I'm happy to welcome back guest blogger Don & Heidi from EatSleepCruise.com! They've got another really interesting blog post to share with everyone today about what I consider to be one of the coolest features on any Royal Caribbean ship. Enjoy!

Inside cabins, by their nature, can sometimes feel claustrophobic. While we almost exclusively stay in interior cabins, as a cost saving mechanism, we admit, they do sometimes feel closed off from the rest of the cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean must have heard our pleas when designing the Quantum of the Seas. To enhance the experience in these interior cabins, and bring travelers one step closer to the ocean, this innovative ship offers “virtual balconies”.

Yes, those staying in interior cabins can now have a real time view of the outside world. These virtual balconies are really 80" 4K LED Sharp Aquos screens that pan floor to ceiling, and through the use of technology, project real time video and sound. There are even curtains on the side of screen to complete the effect.

What are these technological wonders like you ask? Well, we recently spent 8 days sailing on Quantum of the Seas and can give you a detailed description of our experiences with these new portals to the outside world.

Day 1-- Embarkation Day

Yes, the virtual balcony is on as soon as you enter your inside cabin. We stayed in room 10-207, portside. This meant that our virtual balcony was actually displaying the view from the starboard side of the ship. Getting on the ship at Cape Liberty, NJ, the view is not too spectacular. But, it was pretty cool to step into your cabin and be able to watch the action outside.

Day 2 and Day 3-- At Sea

Waking up to an ocean view is one of the reasons travelers love to cruise. Now with the virtual balconies, even those in an inside cabin can wake up to the waves in the ocean and the sun. It was our first full sea day that we appreciated the resolution of these screens; the colors of the ocean and sky were crystal clear. It was also great to wake up and get a feel for the weather outside. On Day 3, our second full day at sea, we were able to tell that the weather was much nicer than on Day 2.

Day 4-- San Juan, Puerto Rico

Seeing the Port from your virtual balcony is really quite impressive. The 4K, high definition view gives you a level of detail that is eerily life-like. When we arrived to San Juan, on day 4, there were already two ships in port, and it felt like we could reach out and touch them on our virtual balcony. What was even more amazing was getting to see one of those ships, the NCL Gem, sail away. This is something we would have normally missed on a typical inside cabin, but we were able to experience everything via our virtual balcony.

The virtual balconies are always on (if you so choose), so even at night there is something for you to see. During the overnight we had on Day 4, we got to witness the other ship in port, the HAL Westerdam, turn on its exterior lights at dusk. With the resolution of these screens, you can actually see people walking around the other ship.

Day 5-- San Juan, Puerto Rico

It’s a new dawn, a new ship, and we are feeling good. This morning, we awoke early to see that Disney Fantasy was parked where the NCL Gem had been yesterday. HAL Eurodam also pulled in to port a while later. None of these changes would have been apparent to us if it weren’t for the virtual balcony, or a trip to the top deck.

Day 6-- Labadee, Haiti

Seeing another ship sail away is one thing, but watching the real time sail-in to a port from the virtual balcony is an entirely different experience. During this cruise, we got to watch Quantum of the Seas dock in Labadee, and it was quite the show. We were able to get a few minutes of the sail in on video. While the video does not do it justice, it does give you a sense of how “real time” the displays are as you are able to see the ship’s position in relation to the land as she is being docked.

It was not until day 6 that we learned there is a remote control to turn the virtual balcony on and off. All along, we had been treating the virtual balcony like a real balcony and pulling the curtains closed at nighttime to block the view. But, it was here on day 6, when we returned from Labadee, that we first heard sound. Yes, the virtual balconies have sound, at least when it works. When we arrived back in our room after our outing in Labadee, we could still hear the music from the performers on the dock. After sailaway, we could also hear the sounds of the ocean.

At this point, we realized it might be difficult to sleep now, so we asked our stateroom attendant if there was a way to turn off the sound. Apparently, we were missing our remote control all long that allows you to control the images and sound, a simple on/off and mute function.

Days 7 and 8-- At Sea

On Day 7, we slept in a bit, but when we awoke, we turned on the virtual balcony and were greeted with beautiful sunshine and the sound of the waves. The sound really gives the virtual balcony a much more authentic and realistic experience. Later that day, we returned to this beautiful moonlight night, but noticed that our sound was no longer working. Guess the technology hasn’t been perfected yet.

Day 9-- Disembarkation

Like all good things, they must come to an end. Even when arriving back at port, to begin the trek home, the Quantum of the Seas virtual balconies were there to show us what it was like outside, complete with a trace snow cover. Even though this was our good-bye, the virtual balcony was now ready to greet some new guests and provide real-time views for those more economical cruisers!

Takeaways

While I would not replace the virtual balcony for a real balcony, if you are looking to save some money when sailing on a Quantum class ship, the virtual balconies are a really nice enhancement. We are not sure that we would pay more for a virtual balcony, if there were additional costs down the line, but for the time being, these high tech additions make your cruise more enjoyable and are a definite WOW. We are sailing on Anthem of the Seas in 2016, and we are looking forward to our virtual balcony views on that new ship!

