Royal Caribbean is celebrating Australia Day by launching a new cruise sale for five days, the Mega Ships, Mega Sale, on sailings throughout Australia and the South Pacific.

Guests booking cruises on select sailings can pick from 'guarantee' staterooms (category Z, Y and X). The exact stateroom grade, number and location on the ship will be allocated at the discretion of Royal Caribbean International. 

The offer is valid on new bookings made between January 25 - 29, 2016 for the following ships

• Explorer of the Seas voyages departing 14-Feb-16 & 21-Mar-16.
• Legend of the Seas voyages departing 18-Feb-16 & 26-Feb-16.
• Radiance of the Seas voyage departing 12-Mar-16.
• Voyager of the Seas voyages departing 19-Feb-16, 27-Feb-16 & 05-Mar-16 only. 

Offer is applicable to Interior (category Z), Oceanview (category Y) and Balcony (category X) staterooms only.

Please ensure that promotion name ‘MegaSale’ is listed in the reservation at time of booking.

A limited number of staterooms are available at the prices shown. Once sold out, prices may be increased, withdrawn or further reduced without notice. Any eligible booking that is cancelled and then reinstated after 29 January 2016 will no longer be eligible for the promotion. Any booking that is modified after the promotion has ended will result in the loss of the promotion. Examples of changes that will result in the promotion being forfeited include, but are not limited to: change of ship, sail date, category booked, amending the travel agency ID or selecting an alternate price/promotion. 

We wrapped up a busy week of Royal Caribbean fun, but if you missed any of it, we have it all wrapped up nicely for you in this weekly news round-up!

Unfortunately two Royal Caribbean ships were unable to stop in Labadee this week due to peaceful protests preventing guests from enjoying the private destination.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas both opted for sea days instead of allowing guests to go ashore in Labadee because of the protests. 

It is Royal Caribbean's policy that if a protest takes place while a ship is port, there would be a significant impact on guests’ ability to enjoy Labadee they may have to cancel the visit completely.

Royal Caribbean News

• Two Royal Caribbean ships had their itineraries changed due to Snowstorm Jonas.
• We have the 2017-2018 Royal Caribbean deployment schedule dates to share.
• Royal Caribbean has scaled back Majesty of the Seas' refurbishment plans.
• New photos of Liberty of the Seas' refurbishment progress.
• We also have photos showing Harmony of the Seas construction progress.
• Everything you need to know about Central Park.
• Royal Caribbean signed a deal with China's Forbidden City this week.
• Royal Caribbean was named Best General Cruise Company at the Irish Travel Awards.
• Photo tour of the Category A1 stateroom on Oasis of the Seas.
• What you can expect to encounter on embarkation day.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 129th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, and we are sharing a listener review of their cruise on Oasis of the Seas.

In this episode, Matt welcomes Bryon to talk about his experience on Oasis of the Seas and share what their first Royal Caribbean experience 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.

Announcing our Fall 2016 Royal Caribbean Blog Group Cruise!

We are so excited to announce our fall 2016 group cruise plans for readers and staff of RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com aboard Freedom of the Seas. This is an exclusive group where we are inviting you, our readers, to join us on the beautiful Freedom of the Seas on an 7-night cruise to the Western Caribbean.

This Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise is all about enjoying this brand new ship with other fans who are big fans of Royal Caribbean.  Don't miss this opportunity to check out this fabulous cruise ship as well as be a part of exclusive events for those that book with our group!

For more details on booking the cruise, the itinerary and prices, check out the Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise page and if you have any questions, email me!

Royal Caribbean Around the Internet

Bloomberg interviewed Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO Richard Fain about the cruise industry and the Chinese economy.

Beyond Ships has a photo tour of Serenade of the Seas.

Cruise Critic has a look at 3 things they loved (and 2 they didn't) about Freedom of the Seas refurbishment.

Sherman Cruise has a look at the food Chef Michael Schwartz brings to Anthem of the Seas.

Cruise & Ferry has an interview with Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley.

Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas is currently in drydock at Freeport, Bahamas undergoing an impressive refurbishment and we found some new photos to share that hint at the changes coming.

Royal Caribbean has divulged the details of the refurbishment, but typically does not share looks at the work underway.

Here are four photos that show off Liberty of the Seas undergoing her revitalization work.  We cannot wait to see the finished work!

