Royal Caribbean Cruise Guide
In the last 10 years, Royal has delivered the biggest and most modern ships in the market. From rock-climbing walls, crazy water slides and infinite food selection, Royal Caribbean continues to deliver a vacation of a lifetime.
Stemming from the idea that everybody should cruise, Royal offers cruise activities such as the Flowrider Surf simulator and Zip-lining for active vacationers, as well as the adults-only Solarium for those who simply want to relax and unwind.
In 2019, Royal Caribbean revamped their private Island, presenting Perfect Day at CocoCay as a new port of call in many of their Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries. This hidden island features an overwhelming number of activities such as the Daredevils Tower Aqua Park, Splash Summit, the Wave Pool and more!
The line also holds the distinction of debuting the Central Park and the Royal Promenade neighborhoods, two distinct areas found in many Royal ships, where guests can find many eateries, shops, bars and live entertainment throughout the day.
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.
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.
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Rci’s Shipboard Kids And Teen Programming
Also complimentary the company offers to kids and teenagers supervised activities at dedicated facilities and youth counselors on each vessel.
For toddlers on each liner are provided at-fee nursery services via highly experienced and professionally trained staff.
RCI’s children program covers ages 2-17 and features brand partnerships , Family Disco Hour. dedicated areas and facilities, including toddlers-only pools, computer rooms, video game arcades, separate kids- and teen-only clubs.
On September 30, 2018, RCI discontinued fleetwide its in-cabin babysitting service . Service’s only alternatives still available are the shipboard nursery and group sitting . The other two kids programs remained unchanged.
Top Reasons To Choose Royal Caribbean Cruises
- A brand name that you know and can trust.
- Industry master, with over 50 years of experience and operation in the cruise line sector.
- They provide an incredible travel experience to all ages and have amazing amenities to help heighten your experience.
- Rock walls, surfing, and even waterparks to offer you something unique that you won’t find on any other cruise ship.
- Simply unpack and settle in once, then relax into your stateroom for the remainder of your trip.
- Our fast processes for embarkation and disembarkation give guests even more time to explore and allow for quicker access to the ship to reach anything you may need from us or your room.
- Incredible staterooms and suites to offer you the most relaxing experience while onboard.
- Incredible personalized experience designed to provide a family-like atmosphere.
- The industry’s most knowledgeable cruise managers and guides, providing you with the best guided experiences in the cruise market.
- Varied excursions available including everything from walking tours to guided biking tours, hikes, and more.
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Select Your Royal Caribbean Staterooms And Suites
Royal Caribbean cruises offer a myriad of stateroom and suite options, varying from cosy interior rooms, awe-inspiring balcony cabins with ocean views and spacious suites which will take your cruise to a whole new level of luxury.
Royal Caribbeans luxury suites and statements come in three categories Sea, Sky and Star are available on board Oasis, Quantum and Quantum-Ultra Class ships. Each suite offers benefits to take your holiday to extraordinary heights, including 5* treatment, priority boarding and VIP seating.
See the latest offers on Royal Caribbean suite accommodations today.
See the latest offers on Royal Caribbean suite accommodations today.
Things I Liked Better On Msc Cruises Than Royal Caribbean
I have been lucky enough to travel on some fantastic cruise ships, and up until this last voyage, they were all with Royal Caribbean. Just this summer, I got to experience the cruise line’s s newest vessel, Wonder of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world. My family and I toured the Mediterranean on a truly memorable vacation.
So having said that, I was not sure how MSC Cruises would live up to some of my previous cruise experiences.
I recently sailed on MSC Seashore on a western Caribbean tour visiting MSC’s private island in the Bahamas and some other popular cruise ports.
And as it turns out, there are lots of things to love about an MSC cruise, and in fact, there were some that I liked better than Royal Caribbean.
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Join Here. Cruise enthusiasts, mark your calendars! RoyalCaribbean International announced Thursday the debut of the inaugural Ultimate WorldCruise, an epic 274-night round-the-world sailing that will visit all seven continents, more than 150 destinations in 65 countries, and 11 great wonders of the world. It begins in Miami on December 10, 2023, and continues through September 10, 2024..
The Ultimate World Cruise is a never-before-offered Royal Caribbean adventure that takes you on a 274-night journey around the world from December 10, 2023 September 10, 2024. The adventure begins and ends in Miami, Florida, visiting all 7 continents, 65 countries, over 150 ports of call and 11 World Wonders..
