Michael Poole is LIVE blogging all this weekend from Royal Caribbean's Empress of the Seas. Follow along for the updates!

What a day I have to share with you on this live blog.  I started out my day in Tampa, Florida and drove to Miami at 6:45am.  Nothing really exciting about the drive other than it is really long, around 300 miles.  

I arrived to the Port of Miami around 11:00am, and we were dock in terminal “G”.   The parking at the terminal is $20/Day and you pay once you leave.  I must say I have never parked so close to a cruise ship in all my cruises.

Going through the pier was so easy, there were zero lines on both suite and non-suite side.  

I was handed my SeaPass card and excited to see I had the drink package sticker loaded on my card.  I have the ultimate package that includes coffee and fresh juices, along with all the cocktails and beer.  They had already started boarding so I walked right on board.

Lunch On board

 At 11:30 the Windjammer was open and we made our way to lunch.  

The first thing I noticed is they have hand washing stations once you walk in.  This was something different I have not seen on any other Royal Caribbean ship, but I really liked that home feeling.  

For lunch it was the typical lunch with burgers, fries, grilled fish, and ribs.  I grabbed a seat by the window, but boy was it hot.  That seemed to be the theme for today, just hot on the upper decks.  The décor in the windjammer was all brand new with very modern finishes.

After lunch we explored around the pool deck, the room was not open until 1pm, so we really took advantage of our time around the ship.

They had pre-arranged a photo in the Centrum at 1pm.  Shortly after I headed to my cabin, which is a Jr. Suite 9122.  

The cabin is what you would find on a standard ocean balcony across the fleet, but remember the ship is 26 years old.  I was actually very impressed with the cabin and the space it offers, again with all new décor.

Afternoon on board

After muster drill, we headed to the private crown and anchor top tier party and suites.  They hosted this party in the aft of the ship on the open decks.  

They had a live band, plenty of food options, and drinks, very nice party.  In fact, the Captain even showed up and was quite nice to talk to.

Dinner

Tonight our dinner was in the Chops Grill specialty dining.  They charge a cover charge of $30 per person, and everything is included.

Tonight we had a limited menu since our group was over 21 people.

However, they had the favorites on there, such has onion soup and filet.  The restaurant was closed off to our group, but had around 20 tables with ocean views.  

I went with the French onion soup and filet, which was outstanding.  

They bring the sides out family style for everyone to sample and refill as needed.

Thoughts about Empress of the Seas

Wow, this ship is truly beautiful, on the inside and out.  I could not believe how nice she was, with the décor all brand new.  

The air conditioning works great all over the ship, yes it was hot this afternoon but it broke 100 today.  

The Voom Internet seems to be working fine and the staff all seems very happy.  Honestly, I cannot think of any reason I would not book Empress of the Seas for a future cruise.  

If you are the type of person who enjoys the smaller ships, you will love the Empress of the Seas.  Now the questions is, where is she headed in 90 days…

Tomorrow we are in Coco Cay.  We have some fun adventures planned there!

Live Blog Index

• Pre-cruise
• Day 1 - Embarkation Day
• Day 2 - Coco Cay
• Day 3 - Sea Day
• Day 4 - Key West

We are really big fans of Royal Caribbean's Sabor specialty restaurant because of the terrific and fresh food they serve, but not all Royal Caribbean ships have a Sabor restaurant on them. Nonetheless, it appears that may not stop some ships from offering a Sabor experience, minus the full restaurant.

On Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Blog reader Angie shared with us photos of the "Sabor at Sea lunch," which was held on day 6 of their cruise in Giovanni's Table.

It appears this was a one-time event on the ship, and cost $25 per guest to enjoy.

Angie reported that the lunch was, "extraordinarily good and there is a ton of food."

This is not the first experience of this kind on Explorer of the Seas. Earlier this summer season, we spotted an Izumi Asian Breakfast buffet offered onboard as well.

Would you be interested in a Sabor lunch on Explorer of the Seas? Tell us in the comments!

Royal Caribbean will offer a bonus offer this weekend, with up to an extra $50 onboard credit for qualifying cruises booked.

The July Seek and Save deal is combinable with the July BOGO offer and offers guests bonus onboard credit on all sailings departing on or after August 29, 2016 made between July 29 and 31, 2016. Offer excludes China departures.

