It appears Royal Caribbean is providing life jackets for children to use in the pools on Oasis of the Seas.

Leigh Cormack from the Oasis of the Seas Cruisers...Past, Present, Future Facebook group took these photos of the new life jackets.

The sign reads, "Children's Swimming Pool Life Jackets are available for the safety all children.  They are to be used on the Oasis Pool Deck."

We have not spotted life jackets for pool use like this previously.

The life jackets for children could be a response to recent pool accidents involving drownings.

Do you think Royal Caribbean offering life jackets for kids in the pool is a good idea? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Royal Caribbean's next Quantum class cruise ship, Ovation of the Seas, has reached a construction milestone that brings it one step closer to entering service.

Royal Caribbean Australia & New Zealand shared this photo of Ovation of the Seas to show that she is almost half way to being completed.

OVATION UPDATE: construction of #OvationoftheSeas is almost half way! pic.twitter.com/Pp9ZmWGXP8

— Royal Caribbean AUNZ (@RoyalAUNZ) October 16, 2015

It has been thirteen months since the steel cutting ceremony took place and if all goes well, she will be ready for conveyance down the River Ems for sea trials in the middle of March 2016.

Ovation of the Seas is under construction at the Meyer Werft ship yard in Papenburg, Germany.  Ovation of the Seas will be debuting in April 2016 and will be offering cruises in Asia and Australia.

Royal Caribbean will hold a conference call on October 23, 2015 at 10am to discuss its third 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.

Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas entered Victoria Habour earlier today in Hong Kong for the final time this cruise season.

From July to October this year, Voyager of the Seas has seen nearly 70,000 guests enjoy cruising on her during this season.

Voyager of the Seas will return for another season in Hong Kong in 2016. 

Royal Caribbean's private island of CocoCay is very popular with guests and on your next visit there, it may be slightly different than you remember.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Sean McLellan recently visited CocoCay over the weekend and sent us a report of some noticable changes.

Cabanettes have been renamed

The "cabanettes" that are available to rent now have a new name

Excursions desk indicates that they are now called "Beach Loungers" and it now runs just under $50 for 2 people for 2 big bottles of water, a fruit plate and towels.

New trams between Tender/Barefoot Beach

In the past, Royal Caribbean has provided a shuttle that is pulled by a tractor to get guests to help with the long distance walk involved.

There are now some new trams availabe to take guests.

Sean notes these new trams, "run quieter, a tad smoother, and taller so there's less chance of bonking your head on the way out. Oh, the driver gets a little fan."

New tram route

Previously, the tram ran on a path south of the nature trail that went past the island's barracks and ended up east of the Cabanettes.

There's now an entirely new tram path that is "shorter" according to the tram driver, which has newly been created that runs north of the nature trail and ends up east of the Cabanettes.

There's some big piles of sand marking the terminus that look new.

New shower at Barefoot Beach 

A new fresh water shower has been added to Barefoot Beach.

Sean indicated it is, "a nice addition that is just north of the Barefoot Beach Cabanettes/Beach Lounger bar".

Promise of a Barefoot Beach restroom facility

For the past year or longer an outhouse has been stationed on the previous tram route that is about a 2 minute walk from the cabanettes.

Sean's tram driver indicated that there are immediate plans to construct a restroom facility at the cabanettes, which would be a highly welcome change.
 

If you are a fellow sushi lover, then you will feel right at home at Royal Caribbean's premier sushi restaurant Izumi.

The next time you make a reservation at Izumi, be sure to consider these fun and tasty aspects of the restaurant that are worth trying!

5. Complimentary edamame

Some of the best things in life are free and when you eat at Izumi, you will get a great starter for no additional cost.

Izumi currently offers complimentary edamame (a preparation of baby soybeans in the pod boiled in water together salt, and served whole).

Not only is this a tasty choice for starting your meal off right, but they are priced right too!

4. Eating at the bar

Eating sushi is an experience and if you like a little show with your meal, try eating at the sushi bar.

Sitting at the sushi bar will get you a front row seat to the sushi chefs creating their masterpieces.

And let me tell you, making sushi is no pedestrian task.  Sushi is as much an art form as it is a kind of food and watching sushi being made is really entertaining!

3. Signature Rolls

If you consider yourself a sushi fanatic, then you will need to flip your menu over to the signature roll section.

