We're counting down the days until Royal Caribbean's next cruise ship debuts, Quantum of the Seas, with our 99 days of Quantum countdown.  Each day we will post something about this amazing new ship.

Music Hall

An under-appreciated new feature coming to Quantum of the Seas has to be the Music Hall.  It's a dedicated venue for passengers to enjoy intimate and exclusive access to live performances.

Royal Caribbean describes the design as "rebellious and edgy" and when there isn't a live act performing, there will be dance classes and improv workshops.  

At night, the Music Hall will live up to its name with bands, musicians and DJs playing music for all to enjoy.

Music Hall will span two decks (decks 3 and 4) and was inspired by "the spirit of rock and roll". There's rich tones and lots of leather and mirrors.

Music Hall is purposely designed for unobstructed views of a raised main stage, creating optimal views from any area, including the balconies on a mezzanine level.

READ YESTERDAY'S POST ALL ABOUT HIGH SPEED INTERNET

The second level will feature a Royal Caribbean signature, multiple self-leveling billiard tables.

Music Hall feels like the evolution of the live music venues we've come to enjoy on many Royal Caribbean ships and bring the best elements of each to create a really fun dedicated venue for those that want to enjoy great live music.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we celebrate 99 days of Quantum!

Royal Caribbean is teasing a new Quantum of the Seas event that will reveal the technological advances of this cruise ship next week.

The event will take place on Monday, August 25, 2014 at 10am Eastern time.

No other information about this has been released or announced yet but it will be another big event following the entertainment and dining reveals earlier this year.

To celebrate the launch of Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas in less than 100 days, we're counting down each day with some really cool about the ship.  Check out our blog each day for a brand new post all about Quantum of the Seas.

High speed internet

Traditionally the internet on cruise ships has been slow.  As in 1996 at your parent's house on a dial-up modem slow.  With Quantum of the Seas, that's about to change.

Royal Caribbean has teamed up with O3b Satellite Communications to launch a new generation of medium-Earth-orbit satellites with sophisticated antenna arrays aboard the cruise ships.

The higher internet speeds will make it feasible for a guest to download streaming video or post video clips to Facebook. Royal Caribbean is developing new pricing plans for added service.

READ YESTERDAY'S POST ALL ABOUT RIPCORD BY iFLY

When Quantum of the Seas launches, it will have the new internet speeds ready to go, which is something Royal Caribbean COO Adam Goldstein was quoted as saying,"several new, show-stopper uses of the bandwidth."

"In the old days,” Goldstein said, “we sold escape from the outside world. But today’s younger travelers want full-time access to the Internet." Along those lines, Quantum will feature a new broadband technology for cruise ships, currently being tested aboard the line's largest ships, Oasis and Allure of the Seas.

So how fast is fast? During a test back in March, Royal Caribbean reported bandwidth speeds exceeding 500 Mbps during tests aboard Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we celebrate 99 days of Quantum!

This week's podcast episode is ready to go, as we present episode 55 of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast for your downloading pleasure.

This week, Matt looks at the top 5 things to do aboard Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas.  The ship offers a lot to see and do and Matt has sifted through everything onboard to find the top 5 experiences he enjoys the most.

There's also lots of reader emails and voicemails to share this week about everything Royal Caribbean.

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 55. 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!

James Beard award-winning Chef and Royal Caribbean Quantum Experience Advisor Michael Schwartz is not only serving up good food but authentic local brews. Chef Schwartz travels to Alabama where his signature Michael Genuine Home Brew is crafted that will be served up onboard Quantum of the Seas.

There are less than 100 days until Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, debuts and every day we're counting down each day with something really fun on this brand new ship. Read our blog each day for a new post all about this amazing cruise ship.

RipCord by iFly

When Royal Caribbean added a rock climbing wall to its cruise ships, people were amazed by what you could do on a cruise ship. Then Royal Caribbean added an ice skating rink, mini-golf course and a surf simulator and that changed everyone's minds on what's possible on a cruise ship.   With Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is about to change those perceptions once again.

RipCord by iFly is a skydiving simulator that will be a first for cruise ships.  Rather than descend from 10,000 feet in the sky, RipCord allows guests to get the sensation of skydiving without the incredible risk.

Set in a recirculating indoor vertical wind tunnel, guests can feel like they're falling from the heavens in a safe environment.  You wear the gear and goggles as if you were jumping out of an airplane, so it's as authentic an experience as you can get without the airplane.  Trained instructors are with you the whole time in a totally controlled environment.

