After I book a cruise, there's a sense of euphoria with all the excitement, but it's also when I start planning things out.While you could probably book a cruise and do nothing else extra and still have a good vacation, I never leave things to chance. I always go through my checklist of important things to do before a cruise begins.There are some very obvious things to do before any vacation … [Read more...]
Royal Caribbean is giving cruise passengers a report on how much they lost in the casino last year, and it's surprising a lot of people
Royal Caribbean has made it easier than ever to prove your casino losses to the IRS, but it's also a sobering reminder for some cruisers.Casinos on cruise ships are required to report significant winnings to the IRS, which has an impact on income taxes.In practical terms, that means a situation when you get a slot machine jackpot or a video poker machine payout worth $1,200 or more. When that … [Read more...]
Icon of the Seas 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day Cruise Compass – January 25, 2025
Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise State of residence State Which ship? What type of cabin would you like? Where are you interested in cruising? Source: Royalcaribbeanblog.com … [Read more...]
Voyager of the Seas 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day Cruise Compass – January 30, 2025
Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise State of residence State Which ship? What type of cabin would you like? Where are you interested in cruising? Source: Royalcaribbeanblog.com … [Read more...]
The weird thing passengers have to do when Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship is refueled
Safety is the top priority on cruise ships, but one protocol might be a little surprising on Royal Caribbean's newest ship.Utopia of the Seas has been sailing since summer 2024, and she's brought many innovations with her. Among them is this ship uses a more environmentally friendly fuel type, Liquified Natural Gas, or LNG.The ship has a new dual-fuel engine, but Icon of the Seas was the first … [Read more...]
Royal Caribbean News Round-Up: February 2, 2025
Happy weekend! We hope you are in the midst of a wonderful weekend full of things to do to pass the time between cruises. We have a summary of all of this week's Royal Caribbean news in case you missed any of it!Is it as bad as you might think to go on one of Royal Caribbean's oldest and smallest cruise ships?Matt was reluctant to try Enchantment of the Seas because it lacked so many things … [Read more...]
Enchantment of the Seas review
Matt went on Enchantment of the Seas for the first time, and he was surprised by the ship in a few ways.Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via...You can subscribe to the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast via iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or RSS. Source: Royalcaribbeanblog.com … [Read more...]
Rhapsody of the Seas 7-night Southern Caribbean Cruise Compass – January 26th, 2025
Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise State of residence State Which ship? What type of cabin would you like? Where are you interested in cruising? Source: Royalcaribbeanblog.com … [Read more...]
I sailed on one of Royal Caribbean's smallest ships. Look inside my 191-square-foot superior balcony room with lots of storage but the worst shower curtain
I used a casino instant rewards certificate to book a 4-night cruise on to Mexico aboard Enchantment of the Seas, a 2,730-guest ship that joined Royal Caribbean's fleet in 1997.I was surprised that a balcony cabin reward was available through the casino for two reasons: Enchantment has few balcony cabins, and my play wasn't very high when I got the certificate. Nonetheless, I was pleased.One … [Read more...]
The one-of-a-kind ex-Royal Caribbean cruise ship is heading to the scrapyard
A piece of Royal Caribbean's early history is headed to the scrapyard. Royal Caribbean's former Song of America, which was once one of the largest cruise ships in the world, was retired in 2023 by Celestyal Cruises.Song of America entered service for Royal Caribbean in 1982 as the cruise line's fourth ship. She was preceded by Sun Viking, Nordic Prince, and Song of Norway. The cruise … [Read more...]
Harmony of the Seas 7-night Western Caribbean Cruise Compass – January 19, 2025
Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise State of residence State Which ship? What type of cabin would you like? Where are you interested in cruising? Source: Royalcaribbeanblog.com … [Read more...]
I sailed on an older Royal Caribbean ship and a newer one. The big changes show how much focus there is on food
The differences between a brand new cruise ship and one that was built almost 30 years ago is quite stark.In the past few months, I sailed on an old Royal Caribbean cruise ship and two ships that launched in the past year. You can't help but compare them, even though their approach to cruising is quite different.Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas began cruising in 1997 just before the era … [Read more...]
I went to the beach club in Mexico all the locals always rave about. The food was incredible, but the vibe was mellow
I thought I knew all the great beach spots to visit in Cozumel until I kept seeing people recommend a beach club I'd never heard of before.Cozumel is known for a great beach day, and I've sampled plenty of them.On a recent visit to this island in Mexico, I wanted to try something different and I was enticed by the overwhelming recommendations to try Buccanos.I joined a Facebook group that's … [Read more...]
Vision of the Seas 8-night Bahamas and Perfect Day Cruise Compass – January 24, 2025
Have our travel agency partner get you a free quote for a Royal Caribbean cruise State of residence State Which ship? What type of cabin would you like? Where are you interested in cruising? Source: Royalcaribbeanblog.com … [Read more...]
A dog has been living on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship for a year and living her best life
This adorable dog has been living on the world's largest cruise ship ever since Icon of the Seas launched one year ago.Royal Caribbean awarded Rover the coveted title of “Chief Dog Officer” aboard Icon of the Seas. Joining the ship at just six months old, the golden retriever puppy has been living onboard ever since. As one of the most beloved residents on Icon of the Seas, Rover has a very … [Read more...]
I've stayed in all kinds of rooms on cruises with my kids and the cheapest was never worth it. Here's what to book instead.
I've been taking my kids on cruise ships since they were young enough to cruise, and it's taught me a few lessons about which cabin is the best.Going on vacation anywhere as a family presents its own sets of challenges, but I've found cruise ships to be the best way for our family to get away. As the kids have grown up, the ship experience has evolved to match our needs.Over the years I've … [Read more...]
13 things Royal Caribbean has learned about Icon of the Seas in its first year that cruisers should know
It's been one year since the biggest cruise ship in the world debuted and changed everything about cruising.Icon of the Seas celebrated her one year anniversary, and it's the perfect opportunity for Royal Caribbean to take stock of what worked and what stood out on this ship.Icon caught the attention of just about everyone. Her immense size and equally impressive new features showed off all the … [Read more...]
"It’s time Enchantment of the Seas was taken out back and shot" I went on the cruise ship that gets lots of hate
I tried an old Royal Caribbean cruise ship that seems to get a lot of negative reviews, and I have to admit, I was worried.I'm always one to warn that online reviews are never to be trusted, but it's hard to overlook many of them.Right after I booked my 4-night western Caribbean cruise, I read a memorable review on Reddit that had the bold title, "As a loyal Royal customer and someone who owns … [Read more...]
Royal Caribbean cruise prices are rising—why you should book now
Based on how 2025 is going so far, don't expect to see cruise prices drop any time soon.Demand has been red hot for a Royal Caribbean cruise for a while, and there's no sign of things slowing down in 2025.During an earnings call with investors on Tuesday, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said the momentum of high demand for cruises continued into 2025 with, "the best five booking weeks in … [Read more...]
10 New river cruise ships ordered for Celebrity Cruises – what we know so far
There's going to be a new player in the river cruise market, and Celebrity Cruises is coming at it with a big plan.Celebrity made headlines when it announced it will start offering river cruises in 2027, starting with a fleet of 10 ships. There's already hints that there's much more to come, both in expanding the fleet and destinations.The expansion into river cruises is about offering more … [Read more...]