Happy Sunday! We hope you’re having a great weekend! Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and catch up on all the Royal Caribbean news from the week!

Royal Caribbean announced changes coming to its private destination of Labadee, with enhancements to Adrenaline Beach.

Beginning August 14 and running through October 2017, the footprint and quality of the beach and surrounding areas will be nourished. In addition, reef balls will be added to increase the tranquility of the water and to provide exciting new marine habitats and snorkeling paths for cruise line guests.

Work will not take place when guests are on the island.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean released a new smart phone app this week.
• A new sale was kicked off for this weekend.
• Top things to do on a sea day on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
• We shared our readers' favorite cruise photos.
• 7 ways to learn everything you can about your Royal Caribbean cruise online.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 210th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where we debate if upgrading your stateroom makes sense in a variety of scenarios.

Often cruisers discover prior to their cruise an opportunity to upgrade their stateroom for more money, and on this week's episode, Michael Poole and Matt discuss what they would do in different scenarios that have been posted online.

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 shared the story behind the cruise line's use of body cameras.

eBaum's World shared a video of Harmony of the Seas guests cheering on a pair of pier runners.

Cruise Habit posted news of Celebrity appointing its first female sea captain to command a Galapagos cruise ship.

Cruise Fever has 9 tips for your next Royal Caribbean cruise.

ZDNet talked with Royal Caribbean's CIO about how Artificial Intelligence plays a part in the cruise line's operations.

Moms of the Seas shared tips for bathing young children while on a cruise.

Browsing the iTunes App Store has revealed a new smartphone app that is only supported currently on Allure of the Seas.

The Royal Caribbean app was released on August 10, 2017 and might be part of the highly anticipated new smartphone app promised as part of a new digital strategy refresh.

The app description describes the new app as a new, official app for the cruise line, "The new, official Royal Caribbean mobile app gives our guests all the information they need to make the most of their cruises. We’re introducing it on Allure of the Seas®, and as we test and adjust this new app, we’ll gradually roll it out across our entire fleet."

The app is available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.

The current version features include

• Learn about the hundreds of activities, movies, and shows available onboard
• Explore off-ship adventures in places like the Bahamas, St. Thomas, Cozumel, and more
• Peruse complete restaurant menus and bar and lounge options
• Plan a day of indulgence with our array of Vitality Spa offerings
• Use deck plan illustrations to navigate the ship

Royal Caribbean has been hinting at a new app ever since Royal Caribbean CIO Michael Giresi mentioned it in an interview in January 2017. Since then, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chairman and CEO Richard Fain has referenced it during earnings calls with analysts, but feature sets have not been divulged.

Dubbed internally as, "Project Excalibur," this new app will offer new ways for guests to have a simpler experience onboard.

"Starting over two years ago, we have found intuitive digital applications to make the guest experience simpler and more comfortable," Fain announced during the an earnings call earlier this year. "You'll be able to open the door to your room without pulling out a card or a key, request a beverage real-time from the comfort of your lounge chair, and get recommendations for your traveling companion based on their preferences."

"We take our guest vacation time seriously, and technology is a great enabler to improve the use of that."

Every Friday, we ask our readers to send us their favorite Royal Caribbean photos so that we can showcase them here on the blog. After all, looking back on past cruise memories is always a great way to get excited for our next cruise!

We begin our photos this week with this shot by Michael Bonham of sailing away from Cozumel on Allure of the Seas. Liberty of the Seas is still docked in the background.

Michael McKay took this photo of the Ultimate Abyss on Harmony of the Seas.

Candie Britland shared with us this photo of the Atlantis Resort in Nassau, Bahamas.

Kris took this photo of his wife while at Lifou, Loyalty Islands, with Radiance of the Seas in the background.

Here is a glimpse of Abu Dhabi as Vision of the Seas is sailing in, taken by Michelle Cousins.

Susan Widdowson took photos of Harmony of the Seas' progress each morning on her transatlantic cruise.  Here is one from when the ship was in the middle of the ocean.

Our final photo this week is by FrodeofNorway, and it is of Independence of the Seas, leaving Oslo.

That wraps up this week's edition of Friday Photos. Thank you to everyone that submitted their photos, and if you would like to, please feel free to share your Royal Caribbean photos with us for a future edition. Have a great weekend!

Royal Caribbean cruises booked this weekend are eligible for bonus savings on top of the current BOGO deal.

