Royal Caribbean announced today ChoiceAir, the cruise line's flight booking system for guests looking to combine their cruise and air travel, now features a Lowest Airfare Guarantee.  Royal Caribbean promises if guests  find a cheaper airfare within 24 hours of booking their flights on ChoiceAir, Royal Caribbean will refund them 110 percent of the difference in onboard credit to spend on their cruise vacation. 

“Royal Caribbean International’s Loyal To You Always commitment to travel agents drives us to create these programs that continue to support the travel agent community,” said Vicki Freed, senior vice president of Sales, Trade Support and Services, Royal Caribbean International, at a press briefing held at the Cruise Lines International Association’s Cruise3Sixty Tradeshow and Conference in Vancouver, B.C. “Royal Caribbean ChoiceAir is a new tool that our valued travel agent partners can use to add more value to their clients’ vacations; help deliver a seamless experience; and generate repeat business.”

In addition to the low price guarantee, Royal Caribbean is standing behind guests that book ChoiceAir with round-the-clock guest support throughout the vacation planning process. If the ChoiceAir flight is delayed or cancelled, Royal Caribbean will work to re-accommodate guests to help them make it to their ship in time for departure or to the next port.

As part of its kickoff promotion, Royal Caribbean is offering a $50 onboard credit bonus for U.S. and Canadian guests who make a new booking from June 21 through July 14, 2013, on a Royal Caribbean cruise of six nights or longer and then book their flights on Royal Caribbean ChoiceAir within the same period. Vacationers must mention offer code “SOX9” at the time of their cruise booking in order to receive the offer.

With an existing cruise booking, guests can instantly start shopping for their ChoiceAir flights at www.RoyalCaribbeanChoiceAir.com. More information about Royal Caribbean ChoiceAir can be found at www.RoyalCaribbean.com/ChoiceAir.

Royal Caribbean is warning its passengers that are scheduled to board Majesty of the Seas on the June 24th sailing to arrive early because of possible local traffic delays.

The Miami Heat won the NBA Championship last night and their victory parade in Miami could affect passengers trying to get to the port.   Some of the victory parade festivities will take place in the downtown Miami area and include streets that provide access to the Port of Miami.

As a result, Royal Caribbean is recommending passengers arrive at the port between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. or between 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Check-in for your sailing will take place between these times. The sailing’s departure time will be delayed to accommodate this event, but it will not impact the scheduled itinerary.

Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas godmother Kristen Chenoweth performed on Monday night at the Sydney Opera House for Royal Caribbean and guests.

''It was a dream come true to perform the special material that I created just for my Australian tour last night at Sydney's Opera House and it was a thrill to have special guests of Royal Caribbean in the audience," Chenoweth said.

Chenoweth recently co-hosted the grand reveal of Quantum of the Seas in New York and has become associated with Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship.

"I am so excited to be godmother of Quantum of the Seas and hope to see lots of my Aussie fans on board when she launches in the US next year," Chenoweth said.

Chenoweth took time to pose with Royal Caribbean commercial director for Australia, Adam Armstrong, backstage.

Our blog reader Kenneth sent these photos of some interesting changes occurring aboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas on this week's voyage.

Storefront on Royal Promenade closed for remodeling

Bridge tour with Captain Fleming and a passenger

Reopening of the Casino

British commandos boarding for the transit around the African horn

Earlier today Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas arrived in Shanghai, China with more than 4,300 passengers at the Shanghai Wusong Paotaiwan International Cruise Terminal. This was the first time Mariner of the Seas has stopped in China and her arrival was met with a small ceremony.

To commemorate Mariner of the Seas' arrival in Shanghai, the Captain was presented with this papercut piece hand-crafted in the Baoshan district.

Mariner of the Seas follows the other large Royal Caribbean ship to stop in Shanghai, Voyager of the Seas.  Mariner of the Seas will operate in and around Shanghai until October 26, with a total of 52 calls in Shanghai.

Her visit to Shanghai comes immediately after Mariner of the Seas was the first cruise ship to dock in the brand new Hong Kong cruise terminal earlier in the voyage.

