File this change under the "You have to have cruised for a while to notice this change" category.  Royal Caribbean has rolled out a new type of magnet designs for your stateroom attendant.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Ken "Wolf" Jarvis spotted the new magnet design meant to inform your stateroom attendant if your room is ready to be made up or if you would prefer not to be disturbed.

The magnets are currently on Adventure of the Seas, although others have noted the design is also on Majesty of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas.

It is possible Royal Caribbean is considering offering guests a new type of balcony stateroom that offers a convertible indoor/outdoor space.

Email surveys have been sent to past Royal Caribbean cruisers asking them to compare two types of balcony rooms and evaluate interest in each.

The first type of balcony room is a standard balcony room, which is similar to balcony staterooms on existing Royal Caribbean ships.  The other option is something different, described in the survey as follows: 

"Enjoy convertible indoor/outdoor living space with Option Blue.  This stateroom allows you to integrate your balcony to increase overall main living space, if you so choose, thanks to transparent bi-fold doors.  The expansive sea view is enhanced by an operable window, where the top half can be lowered and transformed into a balcony at the touch of a button."

• ocean-facing balcony with excellent views
• large picture window that transforms into balcony
• option to increase indoor living area

This balcony option sounds very similar to Celebrity Cruises' Infinite Verandas feature that was announced last year for the Celebrity Edge cruise ship. It is not uncommon for Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises to borrow from each other, since they are sister companies owned by parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

It should be noted surveys sent by Royal Caribbean to the public are means of which to evaluate interest in potential offerings, and do not necessarily reflect a decision made to offer anything yet.

On Harmony of the Seas, guests can rent in-room coffee makers to enjoy coffee whenever they please.

These Illy Espresso machines were spotted onboard Harmony of the Seas, with pricing depending on how much coffee you want.  These coffee makers might be available for rent on other cruise ships as well, but that can very from ship to ship.

• 14 capsules: $39
• 21 capsules: $56
• 28 capsules: $69
• 35 capsules: $79

Royal Caribbean does provide complimentary in-room coffee makers for suites.

Royal Caribbean is making fleet wide updates to stateroom names and deck plan codes in an effort to simplify finding the right stateroom for all guests.

The new categorization structure will introduce:

• New Category Codes
• Intuitive Category Names
• Stateroom category shifts based on attributes, size, location, and occupancy

You can view the entire fleet wide recategorization grid here

The new category terms will flow as

• Category Class (Suite, Balcony, Ocean View, Interior)
  • Category Type (View, Size of Stateroom, Size of Balcony, Name)
    • Category Code (Occupancy limit, location, deck)

The changes will impact the forth-coming 2018/2019 itineraries. 

• Adventure of the Seas: May 5, 2018
• Allure of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Anthem of the Seas: April 28, 2018
• Brilliance of the Seas: April 5, 2018
• Empress of the Seas: TBD
• Enchantment of the Seas: May 4, 2018
• Explorer of the Seas: May 14, 2018
• Freedom of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Grandeur of the Seas: May 5, 2018
• Harmony of the Seas: May 5, 2018
• Independence of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Jewel of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Liberty of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Majesty of the Seas: May 4, 2018
• Mariner of the Seas: March 28, 2018
• Navigator of the Seas: April 22, 2018
• Oasis of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Ovation of the Seas: April 26, 2018
• Radiance of the Seas: May 13, 2018
• Rhapsody of the Seas: May 6, 2018
• Serenade of the Seas: April 20, 2018
• Vision of the Seas: April 16, 2018
• Voyager of the Seas: April 30, 2018

With the exception of Quantum of the Seas, all ships and ship classes are affected equally.

Royal Suite Class recategorization

Royal Caribbean has changed a handful of suite categories and which category they now fit into the Royal Suite Class.

The AquaTheater suites (A1 and A2) will remain in Star Class.

Other notable changes: 

• Staterooms with an obstructed view are not grouped into a specific category; however, to assist in identifying, a square symbol remains in the deck plans to signify such.
• Family staterooms have been renamed, primarily because high occupancy staterooms are not only appealing to family travelers, but also other groups of individuals that may be misled by the “family” label. As not to polarize or mislead, the term “family” has been removed from such categories and has been replaced with descriptors such as “spacious” and “ultra spacious”.
  
• Central Park & Boardwalk View Rooms moved from Outside to Interior.
• Ocean View panoramic rooms moved to Suites with no balcony.
• UPDATE: AquaTheater Suites (A1 and A2) will remain in Star Class as they were before.

Royal Caribbean has been using its current categories since the 1990s, and with the changes to the fleet over the years, there have been "band-aids" to keep things consistent.  This new re-categorization will be concise, logical, named clearly and, best of all, consistent across the entire fleet!

There has been a "mini" change to guests staterooms on Royal Caribbean cruise ships over the last six months or so, where the mini-bar model on Royal Caribbean ships has drastically changed.

Royal Caribbean guests on a cruise these days will find a form near their mini-fridge, where guests will be able to order exactly the types of beverages they want stocked in their mini-fridge rather than have an array of beverages provided in the beginning of their cruise.

The form is similar to the room service breakfast menu, where guests fill it out at their convenience and then hang the form outside the stateroom door.  Orders placed before 5:00pm will be delivered the same day, otherwise, the order will be delivered the next day before noon.

There are four basic categories of beverages to choose from on the form: bottled water, soft drinks, sports drinks and juice.  

Keep in mind none of the beverages available through the mini-bar are included in any unlimited drink package.

