Sunday, March 31, 2024

Your Guide to Royal Caribbean Deals

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If you're unsure, ask if a gratuity has already been included before adding another 15% or 20% to the total. Even better, Johnny Rockets outlets on Oasis-class ships (located in the Boardwalk amusement area) typically aren't crowded at breakfast time, in part because many people don't realize they're open. To make the most of these activities, head straight to them on the first day of your sailing. You'll often find that they are less crowded on embarkation day, when many cruisers still are getting oriented, than later in the sailing, when the attractions have been widely discovered.

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It would take five cruises if you're doing seven-night trips (fewer if you're in a suite) to reach the second tier, Platinum (30 points). One of Royal Caribbean's great strengths is its theater entertainment, which can be mind-blowing at times — i.e., you won't believe you're seeing what you're seeing on a cruise ship. If you know you want to eat at a few extra-charge restaurants during your voyage, you can buy one of several dining packages that offer meals at a discount. In addition, every ship has a least one — and sometimes many — extra-charge eateries. The most common one found across the fleet is Chops Grille, the line's signature steakhouse.

explore the best cruise ships

Reserving a cruise on Royal Caribbean's web site is fairly straight forward, requiring you to filter through cruise results on the site and select the sailing you desire. For example, the Alaska cruise shoulder seasons are May and September, which often extend into late April and early October and can be cheaper to book. Royal Caribbean has grown into the world's biggest cruise line by passenger capacity for a reason. It has long dazzled customers with stunning, resort-like vessels full of every sort of amusement and activity you could imagine.

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The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean cruise ships and itineraries

A problem with the cruise line might be better handled with a dedicated travel agent. A nice advantage of these sites are the up-front prices you can find, especially for sailings that have low prices. It's usually easier for the cruises with the lowest prices to surface. It may surprise you to hear travel agents still exist and they are a very popular way to book a cruise. This is because of all the personalization that goes into choices you make when picking a cruise.

There are thousands of travel agencies, both online and local to where you live. Finding a good one is a matter of word of mouth and recommendations from trusted friends. Speaking of phone calls, Royal Caribbean's toll-free number can sometimes get very busy. To reach the helipad on these ships, head to the promenade deck (the deck where there is an outside walking area) and walk toward the front of the ship until you reach the helipad area. There's nothing more jammed than a Royal Caribbean ship buffet on embarkation day. We recommend always cruising with a small "go bag" of over-the-counter medicines in your suitcase that contains cold medicine, seasickness pills and the like.

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Transatlantic sailings make for such a special vacation, and this 13-night Transatlantic Azores itinerary on Adventure of the Seas® packs four remarkable ports into the crossing. You'll cruise the Atlantic for the first nine days, living it up on a ship that is packed with ways to play and relax. You'll arrive in idyllic Tenerife in the Canary Islands on the tenth day.

Royal Caribbean cruises becoming harder to book as ship run low on cabins - Business Insider

Royal Caribbean cruises becoming harder to book as ship run low on cabins.

Posted: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

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The line's remaining eight vessels, split among two classes, are relatively smaller, with maximum occupancy topping out at around 2,500 passengers. The Oasis Class and Icon Class ships are not the only biggies in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Five big Quantum Class ships and three big Freedom Class ships each have total capacities ranging from around 4,500 to 5,600 passengers.

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I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas for $463 a night. Take a look inside my 172 ... - Royal Caribbean Blog

I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas for $463 a night. Take a look inside my 172 ....

Posted: Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

If you call the cruise line, depending on the representative you speak with, they could be helpful or not at all. In both scenarios, it's expected you'll know what you want to book, so the onus is on you to figure it all out. There are advantages to booking a cruise with different outlets and agents. Unlike air travel or hotels, booking a cruise is far more complex and has not gotten as simple as those manners of travel. Scroll around a little, and you may never pay cash for a flight to a cruise ship again.

book a royal caribbean cruise

The newsletter should also list contact information for the port agent in every destination you visit. Should you have a problem in port and not make it back to the ship before it sails, the agent can help you figure out next steps. Royal Caribbean ships have some wonderful extra-charge restaurants that you might want to try, such as the signature Chops Grille steakhouses found on many vessels. If you've purchased a drinks package, you won't need to pay extra for sodas, beer or frozen cocktails when you're thirsty on the beach.

