Last Updated on February 21, 2025 by Mrunal & Jiten
A member of the Trump administration made a bold warning to foreign flagged vessels, including cruise ships, regarding avoiding paying taxes.
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick appeared on Fox News on Wednesday talking about how U.S. President Donald Trump wants to abolish the Internal Revenue Service. He then went on a tirade about how cruise ships, super-tankers, and foreign produced alcohol don’t pay taxes.
“None of em pay taxes…this is going to end and those taxes are going to be paid,” Secretary Lutnick said.
He then pointed out how large ocean going vessels are all flagged in different countries, such as Panama or Liberia, in an effort to avoid federal income tax.
$CCL $RCL | Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said President Trump’s goal is simple—abolish the IRS and “let all the outsiders pay.” He even pointed to cruise lines not paying taxes as an example.pic.twitter.com/2sXbMucD2p
— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) February 20, 2025
The statement instantly sent cruise line stock prices down, with Royal Caribbean Group’s stock down about 9% for the day on the Nasdaq exchange.
While no one disputes the fact the ships are foreign flagged, Secretary Lutnick is missing the bigger picture surrounding taxes and what cruise lines pay.
Federal income tax is one tax, but there are many others that cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, pay in large amount.
The major cruise lines have their headquarters in the United States. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line all have offices in Florida, where they employ thousands of Americans in their offices and across the country. They pay payroll taxes as well as a variety of fees.
Those fees include port fees, with just over 30 million passengers sailing through U.S. ports in a given year. As an example, Alaska alone adds $250-300 per person to a sailing in port fees.
According to Cruise Lines International Association, cruise lines pay nearly $2.5 billion in taxes.
Plus, CLIA points out the halo effect the cruise industry has, which amounted to $65 billion in meaningful economic contributions to the US economy in 2023.
“You ever see a cruise ship with an American flag on the back?” Lutnick said.
Modern cruise ships simply aren’t built in America, because the law has made it nearly impossible.
In 1886, U.S. President Grover Cleveland signed the Passenger Vessel Services Act into law to protect American jobs. Among the regulations this law added, for a ship to qualify to be flagged by the United States, it must be made at a U.S. shipbuilding facility, owned by an American company and staffed by an American crew. All the officers must be U.S. citizens and 70% of the crew must be at least resident aliens (Green card holders).
With that one exception, for the last 50 years, American shipbuilders have not riveted together a single cruise ship that fulfills the requirements set forth in 1886.
The only U.S flagged ships operating within the United States are river and coastal cruise lines that are quite small and extremely expensive. And Norwegian Cruise Line has Pride of America, which operates in Hawaii.
Following World War 2, the United States added strong protectionist legislation meant to preserve the maritime industry, but it actually had the reverse effect. Many shipyards domestically closed, and the few left are only focused on military work that rely on government paid contracts to ensure there is a profit.
You’ll find most cruise ships built in shipyards in Europe or Asia. In fact, all of Royal Caribbean’s ships have been built in one shipyard or another in Europe over the years.
According to Commander Don Goldstein, Retired United States Coast Guard, American shipyards are not equipped with the experience building modern cruise ships, nor do they have the capacity or supply chain to assemble cruise ships.
Even if you wanted to convert a Royal Caribbean ship to a U.S. flagged one, it’s impossible once again to U.S. law.
Coast Guard regulations provide that a U.S.-built vessel must be assembled entirely in the United States and all “major components of the hull and superstructure” must be fabricated in the United States.
The Coast Guard’s policy through a number of precedents, has determined that a “component” must exceed 1.5 percent of the vessel’s steelweight to be considered “major.”
The comments about the cruise industry prompted speculation about what would realistically happen, if anything.
Vince Ciepiel with Cleveland Research thinks the most plausible “tax” would be to raise port fees for U.S. ports, similar to what Greece and Mexico have alluded to.
“Taking a quick look at port passengers, the U.S. sees just over 30M in passengers travel through U.S. ports (the two largest being Miami over 7M and Port Canaveral near 7M). If the U.S. government were to impose an additional ~$30 fee (not anchored to this guess, we welcome any feedback here) on passengers, that would raise about $1B in tax revenue,” he explained.
He believes if that scenario did materialize, the added taxes would be passed along to consumers, “An incremental $1B in price hikes on what is like $40B of ocean cruise industry revenue touching U.S. shores would be equivalent to a 2.5% price hike, which again does not seem that material/could probably easily be passed on to the consumer.”
Two furry stowaways made a remarkable journey aboard Allure of the Seas during its recent repositioning voyage, causing quite the stir among passengers.
Guests currently sailing on Allure of the Seas reported that a pair of burrowing owls made themselves at home in the ship’s Central Park neighborhood. The open-aired space became an unlikely sanctuary for the two stowaway owls during the Oasis class ship’s transatlantic voyage from Florida to Spain.
Allure of the Seas is currently sailing a 12-night itinerary from Miami, Florida to Barcelona, Spain. The ship departed from Florida on February 10, 2025 for the ocean crossing. It is assumed the owls made their way onto the ship at this time, likely while the ship was docked in Florida.
After departing from Miami, Allure of the Seas spent ten days crossing the Atlantic with the owls in tow. The ship is scheduled to arrive in Cartagena, Spain on February 20, 2025 for its first port of call. The sailing will conclude in Barcelona, Spain a couple days later on on February 22, 2025.
Following the transatlantic voyage, Allure of the Seas will begin her extensive renovation over the next two months. The vessel will undergo a $100 million amplification before resuming sailings for the summer in Europe. The ship will be in Spain throughout the spring and is scheduled to depart on her next itinerary on April 11, 2025.
(Owl on Allure of the Seas, shared on Reddit)
Multiple posts online have chronicled the adventures of the two owls on Allure of the Seas, much to the delight of online followers. Many guests shared photos and stories of the burrowing owls on the ship, including updates on the situation for the owl’s safe handling.
One user on Reddit shared, “My parents are currently cruising on Allure [of the Seas] on the transoceanic voyage. Two burrowing owls have stowed away on the cruise to Spain and have caused quite a ruckus.”
The poster shared, “Unfortunately, the owls have drawn so much attention that they now need to be caught and won’t be allowed into Spain until [they’re] quarantined and then… Deported?”
According to the user, the two owls made themselves at home in Central Park among the many real-life trees in the neighborhood. However, the owls were apparently exploring other spaces onboard the ship too.
(Owl on Allure of the Seas, shared on Reddit)
“One of the owls has also explored the Solarium and miniature golf course. It’s been exciting!” explained the user.
Another cruiser shared on Reddit about the burrowing owls, “[These fellas] got quite the fanbase on Allure [of the Seas] at the moment. Folks taking pictures while staying at as much of a distance as one can in Central Park. It definitely doesn’t seem to mind the masses of people around.”
(Owl on Allure of the Seas, shared on Reddit)
Many online commenters were invested in the owl stowaways and enjoyed the updates from those aboard. The two threads on Reddit received nearly 100 comments and 1,000 upvotes! In one of the threads, the Redditor continuously shared updates on the burrowing owls’ adventures.
