Now, sales at Royal Caribbean aren’t anything new. They have Black Friday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had an Arbor Day sale. But just because the line is promoting it as a “sale” doesn’t mean it’s a true savings.

Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing for many of its items, which means prices can vary by individual sailing and also based on when you book.

So are these Black Friday deals actually good?

To get a more scientific answer, we checked the Deluxe Beverage Package prices for 99 sailings across 28 ships and compared them with earlier prices recorded for those same cruises. And the results were very positive.

Almost 90% of Sailings Had Their Lowest Recorded Price

Of the 99 sailings we checked, 88 had a lower drink package price than we’d previously recorded. Another nine matched their previous low, while only two were more expensive.

That puts 98% of the cruises in our sample at or below their previous lowest recorded price!

By using a larger sample size, we were hoping to get an idea of the overall patterns. Checking one or two cruises might tell you whether those particular sailings have a good deal, but it doesn’t give you much of a feel for what’s happening elsewhere.

Our sample included departures from December 2026 through December 2027. We compared the prices available on November 5 with earlier prices in our database for each sailing.

How Much Can You Save?

Across the sailings we checked, the average drink package price was $67.32 per person per day. The average of those same cruises’ previous lowest prices was $73.29, making the November 5 prices about 8% cheaper.

The typical savings were around $6 per person per day compared with the previous low.

Six dollars might not sound particularly exciting, but multiply that by two people on a seven-day cruise, and you’re looking at $84 in savings at those daily rates. That’s enough to make checking your Cruise Planner worthwhile.

Some sailings had even bigger reductions.

In total, 19 sailings were at least 10% cheaper than their previous recorded low.

The Two Exceptions Were Sailing Soon

Two cruises had drink package prices above their previous recorded lows.

For the December 6, 2026, sailing of Symphony of the Seas, the package was $73.99 per day, compared with a previous low of $70.99.

For the December 7, 2026, sailing of Utopia of the Seas, it was $77.99 per day, compared with a previous low of $71.99.

Both cruises were among the four closest departures we were tracking.

The other two cruises in that earliest group, Radiance of the Seas on December 5 and Star of the Seas on December 6, matched their previous lows. None of those four cruises had a new lower price.

Being close to departure could help explain why those deals weren’t as strong. It matches advice we’ve heard widely online: don’t wait until your sailing is close to book, as prices are often higher then, even with Black Friday deals.

Why Your Cruise Might Have a Different Deal

Royal Caribbean sets prices to maximize revenue for each sailing. That means the company can have different reasons to discount the drink package on different cruises.

If a cruise is light on pre-cruise purchases, a better offer might encourage more guests to buy. If plenty of people have already purchased packages, there may be less reason to offer a bigger discount.

That’s why two sailings on the same ship can have different prices during the same sale.

The only way to know for sure is to check the Cruise Planner or your Royal Caribbean app. And don’t look at the percentage off; Royal Caribbean plays games with these by increasing the base price to offer bigger “savings.” Always look at the actual price per day.

Check Your Price, Even If You’ve Looked Before

Based on this sample, the pre-Black Friday sale is worth a look. Most of the cruises we checked had their lowest recorded drink package price, and some were around 15% to 16% below their earlier low.

Look at the daily price and the final checkout total, and compare them with what you’ve seen before. A quick note or spreadsheet can make it much easier to tell whether the next sale is offering anything better.

You can also use our Cruise Planner Price Lookup to check pricing for a specific sailing.

Of course, getting a better price on a drink package only helps if you’ll use it enough. Before spending hundreds of dollars, try our Drink Package Calculator to see how the package compares with paying for the drinks you’d normally order.

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Celebrity Cruises has announced that Celebrity Beyond will offer nine 3-night weekend cruises from Fort Lauderdale between November 2028 and March 2029.

For years, if you wanted to experience one of Celebrity Cruises’ newest Edge Series ships, you typically needed to commit to a longer vacation. That’s about to change.

For guests who have wanted to try Celebrity’s newer ships but weren’t ready to dedicate a full week to one, this is a pretty big change. It’s also another example of a trend we’re seeing across the cruise industry, where newer and more feature-packed ships are increasingly being used for short cruises rather than being reserved exclusively for traditional 7-night vacations.

And based on what Royal Caribbean Group recently told investors, there’s a pretty good business reason for it.

A 3-Night Cruise on Celebrity Beyond to Nassau

The new short cruises will depart from Fort Lauderdale and sail to The Bahamas, with nine weekend departures scheduled between November 2028 and March 2029.

Celebrity calls them the first short sailings ever offered on an Edge Series ship.

The short cruises will run Wednesday to Saturday, leaving from Fort Lauderdale. Guests will have one sea day before arriving in Nassau, Bahamas, and returning to Fort Lauderdale. The most attractive destination in Nassau will likely be Royal Caribbean’s new private beach club, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, which is an excursion that comes at an additional cost.

A Good Taste of the Newest Celebrity Has to Offer

While Celebrity Beyond isn’t the newest Edge Class ship, it still represents some of the best of what the line has to show guests. It’s the third ship in Celebrity’s Edge Series but the first one that was lengthened with more pool deck space, new infinity pools, and an expanded Sunset Bar. It also features many of the concepts that distinguish the newer Celebrity experience, including the Magic Carpet, Rooftop Garden, multi-story Grand Plaza, and the unique 3-story Eden space.

The ship is also getting several new venues, including Orange Peel Bar & Grille, Tacos del Sol, and Bora, when it goes into dry dock this November. Those additions are scheduled to debut aboard Beyond in November 2026.

Royal Caribbean Says Short-Cruise Guests Can Spend Like Long-Cruise Guests

Why more short cruises? It comes down to what the market wants and profitability.

During Royal Caribbean Group’s third-quarter earnings call on October 27, CEO Jason Liberty was asked about stronger close-in bookings and changing consumer behavior.

Part of his answer was particularly relevant to this new Celebrity deployment.

Liberty said Royal Caribbean Group has deliberately shifted toward offering more weekend getaways and shorter itineraries. He also noted that half of the company’s guests are now millennials or younger, a group that tends to take more trips.

Then came the really interesting part:

“They basically spend as much as they would on a short trip as they would on a six or seven-night itinerary.”

If a guest taking a 3- or 4-night trip can generate spending comparable to someone taking a 6- or 7-night vacation, while also potentially cruising more frequently throughout the year, short cruises start looking much more attractive to the cruise line.

It doesn’t mean Celebrity has suddenly decided that every Edge Series ship should become a weekend-cruise ship. Far from it.

In fact, Celebrity Beyond will also offer 8- to 11-night Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale during the same season, including six Panama Canal itineraries.

Instead, Celebrity appears to be using Beyond to cover both ends of the market.

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The ship is an interesting choice for Baltimore. While it’s similar to the Spirit-class ships that have traditionally sailed from the port, it has some significant differences that Carnival cruisers might notice.

More Options for Baltimore Cruisers

Baltimore has long been a popular cruise port for residents of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, allowing guests to visit the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Caribbean without the hassle and expense of airfare.

For years, Carnival Pride faithfully served the port, becoming a fan favorite among local cruisers. The ship began sailing year-round from Baltimore in 2009, giving guests a convenient way to cruise without having to travel to Florida.

But Baltimore has always had some limitations. Ships sailing from the port must pass under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which has a clearance of approximately 186 feet. That has limited Carnival to its smaller Spirit-class ships, which can safely fit under the bridge.

Recently, Carnival has been looking to offer more variety.

In February 2026, the cruise line announced that it would bring a second ship to Baltimore for the first time. Starting in November 2027, Carnival Miracle will join Carnival Pride, offering additional options for cruisers looking to sail from Maryland.

Now it looks like Carnival is continuing that strategy. Starting November 18, 2028, Carnival Luminosa is scheduled to offer seasonal sailings from Baltimore, giving local cruisers another ship to try.

