Royal Caribbean offers two types of dining experiences in the Main Dining Room: Traditional and My Time Dining. My Time (or Anytime) is the more flexible option and allows guests to dine at their preferred time within a designated window, rather than eating at the same time each night. 

You will make your dining time decision when booking. If you choose Traditional, you'll select one of two or three set times. The early seating usually occurs around 5:00pm to 5:30pm, with the latest seating taking place around 8:00pm to 8:30pm. 

The third installment in Royal Caribbean's Icon Class will debut in Barcelona in July 2026. That's right–Legend of the Seas is heading to Europe!

Legend of the Seas will be the first Icon Class ship to offer European cruises. Icon started its inaugural season sailing from Florida, and Star of the Seas will do the same in August. 

The food is arguably one of the best parts of any cruise, and Carnival delivers when it comes to variety and quality. From casual poolside bites from Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina to indulgent three-course meals in the Main Dining Room, there’s something to satisfy every craving. 

While alcohol is plentiful on cruise ships, some may wonder whether you can bring weed on your cruise or not. 

Though weed is legal in numerous states across the United States, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, meaning that it's also prohibited on cruise ships since terminals are considered federal facilities. 

After 27 cruises, I've learned that the small details can make a huge difference in ensuring your vacation goes smoothly. 

Unfortunately, I've made my fair share of mistakes along the way over my two-decade cruising career. For example, I've booked shore excursions at the last minute and paid significantly more than I would have if I purchased the tour in advance. I've also pushed myself too hard trying to see and do everything, only to end up exhausted. 

After years of trial and error, here are 10 sure-fire ways to make your cruise vacation even better. 

After over a dozen cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean, I finally embarked on an Alaska cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas. 

Though I had stayed in interior cabins, it was my first time in a virtual balcony. I was thankful for the live video screen as we sailed through Alaska's fjords, but it wasn't the same as a private verandah. 

Still, my tiny inside stateroom was cozy and functional. And in the end, I didn't mind the absence of a balcony as much as I thought. It was hard to stay in the cabin for long with so many amenities on the ship!

We share lots of cruise updates and advice on Cruise Blog, and this is a weekly roundup of everything you may have missed from this week, including a suite on the brand-new luxury line Explora Journeys, tips on changing or canceling a Royal Caribbean cruise, and more. 

For those busy but want to stay updated on all the helpful cruise advice we share, this is an easy-to-digest overview of our recent articles.

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Carnival Cruise Line is one of the most popular mainstream cruise lines at sea and has a large fleet of ships ranging from 70,000 to over 184,000 gross registered tons.

Today, Carnival has 29 ships in its fleet with another 2 expected to enter service between 2027 and 2028. The largest Carnival cruise ship is Carnival Jubilee, while the smallest is Carnival Elation. 

Norwegian ships aren't as large as mega-monsters like Icon of the Seas. However, NCL's modest fleet offers impressive amenities and great itineraries worldwide.