“As of midday today, the famed owl of Central Park has been captured and is being fed steak and water. The exact plan is to be determined at the discretion of Spain. Burrowing owls are endangered, which will likely guide his safe future,” they shared.
“This photo was just provided by the hotel director at the coffee chat just now, with the request to forward this message,” reads the image on Reddit.
(Photo shared on Reddit, showing owl in temporary cage on Allure of the Seas)
Indeed, burrowing owls are considered an endangered and threatened species in North America. According to the Burrowing Owl Conservation Network, burrowing owls are considered endangered in Canada and threatened in Mexico. The owls are classified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as birds of conservation concern at a national level. In the state of Florida specifically, burrowing owls are considered a threatened species.
(Owl seen onboard Symphony of the Seas in March 2023. Shared on Reddit)
In the most recent update regarding the owls, the user shared that Royal Caribbean reportedly consulted with an owl specialist about carefully and safely handling the owls.
The Redditor shared the following update from a guest onboard Allure of the Seas. “After consultations with an owl specialist, a game plan has been crafted. The 2 owls have been collected. As of this afternoon, one of the 2 captured ones escaped and flew back to [Central Park] and is still evading staff.”
The other captured owl was placed in temporary cages/boxes for its safety. “It was stressful for them and less safe to be in Central Park as much as we enjoyed looking at them. They are now being fed and watered and cared for according to the animal experts’ guidelines,” shared the passenger.
(Photo shared on Reddit from Oasis of the Seas in February 2022)
In addition, the burrowing owls will apparently be offloaded in Spain to be handled by local authorities. Because burrowing owls are not native to Europe, the birds would not be safely relocated in this region of the world.
The passenger shared, “[The owls] will be offloaded in Cartagena where management and the local authorities will process the paperwork. They will then be flown back to Miami where they can safely be released in their native habitat. Owls well that ends well.”
In a recent update on Reddit, another passenger on the ship reported one of the owls is still lingering in Central Park and continues to evade the crew members trying to safely capture the owl.
(Owl on Allure of the Seas, shared on Reddit)
“Your update of this moment is that a crew member with a net is standing very patiently in Central Park hoping the park owl will come into reach. The owl, currently located about 10 feet from my balcony, is not having it.”
(Crew members working to capture owl on Symphony of the Seas in March 2023, shared on Facebook by Florida Fish and Wildlife)
Surprisingly, this wasn’t the first time an owl has made its way onto an Oasis-class ship to cruise. Several passengers shared similar encounters online, suggesting that Allure of the Seas isn’t the only vessel to have hosted a feathered stowaway.
Because Central Park is an open-aired neighborhood on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class ships, the foliage naturally attracts wildlife. While a cruise ship may seem like an unusual home for an owl, the burrowing owl species typically prefers open, sparsely vegetated areas – a stark contrast to the middle of the ocean!
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “Burrowing owls are small, unusual owls that nest in underground burrows instead of trees. They live in wide-open, sparsely vegetated areas like prairies, deserts, grasslands and agricultural fields.”
(Owly pictured on Oasis of the Seas. Shared on Reddit)
Despite their preference for dry land, these owls have occasionally taken a liking to Royal Caribbean’s ships. One user shared, “We had an owl stowaway on our Oasis cruise back in 2022. Here he is hanging out on a light in Central Park. The crew apparently looked after him. They called him Owly and made sure he had food.”
“He was just traveling the Caribbean so never really attracted that level of attention, but had apparently been on the ship for some time by our cruise. Looks like he could be the same breed at that. Wonder if something about Central Park attracts them?” continued the commenter.
(Owl safely captured by biologist on Symphony of the Seas, shared on Facebook by Florida Fish and Wildlife)
Several other cruisers shared their owl encounters aboard Symphony of the Seas, including sightings from sailings in September 2021 and January 2023. One passenger recalled, “We had an owl on Symphony too! I’m sure it’s a great life for the owls. He did throw up on a lady as she walked underneath him, which led to a lot of shrieking, but it was still cool to see him.”
In March 2023, Royal Caribbean sought assistance from local wildlife authorities to safely remove an owl that had taken up residence in Symphony of the Seas’ Central Park. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife, Royal Caribbean brought a biologist onboard in Florida on disembarkation day to safely capture the owl with the help of crew members.
(Owl in Central Park on Symphony of the Seas, shared on Facebook by Florida Fish and Wildlife)
The Florida Fish and Wildlife posted on Facebook, “With some of the crew’s help, [the biologist] placed mist nets around the owl’s perch of choice, the exit signs by the door. Two unsuccessful attempts later, the owl was now sitting on the balcony of a 10th story cabin.”
“The crew stood below making noise to distract the owl as [our biologist] snuck up and safely netted the owl from the railing! After the amazing rescue, the cute little stowaway was safely assisted with the disembarkation process. He had nothing to claim in customs. Although seemingly in good health even after two weeks at sea, the bird was transported to South Florida Wildlife Center as a precautionary measure,” continued the post.
I really like the food you can find around Royal Caribbean’s private island in The Bahamas, and there’s a clever hack I’ve begun to embrace.
There are a few different spots around Perfect Day at CocoCay where you can get lunch or just a snack, and it goes well beyond just burgers and hot dogs.
As part of the major makeover the island got when Royal Caribbean poured $250 million into it, they also increased their food game substantially.
Almost immediately, guests started coming up with fun ways to make the food even better, including at the ice cream station.
Once I saw a few people doing this hack, I had to try it out myself.
At either Skipper’s Grill or Chill Grill, there’s a soft service ice cream machine. Crew members will serve you as much of it as you like.
There’s no cost to the ice cream or anything else in this hack, so let the kids go at it!
It’s similar to what you’ll find on your cruise ship near the pool, and most people get their ice cream in a cone by default.
However, the hack here is to stop by the dessert station first.
Grab two chocolate chip cookies and then go to the ice cream station and ask them to dispense the ice cream directly onto the cookie.
Put the second cookie on top, and you have your own ice cream sandwich!
It tastes as good as it looks, and I like that the ice cream helps soften up the cookie a bit.
This is a fun and customizable treat, and it’s the perfect way to cool down in the Bahamian heat.
Admittedly, it gets messy quickly, especially because the crew member wasn’t holding back with the amount of ice cream she served.
While it may not top a Cookiewich (because it’s not totally frozen to begin with), it’s the next best thing.
You can also re-create this hack back on the cruise ship in the Main Dining Room.
The kids menu has ice cream and chocolate chip cookies as dessert options each night that can be ordered.
A variation on this is to get the ice cream dispensed onto a plate, and then use the cookies to either scoop it up or spoon smaller amounts of ice cream onto the cookie to keep it manageable.
Another idea is to forgo the cookie all together and grab a water cup and have the ice cream poured directly into the cup. No cone or mess, and you can travel more easily with it.
