Guests onboard Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas can get a real taste of New York when they dine in the Windjammer's New York Deli. Experience specially prepared deli favorites like pastrami sandwiches, rye bread and kosher pickles that the Big Apple is so well known for.
Royal Caribbean is bringing back its WOW Sale, with 30% off every guest, up to $200 onboard credit and 50% reduced deposit.
The WOW Sale runs between August 23 - 27, 2016 and is valid on all sailings departing on or after September 23, 2016 (excluding China departures).
The offer includes
WOW Sale is combinable with 30% Savings, Holiday OBC, standard/full fare and restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, etc.) and Next Cruise offers. WOW Sale is not combinable Crown & Anchor discounts, Shareholder Benefits or Loyal to Royal Sales. All offers are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, and Net Rates. WOW Sale is valid for Cruisetour package.
Offer available to residents of United States and Canada.
Royal Caribbean has canceled to scheduled stops in St. Thomas due to an approaching tropical storm.
Concerns over a tropical disturbance in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, Invest 99-L, which may develop into a tropical depression or storm in the days ahead, forced Royal Caribbean to make the change, according to Virgin Islands Port Authority Executive Director Carlton Dowe.
St. Thomas Source is reporting Oasis of the Seas was scheduled to visit Crown Bay on August 23 and the Freedom of the Seas was scheduled for August 24.
According to guests onboard, Oasis of the Seas will skip both St. Thomas and St. Kitts, and instead visit San Juan on August 23 from 1:30pm to 11:30pm, then have a sea day, and then visit Labadee from 8am to 4:30pm.
Freedom of the Seas will skip both St. Thomas and St. Martin and instead be at sea on August 23, then stop at Costa Maya, Mexico on August 24, Cozumel, Mexico on August 25, and then spend the remaining days at sea before returning back to Port Canaveral on August 28.
Police in Bermuda responded to a report that a Royal Caribbean passenger on Grandeur of the Seas was found dead in his stateroom. No foul play is suspected in the incident.
According to Bernews, a police spokesperson said, “At 1:40pm on August 20, 2016, police received a report of a death onboard the cruise ship, Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas which was berthed at Heritage Wharf in Dockyard.
The passenger is a 45-year old male from the United States and his death was certifies by the doctor aboard Grandeur of the Seas.
“Foul play is not suspected and the Bermuda Police Service is liaising with the relevant ship authorities.”
Welcome to this week's edition of the Royal Caribbean post round-up, where we summarize all of the Royal Caribbean news and information from this week into one handy-dandy post! There is plenty of great content to enjoy, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's round-up!
Royal Caribbean announced new Empress of the Seas sailings through the end of 2016, which are now available to book.
These new sailings extend through the end of December, and offer a variety of itineraries, including many longer sailings.
Guests can embark on Empress of the Seas sailings that range from 4- to 8-nights, and will visit ports all over the Caribbean.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this news is what was not announced, in that these new sailings signal there will be no Royal Caribbean sailings to Cuba this year.
The 159th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where we share a first-time Royal Caribbean cruiser's review of Allure of the Seas.
Trying Royal Caribbean for the first time is something a lot of people consider, and this week, James comes on the podcast to review his recent Allure of the Seas sailing. James discusses what he and his family thought of Royal Caribbean and what their experiences were like onboard.
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.
If you are on a Royal Caribbean cruise and spot something cool, new or just fun, share a photo with us on Facebook or Twitter so we can add it to our Royal Caribbean Blog Reader Finds each Sunday!
Sun coming up over Olympia on the #Rhapsodyoftheseas @theRCLblog pic.twitter.com/vM34UkjhzL
— Luke Gustafson (@lukegus) August 17, 2016
Great time last week on @RoyalCaribbean's #OasisOTS. Amazing dining service & entertainment. @RCLcorp #Cruise #RCI pic.twitter.com/p1qvsCYKr0
— David Stern (@StarshineCruise) August 19, 2016
Smooth seas @RoyalCaribbean @theRCLblog @mpoole3 @jepoole @sonic15e pic.twitter.com/xtLZ1V5aYb
— NV1 (@NickVitani) August 20, 2016
Planet Minecraft has a full 1:1 scale reproduction of Allure of the Seas. You're welcome, Internet.
Cruise Critic tried the zipline on Harmony of the Seas.
CNN Money looks at the Chinese cruise market that loves cruising.
CruiseHabit has a look at which cruise line is good for first timers.
Eat Sleep Cruise has a full review of the Puzzle Break on Anthem of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean UK has a list of 5 things to love about St. Lucia.
Royal Caribbean shares a look at its security chief.
