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A look at what's new in 2017 for Royal Caribbean

In:
09 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Each year, Royal Caribbean offers its guest new and interesting ways to see the world.  Like so many companies, they continuously look for new ways to innovate and capture the attention of the public in changes to their plans.  With 2017 here, Royal Caribbean is continuing with that tradition some new and notable itinerary and deployments this year.

Notable homeports in 2017

In 2017, the state of Florida will be home to the three largest cruise ships in the world year-round. Harmony of the Seas and Allure of the Seas will call Ft. Lauderdale home, and Oasis of the Seas in Port Canaveral, which is close to Orlando.

Royal Caribbean will also offer expanded Caribbean itineraries from the Northeast in 2017, with Rhapsody of the Seas joining Anthem of the Seas in Cape Liberty, New Jersey. This will be the first time that two Royal Caribbean ships will be sailing from Cape Liberty, offering guests in the New York more ways to explore the award-winning cruise line. 

The largest ship to sail to Cuba from the United States, 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. 

New and notable itineraries in 2017

In 2017 Royal Caribbean will be offering several new itinerary options. 

  • Empress of the Seas will homeport in Tampa for the 2017 summer season – the cruise line’s first-ever summer program from the destination – offering a series of 4- and 5-night sailings, including port calls in Cuba. 
  • Explorer of the Seas will sail roundtrip from Seattle, and Radiance of the Seas will sail from Vancouver, BC to Seward, AK and then from Seward, AK to Vancouver, BC.
  • Freedom of the Seas will host guests on seven-night sailings through the Western Mediterranean, while Brilliance of the Seas will navigate eight European destinations with a 12-night itinerary, both departing from Barcelona, Spain.
  • Independence of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas will sail the Mediterranean and the Spanish Canary Islands from Southampton, England with itineraries that extend from 7 to 14 nights.
  • Serenade of the Seas and Vision of the Seas will head to northern Europe with a checklist of ports that includes Copenhagen, Denmark, home to the 100 year old Tivoli Gardens amusement park.
  • Adventure of the Seas will sail from Puerto Rico to the most sought-after Southern Caribbean islands on 7-night itineraries, and Liberty of the Seas will remain in Galveston, Texas in 2017, offering a variety of 7-night escapes to the Western Caribbean.

Will you be sailing on any of these new itineraries? Tell us what you have booked for 2017 in the comments below!

Spotted: New Royal Caribbean drink menu design

In:
08 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Check out this new drink menu design that is available on Independence of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas.

These photos come from the Olive or Twist bar on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas. This appears to be a new design for the generic bar menu that is available at a number of different locations onboard the ship.  It offers a variety of cocktails, liquors and beers. 

Royal Caribbean Post Round-Up: January 8, 2017

In:
08 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Happy Sunday! We hope you are having a great weekend and staying warm! Brew yourself a cup of tea or cocoa and get ready to check out this week’s summary of Royal Caribbean news!

If you happen to be a resident of the United Kingdom or Ireland, there is a job opening at Royal Caribbean that you definitely want to check out.

Royal Caribbean UK is looking to hire a summer "intern" to showcase all the fun of a Royal Caribbean cruise on a daily basis.

Royal Caribbean describes this "intern-ship" as a hybrid between being a photographer, documentary maker and a storyteller. A typical day will see the successful candidate immerse themselves in the extraordinary moments, experiences and stories that take place on land and at sea, and share them with the world via Instagram.

Royal Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 179th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where our podcast listeners share which Royal Caribbean ship is their favorite.

In this episode, listeners call into the podcast to talk with Matt about which Royal Caribbean ship is their favorite and why.

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

Royal Caribbean showcases the career of its SVP of Global Marine Ops.

This Time Tomorrow shares a look at a day in Santorini while aboard Jewel of the Seas.

Eat Sleep Cruise shares why they are excited to cruise on Harmony of the Seas.

E-deliciou-S has a tour of Explorer of the Seas.

