Marella Cruises has just announced details of the summer 2026 season and it’s looking like one of the most exciting cruise seasons ever!
The cruise line has some amazing itinerary options to choose from across the fleet, along with some special occasions you won’t want to miss.
Let’s take a look!
Popular home ports and refreshed itineraries
The Marella Cruises summer 2026 programme brings fresh and exciting changes, including revamped itineraries.
Marella Voyager will make Corfu its home for the first time, offering passengers the perfect gateway to explore the beauty of the Greek Islands and the Adriatic.
Meanwhile, Marella Explorer returns to Palma, Majorca, after a five-year hiatus, sailing classic routes with a fresh twist.
Two revamped itineraries on Marella Discovery 2 (sailing from Majorca) are sure to catch the eye of seasoned cruisers and newcomers alike.
The Jewels of the Mediterranean offers a picturesque journey through the Western Med, visiting idyllic spots like Villefranche, Toulon, and La Spezia.
For those craving cultural charm, the Cosmopolitan Charms itinerary will whisk you from Palma to the Italian and French coasts, with stops in Palermo, Propriano, and the historic wonders of Rome.
To round out the fleet, Marella Explorer 2 will spend the summer sailing from Dubrovnik, offering exciting Adriatic cruises, while Marella Discovery will sail the Greek Isles from Cyprus.
Whether you’re looking for sun-drenched beaches or cultural experiences, there’s an itinerary for every taste.
Marella turns 30!
2026 marks a milestone year as Marella Cruises celebrates its 30th birthday! And you’ll be able to join in with the festivities if you book a cruise for May.
You’ll have the chance to join in the celebrations across all five ships, with cruises departing from Corfu, Majorca, Dubrovnik, and Limassol.
Whether you’re sailing on Marella Voyager as it journeys through Croatia and Montenegro, or enjoying the Mediterranean delights aboard Marella Discovery 2, you’ll get to be a part of Marella’s big birthday bash – the big day is 7th May 2026!
See the Solar Eclipse at sea
One of the most anticipated events of the summer 2026 season is the rare chance to witness a solar eclipse at sea.
On August 12, 2026, guests onboard Marella Discovery 2’s Cosmopolitan Charms itinerary will have a front-row seat to this awe-inspiring natural phenomenon. Imagine watching the moon eclipse the sun from the comfort of a luxury cruise ship, surrounded by the serene Mediterranean waters.
The journey starts in Palma, Majorca, and includes scenic stops in Palamos, Propriano, and Civitavecchia (for Rome), making it an unforgettable adventure both for astronomy enthusiasts and travellers who appreciate unique experiences.
This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event, so make sure you don’t miss it!
Repositional cruise options
For those looking to start their summer early, Marella’s repositional cruises at the end of Winter 25/26 are packed with extra entertainment and special onboard activities.
Two of these repositioning sailings take you from the sunny Caribbean to the Mediterranean, offering extended itineraries perfect for those who want to make the most of their time at sea.
One of the highlights is the Atlantic Quest cruise aboard Marella Discovery 2, sailing from Barbados to Palma over 12 nights.
Other options include the Bon Voyage Barbados on Marella Explorer and Mediterranean Marvels on Marella Voyager.
With Marella Voyager welcoming families on this exciting repositional voyage, it’s a fantastic opportunity to bring the whole family on a unique adventure before the summer season officially kicks off.
Cruise & Stay favourites
Marella’s popular Cruise & Stay programme has expanded for 2026, offering even more ways to extend your holiday.
With 112 hotels to choose from across four stunning destinations, including 18 new additions, you can now enjoy luxurious stays in places like Corfu, Dubrovnik, Cyprus, and Majorca before or after your cruise.
Top picks include the Amavi in Paphos, Cyprus, perfect for couples looking for a romantic getaway, and the Ikos Dassia in Corfu, an all-inclusive haven.
Sailing on Marella Explorer or Marella Discovery 2? You’ll want to check out the Insotel Cala Mandia Resort and Spa for your pre- or post-cruise extension, while the Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera in Croatia is a beautiful spot to pair with a cruise on Marella Explorer 2.
Whether you’re seeking relaxation in a world-class spa or a beach-front family retreat, there’s a hotel to suit every holiday style.
What hasn’t changed – everything included as standard!
One of the best things about Marella Cruises is that everything you need for a fantastic holiday comes included as standard.
Every package includes your meals (excluding speciality dining), standard drinks, tips, and flights, meaning you won’t be hit with any unexpected costs. Whether you’re dining at one of the delicious complimentary onboard restaurants, sipping cocktails by the pool, or enjoying the evening entertainment, it’s all part of the package.
Plus, Marella offers flights from 20 regional airports across the UK, making it easy and convenient to start your cruise no matter where you’re based. And with a wide selection of onboard activities, including live shows, fitness classes, and kids’ clubs (or the option of adults-only sailings), there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Marella’s all-inclusive approach means you can sit back, relax, and truly make the most of your holiday – because with Marella, it’s all taken care of!
Final word
With Marella Cruises turning 30, the summer 2026 season promises to be a celebration of epic proportions!
From refreshed itineraries and special birthday sailings to the unforgettable solar eclipse at sea, there’s never been a better time to set sail with Marella.
Whether you’re a returning guest or booking your first cruise, Marella’s all-inclusive offerings make for a hassle-free and unforgettable holiday.
Ready to celebrate with Marella? Book now and be part of the adventure!
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
There are a lot of things about Marella Cruises that could make them the best choice for you.
While Marella Cruises might not be as famous as some of the larger cruise lines in the world, you might be surprised to discover that a Marella cruise could be right up your street.
So, here’s a look at 11 things to love about Marella Cruises.
1. Your journey to the ship is stress-free
Marella Cruises is part of the TUI Group – so your cruise and your flights are all operated by the same company – they’re sold as a package together.
Therefore your holiday runs a bit more smoothly – from the moment you arrive at the airport, you’re in the hands of a single company.
You’ll be transferred from the destination airport to your cruise ship directly. On some cruises, you won’t even have to collect your luggage at the airport. Just drop it off at your home airport and you’ll next see it in your cabin!
The whole experience is seamless, which just takes away some of the stress of bouncing from one operator to another. Or having to fly out a day early and cross your fingers that you get to the ship on time.
