Royal Caribbean has released a new batch of photos showing off parts of Harmony of the Seas' construction.
Harmony of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's third Oasis class cruise ship, and will debut in Spring 2016.
The photos were taken in October 2015 at the STX shipyard in St. Nazairre, France. All photos are copyright Royal Caribbean International.
Royal Caribbean appointed Tamara Strauss as its new Marketing Director in the UK and Ireland.
As part of her new role, Strauss will lead the marketing, communications and distribution teams in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the goal of bringing the Royal Caribbean International brand to a wider audience. There will be a special emphasis on the guests new to cruising.
Strauss was previously with InterContinental Hotels Group, where she held a number of senior marketing roles and managed a multi-million pound relaunch of Holiday Inn in the UK.
Royal Caribbean UK & Ireland managing director, Stuart Leven, commented on the hiring, "It’s an exciting time to have Tamara come on board as we have high ambitions to take the cruise category and Royal Caribbean in particular to new audiences. I look forward to building on the brand’s success as we continue to target the new-to-cruise audience and launch two new game-changing ships in 2016."
Royal Caribbean Blog contributor Michael Poole is on Majesty of the Seas this week.
Well friends my cruise day finally made it! I compare this day to a child on Christmas morning, okay maybe not but very close.
I woke up at 6:00am to watch the Majesty of the Seas sail into Miami on the port webcam. This has become one of my recent tradition the morning of the cruise, just helps me contain all the excitement.
I left my hotel in Ft. Lauderdale at 8:00am with every intention on having breakfast in Miami. Little did I know the traffic on I – 95 South on a Monday morning was a total lock down!
I arrived to the rental car place at Enterprise a little after 9:30am; yes it took that long to get to Miami. Once I arrived to return the car, they asked if I needed a ride, and I told them I was going to the port, but they declined that they couldn’t take anyone in.
No problem, on the morning of the cruise you don’t sweat the small stuff, there was a line of taxis there waiting and I jumped in.
I arrived to the pier right at 10:00am and I saw hundreds of guest that were standing on the sidewalk that had just gotten off. I always hate that moment coming off a cruise and seeing all those happy guest ready for their cruise, but hey it was my time!
Check-in was very easy, but they didn’t let us on board until 11:00am.
Like other ports there are chairs for the guest to sit down in, but in Miami you stand in rows. I personally didn’t mind standing, but I could see some guest upset having to stand for almost an hour. They did have a few chairs for those who had a hard time standing, but not many.
Finally at 11:00am they let the guests onboard and I was around the 5th person to make it on.
I headed straight up to the pool deck to take some pictures and boy I’m glad I did.
The city of Miami of absolutely beautiful and I’m surprised more Royal Caribbean ships have not sailed out of here for the past decade. In fact, Royal Caribbean actually had their corporate office here in Miami, which was right beside the pier.
Now that I’m finally on board and have a few pictures out of the way, there is only one thing to do and that’s to eat!
They had the windjammer open for lunch at 11:00am, so it was perfect timing. The Windjammer can be found across all Royal Caribbean ships and it’s buffet style. My view on the Windjammer is some items are great and others are not my favorite, but that’s okay you can go get more of what you like.
Okay I need to be honest about something; I went back for another round an hour later for their world famous kummelweck roast beef sandwich. These are served in the compass deli and no one was even there! The location is a little weird, because it’s one level up in the Windjammer and then walk into the back area.
After my second round of lunch, I decided to go check out my stateroom on deck 3. Cabin 3601.
I booked an inside cabin since it was just me cruising and the cabins don’t do a whole lot for me. I will say that cabin would be a little tight for two people, but manageable.
When I arrived in my cabin the Coca-Cola souvenir cup, that comes with the drink package, was already sitting in my cabin.
Since we are on that topic, I’ll let you know I purchased the select package for $42 per person, per day. This package includes unlimited wine $8 and under, all their house wines are $8 and unlimited beer. What this package does not include is bottled water and cocktails.
Since I get the free cocktails in the diamond lounge, I find the select package to be a great deal for me.
Sailaway time finally arrive at 4:00pm I decided to do a live Periscope as we were leaving, so thank you to those that joined me.
They had a DJ playing music and all the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers out there getting the party started. This is that one moment I finally feel like I’m on vacation, do you have that one moment that gets you excited?
Tonight, I headed up to the Viking Crown lounge on deck 14 that big round section on top of the ship.
If you ever want a nice relaxing, romantic place to watch the sunset in the evening, this is it. The Majesty of the Seas does not have the Crown & Anchor Diamond Lounge like many of the other ships do, but they host the event in the Viking Crown lounge.