Cruise must be booked between 8/11/17 through 8/14/17 12:00 AM EST and  applies to sailings departing on or after 9/11/17. Offer excludes China departures.

Offer includes

• 50% off cruise fare of second guest who must be booked in the same stateroom as a first guest who books at full fare.
• 25% cruise fare savings for 3rd guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests.
• Kids Sail Free offer provides free cruise fare of third and higher guests who are 12 years or younger as of cruise departure date, booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests in a triple or quad occupancy stateroom
  • Kids Sail Free offer is valid on 4-night or longer Europe, Bahamas, and Caribbean Sailings departing 9/11/17 – 5/15/18 excluding holiday sailings departing 11/17/17-11/27/17, 12/17/17–1/8/18, 2/15/18-2/20/18 and 3/10/18-4/1/18.
• Deck the Holidays Deals offer provides savings for guests who book a holiday sailing departing from 12/19/17 through 12/31/17 and 12/18/18 through 12/31/18.
  • Instant savings determined by category booked and sailing length
    • $25 off per stateroom for Interior and Ocean View on sailings 5 nights or less
    • $50 off per stateroom for Balconies and Suites on sailings 5 nights and less
    • $50 off per stateroom for Interior and Ocean View on sailings 6 nights and longer
    • $75 off per stateroom for Balconies and $100 off for Suites on sailings 6 nights or longer
• Instant savings of up to $250 determined by category booked and sailing length
  • $25 off per stateroom for Interior and Ocean View on sailings 5 nights or less
  • $50 off per stateroom for Balconies and Suites on sailings 5 nights and less
  • $50 off per stateroom for Interior and Ocean View on sailings 6 nights and longer
  • $100 off per stateroom for Balconies on sailings 6 nights or longer
  • $150 off for Suites on sailings 6 nights or longer
• Additionally, guests who book a Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas or an Oasis of the Seas sailing departing on or after September 11, 2017, will receive an additional $50 savings per stateroom.

Sail Away Sale is combinable with Deck the Holidays for savings equaling: $50 off per stateroom for Interior and Ocean View on sailings 5 nights or less, $100 off per stateroom for Balconies and Suites on sailings 5 nights and less, $100 off per stateroom for Interior and Ocean View on sailings 6 nights and longer, $175 off per stateroom for Balconies on sailings 6 nights or longer and $250 off for Suites on sailings 6 nights or longer.

Offer is combinable with select promotions.

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

The internet is a wealth of information and one of the best means to research pretty much anything, including your upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise.  Knowledge is power, and the more you know about what to expect on your Royal Caribbean cruise, the better prepared you will be and we think that leads to a better vacation experience.

Odds are if you are reading this blog post, which happens to be on a website dedicated to all things Royal Caribbean cruise, you probably interested in learning more about your cruise.  With that in mind, we listed our top resources for learning everything you can about a Royal Caribbean sailing. Learning about Royal Caribbean cruises has never been easier, and there is so much great information at your fingertips.  

It is also worth mentioning that, yes, we will shamelessly plug our own content here and there.  We are proud of the content we create on Royal Caribbean Blog, but also recognize there are some outstanding other means to learn about your cruise.  It isn't competition, because we all do things in our own style and at the end of the day, there is great and helpful information for everyone to enjoy. 

Travel agents

Travel agents are more than just a means of booking a cruise for you.  In fact, they are wonderful resources that provide the most personal and customizable information out there.  While you will read, hear and listen to a lot of great Royal Caribbean information on the internet, only travel agents can provide information that is catered exactly to your needs.

Travel agents are well-versed in what is happening with Royal Caribbean these days, and have their own cruising experience to draw upon to share too.  This means when you ask a question, they can answer it in with your family in mind.  We can write a million blog posts here about Royal Caribbean cruises, but it may never address your particular situation.  A good travel agent is that perfect resource.

Beyond just the logistical stuff, talk to your travel agent and ask them about opinions on shore excursions, stateroom types and what constitutes a good deal.  Finding a great travel agent means you have a partner and friend in the process to support you all along the way.

Facebook groups

Arguably the fastest growing and openly available resource on cruising over the last few years are Facebook groups.  Not too long ago, Facebook started allowing folks to create groups on pretty much any topic, and Royal Caribbean groups sprung up quickly.

Facebook groups are kind of like a simpler version of message boards, and they have proven to be a wonderful resource for sharing information.  