2. Marella Cruises are aimed at the British market
The ships are all tailored toward the British cruise market, which has a lot of little benefits.
It’s simple things like having tea and coffee-making facilities in your cabin or having bars that are stocked with all the drinks you would expect to find at home.
Plus, it’s the bigger things, like having the option of 20 different departure airports in the UK for your cruise.
What it doesn’t mean is that the cuisine is ‘British’ only. There are classic UK meal options, but there’s plenty of choice too. Marella’s cruises blend the best of British with the variety you’d expect from a cruise ship.
3. You can easily extend your holiday with a hotel break
Because Marella Cruises is part of the TUI Group, it’s really easy to extend your holiday with a hotel break if you want to.
Most cruise packages sail out of destinations where TUI owns hotels, so as part of the booking process, it’s really simple to just add on a few nights (or even a whole week) without having to spend ages hunting for a suitable option.
And again, because everything is managed by the same company, all of the finer details are arranged for you. You’ll still get your flights booked for the correct dates, all of your transfers arranged and so on – it’s really simple.
With the latest additions to the portfolio, you’ve got hundreds of options for a hotel break, with 18 new options for the recently announced summer 2026 season.
Finding the right one for you will never be a problem!
4. You’ll enjoy excellent service from welcoming crew members
Cruise ships in general are known for their hard-working crew, but the service provided by the staff on Marella Cruises ships is particularly well-reviewed.
A lot of guests comment on just how friendly the crew are, and how determined they always seem to give passengers the best experience possible.
This is helped by the size of the ships – because they’re mid-sized, rather than super ships, it’s easier for the crew to get to know guests throughout the week, and they’re able to provide a more tailored service.
Whether it’s addressing any issues you’re having quickly, or just making sure your favourite drink is ready for you when you arrive at dinner, you’ll be wowed by the quality of service provided.
5. Fewer sea days mean more time to explore
Marella Cruises’ itineraries are carefully planned to minimise the number of days you spend at sea. Because you’ll typically fly right into the heart of the best regions, you won’t have to spend a lot of time sailing just to get to your first interesting port of call.
Sea days can be fun and relaxing, but it’s better to have an itinerary that’s full of ports. For those who like to explore, this means more chances to get ashore and see the world.
And for those who do just want to take it easy on the ship, having more days in port means the ship becomes even quieter during the day as most guests head off on excursions.
6. There’s a wide range of destinations to choose from
On the note of ports of call – Marella Cruises may have a relatively small fleet but that doesn’t mean you’re limited in choice for the places you can sail.
Stay closer to home with a sailing around the Western Mediterranean, or hop over to the Eastern Mediterranean for a chance to explore the beautiful Greek islands.
The Canary Islands provide a wonderful option for some winter sun, or you can fly a little further and enjoy the tropical paradise of the Caribbean.
And with the ships being a little smaller, there are some ports that they can visit which larger ships for other cruise lines simply can’t get to.
7. Cruises are all-inclusive
Marella Cruises advertises itself as being “All Inclusive As Standard”, and while there may be a few optional extras that you might choose to pay for, Marella is certainly more inclusive than most other cruise lines.
Here’s what’s included in a Marella cruise:
All flights, transfers and luggage costs
All food in the main dining room and several on-board restaurants
A wide range of drinks from 10 am until 2 am every day
All of your live entertainment during the cruise
Kids’ clubs
All tips and fees
Of that list, many elements are included with other cruise lines too, but the fact that the standard drinks package and your tips and other fees are included in the fare does give Marella a significant advantage over many other cruise lines.
These things cost extra:
WiFi internet access
Premium drinks
Shore excursions
Speciality dining venues
Spa treatments
The casino
Shopping onboard
One of the key reasons people often choose a Marella cruise holiday is the price. They’re not the cheapest, but compared to other cruise lines they offer amazing value, especially when you consider everything that’s included in the fare that you would otherwise pay extra for.
A cruise on a Marella ship may appear to be a similar price to one offered by Royal Caribbean, P&O Cruises or NCL but when you factor in that you’re getting the whole package with flights and transfers, and there aren’t any hidden extras for drinks, tips or port fees, then Marella’s pricing can work out much lower overall.
One common cruise mistake that people make is to not consider exactly what’s included when comparing prices. What looks like a great deal sometimes isn’t, and vice versa.
8. Upgrading your cruise is easy – and affordable!
If you aren’t happy with the drinks that are included in the standard package, you can upgrade to a Premium package to get a much wider selection.
And it’s really cheap too, compared to other cruise lines. Upgrading to the Premium drinks package costs around £12 per person, per day. This package not only gives you premium cocktails but also includes Lavazza coffee and Teapigs tea from Coffee Port, and canned soft drinks too.
The drinks don’t cost a lot individually though – they’re also much cheaper than you’d find on other cruise lines. So, it makes sense to weigh up how much you would plan to drink before committing to a drinks package upgrade.
9. Ships offer a wide range of dining options
People often have an idea that smaller cruise ships are limited in their dining options. You might get the main dining room and a buffet, but then maybe only one or two more venues at best.
Not so with Marella Cruises, where every ship has a great selection of restaurants you can choose from.
Marella Voyager, the newest ship in the fleet, has 17 different choices. There’s a Mexican venue, a snack bar near the pool, a pan-Asian restaurant, an upmarket British classics venue and more.
Different ships in the fleet have different options but you are certainly not limited to eating in the same 2-3 places every day of your cruise, and all diets are catered for as well – including fussy kids.
Speaking of which…
10. The kids’ clubs are varied, fun and free
Marella offers plenty of fun cruise itineraries that kids will love, with family cabins available.
Ships also have kids’ clubs, which are included in your fare. There are different facilities for different age groups, meaning the teens and the younger kids get activities suited to them, both during the day and in the evening too.
Other cruise lines may have more variety when it comes to the facilities aimed at younger guests, but Marella’s kids’ clubs still have plenty to keep junior members of the family fully entertained during your holiday.
Don’t worry if you want an adults-only cruise – those are available too.
11. There’s always someone to help
Cruises with Marella typically go really smoothly but there may be times when you need a little bit of help resolving an issue or just getting a question answered – as there would be with any cruise line.
What’s special about Marella Cruises is just how easy it is to get the help you need. Yes, there’s a website and a customer service centre you can call, but you can also pop into any TUI store on UK high streets to get help with your booking, even if you booked online.
