If you're already a Royal Caribbean fan, we don't need to tell you why the line is great.

But if you're searching for information before booking your first cruise under the crown and anchor, here are 10 areas in which Royal Caribbean offers unique experiences you won't find with other lines.

1. Cabins

Of note are the line's Oasis-class inward-facing Boardwalk and Central Park balconies, as well as AquaTheater Suites, which offer views of the venue of the same name and the vessel's wake. Since their debut in 2009, Royal Caribbean is still the only line to offer these types of accommodations. 

Royal Caribbean was also the first mainstream cruise line to introduce cabins that rise two decks. Known as Loft Suites, they fall under the Royal Suite Class -- some of the line's most lavish (and expensive) rooms -- found on most Oasis- and Quantum-class vessels. 

In 2018, the line debuted the Ultimate Family Suite on Symphony of the Seas. Also spanning two floors, it sleeps up to eight passengers in two rooms -- one for parents and one for kids. The latter includes a slide down to the first-floor living area, which is stocked with tons of games.

Read more: What are the different types of cabins on a cruise ship?

2. Outdoor Thrills

Freedom of the Seas greeted the world in 2006, boasting a free onboard FlowRider surf simulator, which is now a standard part of all ships that followed. (Some even have two.) 

As subsequent vessels were constructed, the line also outfitted some of them with for-fee RipCord by iFly simulated skydiving and the gratis Ultimate Abyss, a dry tube slide that spirals down 10 decks. 

On a couple of its older vessels, the line also went back and added complimentary Sky Pad bungee trampolines that incorporate bungee-assisted trampolining and virtual-reality game play. 

Read more: Top 14 best free things to do on a Royal Caribbean cruise

3. Entertainment

As mentioned above, the Oasis Class of ships made Royal Caribbean's AquaTheater famous. Featuring high-diving acts and aerial acrobatics that will draw gasps from the crowd, shows at this outdoor venue feature the ship's wake as a backdrop.

The line was also the first to add Broadway and West End shows to its list of onboard productions when "Hairspray" took the stage onboard Oasis of the Seas in 2009. 

Since then, the line expanded its Broadway titles and has changed some out over the years. Despite other lines' now featuring similar shows, Royal is the only one to present "CATS," "Saturday Night Fever" "Grease" "We Will Rock You" and Mamma Mia!" at sea.

Read more: 8 things I MUST do on every Royal Caribbean cruise

4. Muster Drills

During the 2020 global cruise shutdown, Royal Caribbean developed Muster 2.0, a system that allows passengers to avoid crowding into small spaces for traditional in-person muster drills. 

Instead, cruisers are able to review all of the relevant safety information and life jacket demonstrations via cell phone app or in-cabin TV before reporting individually to designated locations to verify that they have complied. 

Read more: Top 10 questions about Royal Caribbean's new Muster 2.0

5. Bars

The Rising Tide Bar first appeared as a curiosity during Oasis of the Seas' debut and has found a home on other vessels since. It moves up and down as a "floating" platform from the Royal Promenade, stopping at a few of the decks above. 

In need of something new for the 2014 launch of Quantum of the Seas, the line dreamed up the Bionic Bar, at which passengers order drinks via tablets.

They are then mixed by one of two robotic arms -- no human interaction required. 

Read more: Dining at Bars on a Royal Caribbean cruise

6. Views

North Star, a giant 15-person pod attached to a 135-foot mechanical arm, came as something new on Quantum of the Seas, the first Quantum-class ship.

Found on other vessels in the class, it allows passengers to enjoy the sweeping vistas that surround their ship, for a fee.

For more high-flying fun, Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay private island experience includes an added-charge hot air balloon-style helium balloon ride that takes riders 450 feet into the air for the highest view in the Bahamas. 

Read more: 5 secrets to Royal Caribbean's North Star

7. Private Islands

Speaking of private islands, Royal Caribbean operates two: Labadee in Haiti and Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas. 

While they both offer travelers a fun and relaxing time ashore, Perfect Day at CocoCay is the result of CocoCay's $250 million 2019 makeover, which outfitted the island with the tallest water slide in North America, the Caribbean's largest wave and freshwater pools, a zipline, several bars and more. 

Read more: Top 10 Perfect Day at CocoCay secrets and tricks

8. Neighborhoods

When Oasis-class ships were developed, they were the largest afloat -- so large, in fact, that Royal Caribbean divided them up into seven neighborhoods to organize the plethora of things to see, do and eat. 

Perhaps the most notable are the Boardwalk and Central Park. The former comprises a carousel, a sports bar and arcade, the AquaTheater, the Ultimate Abyss, an overhead zipline and several snack venues, such as Johnny Rockets and a candy and ice cream shop.

