Royal Caribbean Blog

Many of our blog readers are big fans of Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas.  She has garnered the admiration of many over the years, offering a lot in a small size.

Here are some quick facts about Enchantment of the Seas that you might not have know about!

1. Enchantment of the Seas has been stretched

Enchantment of the Seas is a different sized ship today than she was when she was launched.

As part of a ship-wide revitalization, in 2005 the Vision-class ship was cut in half and then expanded with a new 73-foot section and then put back together.

This "stretching" has given Enchantment of the Seas an unique distinction for being a different size than her other Vision-class sister ships.

2. Her Godmother is Colleen Fain

When Royal Caribbean builds a cruise ship, they will choose a godmother and often that will be celebrity but for Enchantment of the Seas, Royal Caribbean decided to keep the honor in the family. Literally.

The ship's "godmother" is Colleen Fain, the wife of Royal Caribbean Ltd Chairman Richard Fain.

Mrs. Fain's duties as godmother included giving the vessel its name during the Southampton ceremonies when she released a giant 46-liter bottle of Taittinger champagne to break against the ship's bow, officially proclaiming the ship's name to be Enchantment of the Seas and wished safe journeys to all of its passengers and crew.

3. There is a bar over the ocean

Enchantment of the Seas has one pool bar that actually juts out over the ocean.

The Oasis pool bar features a glass floor that gives passengers a view of the ocean below them as they enjoy their drinks.

Talk about a bar with a view!

These days, everyone is talking about Royal Caribbean's unlimited alcohol packages because they are a simple way to lock in the price of drinks for your cruise but not everyone drinks enough to warrant purchasing them.

The good news is, there are lots of ways to save money on your drinks without opting for a package.  

Royal Caribbean entices its guests with discount offers and benefits that reduce the total cost of drinks, but you will need to know how to find them all.

Drink of the day

A Royal Caribbean staple is the Drink of the Day, where one drink each day of your cruise is selected to receive a 20% discount.

Your Cruise Compass will list which drink is the Drink of the Day, although you can always ask any waiter or bartender and they can fill you in.

The discount for the Drink of the Day helps cut down on the cost of drinks and is a great way to try new drinks without much financial risk!

Bar specials listed in Cruise Compass

In order to drum up business, many bars and lounges will offer drink specials throughout the day and you can find all of them listed in the Cruise Compass.

In the morning, drinks such as Bloody Mary's and Mimosa's are sold at a reduced rate.  

Later in the day, select bars will offer drink specials. As an example, Michael's Genuine Pub on Quantum of the Seas offered 2 for 1 beer specials and the On Air Club on Freedom of the Seas had some great margarita specials.

The key is to check your Cruise Compass for when and where these drink specials will be offered.  Some are available throughout the cruise while others are only available at select times.

Crown and Anchor Society coupons

Members of Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program, the Crown and Anchor Society, will receive coupons for free drinks.

The exact coupon you get will depend on your status in Crown and Anchor society, but you will want to check the list of coupons that are listed in your stateroom on embarkation day.

As an example, for Platinum members there are coupons for

• Buy any wine, beer or soda by the glass and get a second free
• Purchase any glass of wine, beer or soda and receive a 10% discount

Remember that everyone in your stateroom gets their own set of discounts, so be sure to use them all!

Diamond level free drinks

Guests who are Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club Crown and Anchor Society members also receive vouchers for complimentary drinks on each day.

Three drink vouchers per day will be applied to each eligible Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members corresponding SeasPass card to be used to get a free drink at bars on the ship that can be used between 4:30pm and 8:00pm.

Diamond and Concierge club lounges

Speaking of Diamond members, Royal Caribbean provides free drinks to guests that have access to the Diamond Club and/or Concierge club lounges.

These lounges are specifically for guests that have attained at least Diamond level status in Crown and Anchor Society or guests staying in a suite onboard the ship.

There is food to be enjoyed in these lounges as well, but complimentary alcoholic beverages are also on the menu.  

Free drinks at Crown and Anchor Society events

Each cruise, Royal Caribbean will hold "welcome back" parties for its Crown and Anchor members.

At each event, complimentary alcoholic beverages are served and it can be a great way to enjoy free drinks while hearing about what is new and exciting about Royal Caribbean.

Be sure to show up a little early to the events, because the complimentary drinks start flowing as soon as the doors open.

Free champagne

There are a few times during a Royal Caribbean cruise where guests can get free champagne.