If ice cream isn’t your thing, you’ll find other fun desserts around CocoCay.
As previously mentioned, there are a few different restaurants included in your cruise fare around the island.
Both Chill Grill Skipper’s Grill have cookies, brownies, and fruit too.
A real hidden gem among the desserts is at the Snack Shack.
While there’s no ice cream at the Snack Shack, they do have funnel cake and it smells as good as it tastes.
Funnel cake is served hot, and it’s an ooey gooey mess but so good.
If you happen to buy admission to the Coco Beach Club, I think their rum cake is heavenly.
You’ll definitely smell the rum before you taste it, but it’s about the best rum cake I’ve had.
There’s also gelato and couple of cakes to sample here too.
This got me thinking about other ways to make the complimentary soft serve work better.
Most ships have an ice cream machine on the pool deck, usually just outside the Windjammer buffet.
If you have a beverage package, bring your Coca-Cola Freestyle cup that comes with your drink package purchase to the Main Dining Room, Windjammer, or anywhere else they serve ice cream.
Order a scoop of vanilla ice cream to put into your cup to create an ice cream float. This works great with Fanta Orange or Coca-Cola.
Another cruiser told me they like to take a scoop of ice cream and add it to their coffee from the Windjammer.
If you want to spice it up, try to make your own version of Affogato, which is an Italian dessert coffee.
You’ll need to combine espresso, ice cream, and a shot of liqueur. If you have a drink package, this should be something you can order in the Windjammer and then grab the ice cream too.
Royal Caribbean has opened up bookings for its newest cruise ship, Legend of the Seas.
While the cruise line advertised the official opening for bookings is on Thursday, Feb. 20, in practical terms, it’s open for bookings now.
In case you missed it, Legend of the Seas will be the name of the third Icon Class ship, and Royal Caribbean revealed details about the ship yesterday.
This is going to be one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, coming in at 250,800 gross tons, and be able to accommodate up to 7,600 passengers.
Unlike the two ships that came before it, Legend will begin sailing in Europe before coming to the United States. Here’s what to know about the first sailings.
You could book the first sailing across two different inaugural voyages.
Legend of the Seas will welcome paying guests for the first time when she departs Barcelona, Spain on August 2, 2026.
The first sailing is a 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise that will visit France, Spain, and Italy.
It’s a significant move to have a new ship start in Europe, as Royal Caribbean has shied away from this for a while.
According to Royal Caribbean, it’s an opportunity to answer demand from Europeans who have wanted an Icon Class ship, “our guests across Europe have been asking for for an Icon Class ship to to be based there. And this was the right time to bring it,” said Royal Caribbean Chief Marketing Officer Kara Wallace.
Legend remains in Europe through October, until the ship departs on a 13-night transatlantic sailing.
The new ship heads to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where the first sailing is a quick 3-night sailing to Perfect Day at CocoCay.
There are additional 6- and 8-night Caribbean voyages through April 2027.
If you’re looking to book a cruise on Legend, it’s not going to be a cheap deal.
New cruise ships tend to come with higher prices, and Legend of the Seas is no exception to that trend.
In the first hours the new bookings are available to book, the least expensive sailing on the vessel available to book was the 3-night inaugural sailing from Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 11, 2026.
It starts at $918.99 per person, including taxes, fees, and port charges.
Of course, that 3-night cruise is an outlier, as it’s the only short sailing.
The next least expensive sailing is one of the last cruises in Europe before Legend transitions to North America.
The September 20, 2026 7-night cruise from Barcelona, Spain starts at $1,567.67 per person, including taxes, fees, and port charges.
Not surprisingly, the most expensive sailing is a 6-night western Caribbean Christmas voyage that begins on Dec. 20, 2026.
There are 28 stateroom categories, including some truly amazing suites with eye-opening prices.
There’s some sticker shock with the price for the top two suites on Legend of the Seas, but that’s been a trend since Icon of the Seas first went on sale.
At the upper end of the spectrum, the Royal Loft Suite will cost $115,972.40 for two people on that aforementioned Dec. 20 sailing.
That gets you 2,088 sq. ft of living space, which is the most luxurious suite within the Royal Caribbean fleet.
On the same cruise, the incredible Ultimate Family Townhouse that spans three decks, a slide, white picket fence, and movie room will cost you $110,232.40 for two people.
These two suites are the biggest suites on the ship, with enough space and features to rival some homes. Plus, they come with the cruise line’s top perks that include almost everything in your cruise fare and provide front of the line access in many cases.
Suites are always a splurge and expensive, but they also come with tremendous benefits.
Other suites are priced comparatively lower, but like all cabins on a brand new ship, you’ll pay a premium for that privilege.
Don’t expect fares for Legend of the Seas to come down anytime soon.
Royal Caribbean Group executives said as much during a recent earnings call, when they forecasted the trend of cruise prices rising to continue through 2025 and beyond.
“Demand for 2025 is strong with book load factors in line with prior years and at higher rates, allowing for further pricing and yield growth as 2025 bookings continue to ramp up,” said Royal Caribbean Chief Financial Officer Naftali Holtz during an earnings call with investors.
Your best price strategy for cruising on Legend of the Seas is too book quickly before prices go higher.
A recent analysis of Royal Caribbean cruise prices indicate fares start rising about 10-12 months before the sailing begins.
Pricing trends show fluctuations in price a year before the sail date, but once you reach that 10 month window, prices only tend to trend upwards.
An added benefit to booking a cruise so far in advance is you might be able to reprice the cruise if there are price drops later.
Residents of select countries can utilize Royal Caribbean’s price match option, assuming they take the time to track their cruise fare price.
Royal Caribbean is ready to do something it’s never done before: bring back a retired cruise ship name to honor its next new vessel.
The cruise line confirmed a not-so-well-kept secret that it will name its third Icon Class cruise ship, Legend of the Seas.
The name was previously used for one of the cruise line’s Vision Class ships, launched in 1995.
That ship would have been dwarfed by the new Legend of the Seas, as the original was only 70,000 gross tons and had a capacity of about 2,000 passengers. The new cruise ship will be able to handle about 7,000 passengers when at full capacity and is 250,800 gross tons in size.
In 2017, Royal Caribbean sold Legend of the Seas to a cruise line now known as Marella Cruises, where it was renamed Marella Discovery.
Being the third Icon Class ship, Legend of the Seas is going to follow-up on the tremendous success of the world’s largest cruise ship Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas. The Icon Class has been nothing short of incredible for Royal Caribbean.
These ships have been a hit with passengers and critics alike, as it’s set a new standard for what a megaship can offer.
Not only did Royal Caribbean share the ship’s name, but we also have details on when she’ll begin offering cruises.
Royal Caribbean will begin sailings on Legend of the Seas in the Mediterranean first, and then transition to Florida.
Beginning in August 2026, Legend of the Seas will offer 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona, Spain. (Originally the cruise line said it would be July, but the the new first sailing is in August 2026).
