Royal Caribbean News Round-up December 3, 2023

Happy December! We cannot believe that we are already one full week into the month – there is so much going on with holiday preparation and shopping and baking!

The second Icon Class cruise ship is coming to Port Canaveral.

Royal Caribbean announced Star of the Seas will sail from Port Canaveral when the new ship launches in 2025.

The sister ship to Icon of the Seas, Star’s first batch of sailings will go on sale on December 6, 2023.

Royal Caribbean News

Video: I took my first Celebrity Cruise and it was not what I expected!

After spending decades taking more than 70 Royal Caribbean cruises and reaching Pinnacle status, Matt felt ready to try a cruise on the sister brand, Celebrity Cruises.

Over Thanksgiving, he chose a cruise on the new Celebrity Apex, and was surprised by his experience!

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise!

Check out the link to view our latest video: I took my first Celebrity Cruise and it was not what I expected!

Royal Caribbean takes ownership of the world’s biggest cruise ship

After seven years of preparation, the world’s largest cruise ship is ready to make its debut.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas was delivered at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, signifying its transfer of ownership.

Icon of the Seas boasts the capacity for 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew members. She is 1,198 feet long and 20 decks tall. 

First time cruise tips for Royal Caribbean

Are you preparing to take your first Royal Caribbean cruise? Or are you even anticipating your first cruise ever? Every cruise line is different, so it’s important to do your research, get prepared, and know what to expect!

We have some new and updated tips to make your first experience a great one.

From proper documentation to prohibited items, here are our top first-time tips for Royal Caribbean cruises. 

5 things I hope Royal Caribbean steals from Celebrity Ascent (and one they shouldn’t)

After sailing a combined number of nine nights on Celebrity Cruise ships, Matt now has identified some great features from the Celebrity Ascent that Royal Caribbean should consider adopting.

This new, Edge Class ship was just launched in 2023, and boasts 16 decks, all packed with top-class amenities and entertainment.

However, there is one aspect Royal Caribbean should stay away from: the All Included program. Read about Matt’s experience and inspired ideas for Royal Caribbean and more in his article. 

I stayed in the cheapest, smallest cabin on Enchantment of the Seas for $210 per night

Calista spent only $210 per night to stay in the smallest, cheapest room on Enchantment of the Seas.

She used the guarantee cabin process to receive the cheapest cabin, and was assigned a small, windowless inside stateroom spanning just 142 square feet.

Despite the wear and tear on this older ship, this cabin was no smaller than any of the other cheap, guarantee staterooms she has stayed in on other, newer Royal Caribbean ships. Take a look inside this Vision Class, 1996 cruise cabin. 

Paradise Beach all-inclusive beach pass review

Going to an all-inclusive beach resort is the perfect way to take advantage of a stop in Cozumel, Mexico. In this article, we outline what you can expect from a visit to Paradise Beach.

The resort has three major areas: the pool, the beach, and various amenities, such as restrooms and bars. Including attentive service and great food and drinks, you can pay one price for access to all of these amenities.

The variety of activities and reasonable price make Paradise Beach a great option for couples, families, and groups looking for a fun day with quality service.