Royal Caribbean offers many cruises from many ports of call, so naturally there is a lot to choose from.  In many cases, the decision can be between taking a cruise you can drive to or taking an airplane to reach a cruise farther away.  If you find yourself in this conundrum, here are the things to know about both choices in making your decision.

Benefits of taking a cruise near you

If there's a Royal Caribbean cruise near you that does not require an airplane flight, there are a number of benefits, with reduced cost being a big one.  In many cases, the cost of an airplane flight can be more than the cruise itself.  But if you can drive to your cruise, you will save a lot of money on transportation costs.

Not flying also has other advantages such as not worrying about paying for checked luggage, taxi costs and in some cases, paying for a hotel the night before your cruise.  

In just the United States, Royal Caribbean offers cruises out of Massachusetts, New York/New Jersey, Maryland, Florida, Hawaii, California, Alaska, Louisiana and Texas.  That's a lot of states and many more states nearby that are close enough to allow for a drive.  Cruises out of England, Australia, China and other markets offer local cruise options as well.

On a more personal level, cruising locally can allow you to really get to know a particular Royal Caribbean cruise ship intimately because it is a ship you can sail on at any given time.  An example of this is Explorer of the Seas, which has been based out of Bayonne, New Jersey for a number of years.  Having a ship near you that you can "call your own" is a pretty cool feeling.

Benefits of flying to a cruise

If you fly to your cruise, as the saying goes, the world is your oyster.  You have all the choices of where and when you want to cruise.  Royal Caribbean offers a lot of cruises to ports of call around the world and there's no limit to which one you can go to.

Flying also gives you more variety in terms of the ports of call you will visit as well as the ship you will sail on.  In local markets the cruise ships and itineraries can often stay the same for years, which does not lend itself to variety.  

Some of the better sales on Royal Caribbean cruises can often be found from ports you will need to fly to, which can save a lot of money on the overall vacation cost.  Moreover, you may find cheaper deals overall in other ports consistently due to competition from other cruise lines (such as cruises in Florida).

With Royal Caribbean offering new cruises on new ships fairly regularly, there's always something exciting to be discovered and flying to a cruise means you won't miss out on anything.

This week was PACKED with Royal Caribbean news so if you missed any of it, here's a great chance to recap what happened around the Royal Caribbean World.

The biggest news of the week was Royal Caribbean's decision to ban smoking on its balconies, joining some other cruise lines who also institutde the prohibition recently. Needless to say, this has a lot of people either very happy or very upset.

The smoking ban begins on January 1, 2014 and applies to all forms of smoking, including e-cigarettes.  If you are caught smoking in your stateroom or balcony, Royal Caribbean will charge your onboard account a $250 cleaning fee.

Smoking isn't completely banned onboard Royal Caribbean ships.  In fact, Royal Caribbean promises many places onboard to light 'em if ya got 'em.

Royal Caribbean News

• The other big news was a leak that shows Anthem of the Seas will likely be homeported in Southampton, England in 2015.
• If you have daughters and are sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise during the holidays, the Barbie Experience can be had for 30% off.
• Royal Caribbean named a new Senior Vice President of Marine Operations.
• Did you know about this week's Royal Caribbean Secret?
• We reviewed the Freedom-ice.com ice skating show on Freedom of the Seas.
• Royal Caribbean released 2014 Asia cruises for Mariner of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The fifth episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is available, where we are talking about everything Freedom of the Seas.

Freedom of the Seas remains one of Royal Caribbean's most popular cruise ships we look at what's so great about Freedom of the Seas, our favorite things to onboard and we even share a few Freedom of the Seas secrets.  Mike Rahlmann joins the show this week to spread the good word about Freedom of the Seas.

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 Internet

Cruise Currents has a photo gallery of Liberty of the Seas' sailaway.

Dream Designs shared a blog post detailing their award ceremony that was held on Brilliance of the Seas earlier this summer.

Frommers has a list of their 10 favorite experiences in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Earlier this week, Royal Caribbean implemented a ban on its guests smoking on balconies effective January 1, 2014.  While the move may feel restrictive for smokers, Royal Caribbean is increasing the number of outdoors areas where guests who wish to smoke may do so.

The outdoor smoking areas will be identified on the starboard side of all its cruise ships, except for Oasis-class cruise ships that will allow smoking on the port side.

Royal Caribbean executive vice president Lisa Lutoff-Perlo commented on the decision to ban smoking on balconies, "We realize smokers may be concerned that they will not be permitted to smoke on balconies. I want smokers to know that we are increasing the number of areas on the exterior of the ships to allow guests to smoke because we want you to feel comfortable and welcome."

In addition, Lutoff-Perlo indicated that non-smoking guests, "have continually told us that they don’t get to enjoy [balconies] if smokers are in close proximity and smoking on their balconies."

Royal Caribbean intends to make all indoor public spaces smoke free with the following exceptions

• Casino (there will be non-smoking sections of the casino as well)
• Connoisseur Club on Freedom- and Voyager-class ships
• One designated smoking venue on ships sailing from China homeports

Any of the indoor smoking areas are for cigarettes and e-cigarettes only.  Cigars and pipes will be allowed in designated outoor spaces or in the cigar club.