Legend will visit ports of call in France, Italy and Spain, that include historical significance and beautiful landscapes.
The inaugural Legend of the Seas cruise will be on August 2, 2026, which is a 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise departing Barcelona. It will visit Palma De Mallorca, Spain, Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy, Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, and Naples, Italy.
Here’s a breakdown of the of inaugural European sailings:
After the summer cruising season concludes, Legend will move to her new homeport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Beginning in November 2026, Legend of the Seas will offer 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Southern Caribbean cruises from Port Everglades.
The first sailing of Legend in Fort Lauderdale will be on November 11, and it’s a 3-night voyage that visits just Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas
In addition, Legend of the Seas will remain in Fort Lauderdale until at least April 2027.
You’ll be able to start booking sailings this week. Officially, it goes on sale Thursday, Feb. 20, but expect bookings to open up on Tuesday as an early start.
Naming this new cruise ship Legend of the Seas is significant because of what the name means literally, as well as to the company.
“The Icon Class as a name really sets a really high bar…so we needed a third name that really fit with that,” Kara Wallace, Royal Caribbean’s chief marketing officer, told Royal Caribbean Blog in an exclusive interview.
“Legend is, not only fitting of the class, but an homage to everything that came before it.”
Introducing a third Icon Class ship is something Royal Caribbean can’t wait to debut, because of all the success Icon of the Seas has had so far.
“This ship truly has lived up to all of the hype and then some.” Wallace said.
Bringing Legend to Europe first is something Royal Caribbean is doing to match what its customers have been clamoring for, “our guests across Europe have been asking for for an Icon Class ship to to be based there, and this was the right time to bring it,” Wallace explained.
“The ship will come straight from delivery into Europe, and it’s taking now what is going to be a legendary ship and bringing it to legendary destinations.”
Royal Caribbean didn’t share many details about what will be different about Legend, but Ms. Wallace suggested it won’t be a carbon copy of Icon or Star either.
“We’ll tweak things as we learn and as we go along to make them both fresh, interesting, but also deliver on the experiences that our guests are asking for and will continue to do that on this ship alike,” Wallace said. “Things like entertainment and shows, theming on some venues will constantly be adapted for market, and we’ll reveal them in the coming months.”
A change that has been leaked already is that the Supper Club will have a Hollywood theme to it.
Icon of the Seas had a New York theme, and Star of the Seas’ version will have a Chicagoland theme.
One thing you won’t see is Legend being slightly bigger than Icon or Star of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean’s Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider has previously said each Icon Class ship will not be a little bit bigger than the previous one.
“Star will not be a foot bigger. It will be 1198ft long. The third ship in the icon class will also be 1198ft long,” he said during an interview held on Icon of the Seas.
While the ship’s name and homeport are news, the ship has been under construction for months.
The first piece of steel was cut in January 2024 for Legend of the Seas. When the steel cutting ceremony is held, it marks the official start of construction.
Then in October 2024, the keel was laid and the ship is being assembled as we speak.
Other milestones include floating out, and delivery.
Ever since Icon of the Seas started wowing passengers, the new ship has exceeded even the company’s highest expectations.
According to Ms. Wallace, the ship has set a new benchmark for guest satisfaction—not just within the cruise industry, but across all of hospitality.
“It’s delivering at the highest levels of guest satisfaction that we’ve ever seen across our brands, across the industry, and across all of hospitality,” Wallace said. “And that’s really by far and wide margin.”
Royal Caribbean re-imagined what a cruise ship could be when it designed Icon of the Seas, calling the ship a “white paper” design because everything was conceived without any pre-existing ideas. Wallace highlighted how the ship’s vibrant design and innovative features created excitement from the moment it launched.
“I think it was highly anticipated when it came to market,” she said. “Last year, the demand for it was off the charts, creating excitement through its colors, its vibrancy, its energy.”
One of the most talked-about features is Surfside, a neighborhood designed specifically for families, offering a space where they can “stay and play all day.” The AquaDome, a stunning architectural space with breathtaking exterior views and immersive entertainment, has also left a lasting impression.
Meanwhile, the ship’s water park, Thrill Island, brings an unprecedented level of excitement to the cruise experience.
“It wasn’t one slide, two slides—it’s multiple slides,” Wallace said. “The slide experiences are great, and that theming and experience runs throughout a whole neighborhood.”
Icon’s connection to the water was also one of its primary goals that the ship delivered on, offering expansive sea views throughout the ship.
“I think the flow of the ship, of Icon Class, in terms of bringing the sea to the ship and the expansive views edge to edge, is something that we haven’t experienced on a class of ships like this yet,” she noted. “And certainly what that did for the promenade experience and the inclusion of The Pearl—one of my favorite things to do is watch TikTok or Instagram videos when people first board Icon and they just see the magnitude of the ship. That first impression with The Pearl—there’s nothing like it.”
Wallace also emphasized that social media has played a major role in Icon of the Seas’ success, as guests eagerly share their experiences online.
“We’re seeing that in the popularity—not just in how people are experiencing the ship, but how they’re also reliving and posting their experiences all over social media,” she said. “It is truly a jaw-dropping, showstopping, stunning ship when you see it in person.”
A key factor in Icon of the Seas’ success is its focus on families of all kinds. From young kids to teens, multi-generational groups to extended families, the ship offers an unmatched variety of accommodations and entertainment to suit every type of traveler.
“We are a family brand,” Wallace said. “When we think about families, it’s every single type of family. It’s families with young kids, it’s families with teenagers, it’s extended families, multi-generational families. And when you think about Icon, it truly does have something for all of those different types of families.”
Taking a long weekend vacation on the Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship is the perfect escape, and I think paying more for a balcony room was worth it.
In February, I went on Utopia of the Seas for a 3-night cruise to The Bahamas and I paid $1,723.54 for a category 4D balcony room instead of a cheaper inside room.
I went with a balcony because I wanted the natural light and extra space you get with the outdoor veranda, but the room itself was bigger than I expected.
We stayed in room 9282, which is on deck 9 and a short walk from the aft elevators.
I’m no stranger to Utopia, having sailed on her already a half dozen times. Picking a room on deck 9 meant we were mostly equidistant to the public decks, but closer to the Royal Promenade than the pool decks.
Royal Caribbean doesn’t let guests access their cabins until 1pm, but that’s only a few hours of waiting (assuming you board the ship as early as possible).
I prefer to be close the elevators rather than pick a room down the hall. While I can appreciate the view you have on the back of the ship, I prefer the convenience of being near an elevator.
All cabins on Utopia of the Seas are opened with your SeaPass card, which uses RFID technology. This means just tapping your card against the reader instead of inserting the card in the door.
Because Utopia is a new ship, the rooms look about as contemporary as you’d expect in terms of aesthetics.
I had just stayed in a balcony room on an older and smaller ship a few weeks prior to this, and the differences in the room are rather stark.
I found this balcony room on Utopia to feel bigger and more open than the one on Enchantment of the Seas. Of course the decor looks more dated on Enchantment, but that ship was built in the 1990s.