AT&T has launched a new plan for its smartphone users exclusively for Royal Caribbean cruises where affordable data usage while at sea would be possible.  Until now, cell phone use onboard cruise ships has been prohibit ably expensive due to roaming charges.

The new plans by AT&T are as follows

• AT&T Cruise Ship Calling: Includes 50 minutes for $30 per month
• AT&T Cruise Ship Calling and Messaging: Offers 50 minutes of talk and 100 text/picture/video messages sent for $60 per month
• AT&T Cruise Ship Calling, Messaging and Data: Includes 50 minutes, 100 messages sent and 100MB of data for $120 per month

AT&T does require the package be activated for at least one month, although cruisers could sign up for the service before they leave for their cruise and then call and deactivate the package after their cruise is done.  This rate is in addition to your normal contract rate.

The new package is limited to the cruise ships of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.  Here's a full list of supported Royal Caribbean cruise ships

• Adventurer of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Grandeur of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Legend of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Majesty of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Radiance of the Seas
• Rhapsody of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Splendour of the Seas
• Vision of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas

The new AT&T packages are available when passengers are at sea and see the "Cellular At Sea" network.

Royal Caribbean has launched CruiseFly service to its cruises that disembark in Singapore.   CruiseFly is the region’s first sea-to-air baggage transfer service that allows guests an early check-in for flights departing within the same day of the ship’s arrival into Singapore.

Passengers can book CruiseFly online or before the cruise ship arrives in Singapore.  Once signed up, guests can check-in, check their luggage and collect boarding passes without having to do it all at the airport.  CruiseFly is available on Singapore Airlines, Silk Air, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Jet Airways. It is valid on all flights departing post 2:30 pm from Changi Airport, on the day of the ships arrival to Singapore and can be purchased for USD 28.00 per person carrying up to two pieces of baggage and USD 9.00 for each additional piece of luggage.

Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN Travel Marketing, India Representative of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said, “This is an exemplary service designed to provide an effortless travel experience to our guests. The early flight check-in not only eliminates baggage related stress but also provides for a couple of extra hours to explore more activities and attractions in Singapore.”

With the Chinese becoming richer, Royal Caribbean is expecting the booming Asian cruise market to repeat the United States growth rate over the last three decades.

Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein commented on the growth the company expects to see, "The number of Asians cruising today is very similar to the number of Americans who were cruising in 1980s. While the markets are not the same, we think that China has terrific potential to grow."

Industry data points to the global cruise market will grow an estimated 4.5 percent, with Asians making up 1.5 million of the total number.  That number looks a lot like how many Americans were cruising 30 years ago, Goldstein said. The number of U.S. voyagers has grown to about 12 million, and Asia accounts for only 6 to 7 percent of the world’s total cruises, he said.

One issue for a company like Royal Caribbean is educating Chinese consumers about cruising but Goldstein feels China will overtake the United Kingdom in two to three years in terms of demand.

The number of Chinese passengers at Royal Caribbean quadrupled to 100,000 last year from 25,000 in 2012 and is expected to double to 200,000 this year, Goldstein said.

Two Norwegian contemporary artists were shared in an art award that was presented by Royal Caribbean as part of the 10th annual Royal Caribbean Arts Grant (RCAG).

The ceremony took place in Oslo onboard Adventure of the Seas on June 15 where Anawana Haloba and Lene Berg received US $43,500 each.  An international jury has picked the two finalists out of a pool of 262 well qualified applicants.

The jury issued this statement as to why they picked the two women, "A unanimous jury has decided to nominate two solid artists who are well on their way to establishing themselves both in Norway and internationally. Both finalists work with film using historical narratives and criticism of established precedents reflecting our present time. The finalists to this year's Royal Caribbean Arts Grant are Anawana Haloba and Lene Berg."

Royal Caribbean Arts Grant is an established and recognized award and has through its ten years' long history reflected the high level of competence and skill in the Norwegian art scene, something the jury acknowledges.