The ship will join the Miracle which will also sail from the port from Sept 2028 – April 2029 visiting different destinations like San Juan, St Maarten, and Bermuda.

Another Spirit-Class Ship, But With Some Differences

Carnival Luminosa wasn’t originally built for Carnival Cruise Line. The ship debuted in 2009 as Costa Luminosa for sister cruise line Costa Cruises. While it’s technically a different design, it shares much of its DNA with Carnival’s popular Spirit-class ships, including Carnival Pride, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Legend, and Carnival Spirit.

In 2022, Carnival transferred the ship from Costa Cruises and gave it a quick makeover to bring it more in line with the Carnival brand.

That included adding several familiar Carnival venues, such as Alchemy Bar, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, RedFrog Rum Bar, Pizzeria del Capitano, and the adults-only Serenity area.

But Carnival didn’t go all the way with the conversion.

The ship is still missing several signature Carnival features, including Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, mini-golf, and waterslides. It also doesn’t have Carnival’s signature whale-tail funnel, instead retaining its original Costa funnel, painted red.

There are some positives, though. The ship has a covered main pool, which could be especially helpful on cruises leaving Baltimore during the colder winter months.

More Enhancements Coming for Carnival Luminosa

Before it makes its debut in Baltimore, the ship will undergo a dry dock in 2028. According to Carnival, it’ll see “refreshed spaces and enhancements throughout the ship.” But beyond that, Carnival isn’t saying what changes are coming.

It would be great to see Carnival finally add Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina, two popular venues found on almost every other ship in the fleet. And it’s still one of the few Carnival ships without waterslides or mini-golf.

Carnival Luminosa’s 2028 and 2029 Baltimore Itineraries

Carnival Luminosa is scheduled to begin sailing from Baltimore on November 18, 2028, with a mix of 7, 8, 9, and 12-day cruises.

The itineraries offer a good variety of destinations, ranging from the cruise line’s popular Bahamas destinations to longer voyages visiting the Southern Caribbean.

7-Day Bahamas Cruises

The shortest itineraries will be 7-day cruises to the Bahamas. These sailings visit three destinations:

• RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Carnival’s private island destination
• Celebration Key, Carnival’s exclusive destination on Grand Bahama
• Nassau, Bahamas

The itineraries include three sea days, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the ship.

Departure dates: December 26, 2028, and January 28, February 4, February 11, February 25, March 4, March 11, and March 25, 2029.

8-Day Bahamas Cruise

If you’re looking for a slightly longer trip, Carnival is offering an 8-day Bahamas sailing departing December 18, 2028.

This cruise visits the same three destinations as the 7-day voyages but adds an extra sea day.

Departure date: December 18, 2028.

9-Day Eastern Caribbean Cruises

The 9-day Eastern Caribbean itineraries offer a little more variety, with stops at four destinations:

• Celebration Key, Grand Bahama
• Nassau, Bahamas
• RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay
• Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

These cruises include four sea days, with two at the beginning and two at the end.

Departure dates: November 18 and December 9, 2028.

12-Day Southern Caribbean Cruises

For cruisers who want to explore more of the Caribbean without flying to Florida, Carnival is offering two different 12-day Southern Caribbean itineraries.

The first, departing November 27, 2028, visits:

• St. Maarten
• Martinique
• Barbados
• St. Lucia
• St. Kitts

The second, departing January 2, 2029, offers a different collection of islands:

• St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Antigua
• Martinique
• St. Maarten
• St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Both cruises feature five ports of call and six sea days, with three consecutive sea days in each direction.

Baltimore Can Thank Australia for Its New Ship

So why is Carnival moving Carnival Luminosa to Baltimore?

For the past few years, the ship has split its time between Alaska during the summer and Australia during the winter. But earlier this month, Carnival announced a major change to its Australian operations.

Starting in March 2028, Carnival will permanently pull both Carnival Luminosa and Carnival Adventure from Australia, cutting its fleet in the country from four ships to two.

As we explored in our previous article on Carnival’s Australian fleet reductions, the decision could also be an attempt to pressure the Australian government as it works on new cruise-industry regulations. While it’s hard to know for sure, it does mean that Australia’s loss is Carnival’s gain.

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The cruise line has added three special sailings aboard Carnival Firenze, departing from Manhattan in June and August 2027. These cruises are part of Carnival’s SEA (Sailings Exclusively for Adults) program, where every passenger must be at least 21 years old.

The program began as an exclusive offering for select casino guests, but Carnival has repeatedly opened it to a wider audience. Now, the cruise line is offering even more opportunities for guests to experience a Carnival cruise without children onboard.

Three Adults-Only Carnival Cruises From New York in 2027

The three new SEA cruise options will be aboard Carnival Firenze, which is switching to an East Coast deployment and replacing its sister ship, Carnival Venezia. This Venice Class ship is a similar layout and size for Carnival’s Vista Class (Vista, Horizon, and Panorama) but is heavily themed with an Italian flare because the ship was acquired by sister cruise line Costa.

Guests can choose from two different eight-day itineraries departing from Manhattan, New York:

• 8-Day Canadian Cruise: June 1, 2027
  • Visits Charlottetown, PE; Sydney, NS; and Halifax, NS.
• 8-Day Caribbean Cruise: June 9 and August 24, 2027
  • Visits Celebration Key; RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay; and Grand Turk.

These will be the first SEA sailings departing from New York, giving cruisers in the Northeast a chance to experience Carnival’s adults-only cruises without having to fly to Florida or another homeport.

Carnival is also offering additional SEA cruises in 2027 aboard Carnival Conquest from Miami on January 4, Carnival Paradise from Tampa on February 12, and Carnival Horizon from Galveston on May 13.

What Makes Carnival’s SEA Cruises Different?

Unlike a traditional Carnival cruise, SEA cruises are exclusively for passengers who are 21 or older. Guests still get the familiar Carnival experience, just without kids onboard and with additional adult-focused activities.

As part of the program, Carnival introduced upgraded dining menus on its first SEA cruises in 2025. These menus proved quite popular and have been highlighted on all SEA sailings since then.

Casino offerings are also a focus here. Carnival originally developed the program for casino players, offering more gambling opportunities and special casino events. Carnival typically brings in extra slot machines for these sailings, taking over some lobby or bar space.

That means these sailings aren’t necessarily designed to be quieter or more relaxing than a regular Carnival cruise. They’re still Carnival cruises, just with a different crowd and some additional adult-oriented experiences.

How to Book a Carnival SEA Cruise

While Carnival originally offered these cruises exclusively to invited casino guests, the cruise line has been allowing more people to register for access on their website.

Interested passengers can visit Carnival’s SEA cruise registration page to sign up or enter their existing Carnival guest number.

Carnival Continues to Expand Its Adults-Only Cruises

Carnival’s SEA program has been growing since its introduction in 2025, but the expansion hasn’t been without some questions.

Earlier this year, Carnival canceled 11 previously scheduled sailings aboard Carnival Firenze to make room for a series of longer adults-only cruises from Long Beach, California. Then, in August, we took a closer look at how well those cruises were selling.

At the time, Carnival repeatedly extended booking windows for the sailings, suggesting the cruise line was trying to attract more passengers. Our comparison of available stateroom inventory also showed that a comparable traditional Carnival cruise appeared to be closer to selling out.

That raised questions about whether the demand for adults-only cruises was as strong as the enthusiasm seen on social media. But maybe Long Beach itself was part of the problem, since it’s not as popular as some other departure ports. Will New York generate more interest?

Our Take: Carnival Is Giving Adults-Only Cruises More Opportunities to Succeed

It’s interesting to see Carnival continue expanding the SEA program, especially after repeatedly opening bookings to a wider audience earlier this year.

