Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

How to maximize your visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tips and advice for how to get the most out of your day at Perfect Day at CocoCay! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... ...

Navigator of the Seas group cruise review

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our wrap-up of the first Royal Caribbean Blog group cruise of the year, plus some special guests! Share with me your thoughts, questions and commen...

Ways to do things differently on your next cruise

18 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Doing things slightly differently on a cruise can save you time and stress and make your overall vacation more pleasant. Here are easy ways to do thin...

Local's Guide what to do on your Alaska cruise

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Beyond the cruise line shore excursions, there's a lot of fun things to see and do in Alaska.  This week, we have recommendations of what to do i...

Listener emails

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happy 500 episodes! I thought it would make sense to dedicate this episode to YOU! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... ...

Norway Fjords cruise review

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is back from Europe and his Norway fjords cruise on Anthem of the Seas Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twitte...

Previewing Matt's first European cruise

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I'm sailing on Anthem of the Seas and it'll be my first European cruise ever! Here's what I have planned and how I approached planning this kind of a ...

What solo cruisers should know before they cruise

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Taking a cruise by yourself? Here are important tips anyone cruising solo should know before they go. Share with me your thoughts, questions and co...

6 takeaways from Mariner of the Seas

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

  Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twitter: @therclblog Facebook: /royalcaribbeanblog YouTube: r...

6 ways for a stress-free cruise

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I used these 6 tips for a stress-free cruise while I was on Wonder of the Seas last month! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via....

Listener emails

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is dedicated to answering as many listener emails as I can! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Tw...

How to get started planning a cruise

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ready to plan your first cruise but not sure where to start? Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twitter: @thercl...

Wonder of the Seas 2023 cruise review

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is back from a 7-night spring break cruise on Wonder of the Seas and shares his experience with his family back on Wonder of the Seas again. S...

Nassau Beach Club preview

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Royal Caribbean will open a beach club in Nassau, Bahamas and here's what Matt thinks of what we know so far. Share with me your thoughts, question...

Don't book the cheapest cruise you can find

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's tempting to find pick a cruise based purely on price, but there are a few reasons why you shouldn't. Share with me your thoughts, questions an...

Previewing the new winter 2024-2025 cruises

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Royal Caribbean released new cruises for winter 2024-2025 and Matt looks at each of the ships and the new sailings offered. Share with me your thou...

Misconceptions about a Royal Caribbean cruise

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The top cruise misconceptions you should know about before you book or cruise! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twi...

Breaking down Royal Caribbean's quarter

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Royal Caribbean Group shared their 4Q earnings, and there's a few tidbits in there cruise fans should know about for cruises coming up this year. S...

Matt tries Liberty of the Seas

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matt sailed on Liberty of the Seas for the first time and shares his thoughts on how this ship stacks up. Share with me your thoughts, questions an...

Hot button topics!

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We have a roundtable discussion of new dining room menus, Crown and Anchor changes, and cruise prices going up. Oh my! Share with me your thoughts,...

Cruising with mobility needs

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel and Rebecca share their experience cruising on Liberty of the Seas after needing special wheelchair accessibility on their cruise. Show note...

Royal Caribbean's Chief Meteorologist

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Royal Caribbean's Chief Meteorologist James Van Fleet is one of a kind, and this week, we have an exclusive interview talking about how is services be...

Three Royal Caribbean wishes for 2023

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year! A new year is a new opportunity to take some time this week and wish for the sort of changes to Royal Caribbean we want to see in the ...

Wonder of the Seas cruise review

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt recorded this week's episode along with Beci Mahnken of MEI Travel while onboard Wonder of the Seas during the RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com group cruis...

Interview with Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I have an exclusive interview to share with you this week with Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty about where he sees things right now, and what ...

Inside look at the new main dining room menus

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our exclusive interview with Royal Caribbean Vice President Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, to talk about the why, how, and when of the new main ...

Trying out Odyssey of the Seas again

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is back from an 8-night Odyssey of the Seas cruise to the Southern Caribbean and shares what he liked and didn't like about this cruise. Share...

Interview with Jay Schneider talking everything Icon of the Seas

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider joins me once again on the podcast to talk about Icon of th...

Kurt's Oasis of the Seas cruise review

19 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kurt went on Oasis of the Seas during Hurricane Ian to share his experience onboard. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... ...

What veteran cruisers would tell first time cruisers if they could

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Cruising a lot changes your outlook on how you cruise, and I have a list of 5 things I think people that cruise a lot would tell first time cruisers a...

Will I be bored on a smaller ship?

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You've done the big ships, but is going on a smaller Royal Caribbean ship a mistake? Here's what you should know about sailing on the not-so-giant shi...

Icon of the Seas reveal

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Royal Caribbean has revealed Icon of the Seas this week, and Matt has his first thoughts about what was announced. Share with me your thoughts, que...

Is a weekend cruise worth it?

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I just got back from a 3-night Independence of the Seas cruise and it had thinking if taking a short weekend cruise is worth it or is it over far too ...

Thoughts from Allure of the Seas

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is back from Allure of the Seas and adds an addendum to last week's episode with a look back at the sailing, along with extra listener questions ...