The latter -- featuring a wine bar, a stop for the Rising Tide Bar, the onboard steakhouse and upscale restaurant 150 Central Park -- is also home to thousands of live plants, cared for by a resident gardener.  

Read more: 5 things to love about Central Park on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class cruise ships

9. Indoor Fun

Cruisers will find SeaPlex, introduced on Quantum-class vessels, serving in different capacities during each sailing.

One minute it might be a bumper car arena, while other times it's used for roller skating, basketball, soccer or circus school. Trapeze classes, anyone? (Fees may apply.)

The line has also had free ice skating available on select ships since it launched its Voyager Class the mid-1990s. Some vessels (including newer ones) still have skating rinks in Studio B, where passengers can participate or take in ice shows, complete with performing crew members and choreographed drones.

Read more: 5 ways Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas will be different from other Quantum Class ships

10. Kids Clubs and Activities

Royal Caribbean excels with its complimentary Adventure Ocean children's programming.

Kids are divided into age-appropriate groups where they can participate in everything from science experiments and video game competitions to dance parties and acting classes with Adventure Ocean Theater. 

For kid-centric activities outside of the kids club, look no further than the line's Cupcake Cupboard on select ships. In addition to offering tasty treats for purchase, it also runs a selection of extra-fee cupcake decorating classes for kiddos (and adults).

Read more: Six things to know about Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean

It's no secret that 2020 was a rough year for the cruise industry. Amid months of no-sail orders, hundreds of thousands of voyage cancellations and billions of dollars borrowed to keep cruise lines afloat, a handful of lines have had to purge their oldest vessels in order to cut costs. 

Despite the expiration of the CDC's no-sail order and the fervent efforts of healthcare workers to administer vaccinations, cruising still remains on hold. The situation has become so dire that the trend of cruise lines' liquidating ships for a song has continued into 2021.

So, which ships did Royal Caribbean sell? We'll take a look here. 

For the purposes of this article, we'll be exploring ships that have been unloaded by Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company that owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea and, previously, Azamara Cruises. The group also is part owner of Spanish line Pullmantur.

Pullmantur Ships Sold in 2020

• Monarch
• Sovereign

On June 22, 2020, Pullmantur filed for reorganization (basically the European term for bankruptcy). 

Shortly after, two of the line's ships were sold for scrap. On July 22 and July 23, 2020, Monarch and Sovereign -- formerly Monarch of the Seas and Sovereign of the Seas -- respectively were beached at a breaker yard in Aliaga, Turkey, where workers quickly began the dismantling process.

Known widely for being the first of the cruise industry's megaships, Sovereign (then Sovereign of the Seas under Royal Caribbean) was the largest passenger vessel afloat when it debuted in 1988, and it was the first in the line's three-ship Sovereign Class. Monarch (of the Seas) was the second. 

Crew from the two ships were reassigned to Royal Caribbean, and since the initial reorganization was revealed, there are rumors that the line could return with a fleet of some of Celebrity Cruises' former ships.  

Royal Caribbean International Ships Sold in 2020

• Empress of the Seas
• Majesty of the Seas

Royal Caribbean announced in mid-December of 2020 that it sold two of its oldest ships -- Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas -- to an undisclosed party in the Asia-Pacific region. 

It was later uncovered that the new owner of Empress of the Seas is India-based cruise line startup Cordelia Cruises. 

Since then, however, the sale of Majesty of the Seas has been shrouded in mystery. Royal Caribbean assured fans of the vessel -- the third and only unscrapped ship from the line's Sovereign Class -- that the buyer would make an announcement at a later date. 

In the meantime, there is speculation that it could have been acquired by Seajets, a Greek ferry company that scooped up at least six other cruise ships in 2020.

Empress of the Seas is noteworthy in that it wasn't a new-build for Royal Caribbean. Instead, it joined the fleet in 1988 after the line acquired Admiral Cruises, for which the ship sailed as Nordic Empress. As a result, it was the only ship in its class. It also pioneered the concept of short cruises.

If you'd like to revisit the vessels virtually for old time's sake, here are Royal Caribbean Blog's final looks at Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas. 

Azamara Ships Sold in 2021

• Azamara Journey
• Azamara Pursuit
• Azamara Quest

On January 19, 2021, Royal Caribbean Group disclosed that it sold its Azamara Cruises brand to private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $201 million in cash. 

Royal Caribbean Group Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty said the decision to sell Azamara was not driven by the global health crisis, despite the inherit financial benefit to the company for doing so.

As part of the sale, the firm acquired not only all of the brand's intellectual property but also all three of Azamara's ships -- Azamara Quest, Azamara Journey and Azamara Pursuit. 

In a bizarre turn of events, it also purchased Pacific Princess from Princess Cruises, which announced the sale of the ship to an undisclosed buyer on January 21, 2021 -- just two days after Azamara was sold. The vessel will join Azamara as the fleet's fourth ship.