These events will be listed in the Cruise Compass and are most often

• Art auctions
• Captain's Welcome
• Holidays such as New Years Eve

What is your best way to save money on a drink while cruising? Share them in the comments!

We love to broadcast live on YouTube and on one recent broadcast, we received a question about what is the best advice for someone going on their first 7-night cruise.

It got us thinking, because there is so much that goes into a Royal Caribbean cruise that we wanted to pick out the really important tips to share for someone about to take their first 7-night cruise.

Read the Cruise Compass

Each evening, your stateroom attendant will deliver to your stateroom the Cruise Compass, which is a daily guide to the news, events and activities that will be occuring on your ship the next day.

Royal Caribbean packs a lot of things to do into each day and you are best served by reading it each evening to be aware of what is happening onboard. 

The Cruise Compass is more than just knowing what time bingo is at.  It offers you insight into tomorrow's weather, which bars will have drink specials, shore excursion information and more.

Some events are not repeated while other activities can change daily, so it is in your best interest to track what is happening so you do not miss any of it.

Pack for two formal nights

A typical Royal Caribbean 7-night cruise will feature two formal nights, so be sure to pack accordingly.

Usually, the first formal night will be on the second night, whereas the second formal night can vary between the fifth or sixth nights of your cruise.

What is formal night? Formal night is an evening where the dress code at the main dining room is more upscale.  For men, this means collared shirts with nice pants (tie and jacket optional) and for ladies, it is a nice cocktail dress, dress or something else similar.

TRUTH ABOUT DRESS CODES

Keep in mind that formal night dress attire only applies to the main dining room and no where else on the ship.  

If you prefer not to dress up for formal night, there are other dining options onboard that you can go to.

Explore the ship early

Your seven night Royal Caribbean cruise will be over before you know it, so be sure to explore the ship properly early so you do not miss out on any of it.

These ships are really big and that means there is a lot to see and do onboard.  Do yourself a favor and explore the ship as much as you can in the first day or two of the cruise so you can easily navigate the ship as well as learn about what is offered onboard.

Embarkation day is always the best time for exploring your ship, so take advantage of your first day onboard by arriving to the ship early (before noon) and just walk around.

You will discover bars, restaurants, public spaces, cinemas and more that you will likely want to stop by later on in the cruise.

Most Royal Caribbean ships now offer interactive wayfinders, that allow you to navigate your way around the ship quite easily. Take advantage of them on each deck to more easily acclimate yourself to the ship.

Bonus tip: Speaking of early, be sure to arrive to your ship early on embarkation day.  Between 10am and 11am is a great time to beat the crowds and start your vacation sooner!

See the shows

Something Royal Caribbean really excels at is entertainment and on a 7-night cruise, there are lots of great shows to take in.

Ice skating shows, Broadway shows, featured productions, comedians and more are available to see and they are all included in your cruise fare.

Do yourself a favor and see the shows, even if you just go for a little bit to get a taste of what to expect.  They really are great spectacles and each show offers a little something different.

Onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, you will find singing and dancing, comedians, magicians, acrobats and more.  

Royal Caribbean really does a great job with putting these shows together and the production values and acting are top notch in all of the shows.

Sign the kids up for Adventure Ocean on embarkation day

If you have children, be sure to stop by Adventure Ocean and sign them up for the complimentary kids program Royal Caribbean offers.

The Adventure Ocean program is designed to let kids explore, play and have fun and it really is a fun way to spend a week at sea.  

Kids will love it because it's a chance to meet and play with other kids their age and parents will enjoy the time to themselves.

If you wait until day two or later, everyone else will already be situated and your child may feel like a wallflower, especially if they are shy.

Adventure Ocean is included in your cruise fare, so stop by the Adventure Ocean room on embarkation day to check the facility out as well as get any questions answered.

Understand how unlimited beverage packages work

Royal Caribbean's unlimited alcohol and beverage packages have never been more popular and they can be a great way to lock in a single price for the duration of your cruise.

The key thing to remember about a 7-night cruise is that you want to make sure you will be able to leverage these drink packages on all 7-nights, otherwise the package may not make financial sense.

On 4-night cruises, the drink package value can be easily gotten but 7-nights is a longer time onboard and "drink fatigue" can set in.

Between having limited time to drink onboard during port days and the daily need to drink to "get your money's worth", we have talked to plenty of guests who would have been better off financially after a 7-night cruise by buying their drinks a la carte.