RoyalCaribbean International announced Thursday the debut of the inaugural Ultimate WorldCruise, an epic 274-night round-the-world sailing that will visit all seven continents, more than 150 destinations in 65 countries, and 11 great wonders of the world. It begins in Miami on December 10, 2023, and continues through September 10, 2024.
15 Costa Tours included. In all our world cruise destinations you have a great choice of excursions. Each Costa Tour is a journey within a journey, where you can discover local attractions and authentic atmospheres. 15 excursions.
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Australia And New Zealand
Royal Caribbean has been sending at least one and often several ships to Australia every winter for many years, offering a wide range of itineraries out of Sydney and Brisbane that make calls not just around Australia but also in New Zealand.
While the itineraries in the region that the line offers vary in length from just two nights to 15 nights, the shorter voyages are primarily aimed at a local Australian crowd looking for a quick getaway. Among North Americans, the most popular itineraries are the longer ones, which often are heavily skewed to stops in New Zealand.
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Among several New Zealand itineraries are 12-night voyages from Sydney that feature an all-New Zealand lineup of calls: Bay of Islands, Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Picton.
A 15-night New Zealand itinerary out of Sydney features cruising in New Zealands famed Milford Sound as well as Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound as well as stops in Dunedin, Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga, Auckland and Bay of Islands.
Note that Royal Caribbean’s Australia and New Zealand sailings have been on hold since 2020 due to Australia’s COVID-19-related travel restrictions. They are expected to resume in the fall of 2022.
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Pack In The Adventure
Break away from your daily grind with a quick getaway to the Western Caribbean. Admire the grandeur of the ancient ruins at Chichen Itza in Mexico’s Yucatan, or head to San Gervasio, which is home to the largest ancient Maya site in Cozumel. Dive Roatans famous barrier reef the second largest in the world or explore the remains of the ancient city of Copan, located in the scenic Copan Valley.
Independence Of The Seas
Independence of the Seas is the third in the spectacular Freedom class of ships. Upon her debut in the United Kingdom, she is the largest ship ever to be home-ported in Europe. Guests across the globe will have access to the same amazing onboard innovations offered by our other Freedom-family ships, as well as a variety of exciting European itineraries to choose from.
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Ocean Cay Msc Marine Reserve
Dont get me wrong, I would take either of these private cruise line islands in a heartbeat, as I have had a wonderful time on both. They are, however, very different. A lot of this boils down to personal preference. Perfect Day at CocoCay offers slides and pools, a lot more of the traditional resort/ waterpark amenities, and we definitely enjoyed the fun activities when we last visited.
Ocean Cay, on the flip side, was originally an industrial site that has been given a new life. It has more of a quiet paradise feel, which plenty of open space. MSC has done an excellent job of making you feel like you have stumbled upon a Bahamian island lost in time. I loved the colorful, Bahamian-style buildings, including the lighthouse.
As a kid, I was fortunate to visit the Bahamas with my grandparents. This was back when there were hardly any high-rise hotels on the beach, a pre-Atlantis, glorious time. The downtown area was vibrant, and the people won my heart with their friendliness. This is what Ocean Cay feels like to me.
Although not all of the nighttime activities are back post-Covid, the Junkanoo parade was special for me. I loved seeing Bahamian culture on display in such a special manner. I have been lucky enough to attend Junkanoo events years ago in Nassau, and although it was on a smaller scale, it was great.
Differences Between Eastern And Western Caribbean Cruises
The biggest differences you’ll encounter when comparing Eastern Caribbean versus Western Caribbean cruises are the actual itineraries. The only ports that tend to show up on sailings in both regions are Nassau and Freeport in The Bahamas and Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private island in Haiti.
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Meanwhile, Eastern Caribbean voyages frequently feature San Juan, Grand Turk and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Lesser Antilles. That region includes the U.S. Virgin Islands , British Virgin Islands , St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, St. Martin/Maarten and St. Lucia.
Specific ports aside, the duration and pricing of Western Caribbean versus Eastern Caribbean cruises are also different. Western voyages offer a range of itinerary lengths, from shorter four- or five-night cruises to weeklong sailings shorter sailings are typically less expensive. Eastern sailings tend to last a week.
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Rci’s 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.
RCI’s 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 .
Perfect Day At Cococay Cruise
If all else fails, pick a cruise with a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay for your first cruise.
CocoCay is Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, and it was recently enhanced in 2019 to offer a crowd-pleasing experience to all. There are beaches to enjoy, a giant pool to lounge in, water park to check out, and lots of excursions, cabanas and more to enjoy.