Future calls to New Zealand's South Island are potentially in danger of being canceled due to a lack of dedicated berth at Lyttelton port due to earthquake damage.

Royal Caribbean ground handler and representative Tony Petrie said the number of Voyager class ships that visit the South Island had dwindled given the lack of a viable port to call at in Canterbury.  Royal Caribbean's ships could stop at Port Charmers in Otago but would not stop in Akaroa.

Earthquake damage to Christchurch in 2011 ruined the existing port infrastructure.

Essentially, Petrie said marketing cruises to Port Chalmers is more difficult because customers are unwilling to go on a longer cruise without a stop in Lyttelton.

Royal Caribbean had more than 30% of the overall New Zealand cruise market.

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

Episode 80 is available for downloading where Matt discusses taking a Royal Caribbean cruise in or out of Port Canaveral.

Port Canaveral has become a major hub for Royal Caribbean cruises and with a brand new terminal and new ships calling it home, this week Matt shares helpful tips and information for anyone visiting the Port Canaveral and look for ideas of how to get there, what to do and advice in general.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 80. 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's popular unlimited alcohol packages have had a small change in the total price, with the gratuity amount going up on each package from 15% to 18%.

Pricing any of the unlimited alcohol packages in Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner software reveals the base price of the packages are the same but when added to your cart, the total price now reflects an 18% gratuity service charge included.

In addition, the Royal Replenish package and the Royal Refreshment package have had its gratuity amount increased to 18% as well.

Until now, Royal Caribbean's unlimited alcohol packages had included a 15% gratuity since the packages' inception.  The base price of the packages remains the same.

The new gratuity amount appears to be in effect for all new purchases on all sailings we could test.

Technology and show stopping performances make Royal Caribbean's Starwater a must-see experience in Two70 on Quantum of the Seas. Get a sneak peek of a Royal Caribbean must-see show.

Royal Caribbean has selected ElevenOS as the guest Internet management platform for all the ships in the fleet.  ElevenOS' parent company Eleven has completed deployment of ElevenOS on all 22 ships at the end of 2014.

ElevenOS is used to manage all aspects of the onboard Internet service including custom branded portal pages, guest authentication, billing, and advanced reporting. With the help of ElevenOS, Royal Caribbean is able to deliver a faster, more reliable onboard connection and seamless online guest experience that works across multiple guest devices (phones, tablets, etc.)

ElevenOS also enables Royal Caribbean to offer tiered bandwidth options, so users can choose the level of service that meets their needs and budget.

"ElevenOS provides us the power and flexibility that we need in order to revolutionize Internet communications at sea for Royal Caribbean International guests,” commented Bill Martin, vice president and CIO for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "Only in the last year can cruise vacationers enjoy the fiber-like Internet connectivity that can only be found aboard select Royal Caribbean International ships, as well as more than 10 times faster speed than the industry across the fleet. ElevenOS helps us effectively manage a range of products, pricing, accounting, and reporting, which has helped us deliver a seamless and stress-free Internet communications solution for our guests on vacation.”

Whether you're new to Royal Caribbean or been on a few cruises, there's a lot of considerations as to when to research, plan and book your cruise vacation.  It can be complicated and moreover, you want to ensure you aren't missing something important.

Thanks to the members of Royal Caribbean Blog, we've compiled an optimal timeline of what you should do, when to ensure you're ahead of the game in all respects.

This timeline is a suggestion and it is not to say that not following it in its entirety will lead to be a bad cruise experience.  Rather, this should be a guideline for your planning to assist, not dictate the cruise planning.

24-12 months before your cruise 

• Start looking at cruise itineraries to pick the right one for you.
• Check RoyalCaribbean.com for available sailing dates and cruise options.  Depending on when you're looking, deployment schedules may limit how far in advance you can actually book.  
• Be sure to also look at deck plans for which staterooms have most space (i.e. hump staterooms). Also consider using cruisedeckplans.com to be able to drag the decks above and below your stateroom to ensure your room isn't going to have noise bleed.
• Put a deposit down on the sailing you want and to reserve the stateroom you want.  You can change or cancel the cruise without penalty for several months while you continue researching.
• Research if trip insurance for your cruise makes sense, perhaps due to hurricane season or if there are health risks involved.  Royal Caribbean offers insurance as well as third party suppliers, which are often cheaper.
• Look at excursions after placing your deposit.  When excursions become available varies widely but it's best to start looking at what Royal Caribbean is offer as early as possible.

90 days before cruise 

• Final payment due for all holiday cruises (Christmas or New Years Day). Look for your passport or birth certificate & make sure they 1) can be found 2) are up to date.
• Online check-in becomes available
• Start researching third party shore excursion options.  
• Check your passports.  If you need to replace a lost birth certificate, apply for a new passport, or renew one that is about to expire, start the paperwork now.