Disney Cruise Line Blog has a full review of the 2017 Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line.

Spotted: Royal Caribbean raising prices of certain drinks above what the drink package includes

In:
07 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Many Royal Caribbean Blog readers have reported recently prices of certain alcoholic beverages have increased to the point they are no longer included with the unlimited alcohol package.

This first reports occurred on Royal Caribbean cruises that sailed around Christmas and New Years, and it was thought the price increase was a result of holiday demand.  Yet, the drink price changes remain in effect on cruises beginning after the holidays.

Royal Caribbean's deluxe drink package only covers beverages that are $12 or less ($13 on Oasis class ships).  Drinks priced higher than the included threshold are charged the difference to the guest.

Pub drink menu on Allure of the Seas. Photo taken January 4, 2017

Pub drink menu on Independence of the Seas. Photo taken January 5, 2017

Olive or Twist bar menu on Independence of the Seas. Photo taken January 6, 2017

Pub drink menu on Adventure of the Seas. Photo taken January 7, 2017

The drink package policy may change in the days or weeks to come to match these drink price increases. However, this is the first time since Royal Caribbean introduced its drink packages that we are seeing a notable amount of drinks priced outside the drink package allowances.

Photo tour of Category CV Central Park View Stateroom on Allure of the Seas

In:
07 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas is one of the largest cruise ships in the world, with many different categories of staterooms onboard this magnificent ship.

Today, we have a photo tour of the Category CV Central Park View Stateroom.  Somewhat similar to the Central Park Balcony staterooms, these rooms offer a view of the Central Park neighborhood, but without the balcony experience.

On Allure of the Seas, the stateroom used for this tour is stateroom 9593, which is located closer to the forward elevators on deck 9.

Walking into the room, you will immediately notice the light shining through the large window.

The layout of the room is very similar to a Promenade View stateroom, with a bay window at the end of the room.

Central Park View staterooms measure 194 square feet in size and have two twin beds that convert to a queen-sized bed, considerable closet space, a private bathroom with shower, as well as an expanded living area with desk, drawer space, vanity, and sofa. Each stateroom also has its own flat-screen television, thermostat controlled air-conditioning, internet access, direct-dial telephone, radio, mini bar, individual safe, and 24 hour room service.

The Central Park View staterooms offer a seating area to view Central Park from, which doubles as a couch.

Thanks to Dr. Kris Leppien-Christensen for providing these photos.

Friday Photos

In:
06 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

The new year is here, and with it comes our first Friday Photos of 2017!  Each week, we invite our readers to share with us their favorite Royal Caribbean photos so that we can showcase them right here.

Our first photo this week is from Susan Widdowson, and it is from the bridge wing on Harmony of the Seas.  Definitely a great spot for photos!

Next we have a photo of Harmony of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas in St. Maarten, taken by Ken.  Two giants in one port!

Here is a photo by Ethel Crawford of Adventure of the Seas in Barbados.  Ethel took this shot while onboard Jewel of the Seas.

Our next photo is of Anthem of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas in Cozumel.  Thomas Lemmer shared this photo, and you can see North Star is in the raised position too!

Check out this amazing shot by Bob Carpetner from onboard Harmony of the Seas, when all three Oasis class ships met in one spot.  

We go from the largest ship in the world to one of the smallest in Royal Caribbean's fleet.  Here is Majesty of the Seas, as seen from CocoCay.  John Kreidermacher shared it with us and it is a great perspective!

Navigator of the Seas is playing "peek-a-boo" in this photo by Jose Pena, taken while in Labadee.

That wraps up this week's edition of Friday Photos. If you would like to share your best Royal Caribbean photos with us, use this form to send them in!

Royal Caribbean working on new mobile app to improve guest experiences

In:
05 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean is working on revamping its customer's mobile experience with a new mobile app.