Similar to how Royal Caribbean designs its cruise ships, CocoCay is filled with plenty so that there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Read more: 10 things you didn’t know about Perfect Day at CocoCay
Many Caribbean and Bahamas sailings will stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, so you have a good chance of finding a cruise that goes here. If you pick a short sailing , almost certainly CocoCay will be the stop you make. Longer sailings will feature it as part of a list of stops.
CocoCay is a fantastic choice for any sailing, and you should lean towards picking any cruise that goes here.
Read more: Do’s and Don’ts of Perfect Day at CocoCay
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Life Onboard Grandeur Of The Seas
An adventure at sea with amenities, activities, and accommodation choices for all travellers. Grandeur is more than just a name. Read more
Enjoy award winning service and on board features that continue to push the boundaries and revolutionise cruising. Read more
Get your heart pumping or your curiosity piquing with an array of activities to suit every traveller on board. Read more
Please your palate with a host of varied complimentary and specialty dining options showcasing flavours from around the globe. Read more
You will be spoilt for choice with an incredible line up of performers gracing the stage night after night on every sailing. Read more
Find relaxation of grand proportions from the bubbling whirlpools and soothing hot tubs to the tranquil walls of the Vitality Spa. Read more
Fuel Surcharge Policy On Royal Caribbean Cruises
Royal Caribbean has suspended their fuel supplement for all sailings. Guests already booked on sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, will receive a refund of any fuel supplement paid, as follows: Guests with existing bookings for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, and who are now paid in full, will have the supplement automatically refunded to them in the form of an onboard credit during their sailing. Guests with existing bookings for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, and who are not yet paid in full, will have the supplement automatically removed from their outstanding balance. Royal Caribbean has reserved the right to reinstate fuel supplement charges if the price of West Texas Intermediate fuel exceeds $65 per barrel, on the quarterly milestone dates mentioned in the company’s October 24, 2008, press release.
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Health And Safety Protocols On Royal Caribbean Cruises
Everything Royal Caribbean does, onboard and on land, is about safeguarding the guests and crew. Royal Caribbean ships provide a worry-free vacation! Here are some steps we are taking to ensure we keep you healthy. Royal Caribbeany has developed a comprehensive plan to respond to COVID-19 situations, just in case. Preparedness is key! If someone should fall ill or display symptoms while sailing, Royal Caribbean has rigorous protocols in place, including intensified cleaning, air filtration, and sanitizing procedures and medical isolation. Each ship has reviewed their inventory and are all well-equipped with supplies and personal protective equipment, such as masks and medicine.
REDUCED TRAVEL TO IMPACTED COUNTRIES
Along with a team of medical experts and guidance from health organizations, Royal Caribbean is monitoring the situation and either canceling or modifying itineraries to impacted areas.
ENHANCED BOARDING SCREENING
At the pier, all guests participate in mandatory screenings that include exclusion due to travel based on temporary restrictions and even a thermal scan to check everyone’s temperature. Some guests may be subject to a secondary review. Dependent of screening results, some guests may be denied boarding to ensure Royal Caribbean is keep their ships healthy and safe.
HEIGHTENED SANITATION AT CRUISE TERMINALS
ADDITIONAL SANITATION SAFEGUARDS ONBOARD SHIPS
HAND SANITIZERS EVERYWHERE
ENHANCED MEDICAL PROTOCOLS
STATEROOM CLEANLINESS
Shipboard Vip Passenger Program The Key
On two liners is currently being tested a new VIP passenger access program . The program’s test period was November 2018 through March 2019. It has limited quantity and is available on select voyages.
The VIP package is available for purchase only via CruisePlanner. Currently, the package’s cost is USD 25,99 per person per day. However, all roommates ages 6 and older must purchase the package to receive its benefits .
“The Key” VIP package is inclusive of:
- Carry-on luggage service – drop off at Royal Theater or MDR , cabin delivery
- Welcome MDR lunch on embarkation day between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm. Dining reservations are not required.
- Daily private visits at signature shipboard facilities – including FlowRider, Rock-Climbing Walls, Ice-Skating Rink. VIP seating at live shows must be reserved online prior departure.
- Early access at the cruise terminal, priority check-in and tendering service at call ports without docking facilities.
- Complimentary room service
- 25% discount on all shipboard dining purchases
- Early access at the Theater’s shows
- Complimentary VOOM Internet .
- Priority debarkation with exclusive a la carte breakfast .
IMPORTANT: Currently, “The Key” package is not offered only on Majesty OTS, Quantum OTS and Voyager OTS. Priority check-in and boarding are not offered in Vancouver BC Canada and at Australian homeports.
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