If you’ve never cruised before, embarking a modern vessel for the first time can be truly overwhelming. You don’t know what you don’t know, but by not doing certain things within the first hours, you risk spoiling your dream vacation.
23.04.2024 - 18:13 / insider.com / Royal Caribbean
Before booking a vacation at sea, travelers should always research the best cruise line and ship for their needs.
If you're looking for an ultra-cheap and fast trip, try Margaritaville at Sea. Craving something more upscale? Consider Oceania Cruises.
And if you're looking for high-end sailing to unique destinations, I'd suggest avoiding Royal Caribbean's mega-ships.
According to its current expansion plan, by 2028, about a third of Royal Caribbean's fleet will consist of mega-ships.
The latest addition, the 1,196-foot-long and 248,663-gross-ton Icon of the Seas, set sail in January, unseating its less than two-year-old predecessor, Wonder of the Seas, as the world's largest cruise liner.
Together, the two vessels can accommodate a whopping 19,238 people — 4,554 crew and 14,684 guests.
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At almost all times of the year, these throngs of travelers can be seen running around the ships' eight neighborhoods, lining up for waterslides, and indulging at a combined 29 bars and 48 eateries.
I've attended complimentary sailings on Wonder and Icon, the longest being three nights on the latter. From their colorful pool decks to their inescapable crowds, as a solo adult traveler, I was equal parts entertained, overwhelmed, and overstimulated the entire time.
But admittedly, I had fun. I do love a good waterslide — and Wonder has three of them, while Icon has six.
If you plan on cruising with your children — and if they, like me, love activities like rock climbing and mini-golfing — Royal Caribbean's mega-ships could be your best option.
Its two largest and newest vessels are jam-packed with things to do. They each have more than 20 dining options and dozens of unique activities, a shortlist of which includes ice-skating rinks, ziplines, and shopping mall-like walkways.
But don't expect a peaceful retreat. The rowdy bar-hopping adults and screaming children at the water playground aren't exactly conducive to a relaxing vacation.
If you want a relaxing and upscale vacation — maybe one that doesn't involve crowds of children — Royal Caribbean's behemoth vessels shouldn't be your top choice.
There are many ways to have a luxury vacation on Icon of the Seas. But unless you want to pay for upcharged amenities at every turn, you might be better off spending more upfront to reserve a more premium cruise line — especially if you're interested in cruising for the destinations, and not the ships.
After all, like most of Royal Caribbean's largest vessels, both Icon and Wonder are exclusively sailing in the Caribbeans.
Many desirable destinations like French Polynesia have set restrictions on cruises, including limits on ship size, amid concerns of pollution and overcrowding.
If stopping at these ports — or
If you’ve never cruised before, embarking a modern vessel for the first time can be truly overwhelming. You don’t know what you don’t know, but by not doing certain things within the first hours, you risk spoiling your dream vacation.
Hard Rock International, Seminole Gaming, Royal Caribbean International, and Celebrity Cruises are joining forces in a global partnership deal that will let travelers take advantage of perks and discounts across all four of the powerhouse brands.As part of the massive deal, millions of customers who are members of each brands’ loyalty and casino rewards programs will now have access to “reciprocal benefits.” The loyalty programs include Unity by Hard Rock, Royal Caribbean’s Club Royale, and Celebrity Cruises’ Blue Chip Club. Moving forward, members of all of the programs will earn reciprocal benefits anytime they play, stay, dine, or shop at participating Hard Rock locations or sail on any Royal Caribbean or Celebrity ships.“We see this as a marriage made in heaven,” Jeff Hook, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Seminole Hard Rock Support Services, told TravelPulse during a recent interview."If you’re customer of Hard Rock, now you don’t just have benefits with Hard Rock, you also have benefits with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. And conversely if you're a Royal Caribbean or Celebrity member, you now have benefits with Hard Rock.”
It’s about to get easier for frequent travelers to ball out on a cruise or a high-end casino vacation thanks to a new partnership between Hard Rock International and both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises.
Cruises are increasingly popular but not the most environmentally-friendly option for travelers keen to keep carbon emissions low. It's also true that cruise companies need to meet goals of being carbon-neutral by 2050—one possible solution then, would be to start building nuclear-powered cruise ships.
Do you know what $900 could buy you? More than three years of Netflix's premium plan, a new Gucci purse, or 2,059 spicy chicken McNuggets.
Located on the southwest coast of Norway, Haugesund is a historic town recognized as one of the country’s premier cruise ports. As a cruise port, it appeals as a gateway to exploring Norway's coastal landscapes and rich Viking heritage.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, April 26. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
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