75 days before your cruise

• Final payment due for 7-night or longer cruises. Look for your passport or birth certificate & make sure they 1) can be found 2) are up to date.

74 - 65 days before your cruise 

• For those on 7-night or longer cruises, check again for available staterooms, dining, entertainment or shore excursions that may have become available due to other guests not making final payment.

60 days before your cruise 

• Final payment due for 3, 4 or 5-night cruises. Look for your passport or birth certificate & make sure they 1) can be found 2) are up to date.
• Around this time dining and entertainment reservations will become available on royalcaribbean.com

59 - 50 days before your cruise  

• For those on 5-night or shorter cruises, check again for available staterooms, dining, entertainment or shore excursions that may have become available due to other guests not making final payment.

49 days before cruise 

• E-docs and luggage tags are available to download and print.

4 days before your cruise

• Last chance to complete online check-in at royalcaribbean.com. You must complete and print out your SetSail Pass by now.

3 days before your cruise

• Last chance to reserve shore excursions, specialty restaurants, spa or salon services using Cruise Planner. 

72 - 24 hours before your cruise 

• Check into your airline online
• Do one last check of weather expected for your cruise.

2 days before your cruise 

• Last chance to purchase Gifts and Gear from Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean's steakhouse specialty restaurant, Chops Grille, price has gone up to $39 per adult on certain ships.

The price increase appears to have been made on Oasis of the Seas, although an upcoming Quantum of the Seas cruise still lists the $35 cover charge.  It's possible the $39 price will eventually make its way around the fleet at some point later.

Previously Royal Caribbean was charging $35 per person to dine at their most popular specialty restaurant. The roughly 11 percent increase is a new change for guests wishing to dine at the restaurant.

Royal Caribbean recently revamped Chops Grille's menu by adding dry-aged steaks as an option to the menu that carries with it an additional charge. The dry-aged steaks cost between $18-19 and the roasted maine lobster has an additional $21 charge.

READ OUR REVIEW OF THE NEW CHOPS GRILLE MENU

In the past, Royal Caribbean has honored the old price if guests have reserved Chops Grille and paid the old $35 per person price.

What do you think of the new price for Chops Grille? Do you think it's still a good value?  Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Hollywood, California architecture firm 5+design designed four venues on Royal Caribbean's brand new Anthem of the Seas.

The firm did similar work on sister-ship Quantum of the Seas and this time around, 5+design was responsible for the look and feel of Two70, Two70 Café, The Library, Royal Esplanade and Via and Spice venues.

When working on Anthem of the Seas, 5+design worked to leverage the ship's high-tech base with the design impetus they had in mind. To this point, 5+design equipped the venues to deploy unique programing and technology, allowing the ship to achieve its key innovative concept of transformational spaces.

“These ships were designed to represent a quantum leap forward in technology, sustainability, and passenger experience,” said 5+design Principal Tim Magill. “Royal Esplanade shopping arcade transforms into a parade and performance venue with the deployment of hidden theatrical lighting, actors flying through the space on concealed ceiling tracks and merchandise displays transforming into to elevated stages. However the best example of transformational space can be found in the multi-level great room called Two70.”

Anthem of the Seas is scheduled to debut in Southampton (London), England on April 22, 2015. Following its maiden season in Europe, the ship will homeport in Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey and cruise the Bahamas/the Caribbean throughout the winter of 2015-16.

Sit back and catch up on this week's Royal Caribbean news.  We've gone through and hand-picked some fun articles for you to take a look at in case you missed any of it.

Earlier this week we confirmed a strong rumor that had surfaced that Anthem of the Seas will offer a new dining option in addition to Dynamic Dining.

Dubbed "Dynamic Dining Classic", this new option for passengers will allow them to rotate among the complimentary restaurants each evening of their cruise while retaining the same waiters and tablemates each evening.  

This is a response to Royal Caribbean fans that prefer a more traditional dining experience and will be available for pre-booking in early March.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean began construction on the fourth Oasis-class cruise ship.
• A norovirus outbreak on Grandeur of the Seas forced the ship home a day early.
• We shared the secret behind some art on Oasis of the Seas.
• Royal Caribbean is offering free unlimited alcohol packages to UK residents.
• Royal Caribbean announced a dividend for shareholders.
• A quick tip to increase the chances you will get a stateroom upgrade on your next Royal Caribbean cruise.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The seventy-ninth episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available and we've got an in-depth review of the changes Royal Caribbean has made to Freedom of the Seas.

After a 24-day dry dock refurbishment, Freedom of the Seas has new public spaces, restaurants, staterooms and more to explore and I've invited Beci Mahnken to help us learn all about what's new and different onboard this popular cruise ship.

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 Interet

Cruise Radio posted a detailed audio review of Quantum of the Seas with friend of the blog Don Bucolo.

A Great Europe Trip Planner shared a review of a recent visit to Royal Caribbean's private island of Labadee.

MEI Travel shared why you should use a travel agent when you book a cruise (or anything else).

Mouse Fan Cafe shared their experience making cupcakes on Freedom of the Seas.