There is no simple answer for everyone, but our advice is to consider that you will be on your ship for 7-nights and whether you want to be drinking 5-6 drinks per day, every day.

Learn more

There is much more you can learn about a 7-night Royal Caribbean cruise and here are some additional resources to help you.

• All about the Cruise Compass
• What time to board your Royal Caribbean cruise
• Should you buy the unlimited alcohol packages?

One of the most popular foods these days has to be sushi and on a Royal Caribbean cruise, guests can enjoy sushi throughout their cruise.

Sushi is a healthy and incredibly tasty meal that seems to becoming more and more popular.  Here is where you can get sushi on a Royal Caribbean cruise, how much it will cost and everything else important to know.

Izumi

When Royal Caribbean launched Oasis of the Seas back in 2009, the cruise line added a brand new specialty restaurant dedicated to sushi and Japanese cuisine, Izumi.

Izumi specialty restaurants have spread like wild fire to many other ships in the fleet and each Izumi restaurant offers guests popular sushi rolls, sashimi, hot rock (Ishiyaki) plates, sukiyaki and more.

For sushi lovers, Izumi is the place onboard Royal Caribbean to get sushi because of the quality and variety available.

The following Royal Caribbean ships have Izumi available onboard

• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Radiance of the Seas
• Rhapsody of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Splendour of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Grandeur of the Seas
• Legend of the Seas
• Vision of the Seas

Izumi is a specialty restaurant that charges a la carte for items on the menu.  There is no cover charge, and instead you are charged for what you order.

Izumi is open for dinner on every night and lunch on sea days.

Izumi Hibachi & Sushi

Royal Caribbean re-imagined Izumi in recent refurbishments for the Oasis class ships, that combines what you would typically find in Izumi on other ships with a hibachi experience.

In addition to the sushi rolls and sashimi offered at Izumi, guests can also order from a full teppanyaki menu.

The hibachi meals have a cover charge that includes the entree. Choices include Beef, Chicken, Lobster or Shrimp.

Each meal includes soup or salad, edamame app, fried rice or lo mein noodles, cooked veggies and dessert.

Essentially, the restaurant is divided in two sections: one section for sushi and the other section for the hibachi.

Sushi is priced exactly the same at Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, with sushi priced for each individual roll or piece.

Izumi Express

As of July 1, 2016, all Royal Caribbean ships also offer an Izumi Express option, where guests can purchase take-out sushi.

Izumi Express is a takeaway service that offers packaged sushi, ready to go, at a very discounted price.

Jade

On some Royal Caribbean ships, there is a section in the Windjammer called Jade, where guests can enjoy Asian food of all kinds.

In the evenings, Jade usually offers sushi rolls to guests that are complimentary.

The selection of sushi available at Jade is more limited than Izumi, with usually a half dozen hand rolls available at any given time. There is no nigiri sushi and none of it is made to order.

The chief benefit to Jade is that it is complimentary and available in the evening for dinner.  

Jade sushi was Royal Caribbean's first foray into sushi but has largely been replaced or superceded by Izumi.  

Jade is still available on a number of Royal Caribbean ships, mostly those ships that lack an Izumi.

Which sushi have you had on a Royal Caribbean cruise? Tell us in the comments!

Royal Caribbean has changed up how it advertises the cost of its unlimited alcohol packages and unlimited beverage packages.

Royal Caribbean is now including the 18% service charge into the daily cost of the package.  

Previously, Royal Caribbean would advertise a lower rate for the packages and then add the service charge upon purchase.

The new pricing for the unlimited alcohol packages is as follows

• Select package: $42 per person, per day
• Premium package: $57 per person, per day
• Ultimate package: $67 per person, per day

SHOULD YOU BUY THE UNLIMITED ALCOHOL PACKAGES?

In addition, the new pricing is reflected in the Royal Replenish and Royal Refreshment packages as well.

• Royal Refreshment (soda package)
  • $8 per adult, per day
  • $5.50 per child, per day
• Royal Replenish package: $22 per person, per day

The new pricing allows the total cost of the package to be more transparent to guests and without the surprise of a service charge added on just prior to purchase.

Do you like that the service charge is now part of the daily price? Share your thoughts in the comments!

There is something about having a cocktail on your Royal Caribbean cruise vacation that just puts you into that perfect "now I am on vacation" mood.  Maybe it is the little umbrella or perhaps it is the combination of juice and liquor, but it is hard to go wrong with these delicious mixed drinks.