Allure of the Seas cruise review

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Jenna are sailing on Allure of the Seas this week and talk about what makes this ship different from the rest of the Oasis Class. Share wi...

Western Caribbean port recommendations

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt shares the top things to do in the Western Caribbean ports he'll be visiting next week. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments vi...

Listener emails

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Time to catch up on emails our listeners have sent in with an entire episode dedicated to questions and comments from the audience! Share with me y...

Matt's Mariner of the Seas Review Redux

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt went back on Mariner of the Seas and shares his experience the second time around. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... ...

Quantum of the Seas listener cruise review

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca sailed to Alaska this summer on Quantum of the Seas, and shares her experience! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... ...

Disney Wish vs Mariner of the Seas

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sylvia recently tried out the Disney Wish and Mariner of the Seas right after each other to compare and contrast Disney Cruise Line versus Royal Carib...

Cruising while blind

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

AJ shares his experience going on Royal Caribbean as a blind guest. Royal Caribbean Special Needs form: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/resourc...

Last-minute things to do before your cruise

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In an effort to help everyone avoid that "oh no" feeling in the car or plane ride to your ship, I've got a list of the most important things you shoul...

Mariner of the Seas group cruise review

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We recorded this week's episode while onboard Mariner of the Seas! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twitter: @...

Top 3 things to do in each port Matt is going next week

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I'll be boarding Mariner of the Seas for our next group cruise and I'm listing my favorite things to do in each of the ports we are visiting.  ...

Alaska cruisetour review

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca tried an Alaska cruisetour and has a full review of what this Alaska cruise add-on is all about. Share with me your thoughts, questions and...

Reflecting on getting covid on my Alaska cruise

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As an addendum to last week's episode, here's a look at my experience with Covid and a look back at the experience. You can read the timeline of ev...

Serenade of the Seas Alaska cruise review

22 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is back from his Serenade of the Seas Alaska cruise and reviews the first leg of the cruise he took. Share with me your thoughts, questions an...

Kurt's Enchantment of the Seas review

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kurt shares his review of a recent sailing on Enchantment of the Seas. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twitter:&nb...

Serenade of the Seas Cruise Preview

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is headed to Alaska on a back-to-back cruise on Serenade of the Seas, and talks about what he has planned onboard. Share with me your thoughts...

Challenges of cruising in Europe this year with Covid testing

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Gray Faust from CruiseCritic talks about how Covid testing is impacting European cruises. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments...

NextCruise

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode looks at why you might want to book a cruise at NextCruise Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twi...

Wonder of the Seas vs Odyssey of the Seas

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Which of Royal Caribbean's newest ships should you book first? Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twitter: @ther...

Listener emails

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

More of your emails answered on this week's episode! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twitter: @therclblog F...

Top 5 restaurants on Royal Caribbean

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt revisits his top choices on any Royal Caribbean ship Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twitter: @therclblo...

Matt's Oasis of the Seas cruise review

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt sailed on a 3-night Oasis of the Seas cruise last weekend, and shares what stood out about this cruise. Share with me your thoughts, questions...

Advice for anyone new to Royal Caribbean

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt shares advice for anyone that's new to cruising or just Royal Caribbean and how to get started. Share with me your thoughts, questions and com...

Deb's first cruise back

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Deb shares her experience on Harmony of the Seas, as it was her first cruise back since the pandemic. Share with me your thoughts, questions and co...

Listener emails

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week's podcast episode is dedicated to just answering emails our listeners have sent in to be answered! Share with me your thoughts, questions...

Wonder of the Seas roundtable review

16 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Wonder of the Seas has a lot that stands out, so this week I invited Erica Silverstein and Ashley Kosciolek from The Points Guy to talk with me a...

What Royal Caribbean has planned with Jay Schneider

09 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt talks with Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider about what's coming down the pike in t...

Wonder of the Seas cruise preview

02 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is about to go onboard the brand new Wonder of the Seas and has a look at what he has planned. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comm...

Independence of the Seas cruise review

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt just sailed on a 3-night Independence of the Seas cruise and shared his thoughts on the ship and what he did onboard and onshore. Share with m...

Brilliance of the Seas 2022 cruise review

16 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is back from Brilliance of the Seas, and shares what it's like to sail on a Radiance Class ship and from the Port of Tampa since cruises restarte...

What I'm looking forward to on Wonder of the Seas

09 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Wonder of the Seas is just weeks away from starting her first cruise, and today I'm counting down the things I can't wait to try onboard! Share wit...

What's worth spending extra

02 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

My picks for what you should ( and shouldn't) spend extra money on during your cruise. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... ...

Independence & Harmony cruise review

26 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jenna sailed on Independence and Harmony of the Seas, and has a review of both cruises on this week's episode! Share with me your thoughts, questio...

Listener emails

19 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is hitting the listener emails this week with a batch of questions sent in by our readers. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments...

Perception & reality with the cruise industry and Omicron

12 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Omicron variant and CDC updates have all generated plenty of headlines about going on a cruise ship, but lost in the shuffle is what it's actually...