Skift is reporting Royal Caribbean is working on a new mobile app that will launch by "mid year" that enables passengers to, "better control their cruise before and during the trip." Speaking with Royal Caribbean CIO Michael Giresi, Skift reports later in 2017, the app is expected to include more features for e-commerce, itinerary planning, conflict management and other options.

Royal Caribbean developed a smartphone app, Royal iQ,  in conjunction with the launch of Quantum of the Seas back in 2014, and has since expanded to a handful of other Royal Caribbean ships.

We reached out to Royal Caribbean for further information on which ships will receive the new app, and if the new app is truly new or an extension of the Royal iQ app that already exists. They declined to provide any details at this time.

What to do when a new Royal Caribbean sale is announced

In:
05 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean regularly comes out with a number of new promotions throughout the year, aimed at getting folks to book a cruise. Whether it is their first or fiftieth cruise, these promotions will vary in different ways to incentive guests to give a Royal Caribbean cruise a try.

When a new promotion is announced, here are a few things you should do to ensure you get the best possible deal.

Look at the booking incentives offered

Each promotion Royal Caribbean releases is going to be different, and each promotion has its own set of booking incentives included with the offer.  It is important to understand what the deal offers, and if it might be of benefit to you or not.

As mentioned earlier, Royal Caribbean trots out a number of booking promotions throughout the year, and no one deal will be of great benefit to everyone.  In our experience, different deals benefit different folks, so it is important to evaluate each offer for which benefits mean the most to you.

There are lots of possible booking incentives that Royal Caribbean can include, but the most common kinds are

  • Reduced deposit
  • Onboard credit (money credited to your SeaPass account to be used onboard the ship)
  • Instant savings (money taken off the cost of the cruise fare)
  • Percentage discount off cruise fare
  • Kids sail free (third and fourth passengers are free when sailing with two other passengers in same stateroom)

There are plenty more booking incentives out there, but depending on your cruising party, time of year you choose to cruise, and whether you prefer to get savings off the cruise fare or onboard the ship, the various promotions will be more or less valuable.

Book a cruise (that you've been considering)

The most common step is to put down a deposit to take advantage of a new promotion and it is what often compels many people to jump on a given deal. 

Whether you have been considering a cruise in the past and a new promotion is the "final straw" in convincing you to book, or you ran across a deal and think it is too good to pass up, booking a new cruise reservation with the promotion can make a lot of sense. 

Royal Caribbean's cruise deals are largely regional, with specific offers aimed at residents of certain countries.  The good news is in most of these cases, there are no special discount codes to remember.  Rather, the promotion is automatically applied at the time of booking.  The only booking promotions that may require a special code are discounts offered to residents of certain states or guests in certain occupations that qualify for a discount.  Keep in mind these sorts of discounts are often incompatible with national promotions Royal Caribbean runs, which means you will have to pick which works best for you.  Check any promotion offer's terms and conditions to see combinability rules.

Re-price an existing cruise

Residents of certain countries (such as the United States and Canada) are able to re-book an existing cruise reservation under a new sales promotion, without penalty up until final payment date.

This can sometimes be referred to as "re-pricing", or "price adjustment", or "applying the new promotion" but in reality your previous reservation is being canceled and a new booking is made.  The reason for this is most sales promotions Royal Caribbean releases are for new bookings only, so a quick cancelation and booking gets around that deal.

Keep in mind that if you do cancel and rebook, you may only do so up until the final payment date without incurring a penalty. After the final payment date, Royal Caribbean incurs a penalty for cancelations that often offsets any savings from a new booking promotion.  In addition, any booking incentive made under the prior reservation will be lost and replaced with the new booking incentives that come with the current promotion.  Be sure to evaluate the total cost savings, especially when onboard credits are involved.

The secret weapon: use a travel agent

Regardless of if you are brand new to Royal Caribbean or been on many cruises, this entire process is much simpler if you leverage a good travel agent to help you out.  