The New York sailings are a particularly interesting addition. The Northeast is a large cruise market, and offering adults-only cruises from Manhattan gives Carnival access to another group of potential customers who might not have considered flying to another port for one of these special sailings.

The timing is also great for adults. These are the closest we’ve seen to summer SEA sailings yet, with warm temperatures and departures scheduled just before New York-area schools let out and around the time students are heading back.

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Aqua Food Market (New)

MSC World Asia will feature a new food hall-style market on the Aqua Deck. It’ll have five distinct stalls, which MSC says are inspired by “Europe’s coastal gems.”

While the press release doesn’t name all five stalls, the released renderings appear to show a build-your-own salad station, a “sandwicherie,” fries, and a Mediterranean-style pita station. MSC also mentions desserts as one of the options.

This new venue is located by the main pool (on previous world class ships, it was home to two bars). That means guests can enjoy their dishes in nearby seating areas or take their food back to the pool.

Food halls have become increasingly popular in recent years, offering guests fresh, made-to-order options instead of typical buffet offerings. They also typically offer more exciting types of cuisine. Most notably, Royal Caribbean introduced the AquaDome Market concept on its Icon Class ships with five food stalls. Sound familiar?

Buffet Grab & Go (New)

Also near the Aqua Deck pool, MSC is introducing Buffet Grab & Go. It’ll have a variety of quick bites and snacks for casual eating throughout the day.

Pan-Asian On-the-Go (New)

MSC released information about the new Pan-Asian restaurant in July. It’ll be located on the World Promenade on Deck 8, in the same spot that Paxos occupies on MSC World America.

The venue will feature a dedicated window serving complimentary Pan-Asian street food throughout the day, including crispy seafood balls, fluffy bao buns, and more.

In addition to the grab-and-go window, this space will also have a specialty restaurant for extra-fee dining and a bar serving Southeast Asian-inspired cocktails.

Promenade Bites

Located right on the promenade, this returning venue is a great place to stop for complimentary sweet and savory snacks between activities.

The Harbour Bar & Bites

If you’re up on deck enjoying all the attractions in the Family Aventura district, like the ropes course and water park, then stop by The Harbour Bar & Bites.

It’ll have complimentary grab-and-go snacks, sweet treats, and cold drinks.

Pizza & Burger

The popular Pizza & Burger concept, located next to Luna Park in the World Galleria, is also returning.

MSC is known for its pizza, and this venue combines it with delicious burgers and other quick snacks. Even better, it’ll be open 24 hours a day, making it a great option for a late-night bite.

MSC World Asia Will Debut in December 2026

MSC World Asia will launch on December 4, 2026. It’ll sail seven-night Mediterranean itineraries until November 2027, when it will head to the Caribbean with departures from Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort-de-France, Martinique; and Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.

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That’s part of the plan for a new cruise development in Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. MSC Cruises is working on a project that could completely change the port experience, with plans for an inverted coaster, a water coaster, and a variety of other attractions.

And the coasters are only part of the story. The plans also include a water park, swimming pools, splash pads, fountain entertainment, restaurants, bars, and shopping.

These are just a few of the things mentioned in a recent Environmental Impact Assessment report for the site, revised and released two weeks ago. Tucked into those documents are attraction masterplans and concept sheets that give us a much closer look at what MSC has in mind.

What Is MSC Building in Freeport?

The new Freeport Cruise Terminal is planned for Billy Cay, a 54-acre site of reclaimed land within Freeport Harbour. MSC Cruises and Freeport Cruise Terminal Ltd. have proposed a $400 million development that can accommodate up to four ships at once, along with a new district for dining, shopping, entertainment, and attractions.

The proposed layout calls for three berths along the northern side and a fourth on the western side, potentially accommodating four ships simultaneously. The final number and configuration of berths will depend on further engineering studies.

The northern berths are intended to accommodate some of the world’s largest cruise ships. Interestingly, the engineering study specifically references Royal Caribbean’s Oasis- and Icon-class ships as design examples, rather than MSC’s own World-class ships.

The western berth would accommodate smaller ships. The study illustrates possible docking arrangements for MSC Seaside and Carnival’s Dream-class ships, although those examples are used for planning and do not establish that Carnival or Royal Caribbean will call at the terminal.

For cruise passengers, the plans point to a port with plenty to do close to the ship. The proposal includes restaurants, bars, food stands, a local vendors market, and a transportation hub offering connections by land and water.

Preliminary estimates allocate approximately 8 acres to the attraction park and 14.8 acres to the retail, dining, and entertainment district.

Billy Cay Is Not an MSC Private Destination

Billy Cay won’t be another private destination like MSC’s Ocean Cay or Royal Caribbean’s Perfect day at CocoCay. Although MSC is behind the project, the terminal is intended to serve multiple cruise operators. Both the environmental assessment and the government’s January announcement describe a facility for multiple users.

Billy Cay’s terminal and attraction park are separate from MSC Beach Club, which MSC is developing on a 20-acre beachfront portion of the Grand Lucayan Resort in Lucaya. That beach club is planned for MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys guests, while the Billy Cay terminal is intended to serve multiple cruise lines.

Two Coasters Are in the Plans

The most attention-grabbing details appear in the illustrated attraction masterplans. The fourth drawing labels two proposed rides that caught our attention: an inverted coaster and a water coaster.

An inverted coaster would be a first for a cruise ship destination. And while some private islands have water coasters in their water parks, this would be the first cruise port to have a stand-alone water coaster at a cruise terminal.

The actual coaster models haven’t been selected yet. The drawings show the proposed layout, but they also make it clear the plans are still preliminary and that manufacturers, ride models, heights, speeds, and prices have not been disclosed.

While the coasters are probably the most attention-grabbing part of the study, they’re the final step in a four-stage attraction plan, after other rides, dining, and entertainment.

A Water Park Is Also Planned

But they’re not building just a theme park. The preliminary site plan identifies a water park area, while the construction documents describe water slides, swimming pools, water features, splash pads, and aquatic play facilities.

Concept landscape sheets call the water park area Paradise Waters. They describe lush tropical landscaping around the water slides and water features, with the sheets stamped “Future Phase.”

One detail gives a sense of the size of water facilities being considered: the assessment estimates that 3-5 million gallons of water would be needed to initially fill the pools and water park attractions. For perspective, that’s enough water to fill roughly five to eight Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The documents do not give the water park its own opening date or explicitly tie it to one of the four illustrated attraction stages.

How the Attractions Could Roll Out

The four masterplans offer a useful look at how the destination could develop over time.

Stage One: A Promenade and the First Rides

The first drawing calls for a shaded promenade, arrival gateways, the main pedestrian pathway, and roughly 50% of the buildings. Its initial rides include a carousel and two other rides: Wave Swinger and Twist & Splash.

Wave Swinger likely refers to the popular swing attraction manufactured by Zierer. It’s a classic boardwalk attraction found at many theme parks around the world.

Twist & Splash is likely a ride by Mack Rides and a bit more unique. The manufacturer describes the ride as an interactive water ride with boats, water cannons, and family-friendly fun.

The report notes that the rides depend on procurement timing.

Stage Two: Fountain Entertainment and More Rides

The second stage adds a few more attractions.

The map shows Big Wavez, a drop-tower ride by Zamperla Rides that lifts guests 50 feet into the air before dropping them, creating a huge wave at the bottom that splashes nearby guests.

It also shows a swinging boat ride. You’ve probably seen these at many theme parks as well. They’re typically themed as pirate ships and swing back and forth, taking guests 60 feet or higher into the air.

A new section labeled “Fountain Spectacular” also appears in this phase. The drawing shows a large circular fountain feature and also labels a fountain maze.

At this point, the plan calls for 80% of the retail offerings and 50% of the food and beverage offerings.

Stage Three: More Places to Eat, Drink, and Play

The third drawing shows a mirror maze and venues labeled Pool Bar and Splash Bar. According to the drawings, 100% of the food and beverage offerings would be open at this stage, and the rides would be operational, although the coasters would come later.