As you walk into the room, there’s a vanity on your left and a couch on the right.
The vanity has a desk, chair, and mirror. It also has a number of USB outlets.
Royal Caribbean has been steadily increasing the amount of USB outlets in its cabins, in addition to standard electrical outlets. More people are bringing more devices with them on vacation.
I really think you could stay in a room on Utopia of the Seas and not need to bring a USB or power extender with you and not feel constricted with how to keep everything charged.
The couch is rather large, but doesn’t open up into a bed.
While I’d like to tell you I used the couch for leisurely afternoon naps or to sit and have a conversation with my wife, but in reality, the couch was the destination for so many of our belongings.
Bags, dirty laundry, pool towels, and souvenirs all seem to end up on the couch one way or another.
On either side of the couch are two rather large closets.
There’s an impressive amount of storage space in this room, something I missed having on Icon of the Seas.
You’ll also find the room’s safe in one of the closets.
My wife and I each took one closet, and that was more than enough room for our clothes on a short cruise. There was even an entire set of drawers opposite the closet we never used.
The drawers offer lots of storage access as well. Eventually Utopia will stop doing just weekend cruises and move onto longer sailings. When it does, rest assured there’s enough room for all your clothes.
The king size bed is next to the balcony in this particular cabin. Keep in mind every room alternates whether the sofa or the bed is near the balcony.
The bed can be split into two upon request by your stateroom attendant.
There’s a nightstand on each side of the bed, and both have a lamp with one power outlet and one USB C outlet.
I cannot stress enough how convenient it is to have a power outlet near the bed so you can keep your phone charging at night while you use it from the comfort of being in bed.
Nearly all other ships don’t have an outlet near the bed, so I have to plug it in back at the vanity.
Opposite the bed is the TV. It’s a nice flatscreen television that’s big enough to see from the bed.
The one feature it doesn’t have is the ability to stream videos from a smart device or computer. Some other recent Royal Caribbean ships have that feature, but not Utopia.
While I would have liked the ability to cast a YouTube video or Office episode to the TV, the truth is I rarely watch any TV on a cruise.
Below the television are a set of hooks you can use to hang up items.
This is useful for keeping hats, umbrellas, or anything else lightweight off the floor (or couch, in my case). It’s a case of Royal Caribbean noticing all the cruise cabin hacks calling for magnets to be brought onboard and providing something on their own.
Moving out to the balcony, a sliding door provides access and you’ll find two chairs and a table.
Each chair has a foot rest, which is a really nice idea.
It’s not a spacious balcony, but there’s enough room for two people to comfortably sit or stand and enjoy the view and ocean breeze.
While I’m comfortable enough booking an inside cabin, paying more for a balcony is such a nice luxury. Being able to pop outside on a whim is lovely.
I don’t spend nearly as much time out here as I should, but I really like going out in the morning to gauge the weather, or enjoying a sunset at night.
Back inside our room, the bathroom was bigger than I expected.
The bathroom has a mirror, sink, toilet, and shower. I was impressed that a standard stateroom has both a shower wand and shower head.
While you can’t use both at the same time, it’s a feature usually only found in a suite.
Overall, I was quite pleased with my room selection. We booked the connecting balcony room next to it for my kids to stay in, providing the ultimate family cruise hack that I rely on so often.
I didn’t set any records for the cheapest cruise cabin price, but this is a brand new cruise ship. New ships are just going to cost more, period.
Because I live about an hour by car from Port Canaveral, being able to quickly drive to the port and hop on a cruise ship for the weekend is worth the higher cruise fare compared to having to fly or travel a longer distance to another ship.
Royal Caribbean’s private island in The Bahamas is well-known for offering cruise ship passengers a great time, so should you pay extra for its exclusive beach club?
Perfect Day at CocoCay is divided up into different areas, including the Coco Beach Club that offers an elevated beach day experience and comes with an admission cost.
I’ve been to the Coco Beach Club a few times over the years, but hadn’t gone recently because of rising costs and other areas competing for my attention.
Royal Caribbean has done such a good job with the places around the island that have no cost, so it seemed almost unnecessary to pay for a beach club.
But when I was able to find a great deal on Coco Beach Club passes and even a cabana during a recent sale, I thought now was the right to return and see what it’s like now.
In describing the Coco Beach Club, think of it like a less crowded, slightly more upscale beach day.
Located between Chill Island and South Beach, Coco Beach Club is a short 10 minute walk from where your ship docks.
You can buy a day pass for every person, or rent a cabana, which comes with admission for its guests. Kids are allowed, and welcome, within the club.
The exact price of a day pass varies, but the average price without a good sale going on is $200 per person or more.
That cost gets you into the club, lunch at its restaurant, and access to the beach or heated infinity pool.
There’s also a pastry cart and coffee that’s complimentary, but all your other drinks within the club will cost extra. If you have a Royal Caribbean drink package, your benefits work here too.
There are beach chairs and some chairs by the pool, and it’s all first-come, first reserved.
There are a few beds near the pool, and these are the most highly coveted spots within the Coco Beach Club. Some guests will pretty much run in as soon as their ship docks to reserve one for the day. You can expect them all to be reserved by 9am.
When you check-in, you’re greeted with a cool towel and welcome drink.
If you booked a cabana, your cabana attendant will escort you to them. Otherwise, guests with a day pass can walk in and pick a spot.
There are two types of cabanas inside the Coco Beach Club.
The standard beach cabanas are adjacent to the main beach, and it’s a secluded area just for you to enjoy.
Each cabana has plenty of space, including a couch, four loungers, a hammock, and a few chairs too.
A cabana rental includes floating mats, snorkel gear, Bluetooth speaker, ceiling fan, and of course the cabana itself that provides shade.
Your cabana attendant will come by periodically to see if you’d like any food or drinks brought over.
The other type of cabana are the floating cabanas, which are split up into two sections.
These are some of the biggest and most expensive cabanas you can rent.
Each cabana is situated over the ocean on a floating pontoon, so it looks like something out of the Maldives or Bora Bora.
Their layout is similar to the beach cabanas, but they’re bigger, have a shower, and even your own slide to go right into the ocean.
Without a doubt, the cabanas are lovely and a great place to spend your day, but they’re going to be the most expensive cabanas on the island.
I’ve seen prices recently for a floating cabana of more than $5,000 for each one. That’s a really high price.
A beach cabana will cost less, but it’s not uncommon to see both types of cabanas well north of $3,000.
I love the seclusion and service you get with a cabana. Without a doubt, it’s the most relaxing way to spend a day with someone else bringing everything you need.
If there’s one thing I don’t like about the cabanas it’s the lunch situation, where your cabana attendant delivers the food to your cabana.
On the surface, this is a great idea. But I don’t like the pacing of the service and more importantly, your food becomes an instant magnet for a flock of seagulls who will dive bomb your table the second you step away.
I’ve gotten around this issue by requesting to dine at the restaurant instead, but the staff sometimes seems resistant to the idea.
