Hurricane Helene continues wreaking havoc on the cruise industry, with one cruise ship stuck at sea and two more skipping their scheduled visits to Cozumel. 

Guests onboard MSC Seashore confirmed they were alerted they'll be unable to return to Port Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday, September 26. 

Cruising with Royal Caribbean is an incredible way to enjoy an affordable vacation while visiting multiple destinations on world-class cruise ships. With your base cruise fare, you’ll have so much included, such as lodging, transportation, select food venues, and entertainment.

Planning a Royal Caribbean cruise on a budget doesn’t mean you have to skimp on luxury. With some extra time and research, you can find great deals and promotions that will save you money. 

Hurricane Helene, the ninth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, has already caused cruise ships to alter their itineraries. The system will bring life-threatening storm surges, high winds, and heavy rain to parts of the Western Caribbean and Florida, resulting in cruise ships changing course to avoid the worst of the conditions. 

Helene is anticipated to make landfall in Florida on Thursday after strengthening over the Gulf of Mexico, becoming the fourth hurricane to make landfall in the United States this year, following Beryl, Debby, and Francie. 

You must narrow down your stateroom options once you've picked your cruise ship, itinerary, and sail date. From compact interior cabins to multi-level suites, there are a ton of accommodations that can be considered.

Over the past two years, I've sailed on multiple cruise lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Margaritaville, Disney Cruise Line, and even Viking Cruises. These experiences have given me a broad view of what the cruise industry offers. However, there was one major cruise brand that I hadn’t tried yet—Carnival Cruise Line.

Loyalty pays off if you’re someone who cruises frequently. All of the major cruise lines offer loyalty programs that reward travelers for continuously choosing to vacation with their brand.

In fact, having a top-tier loyalty status can afford you very lucrative amenities. Some of these could include complimentary drinks, shore excursion discounts, specialty dining credits, priority embarkation or disembarkation, free internet, reserved seating at shows, and even a free cruise.

Cruising offers a unique experience that differs from a land-based vacation. As such, it's natural to have tons of questions about life at sea, from the dining experience to the onboard accommodations and entertainment options. 

When it comes to planning a cruise, there are no dumb questions. In fact, the more questions you have, the more likely you are to perfect your cruise vacation. Booking a cruise without doing enough research could lead to grave disappointment and a newfound hate for cruising! 

You can't bring a multi-plug on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

The cruise line made a change to its list of prohibited items on its website, which specifically restricts passengers from bringing "Extension Cords and Multi-Plug Outlets/ Power Strips," Royal Caribbean Blog reported.

The old policy prohibited: "Electrical Extension Cords,  including power strips/surge protected strips". 

Within the past six months, I've sailed on two of Royal Caribbean and Carnival's oldest ships: Vision of the Seas and Carnival Elation. Though both ships launched within two months of each other, they couldn't be more different. From the overall atmosphere to the quality of the dining and cabin experience, one clearly came out on top.