And I always start with the three Cs — convenience, cost and comfort. Royal Caribbean does offer "Going, Going, Gone" rates on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, they tend to be very limited offers on close-in sailings. If you're planning your family vacation, waiting for one of these to roll around isn't a great strategy.

Immerse yourself in the local Spanish culture by spending part of your day exploring the Museum of Nature and Archaeology or the Basilica de Candelaria shrine. When considering one of the cruises out of Port Canaveral, plan extra time before and after your sailing to soak up all the fun that the area has to offer. There's so much to do in Orlando that you could stay for several days and never get bored — music to your ears if you're traveling with children.

One of the best things about Orlando cruises is that you have your choice of theme parks to round out your vacation. They're expansive and immersive escapes into playful worlds, not unlike a great cruise. I love tacking on an extra day or two at an Orlando theme park, usually before my cruise departs. I always appreciate the days of racking up thousands of steps traversing a theme park before boarding a cruise, where I know I'll be able to lounge on a deck or relax in a hot tub. With 25 ships in their fleet and 30 different stateroom types, a travel agent will simply make your life easier and save you time.

Therefore, if you purchase a shore excursion for $200 and later see the price has dropped to $150, you can cancel and rebook the excursion with no penalty. Outside of the behind-the-scenes tour, you may also find activities like a sushi making class available to book. VOOM SURF & STREAM is the highest speed internet package which supports web browsing and streaming videos on sites like YouTube, Netflix, etc. Royal Caribbean’s arcades come at an additional cost, and you can purchase credits while onboard or beforehand in the Cruise Planner.

✔ Then visit our Cruise Planner, your go-to place to score bold savings on onboard dining and beverage packages, as well as thrilling excursions. Kickstart your vacation right from your backyard, or choose an exciting port in another state. Get on island time and unwind on some of the best beaches in the world, venture deep into the rainforests, and snorkel the most vibrant reefs on a Caribbean or Bahamas cruise getaway with the whole family.

Cruise Deals: Best Discount Cruises & Packages

book a royal caribbean cruise

Considering how many cruises they book every day, I wanted to know if there was a better day of the week to book a cruise. Encompassing ports of paradise and incredible culture, Orlando cruises are the ideal vacation getaway. Whether you're looking for a weekend getaway, a family-friendly vacation or an extended voyage, you'll find cruises out of Port Canaveral, Florida that tick all your boxes.

The Most Epic World Cruise Ever To Set Sail

That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise — there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process, trust us — we recommend that you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises. No other cruise line has as broad a range of entertainment and activities on its ships as Royal Caribbean. As noted above, the line's biggest vessels offer multiple entertainment venues, from theaters to comedy clubs; all manner of deck-top attractions; large casinos; full-service spas; and even ice skating rinks. Plus, you'll find more bars, lounges and nightspots than you could think possible. It’s tempting to “wait it out” before purchasing cruise add-ons like drink packages and shore excursions.

Skip the buffet on your first day on board

3 ways to book a cheap Royal Caribbean cruise - Gwinnettdailypost.com

3 ways to book a cheap Royal Caribbean cruise.

Posted: Sun, 31 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

To make the most of your time, book an organized tour and let someone else get you to the destination's top attractions and back in a timely manner. The trick is to do the research in advance, so you have a plan for the best way to spend your day. Many passengers don't know about this secret spot for watching sailaways, found on Radiance-class, Voyager-class and Freedom-class vessels. Royal Caribbean usually allows passengers to walk out onto these helipads around the time that a ship is departing.

Shore Excursions

There are plenty of ways to get more bang for your buck when you sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Every ship in the fleet offers a range of delicious complimentary dining options, but you can dig into even more crave-worthy flavor by purchasing a Specialty Dining Package for less ahead of your cruise. Add a Specialty Beverage Package — which includes unlimited alcoholic beverages, soda, and more — and your experience is as close to all-inclusive as it gets. And with so many complimentary shows and attractions onboard, you can easily fill every sea day without spending a single dollar extra. There’s a whole world waiting to be explored, and you’re just a click away from an unforgettable journey. Whether you’re planning your vacation from scratch, ready to book or want financing options, we’ve made it easier than ever to plan and book your cruise vacation.