Plus the TUI Group has reps based at many UK and international airports, so finding someone to speak to in person to assist you is always easy. And again, the crew on the ship will go above and beyond to resolve any problems during the cruise itself.
Conclusion
There’s a lot to love about Marella Cruises, especially if you’re travelling from the UK. They make package cruise holidays really simple, both from the perspective of booking and by having more included in your fare as standard.
If you want to know more, check out everything that’s included in your Marella cruise fare, and get to know the latest ship in the fleet – Marella Voyager – too.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
One of the cruising traditions that typically hasn’t survived to the modern day is the classic Captain’s Dinner. It’s still available sometimes, but now the event tends to be different – to the disappointment of some passengers who’ve been cruising for a long time.
But on some cruises, you may still get the chance to enjoy this special occasion. I was lucky enough to share a table with Captain Michael Macleod on a recent cruise with SeaDream Yacht Club and I thoroughly enjoyed his company!
In this guide, I’ll explain what a Captain’s Dinner is on modern ships, what it used to mean, and what to do if you are lucky enough to get an invitation to such an event on your own cruise.
What is the Captain’s Dinner on a cruise?
The Captain’s Dinner can refer to several different events on a cruise ship. On most modern ships, it is one of the formal dining nights on the ship, but potentially with a party beforehand where guests may meet the ship’s captain. Traditionally, it would refer to dining at the captain’s table and on some cruises it remains that way.
The idea of a Captain’s Dinner – sometimes referred to as the Captain’s Table – has existed for a long time on cruises. And it would always mean one thing – the opportunity for guests to join the ship’s captain at the best table in the restaurant for dinner.
It’s an exciting and exclusive opportunity – but one which has faded over the last 10-20 years. Now, the Captain’s Dinner will often refer to just the first elegant night at sea, and will be something open to either a larger group or to everyone onboard.
Indeed, when I received my invitation to dine with the Captain, I wasn’t sure whether it actually meant dining at his table, or just that he would be in the same restaurant and do a speech!
As it happens, it was both! The Captian made his pre-dinner speech and then I was invited to his table. I sat next to him and he told me lots of fascinating stories about his time at sea and how he spends his time off, living on a remote Scottish island.
What exactly the captain’s dinner entails can vary. It may be as simple as the ship’s captain giving a speech at the start of dinner, and then the rest of the night playing out as normal. On some other cruises, there may be a cocktail party held before dinner where the captain is present, and guests can meet them and maybe get a photo with them.
Many Cruises Have Stopped Doing A Captain’s Dinner
Some cruise lines still host a Captain’s Dinner in the traditional style, but not as often as they used to. Captain’s Dinners used to be a mainstay of cruising but many modern ships have moved away from traditional dining altogether and so the event doesn’t fit.
That being said, there are modern versions of the dinner where the first formal night includes the chance to meet the captain at a pre-dinner event.
For example, on our recent cruise with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, there was a Captain’s reception on the first night. We enjoyed canapes as the captain told us all about himself, his crew and the ship.
There are some cruise lines that do still host a Captain’s Dinner or Captain’s Table – although, it may not always be with the captain. Sometimes it’s with another senior officer on the ship.
But many modern ships have moved on from traditional dining times and are actively encouraging guests to try speciality restaurants, rather than the main dining room. Whereas cruising used to be all about sharing large tables with other parties, now it’s much more common to have your own table for your family or group
These Cruise Lines Have A Captain’s Dinner…
Most of the modern American cruise lines have done away with the idea of a Captain’s Dinner where there’s a sit-down meal with the captain.
Carnival Cruise Line doesn’t offer a captain’s dinner. But the cruise line does sometimes offer a Captain’s Gala night or Captain’s Welcome Evening, which is a cocktail party before dinner. Officers may attend but even this is becoming more rare these days.
Disney Cruise Line and P&O Cruises both offer something similar – a formal night where the captain and other officers may be mingling with guests beforehand.
I had a chat with the Staff Captain on Azura over a glass of sparkling wine at such an event it was very interesting.
NCL has hosted Captain’s Dinners in the past but it’s not something that is common these days, and it isn’t really a thing on Royal Caribbean anymore either, although it used to be.
Some more traditional cruise lines may offer the experience but it’s not guaranteed. Marella Cruises sometimes do, as does Cunard. They’re the only cruise line to make a real mention of a Captain’s Table on their own website.
There’s no guaranteed way of getting an invite to the Captain’s dinner, but the best advice is to cruise with a line regularly, make sure you’re well dressed (but not overdressed) for the cruise, and try networking with the ship’s host, without being too obvious.
It’s impossible to give a definitive list of ways for you to get invited to a Captain’s Dinner event because every cruise line that still hosts them is different.
As a guide, the captain wants to dine with people who will make for good conversation. It’s not really an event to suit the shy and timid. So a good first step to securing yourself an invite is to make sure you’re being social, without being so obvious that you’re trying to make a good impression.
This means chatting with the restaurant’s host, building up a rapport, and potentially dropping some hints as to why you’d be interesting company – but try not to come across as a try-hard.
You should also make sure you’re appropriately dressed. Cruise lines have a dress code even on non-formal nights and while it isn’t strict, the people who are dressed more smartly will be more likely to be invited. Don’t turn up in a tuxedo or cocktail dress to a casual night, but avoid t-shirts and shorts too.
Otherwise, most cruise lines reward loyalty, so if you’re cruising on the same cruise line more frequently and you know they host a Captain’s Dinner, then you probably increase your odds of being invited.
That being said, there are thousands if not millions of people who remain loyal to a cruise line and never get an invite – so regular cruises are not a guaranteed way of being invited.
In some cases, first-time cruisers may be invited to a Captain’s Dinner – it all depends on the policy of the captain or the organising officer at the time.
The Captain’s Dinner Is Usually A Formal Night
The Captain’s Table events that are still held on modern cruise ships will normally be on the first formal night of the cruise, which is often either the second night of the itinerary or the first full sea day, depending on the cruise line.
In older times, when dining at the captain’s own table was more common, invites could be extended for multiple nights on a cruise. Now it just tends to be for one night, and usually towards the start of an itinerary.
Make Sure You Dress To Impress
When dining at the captain’s table, guests should dress formally – suits or tuxedos for men, and either a suit or an evening gown for women. Captain’s Dinner events tend to happen on a cruise’s formal night anyway, so guests should expect to dress as such.