Matt tries the Mexican Riviera

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt just got home from a 7-night Mexican Riviera cruise, and shares his thoughts on sailing from the West Coast. Share with me your thoughts, ques...

Wishes for the new year

22 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Billy and Matt are back to share three wishes for the cruise industry in 2022! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... Twi...

Mistakes passengers make on disembarkation day

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Getting off a cruise ship is different from checking out from a hotel, and there are some good tips for having a smooth process getting off the ship. ...

Peter's Thanksgiving cruise review

08 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Peter went on Adventure of the Seas for a Thanksgiving cruise and shared his experience on this week's episode. Share with me your thoughts, questi...

Matt and Beci's Top 3 on Harmony

01 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded on Harmony of the Seas, Matt and Beci list their top 3 things they like doing on Harmony of the Seas. Share with me your thoughts, questio...

What's new for Royal Caribbean in 2022 & 2023

17 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With cruising back, Royal Caribbean is now looking forward to the future. To give us a preview of what to expect, Royal Caribbean Group Chief Product ...

Restarting cruises from Tampa

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Meagan Mapson share their experience cruising from Tampa on Serenade of the Seas, which was one of the first sailings to restart from Tampa. ...

How to take the Royal Caribbean approved at-home test

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Matt walks you through the at-home test Royal Caribbean accepts, and explains why it is the best option right now. Share with me your thoughts, que...

Ovation of the Seas Alaska cruise review

27 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jenna just sailed on Ovation of the Seas to Alaska and shares her thoughts on visiting Alaska for the first time. Share with me your thoughts, ques...

Oasis of the Seas listener cruise review

20 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca recently sailed on Oasis of the Seas from Cape Liberty, and shared what it's like to sail on this impressive ship from the Northeast. Share...

Cruising with kids in 2021

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Going on a Royal Caribbean cruise with kids is different than without kids due to all the different rules for them. I just sailed with my kids to get ...

A look at cruises returning in England

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Emma joins me this week to share what going on a cruise is like right now from the UK. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... ...

"Royal Caribbean should"

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is answering the top Google search questions about Royal Caribbean. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via... ...

What is it like to go on a cruise right now?

22 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With cruises back in service for a few months, what should you know about what it's like to go on a cruise ship right now? Share with me your thoug...

Odyssey of the Seas cruise review

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is back from his first time on Odyssey of the Seas and has a full cruise review this week! Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments...

Jenna's first cruise

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jenna went on her first cruise ever, and shares how the actual cruise compared to her expectations. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comm...

The 5 worst cruise mistakes people are making right now

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There will always be cruisers making mistakes, but I wanted to highlight the worst of the worst mistakes I see people making on cruises sailing right ...

"Royal Caribbean Is"

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

And now for something completely different: this week's episode is answering the top Google search questions about Royal Caribbean.Share with me your ...

A look at the 3 biggest changes Royal Caribbean has made recently

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There has been plenty of rule changes lately, but this week, Matt breaks down the three biggest changes announced over the last few weeks.Share with m...

Interview with Royal Caribbean Group Chief Product Innovation Officer

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we have a look behind the proverbial curtain of what Royal Caribbean has been up to during the shutdown with Royal Caribbean Group Chief Pro...

Return to Alaska cruise review

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Aaron from CruiseCritic.com joins Matt to talk about what it was like sailing on the first big ship to sail to Alaska since 2019!Share with me your th...

Comparing notes on cruise ship restart

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Billy from CruiseHabit.com joins me to compare and contrast how Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are restarting cruises so far.Share with me your thought...

Top 5 things I ate on a cruise this year

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Of the three ships I've been on so far, I ranked the top 5 things I've eaten so far onboard!Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via......

Freedom of the Seas cruise review

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is back from Freedom of the Seas and the first Royal Caribbean ship to sail from the U.S. Share with me your thoughts, questions and comment...

Sheri's Adventure of the Seas cruise review

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sheri joins Matt to talk about their recent Adventure of the Seas cruise and talk about a few things that didn't make last week's review!Share with me...

Adventure of the Seas 2021 cruise review

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is on Adventure of the Seas and finally back at sea! This week's epsiode is a review of what it's like to be back on a cruise.Share with me your ...

Adventure of the Seas Cruise Preview

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is headed back onto a cruise ship and is previewing what he has planned for the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to restart in North America!Sha...

Flying to a cruise 101

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It looks like cruises are close to restarting (hopefully), and if you are flying to a cruise ship, this may be a good opportunity to review the basics...

Alaska, Vaccines, Vision... oh my!

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In just the last week, there has been a lot of cruise news to cover, and this week, I wanted to break down what Royal Caribbean's recent announcements...

What is the worst cruise ship?

19 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many first time cruisers are eager to learn about the best Royal Caribbean ship to sail on, so a common question asked is which cruise ships should be...

What is a dry dock?

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You may have heard about cruise ships going into dry dock, but what happens when a ship goes in for work?Share with me your thoughts, questions and co...

The big cruise news this week

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're taking a look at what else is happening in the cruise industry outside of Royal Caribbean on this week's episode.Share with me your thoughts, qu...