Here they are! #AzamaraJourney and #LibertyOfTheSeas #ShipLife getting an upgrade. Aqui estão os dois. #Azamara Jo… pic.twitter.com/jLLza5LHPF

— Rodrigo B Gonzalez (@bragancaphoto) January 19, 2016

My 164,000 ton home suspended up out of the water in Freeport #Bahamas. Dry dock begins! #libertyoftheseas #royalcrewlife #freeballininfreeport

A photo posted by Peter Ricardo (@peteraricardo) on Jan 13, 2016 at 12:29pm PST

"It's not a photo is a video..." #Freeport #Bahamas #LibertyOfTheSeas #DryDock #Work #WorkFlow #LifeAtSea #LifeIsGood #MakingMoney #Azipod #CruiseShip

A video posted by Ramón Melendez (@melen_10) on Jan 16, 2016 at 10:10am PST

Royal Caribbean's eagerly awaited deployment opening schedule appears to be available for its world wide cruise itineraries.

A new Royal Caribbean document points to when Royal Caribbean will post the deployments for regions around the world.

• Week of February 22, 2016
  • Alaska & Cruisetours
• Week of February 29, 2016
  • Europe & Transatlantics
• Week of March 7, 2016
  • Caribbean, Bahamas & Northeast
• Week of March 21, 2016
  • Australia & Singapore

All itineraries and openings are subject to change without notice. 

Deployment schedules gives consumers an idea of when to expect particular cruise schedules to become available to start looking at future cruises.

Royal Caribbean has been forced to change the itinerary for some of its cruise ships due to the path of Snowstorm Jonas.

Grandeur of the Seas will return to Baltimore, Maryland, one day later than originally scheduled. The next sailing will now begin on Monday, January 25. Guests on the upcoming cruise should arrive to the terminal on Monday. A letter with additional details on Grandeur’s itinerary will be provided at check in.

Anthem of the Seaswill return to Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, one day later than originally scheduled. The next sailing will now begin on Tuesday, January 26. Guests on the next sailing should arrive to the terminal on Tuesday during their scheduled check in time. A letter with additional details on Anthem’s itinerary will be provided to guests at check in.

Royal Caribbean will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will update this information if there are any changes.

Royal Caribbean will hold a conference call on February 2, 2016 at 10am to discuss its fourth quarter 2015 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.

Friday is here and the end of the work week also signifies our showcase of your Royal Caribbean cruise photos!  Each week, we ask our readers to send us their best Royal Caribbean photos and we have some great entries to share with you!

Our first photo is from G. Spindler and it's of the Aquashow, "Oasis of Dreams" on Oasis of the Seas and this was taken from the top of the FlowRider.  Amazing vantage point!

We are going wide angle with this photo of Allure of the Seas docked in Cozumel, by Mary.  Great ship in a great port!

Here's a photo by JohnPC of the Royal Promenade on Liberty of the Seas, as seen on her last sailing prior to drydock.  Can't wait to see what this ship offers when she returns to service!

This photo by Gary Walker features two of my favorite things: a sunset and Freedom of the Seas.  Beautiful photo!

Rounding things out this week is a photo by Missey Bartels from Vision of the Seas of her and some friends enjoying a drink before heading to shore.  Sounds like a great plan!

Thank you to everyone that shared these great photos.  Do you want your photo included in our weekly photo showcase?  Use this form to send us your favorite Royal Caribbean photos and we will be sure to show it off to the world!

For 100 hours this weekend, Royal Caribbean is offering a new cruise sale where guests can take advantage of the BOGO offer, 25% off friends and family and 50% reduced deposit. You’ll also get an extra $50 bonus for up to $350 to spend at sea!

The 100 hour sale is valid on 6-9 night Caribbean sailings departing April 1 - December 31, 2016, excluding Harmony of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas as well as 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. 22-26, 2016.

BOGO is combinable with the 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. OBC Offer is combinable with restricted rates and NextCruise offers; not combinable with Crown & Anchor discounts. All offers are not combinable with any other offer or promotion.

The 100 hour sale is open to residents of U.S. or Canada.

At the 2016 Irish Travel Industry Awards, Royal Caribbean was the winner of, "Best General Cruise Company" category.

#RoyalCaribbean win best general #Cruise company @ITAATweets #irishtravelawards @CEVMansionHouse @cruises_for_you pic.twitter.com/0yd9SHrDCB

— Pamela Brownlee (@PamelaBrownlee1) January 21, 2016

Cruise & Ferry Category @holworldshow Best General Cruise Company:Royal Caribbean @RoyalCaribbean #IrishTravelAwards pic.twitter.com/1oXn2x5mW2

— Irish Travel Agents (@ITAATweets) January 21, 2016

A special event was held at the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin, Ireland on January 21, 2016, where Royal Caribbean was honored with the win.

The Irish Travel Industry Awards are the premier awards for suppliers and Travel Agents in Ireland. The Awards are designed to showcase excellence in the delivery of international travel services to both leisure and business customers travelling from Ireland.