Over the last few cruises, we have engaged in some serious "research" by sampling a number of mixed drinks and frozen beverages on Royal Caribbean ships and came up with our list of ther drinks worth trying on your next cruise.

Sweet & Spice Margarita and the Sabor Grand Margarita from Sabor

The New Southern from American Icon Grill

Pineapple Special from Freedom of the Seas main pool area

Anything in the color changing mugs!

Labadoozie from Labadee

Mojito from Boleros

Pina Colada from Boleros

Wildberry Lava Flow from pool bar

Coco Loco from CocoCay

How much are these Royal Caribbean drinks?

If just looking at all these drinks makes you want to get onboard and book a cruise, you may also want to know how much these drinks are selling for.

Most of the drinks will cost about $12, not including any souvenir mugs and before gratuity. 

If your drink is the drink of the day, Royal Caribbean will knock 25% off the cost.

Many guests opt for an unlimited alcohol package so they can enjoy plenty of these drinks for a fixed cost.

What is your favorite Royal Caribbean drink? Tell us (and share a photo of it) in the comments below!

A virtual balcony stateroom offers guests the chance to pay for an inside stateroom, but still get a balcony-level view.

This amazing innovation is exclusive to Royal Caribbean and combines impressive technology with breathtaking views.

Inside cabins are usually dreary and cramped, without any natural light.

But a virtual balcony stateroom provides an opportunity to brighten up the space without paying a steep cost.

For guests who want a balcony view without paying the full price for a balcony stateroom, staying in a virtual balcony cabin is a useful hack.

These cabins are located on the inside of the ship, without real windows or balconies.

Instead, a floor-to-ceiling HD screen displays a real-time video feed that mimics a balcony view.

The LED screen shows a look at the view outside the ship, the same as if you were staying in a balcony room.

If you are considering booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, here is everything you need to know about virtual balconies and how they work.

What is a virtual balcony?

Virtual balconies are inside staterooms on select Royal Caribbean ships equipped with 80-inch LED televisions. These TV screens provide live HD views from outside the cruise ship, right into your stateroom.

The screens are 4K ultra-high definition capable screens that stretch from floor to ceiling.

The video feed is received from cameras that are mounted at the stem and stern of the ship. 

Essentially, guests could either view the front of the ship from the camera near the bridge, or the ship’s wake from the camera at the back.

The technical team decided to place these cameras at the front and back because there wasn’t room on the starboard and port sides of the ship. 

Additionally, having the cameras display a feed at the front or back ensures that guests won’t experience any seasickness from the view. 

Video plays 24/7 on the cruise, showing views like the ship coming into port in the mornings, or even black space at night.

Royal Caribbean created these rooms to mimic the feeling of having a balcony as closely as possible.

The screen has curtains in front of it, just like a real balcony would. 

You can also turn the virtual balcony on and off at your own discretion, enjoying a view whenever you feel like it.

The cabins even have a computer-generated balcony overlay to give guests the perspective of a real balcony stateroom.

Natural sounds are also piped in to mimic the atmosphere that guests would have while staying in a real balcony stateroom. 

But in a virtual balcony cabin, the volume can be adjusted or even turned off.

The ambiance also ensures that guests can enjoy natural views without sacrificing the climate control and cheaper prices of an inside cabin.

Why stay in a virtual balcony cabin?

A virtual balcony provides the benefit of solving the disadvantages of staying in an inside cabin while being available at a similar price.

You can pay the cheap price of an inside cabin, but not have the struggle of living without windows and natural light.

The screen brightens an otherwise gloomy style of stateroom.

A virtual balcony screen pipes in natural lighting and ambient noises. Guests can enjoy the views of the ocean without leaving the comfort of their stateroom.

You can even glance at the screen and see the weather before getting dressed in the morning.

You’ll also know right away if the ship has docked at a port, or started to leave.

Cruise cabins become your home for the length of the cruise, so it’s important to balance budget and comfort.

A virtual balcony stateroom appeals to both, available at the price of an inside cabin while providing comfort through technological advances.

Where can I find a virtual balcony?

This innovative stateroom category was first pioneered on Quantum of the Seas in 2014 and can be found on all Quantum-Class ships. 

These staterooms have since been added to more ships, including some older vessels.

