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

• Quantum 4 (also known as Quantum Plus), will set sail in 2019 and spend its first winter in China, and, if it is not deployed to the UK earlier that summer, will spend the whole summer in China too.
• Symphony of the Seas will feature, "an experience for kids and the kid in you, something for adventure seekers but in a nice, safe way."
• Royal Caribbean is working on several product enhancements on Symphony of the Seas to improve the dining, entertainment and service. All will start to be revealed next month.
• Bayley indicated Majesty of the Seas could be sailing to Cuba too, "We have 40-50 sailings calling into Havana in 2017, starting in April – mostly on Empress of the Seas but also a few on Majesty of the Seas."
• Royal Caribbean will build a "massive water park" in CocoCay that, "will eclipse any other water park in the world."
• Guests on CocoCay may be able to get off the ship and stay there overnight, "we will be adding some private cabana accommodation for Suite Class guests who may want to get off and stay for a few days in total luxury and privacy before hopping on another ship to come home."

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.

5. Sabor

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.

4. Splashaway Bay Aqua Park

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.

3. Panoramic staterooms

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.

2. Saturday Night Fever

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.

1. Waterslides

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.

Your favorite

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!

Episode 194 of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, all about Private Journeys shore excursion.

What is this about?

In this episode, Matt and Christie discuss Royal Caribbean's relatively new option for guests that want a completely customizable shore excursion with all the benefits of booking through Royal Caribbean.

It feels like there are certain ports where either no existing excursions stand out as perfect choices, or there is too much compromise with what is available.  Enter, Private Journeys, which allows guests to work with Royal Caribbean to come up with the perfect private tour just for them.

We talk about who Private Journeys is a good fit for, share our recent experiences trying it out and review the experience from start to finish.

Listen right now, or subscribe via iTunes, RSS, or Stitcher!

Thanks for listening! Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes and leave your comments below!

Royal Caribbean guests in the market for an unlimited alcohol package and internet access will want to take notice of a new option Royal Caribbean has added.

The Deluxe Drink Package and Voom One Device offers guests the deluxe beverage unlimited alcohol package and a one-device Voom plan in one combo.

The cost of this package is listed at $54 per guest, per day. Compared to buying the two options separately, there are potential savings to the guest.

Here is an example for what each would individually cost for a 7-night cruise on Harmony of the Seas.

This "Sip and Stream" combo package has appeared in the past but has also disappeared quite quickly.  If you are interested in it, our advice is to book it immediately.  Keep in mind that Cruise Planner purchases are able to be canceled prior to the start of the cruise.