If Royal Caribbean got something right about the Coco Beach Club, it’s how you can spend your day in the club.
The infinity pool is located behind the beach, and it’s easy to hop between both.
The entire premise of this area is that you’re paying for the exclusivity. There’s no crowd of people to contend with and try to find a chair.
You can easily roll in at lunch time and still find plenty of chairs around the beach.
The pool area doesn’t have much seating, and it’s probably something I’d love to see them improve on.
The infinity pool is heated, and that means it’s always the perfect temperature. This is such a boon when I visited in January and February and the ocean was chilly.
I like how large the pool is, with plenty of space. No matter which day I’ve been to the club, the pool never felt crowded.
Over on the beach, you’ll find lots of space to spread out.
Something really neat is each beach chair has a flag you can put up to indicate you’d like to have service from a waiter.
The beach has beautiful white sand that is manicured each day, and there’s enough room for leisurely walks.
Fences on both sides of the beach club ensure only beach club guests have access to it.
While the beach may be the primary selling point of paying to come into the Coco Beach Club, I think the restaurant is a close second.
Included in your fare is a restaurant (it has no name, just Coco Beach Club restaurant) where each guest can go for lunch.
You’ll need to make a reservation for a table, and you can do that when you enter the club. Some people make reservations on the ship at the Shore Excursion desk, but I’ve never done that.
It’s a sit down meal, but everyone is in their bathing suits. Nonetheless, it’s a standout meal.
There’s a choice of lobster, filet mignon, salads, and more.
I was very impressed with the food, and I really think the steak served here is better than the steak on your ship.
And yes, they’ll serve you as much of the food as you like so you can get a second serving.
If there’s a gripe about the food in the Coco Beach Club from guests, it’s not about the food served, but rather, the food not served.
CocoCay is well-known for its great fast food choices, but you won’t find all the choices of the Snack Shack inside the club, as you would at the extra cost adults-only area, Hideaway Beach.
Our cabana attendant was able to bring us mozzarella sticks, but I don’t think they’re available to day pass guests otherwise. You can certainly walk out of the club and over to the Snack Shack in about 5 minutes, but it requires leaving the grounds.
My advice is make an early reservation for lunch and don’t miss out on it.
The appeal of paying for the Coco Beach Club is for you can enjoy a less crowded day with enhanced options than anywhere else around Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Kids can come too, and you’re going to get significantly better food, great service, and a less crowded day overall.
It reminds me a bit of first class seating on an airplane, where the core experience is the same, but those within the club feel a little more special.
I love the heated pool and restaurant, and I’d book the day pass just for those. Plus, the cabanas are so beautiful, especially those floating cabanas.
The real reason not to book the Coco Beach Club is the price you’ll see when you go to buy a pass.
I spot checked prices for a few upcoming cruises, and it’s not cheap.
Cabana prices start at about $3,000 for one, and while that includes admission for up to eight guests, it’s still quite pricey.
You’re not going to be disappointed once inside the Coco Beach Club, as it offers a very serene and relaxing day.
There’s no DJ or loud music, but everyone is there to enjoy a fun day in the sand, water, and around.
While you don’t need to pay for the Coco Beach Club in order to have a really good time on Perfect Day at CocoCay, it’s a lovely way to spend it too.
Ideally, you’ll nab a good deal on admission like I did for my visits. But that’s not always practical.
Ultimately, I’d recommend paying to go to the Coco Beach Club if you truly value exclusivity and being somewhere uncrowded. If that describes you, then I think even the price tag can be justified.
👍Less crowds
👍Best food available on the island, rivaling specialty restaurants
👍Heated pool
👍Bragworthy cabanas
👍Great service
👍Floating mats included
👍Towels provided
👎Expensive
👎Very little seating near the pool
👎Not as many casual food choices as Hideaway Beach
One of the questions we get asked most often is: When is the best time to book a cruise?
With cruise prices continuing to rise, the question has become even more crucial for many prospective cruisers. After all, no one wants to spend more than they need on a cruise vacation.
Like airfare, cruise pricing is dynamic, meaning fares fluctuate based on the basic principles of supply and demand. When demand surges and cabin availability declines, it’s natural for prices to increase. Conversely, an oversupply of cabins can lead to price drops, allowing for last-minute cruise deals, although these are becoming increasingly rare.
Currently, most of Royal Caribbean’s cruises are sailing at full capacity due to overwhelming demand. With fewer cabins available to book on a specific cruise, fares will continue to rise.
While we typically recommend booking your cruise as early as possible, we realize this isn’t always feasible. Depending on your schedule and budget, you might not be able to secure a deposit years in advance.
To better understand the best time to book a cruise, we utilized the historic pricing trends available for Royal Caribbean on Gangwaze. I took a deep dive into the fluctuations of cruise prices to find the optimal time to book your vacation.
Using data on Gangwaze, this pricing analysis looked at 12-month’s worth of data for both inside cabins and balcony cabins for cruising departing in March 2025, which likely includes increased demand for spring break itineraries. This allows us to have a full year of data to analyze historical trending and find meaningful insights. In this way, monthly pricing data from February 2024 to February 2025 was included for March 2025 sailings.
Gangwaze only includes a detailed trending graph without actual numeric values, so estimates were used for the monthly value. We selected 13 different vessels across Royal Caribbean’s fleet, from the largest Oasis class ships to the oldest and smallest Vision class ships.
Here’s what our analysis uncovered, including the best time to book your cruise to receive the cheapest price.
There’s no magic formula for when the perfect time is to book a cruise. If only we had a crystal ball to see into the future and determine exactly when to secure a sailing at the best possible price!
This uncertainty can feel even more overwhelming when making a non-refundable deposit, particularly if you’re considering booking a cruise several years in advance. The idea of committing to a trip so far in the future without knowing how prices will fluctuate can make the decision feel daunting.
Because of this uncertainty, some people claim that waiting to book a cruise can be a good strategy to score a last-minute deal. This method was effective in the past, such as cruise lines dropping prices due to lower demand in the post-pandemic era of cruising. For years, this approach worked well, allowing for cruisers to capitalize on discounted last-minute fares.
(Average Interior Cabin Price Trending for March 2025 sailing on Jewel of the Seas)
Another advantage to booking your cruise closer to departure is the added flexibility it offers. Last-minute cruising also allows for more flexibility to ensure the itinerary actually aligns with your schedule, alleviating some risk for unplanned cancellations. Personally, I saved hundreds of dollars booking last-minute cruises in 2022 when sailings were dirt cheap!
On the other hand, many people now recommend booking far in advance as the better option for cruise planning. This strategy allows cruisers to lock in a lower rate with the assumption that prices will continue to rise overtime. Booking early also provides more options for cabin selection and proper budgeting, along with opportunities to either reprice or upgrade your cabin at a reasonable cost.
To address this question, the initial phase of our analysis focused on examining pricing trends over the past 12 months. By studying historical price fluctuations, we aimed to determine which booking strategy ultimately results in the cheapest cruise fare for guests.