The July Seek and Save offer details are:

• Interior/Oceanview – $25 Onboard Credit per staterom
• Balcony/Deluxe Suites – $50 Onboard Credit per stateroom

Offer is combinable with current standard/full fare rates, BOGO50, Holiday OBC, restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military) and Next Cruise offers. Offer is not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including but not limited to Group Standard, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, Net Rates, Crown & Anchor Discounts, and Shareholder benefits.

Offer open to residents of the United States and Canada.

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

Episode 156 is available for downloading, where we discuss what factors should go into choosing the best time to take a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Often people want to know the best time to go on a Royal Caribbean cruise and Matt considers the different factors everyone should consider to pick that "perfect" time for a cruise.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 156. 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!

Following the success of the first ever Zumba® cruise, the dance-fitness group is organizing another group cruise aboard a Royal Caribbean ship.

The next Zumba® Cruise is planned for a 5-night sailing of Navigator of the Seas from Miami on April 23, 2017.

"We were thrilled with the incredible response we got from the success of the 2016 Zumba® cruise. There's no better way to enjoy the dance and fitness activities of Zumba® than combined with the Royal Caribbean experience, with features such as the ice-skating rinks, rock-climbing walls, delectable dining and world-class entertainment," said Vicki Freed, Senior Vice President, Sales and Trade Support and Service. "We're excited to host Zumba® once again, and now on Navigator of the Seas."

The exclusive event will feature Zumba® activities and experiences on the ship. These events include:

• Daily Zumba®-themed classes
• Master Zumba classes taught by Zumba® creator Beto Perez and more than 50 additional celebrity Zumba instructors
• 20 live music concerts

Those interested in more details can visit zumba-cruise.com.

Royal Caribbean announced it has extended the Summer Cyber Sale for another few days, offering guests up to $200 instant savings plus 50% off the second guest.

The Summer Cyber Sale is now good through July 28, 2016 and is valid on all sailings departing on or after August 26, 2016. Offer excludes China departures.

The deal offers

• Cruises 5 nights or less
  • Interior/Oceanview: $25 off per stateroom
  • Balcony: $50 off per stateroom
  • Suite: $100 off per stateroom
• Cruises 6 nights or longer
  • Interior/Oceanview: $50 off per stateroom
  • Balcony: $100 off per stateroom
  • Suite: $200 off per stateroom
• 50% off second guest booked in the same stateroom as the first guest
• 25% off cruise fare for 3rd and 4th guests booked in same stateroom as first two guests

Also, for eligible Bahamas, Bermuda and Caribbean holiday sailings, offer includes a per person onboard credit: $100 OBC per person up to 4 guests for holiday sailings 6 nights or longer departing 18-31, 2016, $50 OBC per person up to 4 guests for holiday sailings 5 nights or less departing December 22-31, 2016.

Offer is combinable with current standard/full fare rates, BOGO50, Resident Bonus, restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military) and Next Cruise offers. Offer is not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including but not limited to Group Standard, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, Net Rates, Crown & Anchor Discounts, and Shareholder Benefits.

Offer open to residents of the United States and Canada. 

Guests looking for a larger stateroom that provides a few suite perks combined with a balcony experience often look to a Junior Suite on Royal Caribbean's cruise ships.

While not a full suite in terms of the space provided or amenities included, Junior Suites do provide a lot more living space than balcony cabins.

Junior suite staterooms are available on all Royal Caribbean cruise ships and this blog post is aimed at helping everyone understand better what a Junior Suite cabin offers and why you might want to book one.

Junior Suite Basics

Junior Suites are the first type of suite staterooms that Royal Caribbean offers.  Despite its name, Junior Suites have more in common with balcony staterooms than suites.

The exact layout and size of a Junior Suite will vary between classes of ships, but they all are essentially a large cabin with private balcony that offers more perks than a regular balcony stateroom.

In most cases, you will find in a junior suite two twin beds that convert to a Royal King, a sitting area with sofa bed, private balcony and a private bathroom with a bathtub.

The exact size of a junior suite varies from ship to ship, anywhere from 112 square feet on Empress of the Seas to 299 square feet on Brilliance of the Seas.  Most junior suites are about 290 square feet.