Whether you are new to cruising or not, what to pack (and not pack) can be quite a challenge. Inevitably, the question boils down to what is essential to pack for a cruise and this blog post should assist in providing a guide of must-pack items.
There are tons of cruise packing guides available on the internet, but I sought to compile a packing list of things that pretty much everyone needs. This packing list is about the basics that should be in almost everyone's luggage. Of course, there might be an item or two on this list that does not apply to you, and there will be plenty more that you think you should bring, but we wanted to include the basics.
If you are wondering what to pack for a Royal Caribbean cruise, then here is what you need to know.
These items are the most critical things to pack, because without them, you are not getting on your Royal Caribbean cruise. You could forget to pack everything else on this list, but all of that can be bought, whereas these items are not so easily replaceable.
You might notice we only listed passport and not a birth certificate, and that is because I firmly believe you ought to invest in a passport to safeguard you and your family in the event of a travel emergency. While you can cruise on some Royal Caribbean cruises with just a birth certificate, a passport is a far better option and it is worth the extra investment.
It is self-explanatory that you will need to bring clothing on your cruise to have for each day. How much clothing one person goes through on a cruise will vary, but this should be the basics.
The most difficult decision for this list was how many outfits per day to pack. Depending on your activities, you will be changing during your day a few times. If it is a sea day, you might wake up and put on your bathing suit, change in the afternoon into regular clothes and then change again for dinner. Port days, you might put on one outfit for your adventure on shore and then change into something else when you return and again for dinner. Or you might just wear one outfit the entire day. Everyone's habits are different. Still, I felt most guests will wear 2-3 outfits per day.
Like clothing, you may end up packing much more than is on this list, but there are likely to be some basics to bring with you to ensure you have what you need to get through your cruise without any issues.
Arguably, this is the toughest category of packing to plan for, because there are things on this list that may depend on your definition of "important." I think enough people pack these items to warrant bringing them on the cruise with you and they are ubiquitous enough among cruise guests.
This is not a total packing list, just a listing of the most important things you should pack on a cruise that apply to pretty much everyone. Do you think we missed something? Or is there something on this list that you think should be bolded, circled and posted on highway billboards because it is that important? Share your suggestions in the comments!
Thanks to Rob Vertrees for providing this Cruise Compass.
The weekend is here and every Friday, we share our readers' favorite Royal Caribbean photos so that we can all enjoy a quick "virtual trip" back on a cruise. If you want to share your Royal Caribbean photos, use this form to send them in!
Our first photo is from Scott Singer, who took this photo of the monkeys of Gibraltar while on an Independence of the Seas cruise. Looks like tourists did not excite these two.
Next is a photo by Julius Lacano from Grandeur of the Seas, where he got to see "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" while onboard his cruise.
Here is Jewel of the Seas next to Rhapsody of the Seas in Santorini, by Manuela. This is a great perspective of these two fabulous ships!
Bente sent us this photo as they watched Mount Vesuvius during sailaway from Napoli, while on Harmony of the Seas.
Phil Partridge posted this photo of his wife, Nina, while on their balcony aboard Oasis of the Seas.
Hannah Carr was enjoying lunch in this photo from Santorini, with Jewel of the Seas in the background. Opa!
Our final photo this week is of Brilliance of the Seas in Cozumel, taken by CrennTive while aboard Independence of the Seas. Looks like another day in paradise!
Thank you to everyone that sent in their Royal Caribbean photos and if you want your photos featured here, be sure to send us your favorite photos with this form!
Royal Caribbean is offering extra savings on staterooms booked over the next three days, with up to $100 off per stateroom.
The new August Flash Sale tacks on bonus instant savings on top of the current 30% off all guests sale.
Cruises booked between August 18 - 20, 2016 on sailings departing between 9/19/16-12/31/16 (excludes China departures).
Offer Details:
Sailings 5-nights or fewer
Sailings 6-nights or longer
Instant Savings Offer is combinable with adjoining 30% Savings, Kids Sail Free, Holiday Offer, restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military) and NextCruise offers. Instant Savings is not combinable combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Crown & Anchor Discounts, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, Net Rates, Shareholder Benefits.
Offer available to residents of the United States and Canada.
Please welcome Dr. Kris Leppien-Christensen as our guest blogger today! He is sharing insight and tips from his recent Royal Caribbean cruise on Serenade of the Seas to the Baltic countries in Europe.
Royal Caribbean offers some terrific cruises to Northern Europe and the Baltics, and for those taking a cruise to this part of the world that is rich in history and culture, here are seven ways to make your cruise even better.
Unlike North American cruises, round trip airfare to your port of embarkation can run nearly as much as the cruise itself. As a result, one of the best pieces of advice to reduce the associated costs of airfare is to book early.