Mike Feinstein, of the Feinstein Group, announced at a press conference a proposed US$100 million project for the development of a cruise port at Stake Bank and a shopping zone on North Drowned Caye, about two miles off the coast of Belize City.

The project is being described as 100% Belizian, but Feinstein did indicate that Royal Caribbean intends to invest in the new venture. Royal Caribbean runs the only existing cruise port in Belize. Another port, however, to be built by Norwegian Cruise Lines, has recently been proposed for Southern Belize. The Stake Bank project is also being considered for government approval.

The project has two major aspects.  The first is a US$67.5 million investment to build a deep water port at Stake Bank, just four nautical miles southeast of Belize City that allow cruise ships to dock at the pier.  The second aspect would build a port infrastructure to garner additional tourism including restaurants, night-clubs and other forms of entertainment for both visitors and Belizeans.

Feinstein says the project could be completed and operational in 18 months once the Government of Belize gives the go-ahead.

The port would be open all cruise lines currently sailing the Caribbean, with Royal Caribbean having already committed to come on board as a major investment partner in the project.

If it's Friday, that means it is time to share some more awesome photos our readers have sent in of their Royal Caribbean cruise vacations!  As always, we want your photos too, so send us your best Royal Caribbean photos so we can share it with the world.

Let's get right into this week's batch of photos!

First up is a photo of muster drill from Don Donahue.  Muster drill is something we all have to do, but once it's over, your cruise vacation really begins!

Next is a night shot of Explorer of the Seas while docked in Kings Wharf Bermuda, June 2010 from Shawn Holmes.  Bermuda is one of those ports where Royal Caribbean stays overnight and it's a great sight to see Explorer of the Seas all lit up.

Christopher Pescatore sent us this photo of Adventure of the Seas on the December 2nd sailing in 2012 in St. Croix.  The cloud above the ship is a little odd but otherwise, looks like paradise!

Kris sent in this photo of Freedom of the Seas from February 2013 and I have to admit I'm a little bias towards this photo since Kris and I were on the same cruise.  Ah, memories!

Next is a great view of Alesund, Norway and Independence of Seas in May 2013 by Chris Davis.  I love photos like this that show off the port along with the Royal Caribbean ship!

Judy sent in this photo and described it as, "My favorite way to pass time on board!!".  Can't say I can fault her!  It's hard beating a frozen concoction on the pool deck.

David Domanski sent us this photo of Explorer of the Seas in the western Caribbean, which was also his first cruise on Royal Caribbean.  When you go on an amazing ship like Explorer of the Seas and go to places with water color like that, it's easy to become Loyal to Royal!

Thank you to everyone who sent in their photos this week. Have a great weekend and be sure to send us your photos so we can post them next week by using this form.

Royal Caribbean announced today its summer 2014 season for Mariner of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas, continuing sailings from Shanghai (Baoshan), Beijing (Tianjin), Hong Kong, and Singapore.  The two ships will offer cruises to South Korea, Japan or Taiwan.

From March 2014 through November 2014, Mariner of the Seas will offer roundtrip cruises out of Shanghai (Baoshan) on three- to six-night itineraries that call at Seoul (Incheon), Busan, Jeju Island, or Yeosu (Gangyang). The ship’s summer season will conclude with an eight-night sailing from Shanghai (Baoshan) to Singapore, departing Nov. 4, 2014, with ports of call at Xiamen and Hong Kong, China, and Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam.

The summer 2014 season for Voyager of the Seas will begin with a 10-night itinerary departing Singapore on April 10 to Tokyo, Japan, with calls at Hong Kong, Kaohsiung and Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan, and Nagasaki, Japan. Voyager will then sail a six-night South Korea and Nagoya (Japan) itinerary, roundtrip from Tokyo on April 20, followed by two Japan cruises, a four-night itinerary from Tokyo to Taipei (Keelung) departing May 5, and a seven-night roundtrip itinerary from Taipei (Keelung) departing May 9.

From June through September 2014, Voyager of the Seas will sail four- to six-night Korea itineraries roundtrip from Beijing (Tianjin), and call at Seoul (Incheon), Yeosu (Gangyang), Busan, and Jeju Island, South Korea. The ship will then sail a seven-night Japan and Korea cruise from Beijing (Tianjin) to Hong Kong on Sept. 10, followed by four-, five- and seven-night Japan and Taiwan cruises roundtrip from Hong Kong throughout Sept. and early Oct. 2014.

Lisa Bauer, Royal Caribbean executive vice president of Global Sales and Marketing, commented on the announcement, "We are delighted to offer Asia vacations that cannot be found anywhere except on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas.  Guests of all ages will enjoy the DreamWorks Experience, a wide range of signature Royal Caribbean onboard amenities, and our award-winning entertainment and family programming. Throughout, every member of the staff and crew will deliver our world-renowned friendly and engaging GOLD Anchor Service on an unforgettable Asia vacation."