Stage Four: The Coasters Arrive

The fourth drawing adds the inverted coaster and water coaster, with a caption stating that the signature coasters would be operational.

Why Freeport Needs a Fresh Look

It’s easy to see why some cruisers push back against destinations that feel more like theme parks. But Freeport is also a place where an investment in the guest experience could make a real difference.

The current harbor’s industrial setting is part of the challenge. If you’ve sailed to Freeport in the past, you’ve seen that the waterfront is filled with cranes, warehouses, container yards, and dry docks. That is a very different first impression from stepping off a ship into a beach resort, and MSC’s plans would add more dining, entertainment, and attractions right at the terminal.

There’s also not a ton to do in the immediate area in terms of activities and excursions. How do you get guests excited about a cruise to a port when you can’t point to great experiences they shouldn’t miss?

Improving the Bahamas Experience for Cruisers

Concerns about the experience in Freeport, and the Bahamas in general, are not new. In an April 2023 interview with The Tribune, former Bahamian Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar called for new excursions and activities, saying, “Freeport is the worst and Nassau is three from the bottom” when discussing cruise-port rankings.

Royal Caribbean’s Michael Bayley raised a similar concern about Nassau that month. He said Nassau ranked in the bottom 10% for guest satisfaction, explaining, “They’ve come here many times before and there’s nothing new, fresh or innovative.”

While his comments concerned Nassau, they highlight the broader challenge of giving repeat visitors something different to do. Other cruise lines have already taken steps to address that challenge. Royal Caribbean launched Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, its private, extra-fee beach club directly across from the cruise port. According to comments on investor calls, this new initiative has been very successful.

Likewise, Carnival took a “build something” approach elsewhere on Grand Bahama. Just a 23-mile drive from this new complex, Celebration Key opened in July 2025 with freshwater lagoons, a beach, dining, shopping, and waterslides. It can now accommodate up to 4 Carnival Corporation ships and they’re working on a second phase of attractions.

MSC’s plans would bring a different mix of attractions to the harbor itself. Noticeably missing from the plans, though, is any kind of beach experience.

When Could MSC’s Freeport Development Open?

Billy Cay’s first phase should open in the second half of 2028.

The environmental assessment, which was revised October 9, 2026, outlines the following earlier construction schedule:

• January 2027: Planned construction start.
• September 2027: Target completion of the first berth and initial shoreside development.
• Mid-2028: Earlier target for phase-one completion.
• 2029: Target for full project completion.

But in an address this week, Prime Minister Philip Davis spoke about the separate MSC Beach Club at Grand Lucayan and said it is planned to open alongside Billy Cay’s first phase in November 2028.

Still Early Plans

It should be noted that these are still early plans. These documents are different from an official press release or marketing piece from MSC or Freeport. Plans may change based on the environmental assessment, budgets, or other factors, but overall, they show what’s being envisioned for this destination.

But the documents already paint a picture of a Freeport stop with far more to do at the terminal, from dining and fountain entertainment to water attractions and, eventually, two proposed coasters.

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Celebrity Flora Day 4 Overview

• Celebrity Flora Day 4 Schedule
• Breakfast in Seaside Restaurant
• Switching Excursions
• Top Deck of the Flora
• Wildlife Tender Ride at Punta Moreno
• How Our Ship Moves Talk
• Azteca Lunch Buffet in Seaside Restaurant
• Enrichment Presentation: Sea Life of the Galapagos Islands
• Short Walk at Urbina Bay
• Pool Time on Flora
• Next Cruise Presentation
• Excursion Briefing
• Dinner in the Seaside Restaurant
• Stargazing
• Late Night Entertainment

Celebrity Flora Day 4 Schedule

Breakfast in Seaside Restaurant

We returned to the Seaside Restaurant for breakfast around 7:30 AM. Like the previous days, it was peaceful and quiet, with the restaurant maybe only 1/3 full. With the sun pouring in through the large windows and the calm morning atmosphere, it was always a great way to start the day.

The breakfast options were still similar to the previous day. Unlike on a normal cruise, I was always careful not to overeat for breakfast because it’d feel awful to have to hike while stuffed full of bacon, pancakes, hash browns, and pastries (also, there are no bathrooms on the islands).

Switching Excursions

Originally, I signed up for the “Long, Uneven Lava Rock Walk,” which was a 2-mile walk across rough lava.

But last night, I wasn’t feeling great, and today, while I felt better, I still wasn’t at 100%. I didn’t want to miss out on any stop on this vacation, though, so I went to the Discovery Lounge and asked a naturalist if I could switch to the “Wildlife Tender Option.” They were really accommodating and let me switch. Usually, as long as the tender had room, switching wasn’t too much of an issue.

The tender ride I signed up for was the third option, so it wasn’t leaving for another 45 minutes. I was going to go back to my cabin, but the cabin steward was already cleaning the room, so I used the time to explore the top decks some more.

Top Deck of the Flora

The top decks on Flora were really the perfect place to take in the beauty of the islands. I hadn’t spent much time here yet because we were always busy on the islands, attending presentations, or showering and getting ready for the next excursion.

This morning gave me the perfect opportunity to check out these areas, though. The air was crisp and cool, which helped offset the powerful equatorial sun beating down on the deck. In the distance, you could see the islands rising out of the water. The ship usually stayed about a 15-20 minute tender ride from shore, so things were close, but never “very close.”

The back of the ship had a lot of comfortable chairs, tables, and sun loungers all over the deck. It felt similar what you’re see in The Retreat areas on other Celebrity ships.

I also really have to give Celebrity credit here for the design of the hot tub. Most hot tubs on ships are sunken down into the deck, or sometimes you’ll find an infinity hot tub looking over the side of the ship. In this case, the hot tub was actually raised. And because it was higher than the railings around the top deck, it gave you unobstructed 360-degree views while in the hot tub. Such a smart move. And while it looked kind of small, this hot tub could hold 12 people (I never saw more than 4 people in it at once).

At the front of the top deck was The Observatory, right above the bridge. It kind of reminded me of the Observation Lounge on Norwegian’s Prima Class ships, with comfy chairs, tables, and a selection of board games and books (although there was no bar in here). The panoramic windows offered such impressive views, and the powerful air conditioning kept the room cool despite the direct sun. Because this was such a busy cruise, I doubt this space got much use, but it did remind me how much I love these types of lounges (Celebrity got rid of the front-facing lounges for general guests with their Edge Class ships).

Wildlife Tender Ride at Punta Moreno

At 8:30, I headed down to the Discovery Lounge to check in for my excursion. I was always early for everything on this ship because it was so small. I was so used to giving myself 5-10 minutes to get around a cruise ship, but on Flora, I could easily make it from one side of the top deck to the other side of the lowest deck in 2 minutes.

The Wildlife Tender Ride was the least popular of all the excursions offered today. They were only running two tenders for it. Since the tender would be the whole experience, not just transportation to the activity, they said they usually try to have fewer than 10 people per tender to give everyone space to move around. I was assigned to the first tender, which only had 9 people.

Honestly, I was kind of bummed about the excursion. I really wished I felt good enough to do the hike. Sitting on a boat and zipping around rocks seemed like it’d be boring to me. But I thought it’d be better to take it easy than push myself too hard and ruin the rest of the cruise.

We put on our life jackets and immediately headed out. It was a beautiful day, but the sun was strong, so I opted for a long-sleeve sun shirt and long pants to avoid having to put on another coating of sunscreen so early. It also helped because there were some splashes from the ocean during the ride.

Our guide, Ivon, and driver, Darwin, took us into the shallows along the black volcanic rock to see wildlife up close.

How close can you get to the sea life while on a boat? Plenty, actually. Darwin would actually jam on the throttle and get the tender right up onto the rocks themselves. At some points, we were just 8 feet away from the wildlife. I didn’t expect that at all.