Virtual balcony staterooms are located on the following Royal Caribbean ships:

• Anthem of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas

All ships with the virtual balcony category have at least ten available, ensuring that you should receive one if you book it ahead of time.

Read more: I stayed in the cheapest virtual balcony cabin on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas. Look inside my $137 a night room.

How does the virtual balcony work?

The tech behind the virtual balcony screens took a team of network and software engineers to develop.

Making the virtual balconies work was no easy task because of a variety of ship-specific needs that were not available when the project was first being developed.

Read more: An inside look behind the making of Royal Caribbean's virtual balcony

It took a lot behind the scenes to make the virtual balcony happen.

First, the team had to start by finding a camera that would run indefinitely.

They settled on using two RED Epic cinematic cameras, which are currently what Royal Caribbean uses to provide the view of the ocean.

These cameras have fantastic dynamic range and can support up to 240 frames per second.

The camera picks up just about what the human eye could see.

For example, on evenings when there is no moon, the human eye would see nothing but darkness on a real balcony—so the same is true for the view on a virtual balcony screen.

 But if you would be able to look outside and see the moonlight reflecting on the waves, that would be reflected by the virtual balcony’s cameras.

The virtual balcony receives the feed and displays it on 80" 4K LED Sharp Aquos screens in each stateroom.  

Do you want to stay in a virtual balcony stateroom on your next Royal Caribbean cruise? Tell us in the comments below!

One of Royal Caribbean's most popular cruise ships is Freedom of the Seas and we have searched all over this ship for the best hidden secrets that you might miss on this impressive ship.

10. Best spot for sailaway

If you want the best spot on Freedom of the Seas to watch as she pulls out of port, then it has to be the helicopter pad at the front of the ship.

Located on the bow, guests can walk to the helicopter pad and enjoy the unobstructed views that you can only get from the helicopter pad.  The perspective from this spot is hard to beat and many guests do not know it is possible to go here.

To access the helicopter pad, go outside on deck 4 and then walk forward, climb up a set of stairs and continue walking forward until you reach the helicopter pad.

9. Hidden door to the helipad

Speaking of the helipad, if you want to avoid the stairs that lead up to the front of the ship, there is a secret door that will get you right there.

Walk all the way forward on Deck 5 and enter the Star Lounge.  In the daytime, it is usually empty.  Enter the lounge and take an immediate right, just past the DJ booth.

There's a set of unmarkes doors that you can simply open up an you will be let out right next to the helipad.  

This is especially helpful if you have a stroller or are in a wheelchair and stairs are a problem.

8. Second best spot for sailaway

A good alternative spot for sailaway that is less windy than the helipad (and has no stairs) are the little observation areas on deck 11 near the Solarium.

Go up to deck 11 and walk all the way forward.  Once in the Solarium, adjacent to the doors that lead to the elevator lobby are glass doors you must open manually.  

Inside is a small "room", with windows that look outwards and even some chairs to sit in.  This can be a great, uncrowded spot to enjoy sailaway.

7. Enjoy the view from Olive or Twist

It is really hard to beat the views of Freedom of the Seas' upper decks from the Olive or Twist Lounge.

Located on deck 14 at the aft of the ship the Olive or Twist lounge offers guests sweeping views of the upper decks and the ocean.  

To get to Olive or Twist, you must use the aft elevators and go up to deck 14.

6. Get a taste of it all at FreedomFest

An event unique to Freedom of the Seas is something called FreedomFest, where the Royal Promenade offers guests a little of everything unique on Freedom of the Seas.

There will be food and drink stations available, as well as towel and napkin folding demonstrations, watermelon carving, photos with the ship's officers, and more.

It is basically like a "best of" from the week's events held in one spot. 

FreedomFest is held on the Royal Promenade and is usually done on one of the last sea days of your cruise.  Check the Cruise Compass for more information.

5. Sun yourself on the St. Tropez deck

If you want to get that perfect tan or just enjoy being outside without all the noise of the pool deck (or the crowds), head up the St. Tropez deck.

Walk up to deck 12 and then walk all the way forward.  You will see a large open area with some deck chairs that you can use to enjoy a mostly uncrowded sun bathing spot.

What is special about the St. Tropez deck is there tends to be not many guests here at all, leaving it rather tranquil.  

4. Best parade spot

 

A photo posted by Royal Caribbean Blog.com (@royalcaribbeanblog) on Aug 1, 2015 at 4:24pm PDT

The DreamWorks parade on Freedom of the Seas is a terrific opportunity to see and meet the popular stars from hit DreamWorks films.