Sycamore Partners retained Azamara's chief operating officer, Carol Cabezas, who will now serve as the brand's president. 

Additionally, the firm brought on former Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford, who parted ways with Holland America in May of 2020. He will take on the role of executive chairman of Azamara Cruises.

The line's top brass has vowed there are currently no sweeping changes planned for the line, so passengers can expect the experience to remain relatively unchanged when operations resume under the new ownership. 

Summary of Ships Sold by Royal Caribbean Group in 2020 and 2021

Royal Caribbean Group sold seven total ships in 2020 and 2021:

• Monarch (2020)
• Sovereign (2020)
• Empress of the Seas (2020)
• Majesty of the Seas (2020)
• Azamara Journey (2021)
• Azamara Pursuit (2021)
• Azamara Quest (2021)

The cruise industry has been shutdown for an entire year and losing billions of dollars each quarter. So why are cruise ships still being built?

If you read just a few articles about what is happening in the cruise industry, you would know the industry is facing its most dire circumstances, perhaps ever. With mounting loses, debt piling up, and very few ships actually sailing, you might be wondering why cruise ship orders are still being filled and new ships launching.

It's a good question given everything happening today, and the answer lies has less to do with today and more to do with tomorrow.

A number of new cruise ships were delivered in 2020, and more will be delivered in 2021.

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, and many more lines took delivery of ships and even announced new ships that will be built in the next few years.

Royal Caribbean has plans for Odyssey of the Seas to join the fleet in Spring 2021 and Wonder of the Seas sometime in 2022. There are orders on file for other new ships in the coming years too.

On top of that, quite a few existing cruise ships were sold to be scrapped many years sooner than likely would have happened if there had not been a global health crisis.

Moreover, these ships were scrapped because of the lack of need for these ships right now, the high costs of maintaining them, and the lack of buyers to transfer the ship to their fleet.

It would seem given the mounting debts and financially motivated scrapping of existing ships that building new cruise ships would be the last thing cruise lines would want to do.

So why are cruise ships still being built?

First, cruise ships are ordered many years in advance and they get financed just as early.

As an example, Odyssey of the Seas, which was set to debut in 2020 but had to be pushed back to 2021 due to the global health crisis, was ordered back in November 2015.

Construction of Odyssey began in earnest on February 1, 2019.

Wonder of the Seas, the next Oasis Class cruise ship, was ordered on May 25, 2016 and construction began on April 24, 2019.

Basically, cruise ships we are seeing coming out of shipyards today were ordered many years ago.

Similar to when you buy a car and finance it, you place the order and agree to pay it off over the course of many months.

The second reason why ships are still being built is the cruise industry being shutdown and health crisis has lead to the ability to delay these new ship deliveries.

Ordinarily, a new cruise ship delivery is rarely delayed much, but the unprecedented situation that the entire cruise industry is under has opened up many more possibilities.

Between the cruise lines and shipyards, new ship orders have been delayed in order to space them out better and provide more time for cruise lines to secure additional funding, as well as become situated in a better position.

Odyssey of the Seas was delayed from an original delivery date in 2020, and Wonder of the Seas was similarly pushed back a year.

Read more: Top 5 things Royal Caribbean had planned for 2020 that got delayed

Thus far, orders for new ships have not been completely cancelled, but instead put off to a further date with the hope things will improve financially for cruise lines. Because of the long amount of time needed to build a ship, even a ship that begins construction today, will not be ready for at least a couple of years.

If all of that makes sense, then why are cruise lines building new ships at the same time they are scrapping and selling off many other ships?

The answer boils down to the economics of operating cruise ships.

New ships run more efficiently than older ships because of a combination of new design trends, more berths, and revenue opportunities onboard.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty told investors that the company could break even with use of fewer, but newer cruise ships, in lieu of older ships.

"For our newer ships, you need about 30 percent load factors to kind of break even. And then they skew to about 50 percent load factor on onto our older ships."

In addition, selling older ships is something that always happened.  Granted, some ships that got scrapped in 2020 might have been sold to another operator if there had not been a global health emergency, but the fact is cruise lines sell ships when the time is right.

Mr. Liberty also said that Royal Caribbean typically sells one to two ships per year.

So the shutdown may have accelerated plans to sell off ships and in some cases, caused vessels to be scrapped instead of sold to another company.

Lastly, cruise ships are still being built because cruise lines are also looking at the big picture.

In the long term, a return to cruising means meeting the pent-up demand for travel that everyone will want to embark on once things start moving back in the direction of normal.

Prior to the shutdown, the cruise industry was extremely profitable, and new ships sell extremely well.

So new cruise ship orders are not being cancelled because there is still a great deal of optimism for what the future holds, while also coming at the expense of older and less efficient/profitable ships.