Our research included a detailed review of both balcony and interior cabin pricing across 13 different Royal Caribbean ships. The itineraries were scheduled to sail in March 2025. The objective was to uncover patterns in how cruise fares change over time and identify the most cost-effective booking approach.
The results are clear: if you’re holding out for a last-minute cruise bargain, you might want to reconsider.
According to our analysis, the likelihood of paying a higher fare increases the longer you wait to book your cruise. Reviewing data from a full 12-month period, we found that cruise prices generally trended upward over time, though there were some fluctuations, which we will explore in more detail later. While the data shows some fluctuation overtime, the overall trend indicated that fares steadily climbed as the departure date approached.
Most notably, between February 2024 and February 2025, average cruise fares increased an average of 42% across the 13 ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. Regardless of the itinerary or ship class, the trend was consistent across the board.
Diving deeper in our analysis, we wanted to understand if cabin category contributed to price fluctuations in our data. When comparing balcony and interior staterooms, we found that balcony cruise fares had a more significant increase over the 12-month period.
On average, the data revealed that balcony cabins saw a price increase of 47% throughout the year across the 13 ships analyzed. In contrast, interior staterooms increased by only 35% for the same 12-month timeframe. But, the extent of the increase varied depending on the ship class.
Our analysis showed balcony cabins on Vision and Radiance class ships had a significantly higher price increase over the 12-month period. For example, the price for a balcony cabin on Brilliance of the Seas skyrocketed by 161% for one sailing in March 2025! Similarly, balconies on Vision class ships increased by nearly 50% for itineraries in the same month.
On the other hand, the cruise line’s newest and biggest ships have notably more balconies available to book. This leads to more stable pricing with an increase in supply. In this way, we see balcony fares on Oasis, Quantum, and Voyager class ships only had an increase of 32% during the 12-month period.
Because most cruisers prefer booking a balcony stateroom for their vacation, there is usually an increased demand for this stateroom type. However, older and smaller ships have far fewer balcony cabins available, leading to scarcity-driven price increases.
For this reason, Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest vessels have far more balcony staterooms onboard. This strategy lowers the demand with more supply available. Compared to older vessels, there are significantly more balcony staterooms for guests to book on Icon, Oasis, and Quantum class ship.
For instance, the oldest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, Grandeur of the Seas, only has 122 balcony staterooms of the 997 cabins onboard. On the other hand, the much newer Odyssey of the Seas offers 1,482 balconies to book among its 1,922 total cabins. This represents a jump from just 12% of cabins being balconies to an impressive 77%.
If you’re wanting to book a balcony cabin on one of Royal Caribbean’s older and smaller ships, you might want to lock in your price sooner rather than later. However, if you’re sailing on a newer cruise ship, you won’t need to stress as much with more balcony stateroom options available.
Now that we’ve proven the importance of booking your cruise as early as possible, you might be wondering just how far in advance you should lock in your reservation. In my opinion, this was one of the most insightful and fascinating takeaways from the analysis!
While it’s not a guarantee, our findings suggests that the optimal time to secure the best price is 10 to 12 months before departure. In fact, about half of the itineraries analyzed showed their lowest fares 10 months out from the sailing.
Because of the cruise line’s dynamic pricing, the trends fluctuate substantially over the 12-month period. Most trends show a slight decrease in price from 10 to 12 months, followed by a steady and consistent increase over the next nine months.
Beyond the 9-month mark, prices for both inside and balcony cabins began to rise at a more predictable rate, showing a consistent upward trend as the departure date approached. Prices were often the highest within 1 to 3 months prior to the itinerary’s departure date. This illustrates why last-minute cruise deals have been hard to come by with the last year!
The steepest price hikes typically occurred between 4 and 7 months before sailing. For cruises departing in March 2025, the most significant price jumps were observed between August 2024 and November 2024.
Surprisingly, price increases slowed down as the departure date of March 2025 approached. In the final three months before the sailing date, cruise prices appear to stabilize, with only slight increases leading up to embarkation. This trend remained consistent across all cabin categories and ship classes in our analysis.
(Difference in Average Price by Months from Departure)
Why do we see this pricing stabilization right before departure? A key factor to consider is Royal Caribbean’s final payment deadline, which is usually 90 days before departure date.
After final payment, the cruise line has a better idea of how many guests will be cruising and which cabins are sold for a particular sailing. Less variability and uncertainty leads to steadier pricing and fewer fluctuations in the final months before departure.
If you’ve already booked a cruise before the 10-month mark, consider adding a reminder in your calendar to check if your cruise price has decreased. You can also ask your travel agent to do this for you. Based on our findings, you might be eligible for a reprice at a lower rate. If your sailing prices continue to rise, rest assured you locked in the lowest rate!
No analysis is complete without examining the outliers in our dataset. Among the itineraries and ships we analyzed, Icon of the Seas stood out as a clear anomaly. As Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest cruise ship, pricing on Icon of the Seas is less predictable and doesn’t align with the vessels.
When looking at the departure dates in March 2025, prices to sail on Icon of the Seas actually decreased from February 2024 to August 2024. One sailing showed a decrease of 42% in pricing during this timeframe. However, prices started to rise starting in September 2024 and continued increasing until February 2025.
Considering Royal Caribbean experienced record bookings and demand for Icon of the Seas, cruise fares were likely set higher than other ships in the cruise line’s fleet for March 2025 itineraries. When demand started to decline and cabins were not filling as anticipated, Royal Caribbean likely lowered prices to ensure cabins would continue to sell.
Those sailing on Icon of the Seas in the coming months should monitor cruise fares to potentially reprice for additional savings. This could also present an opportunity to upgrade your cabin for an affordable fare,
Our analysis unveiled other interesting tidbits about Royal Caribbean’s pricing trends over the last year. First, we see that Royal Caribbean’s newest ships are the most expensive, as expected.
However, we were surprised to see Wonder of the Seas was consistently the most expensive cruise ship to book in Royal Caribbean’s fleet for March 2025. The average cruise fare for an interior cabin on Wonder of the Seas was the most expensive in our dataset at $3,741, followed by Icon of the Seas at $2,146 and Symphony of the Seas at $1,899.
On the other hand, Royal Caribbean’s oldest and smallest ships were significantly cheaper. We see Brilliance of the Seas was the cheapest at $884 and Rhapsody of the Seas at $1,033 and Vision of the Seas at $1,098. Those looking to cruise on a budget should prioritize booking a Radiance or Vision class ship.
Read more: How much does a cruise ship cost to operate per day?
Our analysis also shows that some cruise ships had more price fluctuation than others. For instance, Utopia of the Seas had the least amount of price fluctuation, followed by Harmony of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas.
In contrast, Odyssey of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, and Vision of the Seas had the highest volatility in pricing. This is likely due to lower supply with few cabins available, leading to more pricing fluctuation over the 12-month period.
