Royal Caribbean

Although both MSC and Royal Caribbean’s biggest cruise ships offer unique experiences and a variety of different activities onboard, one is definitely a better bang for your buck. 

I recently cruised on both MSC World America and Icon of the Seas, but I felt one of those ships gave me more for the price I paid.

In April 2025, I cruised on Icon of the Seas. About three months later, in July of 2025, I embarked on my first-ever MSC cruise aboard MSC World America. There were noticeable differences on each ship, but the main one was the price tag.

Although Royal Caribbean is known for its jaw-dropping ships filled with water slides, zip lines, ice skating rinks, surfing simulators, and more, its fleet also consists of smaller vessels that are more bare-boned. 

Royal Caribbean has apparently closed the Frightening Bolt water slide on the brand-new Star of the Seas after a passenger was injured on the same slide on another ship. 

Guests aboard the preview sailing from Puerto Rico reported that the Frightening Bolt hasn't been in operation on Friday, Aug. 8. According to one of the crew members, it will remain closed until they can conduct a thorough inspection. Matt Hochberg of Royal Caribbean Blog confirmed the closure. 

Royal Caribbean's new rule means it's impossible to get away with sharing drink packages aboard its fleet of 29 ships. 

In the past, you could call and request an exemption if one guest didn’t drink alcohol. Instead of having to buy two pricey Deluxe Beverage Packages, the second adult could get the less expensive Royal Refreshment Package, which only includes non-alcoholic drinks. 

Royal Caribbean is loving their return-to-cruise momentum, but they want to do even better. 

During the company's Q2 earnings call on July 29, Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, announced that the number of loyalty members sailing with Royal Caribbean has inched up to 40%.

To build on that momentum, Liberty hinted that future changes are underway to further reward those who repeatedly sail with Royal Caribbean, including a revamp to its credit card program. 

Even if you aren't a frequent cruiser, you've likely heard of Royal Caribbean. Not only are they one of the largest cruise lines in the world with 29 ships, but they're the masterminds behind the largest vessels at sea, including the ground-breaking Icon of the Seas. 

Like all other cruise lines, Royal Caribbean is owned by a parent company. In this case, the parent company (or owner) of Royal Caribbean cruises is Royal Caribbean Group. 

A Royal Caribbean crew member died by suicide after jumping off of Icon of the Seas.

The incident happened shortly before 7:30PM on Thursday, July 25, and began with a violent dispute: the 35-year-old South African man, who supposedly worked in the Schooner Bar, stabbed a female coworker. 

The now-deceased male fled the scene, jumping overboard into the Atlantic Ocean. Thankfully, the female is in stable condition, despite sustaining multiple stab wounds to her upper body.

The next edition of the record-breaking Icon Class is on the horizon, just over one year after Royal Caribbean welcomed its largest cruise ship ever to its fleet. Star of the Seas will welcome paying passengers aboard on August 16, setting sail from Port Canaveral, Florida, to the Bahamas. 

Once you have placed the deposit on your cruise, you will gain access to Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner, the go-to website for pre-cruise planning. It's where you can purchase add-ons like drink packages, specialty restaurants, internet, shore excursions, and spa treatments. 

Although Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner is relatively easy to use and understand, some tips can help you get the most value out of it and make your onboard experience even better. 

Here's how to book cruise add-ons through Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner.