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Royal Caribbean Post Round-Up: January 15, 2017

In:
15 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Welcome to this week's round-up of all the Royal Caribbean news and happenings.  Hope you are staying warm and are ready to cozy up to some great Royal Caribbean fun.

Royal Caribbean highlighted what is new and notable for 2017, including new several new itineraries.

While there is no new cruise ship joining the fleet this year, Royal Caribbean fans will be delighted to see changes to offerings in many different markets.

Chief among the changes for 2017 are cruises to Cuba (finally!). Empress of the Seas will provide vacationers with the opportunity to discover the timeless sights, sounds and culture of this island nation. The newly revitalized Empress of the Seas will make history for the cruise line with its first visit to Cuba during a 5-night sailing departing Miami on April 19, 2017.

In addition, Royal Caribbean will operate the three largest cruise ships in the world out of the state of Florida.

Royal Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 180th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where we take an in-depth look at going on a Royal Caribbean cruise with young children.

Bringing toddlers and babies on a Royal Caribbean cruise is something many families choose to do, but there can be some unique challenges associated with traveling with kids of that age.  This week, Matt and Christy discuss their strategies and share tips for parents looking to cruise with the very young.

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

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Porthole Magazine has a full review of Harmony of the Seas in this month's edition.

Everything Zany shared a helpful list of cruise ship terms that you should know.

Cruise Critic shared their list of favorite drinks on Harmony of the Seas.

Chris Cruises shares an ode to sunsets at sea.

Eat Sleep Cruise has a list of the best hotels near Port Everglades.

Majesty of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Nassau, Bahamas

In:
15 Jan 2017
By: 
Michael Poole

Morning on board 

Today was our first stop in Nassau, Bahamas from noon-midnight. So this morning we had our “sea morning” as we made our slow approach into the Bahamas.

I started my day in the main dining room with breakfast. I am sad to report I forgot my camera in the cabin, so no food porn of my ham & cheese omelet. We sat in the Diamond section, which the only real perk does not have to wait for a table; you just simply walk in and seat yourself. Breakfast was fast and we were on our way to start enjoying our day. 

After breakfast, we attended the top-tier Crown and Anchor event, which started at 10:30am. The on board officers introduced themselves and what their role was on the ship.

They also presented some guests receiving their loyalty cruise block. Once you reach 140 C&A points, you receive a crystal block and again every 70 points after. During the event they have free cocktails, champagne, and wine so that’s reason enough to attend right? 

Nassau, Bahamas 

At 11:45am we made our approach to the pier in Nassau. I noticed while we were docking a tug boat was pushing us, so the high wind didn’t take us off course.

Around 12:30pm we made our way down to exit the ship for our day in Nassau.

I was really looking for something new while we were here, since I’ve been coming here a lot recently. We walked past Senor Frogs, down to McDonald’s to catch the local city bus. For $1.25 per person each way this public transportation will take you all over the island.

My friend Nick wanted to visit one of his favorite places called The Daiquiri Shack over on Cable Beach. The bus ride over took 8-10 minutes and was a unique experience to say the least. Once we arrived we quickly noticed the shack was closed down for a few days. We were so excited by the time we arrived it was a little let down. That being said, we were across the street from a beautiful resort Melia. We decided to walk over to the resort to check it out, since we already made our way out here. The resort was absolutely breathtaking when we walked in.

We inquired about their day passes and it seems it’s $45, but doesn’t include anything with it just access to the property and their free Wi-Fi (which works great). 

After we explored the resort we decided to head back to the port area and visit one of my favorites Pirate Republic Pub. If you have read my live blogs recently you know I’ve been coming here every visit in Nassau. It’s the only craft brewery on the island and it’s the first thing you see coming off the ship. We had a few beers before we got back on board, average price here for beers are $5-$8 each.

As we were walking back to the ship we decided to check out this restaurant we have been hearing a lot about. The place is called Café Matisse and I’ve often heard about it from crew members eating here. They were very inviting and let me come in to take pictures. 

Evening on board 

Tonight around 5pm I watched the Empress of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas dock in Nassau. I really love both of those ships and the excitement level was pretty high watching them dock during sunset.

 

Dinner this evening is at the Captain’s table at 8pm. I was lucky enough to get an invite due to my friend going, so a new experience for me. 

Our invitation for dinner said to meet at 8:15pm at the Schooner Bar. Once we arrived they had a section reserved for us, with card note that said VIP on the tables.

I have never been called a VIP before but I will pretend I am one! We had a round of drinks with the hotel director and then headed to our table at 8:30. During dinner I actually thought, "how am I going to explain this dinner in the blog post."

Of all my dinners at sea, I will remember this one forever. The level of service was outstanding. Even when they brought our food over it we always received it at the same time. I ordered the filet, think Chops Grille but better! I won’t go on and on about the dinner, but I felt so lucky to experience that meal. 

After dinner we went up to the pool deck party for our sail away out of Nassau. I can’t remember a sail away party this packed before, but I had a blast. 

Well friends, that was my full day in Nassau, tomorrow we tender in Coco Cay.

Photo tour of Grand Suite stateroom on Oasis of the Seas

In:
14 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Suites on Royal Caribbean cruise ships are a wonderful way to indulge with extra space and level of service. The Grand Suite stateroom category on Oasis of the Seas is a popular choice for guests that want to enjoy the Sky Class level of benefits in the Royal Suite Class.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Michael C. shared with us these photos of his stateroom from his recent cruise.

Photos of this room come to us from stateroom 12660.

This Grand Suite can accommodate up to 3 guests and features a spacious living room with desk, drawer space, vanity, sofa bed, and chairs.

Each suite also has its own flat-screen LCD television with stereo and DVD/CD player, thermostat controlled air-conditioning, internet access, direct-dial telephone, radio, mini bar, individual safe, 24 hour room service, and concierge service.

Grand Suites have floor-to-ceiling glass doors that lead to your private veranda with lounge chairs and tub, two twin beds that convert to a queen-sized bed, large closets, marble entry, private bathroom with tub and shower,

The Grand Suite measures 371 square feet in size, with a 114 square foot private balcony.

Majesty of the Seas Live Blog - Day 1 - Embarkation Day

In:
14 Jan 2017
By: 
Michael Poole

Pre - Cruise 

My cruise day is finally here, and as much as I wanted to sleep in that just did not happen. I always wake up very early on cruise morning with so much excitement, usually watch the ships pull in on webcam.

Since I live in Tampa, Florida now, I decided to drive the 120 miles over to the port the morning of the cruise. My travel over to the port was uneventful, I arrived at 10:00am and many people were still getting off the ships.

I was in no rush really, so I drove through the drop-off section and dropped my one backpack off. Then I parked at the terminal for $64 (you pre-pay when you park here). After parking I walked over for some pre-cruise drinks at Grills, which is right beside the terminal. Once I sat down, I thought to myself that was the easiest arrival I’ve ever had, from dropping bag off, to parking and my walk over all took less than 10 minutes. 

Embarkation 

At noon I decided to walk back over to the terminal, which was almost the same distance as walking to your car from leaving a restaurant.

The line to check-in for security was extremely long, however the Diamond and up Crown and Anchor line was completely empty, so off I went. Since I am on board for 3 sailings, I could have brought on board up to six bottles of wine. After thinking about it, I decided to only bring four bottles. When I went through security they question me a little, called a supervisor over, but he said no problem taking them all now! 

Lunch 

I explored around the ship for an hour then off for some lunch at Johnny Rockets. On Majesty of the Seas they have Johnny Rockets in the back of the Windjammer. Here is a tip, when you arrive they have a table set off handing out 20% off the cover charge, it will save you a few dollars. The standard cover charge here is $6.95 per person and that covers everything you would want to eat.

The service was outstanding, but to be honest we were the only ones in there. They showed us some card tricks that just blew us away, just really enjoyable lunch.

The food was also great, they put so much bacon on my burger, need I say more! 

 Cabin 

For the first leg, on deck 9 superior ocean view cabin - #9500. This cabin is all the way forward and very quiet. I have never stayed in a larger ocean view cabin and it’s quite nice. Often I will see them for a little more than the standard ocean view cabins, and always wondered if it was worth the few extra dollars, after now I would say so.

I had pre-purchased the bottle of rum and cokes for $40 online in the cruise planner and it was in my cabin waiting for us. 

Sailaway 

For sailaway we went to the spa for the raffle they hold to give out prices. My cruise count is at 33 now, and this was the first time I’ve ever been in the spa for sailaway. It was actually pretty fun to see people win prizes, though we only won a NextCruise bag.

If you are ever looking for a different activity or if you have a rainy sailaway, I’d recommend this as an option, hey someone has to win! 

Evening 

This evening we went up to the Diamond lounge, which on Majesty is the Viking Crown Lounge. They had new large menus at the table explaining what was included for free diamond drinks and what is not included.

Since I did not have a drink package on this cruise, I made sure to take full advantage of this benefit. Tonight was a full moon and we just looked at the moon for quite some time, really a beautiful site to see at sea. 

 Dinner 

We have my time dining for dinner, and reserved a table for 6:45pm each evening. Dinner was fun because my friend is on this ship almost every weekend, so people kept coming up to him to say hello. The quality of the food seems to have greatly improved since my recent sailings. The prime rib was so tender, just an amazing cut of meat.

For desert for had the carrot cake and it reminded me of the cake in Chops Grill. 

That wraps up day one on board Majesty of the Seas. Tomorrow we are in Nassau from noon-midnight.

Royal Caribbean honors travel partners of the year for 2016

In:
13 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean celebrated its valued travel agent community with its annual Travel Partners of the Year Awards for North America.

The awards recognize travel agencies that do show a commitment to selling Royal Caribbean cruises, and this year's accolades recognized more than 10 top performers.

"2016 was a standout year, and that has everything to do with our travel partners and their incredible dedication to planning unforgettable Royal Caribbean adventures for our guests," said Vicki Freed, senior vice president, Sales and Trade Support and Service, Royal Caribbean International. "Passion, commitment and innovation are three of our guiding principles, values that travel agents appreciate and embody, making for some of the most meaningful partnerships in our industry. Recognizing these experts, who continue to work with us and go above and beyond to achieve success for their businesses, is an honor every year. Huge congratulations go to our well-deserved returning and first-time Travel Partners of the Year recipients."

Royal Caribbean’s 2016 Travel Partners of the Year winners are as follows:

Chairman's Award for Overall Achievement          
Vacations To Go
 
President's Award for Overall Achievement          
Cruise Planners – American Express Travel Representative

 
National Account Partner of the Year                      
Expedia CruiseShipCenters

 
Home-based Partner of the Year                              
Travel Planners International 
*First-time winner
 
Online Partner of the Year                                        
World Travel Holdings

 
Consortia Partner of the Year                                   
Travel Leaders Network

 
Corporate Incentive Partner of the Year                  
Morris Meetings & Incentives

 
Marketing Partner of the Year                                  
WMPH 
*First-time winner
 
Southeast Partner of the Year                                    
Palm Coast Travel/SmartCruiser.com 
*First-time winner
 
Northeast Partner of the Year                                    
Cruise Brothers 
*First-time winner
 
Central Partner of the Year                                        
Magical Moments Vacations 
*First-time winner
 
West Partner of the Year                                             
Montrose Travel
 
Canada Partner of the Year                                        
Expedia CruiseShipCenters Montreal 
*First-time winner

Friday Photos

In:
13 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Happy Friday, and welcome to another edition of Friday Photos, where we share with you some wonderful Royal Caribbean photos that our readers sent in.  As always, you can share your photos with us to be posted on an upcoming Friday Photos post.

Our first photo this week is from Jorge Toache of a peaceful day on Independence of the Seas.  Yup, just another day in paradise.

Ashlie shared this photo of her family heading back to Liberty of the Seas after a fun day in Cozumel.

