When Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas was being built, a new kind of lifeboat was needed to accomodate all the passengers and crew onboard.

Royal Caribbean had to construct a brand new type of rescue vessel that could hold 370 people.

Vacuum-molded from Fiberglass reinforced polyester, it is completely enclosed and has a profile reminiscent of the traditional railroad caboose. A catamaran hull provides increased stability in high seas. Twin diesel engines and twin propellers enable the vessel to move at a speed of six knots, and twin rudders allow excellent maneuverability.

Royal Caribbean has built a reputation for itself in being a technological leader when it comes to the technological advancements it brings to its cruise ships and on Harmony of the Seas, guests can expect the very latest innovations.

Technology will be at the heart of what Harmony of the Seas offers, so here is a look at what guests can expect to find at their fingertips when they get onboard the largest cruise ship in the world.

True high speed internet

When folks think of using the internet on a cruise ship, there is usually a groan and sigh involved because traditionally internet at sea has been mid-1990s slow.  

On Harmony of the Seas, guests can enjoy the high-speed internet experience known as Voom.  

Voom is Royal Caribbean's new satellite internet service that allows guests to post to Facebook and Instagram, post videos on YouTube, tweet about your shore excursion, and have face-to-face conversations via Skype and Google Hangouts. Plus, you can even stream movies, games and apps via your personal accounts with Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and more.

The Voom speeds are the real deal and Royal Caribbean even says if you need to do business work onboard, with Voom you can check email, transfer files, host video conferences, Skype and more, just as if you were on land.

Everything on your wrist

An undeniably cool innovation coming to Harmony of the Seas are the RFID bracelets known as WOW Bands.

WOW Bands give guests everything they have been accustomed to having in a SeaPass card, on their wrist.  This means getting access to staterooms, making purchases and checking in for entertainment has never been easier.

Guests can use their WOWband to enter their staterooms, purchase beverages, merchandise and anything else Royal Caribbean sells. Plus, WOWbands serve as an easy way to distinguish which muster station each guest is assigned to.

WOW Bands are an optional feature but once you try the WOW Bands, you will likely be leaving your SeaPass card behind in your stateroom.  

Get drinks made by robots

What happens when you mix your favorite beverages with cutting-edge robotics? You get the Bionic Bar on Harmony of the Seas.

Makr Shakr created Bionic Bar for the Quantum class ships and they have brought this impressive creation to Harmony of the Seas, where guests can order drinks from iPads and then marvel in the spectacle of robotic arms creating the drink on the spot.

Combining robots and mixology, Bionic Bar is something you have to see to appreciate because every time you walk by, it is so tantalizing to watch the robots in action.

The single armed robot will get the ice, mints and lemon and then squeeze and shake them to make your drink. Eventually, there wont be a limit on what the drinks the robots can make. The customization is what Royal Caribbean is aiming for.

A room with a (virtual) view

Staying in an inside stateroom does not mean you do not have a view anymore. On Harmony of the Seas, guests will be able to enjoy virtual balconies in their inside staterooms.

What is a virtual balcony?  Inside staterooms on Harmony of the Seas offer a floor-to-ceiling high-definition LED screen that shows real-time views from specific points on the ship.  

Royal Caribbean designed the virtual balcony to look (and sound) like the real thing, so guests can see everything going on in a port or just the vast serenity of the ocean passing by.

Guests can turn the virtual balcony off at any time, especially at night when sleeping but it's available anytime they want.

There's even natural sounds that are piped into your stateroom to provide as authentic an experience as possible.

The only thing missing is the balcony stateroom price tag!

There's an app for that

With the Royal iQ smartphone app, everything is easier to do onboard Harmony of the Seas.

Royal iQ allows guests to track their luggage as it comes onboard the ship, book shore excursions and dinner reservations as well as chat or call friends and family onboard.

Available for iPads, iPhones, and Android phones, Royal iQ gives you the flexibility to decide what to do and when to do it.

Royal iQ allows guests to manage details during the cruise, includes a convenient calendar that provides at-a-glance views of the cruise or conference program.

If you prefer not to carry a phone or tablet with you, Harmony of the Seas will offer eight freestanding iQ stations at Guest Services that give you the same functionality as the mobile apps. You will also find roaming Guest Services staff to assist as well.

Get to the fun faster

Royal Caribbean wants the boarding process for Harmony of the Seas to be the simplest yet.  Why waste time in the pier doing paper work?

Guests sailing on Harmony of the Seas can take care of all necessary documentation online including uploading your own photo and receiving digital boarding confirmation.

Without a check‑in counter, there aren't any forms to fill out or lines to wait in.

All of this means less time spent waiting in lines and filling out forms and a quicker way to get onboard and having vacation start a whole lot sooner.

Which tech innovation excites you the most? Tell us in the comments below!

Royal Caribbean is celebrating the arrival of Legend of the Seas to Australia with a new contest, where guests can enter to win a 2-night getaway cruise on Legend of the Seas.

The grand prize is a 2 night sampler cruise for two people in a Balcony stateroom on Legend of the Seas departing Brisbane on 8 December 2015.

Part of the contest asks entrants in 25 words or less, to nominate a legend in their life and tell Royal Caribbean what makes them legendary.

The contest is only open to Australian residents aged 18 years or over. Submissions are open beginning Wednesday 23 September 2015 and closes at 11:59PM AEST on Sunday 11 October 2015.

Entrants are limited to one (1) per person in accordance with the entry requirements. 

Five lucky winners will be selected and the winner's names will be posted to the Royal Caribbean Australia and New Zealand Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/RCIAustraliaandNZ.

Royal Caribbean will kick off a seven-day WOW sale starting September 24, 2015 that will run through September 30.