I'm a firm believer that there are no Royal Caribbean ships you should avoid, I do believe some ships are a better fit than others, depending on your personal preferences.

People tend to come up with their own list of favorite anythings: ice cream, television shows, and even cruise ships.  But, sometimes we also try something and vow never to do that again.

Not every ship will necessarily be everyone's cup of tea. Luckily, the fleet of cruise ships is large enough that there is bound to be a good fit for just about anyone.

Read more: What is the worst Royal Caribbean ship?

I reached out to our readers on our Facebook page to ask: is there a cruise ship you’ve been on that you would never go back on again? If so, which one and why?

Needless to say, there were a lot of opinions out there about which ships they love, and which they could live without. 

Being a very subjective question, the responses largely were based on their experiences and tastes for what each reader thought a cruise ship should be all about.

Ironically, this is a good reminder to everyone why you can't trust online reviews of cruise ships.

Enchantment of the Seas

There were quite a few responses regarding the only Vision Class ship to be cut in half and stretched, and many of the critiques were about the ship's size and onboard offerings.

Quite often the words "too small" were used to describe Enchantment, and the lack of activities (perhaps compared to other ships) stood out.

The smaller ships are, well, small compared to the newer ships that have come out in the last ten years or so.  If you are used to the largest ships, there is a bit of "culture shock" when you try out a Vision Class vessel.

I think the key is to understand before you get onboard what the ship offers (and doesn't offer) to avoid disappointment during the cruise.

Anthem of the Seas

To prove that the size of the ship isn't everything, plenty of big ships made the  list of comments, such as Anthem of the Seas.

One reader commented that Anthem's areas "always seemed way too crowded." Another reader complained about the lack of late night parties onboard.

Interestingly enough, there was a lengthy discussion about the people that cruise out of the Northeast versus Florida, and their attitudes.  I'm not touching that debate with a ten foot pole.

Oasis of the Seas

Yup, there were people who claimed they did not like one of the world's largest cruise ships, primarily because of its size.

Remember the people that did not like Enchantment because it was too small? Well, there were plenty that did not care for the enormous size of Oasis either.

One reader said, "it was just way to big for us." Another elaborated, "First time on a ship like that and just didn’t think it was great. The circus theme took up a lot of space and did nothing for me."

Just like Enchantment, these comments serve as a good reminder that a lot of people become accustomed to the first cruise ship they sail on and largely use that as the standard they judge other ships by.  In many cases, it has been my experience that people that start with small ships tend to have issues with larger ships, and people that start with big ships get turned off by smaller vessels.

Of course, plenty of cruisers like cruise ships of all sizes, so it's just a matter of finding a good fit for you.

Read more: First Timers' Guide to Oasis of the Seas

Majesty of the Seas

While Majesty is no longer in Royal Caribbean's fleet, she was still memorable enough to be "one and done" for many readers.

Having sailed on Majesty, I thought this comment was indicative of the experience for many, "Layout was very strange. You often couldn’t get from here to there. Had three sets of elevators. They didn’t all go to the same floors. Centrum elevators just went 4 floors."

Another reader agreed, but thought everything was relative for the time, "It’s tough to bad mouth the old ships. They were once the biggest and best. I love Oasis class and I personally could not sail Sovereign class if she were still sailing."

The lesson I would glean from the comments about Majesty is not all Royal Caribbean cruise ships are exactly the same, and design trends change over the years. 

It is always a good idea to learn about your cruise ship before you sail to get a better understanding of what you can expect onboard.

Explorer of the Seas

Another ship that got repeated quite often was Explorer of the Seas, and there was concern about the appearance of the ship and even the crew.

• "So run down and crew truly didn’t want to be there"
• "She was run down and the crew just seemed apathetic. "
• "Explorer as it felt like we were on the training ship with new recruits!"

Personally, I love the Voyager Class ships and sailed on Explorer of the Seas to Alaska in 2018 and enjoyed the cruise.

I think an unintended side effect of the Royal Amplification program that brought tremendous upgrades to so many cruise ships in the fleet is any ship that had not been upgraded seemed tame in comparison.

Explorer of the Seas was scheduled to get a major refurbishment in 2020, but those plans were sidelined due to the global health crisis and Royal Caribbean having to cut back on any unnecessary spending.

Read more: What was added to each Royal Caribbean ship during its Royal Amplified refurbishment

And a lot of people who didn't like other cruise lines!

Being a Royal Caribbean group of readers, you could quickly tell why so many prefer Royal Caribbean based on negative comments about other brands cruise ships.

