How To Book Your Cruise
When you are ready to make your Royal Caribbean cruise, you can certainly reserve your stateroom via RoyalCaribbean.com, which offers a simple, yet robust means of choosing your ship, stateroom and dining preferences.
The best way to find and book the right cruise for you is by using a travel agent. Imagine having someone with a wealth of knowledge about Royal Caribbean that can help you with your particular circumstances, preferences, and needs. That is what a good travel agent provides. It is a back-and-forth dialogue, and they are there to hold your hand and give you personalized advice.
If you go this route, look for a travel agent who primarily or exclusively does Royal Caribbean related bookings. Travel agents that specialize in Royal Caribbean are often fans of the cruise line too and enjoy planning their own trips and want to share their knowledge with others.
When you seek out a travel agent, an agent with great knowledge of Royal Caribbean is critical to helping you have a better cruise experience. Royal Caribbean has spent an incredible amount of time and resources to help educate agents in what Royal Caribbean offers and it all ends up benefiting you.
Rci Cruise Cancellation Policy
Starting April 18, 2018, Royal Caribbean passengers who want to cancel an upcoming cruise without penalty have to do so farther out from the departure date than before. The new RCI cruise cancellation policy simplifies the penalty fee schedule by reducing the number of itinerary categories from 5 to 2: those of 1 to 4 nights and those 5 nights or longer.
The previous time when RCI updated its cancellation policy was on March 7, 2016.
Reasons Why A Royal Caribbean Cruise Will Always Be My Favorite Vacation
Before my first-time experience cruising, Id like to say I was a complete cruise novice. The Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas was the first cruise line to captivate my aspiration for cruising because when it comes to onboard activities the Royal Caribbean Line offers a wide range of activities, especially for my daughter.
Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to offer a 30-foot rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, flow rider surf simulator, and a lot more.
I normally do a lot of research before a trip, and this is our third time to go cruising. Our second time was with Norwegian Cruise Line, and our third time was again with the Royal Caribbean Rhapsody of the Seas.
Also, one of the things that I love about the Royal Caribbean Cruise is the majority of the cruise ship staff are Filipinos. They are so warm, friendly, hard-working, and so nice to even accommodate to cook us our Filipino traditional breakfast tap-si-log with garlic rice.
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Amazing Deals On Last
If you are flexible to book a last-minute cruise vacation, then you may want to check some better last-minute deals. Cruise lines will often try to sell their available space by reducing their cruise rates. If your cruise is already booked, this is also a good time to call your cruise planner to check for cabin upgrades.
Utilize A Travel Agent
To the surprise of many, theres no cost to you when booking a Royal Caribbean cruise with a travel agent. These experts work for you to save you both time and money. In fact, when you book everything on your won, you are essentially doing the work of a travel agent without any compensation for doing so.
Travel agents have exclusive access to certain fares and promotions. They can also assist you with any questions or issues that you encounter between booking and sailing.
My travel agent goes above and beyond to make sure Im receiving the best rate for my cruises. Its also been extremely helpful to have her track my Future Cruise Credits and understand the best way to apply these to my cruises. With so many canceled and changed cruises post-pandemic, I would be overwhelmed tracking all of my cruise credits.
A travel agent works directly with Royal Caribbean to ensure everything is good to go with your reservation and upcoming cruise. Consider utilizing a travel agent in the future to save more money.
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Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Destinations
Cruise Planners Travel Agents can get you the best Royal Caribbean International Cruise Deals, take advantage of our invaluable travel agent services today.
Our travel agents can plan and book your next Royal Caribbean Cruise Vacation to the following destinations Cruise to Alaska, Cruise to Asia, Cruise to Australia/New Zealand, Cruise to the Bahamas, Cruise to Bermuda, Cruise to Canada/New England, Cruise to the Caribbean Islands, Cruise to Dubai & The Emirates, Cruise to Europe, Cruise to Hawaii, Cruise to Pacific Northwest, Cruise to Panama Canal, Cruise to South America, Cruise to South Pacific, and Transatlantic Cruises.
How To Rebook Something You Bought In The Cruise Planner
If you find there is a better price for a package, service or experience and want to take advantage of that lower price, here is what you have to do.
1. Log into your Royal Caribbean account and proceed to the Cruise Planner for the sailing you have in mind.
2. At the top right corner of the pick, click Order History. You will want to cancel the item you bought first, and then re-book it later.
3. Once at the Order History page, you will be able to see everything you have reserved or purchased for your cruise. From here, find the item you want to cancel and click cancel.
4. Follow the next few steps to confirm the cancelation. You should find yourself at a screen that displays a confirmation message with the exact refund to the form of payment used. As stated earlier, it may take a few business days for the refund to be made.
