Royal Caribbean is one of the most popular cruise lines in the world.
Each year millions of passengers take a trip on the cruise line, with more than two dozen
ships sailing all corners of the planet.
And whether you've sailed the line before, or you've never stepped foot on one of their
ships, there's plenty that you need to know about sailing the cruise line before your
next cruise to make sure you have the best trip possible.
From which ships to sail to how much you’ll pay for things onboard, I'll share some of
the most important things about the cruise line right now.
Let's start with what I think is one of the most important things to know about sailing
Royal Caribbean, and that is that the newest and biggest ships are much different than
the older ships.
Royal Caribbean is known for having the largest cruise ships in the world.
The Oasis-class ships are literally the biggest on the planet.
And other newer ships like the Quantum-class are also huge, though not quite the same size
as Oasis.
Still, both of these classes are very different from other things in the fleet.
The newest and largest ships have the ability to put all the latest and greatest onboard.
I'm talking things like the AquaTheater on Oasis-class ships, which features a one-of-a-kind
water show or Central Park.
And the North Star on Quantum-class ships, or bumper cars.
The end result is that even if you've sailed Royal Caribbean before, the experience is
much different on the newest and largest ships.
They can simply offer more variety of things to do on the ship compared to the older ships.
There's plenty to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise that's included with your cruise fare.
On the biggest ships you can do everything from ziplining to wave-riding to catching
some shows that match -- or beat -- anything on Broadway or Las Vegas at no extra charge.
But don't expect that everything on the ship is free.
Specifically, Royal Caribbean has lots to eat, but extra charges.
For example, there is the main dining room, Windjammer buffet, and then some spots here
and there to eat for free, serving mostly snacks.
But the majority of restaurants -- especially those with service -- are an extra charge.
Want to eat Italian, a burger, or seafood?
It's going to be an extra charge unless grabbing it from the buffet or dining room.
Outside of the buffet there are some spots serving hot dogs, pizza, and Mexican food,
but except for El Loco Fresh, it's hard to call these offerings actual meals.
If you're wanting to get the full dining experience, then be prepared to pony up for some specialty
restaurants.
Trying to budget for your cruise?
Then two words might be the most annoying to you -- dynamic pricing.
Dynamic pricing is something that Royal Caribbean uses for many things during the cruise.
It's a fancy way of saying there's no set price, but the price of items onboard can
change.
So how much is a drink package on Royal Caribbean?
No one knows until you book your cruise.
The price varies from trip to trip.
Same thing with things like admission to the Thrill Waterpark on CocoCay.
There are price ranges that you will see, but dynamic pricing can make it hard to know
what things will cost until you've booked.
If you've never cruised before or it's been a while, then you might have the wrong impression
about onboard entertainment.
Maybe you're picturing something hokey or tacky with performers that couldn't cut it
somewhere else.
Nothing could be further from the truth, especially on Royal Caribbean.
The cruise line puts a serious focus on entertainment, with shows that you won't see anywhere else
-- on land or at sea.
Take the Aqua Theater on Oasis-class ships.
Here you have a high-energy performance with a pool that raises and lowers up to 18 feet.
Divers jump into the water from dizzying heights, performers fly over the crowd, and dancers
do unique stunts both in and out of the water.
Theater shows will blow you away, including one superhero show -- The Effectors -- with
a villain that commands an army of drones that fly out over the audience.
If you think that the shows on your ship aren't going to be worth your time, then you need
to reconsider.
Head to Royal Caribbean's website, and you'll most likely see a big advertisement for the
latest sale.
Not to burst your bubble, but these sales don't really mean that much from what we've
seen.
Cruise lines -- including Royal Caribbean -- offer sales constantly.
And while the offer may be tweaked here and there they largely come out to the same price.
For example, cruises are charged at double occupancy, meaning two people for a room.
So one sale might have 30% off all guests.
The next one might have 60% off a second guest.
It all comes out to the same price.
If a cruise line needs to fill a ship, then they can cut prices for that specific trip
instead of having a huge fleetwide sale.
Don't expect that waiting around for a special sale will save you tons of money.
A little tip that I've shared before, but it's great to know is that the room numbers
also serve as direction markers on Royal Caribbean.
When you're walking down the cabin hallway, it's very easy to get turned around.
With no windows, you don't know if you're headed forward or aft.
Different ships use different room numbers.
But each one points the way to the front of the ship.
In some cases it's a small arrow that points forward on the sign, similar to what you find
on the fuel gage of a car to tell you which direction your gas cap is on.
Older ships often have a "wave" above room number.
If you have one of these waves, then the higher end of the wave shows the way forward.
This little tip can help you from walking the length of the ship, only to realize you
were walking the wrong way the entire time.
You can't talk about Royal Caribbean without mentioning its private island destination
CocoCay.
The official name is Perfect Day at CocoCay and the cruise line spent hundreds of millions
to transform it into a full-blown destination.
On the island you'll find perfect beaches, one of the largest swimming pools you've ever
seen, an exclusive beach club, and a full waterpark with the tallest waterslide in North
America.
Culturally it may not be the most interesting place to visit.
But if you're simply wanting a place to relax and enjoy some of the most beautiful water
on earth -- all in a place that's custom made to cater to cruise passengers, then it can't
be beat.
Oh and one other reason to love it?
Your drink and Internet packages on the ship also work on the island.
Keeping with CocoCay, since it's sailed to from seemingly every itinerary leaving the
East Coast, Royal Caribbean passengers should know that the island can either be the best
value you'll see or one of the most expensive places you visit.
On CocoCay there is tons to do.
And you can spend the entire day hanging out on the beach, swimming in the pool, playing
beach games, or working on your tan.
That's all free and many people opt for these things.
But if you want more to do or a more comfortable experience, then be ready to open up that
wallet.
The waterpark on the island costs money, often upwards of $80 per person.
There's the Coco Beach Club, which is a private area of the island with its own pool and restaurant
with an admission fee.
Ziplining?
The balloon that soars over the island?
Jet-skis?
Cabanas?
Daybeds?
They are all an extra charge.
In fact, the price for some cabanas runs into the thousands of dollars.
So if you want to enjoy the day and not spend a dime, it's possible, but the full experience
can cost more.
When it comes to the best cruise lines for kids, Royal Caribbean takes the gold medal
in our opinion -- especially if your kids are a little older.
Any major cruise line will offer up things for kids to do.
But we don't think you'll find one that has as much as Royal Caribbean.
They offer splash pads and waterslides, the Flowrider standing wave, climbing walls, arcades,
escape rooms, bumper cars, sport courts, and even dedicated teen hangouts that are so cool
they would make mom and dad jealous.
Any parent knows that kids need seemingly constant stimulus to keep them entertained.
Royal Caribbean offers that in heaps -- and more so than we've seen from other cruise
lines.
If you have an upcoming cruise on Royal Caribbean, then I hope that these things to know definitely
help you out.
Royal is definitely one of my favorite lines personally, especially when sailing on the
newest and biggest ships.
In other words, I think you’ve got a lot to look forward to.
For more on getting ready for your cruise, be sure to check out Cruzely’s other videos
or find us on Cruzely.com And as always, remember to subscribe!
Until next time, happy cruising!