A good travel agent is the one that can crunch the numbers, provide options to you and advice on what might be the best course of action.  When it comes to re-pricing a cruise, there are so many factors involved and many guests worry about making a bad decision.  Having a travel agent to provides peace of mind to you, as well as quality service. Here is one such recommended travel agency that specializes in Royal Caribbean. If you are not convinced using a free travel agency that is recommended by Royal Caribbean is right for you, read our post discussing the benefits they offer.

If you are wondering, a travel agent should cost you nothing extra to use.  Royal Caribbean pays their commission, which means their services are complimentary to you.  When choosing a travel agent, be sure to look out for agents that charge any kind of reservation change fees.  It is not a widely used practice, but it can occur in some cases and frankly, you should steer clear of them and rely on knowledgeable travel agents that are here to help you every step of the way, regardless of how many questions or changes you have.

Harmony of the Seas versus Anthem of the Seas

In:
04 Jan 2017
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Two of Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship that offers cruises from the United States, and have garnered a tremendous amount of interest from guests, is Harmony of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas.  Today, we compare both cruise ships in a head-to-head comparison.

In comparing both ships, we break down each ship's offerings and summarize what the strengths and weaknesses of both ships to see how each ship stacks up. As objective as we may try to be, the reality is we are talking about opinions, and as such, personal preferences will vary from person to person. We will certainly try to convey why we liked or disliked something, but understand some may disagree (and that is okay). This should be a fun contrast.

Shows: Anthem of the Seas

Both ships offer a variety of productions for guests to enjoy, comprising original productions and Broadway shows. Let us be very clear: the shows on both ships are wonderful, so we are about do the cruise ship equivalent of argue about which cut of steak tastes better.

The Broadway show on Anthem of the Seas is, "We Will Rock You", which is a West End musical that uses the music of rock band Queen in the performance to tell its story.  On Harmony of the Seas, guests can enjoy, "Grease", the Broadway musical all about summer love in the 1950s. Both shows are identical to the original productions and we will call it a tie between the two of them.

Both ships also offer a slew of original productions to enjoy.  Anthem of the Seas offers shows such as "The Gift" and "Spectra's Cabaret", which are a mix of music, dance and special effects.  They represent the latest in Las Vegas-style entertainment and are anything but ordinary. Harmony of the Seas has Royal Caribbean's first original musical, "Columbus: The Musical", as well as two different ice skating shows. In fact, 1887 might be the best ice skating show we have seen on any Royal Caribbean ship to date.

The real X-factor for both ships are their specialized entertainment venues.  Anthem of the Seas puts its best shows in Two70, a massive theater on the aft of the ship that can be transformed digitally in a number of ways. In fact, the Vistarama and Roboshows in Two70 are absolutely stunning to watch.  Harmony of the Seas follows up with two shows in the AquaTheater, both of which are centered around eye-popping stunts and acrobatics. 

While Harmony of the Seas has a greater array of entertainment offerings, we feel the quality of Anthem of the Seas' shows gives it the edge.  Two70 alone is filled with a great variety of entertainment that has to be seen to be appreciated. 

Onboard activities: Harmony of the Seas

When we talk about onboard activities, there is a lot of options across each ship. Simply put, you will not run out of things to do onboard.

Guests on Anthem of the Seas will have their choice of a number of Royal Caribbean innovations that make the Quantum class ships quite different from other ships in the fleet.  North Star, the observational pod that takes guests 300 feet above see level for a 360-degree view of the ocean and area around them is very popular and equally impressive.  Ripcord by iFly allows all anyone who's mother forbid them from ever contemplating sky diving to give it a shot in a much safer environment.  Then you have the SeaPlex, an immense area of the ship dedicated to being active at sea. In fact, it is the largest indoor active space at sea, where guests can play on a full-size basketball court, go roller skating and even ride bumper cars.