If you want a good spot to enjoy the parade and ensure your kids have a good chance to be close to the characters, try in front of the Bull and Bear pub.

The pub has tables outside the pub that you can sit at in the time leading up to the parade and since other families do not consider a pub the first spot to bring kids to for a parade, it can remain overlooked.

Once the parade is about to begin, stand up from your seats and you will be up front for all the action.  In addition, the pub is located right in the middle of the parade route.

3. Find the coolest mixed drinks here

These days, Royal Caribbean offers its guests a lot of opportunities to buy alcoholic beverages but the best place to find the most interesting mixed drinks has to be up on the pool deck on the port side.

This one spot near the main pool consistently serves up more than just mixed drinks.  You will find the neatest souvenir mugs as well as interesting choices for drinks that we could never find anywhere else onboard.

On one day, they were making mixed drinks that you could drink out of a hollowed out pineapple, and other days had different light up or color changing mugs.

Look for a stand on deck 11 at the main pool, close to the Solarium.  The choices available change daily, so be sure to ask about what is coming up and when.

2. Ride the FlowRider on embarkation day

Guests cannot seem to get enough of the FlowRider surf simulator on Freedom of the Seas.  It is really fun to try and learn to surf without having to wait for that perfect wave but there always seems to be a line.

To beat the lines, go to the FlowRider on embarkation day.  Bring your swimsuit in your carryon luggage (or wear it to the ship) and then head to the FlowRider in the afternoon.  

Most other guests onboard will not have their swim suits or even be aware the FlowRider is open.  It is the perfect time to get multiple rides in without little or no wait!

1. Book the Ben & Jerry's Suite

Photo by David Fiske

If you want a stateroom with some real character, try the "Ben & Jerry's Sweet" Promenade stateroom.

Stateroom 6305 may not appear different on the deck plans, but it one of the most unusual staterooms available anywhere.

Located directly above the Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop on the Royal Promenade, the sweet has a view of the Royal Promenade blocked by the two cows that make up the ice cream shop's recognizable facade.

Inside the stateroom, you will find a cow motif, with cow-sheets, pillows, cow, cow's picture on the wall and much more.

Booking this stateroom also gets you coupons for free Ben & Jerry's ice cream as well as access to the Concierge Lounge (for passengers over 18 years), which are otherwise only available to passengers reserved for those who booked a suite.

Did we miss any Freedom of the Seas secrets? Share them in our comments!

When you sail on your next Royal Caribbean ship, there is a good chance you will find Coca-Cola's amazing self-serve beverage dispensers known as the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine.

The Freestyle machine offers guests 100+ flavors of various Coca-Cola products that you can mix together to create the perfect drink for you.  Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line to offer Freestyle machines.

In order to use the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, guests must purchase an all-inclusive beverage package or the Royal refreshment package and use their complimentary Coca-Cola souvenir cup. The Coca-Cola souvenir cup has a special chip in it which activates the machine.

The following Royal Caribbean ships have Coca-Cola Freestyle Machines

• Adventure of the Seas 
• Allure of the Seas 
• Anthem of the Seas 
• Enchantment of the Seas 
• Explorer of the Seas 
• Freedom of the Seas 
• Grandeur of the Seas 
• Harmony of the Seas 
• Independence of the Seas 
• Jewel of the Seas 
• Mariner of the Seas 
• Navigator of the Seas 
• Oasis of the Seas 
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas 
• Ovation of the Seas 
• Rhapsody of the Seas 
• Symphony of the Seas 
• Wonder of the Seas

It seems that Freestyle machines are only available in the United States, Canada and limited availability in the UK and Europe and Royal Caribbean has added the machines to ships based mostly in the United States.

Using the Freestyle machines is pretty simple too, you pick a base flavor (like Coke or Fanta) and you can customize the drink with fruit flavors (Orange Coke or Orange Fanta, Lime Fanta, etc).  You can also stop a drink mid-pour by just releasing the dispense button and select another drink to mix two together. So if you want to mix Orange Fanta with Mello Yello Grape you can!

Some of the base flavors available to choose from are Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Caffeine-Free Diet Coke, Sprite, Sprite Zero, Fanta, Fanta Zero, Minute Maid Lemonade, Minute Maid Light, Dasani, Dasani Sensations, Powerade, Powerade Zero, Hi-C, Barq's, Diet Barq's and Seagram's Lemon Lime Seltzer. and more.

