We love any opportunity to take a virtual escape on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and that is why every Friday we share our readers' favorite Royal Caribbean cruise photos. It is a showcase of cruising fun, and you are invited!
Without further ado, we present this week's edition of Friday Photos. Enjoy!
Our first photo is of Freedom of the Seas docked in Costa Maya, taken by Ken in March 2017.
Next is a photo of Columbus Cove in Labadee, taken by Tommy Koth.
Stephanie Anderson sent in this photo of the brand new floating bar in Labadee.
Cristina Myers sent this photo of Sarah looking over the Royal Promenade on Liberty of the Seas.
Irina shared this photo from Navigator of the Seas, taken in March 2017.
Bill Bartman took this photo from his cabana on CocoCay, with a perfect view of Anthem of the Seas.
We round out this week's edition of Friday Photos with this photo of Jimmy Burns' 4-year-old daughter, Madalynn, excited to watch the ocean on her first cruise.
Thank you to everyone who shared their photos this week, and we invite everyone to send in their favorite Royal Caribbean photos by using this form.
Thanks to Mike for providing this Cruise Compass.
Royal Caribbean will hold a conference call on April 28, 2017 at 10am to discuss its first quarter 2017 financial results.
The call will be available on-line at the company's investor relations web site, www.rclinvestor.com. To listen to the call by phone, please dial (877) 663-9606 in the US and Canada. International phone calls should be made to (706) 758-4628. There is no passcode or meeting number. A replay of the webcast will be available at the same site for a month following the call.
We have another batch of fresh photos to share of the construction progress being made on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas.
Symphony of the Seas will be the cruise line's fourth Oasis Class ship.
Our friends at Saint Nazaire, une ville à la mer posted these photos, which were taken on April 19, 2017.
© Hervé GLAIS
Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley spoke with Travel Weekly about a variety of topics this week, which confirmed or announced a number of changes coming to the cruise line in the next few years.
Among the topics mentioned were
You can read the entire interview with Michael Bayley on TravelWeekly.
Royal Caribbean's Empress of the Seas set sail today from Miami, Florida marking the beginning of an historical voyage that will mark Royal Caribbean International's first visit to Cuba.
Adios, #Miami! Next stops: #Mexico and #Cuba! #empressoftheseas @MiamiandBeaches #cruising @CruiseCritic pic.twitter.com/534GDqbIt7
— JetSetSarah (@JetSetSarah) April 19, 2017
Guests boarded Empress of the Seas to the tune of live music, Cuban coffee and Cuba Libres served to guests as they boarded.
Empress of the Seas is on a 5-night inaugural sailing to Cuba, which will make the historic visit to Havana, Cuba on Sunday, April 23, 2017.
As guests boarded Empress of the Seas, Royal Caribbean had special Cuba photo opportunities set up, along with plenty of fanfare.
CROSSING OVER TO @RoyalCaribbean Empress of the Seas Inaugural #Cuba #Cruise #rcperiscopers @PeriscoperTV https://t.co/vsvPFLENvp
— Halee Whiting (@HaleeWithaFlair) April 19, 2017
Royal Caribbean Blog reader Halee Whiting shared the first two days of the Cruise Compass from Empress of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean brought Empress of the Seas back into its fleet in early 2016, specifically because its size was a perfect fit for Havana harbor.
Liberty of the Seas is one of three Freedom Class cruise ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet, and offers some incredible amenities and activities onboard. Here are five really fun things to enjoy while aboard Liberty of the Seas.
What can we say, we really like Sabor Modern Mexican on Royal Caribbean's shjps and if you happen to go on a Liberty of the Seas cruise, a visit to this specialty restaurant is a must do.
Sabor distinguishes itself by offering excellent quality Mexican food. This is not a run-of-the-mill forgetful Mexican food. Rather, you get creative dishes made from fresh ingredients.
By far, the freshly made guacaomole is the star of Sabor. Sure, we cannot get enough ahi tuna tacos, Chicken-Stuffed Jalapeños or those wonderful margaritas, but the guacamole is just so good that it alone is worth the visit.
Liberty of the Seas is one of the few Royal Caribbean ships to offer its guests the cruise line's newest take on aquatic adventure park. In fact, Liberty of the Seas was the first ship in the fleet to recieve Splashaway Bay.
So what makes Splashaway Bay so cool? This fun spot is full of waterlides, water cannons, waterfalls and more. It is the kind of place kids will never want to leave. The gigantic drench bucket and a multi-platform jungle-gym mean not only will the kids get (and stay) drenched while playing there, they are going to have a great time doing it.
What makes Splashaway Bay special is the fact it is the latest and greatest water play area option in Royal Caribbean's fleet. Including some of the fun things to do included later on in this blog post, it makes Liberty of the Seas one of the best ships if you are cruising with kids.
If you think staterooms on a cruise ship are the same from ship to ship, then you need to see the panoramic oceanview staterooms on Liberty of the Seas.
A few years ago Royal Caribbean began adding staterooms that have floor-to-ceiling glass windows that provide a spectacular view. Granted, these rooms lack a balcony, but having such an unobstructed view at your disposal is such a treat.
Ranging in size from 191 to 215 square feet, the panoramic oceanview staterooms on Liberty of the Seas offer lots of space and a view you never tire of seeing.
Select Royal Caribbean ships offer Broadway shows for their guests to enjoy, including Liberty of the Seas. Since 2011, Liberty of the Seas has been offering guests the opportunity to see Saturday Night Fever onboard, and the show is included with their cruise fare.
The musical depicts Tony, an ambitious Brooklyn teen who spends his Saturday nights disco dancing. It is a nostalgic look back to the 1970s with plenty of classic music to enjoy.
No sailing aboard Liberty of the Seas is complete without a few rides down its amazing "Perfect Storm" waterslides.
Liberty of the Seas features the first Boomerang style waterslide at sea, named Tidal Wave. The hair-raising slide features a steep drop that propels riders up a near vertical wall for a moment of weightlessness and into free fall.
There are also two racer slides, Cyclone and Typhoon, which promise even more thrills, as guests shoot down each slide for a wet and wild finish.
What is your favorite thing about Liberty of the Seas? Is it on our list or do you have something you think is worth the cruise fare alone? Tell us about in this blog post's comments!