The shallows were filled with animals, and Darwin and Ivon were constantly looking around and zipping over to interesting sights.

We spotted a penguin posing on top of a pile of rocks. Ivon explained that, unlike in the south, you’ll see most penguins here by themselves or with just one partner because they don’t need body heat to survive the moderate weather here.

Along another set of rocks, we saw twenty or thirty dark marine iguanas sunning themselves to warm up since it was still early in the day. It was amazing watching them seamlessly slip into the water, moving like crocodiles with their tails propelling them, and then slipping right back onto land. Right next to them were vibrant red crabs along the rocks. It’s funny, they were the only animals that reacted to us. They’d always scatter if you got near, but the rest would just ignore us completely.

Further away, we saw a blue-footed booby perched atop a mound of rocks. The dark rocks made the bird’s blue feet seem even more vibrant and surreal. Ivon let us all move around and take turns at the top of the tender’s stairs to take better pictures and get a photo with the bird. The booby almost seemed to be posing.

Across the way, we saw a sea lion on top of the rocks, throwing an octopus in the air. Apparently, sometimes sea lions like to play with their food. Over and over again, he was throwing it a few feet into the air and then catching it, as if to show off to everyone.

Overall, the excursion was an hour and 15 minutes and far exceeded my expectations. I got just as close to the wildlife as I had on any hike, and it felt adventurous navigating through the shallows filled with wildlife.

How Our Ship Moves Talk

I got back onboard, again welcomed by the pan flute and some fresh snacks.

Since I was wearing sun-protection shirts and pants, it was the first time on this cruise I didn’t have to shower after the first excursion. It was actually kind of nice.

Tip: Long-sleeve sun shirts and pants are helpful if you don’t want to burn. You don’t have to spend a fortune. I purchased a few of these from Amazon, and they worked great, both in the water and on land. They weren’t too clingy, which is what I usually hate about those kinds of shirts.

At 11:15, we went down to the Discovery Lounge for a talk called “How Our Ship Moves.” The talk was well attended; I counted about 50 people there, roughly half the ship. They had fresh cookies waiting for us as we arrived, and waiters circulated throughout the room for drink orders.

Hotel Director Lauren kicked off the presentation and introduced two of the marine officers who would tell us all about Flora and what makes it unique. The staff who do these talks trade off all the time, so you could tell both were nervous about giving technical presentations to guests in their second language, but they really were quite interesting.

Lorena Balarezo was in charge of both navigation and security, positions usually held by several people on larger ships. She explained that since Flora was built specifically for the Galapagos and designed to have as little effect on the environment as possible, it had a unique dynamic positioning system that would allow it to stay in place without an anchor.

While anchors are handy and do have to be used in some ports or conditions, they damage the seabed below and can affect sea life. Instead, Flora can use a system that’s almost like GPS, along with bow thrusters and azipods, to stay in the same spot as guests zip off the ship and head to the islands. Flora is one of only two ships in the Galapagos with that system (Silver Sea origin has it as well).

She also explained that due to an earthquake in Colombia on the second day of this cruise, it was difficult to position the ship, so on this sailing, we did have to anchor a few times.

One of the engineers, Francisco Ubilla, also came on to talk about the ship’s systems. Like most other cruise ships, Flora makes its drinking water from seawater using reverse osmosis, but they make 100% of it (Royal Caribbean’s new Icon Class makes only 93% of its own water).

They also explained something I didn’t understand: the dedicated water refill taps in the cabins. Water in the bathroom of every cruise ship is safe to drink, so why does Celebrity Flora have a dedicated filtered water tap for bottles? It’s because they use a charcoal filter to take out the chlorine taste.

He also talked about fuel. They said Flora uses 10,000 gallons of marine gas per week, which is less than a ship this size would usually use due to the environmental protections and efficiencies they put in place. For example, that roof on the top deck where the Ocean Grill is that shades us? Mounted on top is a 15 kW solar array that can power part of the grill station.

They also talked about the tenders. Flora has two built-in garages that hold the six tenders onboard. They get loaded in and are held in hammocks down on Deck 3. If you go to the guest services area, they have windows so you can look into the garages.

Overall, it was a really enlightening talk, and I definitely recommend it if you care about the “how-to” of cruise ships.

Azteca Lunch Buffet in Seaside Restaurant

Today’s buffet lunch had an “Azteca” theme, which wasn’t a type of cuisine I’d ever heard of before. It was mostly Latin-inspired flavors, with dishes like beef arrachera and Azteca-style chicken. There were a lot of roasted meats and veggies with flavorful sauces. It was a nice chance to try food I’d never had before.

Enrichment Presentation: Sea Life of the Galapagos Islands

After lunch, we headed to the Discovery Lounge for a presentation called “Sea Life of the Galapagos Islands.” Led by one of the naturalists, the presentation took us through all the different creatures that are endemic to the Galapagos, meaning they are unique and can’t be found elsewhere in the world.

I continued to be impressed by how many people showed up to these talks. It shows that they really do have an interest in wildlife and the Galapagos. I counted about 40 people here, which is 40% of the ship.

Because this talk was halfway through the cruise, we had already seen a lot of these animals on our adventures. It was great to actually hear more about them, their proper names, and what made them special.

So far, we’d seen some marine iguanas, but we learned that they could get up to 4 feet long, and their noses were usually white because they sneeze out excess salt.

They also went over the differences between the land tortoises and sea turtles and which islands have which.

Short Walk at Urbina Bay

Our next excursion was a “Short Walk” at Urbina Bay. This was THE place to see land tortoises on our cruise. There was also an option to swim at the beach afterward, but we skipped that since we had already spent plenty of time in the water.

We arrived at the Discovery Lounge at 3:45 and checked in for our 4 PM excursion. This was a wet landing, meaning the tender would be pulling up right onto the black volcanic sand, and we’d get our feet wet. So I wore my aquatic hiking sandals again (see them on Amazon). They really did come in handy compared to people who either had to change their shoes once on land or wore aquatic socks that were awful on rough terrain.

We jumped off the tender and climbed up the black sand to take off our life vests. Then we headed into the thick, forest-like landscape of the island. It was so interesting how each island had a completely different feel.

This one was older, so it was filled with overgrown vegetation and trees. The marked pathways established and maintained by the national park service made it easy to walk around, though.

Within the first few minutes of our walk, we saw a large land tortoise hiding in an overgrowth of thick plants. He was so big, way bigger than any turtle or tortoise I’d seen before. Even though he was about 10 to 15 feet away, I was still excited to get to see him this close. But it turns out that was just the beginning.

Five minutes later, we encountered a bigger tortoise camped out on the main path. Without the brush covering him, you could really appreciate how magnificent these creatures were. Their shells were intricately textured, with rings on their plates, and their skin looked scaly, almost reptilian. The naturalist guessed that this one was probably 300 pounds, so big, but far from the biggest (they can get up to 500 pounds).

Because he was right on the path, we had to break the 6-foot safety rule to get past him. One by one, we quietly slipped by him as he slept on the path. Our naturalist let everyone take pictures behind him. The forced perspective of the photos makes it look like we’re really close, but in these cases, we were 6-8 feet away, as per the rules.

After the tortoise, we continued on our walk. We saw a lot of large land iguanas. These were different from the Christmas iguanas we saw a couple of days ago. Instead, they were much fatter and yellow-toned. Apparently, the color comes from their diet, which, on this island specifically, consists of a lot of yellow flowers. And because there are so many that are easy to access, these guys get pretty fat. They actually looked kind of cute.

Towards the end of our walk, we saw other tortoises in the brush, munching on some branches.

Overall, the walk was a little over a mile and took an hour and a half. I didn’t think we’d see so much wildlife on this “short walk,” but we were really lucky.