Next is a photo by Nick from onboard Anthem of the Seas, where he was able to meet the ship's Captain.  Meeting the Captain of any Royal Caribbean ship is always such a treat!

Speaking of Anthem of the Seas, here she is again, as seen from Coco Cay.  Ken "CookingYo" Licwinko shared this beautiful photo of Anthem between two palm trees.  

If you wanted to see even more photos of Anthem of the Seas, your wish has been granted. Eric Hoefman took this photo of Anthem in Nassau, Bahamas along with many other cruise ships.

Staying with Nassau, here is Navigator of the Seas and Allure of the Seas docked in Nassau.  I love when you get to walk down a "ship canyon" like this!

Our final photo this week is from Frank Battiston of a stunning sky in Fort Lauderdale. Frank took this photo from onboard Freedom of the Seas in Port Everglades, and it looks like a great start to an even better cruise!

That wraps up this week's edition of Friday Photos. Thank you to everyone who contributed photos this week, and if you want to share your photos, use this form to send them in!

Royal Caribbean offering bonus onboard credit with 30% off all guests offer

In:
13 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean is offering bonus onboard credit on top of its current WAVE season deal, which means more savings for guests across the board.

The Winter Wanderer Bonus will provide up to an extra $50 per stateroom for guests to spend at sea. Cruise must be booked Jan. 13-16, 2017 to sailings on or after Feb. 12, 2017 (excluding China).

  • 30% off standard cruise fare for all guests in a stateroom
  • 50% reduced deposit
  • Up to $150 instant savings per stateroom
    • Sailings 5-nights or less
      • Interior/oceanview: $25 per stateroom
      • Balcony/suite: $50 per stateroom
    • Sailings 6-nights or longer
    • Interior/oceanview: $50 per stateroom
    • Balcony: $100 per stateroom
    • Suite: $150 per stateroom
  • Bonus onboard recit per stateroom
    • Interior/oceanview: $25 per stateroom
    • Balcony/suite: $50 per stateroom.
  • Anthem Free Upgrade - From Ocean View to Balcony on Anthem sailings on or after March 1, 2017. Please note that the "upgrade" will be reflected as "purchase a balcony at the price of an ocean view"

30% Savings is combinable with adjoining Instant Savings, OBC, Anthem Upgrade, Crown & Anchor discounts and NextCruise offers. 30% Savings, Instant Savings, OBC and Anthem Upgrade are not combinable with restricted rates. Instant Savings and OBC are not combinable Crown & Anchor discounts.

Offer open to residents of U.S. or Canada.

How to eat healthy while on a Royal Caribbean cruise

In:
11 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Many of our readers may have taken the first step in trying to better themselves with a New Year's resolution to lose weight and eat healthy (or healthier).  It is an admirable decision that takes a lot of hard work to reach the goal that they may have in mind, but a Royal Caribbean vacation does not mean those goals have to fall to the wayside.

Eating healthy on a Royal Caribbean cruise is far from an oxymoron.  Rather, it is a state of mind that is definitely achievable with the right kind of planning, and a little motivation.  While Royal Caribbean cruises are well-known for their amazing indulgences, there is no reason you cannot have a great time and still lose weight on your trip!

It is also worth noting that I am not a nutritionist, doctor or health official.  I do not even play one on television.  This post is about sharing tips and strategies I have learned over years of cruising that one can use to help reduce weight gain onboard.

Determine your goals before you leave

Before you take a bite of any food onboard, or even step onto the ship, it is important to define what measures of success you want to achieve.  For some people, it might mean losing weight while onboard, while others may simply endeavor to "minimize the damage done" onboard. Regardless of what your opinion, you should have a goal in mind.

Depending on what your objective is, how you dine onboard will reflect those ambitions. There is quite a wide gamut of ways to eat healthy onboard, so it is important to know what you are aiming for before starting.  Trying to ensure no weight gain is going to be much different than trying to drop ten pounds.