They offer you cocktails, wine, and beer at no cost to those diamond members and above. I decided to stay up there until dinner because it was just so peaceful and the sunset view was breathtaking.
Dinner time finally arrived and, let’s be honest, this is the best time on any cruise!
I requested a large table to ensure I was not having dinner alone. When I arrived to my table I quickly found out Royal Caribbean put all the solo cruisers together for dinner.
I’ve never had them do this before on any of my solo sailings, but I was grateful for it. The service was great with no issues to report and the food was outstanding.
I enjoy my steak very rare and asked the server to find me a great cut of the prime rib and she did! This might have been the best prime rib I’ve ever tasted; I’m getting excited just blogging about it!
After dinner headed to straight to bed, no dancing for me tonight.
Until tomorrow thanks for joining in on my first day!
Royal Caribbean will be offering a variety of holiday celebrations onboard its cruise ships in December 2015.
Guests sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise this holiday season will be able to experience some festivities sure to get you in the spirit, such as
Royal Caribbean ships featuring the Dreamworks Experience will offer holiday photos with Po of "Kung Fu Panda;" Shrek, Fiona and Puss In Boots of "Shrek;" and Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo and King Julien from "Madagascar " who will be adorned in festive holiday outfits.
In addition, there will be a special holiday character breakfast for kids of all ages to enjoy a meal with Dreamworks characters.
These special holiday itineraries will be featured on cruises departing from home ports in the United States, including:
Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations, Mark Tamis, is excited about the holiday offerings this year, "We are all about bringing friends and family together to share an amazing vacation experience and what better time to do that than during the holidays. We are excited to be introducing many new onboard festivities that will further inspire holiday cheer. With a wide range of innovative onboard amenities and immersive holiday themed experiences, Royal Caribbean cruises are primed to provide distinct experiences that are ideal for families looking to take the stress out of holiday planning by letting them enjoy a memorable Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year’s holiday at sea."
On top of the special celebrations, Royal Caribbean is offering guests the chance to book December sailings through the BOGOHO HOHO! holidays promotion and gift their travel companion in the same stateroom with half off their cruise fare on all open North American sailings. For all eligible sailings departing December 15-31, 2015 or December 15-31, 2016, vacationers also can receive pre-paid gratuities for the first and second guests in the stateroom in addition to half off cruise fare for their second guest.
Cruise Critic released the list of winners in the 2015 Editors’ Choice Awards and Royal Caribbean came away with a few notable honors.
Royal Caribbean won awards in the following categories
Cruise Critic noted Royal Caribbean's offerings for all age groups at an affordable price stood out as why it took home the family award this year.
In terms of entertainment, Royal Caribbean's "second to none" onboard entertainment was a big plus. Broadway shows, Centrum shows and Two70 all contributed to convince Cruise Critic that entertainment was king at Royal Caribbean.
In addition, Royal Caribbean's suites got special recognition for its suites that not only offer lovely amenities but also stand out for the "extensive list of suite perks".
Cruise Critic also specifically mentioned the two-bedroom AquaTheater suites on Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, as well as the two-level Loft Suites on Oasis and Quantum class ships.
The Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards are chosen by Cruise Critic's international team of editors, based on the lines and ships they feel best represent excellence in each of the designated categories. Awards announced October 2015.
Royal Caribbean Blog contributor Michael Poole is about to go on Majesty of the Seas this weekend and here's his preview of his cruise!
Hi Royal Caribbean fans, it’s Michael Poole here again. Today you're in for another live review from sea, but not quite yet.
Starting tomorrow I’m boarding the Majesty of the Seas for a 4 night cruise sailing to Nassau, Coco Cay, and Key West. This is a new ship for me, and it’s been years since I’ve sailed out of Miami, Florida.
Royal Caribbean recently announced they were going to keep Majesty of the Seas in their fleet and do major upgrades to her come spring 2016. She won’t be upgraded when I sail on her tomorrow, although it will be nice to compare and contrast after the upgrades.
This morning I flew into Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
I’m staying at the Hilton Marina waterfront, mainly so I could watch the Independence of the Seas sail away. Yes, I’m that big of a Royal fan!
If you happen to have a husband that loves large yachts, you might want to book this hotel. There's plenty of them to look at! I booked my room for $120 and my balcony view is by far the best I’ve ever had, I mean look at this yacht!
As I previously mentioned I decided to stay in Ft. Lauderdale instead of Miami just to watch a Royal Caribbean ship sail away.
If you are anxious to get to the beach, I've written a post on how to get out there. It's a really great view to watch the ships coming and going.
My plan for this cruise is just to relax and enjoy some sunshine; it has been rainy in my home town Atlanta, GA for weeks now.