Gala events or cocktail parties will also normally be held on a cruise itinerary’s formal night, but depending on the cruise line the dress code may be slightly more relaxed. Men may be fine with a shirt without a tie, but not jeans. Women could wear a blouse and trousers, or a cocktail dress.
Basically, for any kind of event held with the ship’s officers, it’s best to stick to the dress code for a formal night on the ship.
The captain can eat wherever he or she wants to on the ship. You may see them dining in the buffet or one of the speciality restaurants, or they may eat in the crew mess or order room service to their quarters.
The captain might choose to eat with their senior officers or with their family if their family happens to be on board.
On our recent Fred. Olsen cruise, we often saw the captain and senior officers eating together in the buffet. The children made autograph books in the kids’ club, so once they had finished their meal, my daughter went over to ask for an autograph, and they happily obliged.
Final word
The tradition of dining at the cruise ship captain’s own table hasn’t been completely lost, but it’s a lot less common now. And even when it was done more regularly, getting an invite was still very exclusive. So if you’re invited to the captain’s table on a modern cruise, snap up that opportunity!
And if not, look out for any Captain’s Gala or cocktail parties on your ship. While you won’t get the attention of your captain for a full dinner service, you can still say hello and get to know them briefly.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Celebrity Cruises and Carnival are two very popular cruise lines, but they offer very different experiences. In fact, you could even say that these cruise lines are polar opposites in many ways.
While Carnival Cruise Line is owned by the Carnival Corporation, Celebrity Cruises is owned by the rival Royal Caribbean Group.
There’s a cruise line for everyone, and when it comes to Celebrity Vs Carnival, you’re probably better suited to one or the other. So, read on to learn more about how Celebrity Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line compare.
Ships
With a fleet of 27 cruise ships, Carnival has more vessels than almost any other cruise line, including Celebrity Cruises, which has 16 ships. Carnival cruise ships are almost always larger than Celebrity cruise ships, whereas the Celebrity Cruises fleet is newer overall.
Carnival Cruise Ships
Carnival has eight classes of ships, ranging from the 2,606-passenger Fantasy Class ships that were built between 1991 and 1998 to the new and massive 6,500-passenger Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee.
The cruise line is also expanding the fleet rapidly – two ships are transferring to the cruise line in 2025, and then five new ships are on order for 2027 to 2033.
Celebrity Cruises has just four classes of ships. The oldest ships are the Millennium Class ships. These were built between 2000 and 2002 and each accommodates around 2,200 guests. The new Edge Class ships aren’t much larger, accommodating around 2,900 guests.
As well as standard cruise ships, Celebrity Cruises has a fleet of three small ships that are purpose-built for expeditions around the Galapagos islands. These accommodate 16, 48 and 100 guests each. Two of these ships will leave the cruise line in 2025, though.
Both Carnival Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises offer cruises to destinations around the globe, including the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Alaska and Europe.
The following table shows how many cruise itineraries are available in each destination.
Carnival
Celebrity
Alaska
19
38
Asia
1
24
Australia & New Zealand
36
27
Bahamas
133
27
Bermuda
7
2
Canada & New England
1
2
Caribbean
254
147
Europe
24
136
Galapagos
0
52
Hawaii
9
8
India
0
2
Mexico
40
10
Pacific Coast
0
3
Panama Canal
24
5
South America
0
8
South Pacific
24
4
Transatlantic
9
20
Transpacific
5
7
Carnival cruise destinations
Carnival cruises depart from 21 ports across the world, although the most popular departures are from the United States, visiting the Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico. This cruise line is known for its short cruises from Florida to the Bahamas.
Celebrity cruise destinations
Celebrity Cruises depart from 32 ports across the world. The Caribbean and Mediterranean are the most popular destinations, but the cruise line also offers exotic cruises to the Galapagos Islands, Asia and across the Pacific Ocean.
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Food
When comparing a Celebrity cruise against Carnival on food, most people would prefer the food on Celebrity cruises to Carnival. But that doesn’t mean that you will.
If you like an elegant dining experience with gourmet dishes from around the world, you’ll love Celebrity Cruises. But if you prefer casual restaurants with home-style favourites like steak and ribs, then perhaps Carnival is more suited to you.
Carnival’s food
On Carnival cruises, you can expect mostly American-style food like burgers, chicken and steaks. The ‘Big Chicken’ restaurant is sponsored by Shaquille O’Neal, while celebrity Chef Guy Fieri is the face of the burger joint and the smokehouse.
On Celebrity cruises, you can enjoy the most exquisite food with menus crafted by Michelin-starred chefs and ingredients locally sourced from the regions your ship visits. The cruise line has won numerous awards for its food including Best Onboard Dining for eight consecutive years and Best Overall Food Experience for five consecutive years.
Photo: Celebrity Cruises
Activities & entertainment
Carnival and Celebrity are worlds apart when it comes to activities and entertainment. Carnival Cruise line calls its ships ‘Fun Ships’ because there’s always something going on to keep a smile on your face. Conversely, Celebrity Cruises promises world-class service in luxurious surroundings.
Loyal Carnival cruise fans are likely to find a Celebrity cruise to be boring if they’re used to being constantly entertained with a jam-packed program of fun. But then loyal Celebrity cruisers would probably find a Carnival cruise to be too loud, brash and tacky. It’s not that either is better, they’re just very different when it comes to the onboard experience.
Things to do on a Carnival cruise
Carnival cruise ships are packed with things to do like crazy golf, sports, waterslides and bingo. The Excel-class ships even have a rollercoaster on board! There’s always fun and games going on, from belly flop competitions to hairy chest contests around the pool.
The fun continues late into the evening with game shows, karaoke, comedy, movies and a nightclub where you’ll want to dance until sunrise.
Mardi Gras
Things to do on a Celebrity cruise
Celebrity Cruises are generally pretty relaxing – perfect for those who enjoy chilling out and watching the ocean. On Solstice-class ships, you can enjoy a picnic and a spot of croquet on the real grass lawn or just relax in a comfy chair on the sun deck.
In the evening, you can watch the ballet or a Shakespeare play at the theatre or find a cosy spot to enjoy the live music and each others’ company.
Celebrity Beyond
Kids facilities
If you’re cruising with kids, you’ll almost certainly be better off choosing a Carnival cruise rather than a Celebrity cruise.
