Royal Caribbean

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!

CocoCay is Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas designed exclusively for the cruise line's guests. 

After completely renovating the island and reopening in May 2019, Royal Caribbean dubbed the new experience "Perfect Day at CocoCay." 

In fact, CocoCay was the first island of Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Collection, which is meant to bring a next-level private island experience to cruise itineraries. The next private destination, Perfect Day Mexico, is slated to open in 2027. 

Whether you need to adjust your travel dates, switch itineraries, or cancel your cruise, Royal Caribbean has rules about making adjustments to your reservation. 

Generally, as long as you cancel your cruise before the final payment date, you won't lose your entire cruise fare. After final payment passes, you will be subject to a cancelation fee, which varies depending on how far in advance you cancel. 

If you need to change your travel dates or switch itineraries, there's usually a rebooking fee applied. You will also have to pay the difference in fare. 

I took my first cruise aboard a Royal Caribbean ship over 15 years ago, so the family-friendly cruise line has been a favorite of mine for a long time. 

Some of my best memories are from spending spring break on Oasis of the Seas with my family and cruising on Freedom of the Seas with my now-fiancée.

I took my first cruise aboard Freedom of the Seas in 2010. The 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise went to CocoCay, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas and introduced me to the Royal Caribbean brand. Ice skating rinks and surf simulators at sea? You had to be kidding me! 

Royal Caribbean ships have only gotten bigger since Freedom of the Seas initially launched in 2006. Icon of the Seas, for example, made her long-awaited debut in January 2024 and holds the record as the world's largest cruise ship. 

Royal Caribbean and MSC’s biggest cruise ships offer mind-blowing attractions and an endless variety of things to do onboard, but I thought one ship was better than the other, despite the higher cost.

Within the same year, I cruised on the biggest ship by MSC Cruises—MSC World Europa—and the biggest ship by Royal Caribbean—Icon of the Seas. The vessels, which each accommodate roughly 7,000 passengers, are more akin to floating cities than traditional cruise ships.

Symphony of the Seas is one of the world's largest cruise ships. However, I discovered that the cabins are far from spacious. I stayed in an inside cabin on a weeklong cruise to the Caribbean from Miami, Florida. It was my first time in an interior stateroom, and I wasn't sure what to expect. 

The 228,081 gross registered ton ship has over 2,700 staterooms onboard capable of accommodating 6,680 guests at maximum capacity. 

Today's newest cruise ships are all the rage with ice skating rinks, rollercoasters, go-kart tracks, waterparks, and more. However, newer isn't always better. Last year, I sailed on three old cruise ships built in the 1990s for Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Disney, and my experiences couldn't have been more different. 

For example, my cabin aboard Vision of the Seas felt like it was stuck in the 90s with outdated decor and a noticeable lack of outlets. In comparison, my interior stateroom on Disney Magic also had a nostalgic charm but greater attention to detail. 

Today's newest cruise ships offer the most onboard dining options and activities, such as innovative restaurants like Royal Caribbean's Utopia Station: Royal Railway and Carnival's BOLT rollercoaster. However, just because one cruise ship is newer than another doesn't make it better.

Having sailed primarily on Royal Caribbean's Oasis and Freedom Class, I wondered why many cruisers remained loyal to the dated Vision Class ships, which launched over 20 years ago.