Regardless of what your goal is, everyone's body is different and weight loss regiments are also equally specific.  One strategy might work for one person, while that same methodology might not work for another.  Your best bet is to figure out before your cruise what works best for you.  Is it a low-carb diet? Avoiding fats? Avoiding meat? Speaking with your doctor or nutritionist might be a logical first step.

With that in mind, let us jump into some general strategies for keeping those pounds off while onboard!

Spend lots of time on the sports deck

Before we even talk about one morsel of food, one solid strategy to keeping the weight off is engaging in physical activities.  Royal Caribbean ships offer quite a bit of onboard activities, including lots of sports activities on the sports deck.  Every Royal Caribbean ship offers a multi-purpose sports deck that has plenty of physical fun, including basketball, dodge ball, soccer and rock climbing. 

Likewise, there is a complimentary fitness center on every Royal Caribbean ship that offers free weights, weight machines, treadmills, exercise bikes and more.  There are also optional fitness classes that can really get your cardio going, albeit for an additional cost. Heck, taking the stars instead of the elevator helps a little bit too.

The more time you can spend on the sports deck and expending plenty of energy, the more calories you will burn and that is a great way to offset a lot of what you may end up eating onboard, healthy or not.

Ask for food not on the menu

Do not assume what is on the menu is the only food available to you.  When dining in the main dining room or even the Windjammer, you can always ask the wait staff for something else that is more suitable for your diet.  Assuming they have the ingredients onboard, I have found the culinary team extremely helpful in accommodating these sorts of requests.

You might order a dish on the menu, but with a different preparation (no salt or grilled instead of fried). I always order a serving of Indian curry with my main dining room dinners because I prefer Indian cuisine, and they tend to be a healthier choice too. On some cruises, I requested a plate of chopped vegetables for a Mediterranean salad be prepared each morning in the Windjammer. 

Your best bet is to speak to the head waiter and discuss options.

Skip the alcoholic beverages

Generally speaking, alcoholic beverages are one big area of the cruise experience worth skipping to keep those calories off.  Cocktails and beer have alcohol in them, which the body will convert to sugar and nearly every diet and nutritional regiment I have ever encountered has recommended limiting your sugar intake. It may not be nearly as fun to follow this suggestion, but it is a great way to cut down on a very common area of empty calories.

There is also an added bonus for skipping the booze: you will save a considerable amount of money too.  Royal Caribbean drink prices are not exactly inexpensive, so by skipping the drinks not only are you limiting your sugar intake, but you are also saving a lot of money.

It is worth noting that some diets do allow for a glass of red wine or two per day as part of a nutritional day. Depending on your goals and weight strategy, this might be one way to leave a little indulgence in your day.

The best variety will be in the Windjammer...

Ordinarily, buffets are not the place someone on a diet is recommended to visit, but the Windjammer buffet is also the best spot to find the greatest variety of choices. I feel one of the stumbling points of any diet is the feeling of, "there is nothing for me to eat here."  At the Windjammer, you will find plenty of unhealthy foods, but also more healthy options than anywhere else onboard.

For breakfast, the egg station is your best bet for a cooked-to-order omelet. You can get most kinds of omelets here (unless you are on an Oasis class ship, then head to the main dining room).  For lunch and dinner, there will be grilled fish, curries, steamed vegetables and lots of salad choices.

I freely admit the Windajmmer is a double-edged sword and there are lots of other foods that will be very tempting.  Stay strong, soldier!

...or skip the buffet

If the buffet is too much of a temptation island for you, then you might find refuge in the main dining room for breakfast and dinner (lunch on sea days).  

The main dining room has a menu that you can choose from, and it also allows for more customizations.  As mentioned earlier, speak to the head waiter about any dietary restrictions you may have and they are quite accommodating.  Keep in mind that requests should be made as early as possible. Often, the dietary request will be ready for the next meal because the chef needs to prepare the items ahead of time.  Nonetheless, the staff in the dining room work very hard to accommodate guests' needs.

Another advantage of the main dining room is portioning is easier and self-control is easier than in the Windajmmer.