Pool Time on Flora

We got back on the ship around 5:45 and had some time to kill before the presentation. Since we skipped the “swim” part of the walk, we decided to check out the pool on Deck 4. With some downtime, we quickly switched into our bathing suits and jumped in.

The pool is small, holding only 8 people, but it’s perfect for a ship this size. In fact, it’s probably the least-used pool of any cruise ship in the world. Again, not because it isn’t good, but because you’re so busy.

Because of the high glass around it, it felt a bit less “in nature” than the hot tub upstairs, but you could still enjoy the views. As we sat, one of the bartenders from inside came out and offered us a drink, which I didn’t expect since the pool deck wasn’t used much. The water was cool and refreshing. While the walk wasn’t oppressively hot, it was a bit warm out, and it was nice to cool off a little.

Next Cruise Presentation

We ran back to the cabin, showered, and at 6:45, we headed to the Discovery Lounge again for the excursion briefing. Today’s drink of the day was the Pink Flamingo. I always find it odd that they don’t say what is actually in the drink, but since everyone has a drink package onboard, if you don’t like the drink, I guess you just don’t drink it.

We sat down, and a waitress came over, gave us a small bowl of mixed nuts, and took our drink order. Oddly, after 25 minutes, we still hadn’t gotten our drinks, so we ordered again when another waiter came around.

It was the third time this had happened on this sailing. You could tell the setup was hard for the staff. Nearly all 100 guests would show up at the Discovery Lounge within 20 minutes, and the staff had to take orders and bring all the drinks out as quickly as possible. They seemed to have a method, putting down napkins where orders were given, but then sometimes they would forget to actually bring the drinks.

It was probably the only complaint I’d have about service on the ship, and even then, it was relatively minor because I could always flag down someone else. You could tell it was just a lot to keep up with at once.

Before the briefing, there was a brief 15-minute next cruise presentation. Like on every other Celebrity ship, you could book your next cruise onboard and usually get some extra onboard credit. If you booked through a travel agent, you’d still get the extra credit, and the booking would still go directly to your travel agent, who would get full credit. In fact, that’s how we booked this sailing, when we were onboard Celebrity Reflection 6 months earlier (follow that here).

It wasn’t a hard sales presentation at all, but more of an awareness campaign. They asked who had sailed Celebrity before, and surprisingly, it was maybe only about 1/3 to 1/2 of the people. So they were making guests more aware of all the opportunities.

Because this cruise was destination-focused, they focused on that. They weren’t talking about Caribbean cruises here, but cruises to Japan, Egypt, Greece, and more. They also talked a lot about the upcoming Celebrity River ships, which were custom-built for the destinations, just like Flora.

Excursion Briefing

After the 15-minute talk, Expedition Director Gio came on and started to explain all the adventures we’d be able to pick from for tomorrow. You could actually do 4 different excursions, so we knew it’d be a jam-packed day.

While he was giving the presentation, I couldn’t help but notice one of Celebrity Flora’s biggest, and possibly only, design flaws: the large screen in the Discovery Lounge.

The video screen is impressive. Floor-to-ceiling, vibrant photos and videos are displayed throughout the day, and it’s used for all presentations. But the floor-to-ceiling format, combined with the flat floor of the Discovery Lounge, meant that only the first couple of rows of people could see the bottom third of the screen.

People in the middle and back would have to stand up to see what was on the bottom of the screen, and that space was used quite often. They had one TV screen that mirrored what was on the main monitor, but it was on the back wall, so you actually had to look backward to see it.

I’m sure it’s something they never realized would happen when designing the ship, and if they ever made a second one, it’d be an easy fix. But I’m surprised they didn’t just tell people not to put information on the bottom 1/3 of the screen when making their presentations.

As usual, Gio gave lots of good insights into the excursions for tomorrow. He really did a great job explaining what each would entail. But as one of the younger guests on the ship (i.e., in my 40s), I noticed a lot of it was geared toward telling older people what they could do, mentioning slick surfaces, rocks, and uneven pathways.

I’m sure that’s their usual audience, and it makes sense, but anytime I heard “strenuous,” I had to remember to put it in that context.

Dinner in the Seaside Restaurant

After we signed up for our excursions, we headed across the way to the Seaside Restaurant for dinner. The room was about 1/2 full as people were still signing up. It was funny, as the cruise went on, you saw more and more of the four-tops and larger tables being used as people met new friends onboard and would have dinner together.

I went a bit overboard with dinner tonight. I love a crab cake, so when I saw that as a starter, I had to get it. But that wasn’t the star. I also got the Potato & Cheese Soup, which was my favorite.

I was surprised how much I loved the soups on this trip. Ecuadorian cuisine just knows how to do soup well, I guess. It was a creamy, smooth soup with fresh cilantro, chunks of avocado, and cubes of cheese. It was really good.

For dinner, I opted for the pan-seared salmon, which was tasty.

For dessert, I got the Chiquita Napoleon, a “thousand-layer” cake with banana and a dark chocolate sauce. I continued to be impressed with the desserts on Flora. I always thought Celebrity had decent dessert offerings, but on Flora, they seemed notably better (to me at least).

As we were eating dinner, the captain and some of his officers came in and enjoyed dinner as well. It was nice seeing them among the passengers.

Celebrity really does one of the best jobs, in my experience, of making captains and senior staff visible and accessible to guests. And on a ship as small as Flora, it was even more noticeable, with the captain greeting guests coming back from excursions and giving private bridge tours to some groups.

Stargazing

After dinner, we headed up to Deck 8, the highest deck on the ship and just above The Observatory I was in this morning, to check out the stars. We walked up the stairs, past the Ocean Grill, where several tables were enjoying dinner al fresco, and continued to a stairway at the front of the ship.

As I walked up the steps, I entered almost complete darkness. This area was made specifically for stargazing, so there were no artificial lights anywhere in the area. Soft music drifted in from the grill next to us, creating a relaxing ambiance.

Once my eyes adjusted, I could see the large wooden bench along the back of the area, so I sat down and looked up.

Being at the equator and so far away from light pollution meant we’d have some of the best views of the night sky in the world. The sky was absolutely amazing. Hundreds, if not thousands, of stars were spread across the dark night sky.

We were lucky that our sailing was during a new moon, so it wasn’t creating any extra light in the sky. You could see parts of the Milky Way galaxy with its stellar dust. It was so impressive.

I’ve seen unobstructed night skies in places like Iceland while looking for the Northern Lights and while at sea in Bali, miles away from lights, but I had never seen anything this impressive.

We tried using our cameras to capture some pictures of it. I have a Google Pixel phone, which has a dedicated astrophotography mode made for photos like these. Unfortunately, you have to hold your phone really still for it to work, and since the ship was constantly moving, the pictures weren’t coming out clear. Switching to night mode fixed that, though. The iPhone took better pictures, although they were a little more intense than what we actually saw.

As we were up there, two women we had sat next to and chatted with at dinner came up as well. Funnily enough, though, because it was so dark, I don’t think they saw us up there. They talked among themselves and took pictures as we sat on the bench without being noticed at all.

I was afraid that if we made any noise, they’d be startled and fall right over the edge.

Late Night Entertainment

It was another pretty full day, and by 9:30, I was ready for bed. That’s way earlier than I’d go to sleep at home or on any other cruise, but I wasn’t pushing it.

This evening’s activity was karaoke. I stopped by to grab some Oreos (they also had Oreos, saltines, electrolyte powder, and some candies available in the Discovery Lounge).

For karaoke, it was a family of 6 (grandparents, parents, and two teenage girls) and some staff singing along with them. I do love that the staff gets in on the entertainment as well. It feels much more relaxed on Flora than on the rest of the fleet.

