Royal Caribbean will kick off a five-day WOW sale starting June 13, 2015 that will run through June 17.  The sale offers up to $200 onboard credit and 50% off deposits in addition to the 30 FOR 30 sale that is ongoing.

The WOW sale is valid on all sailings departing on or after July 13, 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

LISTEN TO OUR ADVICE ON WOW SALES AND IF THEY ARE A GOOD DEAL

Offer is combinable with standard/full fare and restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, BOGO, etc.), Next Cruise, weekly Sales Events, and Anthem Upgrade offers.

Offer is not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Net Rates, Crown & Anchor Discount programs or rates.

Offer is available to residents of the United States and or Canada.

What is a WOW Sale? Are WOW Sales good deals?  Read our Cruise 101: WOW Sale post to get information on what this deal is all about.

The sheer beauty of the South Caribbean is perhaps best exemplified by Antigua, which boasts 365 beaches, one for each day of the year.  When we visited Valley Church Beach in Antigua, we were blown away by the views, ocean color and serenity of the location.

Description

Valley Church Beach is about twenty minutes away from where Royal Caribbean docks in Antigua by car.  It's located in the southwest corner of the island and is fairly easily to get to, especially by taxi.

Located in Valley Church Bay, the beach features a palm tree lined beach with soft white sand and not a whole lot around it.  It's the kind of beach experience where you will find natural beauty and quietness around you.

When you arrive at Valley Church Beach, you will find a sprawling beach with locals working there to help you get a spot.  There are beach chairs available to rent for $5 each and beach umbrellas for $10.   There is also free WiFi available.

There's a restaurant that serves up food and plenty of beverages at the center of the beach, close to the parking lot.  It's close enough to walk to from almost any spot on the beach.

What will likely strike you about Valley Church Beach is the beauty of the water's color in contrast to the beach around it.  It's the kind of scene that you would dream of when thinking about a Caribbean beach. 

While the water is a beautiful shade of blue, it's rather cloudy, so snorkeling is not a great activity in this spot.

Comments

Plain and simple, Valley Church Beach is a beautiful spot to visit and the perfect beach for a day trip that many cruisers are looking for.

The combination of natural beauty, inexpensive prices for beach furniture and close proximity to where Royal Caribbean docks its ships, makes for somewhere we would love to go back to anytime.

There are only two negatives that can be pointed out about Valley Church Beach: the water is not clear enough for snorkeling and there are lots of locals trying to sell their services and wares.  Neither is a concern large enough to warrant skipping.

There are no water toys or other activities other than something a local might be offering.  Valley Church Beach is perfect for lounging, as well as families with small children who are looking for a beach with small waves.

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas made her first stop ever in Singapore yesterday.

Quantum of the Seas is on a 14-night cruise from Dubai, which also made stops at Muscat, Cochin and Penang.

As part of the maritime tradition of when a cruise ship comes to a port for the first time, there was a plaque exchange between Quantum of the Seas' Captain Srecko Ban and Singapore's Assistant Chief Executive Neeta Lachmandas and Singapore Airport Terminal Services Executive Vice President Yacoob Piperdi.

Quantum of the Seas is currently on a 53-night around the world cruise, which departed from New York en route to Shanghai where it will homeport year round.

A MERS outbreak in South Korea has prompted Royal Caribbean to cancel planned cruise ship stops until the health situation improves.

Royal Caribbean canceled stops in South Korea for Mariner of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean replaced the stops with an alternate port or a sea day.

Royal Caribbean commented on the change to TravelPulse, "We’ve been closely monitoring all developments regarding the increase in the number of cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome, also referred to as MERS in South Korea.  Health authorities from a variety of nations are investigating the situation and we remain keenly attuned to their progress."

Royal Caribbean has also taken preventative measures to screen its passengers that are sailing in the area. Anyone onboard who shows symptoms can be isolated and treated with anti-viral medications that are stocked on all ships.

Royal Caribbean is also issuing letters about MERS to its passengers that describe the symptoms and suggestions on ways to prevent the spread of MERS.  Additionally, Royal Caribbean is asking passengers to wash hands with hot water and soap.

Royal Caribbean has released new photos that show off the construction progress of its third Oasis class cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas.

The photos were taken earlier this month at the STX shipyard in France.  All photos are copyright Royal Caribbean International.