Every cruise line has its plusses and negatives about it, but quite a few non-Royal Caribbean cruise ships made people's lists:

• Norwegian Epic: "Service was the worst and it took hours to get passengers off at the private island."
• Carnival Sensation: "There were so many things about it that just made me want to go on another cruise."
• Norwegian Gem: "So many dead ends on that ship. Did a 10 day and took me the whole cruise to figure it out."
• Norwegian Pride of America: "Freestyle dining meant 2-3 hour waits for dinner in the dining room & the service was below par compared to all the other cruises."
• SilverSea Silver Whisper: "Crazy expensive cruise, very old and outdated ship."
• Norwegian Breakaway: "Such a disappointment after Oasis class ships."

Bonus: The funny comments

I love a good snarky comment thrown in now and then, and there were a few that took this opportunity to bring some levity to the poll.

• "Carnival sensation... honeymoon with ex wife."
• "The S.S. Minnow because it only was supposed to be a three hour tour."
• "Mayflower was just terrible. Kept us below decks for weeks, stench was awful, ship bobbed around like a cork."
• Titanic: "swim team practice was chilling"

Royal Caribbean operates the biggest cruise ships in the world, and a ship (if stood upright) that is twice as high as the Washington Monument might leave you wondering how it doesn't sink.

Symphony of the Seas has water slides, an ice skating rink, and an entire park. She can accommodate up to 6,680 guests and weighs 228,081 gross tons (GT).

Whether you have been on a cruise ship, or simply seen a photo of one, you might have wondered how such a big ship can float in the water.

How does a cruise ship float? And why doesn't it fall over when the wind blows?

Royal Caribbean's cruise ships are amazing pieces of technology, maritime tradition, and innovation, but they are not magic.   It is all about physics.

The concept of buoyancy is what keeps a cruise ship like Symphony of the Seas upright and floating.

The science of buoyancy was discovered by Archimedes in 246 BC, when he developed Archimedes' principle.

"Any object, totally or partially immersed in a fluid or liquid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object."

Essentially, cruise ships can stay above the water as long as they are displacing an equal amount of water to their mass.

A cruise ship displaces an amount of water equivalent to its own mass. The pressure of the sea pushes up against the vessel’s hull to counter the downward force of the ship’s mass. Unlike air, water cannot be compressed, so the combined forces create buoyancy.

As the cruise ship moves forward, water is pushed away and that water tries its best to return to fill the displaced space and that energy forces the ship upward.

While the ship is indeed quite heavy, there is a lot of open space onboard and that empty volume means the ship is not like a giant rock in the water.

When a cruise ship is designed, engineers pay careful attention to keep the average density of the ship (considering both the physical weight of the vessel as well as all the air) less than the average density of the water. 

The ocean is vast and extremely dense.  So if the cruise ship can have less of a density than the ocean, that it floats on the surface.

If you ever meet an engineer, they will often talk about a ship's displacement, rather than its weight. Ships float because they weigh less than the weight of the water they displace.

One other thing you might notice about a ship like Symphony of the Seas is her wide hull.  That design choice is no accident.

When Oasis Class ships were designed,the engineers chose a wide hull to disperse the weight across it.

Think of the hull as the body of the ship, and the part that is below the main deck is usually quite wide and has a deep bottom (known as a base line). Cruise ships (and other large vessels) usually have displacement hulls, or hulls that push water out of the way, to stay afloat.

Another major difference between a cruise ship and a boat is the design of the hull.

Boats have a "v-hull", which means if you took it out of the water and looked underneath, the bottom resembles the letter "v".  Cruise ships have a hull that looks like the letter "u".

Round-bottom hulls move through the water and make them much more stable and seaworthy than a v-shaped boat hull.  This is primarily why cruise ship passengers feel much less rocking or motion compared to a boat.

However, that stability comes at a price: speed. Boats move through the water much faster than cruise ships.

So with all of that said, I have not yet tackled how a cruise ship is going to float.  Why is there only 30 feet below the water and over 200 feet above the water, and how do they keep the upside up?  

It is a matter of weight distribution.  The engines and other machinery, fuel tanks, water tanks, and ballast tanks are all low in the ship, while lighter, less dense spaces are up higher.

The wider hull helps a lot with stability.  Symphony is nearly as wide as she is tall.  That’s why a strong wind hitting the side of the ship doesn’t tip it over.  This is calculated as a wind heel moment and is a large part of the stability calculations for any vessel.

If Yoda had been an engineer, he might have said, "Size matters not. Judge me by my buoyancy do you."

Before the cruise industry shutdown due to the global health crisis, Royal Caribbean had big plans for 2021 and like so many other things in life, their plans had to be changed.

Much of Royal Caribbean's big ticket spending had to be paused in order to conserve cash and be as fiscally responsible as possible.

In 2021, there are still some plans that will go ahead and others that have been delayed.  Here is a look at what we can and cannot expect from Royal Caribbean next year.