Check out the Tutti Salad bar

On sea days, make a point to eat lunch in the main dining room.  You will find a custom salad station, known as the Tutti salad bar.

This is the kind of all salad bars, with fresh ingredients that are prepared just the way you like it.  You tell the staff what you want in the salad, and they will chop it all up for you. Because of the wide array of ingredients available, it is a bit hit with those looking to find healthier choices.

Your ideas

Have you tried to eat healthy while onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise? Share your experiences in the comments!

Guide to cruising with young children on Royal Caribbean Caribbean Blog Podcast

In:
11 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

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

Episode 180 is available for downloading, which features an in-depth look at taking young children on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

In this episode, Matt and Christie discuss their experiences taking toddlers and infants on Royal Caribbean cruises and share strategies and tips for a succesful and fun cruise experience parents and child.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 180. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSSStitcher 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!

Live blogging from Majesty of the Seas - Preamble

In:
10 Jan 2017
By: 
Michael Poole

Hi Royal Caribbean Blog fans, it is Michael Poole here again for another live blog coming from Majesty of the Seas. If you recall, I did a live blog on Majesty of the Seas in October of 2015 - let that hold you over until I set sail this weekend.

This is such a unique cruise for me, because Majesty of the Seas sails 3 and 4 days cruises. As you know, these are quick Bahamas getaways and I really enjoy them. However, on this cruise I’m actually staying on board for three consecutive sailings. The first leg is 3 days, then 4 days, and ending with another 3-day weekend cruise.

Why I booked this sailing

I booked the first sailing (1/13) with a friend of mine sharing a cabin for a great rate. Who does not enjoy a nice weekend getaway to the Bahamas. As time got closer, I started looking at my vacation time and thought to myself, "Why don’t I book the 4-day sailing after to have a back-to-back cruise?"

So I booked the next sailing solo and could not be more excited to have a longer cruise. About a month ago, I talked to my friend who is sailing with me on the first cruise about the 1/20 weekend cruise. He is a casino VIP and was actually able to get that cruise free under his recent casino play.

So, very long story short, I will be on 3 sailings for a total of 10 days!

Cabin

Well, I suppose the only negative part of having 3 cruises in a row, is that I’m in a different cabin every sailing. I tried to upgrade my leg 2 – 4 day solo cruise to the same cabin but the cost was too much for me going solo. I’ve changed cabins on back-to-back sailings before and the crew actually moves everything for you. In fact, they tell you to leave everything on hangers and they move it into the next closet for you. I would recommend just talking with both cabin attendants prior to the change. 

  1. Cruise 1 Deck 9 in a Superior Ocean View Stateroom - #9500
  2. Cruise 2 Deck 4 Inside Stateroom (solo cruise) - #4565
  3. Cruise 3 Deck 9 in a Superior Ocean View Stateroom - #9582 

Itinerary

All 3 sailings are going to the same places, so I will have 3 trips to Nassau, Bahamas and 3 “planned” trips to Royal Caribbean’s private island Coco Cay. I say "planned trips", because usually in the winter months, they tend to miss stopping at Coco Cay more due to high wind.

I will also have 1 sea day on my 4 day sailing which is leg 2 Monday – Friday. My plans in Nassau are to visit my favorite local pub and enjoy some beach time at Junkanoo beach. For Coco Cay, just enjoy the private island and relax in the sun and explore the backside of the island where you can find the new floating bar. 

Drink Package

If you have followed my live blogs before you know I usually purchase the drink package, as I find it a great value. However, after thinking about the cost of 10 days and actually drinking that much for 10 straight days – I’m not getting the package. I have pre-purchased a bottle of rum with the new in-cabin bottle service for leg 1, which was $40. I will also be carrying on six bottles of wine, likely 3 reds and 3 bottles of champagne. Royal Caribbean allows each guest to carry on 2 bottles per cabin and since I’m on 3 sailings, I can carry up to 6 bottles. 

I look forward to taking you along with me over the next ten days. This will be such a different experience for me, so it should be a great live blog. Have you ever sailed on Majesty of the Seas?