READ YESTERDAY'S POST WITH BEAUTIFUL QUANTUM OF THE SEAS PHOTOS

Guests will be able to make reservations online prior to their cruise or onboard as well.  The RipCord experience is complimentary and there's the option to purchase pictures or video of the fun too.

Before taking flight guests are required to register and participate in a training course where they are shown an overview video and taught correct flight position and hand signals from trained instructors. Guests are then outfitted in their flight gear, including a jumpsuit, goggles, and helmet. Once on the flight deck, each guest enjoys two, one-minute long flights with an instructor, consisting of one practice flight followed by a free-style flight. 

RipCord is going to be one of those experiences that you tell your friends and family about when you get home because it's not too often you get to experience something like this.

RipCord operates daily and is included in your cruise fare.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we celebrate 99 days of Quantum!

The Haitain government announced it has reached a deal with Royal Caribbean to raise the fee the cruise line pays the country for each cruise passenger that visits Labadee by $2.  The additional revenue will fund social projects benefiting the local community.

Royal Caribbean operates a private resort on the peninsula that its cruise ships visit.

Haiti's Prime minister, Laurent Lamothe met with Royal Caribbean's COO, Adam Goldstein, and negotiated the new fee that will pay $12 US per visitor instead of the $10 US paid so far. The agreement will begin starting on March 15, 2015.

About 600,000 cruise passengers visited the Labadie site in 2013.

The Haitian Prime minister said he urged Royal Caribbean to also invite cruise passengers to visit a number of touristic sites in surrounding areas, such as the Sans Souci Palace, at Milot, and the Citadelle, a UNESCO world heritage Fortress built nearly two centuries ago, near Cap-Haitien.

Haitian authorities also announced a series of measures to increase security and set up or repair basic infrastructure in targeted areas to facilitate the excursion which will be offered to visitors.

Hat tip to Cruise Law News for alerting us to this story.

We're counting down to the 99 days until Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, launches with a brand new blog post every day. Be sure to check back for something new everyday here.

Beautiful evening Quantum of the Seas photos

We posted last week the first batch of beautiful photos we could find that were quite lovely but we ran across a batch of photos that Jens Hagens posted and it was so darn beautiful we had to share these too. Can you really have too many beautiful Quantum of the Seas photos?

Special thanks JENS HAGENS PHOTOGRAPHY to for providing the photos.

All photos provided by JENS HAGENS PHOTOGRAPHY.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we celebrate 99 days of Quantum!

Burgers are a staple of cruise food and Royal Caribbean offers a few different burgers across its fleet, but the question is which is the best?

Today we're going to compare the burgers Royal Caribbean serves up across its fleet to determine which one comes out on top!

1. Windjammer

Part of the appeal of the Windjammer is it serves up really good food, all day long.  For lunch and dinner, their burger bar offers burgers that you can customize to your hearts content.  

You can opt for the traditional lettuce, tomato and onion or you could bring your burger to a different station and enhance it beyond what the burger bar offers.  

Photo by daschu27

The key to the burgers in the Windjammer is how fresh they are. Ideally you want to grab one that is fresh from the grill rather than one that's been sitting under the heat lamps for a while.  

2. Johnny Rockets

The heavy favorite for a good Royal Caribbean burger has to be Johnny Rockets.  The land-based restaurant is known for its burgers so their sea-based operations are very similar.

Johnny Rockets relies on the basic premise that its burgers should remind you of classic Americana.  Its menu features fresh, never frozen, made-to-order hamburgers, sides, shakes and desserts.

In addition, there's a number of different burgers to choose from, The Original, #12, Smoke House and Streamliner.  Different kinds of burgers is always a big advantage.

The only thing going against Johnny Rockets is their inconsistencies on some ships.  I've had excellent meals on one ship and not-so-great on another.  

3. Seafood Shack

Photo by Franz Neumeier

On Oasis of the Seas, the Seafood Shack serves up, well, seafood but it offers two different kinds of burgers as well that are worth noting.

If you're in the mood for a quality burger, the Seafood Shack has the Bermuda Onion Hamburger and the Key West Fisherman Burger.  The char-broiled Bermuda Onion offers fried onion rings which are a great addition.  The Fisherman burger is a breaded catch of the day burger for those looking for a healthier alternative.

The Seafood Shack may be a good choice for when others want seafood but you want to grab a burger instead.