Follow Along on Our Galapagos Adventures

• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Pre-Cruise - Quito
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 0 - Quito
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 1 - Baltra
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 2 - Española Island
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 3 - Floreana Island
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 4 - Isabela Island
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 5 - Fernandina and Isabela Islands (coming soon)
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 6 - South Plaza and Santa Cruz Islands (coming soon)
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 7 - Santa Cruz Island (coming soon)
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 8 - Baltra and Disembarkation (coming soon)
• Celebrity Flora - Galapagos Cruise Blog - Day 9 - Quito and Home (coming soon)

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But now it’s more than just cruisers debating the ethics of gratuities.

The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs has been taking a closer look at how cruise lines disclose gratuities. They’re concerned about potentially misleading advertising and the fact that the advertised price isn’t necessarily what you’ll end up paying. While cruise lines have started including more fees in their advertised prices, gratuities are still commonly left out.

Now, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages are changing how they explain gratuities during the booking process, following separate NAD reviews.

In decisions published October 21, 2026, the advertising watchdog examined whether the cruise lines were doing enough to explain these charges to customers. Both cruise lines agreed to make their disclosures clearer, particularly around the fact that gratuities are optional and can be adjusted or removed.

Royal Caribbean Makes Gratuities More Clearly Optional

On October 21, NAD issued a press release explaining that, as part of its routine, ongoing monitoring program, it reviewed Royal Caribbean’s advertising and how the cruise line disclosed gratuities during booking.

The review looked at “whether Royal Caribbean’s advertising disclosed all mandatory fees” and whether customers were getting an accurate impression of the total cost of their vacation.

During the inquiry, Royal Caribbean voluntarily updated its online booking process to make it clearer that gratuities aren’t mandatory.

The cruise line modified its booking process to more clearly explain that gratuities are optional, that guests can choose whether to prepay them, and that they can modify or remove them before disembarkation.

The NAD determined that these changes were sufficient to explain the costs to consumers. But it still had some additional recommendations.

It recommended that Royal Caribbean make the optional nature of gratuities clearer in its “Learn More” section and on the final checkout page.

Royal Caribbean responded that it has already implemented those additional recommendations.

What Are Royal Caribbean’s Current Gratuities?

Royal Caribbean currently charges the following daily gratuities:

• Standard cabins: $18.50 per person, per day.
• Suites: $21 per person, per day.

Guests who don’t prepay will automatically see these charges added to their onboard account each day.

If you don’t want to pay those gratuities, you can head to Guest Relations during the sailing and have them removed, something that’s frequently discussed online.

But here’s something that might surprise even frequent Royal Caribbean cruisers. It’s not just the daily gratuities that are optional.

Royal Caribbean also automatically adds gratuities to certain purchases made before or during your cruise:

• 18% on beverages, drink packages, specialty dining, dining packages, room service, and minibar purchases.
• 20% on spa and salon purchases.

But these are apparently optional as well. Royal Caribbean’s current FAQ explicitly states that the 18% and 20% gratuities are optional and may be adjusted or removed at the guest’s discretion.

The policy also states that guests can visit Guest Relations to modify or remove any gratuity before the morning of disembarkation.

It’s not clear if this is a new policy or just wasn’t fully disclosed before. And that uncertainly really illustrates NAD’s point.

Virgin Voyages Agrees to Explain Gratuities More Clearly

Similarly, during a routine review, NAD took issue with how Virgin Voyages disclosed gratuities during booking.

When Virgin Voyages first launched, one of its biggest selling points was its more inclusive pricing. Unlike other major cruise lines, gratuities were already included in the cruise fare.

That changed in October 2025 when Virgin introduced its new VoyageFair Choices pricing structure. The cruise line separated gratuities from the base fare, allowing it to advertise lower starting prices.

Now, the NAD has raised concerns about how Virgin explains those gratuities during booking.

In its review, the NAD found that Virgin didn’t do enough to explain that gratuities are discretionary, how they are applied, and how guests can remove them. It also pointed out that Virgin referred to gratuities as a “service charge” during the final checkout step, potentially making customers think the charge was mandatory.

The NAD recommended that Virgin make several things clearer throughout its booking process, including:

• Gratuities are optional, but become nonrefundable when prepaid.
• Guests pay more for gratuities if they wait until they’re onboard.
• Guests who don’t prepay can modify or remove gratuities before disembarking, with clear explanations of any conditions that apply.

Virgin Voyages agreed to comply with the recommendations.

Virgin Voyages’ Current Gratuities

Virgin Voyages charges $20 per sailor, per night when gratuities are prepaid, or $22 per sailor, per night if guests wait until they’re onboard.

That $2 difference might encourage guests to prepay, but there’s an important catch. Once you prepay Virgin’s gratuities, they’re nonrefundable.

If you choose to have them added to your onboard account instead, you can visit Sailor Services to adjust or remove them before disembarkation.

So, prepaying saves you some money, but it also means giving up the option to adjust those gratuities based on the service you receive.

Unlike Royal Caribbean, Virgin doesn’t add extra gratuities to drinks, specialty dining, or spa services. The daily service gratuity is intended to cover the crew members who serve you throughout the cruise.

My Take: Gratuities Should Already Be Included in Cruise Fares

I’m glad to see more attention being paid to cruise pricing transparency and that advertising watchdogs are keeping an eye on the cruise companies.

Cruise lines want to advertise the lowest possible starting price to attract customers. Gratuities are an easy way to keep those advertised prices low, even though most passengers end up paying them.

And let’s be clear, this isn’t about whether crew members deserve gratuities. They work incredibly hard, and the service they provide is part of what makes cruising special.

My issue is with how the cruise lines handle the charges. If gratuities are such an important part of compensating crew members, why aren’t they simply built into the cruise fare in the first place?

That’s one of the things I originally loved about Virgin Voyages. When you booked a cruise, gratuities were already included. You didn’t have to think about them, budget for them separately, or worry about another charge appearing on your account. I really feel that Virgin took a step backward when it changed that model in 2025.

I think it’s deceptive to advertise a cruise at one price when you know most passengers will end up paying substantially more in gratuities. I’d much rather see cruise lines include these costs in their advertised fares and offer a more straightforward price from the start.

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While Princess is promoting the expansion as an upgrade, there’s one important detail. Once the existing Sanctuary is converted into the Sanctuary Club, passengers will no longer be able to purchase day passes to access the area.

That means guests who want to enjoy the adults-only retreat will need to book one of the designated Sanctuary Collection staterooms.

What’s Changing With the Sanctuary?

For years, The Sanctuary has been one of Princess Cruises’ signature features. The adults-only retreat offers comfortable loungers, private cabanas, and a quiet place to relax away from the busier pool decks.

Passengers could pay extra to access the area for a half day or full day, making it an appealing option for people who wanted a relaxing sea day without having to book an expensive suite.

But on five ships, Princess will convert the existing Sanctuary areas into the Sanctuary Club, an exclusive space reserved for passengers staying in Sanctuary Collection accommodations.

The new Sanctuary Club will feature an adults-only pool area, upgraded loungers, shaded cabanas, and dedicated food and beverage service. Cabanas will still be available for an additional charge, but only for passengers who already have access to the club.

According to Princess’s updated FAQ, passengers will no longer be able to purchase day passes, loungers, or cabanas in the area once it becomes the Sanctuary Club. It doesn’t matter if you’re willing to pay extra for access. If you’re not staying in a Sanctuary Collection stateroom, you won’t be allowed in.

Which Princess Ships Are Getting Sanctuary Collection?

Princess is rolling out the changes to five of its Royal Class ships over the next several months.

The expansion is also part of a larger, multi-year modernization effort across the Princess fleet, so we could see similar changes announced for additional ships in the future.

What Is Included With Sanctuary Collection?

Sanctuary Collection is Princess’s version of a ship-within-a-ship experience, offering additional perks and exclusive spaces to passengers staying in certain accommodations.