Still happening

New cruise ship: Odyssey of the Seas

Photo by Jeroen Houtman

Delayed from launching in 2020, Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship will instead be delivered in 2021.

Odyssey of the Seas is under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and will be the cruise line's second Quantum Ultra Class ship.

Originally Odyssey of the Seas was going to start cruises in November 2020, but a combination of Royal Caribbean's financial turmoil and issues at the shipyard contributed to a delay.

Instead, she is scheduled to be delivered in Spring 2021, with her first sailings in April 2021.

Galveston terminal construction beginning

Just like Odyssey of the Seas, the new cruise terminal in Galveston was scheduled to begin construction in 2020, but is now scheduled to begin on April 1, 2021.

The new Terminal 3 in Galveston will be built on 10 acres of land at Pier 10, and will be used exclusively by Royal Caribbean.

The new cruise terminal is the linchpin in Royal Caribbean's plans to bring an Oasis Class cruise ship to the Galveston cruise market.

According to the Port of Galveston Trustees, Royal Caribbean asked to delay the start of construction by a year, and is "very much insistent" that they will begin work in 2021.

Likely not happening

Antigua Beach Club

In late 2019, Royal Caribbean announced a new kind of development that would be a sort of small scale private enclave for cruise guests.

The Royal Beach Club was described as the ultimate beach experience, which would offer guests unique features and flavors of each destination.

The first Royal Beach Club was to be built in Antigua, which will open along a half-mile of beachfront near Fort James and was scheduled to open sometime in 2021.

Since everything shutdown in 2020, there has been absolutely no mention by the cruise line of the Antigua Beach Club, or any Royal Beach Club. Moreover, Royal Caribbean Group informed investors it would conserve cash by reducing capital spending through 2021.

"We have reduced our planned capital spending through 2021, which may negatively impact our execution of planned growth strategies, particularly as it relates to investments in our ships, technology, and our expansion of land-based developments."

So while Royal Caribbean has not provided any kind of official update on the fate of the Royal Beach Club, the likelihood of the Royal Beach Club project moving ahead for 2021 seems unlikely.

Ship upgrades

Just like the Beach Clubs, spending on ship upgrades also Royal Caribbean hit the pause button.

Once it became clear the shutdown was going to last a while, Royal Caribbean postponed its upcoming amplifications until further notice.

Two Royal Caribbean ships were scheduled to be upgraded in 2021 as part of the Royal Amplification process: Adventure of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas.

Planned upgrades for Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas that were scheduled to take place in 2020 also never happened and are also on hold.

New cruise ship: Wonder of the Seas

Similar to Odyssey of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's next Oasis Class ship delivery was delayed.

Wonder of the Seas was originally scheduled to be delivered in 2021, but will instead be delivered sometime in 2022.

Under construction in France, Wonder of the Seas had to be delayed in order to spread out spending. She is still scheduled to sail exclusively in China.

Cruise ship design is not simple, and far be it for me to claim I could do a better job, but there are definitely a few decisions made regarding Royal Caribbean cruise ships that make you scratch your head.

Royal Caribbean's cruise ships are marvels of modern engineering, and the New Build team at Royal Caribbean spends an incredible amount of time planning out every inch of the ship.

However, there are a few puzzling design choices on a few ships that some guests have wondered for a while why is that way?

Here is a look at the top five odd annoyances on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that you may have encountered yourself.

Elevators that don't go to every floor on Majesty of the Seas

While Majesty of the Seas is one of the oldest ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet, I think people in the early 1990s still expected elevators to go to every floor.

Unlike most other ships, Majesty's elevators only go to certain floors.

The aft elevators only go from Deck 5 to Deck 14.

Mid ship elevators only go from Deck 3 to Deck 7.

Forward elevators go from 1 to 11.

On other Royal Caribbean ships, an elevator not going to a certain deck is quite rare, but Majesty's are the exception.

No public bathrooms near Main Dining Room on Vision Class ships

If you are having dinner in the My Fair Lady dining room on deck 5 of a Vision Class ship, you will have to go down a deck to access the restroom.

The Main Dining Room on Vision Class ships encompasses Deck 4 and 5, but there are only restrooms outside the Main Dining Room on Deck 4.

So you will have to either go up to deck 6 or down to deck 4 to visit the restroom from the dining room.

Remote Concierge Lounge location Quantum Class ships

They say everything is relative, including how far of a walk you have to the Concierge Lounge.

The Concierge Lounge is the hub of activity for suite guests, where they can speak to the Concierge host or enjoy time chatting with other suite guests and enjoy complimentary beverages and hors d'oeuvres.

On most Royal Caribbean ships, the Concierge Lounge is located near an elevator, and more or less central on the ship.  On Quantum Class ships, the Concierge Lounge is located at the far end of Deck 12.