These days, there are a lot of Facebook groups dedicated to all aspects of a Royal Caribbean cruise.  They vary in size, scope, and subject matter, but they offer a good way to ask questions and hear other people's experiences.  You can search Facebook to one or more that you like, but here are a list of notable ones we think provide good information.

• Cruise Life Group
• Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society Group
• Royal Caribbean Cruises
• Royal Caribbean Dining
• The Royal Caribbean Club
• Royal Caribbean 1 Love

Podcasts

If you prefer to learn about your cruise by sound, rather than by sight, then podcasts are just for you.  Podcasts are downloadable internet-based radio shows, where periodically new episodes are released that talk about some aspect of a cruise.

The great thing about podcasts are they are perfect for listening to at the gym, in the car, or on a plane flight.  The cruising-related podcasts we listen to are all free to enjoy and most smartphones these days support them.

There are not many podcasts that focus purely on cruising (or Royal Caribbean), but these are worth your time

• Cruise Radio
• Cruise Dudes Podcast
• Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

Websites & Blogs

The heart of the internet are websites that share information about cruising (we might be slightly biased in that statement), and there are many great sites dedicated to cruising.

Like this site, most cruising sites deal with a blend of cruise news and cruise information. While you may be focused on learning about your particular sailing, knowing what's happening in the world of cruising is not a bad idea.  Many trends in cruising travel from one cruise line to another, so reading news can be a good barometer of what to expect.

Unlike this site, cruising websites are dedicated to the whole cruise industry, instead of just Royal Caribbean.  The good news is a lot of the information you find on them pertains to Royal Caribbean just as much as other lines.  

Here is our list of our top picks for websites to check out.  Keep in mind there are many more, which is why Google was invented.

• Cruise Habit
• Cruise Fever
• Cruise Hive
• Cruise Critic
• Eat Sleep Cruise
• Royal Caribbean SeaViews
• Royal Caribbean UK Blog

Pinterest

In addition to finding a great recipe for dinner, or a way to decorate your kids' bedroom, Pinterest has a lot of great information on taking a cruise. It particularly excels at showing you related content that you might not have considered searching for, but find interesting nonetheless.

Searching Pinterest for packing tips, cruise reviews, shore excursion ideas and even stateroom decorating tips are all great ideas to search for in preparation for your cruise.

The beauty of Pinterest is once you find something interesting, it is easy to find other relevant content and we quickly find ourselves with a ton of browser tabs open with great things to read.

Documentaries

Television documentaries may not be as prevalent today as they once were, but they provide an entertaining look at many Royal Caribbean cruise ships that if nothing else, will get you excited for your cruise.

The best cruise ship documentary series we know about is called Dream Cruises on AWE TV.  A number of Royal Caribbean ships have been featured on them over the years, and it focuses on what it is like to cruise on these ships, rather than the construction or engineering of them.

Periodically you can search your local listings on your DVR for re-run episodes.  National Geographic, Discovery Channel and the Science Channel have all had documentaries on Royal Caribbean ships over the years.  Keep in mind that most, if not all, of the documentaries you find on television are outdated, and itineraries, onboard amenities and entertainment have likely changed.  Still, it is fun to gather the family and watch these shows for their entertainment value.  

YouTube

Between the millions of cute cat videos and Diet Coke/Mentos experiments, are a lot of great cruise videos on YouTube.  You will find vacation videos, walk-throughs, Royal Caribbean produced episodes and a whole lot more.

YouTube blends entertainment, information, and day dreaming together seamlessly and it is so easy to browse and learn about Royal Caribbean ships, port stops, and nearly everything onboard.

One of the first things we do after booking a cruise, is search YouTube for video tours of the category of stateroom we booked.  Walk-through videos of Royal Caribbean ships provide the perfect means of visualizing what to expect once onboard. 

Your thoughts

What is your preferred way to learn about Royal Caribbean cruises online? Did we miss a resource you know about, or is there one in our list that deserves special attention? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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

Episode 210 is available for downloading where we debate if it is worth the money to upgrade a stateroom.

For a little fun, Matt and Michael consider a few examples of folks who asked for advice if they should upgrade their stateroom.  Matt and Michael engage in a spirited debate of whether it is a good idea or not to pay more for a better room.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 210. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Stitcher or on iTunes!

Take a listen and as always, let us know what you think! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!