Royal Caribbean has begun a brand new promotion today on spring and summer cruise bookings with up to $100 off your cruise, plus the value of BOGO Further, including 50% off second guest and up to $300 to spend at sea. 

The Caribbean Escape sale is valid on bookings made February 1 - 7, 2016 on sailings departing on or after March 2, 2016 excluding China departures.

Guests can save up to $100 off their cruise and is combinable with the current BOGO Further promotion.

• Inside
  • $25 off
• Ocean View
  • $25 off
• Balcony
  • $50 off
• Suite
  • $100 off

Offer includes 50% off cruise fare of second guest who must be booked in the same stateroom as a first guest who books at full fare (“BOGO”), 50% reduced deposit, and a total per stateroom onboard credit : $50 for interior, $100 for oceanview, $200 for balcony, and $300 for suite.

See terms and conditions of the BOGO Further for more details on deal rules.

Offer available to residents of United States and Canada.

Thanks to Jason Poole for alerting us to this new promotion!

Royal Caribbean has announced a new partnership with one of Australia’s most popular TV programs, Australia’s Got Talent. 

The popular television show premiers tonight (February 1) in Australia on Channel Nine and celebrates the unique and brilliant talents of Australians from all walks of life.

Royal Caribbean is the major sponsor of Australia’s Got Talent’s “Wildcard” entries. Contestants who are not taken through to the semi-final by the celebrity judges can be voted back into the finals by viewers as Wildcards.

The winning Wildcard entrant will receive a cruise on Explorer of the Seas – Australia’s biggest, newest and most technologically advanced megaliner – plus Royal Caribbean will also offer one lucky Wildcard voter playing from home the chance to win a cruise for two on the same voyage: an 11-night cruise to New Zealand in April 2016, sailing roundtrip from Sydney and including return economy airfares.

“Royal Caribbean is incredibly proud of its world-class onboard entertainment so we’re thrilled to partner with one of Australia’s favourite television programs and showcase the very best of Aussie talent,” said Adam Armstrong, commercial director, Royal Caribbean International.

“We can’t wait to support Australia’s best talent. Explorer of the Seas is Australia’s newest and biggest cruise ship, packed with entertainment for all the family, so it’s a fitting prize for such an incredible competition,” he continued.

Australia’s Got Talent will premiere at 7.30pm on Channel Nine from Monday 1 February 2016.

Royal Caribbean produces a lot of commercials, and one of its newer commercials features a gay couple getting married on a Royal Caribbean ship.

Royal Caribbean wants everyone to consider getting married on a Royal Caribbean ship, and uses couple "Gabriel and Blair" to show how fun and special a wedding at sea can be.

Royal Caribbean describes this advertisement simply as, "You’ve never settled for the ordinary. Your greatest adventure yet should be no different. Venture far from the beaten path with a Royal Caribbean wedding ceremony. Royal Weddings amenities include complimentary planning to ensure every moment becomes a cherished memory for you and your special someone. Discover the breathtaking possibilities onboard and across the world."

Tip of the hat to Instinct Magazine for alerting us to this commercial.

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.