5. Now that you have canceled the original purchase, you can proceed with re-purchasing the item at its lower price.
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So What Royal Caribbean Cruise Differs From Other Cruise Lines
If you are looking for onboard activity, Royal Caribbean Cruise offers is perfect for you. The FlowRider surf simulator, bumper cars, rock climbing, broadway shows, and the promenade onboard shopping are all Royal Caribbean signature offerings.
Royal Caribbeans cruise ships are among the largest in the world. The Royal Caribbeans Symphony of the Seas holds the title as the worlds largest cruise ship and it is about five times the size of the Titanic.
They built their ships bigger and bigger to offer a fascinating cruise experience to their guests. And what I love most about Royal Caribbean cruises, they are designed to be family-oriented experiences where your kids, parents, and friends can share great unforgettable cruising experiences that are competitive and affordable.
This is why Royal Caribbean Cruise will always be my favorite cruising vacation.
Panama Canal Cruises 2023
For winter 2023-2024, Rhapsody OTS has scheduled an RCI-first Caribbean and Latin America program based on 3x homeports – two in Panama and one in Colombia .
The 7-night roundtrips also visit Panama Canal and The Netherlands’ ABC islands in the Leeward Antilles. The Panama Canal itinerary visits Cartagena, and Costa Rica’s Puntarenas and Quepos.
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Make The Most Of Yourvacation Withyour Calendar
Now you and your party can customize your vacation together using the Cruise Planner calendar. Your calendar is automatically populated as you reserve. Each day of your trip is listed and broken down by location, date, arrival and departure times and what has been reserved by guest. It’s a snapshot view of what your vacation looks like, reserved in advance the way you want it.
What Else To Do
There is so much more you can see and do on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Of course, the ports you will visit are a major attraction for any sailing. Swimming, exploring history, learning a new skill, and shopping are just some of the typical activities in most excursions. If we tried to list it all, we would likely come up with a list even longer than this blog post!
The key to any good day in port is centered around educating yourself about all the options available, and nuances of the port you are visiting. All too often, we see guests simply disembarking the cruise ship in port and then trying to figure out what to do. The internet is a wealth of information on every port you will visit.
Shore excursions are a major part of any Royal Caribbean cruise because a large part of your overall vacation is exploring the ports of call you will visit. You have just a few hours at each stop, but it should be enough to get a taste of the city you are visiting. Check out our guide to picking the perfect shore excursion, and be on your way to nailing down some great plans in every port of call.
Here are some other posts that cover other stuff on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and other ways to improve your vacation that do not really fit in the categories above:
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Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Deals
No matter your cruise destination, our travel agents can find you the best travel deals for many of Royal Caribbean’s Cruise ships. Take advantage of exclusive American Express Card member benefits and travel deals in which you can gain access to special amenities and low travel fares. Not only will you enjoy those value-added benefits and amenities, you’ll also have a invaluable personalized travel service working for you before, during, and after your vacation.
Im Ready To Start Planning My Cruise How Can I Score The Best Deals
Whether youre looking to book a short getaway or a longer adventure to far-flung destinations, Royal Caribbean makes it easy to save big on everything from your cruise fare to special experiences onboard and onshore. The first step to making sure you get the best deals is to join the cruise lines email list. Once youve signed up, youll receive regular updates on all the latest offers, like deals by destination, kids sail free promotions and flash sales. The savings dont end when you book your cruise, though. Once youve made a reservation, youll also receive notifications about special offers for onboard experiences like discounts on beverage and specialty dining packages, shore excursions, spa services, and more via Cruise Planner.
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Royal Caribbean Cruises To Cuba From Florida
Royal Caribbean operated Cuba cruises with the Miami-homeported ship Empress of the Seas. The first Cuban cruise was on April 19, 2017 .
The newly-refreshed Empress OTS had scheduled a total of 58 voyages in the period January 2018 through March 2019, with more than half offering overnights in havana. Empress was homeported in Tampa for summer 2018, for 4- and 5-night itineraries to Key West, Costa Maya, Cozumel and Havana . For the winter 2018-2019 season, the ship repositioned to Port Everglades .
On December 1, 2017, RCI added 2 new Cuban ports included in 4- to 8-night long Caribbean itineraries on Empress of the Seas. The new 7-night “Best of Cuba” itinerary from Miami visits Cienfuegos, Havana, and Nassau. The 5-night itinerary visits Key West Florida and Havana . The 8-night itinerary visits Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba, Grand Cayman Island, and Labadee Haiti.
Majesty of the Seas offered 4- and 5-night itineraries to Havana leaving roundtrip from Tampa and from Fort Lauderdale . In July 2017, RCI unveiled the company’s 2nd ship to Cuba – Majesty OTS, homeported in Port Canaveral. Starting March 25, 2019, the liner offered a 4-night voyage calling at Havana.