This new WOW Sale offers guests 50% off the second guest, up to $200 to spend onboard and a 50% reduced deposit on nearly any sailing. Plus there will be a holiday bonus added.

The September WOW Sale is combinable with BOGO+ promotion already currently running.

The WOW Sale is valid on all cruises departing on or after October 24, 2015, excluding China departures.

The onboard credit breakdown is as follows

• 5 nights or less
  • $50 onboard credit (per stateroom) & 50% reduced deposit
• 6-9 nights
  • $100 onboard credit (per stateroom) & 50% reduced deposit
• 10 nights or longer
  • $200 onboard credit (per stateroom) & 50% reduced deposit

Plus, for all eligible sailings departing Dec. 15-31, 2015 or Dec. 15-31, 2016, offer includes an additional per stateroom onboard credit in the amount of $100 for 5 nights or less, $200 for 6-9 nights, or $400 for 10-nights. One offer per stateroom.

Offer is combinable with standard/full fare and restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, BOGO, Upgrade, etc.), Harmony of the Seas VOOM Offer, and Next Cruise offer. Offer is not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, weekly Sales Events, Net Rates, Shareholder Benefits, and Crown & Anchor Discount programs or rates.

Offer is available to residents of United States and Canada.

Washington, D.C.-based Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) has certified Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. as the first corporation certified for compliance with new standards aimed at preventing or responding to sexual assault.

RAINN's certification for Royal Caribbean comes after a highly detailed inspection and analysis of onboard plans and practices by Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.

Examiners covered 10 key areas for compliance, including general prevention efforts; victim care and mental health services; medical service and supply; training of general crew, medical and security staff; hiring guidelines; physical ship security; and prospective passenger screening.

In addition to reviewing RCL’s written plans and policies, RAINN inspectors also conducted onboard staff interviews with the three brands.

RAINN auditors spent about four months reviewing more than 2,000 pages of RCL policies, protocols and staff training materials for sexual assault prevention and response.

Onsite inspections and audits included RCL headquarters and ships, and some 200 onboard interviews were conducted with crew members to ensure their full understanding and implementation of RCL policies.

The work was completed this summer, and compliance certification will remain in effect until summer 2017, when RAINN will re-examine RCL’s operations to ensure continued compliance.

“Nothing is more important to us than the safety and security of our guests and crew,” RCL Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain says of the distinction awarded by the Washington, D.C.-based Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, or RAINN. “We set high standards for ourselves – and on the most important subjects, we look to experts for guidance.

“RAINN’s evaluation was complete and thorough, and we take pride in reaching the standards they set for certification.”

Royal Caribbean announced today it has replaced its ChoiceAir program with the new Air2Sea program.

It provides guests with the option to purchase air accommodations the new website, RoyalCaribbean.com/Air2Sea.

Royal Caribbean promises with Air2Sea that guests will receive premium service and the best value for securing flights that get guests to their cruise ship on time.  In addition, there is 24/7 support specialists available to handle any concerns.

Royal Caribbean International charges a service fee of $15 per person for travel within North America, and Canada, and $25 per person for International destinations.

Confirmed Air2Sea reservations are backed by Royal Caribbean's “Low Fare Guarantee.” If guests are able to find a lower fare on any website for the same flights, class of service etc., Royal Caribbean will provide an onboard credit worth 110% of the fare difference.

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

Episode 112 is available for downloading, where we have an exclusive interview with artist and designer Larry Kirkland.

Mr. Kirkland has contributed works of art on numerous Royal Caribbean cruise ships and this week, Matt asks Mr. Kirkland about the stories behind his art and takes us through the creative process of creating art for a cruise ship.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 112. 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!

Royal Caribbean raised the prices for its private cabanas that guests can rent on its private destination of Labadee.

Prices posted on Cruise Planner jumped to

• $350 for beach cabanas at Nellie's Beach (old price was $250)
• $495 for over the water cabanas at Nellie's Beach (old price was $320)

The price change appears to be effective starting with 2016 reservations.

In comparisson, Disney Cruise Line offers somehwat similar cabanas on its private island of Castaway Cay that can be rented for $549 per day on the Family Beach or for $399 on the Serenity Bay Beach.

Tip of the hat to Alisa of the Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society Facebook group for alerting us to this news!

UPDATE: It appears the price increase is for Nellie's Beach cabanas only.  Prices at Barefoot Beach, which are available to suite guests only, remains unchanged.  The standard Barefoot Beach cabanas are $175 and the over the water Barefoot Beach cabanas are $250. Thanks to blog reader Stephanie for confirming the information.

Are you planning on booking a cabana on Labadee? Tell us in the comments if you will book a cabana!

Environmental Officers on each of the ships on Royal Caribbean's fleet are focused everyday on staying above and beyond compliance with environmental standards. Discover what these officers do on a day-to-day basis to further the cruise line's dedication to the environment.

Over the last couple of weeks, Royal Caribbean filed to abandon United States federal trademarks it had registered for that would have been used for a new cruise ship.

On Monday, September 7, 2015, Royal Caribbean abandoned the following trademarks

• Emblem of the Seas
• Passion of the Seas
• Pulse of the Seas

On Monday, September 14, 2015, Royal Caribbean abandoned another three trademarks

• Apex of the Seas
• Joy of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas

The reason provided for all of the names being abandoned was "No statement of use filed".

All six of these names had been registered between 2012 and 2014.  Some of the names in those groups were eventually used for cruise ships, including Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas.  

Royal Caribbean still has an unnamed fourth Oasis class cruise ship on order that will be delivered in mid-2018 and an unnamed fourth Quantum class ship on order that should be complete in 2019.