This means suite guests must traverse the entire length of Deck 12 to get to the Concierge Lounge, and then walk back when complete. 

Can't cross the ship on certain decks

This annoyance is one that always gets me because I usually remember I am about to run into a dead end by the time it is too late.

Certain decks on Voyager or Freedom Class ships are not passable between the aft and forward sections because of public venues that are in the way.

The most common one is on Deck 3, where Studio B essentially cuts that deck in half preventing going from one end to another.

The conference center on Deck 2 also makes getting across a problem.

Can't cross the deck on Deck 7 of Oasis Class ships

If you happen to be near the aft staterooms on Deck 7 of an Oasis Class ship, you cannot get from the port side to the starboard side of the ship.

The Boardwalk sign blocks access between port and starboard on deck 7. Instead, you have to go up/down a floor, cross over, and then up/down a floor back.

This means you have to choose wisley which elevator bank you select to get off on the same side as your room.

Your thoughts

What head scratching features, impediments, or funky ways to do things on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship have you noticed? Share your (un)favorites in the comments below!

Royal Caribbean could still sell a cruise ship during its shutdown, assuming it makes financial sense.

During an earnings call with Wall Street analysts on Thursday, Royal Caribbean Group executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty spoke on the topic of supply growth, and what Royal Caribbean might do with existing and new vessels.

Mr. Liberty noted that Royal Caribbean Group would sell about one to two ships in a typical year, but with everything changing this year, anything is possible.

"We're being very opportunistic about the situation," Mr. Liberty said on the topic of selling or scrapping ships. 

In terms of when it makes sense to sell, it sounds like only if a particular cruise ship "does not fit strategically" within the brand would they then look at options.

New cruise ship capacity

\

Selling or scrapping a ship may also come to offset new ships joining the fleet.

Right now, Royal Caribbean expects its cruise ships on order to continue ahead, although "delayed by probably eight to 10 months", according to Mr. Liberty.

Nonetheless, new ships growth will continue.

"I think we do expect that will be slower newbuild growth probably towards the latter part of four or five years from now....I think we expect to continue to try to come online."

Royal Caribbean International has a few ships on order, including Odyssey of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas.  Both ships have been delayed, but will debut in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

No change in Royal Caribbean's ship selling strategy

Today's comments on Royal Caribbean having no firm plans to sell any ships continues the company's general strategy since cruises shutdown in March.

In August, Mr. Liberty said Royal Caribbean Group was still evaluating options in selling ships, but had nothing firm to announce.

"This time we are evaluating opportunities to to sell ships or to take other actions with ships."

"We're valuating all all options, but of course, we've put a lot of money into these ships. These ships do exceptionally well, and so it's a difficult decision to depart with ship because they generate so much cash."

Why scrap or sell a ship?

The question of if Royal Caribbean will sell more ships or not is partly based in finances, and partly due to what competitors have been doing.

Carnival Corporation has been far more aggressive in selling ships of its brands, having announced a total of 18 cruise ships across its brands will be sold soon (if not already).

Royal Caribbean Group chose to scrap its fleet of Pullmantur Cruises ships, including the former Monarch and Sovereign of the Seas, when that cruise line went into bankruptcy.

Besides getting rid of ships and the overhead they bring, new cruise ships tend to break-even with less guests and are more efficient with generating onboard revenue.

Wondering if there are any cabins left on your cruise or just how busy it will be onboard?

It can be very helpful to know if the Royal Caribbean cruise you have booked (or are thinking of booking) is getting close to selling out, and there are some easy ways to get a ballpark idea of what to expect.

It's fairly common for cruise ships to sail at full capacity, but occasionally there are some sailings that do not get completely booked up, especially if there are last-minute cancellations.

You should expect your cruise to be completely sold out by the time you sail, as it's the exception to have ships sail with empty rooms. The cruise industry is built around the concept of filling every room.

In Royal Caribbean's second quarter earnings for 2023, the average capacity for the second quarter was 105%. This means ships were sailing on average with every room full, and some rooms with third or fourth passengers in them.

This is a testament to the high demand the cruise industry enjoys, so it's quite likely your cruise will be sold out.

However, there is a chance for some sailings to have less demand, especially in the shoulder seasons when less people are able or willing to cruise.

Read more: When is the best time to go on a cruise?

If you're curious how to tell how full the ship is at any time, here's the easy steps to figure it out.

Why should you care if ship is close to full?

Reading this post, you might be curious why someone might want to know their cruise is almost full, and there are a few good reasons.

If you are on the fence about booking the cruise, depending on how full the ship is will determine how much time you have to decide to book the cruise or not.

In addition, prices tend to go up as rooms get booked, so a ship that is less than half full means prices may not fluctuate that much in the short term, whereas a ship nearing selling out likely will not see any price drops soon.