The size of the balcony ranges as well, from 40 square feet  to 161 square feet, depending on the ship.

Junior Suite benefits

The most common question about a Junior Suite is why book this category of stateroom and what benefits does one receive by staying in one.

Without question, a Junior Suite offers more space than a regular balcony stateroom and that means more living space in your cabin.  This extra space is in both the cabin and the balcony.  When it comes to accommodations on cruise ships, every extra square foot of living space is wonderful.

In addition to the living space, Junior Suites offer a full size tub, which is is great for families or those who like having more space in their shower, as well as a walk-in closet. 

Junior Suites also offer guests double Crown and Anchor Society points, which means guests can move up the ranks of the Crown and Anchor Society levels much faster. 

If you would like to attain a higher status in Crown and Anchor as soon as possible, booking Junior Suites is one strategy to maximizing the cruises you take to accomplish that goal.

Junior suites also include tea and coffee service ensuite and terry bathrobes (for use onboard). In addition, junior suite guests receive silver SeaPass cards to distinguish themselves as suite guests to Royal Caribbean staff.

Royal Suite Class

In May 2016, Royal Caribbean ushered in a new revamped approach to its suite benefits program called the Royal Suite Class, and Junior Suites are included in this.

Available on Quantum- and Oasis-class cruise ships, Junior Suites qualify for Sea Class benefits.  These include:

• Dinner access to Coastal Kitchen (dinner only)
• Luxury Pillowtop Mattress
• L’Occitane Bathroom Amenities

What Junior Suites do not include

Despite the word, "suite" being in the name of the Junior Suite, guests staying in a Junior Suite do not receive the full suite perks.  

This means guests do not receive the same level of benefits and access that guests staying in Grand Suite or higher staterooms do.  Most notably, this includes access to the concierge lounge, concierge service or reserved suites-only areas of the ship.

How much do Junior Suites cost?

Like all cabins, the price you'll pay for a Junior Suite will vary from ship to ship, and sailing to sailing. Moreover, a Junior Suite on an older ship will cost less than one on a new ship.

The real question is how much more will a Junior Suite cost compared to a standard balcony cabin.

For a 7-night Caribbean cruise, a Junior Suite for two people could be as cheap as $2,000 or approach $10,000.  There are so many factors that influence the price of any cabin, such as:

• Time of year you sail
• How many other cabins are already booked
• Ship
• Class of ship

Are Junior Suites worth it?

The bottom line is Junior Suites are extra large balcony staterooms that provide a less-expensive means of splurging for accommodations on a Royal Caribbean cruise without breaking the bank.

The extra living space and perks of a Junior Suite are a nice to have benefit, that provide for a much more enjoyable experience while in your stateroom. Between the extra storage space, larger balcony and bathroom upgrades, many guests easily can see and appreciate the extras.

Many Royal Caribbean veterans will tell you the determining factor to if a Junior Suite is worth the price is it depends on the price difference between it and a regular balcony stateroom.  Many times, a Junior Suite upgrade cost is nominal, while on other sailings the price difference has been more substantial.  

While a Junior Suite may not offer nearly as many perks and incentives as a traditional suite stateroom, it does include enough advantages to satisfy the needs of most guests looking to enjoy something nicer than a balcony stateroom but cannot or will not opt for a more extravagant suite.

Hi friends, Michael Poole here again for another live blog!  This time I will be sailing on the newest ship in the fleet - Empress of the Seas.  Well, she is actually the oldest ship in the fleet, but the most recent addition to the fleet.  Empress of the Seas was recently added back into the fleet in May 2016 from their sister company, Pullmantur Cruises. 

There are many speculations on why Royal Caribbean brought Empress of the Seas back in the fleet, to soon be their Cuba sailing ship. 

Why Empress of the Seas?

To be honest, since Royal Caribbean first announced they were bringing Empress of the Seas back into the fleet I have wanted to sail on her.  In fact, I almost changed my March back-to-back cruise over to the Empress, but I decided to stay on the Brilliance. 