The signature rolls often are larger and offer superior flavor than the other rolls on the menu.  It really is the best offering Izumi has.

In addition, be sure to inquire if there are any sushi specials.  From time to time, Izumi will offer certain rolls that are not on the regular menu and these special rolls can be terrific choices too.

2. Teppanyaki experience

In addition to just sushi, select Royal Caribbean ships offer teppanyaki style dining at the restaurant's hibachi section.

Izumi's hibachi is a fun and creative experience, where your chef cooks your food in front of you with a splash of entertainment thrown in.

Hibachi dining is a great way for family and groups to enjoy a meal together and if you want to have a memorable dining experience .

The hibachi meals have a cover charge of $25 for one choice of meat, or $30 two choice of meat. Choices include Beef, Chicken, Lobster or Shrimp.

Each meal includes soup or salad, edamame app, fried rice or lo mein noodles, cooked veggies and dessert.

1. Hot rocks

Whether you eat sushi or not, no trip to Izumi is complete without an order of hot rocks.

Hot rock (Ishiyaki) plates are rocks that are heated to 575 degrees °F, where guests take raw meat and vegetables and cook them on the rock, right at your table.

This ultimate-self serve meal is a really fun way to enjoy a Japanese delicacy.  Each plate comes with lemon ginger vinaigrette, sweet soy sauce and Thai sweet chili dipping sauces.

Guests have the choice of mixed seafood, chicken breast, chicken and beef skewer rock or beef tenderloin.

The hot rocks are perfect for those that do not enjoy sushi necessarily or just someone looking to try something different!

Royal Caribbean revealed the details of its scheduled refurbishment for Liberty of the Seas that will take place during her month-long drydock in January 2016.

When Liberty of the Seas returns from her drydock in February 2016, she is going to get quite a lot of new aquatic based activities including:

• Collection of waterslides called the Perfect Storm
  • Two new racer slides called Cyclone and Typhoon which will be located at the aft of the ship alongside the Flowrider surf simulator
• Tidal Wave, first Boomerang style slide at sea
  • The new hair-raising slide features a steep drop that propels riders up a near vertical wall for a moment of weightlessness and into free fall. 
    
• An adult-free zone with the introduction of Splashaway Bay, an aqua park featuring an interactive kid’s play area with water cannons, geysers and much more.

​

Royal Caribbean had announced in July 2015 it would add a water slide to Liberty of the Seas.

The addition of Splashaway Bay and the Perfect Storm water slides are both features that were originally announced for Harmony of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean did a similar addition when it introduced new features to Navigator of the Seas during her refurbishment in advance of those same features being introduced later on Quantum of the Seas.

There will also be new restaurants added to Liberty of the Seas

• Sabor Modern Mexican
• Giovanni's Table
• R-Bar

Royal Caribbean is also adding 26 new Panoramic Ocean View staterooms, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass walls, providing guests with breathtaking, unobstructed views as well as an additional 53 staterooms throughout the ship.

Liberty of the Seas will sail seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries every Sunday from Galveston starting from November 2015 , visiting exciting warm weather getaways in the Caribbean including: Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico; Falmouth, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico; and Roatan, Honduras.

Are you excited for these new additions coming to Liberty of the Seas? Tell us in the comments!

Royal Caribbean will kick off a big new sale next week that offers 30% off all ships and nearly all sailings.

The new cruise deal runs between October 12 and November 9, 2015 and applies to all ships and sailings departing on or after November 12, 2015, with the exception of China departures.

Guests will get 30% off the standard cruise fore for all guests in a stateroom plus

• $100 onboard credit per stateroom on Oasis or Allure of the Seas 7-night Caribbean sailings departing May-Sept. 2016
• $100 OBC per staterooms for any 2016 Alaska Cruisetour packages and stateroom category
• Purchase air from Royal AIR2SEA on Offer eligible Europe sailings departing April through Nov. 2016 onboard Jewel, Rhapsody, and Vision of the Seas and receive an EXTRA per stateroom cruise fare savings of up to $1,000:
  • Suites: $1000 cruise fare Savings per stateroom
  • Interior/Oceanview/Balcony: $500 cruise fare Savings per stateroom
• Bookings made Oct 12-18, 2015 for eligible sailings departing Dec 15 – 31 2015 or 2016 offer includes an onboard credit up to $500 OBC per stateroom
  • 6 nights or more
    • Interior, Oceanview, Balcony, Junior Suite: $200 onboard credit per stateroom
    • Grand Suite or above: $500 onboard credit per staterom
  • 5 nights or less
    • Interior, Oceanview, Balcony, Junior Suite: $100 onboard credit per stateroom
    • Grand Suite or above: $250 onboard credit per staterom

The 30% off discount is applied to the standard cruise fare for all guests in a stateroom, including third and fourth passengers; No category restrictions. All other charges, including, but not limited to, taxes, fees and port expenses, are additional and apply to all guests.