The special souvenir Coca-Cola cups that Royal Caribbean sells also has a time restriction, which prevents guests from getting refills until 10-15 minutes have passed since their last pour.  This time restriction is to prevent abuse of the Freestyle machine privileges.

Use of the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines is available with a few unlimited drink packages:

• Royal Refreshment package
  • $8.00 per day, per guest
• Royal Replenish package
  • $22.42 per person, per day (includes service charge)
• All of the Royal Caribbean unlimited alcohol packages
  • Unlimited alcohol packages begin at $42 per person, per day

Have you tried the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines on your Royal Caribbean cruise? Thinking about using them on your next cruise? Tell us about it in the comments!

You have decided on the right Royal Caribbean cruise for you, made a deposit on your sailing and have your stateroom reserved just for you. What should you do next?

Planning a Royal Caribbean cruise can be a fun exercise in planning, as you discover there is a lot to do before you ever set foot on your ship.  

Once you have your cruise booked, here are five things you should look into as your next step and really jump into the pre-cruise excitement!

1. Select your dining preference

Dinner on a Royal Caribbean cruise has a few options to choose from, and you will want to make sure you pick the option you want.  Depending on your ship, there can be a few choices: traditional, My Time Dining or Dynamic Dining.

Traditional dining is where you have a set time each night of your cruise, where you will be seated at the same table in the main dining room and have the same wait staff and table mates.  This is the most common choice available and is also the most widely available option.  There are two times, early and late seating.

My Time Dining takes place in the Main Dining Room as well, but instead of a fixed time and table, you reserve times during the evening or show up and get the first available table.  My Time Dining allows for more flexibility in when you eat, but requires more planning to ensure you have a spot each night to dine at.

Dynamic Dining is the newest choice, and is available on Quantum class ships currently.  There is no Main Dining Room, but instead you have a choice among complimentary and specialty restaurants to book reservations at.  You can pick the same restaurant or as many as you want, with different waiters and times each evening.

To enroll in any of these options for your cruise, contact your travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly and request the one you want. There can be times where the choice you want is full, but you can request to be put on a wait list and in our experience, wait list requests usually are fulfilled.

2. Register your cruise on My Cruises

In order to gain access to all of Royal Caribbean's pre-cruise planning options online, you will want to register yourself on Royal Caribbean's web site and tie your reservation to your account.

If you have not done so already, create a My Cruises account on Royal Caribbean's web site. It's free and should take just a few minutes to complete.

Log into your account and then add an existing reservation to your My Cruises account.

Now, you will have access to every detail of your sailing, including shore excursions, beverage packages, entertainment, dining reservations and more.

3. Research your pre-cruise transportation

We recommend arriving to your cruise embarkation port at least one day early, to avoid transportation delays that can potentially cause you to miss your cruise.

For those that are flying on an airplane to your cruise, booking airfare in advance is a good idea.  It is also a good idea to research a hotel to stay at and lock in a price now before others do the same.

Depending on the port you are leaving from, there can be lots of hotels and resorts to choose from.  Use consumer review web sites to find which hotel will offer you the amenities you want for the price you can afford.  

It is easy to overlook your pre-cruise transportation and lodging and then have to pay more than you should later.

4. Review your travel documents

Before you can get onboard your Royal Caribbean cruise, you will need to provide local authorities the proper documentation to prove who you are, and you definitely do not want to arrive at the pier missing something important.

Research what proof of identification you may need for everyone in your party, such as birth certificates, drivers licenses and/or passports.  If you are traveling to another country for your cruise, look into if you will need to apply for a visa.

Processing times for documents like visas and passports can take weeks, if not months, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get any necessary documents ready for your sail date.

5. Research if you should purchase travel insurance

Insurance is one of things that you do not think of until you need it and then it is worth every penny.  The thing is, not everyone needs travel insurance but you should look into what travel insurance offers and if you are at an elevated risk and would benefit from it.

Royal Caribbean offers travel insurance, as well as many third party companies.  Read exactly what the insurance covers and the scenarios in which you can make a claim.  It is important to be aware that travel insurance does not cover every scenario, but issues such as personal illness, death of a family member, airline delays, lost baggage and more are common times when insurance will be of great benefit.

There is no easy way to determine who does and who does not need travel insurance, but you should at least consider the option now to safeguard yourself in the future.