It’s not limited to just the most expensive suites, either. On the five ships being converted, Sanctuary Collection will include select suites, mini-suites, balcony staterooms, and even oceanview staterooms.

For example, Royal Princess will have 231 staterooms designated as part of Sanctuary Collection. That’s roughly 13% of all cabins on the ship.

Guests staying in these accommodations will receive several additional benefits.

Access to the Sanctuary Club

The biggest perk is access to the Sanctuary Club, a private adults-only area with a pool, comfortable loungers, cabanas, and dedicated food and drink service.

The space is restricted to passengers ages 16 and older, even if younger passengers are staying in Sanctuary Collection accommodations.

Exclusive Sanctuary Restaurant

Passengers will also have access to the Sanctuary Restaurant, a dedicated dining area with special menus inspired by the destinations Princess visits. The restaurant will have dedicated waitstaff, and guests won’t need reservations to dine there.

Access to the Suite Lounge

Passengers staying in Sanctuary Collection suites will receive access to an additional private lounge. This space will offer refreshments, a quieter place to relax, and personalized concierge assistance. This benefit is exclusive to suite guests and isn’t included with other Sanctuary Collection staterooms.

Princess Premier Package

New Sanctuary Collection bookings for eligible sailings will also include Princess Premier, the cruise line’s highest-tier package.

That means passengers will receive benefits like unlimited premium beverages, specialty dining, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, and other extras.

This makes Sanctuary Collection more than just a room upgrade, since many of the extras that passengers would normally purchase separately are included in the fare.

Is This a Good Change for Princess Cruises?

Ship-within-a-ship concepts have proved increasingly popular with cruise lines, and this upgrade is bringing Princess’s older ships in line with the latest offerings from the cruise line and its competitors.

For passengers willing to book Sanctuary Collection accommodations, the changes add quite a few perks. The exclusive dining, private pool area, and included Princess Premier package could make these staterooms a more attractive option.

On the other hand, it takes away a popular option for passengers who don’t want to pay for a premium stateroom. Previously, you could book a regular balcony or interior room and still treat yourself to a relaxing day in The Sanctuary by paying for a day pass. Now, that option is disappearing from these five ships.

And while that’s great for passengers who want a more exclusive experience, it also means fewer options for everyone else.

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Now, Virgin Voyages is changing things up with a completely new menu at The Beach Club at Bimini and refreshed menus at two of its popular onboard restaurants, The Wake and The Dock.

All-New Caribbean Menu at The Beach Club at Bimini

The Beach Club at Bimini is as close as Virgin Voyages comes to a “private island” experience. It’s a dedicated beach club where Virgin Voyages brings its onboard experience to land while a ship is in port.

As part of that experience, food has always been included, but now Virgin Voyages is completely replacing the existing menu with new dishes inspired by Caribbean cuisine.

Virgin Voyages partnered with Chef Rashida Holmes, the chef behind Bridgetown Roti in Los Angeles, to develop the new menu. Holmes has Bajan (Barbadian) and Trinidadian roots, and many of the dishes are inspired by recipes she grew up eating.

One of the highlights is Curry Chicken Roti, made using her mother’s recipe, with Yukon Gold potatoes and turmeric-spiced cabbage. Another is Snapper Patties, inspired by a business Holmes started on Instagram during the pandemic that quickly sold out.

Other dishes on the new menu include Tamarind BBQ Pork Skewers, grilled shrimp with pineapple chow, Coconut Curry Channa, and Caribbean-style patties filled with chicken, snapper, or eggplant.

For sides, guests can enjoy tostones (fried plantains) with guacamole and pigeon peas and rice. For dessert, there’s Coconut Rice Pudding with tropical fruits and sweet plantains.

It’s a complete replacement of the previous menu, meaning some popular dishes, like the jerk chicken and rum cake, will no longer be available.

When Will the New Bimini Menu Be Available?

The new menu is being rolled out gradually, depending on which ship is visiting the beach club.

• Resilient Lady: Mid-October 2026
• Scarlet Lady: October 25, 2026
• Brilliant Lady: November 15, 2026
• Valiant Lady: April 10, 2027

The food at the beach club will continue to be included in the cruise fare.

The Wake Gets Updated Brunch and Dinner Menus

Back onboard, Virgin Voyages is also refreshing the menus at The Wake, its upscale steakhouse. The restaurant is one of the largest dining venues onboard Virgin Voyages’ ships and is quite popular. It has an elegant, classic steakhouse atmosphere, offering steaks, seafood, and a popular brunch.

For the refresh, Virgin Voyages brought back Michelin-starred chef Brad Farmerie, who helped develop the restaurant’s original menu. The goal was to offer more variety between brunch and dinner while keeping many of the restaurant’s popular dishes. And at dinner, they’ll offer some dishes specific to each individual ship.

For brunch, new options include Waldorf Salad, Russet Sweet Potato Hash, and Portobello Mushroom Benedict.

The dinner menu has more seafood choices, including Pan Roasted Salmon, Grilled Swordfish, and Caramelized Sea Scallops. Other additions include Chilled Corn Soup, Leek & Potato Soup, and Tuna Tartare, although some dishes will vary by ship.

The popular Clam Chowder will remain on the dinner menu, and Bacon-Wrapped Twice-Baked Potatoes will be available across the fleet.

Oysters Rockefeller will also be available as a premium “Treat Yourself” option for an additional charge.

The updated menus also have more vegan and gluten-free options, including a Broccoli Quinoa Pancake at dinner.

For cruises longer than seven nights, The Wake will offer additional specials, giving guests much-needed variety during longer sailings.

The Dock Gets New Mediterranean Dishes

The Dock is another venue getting a menu refresh. Located at the back of Deck 7, The Dock is one of the more relaxing spots on Virgin Voyages’ ships. It has comfortable outdoor seating, great views of the ocean, and servers who bring Mediterranean-style small plates right to your table.

The menu here has always been designed more for snacking and sharing than having a full meal.

The updated menu features new dishes like Jeweled Tabbouleh, Sautéed Eggplant, Trumpet Royale Mushrooms, Red Lentil Dip, Turkish Deviled Eggs, and Kebbeh. There are also some new grilled options, including Pork Souvlaki and Beef Kafta Skewers.

Seafood options include Swordfish, Yellowfin Tuna, and the returning Poached Shrimp.

For dessert, Resilient Lady will also offer a Plum Pita Tart.

The new menus at both The Wake and The Dock are already available across the fleet. As before, the restaurants are included in the cruise fare, although some premium dishes at The Wake cost extra.

Our Take: A Welcome Change for Repeat Cruisers

One of the biggest advantages of Virgin Voyages is its variety of included dining options. Rather than having a traditional main dining room, guests can try different restaurants throughout their cruise without having to pay extra for specialty dining.

But that can also be a downside for repeat cruisers or those on longer sailings. When you’ve already been on a Virgin Voyages ship a few times, you’ve likely tried most of the restaurants and their menus.

Virgin has been addressing this recently by introducing different dining concepts across its ships. For example, Scarlet Lady now has Lucky Lotus by Razzle Dazzle, Brilliant Lady has Rojo by Razzle Dazzle, and Valiant Lady recently introduced Ariya, an Indian-inspired restaurant.

Updating the existing menus is another good way to keep things fresh without having to completely redesign the restaurants.

Personally, The Dock is one of my favorite spots on Virgin Voyages’ ships. It’s easy to overlook because it’s not a traditional restaurant, but grabbing a few small plates while relaxing outside and enjoying the ocean views is a great way to spend an afternoon. I’m looking forward to seeing how the new menu compares.

The Bimini menu is probably the biggest change, though. I like that Virgin is bringing in some new Caribbean flavors and family recipes, but the menu still doesn’t offer many options for guests with pickier tastes. I know burgers and fried chicken don’t necessarily fit the beach club vibe, but picky eaters may have to head back onboard to find something they like.

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