4. Jamie's Italian

A few restaurants on Quantum-class will offer burgers and Jamie's Italian is one of them.  The restaurant is the product of celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver, a famous chef from England.

Jamie Oliver has added The Jamie's Italian Burger to the menu, which is described as, "Prime British chuck & flank steak with smoked mozzarella, mortadella, balsamic onions, tomato, pickles & chillis, served on a charred bun".

The burger here promises to be of a higher quality beef combined with better garnishments.  

Like Seafood Shack, a burger from Jamie's Italian could be the "dark hourse" choice for best Royal Caribbean burger given Jamie Oliver's reputation for good food.

5. Devinly Decadence at Solarium Bistro

Chef Devin Alexander is the star of NBC's The Biggest Loser and she's created a special menu for the Solarium Bistro. 

Given her reputation she created a "healthy burger". Seriously. It's actually based on the Big Mac but with far less calories.

I sampled this burger at the recent Quantum of the Seas dining reveal event in New York and it tasted just like the fast food variety but was told it was healthier so I was sold.

So when you find yourself on Quantum of the Seas or Anthem of the Seas maybe this is the burger to try so you can avoid the post-burger regret.

6. Chops Grille

Royal Caribbean is rolling out a brand new menu to its signature specialty restaurant, Chops Grille, and there is a burger available on their menu.

Chops Grille is offering a dry-aged steak burger on a broche bun with melted Gruyere cheese along with Pancetta.  That does sound pretty darn good.

The thing to remember about Chops Grille is it's one of the most consistantly good restaurants in Royal Caribbean's fleet.  I've lost count how many times I've eaten here and yet it is always a good choice.

7. Wipeout Cafe

Photo by blmiers2

On the aft of Oasis-class ships, you will find the Wipeout Cafe for quick bites to eat.  The idea is to grab something in between spending time on the Sports Deck being active.

Wipeout Cafe offers burgers much like the Windjammer but with less of a crowd.  In fact, I'm not sure I've even set foot here other than passing through but when you want a burger and don't want to hoof it somewhere else, this is the place for you.

8. Seaview Cafe

If you happen to be sailing on Jewel of the Seas before it gets its refurbishment then run (don't walk) to the Seaview Cafe.

The Seaview Cafe is known for its quality, fresh made food for free.  What makes the food at Seaview Cafe different is it's not mass produced in advance.  When you order a burger, then the cook grabs a patty and starts to cook it.

Anyone that knows what makes good food will tell you freshly made food is always the best choice so it's not surprising to find the burgers (and all the food) here to be really good.

Once Jewel of the Seas gets her refurbishment, the Seaview Cafe will be replaced with a specialty restaurant but until then, check this one out!

And the winner is?

Which Royal Caribbean burger has your vote for the crown? It's a tough choice so share your vote in the comments for this post and choose wisely!

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas debuts in less than 100 days so we're counting down all the great things about Quantum of the Seas. Each day we will post something about Quantum of the Seas to share with you.

SeaPlex

Royal Caribbean has a reputation for offering the very best in onboard activities, such as the rock climbing wall, ice skating, mini-golf and the FlowRider.  

On Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is introducing SeaPlex, a multi-purpose sports facility that can transform during your cruise to offer a variety of activities.

READ YESTERDAY'S POST ALL ABOUT THE ROYAL LOFT SUITE

The big activity here is bumper cars, a first for any cruise ship.  The bumper car rides will last approximately 3 – 5 minutes and there will be up to 30 cars to choose from. Bumper cars will be offered throughout the day in SeaPlex. They are open to guests on a first come, first served basis.

But there's way more than that: ping pong, basketball, roller skating, dance parties and circus school are also being offered in SeaPlex.

Circus school will be another complimentary activity that features a flying trapeze (if you're brave enough to try it).  Circus school also features Lyra hoops and juggling.

Since it's an indoor space, they can use it for a lot of purposes to keep the venue from getting stale.  There's an opportunity to go to SeaPlex a different times of the day and engage in completely different activities.

At night, SeaPlex transforms yet again into a dance venue.

There's lots to do at SeaPlex but there's also food here too.  An on-site food truck will offer a variety of treats.  SeaPlex Dog House is first-ever food truck at sea serves up gourmet hot dogs for all to enjoy in the SeaPlex.  

SeaPlex Dog House offers different hot dog and sausage combinations to match the kind of fare you'd find in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Austin, Portland, and San Francisco.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we celebrate 99 days of Quantum!