Alaska Airlines offers regular nonstop flights to Havana from Los Angeles . An 80-min ling JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale to Havana costs less than USD 100. Previously, air travel from the USA to Cuba was thought charter flights only.
Rci’s Shipboard All Access Tour
Like most mainstream brands, RCI offers a behind-the-scenes touring of the ship providing access to areas where passengers are otherwise not allowed to visit.
Conducted only on a sea day, the 2-hour “All Access Tour” is a walking tour of 6x areas – Galley/Kitchen, Navigation Bridge , Engines/control room, waste management , laundry room , food storage rooms, the Royal Theater . Participants are required to wear pants and closed-toed shoes, and are provided with earpieces to hear the tour guide’s narration. The tour leader also often hands off the technical explanations to a crew working in the visited area for more detailed information on the facilities.
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Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Secrets:
1. Complete online check-in
Check-in online for your cruise before you sail. Royal Caribbean requires you to check-in no later than 3 days prior to sailing. This helps keep the line moving on embarkation day.
You can also sign any waivers such as for the FlowRider and Zip Line up to three days prior to the sail date. Get all of the paperwork out of the way, so you can relax once you board.
2. Purchase shore excursions in advance
You can purchase shore excursions online prior to your cruise. Popular excursions sell out early and you dont want to be disappointed! If you didnt book your spot, a limited amount of excursions are still reserved for on board booking so schedule those as soon as you board the ship.
See my 5 tips for selecting shore excursions for help determining which excursions are right for you.
3. Reserve specialty dining in advance
Reserve your table at one of the many specialty restaurants before you sail. If you purchase the 3 dining package in advance, you can save up to 40%. There is also a B1G1 dining option valid for Days #1 & #2. Please note these offers can vary by cruise.
A newer feature is that kids can dine at the specialty restaurants for just $10 and order off a special menu. The special kids price will be adjusted and shown on your final bill.
If you prefer to wait until you board, book on the first day. You can ask to see the main dining room menus for the week then pick your day to dine in a specialty restaurant accordingly.
How To Save Money On A Royal Caribbean Cruise
Cruising with Royal Caribbean is an incredible way to enjoy an affordable vacation while visiting multiple destinations on world-class cruise ships. With your base cruise fare, youll have so much already included, such as lodging, transportation, food and entertainment.
Planning a Royal Caribbean cruise on a budget doesnt mean you have to skimp on luxury. With some extra time and research, you can find great deals and promotions that will save you money.
Extra cash means you can spend money on excursions, specialty dining or beverage packages. Or, if youre like me, saving major money on a Royal Caribbean cruise means you can cruise more often!
If youre looking for the best tips and tricks to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise, consider this your ultimate guide.
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Rcis Shipboard Dreamworks Experience Program
DreamWorks Experience was a family-themed program via a partnership between Royal Caribbean International and Amblin Partners . Universal Pictures is the distributor of the DreamWorks movie productions through its subsidiary company Touchstone Pictures.
RCIs DreamWorks programming featured 3D movies and DreamWorks characters meets-and-greets. It was introduced in June 2010 and terminated in March 2019. This new entertainment program was geared toward families and offered DreamWorks movie-themed activities on only 9 RCI ships . The list of such activities included:
- DreamWorks characters meetings and greetings . The list of characters included Po , Shrek, Fiona, Puss , Alex, Gloria, King Julien, penguins .
- Character Breakfasts were offered in the Main Dining Room restaurant.
- 3D DreamWorks movie screenings were available in the Royal Theater , including first-run movies which premiered on the ship were on the same day they went at land-based theaters. Among the films were Shrek, Madagascar, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda.
- DreamWorks channel was part of the in-cabin TV programming.
- Themed activities and games included 3D animation workshops, storytime, themed dance parties, character story-based adventure games, regular character visits to kids facilities, onboard parades, meet-and-greets with photo ops .
- DreamWorks shows were available in Studio B and AquaTheater .
Review Of Royal Caribbean
RCI is a subsidiary company and largest brand of RCG . This Norwegian-American corporation is currently ranked the worlds second-largest passenger shipping company . However, RCG owns the worlds biggest passenger ships. As of 2020, RCG controlled ~24% of the global ship cruising market , had full ownership of 4 brands , 49% stake in Pullmantur , 50% stake in TUI Cruises , 19% stake in Wamos Air .
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How To Find My Reservation Number
Before you can link a reservation with yours, you will need some basic information about each person’s reservation:
- Reservation number
The most common issue for anyone that wants to link reservations is finding their reservation number.
There are a few ways to find your reservation number, so it’s just a matter of whatever is easier for you.
You can find that by logging into your Royal Caribbean account. I find that it is easiest to do this on an actual computer, rather than the mobile app.
After logging in, the reservation number should be listed with every cruise you have booked.
Other ways to get the reservation number include:
- Look at your invoice you received when you booked the cruise