Most airlines allow you to book up to 330 days in advance. In doing so, you may be able to find an excellent deal. While deals can be had closer to cruising, you do risk paying substantially more as a result. For the last two years, the best deals we found for round trip air to Europe from California was Thanksgiving week and at the 300+ day mark.
Another way to save money on airfare is to spend a couple of extra days pre- and/or post-cruise. Doing so not only allows you some additional time to enjoy your embarkation and/or disembarkation port, but it also allows for you to travel home on a day that might be less expensive.
Similarly, look at airports within a drivable distance from your home. Sometimes airfare can be as much as half that of your local airport. Even with the additional expense of getting to or from the distant airport, the savings can be substantial especially because one-way car rentals are often an affordable option.
While there is safety in booking with the cruise line, cruise line excursions also tend to be large group endeavors. As a result, the group moves at a very slow pace and a lot of time is spent waiting for those who are lingering. Thus, for the same price, and sometimes less, you can often get a much more personalized tour with a smaller group. In addition, if you book early, you can often save an additional sum of money as many private excursion providers offer early booking discounts.
Private excursions can truly be beneficial in St. Petersburg, Russia as the private companies offer personalized service, an opportunity to see more sights, and often have access to places before they open to the general public. And like the ship tours, these private vendors provide the blanket travel visas that are need to enter Russia. In addition, many of these tour companies offer excursions in the other Baltic ports and offer additional savings if you book multiple tours with them.
Besides Russia, where a visa is required to enter the country, most of the ports are very easy to tour on your own. In fact, Stockholm and Tallinn are a short walk from many of the sights and Royal Caribbean regularly offers shuttle service in Tallinn, Riga, and Copenhagen when their ships stop there, so it is easy to simply hop on the shuttle into town and then explore on your own. If you plan on coming and going back to the ship more than once, this can be a very economical option as taxis can be quite expensive, especially in Stockholm where taxis are not regulated and in Copenhagen.
Other options to consider are Hop On/Hop Off bus tours that give you a narrated tour of the city (although these often stop running well before your ship leaves port) or free walking tours offered in most ports (although a gratuity is expected for the service provided).
Uber is also another affordable option to get to and from the port if needed.
Odds are that you will be spending at least one night prior to your cruise in a hotel and odds are that the plugs for your electronic gadgets won’t fit in the European outlets. However, most modern electronics are dual voltage, so all you need is an adapter to convert your North American plug to the European standard.
Another benefit of this small investment is that you will now be able to use the 220-volt outlet in your cabin, providing you with yet another outlet to charge your electronics. Do verify, though, that your electronic devices are dual voltage before using an adapter plug as they do not convert the voltage.
One of our favorite things to do when traveling to different countries is to go into the local grocery stores to see how they compare to our own. We also like to check out the candy aisle and try to pick up unusual candies to share with our family when we return. These grocery stores also provide us with the opportunity to try things that we might not otherwise have an opportunity to try.
In the Baltics, we had the most fun in a grocery store in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Not only were we able to pick up some unusual candies, they had a small bakery department where we were able to pick up some local pastries. In addition, we noticed that a number of customers were buying these small bars out of the dairy case. Upon inquiring what the items were, we discovered that they were a goat cheese bars that came in a variety of flavors, many of which were covered in chocolate. Not only were they inexpensive, about 50 cents, they were delicious and unlike anything we had ever had before.
When traveling to so many countries when on a Baltic cruise, one of the common worries is money. While it is true that U.S. dollars are not widely accepted, Euros are, although you might receive change in the local currency. And while having some currency makes small purchases practical especially from street vendors, most merchants take credit cards, but be aware that some credit card providers charge a foreign transaction fee.
ATMs are readily available and one of the best options for getting money at a low fee. Other options include large banks if you are an account holder there or online through AAA, who has a partnership with Wells Fargo for currency exchange services. Do realize, however, that your best exchange rate will be at ATMs or by using your credit card.
Making contact with fellow cruisers on a Baltics cruise can be very beneficial in a number of ways.
For example, some of the people we met made arrangements to share a taxi from the airport to the port significantly reducing cost of getting to the ship. We were also able to obtain a discount with our tour provider in St. Petersburg, Russia and in Federicia, Denmark by forming a group beforehand. Even though we all paid individually, we were able to benefit from a group discount and saved money over what the cruise line offered.
An additional benefit of joining a roll call is that you will have an opportunity to “meet” people before your cruise, which can be extremely beneficial if you have children. In our case, we were able to meet up with a family that had children and were able to tour with them over four days. The kids enjoyed each other’s company and kept themselves entertained as the adults explored the various sights.
If you have any tips to share or questions to ask, please do so by leaving a comment below.