This offer will apply to single guests paying 200% single supplement on eligible sailings.

This new sale is combinable with Future Cruise Certificates, Letters of Credit, NextCruise bookings and Crown & Anchor Society savings benefits.

The 30% Savings and AIR2SEA Offers are not combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military). However, the OBC offers are combinable with 30% Savings and restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military). 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, Crown & Anchor Discount programs or rates. Single occupancy guests paying 200% cruise fare are eligible for Offer.

Royal Caribbean Blog contributor Michael Poole is on Majesty of the Seas this week.

Today we are docked in Key West, Florida from 10:00 am - 5:30 pm.  It was fun being able to connect with friends at home with full phone service again, since we were in Florida. 

I spent my morning up in the Viking Crown lounge enjoying my daily Starbucks.  I purchased my coffee daily at $3 from the café, and it was worth it for me. 

Immigration Process

At 9:30 am, they started the immigration process, which was a little unorganized. 

They had two locations you had to attend one for United States citizens and another line for everyone else. 

Surprisingly the line for non-United States citizens was extremely long, had no idea I was cruising with that many people from other countries.  

I decided to enjoy some champagne in the Schooner Bar and I’d head out later.  Somehow, I must have missed the announcement that all guest are required to take part in the immigration process, even if you were staying on board. 

I was enjoying my morning and just caught the immigration officers packing up when I went down at noon.  They informed me I would have received a $200 fine had I missed them, so maybe that’s why I saw everyone in lines all morning! Hey at least I made it just in time. 

Key West, Florida

I didn’t have any real plans for my day in Key West, I just wanted to explore the streets. 

I walked around for around an hour before coming across the famous Sloppy Joes. 

The restaurant has been opened since 1930’s and many of the bartenders have been there for 30+ years.  They had live music going and it had that fun Key West feeling.  I didn’t try any of their food, since I ate lunch on board at the Windjammer, but many were and it looked good too. 

If you are curious about the bar they have four live webcams on their website and they are pretty fun to watch everyone having fun. 

Afternoon on board

This afternoon. I decided to lay on the pool deck and enjoy the last few hours of sunrays I had left. 

Something a little different happen to me, I was enjoying a cold beer in a pool lounger when I was approached by a bar staff.  He asked for my sea pass card to bring me another beer, I said okay.  He comes back with a bucket of three beers, and I had the drink package. 

Usually Royal Caribbean only lets you get one drink every 5 minutes, to help prevent people from sharing.  I laughed and thought well it is the last day of my vacation, why not. 

Evening Events

Tonight, I just wanted to be social with the friends I had made and enjoy the evening. 

I tried to go settle my on board account with guest services until I saw their line; it was crazy down there.  So those who need to take of things at guest services my advice to you is go early.  

I spent part of my evening in the Viking Crown lounge, saying good bye to the friends I’d met, most were staying on for a few more sailings, living the good life.  It’s part of the reason I enjoy cruising so much, is all the people you meet from all over the world. 

For dinner I was back in the main dining room for my final meal. 

It was pasta themed menu, who couldn’t enjoy that! 

I knew I wanted the tiger shrimp, but I kept thinking about the lasagna too, so I ordered both!  Yes, I was that guy but why not it’s one of the many perks of cruising. 

Once again tonight the waiters sang for us, and it was fun to recognize the ones that have been serving us for the past week. 

That wraps up my 4-day cruise on the Majesty of the Seas, and wow, did it go by fast. 

I hope you enjoyed following along with me, as much as I loved sharing.   Let me know if you have any questions about the ship, my stops, or solo cruising. 

Until next time, see you out at sea!  

Live Blog Index

• Live blog introduction
• Day 1 -  Embarkation Day
• Day 2 - Nassau
• Day 3 - Coco Cay
• Day 4 - Key West