Carnival cruises are designed with families and the young-at-heart in mind, whereas Celebrity cruises tend to be more popular with honeymooners, retired couples and those seeking a romantic break without kids.
Carnival cruises for kids
Carnival cruises are fantastic for families. The kids’ clubs are some of the best at sea, accommodating kids as young as two years old and with evening babysitting until 1 am that lets parents have a great time too.
Your kids will never be bored on a Carnival cruise with waterslides, high ropes courses, huge swimming pools, arts and crafts, sports tournaments and video games arcades. There’s even a Build-A-Bear Workshop.
Photo: Carnival
Celebrity cruises for kids
While Celebrity Cruises welcomes children on board, there’s not a whole lot for them to do outside of the kids’ clubs. The pools are smaller with no waterslides and so unless your kids are happy to relax with a book you might find that they get a little bored.
That said, the Camp at Sea kids’ club is decent. It offers a STEM-focused program that will expose your children to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, covering topics like marine wildlife, ecological conservation and nautical exploration.
Photo: Celebrity Cruises
Price
Celebrity Cruises generally cost more than Carnival cruises. As Carnival offers a lot of short Bahamas itineraries, whereas Celebrity focuses more on longer cruises to exotic destinations, you’ll find that Celebrity cruises tend to attract a more affluent crowd. But even when you compare itineraries like-for-like, Carnival cruises come out cheaper.
When comparing the overall cost of a cruise, it’s important to consider what’s included in your cruise fare. Some Celebrity cruises include drinks, tips and WiFi as standard, but you’ll find that extras like speciality dining are more expensive on Celebrity than Carnival ships.
The price of Carnival cruises
Carnival is one of the cheapest cruise lines, with only Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises offering cheaper fares. If you live in the United States, Carnival’s short cruises to the Bahamas are very affordable for most people. But Carnival cruises are far from all-inclusive.
The average 7-night Caribbean cruise with Carnival costs $963 per person. You’ll have to add an extra $112 for gratuities and $420 if you want the Carnival drinks package, making a total price of $1,515.
Celebrity Cruises is a more premium cruise line with pricing that’s towards the higher end of the mainstream cruise market.
The average 7-night Caribbean cruise with Celebrity costs $1,670 per person. Of course, deals are sometimes available, so it’s worth keeping a look out for these if you have a set budget…
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The verdict
When comparing Carnival vs Celebrity Cruises, it would be wrong to say that one is better than the other. It’s a bit like comparing apples and oranges. You can’t say that one is better – they’re just different.
If you want a fun-packed family holiday or are cruising on a budget, then you would be better choosing Carnival. If you cruise during the school holidays, it can feel a bit like a zoo, and you may feel like you need a rest once you get home, but your kids will love it.
If you cruise to relax and would like to enjoy great service, gourmet dining, and elegant surroundings, then Celebrity Cruises is for you.
If you find yourself somewhere in the middle, Royal Caribbean is a cruise line that offers the best bits from both, so this is also one that you should look into. Take a look at my guide to what’s included in a Royal Caribbean cruise to find out more.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Booking a suite on a Royal Caribbean ship is an incredible experience – these are some of the most luxurious accommodations you can find outside of the ultra-luxury cruise lines. But, with that comes a pretty hefty price tag.
If you’re thinking about booking a Royal Caribbean suite then you’ll want to know what perks you’re getting for your chunky cruise fare. And depending on the ship and the suite, it will vary.
So, let’s dive into the different Royal Caribbean suite class perks you can enjoy.
Royal Caribbean suite perks explained
There are a number of benefits of booking a suite on a Royal Caribbean ship. All suite guests enjoy priority boarding, as well as luxury bathroom amenities, a Royal Caribbean bathrobe (for onboard use only) and an espresso coffee machine. Many more perks are available in higher suite tiers.
The Royal Caribbean Suite benefits can be a little confusing because the perks that you get depend on which ship you cruise on. So, the first thing that you need to know is whether your ship is a Royal Suite Class ship, or whether it has the old Royal Caribbean Suites Program.
Royal Suite Class (for newer ships)
Available on: Utopia of the Seas, Icon of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean Suites Program (for older ships)
Available on: Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas.
Basically, the Icon-, Oasis-, Quantum- and Quantum Ultra-class ships (every ship built since 2009) have Royal Suite Class. All of the older ships (built before 2009) have the Royal Caribbean Suites Program.
So first, let’s take a look at the Royal Suite Class perks. If your cruise is on one of the older ships, you can scroll straight down to the Royal Caribbean Suites Program section.
Royal Suite Class Deals
I recommend booking with luxury specialists Panache Cruises for the best service.
Royal Suite Class perks
On ships that have Royal Suite Class, the suites are grouped into three different tiers:
Sea Class
Sky Class
Star Class
Let’s delve a little deeper into each of those…
Sea Class
The suites in the Sea Class tier of the Royal Suite Class program are:
Junior Suites
Junior Suites with a Large Balcony
If you book a Sea Class suite, you’ll get:
A Royal Caribbean bathrobe (not to be kept, but to be used onboard)
A luxury pillowtop mattress
Luxury bathroom toiletries
A Lavazza espresso coffee machine to use in your suite
Dinner at Coastal Kitchen (reservations are needed and drinks aren’t included)
The Sea Class benefits are pretty similar to the Junior Suite perks on the older ships in the fleet, except that you lose priority boarding. Instead, you get the pillowtop mattress and you get to enjoy dinner at Coastal Kitchen, a contemporary restaurant exclusively for suite guests.
The suites in the Sea Class tier of the Royal Suite Class program are:
Sky Loft Suite
Spacious AquaTheater Suite – 1 Bedroom
AquaTheater Suite – 1 Bedroom
Crown Loft Suite
Owner’s Suite – 1 Bedroom
Grand Suite – 2 Bedroom
Grand Suite with Large Balcony – 1 Bedroom
Grand Suite – 1 Bedroom
Golden Balcony
Golden Junior Suite
With a Sky Class suite, you get the same selection of perks that you would in the Sea Class, along with a whole lot more:
Concierge Service
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Coastal Kitchen (reservations are needed for dinner, and drinks aren’t included)
Speciality bottled water in your suite on arrival
Complimentary VOOM internet access (one device per guest)
Flexible arrival times and priority departure
Priority dining reservations
Early access to seating in some entertainment venues
Access to the Suite Lounge (complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cocktails every evening)
Access to the exclusive Suite Sun Deck
These are Royal Caribbean’s standard suite benefits and they include a whole host of valuable extras. Many cruisers rave about the food in the Coastal Kitchen and having access to other VIP areas like the Suite Lounge makes you feel really special.