Bottom line: If you’re sailing on an older cruise ship, booking early is crucial to avoid rapid price hikes. This is especially true if you’re wanting to book a balcony cabin. On the other hand, newer ships offer more pricing stability. Booking 10-12 months out still secures the best deal in our findings, with 10 months from departure showing the cheapest time to book your cruise.
Hope you are having a great weekend. Here is all of this week’s Royal Caribbean cruise news.
Royal Caribbean added a new California home port.
More cruise ships will be sailing from the west coast, as the cruise line announced it will expand to a new homeport in San Diego.
The new west coast deployments were released this week, including two ships from Los Angeles.
Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video—What I wish someone told me about food on a cruise— and don’t forget to subscribe here.
Did you know you could take advantage of a price drop?
It’s not very well known, but there is a mechanism for price adjustments, but there are a few caveats.
The ability to re-price cruises has saved me thousands of dollars over the years, and it’s the best way to get a cruise deal.
A lawsuit was filed by a passenger against Royal Caribbean after an accident at their private island.
The lawsuit alleges the person was on a jet ski excursion and was hit by a jet ski operated by the tour operator.
She claimed she suffered four spinal fractures and extensive internal injuries and is seeking $5 million in damages.
I may have scoffed at these extra costs at one point, but now they’re always in my cart.
Royal Caribbean trots out new options all the time, and a few have resonated with me as must-buys.
Part of the fun of going on vacation is splurging and enjoying your time, and I have four I always look to buy first.
I love looking back at the way cruise ships used to look, especially before the age of the megaship.
Cruise ships have evolved a lot, including what they and passengers looked like. Mirroring society, cruise ships have moved on with the times and they looked a lot different 40 years ago.
While ships were big for their time, they definitely had a few key differences compared to ships today.
I just turned 30-years-old this month, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t taken my fair share of cruises over the last three decades. Last week, I sailed on my 51st cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas. Of course, I have a few more cruises already planned for this year.
Between personal and professional travel, I’ve been lucky enough to cruise more than I ever imagined. I took my first cruise at 4-years-old and continued sailing each year with my family while growing up.
My passion for cruising has only accelerated in the last decade, and I continue to prioritize cruising with my friends, husband, and parents. Whether it’s a quick weekend getaway or an extended voyage to a far-flung destination, each cruise brings something new to appreciate.
As someone who enjoys frequent travel, I’ve learned valuable lessons about maximizing my cruise budget. There are infinite opportunities to splurge on a cruise vacation; spending extra isn’t always necessary.
Here are my best tips for saving and splurging on a cruise vacation from a budget cruiser.
When booking your cruise, you’ll need to decide which cabin category you want to book. You might be tempted to spend thousands of dollars on a suite or balcony cabin, but I don’t think this is always necessary.
I prefer booking an interior cabin most of the time to save money. These budget-friendly cabins have everything you need for a comfortable stay, despite not having a window or balcony. Considering I book many port-intensive sailings, I hardly spend any time in my cabin anyway.
The only time I choose to book a balcony cabin is when I’m sailing on an especially scenic itinerary, such as Alaska, Iceland, and Norway. The views on these stunning sailings are an essential part of the experience!
For many years, I booked the cheapest cabin available onboard, which was often an interior guarantee cabin. Although you might save some money, you give up any control over choosing your cabin’s location onboard.
After losing the stateroom lottery location multiple times, I’ve sworn off guarantee cabins for the foreseeable future. Whether my cabins were below the pool deck or above the nightclub, many sleepless nights on vacation left my frustrated.
Instead, I splurge on choosing my cabin’s location to ensure my stateroom is in a quiet, convenient, and comfortable location. Not to mention, cruise ships are sailing at almost full capacity, meaning the leftover cabins available for guarantee reservations are often the least desirable ones. This is a gamble that I’m no longer willing to make!
Read more: Cruise ship extra costs worth splurging on
One of the most expensive cruise add-ons you can purchase is a drink package. While many travelers consider it a must-have for their cruises, it’s something I rarely choose to purchase for my trips.
After splurging on Royal Caribbean’s drink package for the first time a couple years ago, I quickly realized the investment was not worthwhile. I struggled to drink enough throughout the cruise to break even, and I often felt pressured to keep ordering drinks to justify the cost.
Instead, I’ve started to bring my own wine onboard while cruising to save money. Unless you have the stamina to drink frequently and consistently for your cruise, I’d suggest saving your money and forgoing the drink package. You can often find cheaper drinks in port and take advantage of the option to bring wine onboard, making it an easy way to cut costs without sacrificing enjoyment.
The only exception I make is for Celebrity Cruises’ All Included cruise fare, which bundles a standard drink package and internet package in the price. Last year, I booked a 15-night Australia cruise through my MEI travel agent at a group rate, which included these perks. By choosing this option, I actually saved money compared to booking directly with the cruise line without any extras.
For many years, I avoided spending extra on specialty dining. I was always impressed with the main dining room food on a cruise and never felt the need to splurge on specialty dining. However, with recent cost-cutting measures affecting the quality and variety of complimentary dining, my perspective has shifted.
Now, I genuinely appreciate the elevated ambiance and dining experience, especially when cruising on longer itineraries. I almost always book specialty dining while cruising and highly recommend others do too.
You might also be surprised to learn that you can negotiate specialty dining prices. On my recent sailings with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, I saved anywhere from 30% to 50% by simply inquiring about a discount.
Cruise lines are eager to fill their specialty restaurants, so you can often see crew members promoting these venues throughout the ship. If you show some interest and insist that you’ll only dine at a discount, you’ll often be offered a lower rate, making it a great way to enjoy an upgraded dining experience without overspending.
Read more: Royal Caribbean loyalty match review
Once you’re onboard a cruise ship, there are constant temptations to spend extra money. Onboard spending is extremely profitable for cruise lines; for instance, Royal Caribbean reported in its 2024 Q4 financial report that consumer spending onboard is significantly higher than 2023 levels, fueled by greater spending at higher prices.
For this reason, I steer clear of the onboard spa, casino, and shops so I am not tempted to spend money. It’s easy to spend extra when you can easily charge everything to your shipboard account.
Cruise ship spas are notoriously overpriced for the services they provide, and casinos make it extremely easy to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars. While onboard shops can be fun to browse, you’ll often find overpriced and poor-quality merchandise available for purchase.
Instead, I prefer spending my time onboard enjoying the included amenities and entertainment to save money. Your cruise will already feature activities, events, and shows at no extra cost. This allows you to have a fantastic vacation without blowing your budget.
While some cruisers prioritize the ship experience itself, others are drawn to cruises for the chance to explore new destinations and immerse themselves in different ports of call. As a world traveler, I am always looking for interesting cruise itineraries to visit new countries and destinations.
If you’re spending your hard-earned money and vacation time to go on a cruise, I recommend booking an itinerary that interests you. Don’t settle for ports of call that aren’t exciting. Unless you have unlimited resources and time, choosing a more desirable itinerary is always worth the extra cost to make the most of your vacation.
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