I hope to bring you with me virtually and share my experiences on board. I will respond to questions throughout the day, so if you have any questions please just ask!
Until the next post, see you at sea!
It was another week full of exciting Royal Caribbean news including something for those with special needs, itinerary changes because of a hurricane, a new website update and more!
We have a lot to share, so let’s jump right in…
The big news this week was Royal Caribbean will start offering the Autism Channel on most of its cruise ships very soon to meet the needs of its special needs cruisers.
The Autism Channel is a streaming television service providing information and resources to families and professionals supporting and improving the lives of people with autism spectrum disorders.
The new on-demand programming will begin in late October 2015 on Quantum, Oasis, Freedom, Voyager and Radiance class ships.
There will be over 35 different episodes available, ranging from 4-30 minutes in length. Some episodes are about an hour as well.
I want you to join me on Allure of the Seas!
The Royal Caribbean Blog staff are going on Allure of the Seas and we are inviting all of our blog readers to join us!
We will be sailing on Allure of the Seas on February 21, 2016 and there are some fabulous rates available. Interior staterooms start at only $850 per person (double occupancy)!
Read all the details (and the fun meets we already have planned). This will be an amazing week with plenty of surprises and exclusive events for those that book into our group!
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!
Ryan Fritsch sent us this great photo of Jewel of the Seas with the Golden Gate bridge behind her.
Paul Crow shared a photo of waiting for the ice show to begin on Independence of the Seas.
Nikki Nothstein just returned from a cruise Liberty of the Seas and she says,"already wishing I was back on the deck in the Solarium enjoying the sunshine."
The 113th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and this week, our friend Susan returns to talk all about her back-to-back Independence of the Seas cruise.
In this episode, Matt taks to Susan all about her experience doing a back-to-back cruise on Independence of the Seas, with a look at her staterooms, onboard activities she enjoyed and how her high school reunion at sea went.
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 shared the 10 most stylish items to take on vacation.
Travel Weekly reports on Royal Caribbean's goal of eliminating last-minute cruise deals.
Eat Sleep Cruise has a virtual bar crawl around Adventure of the Seas!
Cruise Hangout shared reviewed their first Royal Caribbean cruise.
Have you heard about the brand new video streaming app called Periscope?
It is essentially an app that allows people to stream live video from anywhere they have a signal and we, at Royal Caribbean Blog, are on Periscope too! (Follow us at @theRCLblog)
Last night we were chatting together about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise and I posed a question to my friends that joined me, "Share with everyone your best Royal Caribbean cruise tip."
Wow, there were some some really great ideas and I wanted to share the best of them right here on the blog.
Lisabeme2: Book onboard for the NextCruise booking bonus.
AVFD102: Get to the port early and use a porter.
RKSister: Don't overpack. Wear clothing more than once, such as pants or shorts.
Bill1125: Book a suite to get Concierge access because at disembarkation, you get to use secret elevators and encounter no lines leaving the ship.
Jamesw32: Don't wait to go home to give feedback. Get any concerns resolved onboard.
Daboyz1223: Wear a swimsuit onto the ship in embarkation day because your luggage may not get to your stateroom for a while.
Lisabeme2: Do the VIP All Access Tour at least once.
CraigOchs: Pack a highlighter to use for the Cruise Compass.
Kevinkline5: Walk as part of the "Walk for Wishes" charity event onboard.
Bill1125: Bring ice cream to the pool bar and amazing drinks can happen.
RKSister: Book My Time Dining a few days in advance before your cruise.
Jamesw32: Progressive trivia is a great way to meet new friends, especially if you are cruising solo.
Kris1208: Just enjoy and relax.
What are your best Royal Caribbean tips? Share them in the comments!
Royal Caribbean has altered Liberty of the Seas planned itinerary due to the forecasted path of Hurricane Joaquin.
Liberty of the Seas will not be able to call on Kings Warf, Bermuda as originally scheduled. Instead, the ship will sail to St. John, Canada in an effort to ensure guests have a safe and comfortable cruise.
Royal Caribbean changed Enchantment of the Seas' itinerary earlier today to avoid Hurricane Joaquin as well.
Royal Caribbean will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will provide updates as soon as they become available.
Royal Caribbean has altered the itinerary for Enchantment of the Seas due to Hurricane Joaquin.
Due to the current path of the hurricane, Enchantment of the Seas will not be able to call on Nassau, Bahamas as originally scheduled. Instead, the ship will sail to Freeport, Bahamas in an effort to try to find the calmest seas possible.
No other Royal Caribbean ship itineraries have been changed yet. This marks the first Royal Caribbean ship to be affected directly by the hurricane.
Royal Caribbean will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will provide updates as soon as they become available.