Suite Deck on Wonder of the Seas
Star Class
The suites in the Star Class tier of the Royal Suite Class program are:
Ultimate Family Suite
Ultimate Family Townhouse
Royal Loft Suite
Villa Suite – 4 Bedrooms
Owner’s Loft Suite
Grand Loft Suite
Owner’s Panoramic Suite – 1 Bedroom
Grand Panoramic Suite – 1 Bedroom
Ultimate Panoramic Suite
Star Loft Suite
Spacious AquaTheater Suite with Large Balcony – 2 Bedrooms
AquaTheater Suite with Large Balcony – 2 Bedrooms
As you’d expect, booking a Star Class suite will get you all of the perks of the Sky and Sea classes, as well as some additional benefits:
Exclusive access to the Royal Genie Service
Complimentary dining in speciality restaurants, including Chef’s Table
Complimentary Deluxe Beverage drinks package for adults
Complimentary Refreshments soda package for children
Still and sparkling water provided in-suite and refreshed daily
Complimentary gratuities
Expedited boarding and departure
Access to the best seats for entertainment shows
Priority entrance to many onboard activities
Complimentary minibar stocked with Coca-Cola drinks and water
Complimentary laundry and pressing services
Luxury Frette linens
It’s worth explaining some of these in a little more detail.
Royal Genie
The Royal Genie Service is essentially Royal Caribbean’s version of a butler – but because Royal Caribbean is modern, it prefers to call its staff ‘Genies’. They can definitely make your wishes come true though, and are on hand to help with various tasks, including:
Escorting you onboard and making sure your luggage is expedited
Arranging your seating in entertainment venues
Managing your dining reservations (and making recommendations)
Planning celebration requests if you have a birthday or anniversary while sailing
Royal Genie
Priority access
The priority access to activities includes things like the FlowRider or iFly. Those are really popular attractions and sometimes you would normally have to queue for a little while to get a turn.
Not with your Royal Genie’s help – they can get you priority access so that you can try them without all the waiting around. They can’t work miracles though, so this is only outside of peak times (so not between 1 pm and 4 pm on sea days).
It’s worth pointing out that these services are only available to guests who are booked in the Star Class. So, if you’re travelling with a larger group but you’re the only ones sailing in Star Class, your Genie can’t make reservations for the rest of your party.
Complimentary gratuities
It’s also important to clarify that your complimentary gratuities just cover the ‘standard’ tips, so that’s your general housekeeping, stateroom and dining staff.
Your genie doesn’t get a tip as part of your complimentary package, so if you want to reward them you’ll need to do that separately. The same applies to your Concierge too.
There are a lot more benefits when you book one of the Grand, Panoramic or Owner’s Suites on your Royal Caribbean ship.
As well as all the benefits of a Junior Suite, you also get:
A pillowtop mattress
Priority departure on disembarkation day
A Concierge service
Access to the Suite Lounge or Concierge Club, with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails every evening
Priority dining reservations, spa bookings and short excursion tickets
A Suite Party invitation (on cruises of 5 nights or more)
Tours of the Bridge, Galley and Backstage
VIP pool deck seating (on Voyager Class ships and above)
Priority tendering for shore excursions, where available
A welcome gift of fruit and Evian water
The option to enjoy the Main Dining Room menu in your suite
Complimentary 24-hour room service
Private lunch and breakfast seating
A departure breakfast
Access to a reserved section in the Theatre
Complimentary outfit pressing on the first formal night
No sign-up fee for luggage valet service
That’s quite a lot! Royal Caribbean want to make your suite stay special, and if you book one of these suites then you’re going to have an amazing experience with all these extra added in.
Not to be confused with ‘Royal Suite Class’, Royal Suites and Villa Suites are the best suites available on the older ships in the fleet.
With these, you get all of the perks from the lower suite grades, as well as:
An officer will escort you onboard when you check-in
A welcome bottle of Moet & Chandon
It might not seem like a long list, but when you already have all the perks of the lower suite grades, it’s plenty.
You’ll feel like actual royalty being escorted onboard by an officer of the ship, and if you like Champagne then you’ll love having a bottle of Moet waiting for you in your suite – the perfect way to toast the start of your cruise!
Royal Suite
Are suites worth it with Royal Caribbean? It depends…
Royal Caribbean suites aren’t cheap but they are a lot more spacious and come with a lot of benefits. Whether it’s worth it depends on your cruising style – Royal Caribbean ships are packed with activities, so you may not spend much time in your suite at all.
If you’re the sort of person to only use your accommodation as a place to sleep and get ready, then you can save a lot of money by not choosing a suite. You’ll miss out on perks like the best seats in venues, or priority boarding, but many of the other benefits are things you can pay for on an ad-hoc basis.
You don’t need complimentary speciality dining if you only want to visit one of those restaurants, you can just pay for it as a one-off.
But there’s no denying that Royal Caribbean suites are special, especially with Royal Suite Class on the newest ships in the fleet. If you have the budget, and you enjoy spending a bit of time in your suite, then there are few better trips you could book.
To help you avoid these worst cabins on Royal Caribbean, I’ve created a cabin checklist that you can get for free.
Just enter your email address below and you’ll receive it in your inbox straight away.
Royal Suite Class Deals
I recommend booking with luxury specialists Panache Cruises for the best service.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Aviator is an extraordinary online game that has gained great popularity among gamers and betting fans because it includes a hint of chance and strategy. The mechanic is so simple, yet engaging. The player sees a flying virtual plane taking off, and it rises higher. Before starting the fun, you should get acquainted with how it goes and work out effective strategies to bring maximum gains.
Basic Description of Aviator
Aviator, if simplified, is a game of multipliers. Players place their bets ahead of time as the virtual plane takes off. A multiplier starts growing immediately as the plane gains altitude. The goal is to withdraw in time and not let an airplane disappear into the distance with your prospective wins. The more you wait, the bigger the multiplier is, but it’s also riskier. There is a possibility that you get an incredible return on your stake if you cash out at the right time, but if you stay in too long, you could walk away with nothing.