Harmony of the Seas answers back with a ton of firsts of its own.  Harmony of the Seas features the three water slides that are sure to get everyone in the family asking to ride it one more time.  Speaking of slides, the Ultimate Abyss is the kind of slide experience that words cannot do justice.  It is large, intense and a lot of fun while descending the 10 stories down.  Harmony of the Seas has double the amount of FlowRiders that Anthem of the Seas has and a brand new aqua park for kids, Splashaway Bay.  If you prefer your activities a bit more sedate, Harmony of the Seas also has a very fun escape room experience, rides and games in the Boardwalk and more.

One advantage Oasis class ships have always enjoyed is that they offer much more than any other ship, and in this case, the staggering amount of activities on Harmony of the Seas gives it the win for things to do.

Specialty Dining: Harmony of the Seas

Perhaps no other area of the cruise ship experience has changed in the last few years as dramatically as specialty dining on Royal Caribbean ships. These additional cost options offer guests additional dining choices to consider, and the array of choices between both ships is impressive.

Anthem of the Seas boasts quite a number of specialty restaurants that stand out.  Jamie's Italian, Izumi, Chops Grille and Wonderland top the list of popular places guests enjoy on Anthem.  We also like the easy grab-and-go nature of Johnny Rockets, which is a la carte instead of a more formal sit down experience on Harmony. 

Harmony of the Seas is equal to the task when it comes to specialty dining.  One big difference on Harmony of the Seas, compared to her Oasis class sisters, is the inclusion of Jamie's Italian.  Harmony also boasts its own version of Wonderland, which is significantly larger and encompasses two decks.  Even Izumi on Harmony of the Seas is larger, with an exclusive hibachi dining area. You will also find the ever-popular Sabor Taqueria & Tequila Bar on Harmony of the Seas, which heavily sways our vote.

Given the fact Harmony matches and exceeds Anthem's specialty dining offerings (and Anthem lacks a Sabor), we have to give Harmony of the Seas the edge once again.

Complimentary Dining: Harmony of the Seas

Of course, complimentary dining is at the heart of any cruise experience and both ships have a lot of great choices. In comparing the complimentary options, this is a war of attrition, where each ship offers very similar options. Both ships have a Cafe Promenade, Sorrentos, Solarium Bistro, Windjammer, Park Cafe/Cafe @ Two70, Dog House and room service.

The key differences here are in the details. First and foremost, Anthem of the Seas is handicapped by the fact it has recently undergone a change from Dynamic Dining back to traditional dining, although it still retains smaller dining rooms in lieu of a larger main dining room.  The hours of operations and size of the Windjammer are superior on Anthem of the Seas, but once again, size proves to be the benefit for Harmony.  There is a wider selection of choices at Cafe Promenade on Harmony, and the entire main dining room experience is far superior.  For that alone, Harmony of the Seas wins this battle.

Itineraries: Anthem of the Seas

This could be among the least subjective points to consider between the two ships: where they sail to.  

Harmony of the Seas only offers cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean throughout the year.  Essentially the same six to seven ports, no matter when you choose to sail on her.  

On the other hand, Anthem of the Seas varies her offerings on the time of year.  Depending on the season, she offers cruises to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Bermuda, New England and Canada.  In addition, Anthem of the Seas is capable of visiting CocoCay, whereas Harmony of the Seas is not. Given the options between the two ships, this is a slam-dunk for Anthem of the Seas.

Pools: Anthem of the Seas

The pool deck experience is arguably one of the most important because it seems this is where guests will spend the most time aggregately during their cruise.  After all, when booking a cruise, isn't everyone envisioning sitting by the pool on a deck chair with a drink in hand?

Harmony of the Seas has a number of smaller pools, which helps with crowds, and its Splashaway Bay option for kids is the best kids pool area we have seen yet. However, Harmony of the Seas lacks a pool in the Solarium (it has hot tubs and a mister instead), which has bothered many adults who enjoyed having a pool of their own.