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If you're a megaresort lover, you'll surely love the line's biggest ships, particularly the giant Oasis Class vessels. If you're more of a small boutique hotel sort of person or someone who just isn't happy around crowds, well … this might not be the line for you. If you're sure you know what sort of cabin you want, on which ship, on which itinerary — and about a dozen other things — you can head over to RoyalCaribbean.com and book directly. Lower tiers don't bring all that much in terms of truly valuable benefits. You'll receive things like priority check-in and a private departure lounge with continental breakfast at the end of a trip. During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually.

There's the cabin category, how many people in the room, gratuities, travel insurance, and it all changes if you opt for one cruise ship over another. Royal Caribbean cruises these days are relatively casual, save for occasional dress-up nights, and you really only need a few outfits to rotate through a voyage. For starters, people won't notice if you wear the same thing two days in a row. And, even if they do, you'll probably never see any of them again, so it doesn't matter what they think. Our cruise team at TPG belongs to a number of them, including the Royal Caribbean Cruises group and the COPs (Cruisers Opinion Page) group, for instance, and we love talking tips with their members.

How to Make your Alaska Cruise Travel Easier: Tips - Royal Caribbean Blog

How to Make your Alaska Cruise Travel Easier: Tips.

Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:23:24 GMT [source]

Those that may be prone to seasickness will want to choose a room that is towards the middle of the ship and lower, as that tends to be the area of the ship with the least sensation of motion. In addition to picking the type of stateroom you want, where your stateroom is located is important. Factors such as convenience, noise and access are common considerations when looking at where your room is located. Outside staterooms offer a porthole, or some other window to the sea or somewhere else outside your room. Outside rooms tend to be a bit larger than inside staterooms and not much more to reserve one.

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How can I maximize the value of my cruise vacation?

This comes in handy if you or anyone in your group can only spare a few days for a getaway. That may sound like a great reason to wait to book onboard, but waiting to book a cruise until you get on a ship is a mistake. Just to confirm this theory, I reached out to a travel agent to get a sense of their experience.

How do I access the Cruise Planner?

It's not always smooth seas when it comes to cruising — or any sort of travel. We hate to even bring it up, but you might need to cancel your Royal Caribbean cruise in advance due to the sudden onset of an illness. Or, maybe you'll fall ill during the trip and need emergency medical attention.

If you do this in advance of sailing, you can jump right into onboard activities as soon as you board the ship. Sure, you can book a Royal Caribbean cruise on your own, directly through the line's website. But given that you must make many decisions during the booking process, it can pay to use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises to help you arrange things. A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences and steer you to the perfect Royal Caribbean ship, itinerary and cabin for you. The agent also can help you if something goes wrong before, during or after your voyage. As one of the largest cruise ships, the Oasis of the Seas offers an abundance of free onboard cruise experiences and attractions for everyone on vacation.

He has become one of the foremost expert on a Royal Caribbean cruise. You won't pay more to book a cruise through the cruise line website or a third party, but the incentives, extras, and services you receive are what make the difference. Royal Caribbean will allow a price adjustment if the fare drops before the final payment date to residents of select countries (i.e. United States and Canada). Nearly any place you book will require you to monitor the price for such a drop, but ask if they monitor it too.

Booking a shore excursion directly through Royal Caribbean is easy. You check a box on an online form before sailing or while on board, and — poof! Be sure to read through TPG's ultimate guide to maximizing your status in Royal Caribbean's loyalty program to know all of the many perks you'll be able to get depending on how many points you've accumulated. In general cruise calls are short — often just six to eight hours. So, you'll probably want to pick one or two things that you want to do during your time at the destination. If Royal Caribbean ships are known for anything, it is their marquee deck-top attractions — giant waterslides, surfing simulators, climbing walls and skydiving tubes, to name a few.

The dining tab of the Cruise Planner is where you can (1) purchase dining packages and (2) reserve individual meals at specialty restaurants. If you can find a knowledgeable and well-respected travel agent, they can be a valuable asset in assisting you throughout the process. This is especially true when there's a problem, such as if the cruise line changes or cancels a sailing, there is a mistake made by the cruise line, or some other unforeseen issue.

Cruise to Caribbean and discover the cliff-diving, breeze-swaying, sand-between-your-toes, no-worries pace of island life. Hundreds of years of history have left jungle ruins from ancient times and vibrant colonial towns with brightly painted buildings reflecting a fascinating history. See towering mountains like Petit Piton in St. Lucia, explore the lush rainforests of Belize, or boost your adrenaline as you zip-line through the treetops of Labadee or Honduras.

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