Getting Started on Aviator
Among the great places to play Aviator, one may mention Jackpot City as it has a friendly interface and hot promotions. First of all, one needs to log in to the website or app of Jackpot City and register. Further, it will be necessary to deposit funds into the account and go to the section of Aviation games. The interface is very intuitive; even for beginners, it will be easy to make a bet and understand how to play.
Playing jackpot city aviator, when you get the chance, involves using welcome bonuses or other promotions that can give you more money to familiarize yourself with the game without using your own. Knowing features such as auto cash-out options can be particularly helpful in helping one to manage his bets while trying to get used to a new game.
Understanding Game Dynamics
The mechanics behind Aviator might be quite simple, but a lot of dynamics may come into play to alter your approach. This is all about multipliers and payouts, with each rise of the plane increasing the former. Therefore, timing your cash-out becomes the most critical step in securing your win. You can definitely hold on a bit longer for higher potential payouts, but you increase the chances of losing everything.
Most sites, including Jackpot City, have a part for game history where you can see previous rounds. You could look at patterns and trends from that data, but you should consider that each round is completely independent due to the RNG for this game.
Consider introducing some kind of budgeting strategy into your game-either cash out more conservatively early or be more aggressive, waiting for higher multipliers. In any case, you would want to stick with your chosen strategy. This auto cash-out feature comes in very handy for those who might get carried away in the heat of the action.
The Exclusive Atmosphere of Aviator Gaming on a Cruise Ship
Now, put yourself on a cruiseship, lying in the sun, having the waves of the sea smoothly rock the ship. What could be bigger for such a feeling of holiday than playing Aviator, sitting comfortably with your mobile device? Many cruise lines offer Wi-Fi onboard for their guests to access all their favorite online games.
The Aviator can offer this unique atmosphere while gaming on a cruise liner. Heaving waves and the general vibrancy in the air serve as a very exciting backdrop to place your bets. This is your chance at great entertainment, with breathtaking ocean views all around you.
However, it is very important during your holiday to gamble responsibly. Set limits on gameplay and the amount spent, making sure gaming remains fun for you and not taking away from your vacation enjoyment.
The Social Aspect of Playing Aviator
Apart from that, another positive aspect of the Aviator game, both online and even on a cruise ship is the social factor. In case you go on holiday with friends or family members, you can make the experience more group-oriented. You can discuss strategies, share your wins, and give words of encouragement if one loses. Most online games also feature a chat feature that enables you to interact with people from all walks of life.
Final Tips for New Players
Smaller bets as a new player are advised so you get a feel without much finances at risk. Practice being patient and don’t rush to cash out. Take some time to appreciate how the plane ascends and take calculated moves.
Knowing all the updates, improvements in the game, and insights from the community will be an added advantage to you on the Jackpot City platform. Last but not least, remember that it is more important to have fun. Emotionally, the experience of playing Aviator-let alone on a cruise ship-can easily outweigh any cash prize.
In the end, understanding how Aviator works and elaborating strategies will surely pay off when gaming. Whether at Jackpot City or on the vivid cruise ship, be excited yet responsible, and you will surely enjoy the ride!
If you’ve never taken a cruise before, the whole culture around tipping can be a little confusing. Especially if you’re from the UK where tipping regularly is not a part of our culture.
There are two different types of tips on a cruise ship – that which you’re expected to pay, which are referred to as the gratuities, and then extra tips that you may want to give to the people helping you to enjoy your cruise.
If you’re a novice with tipping, don’t worry. I’ve spent hours browsing the best cruise forums to find out what other experienced cruisers tip above and beyond the standard gratuities.
I’ve collected a ton of data that will help you to compare yourself to others and find a level that feels right for you. Because at the end of the day, it’s totally up to you how much extra to tip, and whether to tip at all.
So, let’s take a look at how much to tip cruise staff, as a guide.
About Cruise Gratuities
Cruise gratuities are the tips that you are expected to pay during your cruise. They apply to all guests and are divided up between different members of the crew, including housekeeping, your room attendant, and those that work behind the scenes that you otherwise wouldn’t see, and therefore wouldn’t have the chance to tip.
Note that I say you are ‘expected’ to pay these. They’ll be added to your cruise account automatically, and you’ll need to pay them to clear your account, although on most cruise lines you can ask for them to be removed.
But you should be aware that for many cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, NCL and Carnival, the crewmembers rely on the tips that passengers are expected to pay. People only tend to remove them if they’ve had terrible service, and even on those rare occasions, most passengers still pay them.
Sometimes, your gratuities are already included in your fare. That’s the case with:
MSC Cruises (when booked in the UK)
P&O Cruises
Virgin Voyages
Marella Cruises
Celestyal Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Silversea
Many other cruise lines let you prepay your gratuities, too. It’s still a separate charge, but this means you can get it paid for upfront, and then you don’t have to worry about it later.
These include:
MSC Cruises (when booked in the US)
Disney Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean
Princess Cruises
NCL
Holland America Line
Carnival
There may be some times when you’re asked to pay them upfront. One example is Royal Caribbean’s MyTime Dining plan – if you want the flexibility to eat dinner at a time that suits you, you have to prepay your gratuities.
Otherwise, you’ll have the gratuities added to your account, and you’ll be expected to pay them off at the end, along with any other charges that you’ve accrued during your cruise.
As a rough guide, most cruise lines tend to charge around $15 per person per day for gratuities. It may be slightly more or slightly less. If you book a suite, expect the cost to be closer to $20 per person per day.
Drinks Gratuities
While your normal gratuities cover most staff on the ship, there may be times when you are asked to pay additional gratuities.
One of these is when you order a drinks package, which usually gives you unlimited drinks during the cruise.
While you’ll see an advertised price for your drinks package, some cruise lines – including Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises – will add on a fixed gratuity fee when you pay, which is usually 18%.
Sometimes, a gratuity is added on to every drink, whether you have a package or not. This really depends on the cruise line and which country your ship departs from. The rules vary a lot, so you’ll need to check the terms and conditions of your booking to be sure.
Spa Gratuities
It’s similar with spa treatments. You’ll see an advertised price for your spa treatment, but many cruise lines will add on an additional gratuity to the price you pay – somewhere between 15% and 20%.
