Royal Caribbean

You have paid the deposit on your Royal Caribbean cruise and are officially in cruise countdown mode! You can now start daydreaming about waking up to specialty coffees each morning, lounging by the pool with your drink of choice in hand, and cooling down with a soda or bottled water after an adventurous day in port.

Between the rich culture and history, European cruises provide the ultimate convenience for visiting multiple countries on a vacation without having to unpack and repack your suitcase.

After 30 cruises, I can confidently say that European cruises are my favorite. I love having a comfortable home base to return to each evening, all while getting to experience new cultures and countries every single day. 

Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line are the two biggest mainstream cruise lines in the industry with millions of passengers setting sail onboard these competing lines each year.

Each cruise line adds their own special flair to the cruising experience. This is how they differentiate from one another in the competitive travel market. Royal Caribbean is known for building mega-ships with onboard thrills and dazzling entertainment, while Carnival places a heavy focus on fun, casual dining, and creating a lively atmosphere onboard.

Oftentimes, you can find a great value on transatlantic cruises. This, however, means that you have to be committed to spending many days onboard the ship as it sails across the Atlantic Ocean. 

When taking a transatlantic voyage, the ship that you are on is being repositioned from one homeport to another, marking the beginning or end of a specific cruise season. When, for instance, you sail from Florida to Barcelona or Rome, this is because a ship is getting ready to begin her season in Europe. 

Is The Key worth it? This is a controversial question many cruisers wonder when booking a Royal Caribbean cruise.

There are plenty of negative reviews online about The Key. Some say it’s “too pricey for what it is” or “it sounds good in theory but is a waste of money.” On the other hand, some claim The Key is worth the extra cost.

Needless to say, I wanted to see what it was like for myself. Here's what I thought about The Key on my 7-night Western Caribbean cruise onboard Adventure of the Seas. 

When booking a cruise vacation, there are so many different mainstream and luxury cruise lines to choose from. The possibilities seem endless when trying to narrow down your itinerary search to find the perfect cruise.

It's easy to see how each cruise line has their own unique flair on the cruising experience, which can appeal to certain demographics more than others. Therefore, choosing the cruise line that best aligns with your travel style, preferences, and budget is the one of the most important decision you’ll make while vacation planning.

One of the best parts about cruising is getting to visit incredible destinations with such ease. Once you’re onboard your cruise ship, you can conveniently visit numerous destinations without needing to unpack and repack your suitcase. The logistics and transportation are all taken care of-- all while enjoying fine cuisine and entertainment along the way.

After 19 cruises with Royal Caribbean, I booked a 7-night Alaska cruise with Princess Cruises, and here’s what I liked better.

Ever since I started cruising, I’ve almost exclusively sailed with Royal Caribbean. Like most cruisers, I tend to stick to the same cruise line in order to rack up loyalty points, which can lead to exclusive benefits like complimentary drinks and private lounge access.

Royal Caribbean International, formerly known as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line when it was founded in 1968, is one of the most popular cruise lines today. Song of Norway, their first ship, was launched two years after the company was founded. 

Having held the title of largest cruise ship in the world since the debut of Freedom of the Seas in 2006, they are known for their innovative, and often, record-breaking ships.