How to tell if your cruise ship is almost full

There is no exact method for knowing precisely how sold out a ship is or not, because Royal Caribbean does not divulge that information to the public.

However, there are some good strategies for getting a ballpark idea of how close to selling out a cruise is.

Making a mock-booking on Royal Caribbean's website is a very easy and simple way to get an idea how many rooms are left to book.

By going through the website and pretending to book a cruise, you will end up on the stateroom choice page, where you can see which categories are sold out, and drilling down from there, see how many cabin options come back as bookable.

A good travel agent can also provide insight into what is available by having them check on their site for availability. 

Is there any way to view the current amount of booked rooms?

The only way to figure out how many rooms are left on any particular cruise is to do a mock booking.

What you want to do is pretend you are going to book a cruise on the Royal Caribbean website. Select a stateroom category, pick the deck, and see how many are available.

The only caveat to this strategy is you cannot see rooms that might be in a travel agent group that is being held.

Everything can change at final payment

If you are looking this up, keep in mind that the final payment date can drastically change how booked up a cruise is or not.

Prior to the final payment date, anyone can place a deposit and hold a cruise reservation that assures them of that particular cabin.  That cabin will remain unavailable to book and appear sold unless the person fails to make final payment and/or cancels their reservation.

A very common occurrence is people who make reservations many months in advance and then decide to cancel it at the final payment date because they decided not to sail.  

If you are trying to get an idea of available rooms, or discover a sailing is sold out, prior to final payment date, be sure to double-check again the day after final payment to see if more rooms opened up.

Once you get past final payment, cancellations are less likely since there is a penalty associated with canceling.  Cancellations past final payment date are not unheard of, just less likely.

Over the last few weeks, many cruisers have heard cruise lines say their ships may enter cold lay-up, but what does that mean?

With cruise lines entering a prolonged suspension with no cruises resuming anytime soon, one option available is to move ships from a warm lay-up into a cold lay-up.

In order to get a better sense of what cold lay-up is and what it means, I turned to Commander Don Goldstein, Retired United States Coast Guard, who has over 32 years of experience.

What is cold lay-up?

When a cruise ship goes into cold lay-up, it is essentially shutting down as much of the ship as possible in order to cut costs.

Royal Caribbean's fleet is currently in a state of warm lay-up, which means they can bring the ship back to service very quickly since the machinery, lifesaving equipment and navigational equipment are all well-kept and up to date.

In a cold lay-up, the opposite is true. Most of the mechanical systems are taken offline, with just the bare essentials left online to preserve the ship. 

Depending on how long the company intends to lay-up the ship, different approaches can be taken to preserving the interiors of the ship. For a lay up of three to nine months, the air conditioning will continue running to keep the humidity down.  But a more prolonged lay up would result in the rooms being hermetically sealed.

In terms of crew, the amount of workers onboard is drastically reduced.

In a hot lay-up, the engine department and the deck department are pretty close to fully manned, but in a cold lay-up there would be a bare minimum skeleton crew that could step in the case of an emergency to get the ship moving (such as a hurricane).

Why do a cold lay-up?

If you are wondering why a cruise line would consider putting its ships into cold lay-up, it is all about saving money.

The benefit of putting a cruise ship into cold lay-up is added savings compared to a hot lay-up.

"People are the big expense in a lay-up, and you've got a whole lot less people involved in a cold lay-up than you do in a hot lay-up."

Hurdles to get ships back into service

After a ship enters a state of cold lay-up, getting them back into service is no simple task.

In a cold lay-up, you basically have to re-certify the ship, depending on how long it has been in cold lay-up.

"There are a myriad of certificates that have to be redone if it's been longer than six months," Command Goldstein described, and he outlined four entities that go into a ship recertification:

• Ship owner
• Port State (where the ship is located)
• The flag state (Bahamas, for all Royal Caribbean ships)
• Classification Society

All four of those entities have to be involved in putting the ship into cold lay-up, and they all have to be involved in taking the ship out of cold lay-up.

How long to get a ship back into service after cold lay-up

Another question is how quickly Royal Caribbean could get a ship back into service after a ship goes into cold-lay up.

In a best case scenario, Commander Goldstein said if the ship has only been in cold lay-up for three months, the ship could probably get back into service in two to three weeks.

The bigger issue is there are only a limited amount of inspectors available to re-certify a ship, and with other cruise lines trying to do the same thing, that could become an issue if there are not enough inspectors available to get on a ship.

If the cold lay-up extends beyond three months, and goes to six months or more, then Commander Goldstein indicated it could take a month or more to get a ship back out of cold lay-up.

Once the ships return to the United States, the ship would be inspected by the Coast Guard.  These inspections could take just a few days to verify the certificates that had been previously issued when the ship came out of cold storage, as well as verifying crew training and testing.