout 2023.

The celebrations will kick off by unveiling new, fresh and redesigned program gifts, along with onboard amenities, to recognize members’ loyalty to Royal Caribbean. 

Pros and Cons of sailing on an older Royal Caribbean cruise ship

When you sail on an older cruise ship, there are some tradeoff's and benefits.

Older ships don’t offer nearly as much to do as ships but that doesn’t mean you should avoid old cruise ships.

In fact, many cruisers find that older ships offer a more relaxed cruise experience at a lower cost than new ships. Plus, older ships visit some of the most unique destinations offered by Royal Caribbean.

I sailed with a first-time cruiser to see what she thought about a Royal Caribbean cruise

Once you start cruising a lot, it's easy to forget what it was like when you were a new cruiser.

Jenna took a friend on Liberty of the Seas, which was her first cruise ever.

They shared the good and the bad—about her first Royal Caribbean cruise.

More Royal Caribbean information

• Tips for cruising as an adult with your parents
• Best way to see Alaska: Land or cruise?
• Where do cruises go from New York?

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 480th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available with an exclusive interview with Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty

Mr. Liberty shares where he sees things right now, and what the short term future holds for the cruise line!

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.

New RCB Video: I spent $250 to upgrade my cruise cabin: worth it or waste of money?

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — How to choose the right Alaska cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Merry Christmas! The holidays are here, and so is our weekly round up of the articles and news we shared about Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean confirmed it will have a new main dining room menu beginning in January 2023.

This is the first new dining room menu in over five years for the cruise line.

Royal Caribbean cautioned that the exact menu selections may change, so test menus that have been used so far may not be the final product.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean changes Diamond drinks benefit to be easier for passengers that stay up late
• Royal Caribbean Group CEO talks ordering new ships, port projects & more
• Royal Caribbean announces plan to build first carbon-neutral cruise ship
• What's different about a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and the last ocean liner?
• Why January is the best time for last-minute cruises

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 479th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available featuring an inside look at why Royal Caribbean is changing the main dining room menus.

Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza talks about the dynamics of changing a dining room menu and what we can expect when it rolls out.

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.

New RCB Video: 8 Things I Won't Do Again on Royal Caribbean

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Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — 8 Things I Won't Do Again on Royal Caribbean — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

15 tips to cruising for cheap on less than $100 per day

Want to go on a cruise for cheap? We have some easy ways to enjoy a cruise for less than $100 per day.

Between planning in advance and avoiding certain onboard purchases, you can easily keep that cruise cost down.

Royal Caribbean releases 2024-2025 Caribbean sailings for sale

Ready to book a Caribbean cruise in winter 2024?

Royal Caribbean released its year-round and summer Caribbean sailings for the 2024-2025 cruise season.

The new itineraries are loaded into Royal Caribbean's website and available for immediate booking. 

Royal Caribbean removes Diamond Plus benefit from Crown and Anchor Society perks

There's been a change to one benefit for Diamond Plus members.

Royal Caribbean it has decided to rescind access to the Concierge Lounge due to overcrowding in the lounge.

Due to high counts of top-tier members on most sailings, Royal Caribbean had to limit access to the Concierge Lounge altogether.

Royal Caribbean is tweaking one of its most popular Crown and Anchor Society benefits.

The line announced two changes on Thursday that will slightly affect how the Diamond level drink vouchers work.

Both changes are intended to make redemption and tracking of this benefit easier.

If you are Diamond, Diamond Plus, or Pinnacle, you can get a set amount of complimentary beverages every day of your cruise, which includes alcoholic beverages.

Both of these changes go into effect on all sailings departing on or after December 16th, 2022.

Changing the time vouchers rollover

The time of day when your Diamond drinks reset is the first change.

Royal Caribbean provides complimentary drinks each day to its Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle guests.

Prior to the change, your daily drink vouchers would get reset at midnight. This meant if you didn't use up all your drink vouchers before midnight, you'd lose them and any drinks consumed after midnight would count against the next day's vouchers.

Instead, Royal Caribbean is changing the daily schedule so that these vouchers are now redeemable from 5:00 AM to 4:59 AM the next day. 

This means that your daily complimentary vouchers will now reset at 5:00 AM every morning allowing you to get more out of this benefit during prime hours of each day, including your after-midnight drinks.

The logic here is to allow the late-night festivities to continue past midnight, since most people think about the entirety of a night out as still the same day.

Drink voucher count

The other change is a formal announcement of a policy we heard was changing.

To make it easier to track how many drink vouchers you have left, Royal Caribbean is adding a tracker to the printed receipt that is given upon receiving your complimentary drink. 

At the bottom of the receipt, there will now be a line of text which indicates how many vouchers you have used towards your daily balance, e.g., “C&A Beverage Voucher [# Used] of [# Total].” You’ll never lose track of your complimentary drink vouchers ever again!

This change was first announced in early November, when Royal Caribbean said it would start giving guests a paper receipt with the Diamond drink voucher redemption.

Prior to this change, there was no receipt to sign and the vouchers were all managed in the backend. 

Giving guests a receipt allows for easier billing discrepancy tracking.

For instance, you ordered a $3 coffee and they may have applied your voucher – and you don’t learn about it until you’re at dinner, wanting that nice $13 cocktail and you’re out of vouchers.

How the Diamond drink vouchers work

Royal Caribbean provides complimentary drinks each day to its Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle guests.

Guests who are at a lower tier of Crown and Anchor Society (Gold, Platinum, or Emerald) do not qualify for the drink vouchers.

• Diamond: 4 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)
• Diamond Plus: 5 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)
• Pinnacle: 6 beverage vouchers valid all day at any bar (except Starbucks)

Drink vouchers are loaded automatically every day on a guest's SeaPass account. 

This includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, and includes any beverage up to $14 per drink.