One of the biggest issues cruising Royal Caribbean from Galveston is simply getting from Houston's airports to the cruise port. To help readers out, we've asked an expert -- our friend from GalvestonCruiseTips.com -- to share some details on what travelers should know about getting to and from the port.

Let's put it up front: Unless you have a really good friend in Houston, there just isn't a cheap way for cruisers to get to Galveston from the airports. Every option is going to cost at least $150 round trip (for two passengers) and take at least an hour.

You can save some money, however, if you pick the appropriate mode of transportation for the number of people in your group. We usually suggest one of three ways: a cruise line shuttle, an independent shuttle, or a private car service.

Cruise lines shuttles offer the most convenience. You can buy a ticket when you book your cruise and don't have to get a ride from a third party. However, you will pay for that convenience.

Royal Caribbean charges $77 round trip per person from Hobby and $92 per person from Bush Intercontinental (IAH). If you're traveling solo or as a couple, you aren't likely to beat these prices. Larger groups, however, may wish to find a cheaper option.

A number of independent shuttles have popped up in recent years, usually offering a less expensive way to the port if traveling with a larger group. These shuttles almost always charge a higher cost for the first passenger, but a much smaller fee for each additional person.

For example, Cool Tours in Galveston offers a shuttle from Hobby Airport for $180 round trip for the first passenger, but only $30 for another rider. If you're traveling in a large group, the savings per person add up quickly.

Finally, there are a number of private car services that can provide a ride. A quick Google search will bring up dozens of options. Prices can range from $150 to several hundred dollars, depending on which you go with and what sort of car you'd like to pick you up.

One tip -- be sure to always get an "out the door" price on the car service before you book so there are no surprises. We suggest private car services for those wanting a little more privacy and comfort than riding in a shuttle van or charter bus.

As we said, no matter how you plan to get there, expect to pay a decent sum to get to your cruise. We have more details about all your options for getting from the Houston airports to the Galveston port (including taxis, car rentals, and ride-share services) on GalvestonCruiseTips.com.

Hey everyone! Episode 97 of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available for your listening pleasure.

This week, Matt talks about a fan favorite class of Royal Caribbean ships, the Radiance class.  Radiance class ships may be smaller than many of their siblings, but they offer a lot of great onboard activities and can go to ports of call around the world that larger ships may not be able to.

Matt looks at what makes the Radiance class special and why you shouldn't judge a cruise ship by size alone.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 97. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast via RSS 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!

Being healthy and active onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship is easy with activities such as rock climbing, roller skating, and even simulated skydiving. Biggest Loser and award winning chef, Devin Alexander stays active with all these activities and more onboard Anthem of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's private island of Labadee is considered by many to be a true paradise.  From the water color to the lush surroundings, there is a lot to love about a day in Labadee.

One of the most sought after amenities on Labadee are the cabanas that are available to rent at Barefoot Beach Club and Nellie's Beach.  Today, we're showing off exactly why so many guests love to rent one for themselves and secure their private part of paradise.

Cabanas in Labadee come in a few different varieties and this one is an over the water cabana.

Each cabana can accommodate up to 4-5 guests comfortably.

Despite not being on the beach, there is direct access from the cabana to the ocean.

Cabanas come with waiter service, so you are never too far from a Labadoozie!

The views from the cabana are hard to beat!

There are cabanas all around and guests in the ocean, so you are never far from the fun.

We hope you enjoyed this little tour of the Labadee cabanas!

Have you stayed in a cabana on Labadee? Do you want to stay in one? Please let us know in the comments!

Royal Caribbean kicked off a 72-hour weekend cybersale today that can save you an additional $50 on top of Royal Caribbean's other current offers.

Begining June 5 and running through June 7, 2015, guests can save up to $50 per stateroom on all sailings departing on or after July 5, 2015, excluding China departures.

Guests will receive

• $25 off per stateroom for Interior & Ocean View staterooms
• $50 per stateroom for Balcony and Suites

The deal is combinable with Royal Caribbean's current offer of up to 30% off select accomodations that launched earlier this week.  Anyone that booked a sailing under the 30 FOR 30 deal should look at if this deal can save them a little bit more.

Offer is combinable with current standard/full fare rates, restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, BOGO), Next Cruise offer, and Anthem Upgrade 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, Crown & Anchor Discounts. 

Offer available to residents of the United States or Canada.