Meanwhile, Anthem of the Seas not only has a pool in the Solarium, but an additional indoor pool that is perfect for any kind of weather.  Combined with the main outdoor pool, pool days on Anthem are quite lovely. Admittedly, the "wave pool" on Anthem of the Seas for kids is less than stellar, so the kids might be better off in the regular pool.  Nonetheless, Anthem of the Seas wins the contest of aquatic adventure.

Kids & Teens: Push

Both ships offer the most activities and programming for kids that we have seen across any Royal Caribbean ship.  In general, Royal Caribbean has been consistently increasing the amount of space and variety of programming for kids on its ships, and your children will have a blast on either.

Adventure Ocean is Royal Caribbean's supervised child program, and both ships have a large dedicated space onboard for kids ranging in ages from 6 months through 17 years old. Harmony of the Seas does have a larger footprint for its Adventure Ocean program, but the quality of offerings on both ships is nearly identical. Harmony of the Seas does have a few dedicated spaces that Anthem does not, such as the art and science labs.

There is a definite advantage for older kids (tweens and teens) on Anthem of the Seas because of SeaPlex.  SeaPlex offers so much for this age group, that it is undeniably fun for them and because it is indoors, there is rarely any excuse to miss out on it. Bumper cars, Xbox gaming, ping pong, roller skating, dancing, circus school and more are part of the SeaPlex offerings. I am not certain how much Royal Caribbean was targeting teens when they developed the SeaPlex, but it is a homerun with these adolescents.

Of course, Harmony of the Seas has water slides and the Ultimate Abyss slide, which provides plenty of thrills for teens.  There is also the zip line, mini golf course and the rest of the sports deck.  You are just as likely to find plenty of teens hanging out here, as anywhere else. As we mentioned earlier, Splashway Bay is far superior a kids pool area than Anthem's H2O water zone.

The nursery facility on both ships is excellent and quite large. Parents of children under three years old will do well with either option.

In the end, we might give a slight edge to Anthem of the Seas for older children and Harmony of the Seas for younger children, but the differences are too minute to pick a clear winner.

Value: Push

When comparing these ships, they represent the two newest cruise ships in the United States cruise market and also come with a premium price tag because of that distinction. While rates will vary from sailing to sailing and month to month, you can expect to pay more for either ship compared to other ships in the fleet. These ships offer the best that Royal Caribbean has to offer, and it comes with the price tag to match.

Even with their premium price tags, both ships offer guests a lot to see, do and eat onboard. Royal Caribbean designed these ships to be destinations in and of themselves, and that means a lot of return on the money paid to cruise on them. Until further notice, we declare the value proposition for either ship a tie.

Verdict: Harmony of the Seas

Picking a winner was a lot like picking a favorite child: it depends on the day, but we are giving a slight edge to Harmony of the Seas.  It is the newest, shiniest and down right most enjoyable ship we have cruised on to date.  In most cases, Harmony of the Seas matches what Anthem of the Seas offers and gives back even more.

Harmony of the Seas also benefited greatly from the fact Royal Caribbean added a number of Quantum class features to the ship, such as a Bionic Bar, stateroom design and upgraded technology. If this were a comparison between Oasis or Allure of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas might have done considerably better.

Once again, it is worth noting that we really like Anthem of the Seas. Her entertainment is quite impressive and there is nothing like Two70.  Moreover, North Star, Ripcord and the entire SeaPlex is tons of fun, especially if you have older kids with you.

However, we are here to declare a winner and the "face that runs the place", the stylin', profilin', limousine riding to the port and wheelin' n' dealin' cruise ship is Harmony of the Seas!

In the spirit of fairness, we also posed this question to the public, with a twitter poll and Harmony of the Seas also seems to win the popular vote.

My Favorite Royal Caribbean Ship on Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

In:
04 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 179 is available for downloading which has a look at the internet options while on your Royal Caribbean cruise.

Matt broadcasted this episode live and invited Royal Caribbean Blog Insiders to call in and share their thoughts on what their favorite Royal Caribbean ship is and why.

Here is the podcast page for Episode 179. 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!