Royal Caribbean has joined several other cruise lines in banning smoking on its stateroom balconies as part of a new policy that begins on January 1, 2014.

First reported by Cruise Currents, Royal Caribbean has updated its Smoking Policy on its website specifically banning smoking on balconies, which is in addition to a pre-existing ban on smoking inside a stateroom.  

Smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom and any stateroom balcony. This applies to all stateroom categories onboard. If a guest is in violation of this stateroom policy, a cleaning fee of $250 USD will be applied to their SeaPass® account and may be subject to further action pursuant to the "Consequences Section" of the Guest Conduct Policy.

Anyone caught smoking on their balcony or in their stateroom will be subject to a $250 fee.

There will remain a few designated areas to smoke onboard, which are inside the Casino Royale, outdoor areas of the starboard side of all ships; with the exception of Oasis-class ships that will allow smoking on the port side of the ships.

In the last few weeks, Disney Cruise Line, Cunard & P&O cruise lines all banned smoking on balconies and it seems like Royal Caribbean has joined in the new trend.

Perhaps one of the more underrated shows on any Royal Caribbean cruise is the ice skating shows that are performed on the Freedom, Voyager and Oasis class ships.  Ice skating shows don't usually grab people's attentions but the Freedom-ice.com show on Freedom of the Seas is exciting and very entertaining.

The Show

Freedom-ice.com takes place in Studios B and is a mash up of different eras of music set to interpretive ice skating dance.  I know that may not sound like the most riveting thing you could do on your cruise but it is a lot more interesting than you may think.

The cast of performers is an international assortment of ice skaters who have had various degrees of experience performing both on stage and in professional and amateur ice skating competitions.  Depending on which cruise you happen to be on, there will be one or two special guest stars who seem to have more experience than the rest of the cast and perform some of the more demanding tricks.

During each scene, the skaters come out in costumes set to match the music being played and dance along to the tunes.  Some bits will feature one or two performers while others feature nearly the entire cast.  It's the solo and duet acts that really shine because it gives those performing an opportunity to really show the audience their skills as ice skaters.  Often we will see double and triple axles, flips and other difficult tricks.  Not to be out done, the full cast sets astound for having so many people in such a small rink.

In terms of production value, Freedom-ice.com is really impressive with great choreography, beautiful costumes and elaborate sets.  It's astounding to see how many costume changes the cast does in just one show. In terms of the shows that are available to see on Freedom of the Seas, it's arguably the best.

Comments

As someone that wondered how good an ice skating show can be, I was pretty darn impressed by what I saw.  What is really impressive about the show is the presentation of acrobatics, skating and costumes all while on a moving ship.  

Because the ship is moving, it's even more amazing how few falls there are during the performance.  There are times when I would be hard pressed to walk straight because of ship movement but these professionals manage to hit their marks.  While there is a fall here and there, it's rare to witness more than 1 or 2 per show. 

By far the audience relishes the difficult moves, such as the various spins and flips.  I won't pretend to know more than a triple axle is among the most difficult moves, but when it's done properly, it's an amazing sight.  

If you want to see Freedom-ice.com on your cruise, I highly recommend booking your tickets in advance.  Tickets are free but the line for the shows can get very long and quite often Studio B will fill to capacity.  Your best bet is to reserve tickets online before your cruise and be certain to arrive early.  

Freedom-ice.com is available on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas.  There is no cost to see Freedom-ice.com

In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that my cruise and food were provided by Royal Caribbean International, of which this Freedom-Ice.com show was a part.  However, my opinions and reviews are my own.

Royal Caribbean has decided to split up its three cruise line operations in the United Kingdom and create individual businesses for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.  The decision comes after concluding the three companies have grown to a size that warrants “increased focus and investment”.

Effective January 1, 2014, current associate vice president & general manager Jo Rzmowska will become the managing director for Celebrity Cruises. Top positions for managing directors of Royal Caribbean and Azamara is underway both internally and externally.

Each individual managing director will also get his or her own commercial, marketing and sales teams, as well as separate agent trainers and trade marketing budgets.

Dominic Paul, who remains as vice president and managing director of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the proposed restructure was an important milestone in the history of the global RCL Cruises Ltd business:

“The only other market that we have this kind of focus is North America. This is the first time we have given any other market such attention. We have seen that when a market gets to a certain size of importance, this is the structure that works best to grow.

“The UK is the second-largest market globally and this move is a recognition of the growth achieved so far and to best position each cruise line for future development and growth.”

Hey everyone! Episode 5 of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available for your listening pleasure.

This week, we're looking at everything Freedom of the Seas, including what makes this ship appealing, our favorite things to do onboard and our not-to-be-missed parts of the ship.

Joining us on this week's show is our good friend Mike Rahlmann, who is as big a fan of Freedom of the Seas as me and shares his experiences on this beautiful ship.  We also have lots of your listener feedback to share as well!

Here’s the podcast page for Episode 4. 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!