Do you like this concept of having "on-demand" mini bar drinks? Or do you prefer the classic mini-bar experience with drinks pre-stocked? Share your thoughts in the comments.

There are many great stateroom choices when booking a cruise, and certainly a room with private balcony is one of the most intriguing options. Having your own private space to enjoy the view of the ocean, a gentle breeze and the activities in port are a fabulous way to spend any cruise.

In addition to just the view, there are some really fun things to try when staying in a balcony room.  Here are some of our top picks for favorite things to do on a balcony while on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Enjoy a meal

Royal Caribbean puts tables on the balcony for a reason, and enjoying a meal outdoors is always a really fun way to enjoy a meal while onboard.

Room service is included in the cruise fare, so you might consider ordering a snack or full meal to be delivered to your stateroom.  When the waiter brings the food, direct them to bring it to the balcony and they will be happy to set it up for you there. In fact, if you are staying in a Grand Suite or above, meals from the main dining room can be delivered to your room as well.

Another option is to bring something back from elsewhere on the ship to enjoy on the balcony. A few slices of pizza from Sorrento's, or just a plate of goodies from the Windjammer are always good options.  Guests can bring food from pretty much anywhere onboard and take it to go for enjoying on the balcony.  We really love bringing Izumi sushi back to the balcony to eat with a fabulous view.

Watch a show

On Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas, there are balcony rooms that offer a full or partial view of the AquaTheater, which has some truly impressive physical feats on display in a variety of shows.

Each ship has rather large suites that overlook the AquaTheater perfectly.  Granted, these suites are not inexpensive, but many guests love having an unfettered and private area just for them to enjoy the view of the ocean and the AquaTheater.

Likewise, there are standard Boardwalk Balcony staterooms towards the rear of the ship that also provide a view of the AquaTheater.  Some of these rooms will offer partially blocked or full views of the AquaTheater action too.

Bring drinks back

Just like food, enjoying a few cocktails on your balcony is a great way to take advantage of having a private balcony.  It is easy enough to grab some drinks from somewhere onboard and bring them back to your stateroom to enjoy.

Whether it is sailaway and you are enjoying a toast to the best cruise ever, or just want to get away from the rest of the crowd and sip some bubbly while you watch the waves pass by, enjoying a drink on a balcony is a wonderful way to spend time onboard.

Read a book

You can read a book anywhere on a Royal Caribbean ship, but there is something extra relaxing about pulling up a chair, propping your feet on the balcony and opening up a great book to enjoy.

Reading a book while the ocean breeze passes you by is nearly as relaxing as one of the services offered by the Vitality Spa, and usually quiet enough to become immersed in the story unfolding between the pages.

Go in the hot tub

Certain suites on Royal Caribbean ships actually come with their own hot tub, which means you always have a reserved spot to enjoy the calming warm waters of your own Jacuzzi.

Just like the AquaTheater suites, suite staterooms that have a hot tub are not going to come cheap, but if you value having the best kids of accommodations onboard, it is hard to go wrong with a hot tub that only you can get to use.  Our scientific research team assures us that nearly any view is better in a hot tub.

Watch the sun rise and set (many times)

If you are not enjoying the spectacle of the sun rising and setting at least a few times during your cruise, you are missing out.  When you have a balcony stateroom of your own, you can see one of nature's most beautiful events with the utmost convenience.

Granted, your balcony will need to be facing the east or west to witness this occurrence, but if things do line up, be very certain to take advantage of it. 

Traditionally, guests that book a Royal Caribbean cruise (or a cruise in general), have booked a stateroom with at least two guests sharing a room.  The cruise industry was built on this model, but in recent years, more and more guests have opted to cruise alone and Royal Caribbean has responded to this new demand with a special kind of stateroom category for folks that want to cruise alone.

Here is your guide to understanding what a solo cabin is all about, and why you might want to reserve one if you elect to cruise alone.

Why book a solo stateroom?

The primary reason why someone cruising alone would want a single/solo stateroom is because Royal Caribbean will charge a fee for someone trying to stay in a traditional stateroom by themselves.  Royal Caribbean refers to this fee as a "single supplement fee," and it is a means of recouping the cost of that second passenger that is expected to be in the stateroom.  Quite often, the single supplement fee is equivalent to double the cost of a single guest. Because the cruise lines business model depends on staterooms filled with at least two guests in them, single supplement fees have been the means of ensuring the cruise line is not taking a loss on a solo cruiser.

With single staterooms, there is no single supplement fee. When Royal Caribbean added these rooms, they designed them to be respective of the ship's business model and this means solo cruisers do not have to pay double the cost of what the cruise should be.

Studio staterooms are smaller than standard rooms, but they are meant to have enough space for a single guest to live in during their cruise.

Which ships have solo staterooms?

Here is a breakdown of the studio staterooms across Royal Caribbean's fleet.

Why you might want a regular room

It is important to note that while solo cruisers may seek out a studio stateroom, there are two main advantages of booking a regular room, despite the single supplement fee.

First, a regular stateroom will offer significantly more living space, along with a far greater variety of choices.  As you can see from the chart above, there are not many variations available for studio cruisers and no options for a solo cruiser that wants a suite.

Second, Royal Caribbean does offer double Crown and Anchor Society points for guests that pay the single supplement fee for cruising alone.  While it does have a higher cost than a studio stateroom, the extra Crown and Anchor Society points can help guests move up the status levels quite quickly.

Depending on your budget, booking a regular cabin may be an option to consider.