Empress of the Seas is a smaller ship, which I tend to enjoy more.  The décor on the ship is all brand new from her recent two-month dry dock.  The ship offers daily brunch in the Main Dining room with complimentary mimosas or bloody marys. Empress of the Seas is going by the slogan: Party. Chill. Repeat.   

Invite by Royal Caribbean

Three weeks ago, I received a phone call from Royal Caribbean extending me the invite for this sailing.  They have also invited some of their top-tier Crown and Anchor members, along with some social media bloggers. 

Needless to say, I was absolutely ecstatic when I heard the news!  Anytime you get to cruise with Royal Caribbean it’s exciting, but to sail with their social media team too!  They have some pre-arranged events during the cruise, but I want to keep those a surprise! 

I just know this is going to be a very special cruise, and I’m so excited to share it with you. 

Itinerary

For this cruise we are sailing to my favorite stop in the Caribbean, Coco Cay.  This island is owned by Royal Caribbean, and offers a relaxing beach day. 

Next we will have a sea day, followed by our final stop in Key West.  Key West is a great port to visit, so much live music and restaurants.  Now the question is, will I go back to Sloppy Joe’s for a third time…

Thanks for joining me for another live blog; I’m truly excited to take you all along with me again.  I will be conducting daily periscopes of the ship, so be sure to follow @mpoole3   If you have any questions about the ship, or during the live blog, please comment below and I will respond. 

See you at sea!  

Live Blog Index

• Pre-cruise
• Day 1 - Embarkation Day
• Day 2 - Coco Cay
• Day 3 - Sea Day
• Day 4 - Key West

Royal Caribbean Singapore has released a new refreshed marketing campaign, entitled "One Holiday, Endless Adventures".

The new TV commercial shows off the impressive Quantum-class cruise ships that feature the next generation cruise amenities and entertainment.

The new TV commercial is part of Royal Caribbean’s refreshed marketing campaign ‘One Holiday, Endless Adventures’ with a new checklist logo design, which was recently launched through a variety of print and TV advertisements, outdoor panels on MRT train platform screens and collaterals.  It aims to highlight on the multitude of unique and surprising experiences that guests can enjoy onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, whether as a new or repeat cruiser, such as the North Star elevated glass capsule, FlowRider surf simulator and bumper cars.

Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD Marketing Manager, Nicole Lai, said, “A cruise holiday with Royal Caribbean is all inclusive.  It’s up to our guests to get whatever kind of adventures they seek as there are so many things to do onboard, be it sports, parties, shows and dining, hence the handy ‘checklist’.  Most of all, we want people to start thinking about putting a Royal Caribbean cruise on their holiday checklist.”

This campaign which was launched islandwide this month and is running for 4 weeks, is expected to reach an estimated 2 million consumers in Singapore.

Happy Sunday! We hope you are 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 rolled out a new feature on its website, aimed at making it simpler for guests to know where their staterooms are on the ship.

The new feature allows guests to see staterooms in the aft, middle or forward of a ship and better understand the room's position, relative to the rest of the ship.

Through each step, guests can easily see which area of the ship their room is located and also understand the difference in pricing based on their stateroom location choice.

There is Royal Caribbean news to share, so check it out!

Royal Caribbean News

• Brilliance of the Seas skipped a stop in Turkey this week.
• Mariner of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas are ready for a new Pacific cruise season.
• Royal Caribbean won two awards at the AFTA National Travel Industry Awards 2016.
• There is a new video about the role of Chief Engineer on Anthem of the Seas.
• First time cruisers: How to book a Royal Caribbean cruise.
• Royal Caribbean scheduled its second quarter earnings call.
• 7 ways Royal Caribbean revolutionized the cruise industry.
• Royal Caribbean revamped its meetings and events website.
• New photos from all over Independence of the Seas.
• 7 tropical drinks you must try on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
• When can you book dining, excursions and shows on my Royal Caribbean cruise?

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 155th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where we are answering your Royal Caribbean emails

In this episode, a podcast listener joins Matt to talk about his first Royal Caribbean cruise.  Chris talks why he decided to try Royal Caribbean and what his experience on Freedom of the Seas was like.

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 has a look at how it built the azipods for its Oasis-class ships.

Cruise Hive shared a video of a man failing to ride the waves made by Oasis of the Seas...on a bike.