Happy last day of January! It’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy our weekly round-up of the best Royal Caribbean news.

Royal Caribbean and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced earlier this week a five-year global partnership to help ensure the long-term health of the oceans.

The partners will set measurable and achievable sustainability targets that will reduce Royal Caribbean’s environmental footprint, raise awareness about ocean conservation among the company’s more than five million guests, and support WWF’s global oceans conservation work.

The targets announced focus on supply chain sustainability and emissions reductions through 2020.

We have a lot to share with you this week, so let’s jump right in…

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean ships were able to resume stops at Labadee.
• Royal Caribbean is offering new perks for neigborhood balcony staterooms on Oasis class ships.
• Harmony of the Seas will feature all-new family entertainment for guests.
• Four questions you need to ask yourself before buying an unlimited alcohol package.
• We had two stateroom photo tours: Loft Suite and Larger Panoramic Ocean View Stateroom.
• A look at a "secret" stateroom on Freedom of the Seas.
• Five things you will love about Giovanni's Table.
• Spotlight on the Royal Caribbean dining packages.

Royal Caribbean Blog Reader Finds

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!

Royal Caribbean Cruise Director Jerome Sueur posted a photo with comedian Kathy Griffin on Navigator of the Seas.

Robin Rinkewich‎ shared this photo of her finding the Central Park gnome on Oasis of the Seas.

Jared Grauvogel posted this photo of the water slides being added to Liberty of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 130th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, we are reading our listener's emails

In this episode, Matt reads emails that listeners have sent in about all aspects of a Royal Caribbean cruise.

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 UK lists 15 reasons why you shouldn't go to Ajaccio this summer.

Cruise Radio has a review of Oasis of the Seas.

Beyond Ships has a conversation with Serenade of the Seas hotel director.

ShermansCruise has a guide to picking a cabin on Anthem of the Seas.

​Royal Caribbean sends its more than 11,000 Filipino crew through safety training at its facility in Marongondong, Cavite, Philippines.

Friend of the blog, John Roberts, sent us these photos from his recent tour of the facility. The campus offers courses on Basic Safety Training, Advanced Firefighting, Survival Craft Operations, Water Rescue and other related courses designed to help build the competencies of cruise staff in a wide range of maritime skill sets.

The conditions created during the exercises simulate actual shipboard scenarios.

John Roberts writes about cruise and fitness-based travel on his website InTheLoopTravel.com.

Welcome to this week's edition of Friday Photos, where we share our readers' Royal Caribbean photos with all of you.  You can send us your Royal Caribbean photos by using this form.

To me, this weekly feature is an opportunity to enjoy a quick "mental escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation.  Let's get started with this week's batch!

Our first photo is from G.Spindler and it is of a beautiful sunset while at sea.  Looks perfect to me!

Speaking of beautiful, is this shot of Independence of the Seas by Shannon F in St. Maarten.  The water color and sky really look great!

Dave Rimington shared this photo of the Dubai skyline, as seen from Splendour of the Seas.  Love the contrast.

Denny sent us this photo from his stingray encounter from Grand Cayman.  Beautiful water color and that certainly looks like a close encounter to me!

Lastly this week, we have sister ships Serenade of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas by Frederic.  Two beautiful ships that look like mirror images of each other.

Thank you to everyone who sent in their photos this week. Have a great weekend and be sure to send us your photos so we can post them next week by using this form.

Royal Caribbean announced today it has extended its current 100 hour Caribbean sale through the end of the month.

The 100 hour sale was set to end today, but Royal Caribbean has decided to extend the promotion through January 31, 2016. During this promotion, guests can take advantage of BOGO offer, 25% off friends and family and 50% reduced deposit. They'll also get an extra $50 bonus for up to $350 to spend at sea.

Special 100 Hour Sale up to $350 onboard credit total per stateroom on 6-9 night Caribbean sailings departing April 1-Dec 31, 2016 excluding Harmony of the Seas. All other offers apply to all sailings excluding China departures.

The offer includes

• 50% off cruise fare for second guest booked in the same stateroom as first full fare guest
• 50% reduced deposit
• Onboard credit
  • Interior: $75
  • Oceanview: $250
  • Suite: $350
• 25% cruise fare savings for 3rd and 4th guests booked in the same stateroom as first two qualifying guests

Cruise must be booked Jan. 27-31, 2016.

BOGO is combinable with the adjoining OBC, 3rd and 4th Guest Savings, Crown & Anchor discounts and NextCruise offers; BOGO and 3rd and 4th Guest Savings are not combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military). OBC Offer is combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, BOGO) and NextCruise offers. OBC is not combinable with Crown & Anchor discounts. 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, Net Rates, Shareholder Benefits. 

Offer available to residents of United States and Canada.

Royal Caribbean was able to resume stops at its private destination of Labadee, following three cancelled scheduled stops due to local protests.

Allure of the Seas was able to dock in Labadee earlier this morning, and its guests were able to disembark and enjoy the activities onshore.

Good morning Haiti #royalcaribbean #labadee #haiti

A photo posted by Brittany (@_brittnaynay_) on Jan 26, 2016 at 6:06am PST

I'm at Labadee, Haiti https://t.co/tDhyjfUiJT pic.twitter.com/rc6TvtODpp

— mehmetelmastas (@mehmetelmastas) January 26, 2016

Royal Caribbean est de retour à Labadee.@DieudonneLuma @MTourismeHaiti @samueldameus @MCHaiti @David_Toussain pic.twitter.com/45DHEOn9kv

— Le Nord An Avan (@LeNordAnAvan) January 26, 2016

Royal Caribbean has been working closely with local and government officials in Haiti to monitor the situation and ensure the safety of its guests.

Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas will be featured in a new television show on the Nine Network in Australia as part of a new commercial partnership.

The one-hour primetime special, "Australia's Mega Cruise Ship" will show off Explorer of the Seas and will air on January 28 at 7:30pm in Australia.

The show will air on Nine Network and be hosted by Natalie Gruzlewski and will look at what a typical sailing offers its guests.

Gruzlewski will take guests into all corners of the ship, showcasing many of the stateroom categories and public features including the restaurants, theatre and Flowrider surfing simulator. Viewers will also check-in regularly with a family of four and an experienced cruise couple as they enjoy their real-life holidays, looking at many of the activities suited to each demographic.