With your regular gratuities, and these additional gratuities for drinks packages and spa treatments, you aren’t expected to tip any extra.
Indeed, some cruise lines are very clear that tipping is not expected – especially P&O Cruises, since it’s a British cruise line where tipping culture is not the norm.
Some even discourage it. MSC’s official line from their UK website is: “MSC Cruises does not recommend tipping individual members of staff.”
But on most cruise lines, many passengers do – especially American passengers where tipping is part of the culture. And so if you want to do the same, let’s take a look at average tipping amounts for different crew members…
There is no set amount for how much to tip on a cruise, and once you have paid your gratuities, there’s no need to tip more if you don’t want to. Average extra tips vary, with most cruisers averaging $1-2 for drinks or room service, and $10-20 per day for cabin stewards.
It’s up to you if you decide to tip extra, but your automatic gratuity charge covers all the essentials. Anything extra is just to say thank you to crewmembers for looking after you, or a way to get a slight ‘edge’ in the service they provide.
They can’t go too far above and beyond but if you tip well then crewmembers might be able to offer a few small touches to make your cruise more special, such as serving you quicker at the bar or spending a little more time to create you a special towel animal in your room.
How Much to Tip Your Room Steward
The typical amounts tipped to room stewards varies between around $2 and $20 per day, although it will depend on the length of the cruise. Many people prefer to tip extra at the start of their cruise, to ensure they get the best service for the duration of their sailing.
One of the lower amounts I’ve seen, for those who want to tip extra, is $20 extra at the start of the cruise and then maybe a little more each night. CruisingNewb on the Royal Caribbean Blog forum suggests this was plenty to ensure proactive service.
Many people tip cabin attendants $10 per day, or $50 to 100 as a lump sum either at the start or end of the cruise.
Of course, some people choose not to tip any extra, and are still happy with the service they receive.
How Much to Tip Your Waiter
Main Dining Room waiting staff tend to be covered in daily gratuities, but for people who like to tip extra, an average is usually $100 per week. Some people prefer to tip on a per-meal basis, and tend to weight the tips more for dinner – $20 per dinner, $10 for lunch and $5 for breakfast.
Depending on your cruise line and your choice of dining plan, you might get the same waiter every night. You’ll then really notice just how good their service is – they will usually remember you and your preferences, and be able to make dinner feel like a really special occasion each night. That may be something you want to reward.
But then, there are plenty of others who view the Main Dining Room staff as already having been tipped as part of the gratuities, and, therefore, won’t tip any more than they need to.
Nowadays, more and more cruises offer flexible dining, so you will have a different team of waiters every night. When this is the case, people are less likely to tip waiters in cash as they probably won’t see them again during the cruise.
How Much to Tip Your Bartender
Many cruise passengers will tip their bartender on a per-drink basis, usually $1-2 per drink ordered. Some passengers prefer to tip their bartender a larger one-off amount if they intend to stay at a bar for a little while – up to $20 is seen as normal.
Some cruise ships like Disney and Royal Caribbean will give you a receipt to sign for every drink. Here, you have the option to write on an additional tip amount, which will be charged to your onboard account. This way, you can use any onboard credit that you have accrued to pay for tips.
Alternatively, you can tip in cash with $1 or $2 bills if you prefer. Of course, pounds sterling, Euros or any other currency will also be welcomed by crew members as they often travel the world and can always change it ashore if needed. Just try not to tip with coins.
Some passengers believe that tipping bartenders extra is a nice thank-you for the busy staff who may be making you complex cocktails. Others see tipping as a way of ensuring they get served first, where possible – hence tipping a $20 bill upfront.
If you’ve paid for a drinks package, you’ll already likely have paid an additional gratuity, and so many people don’t then like to tip again.
Passengers tend to tip cruise butlers more than other crewmembers because they tend to offer more services and are more hands-on in making your cruise special. $200 to 300 per cruise is average, although some may prefer to tip more.
Butlers tend to be offered on luxury cruise lines, and many of those – including Regent Seven Seas and Silversea – have tips already included, which are designed to cover the butler. But that doesn’t stop people from tipping extra.
Butlers are also used in suites on some other cruise lines, including Celebrity Cruises and P&O Cruises. Royal Caribbean has ‘Royal Genies’ instead of butlers, and there is specific advice given that they are not included in typical cruise gratuities, so any tipping needs to be offered separately.
Most people tend to tip $1-2 per item ordered from the room service menu, or a $5 total for a meal or a larger order. Many people only order small items for room service, and so don’t tend to tip large sums because the cost of what they are ordering is already low.
Again though, this is a personal decision and can vary. You might feel that room service is more effort for the crew, since they aren’t just pouring you a drink at a bar where they’re working, but they’re delivering it all the way to your stateroom.
Or you might take the view that you’ve paid your daily gratuities, and this service is included as part of that.
How Much to Tip Your Porter at the Cruise Terminal
Most people offer a small tip to the baggage handlers at the cruise terminal, to ensure their bags are looked after as they are taken onto the ship. It normally varies between $2 and $5 per bag, although a total tip of $10 for a family’s luggage would be sufficient.
Again, there’s no need to tip your porter, but bear in mind how much luggage they are carrying onto the ship. It’s a nice way to thank them for not having to drag your suitcases around with you all day.
When on a cruise excursion, it’s normal to tip the guide to thank them for their efforts in showing you around – this can vary from $5 per person up to $30 per person for longer tours. If your excursion has a coach or taxi, a tip of $1 per person is more in line with the average.
Tipping your guide or driver won’t tend to get you better service, and so it’s normally done at the end of the day more as a thank-you.
Shore excursion in Monaco
What Currency To Use for Tips
Most people tend to tip in the same currency used on the ship, but generally, it doesn’t matter. You can tip in your own currency if you prefer – crew tend to be grateful for all their tips, and they can bank them all regardless.
The only difference would be on an excursion, where it’s best to either tip in the local currency, or in US dollars, which are accepted more widely.
The Bottom Line
If you’re travelling from the UK, you’ll know that tipping isn’t always something that we’re used to. And you might feel awkward tipping on a cruise when you’ve already paid your gratuities. That’s absolutely fine – there is no obligation at all, and you’ll still get great service.
But you might feel equally awkward travelling on a cruise where you know that tipping a little extra is the done thing, and so you might want to take some extra money with you for tips. Don’t tip more than you’re comfortable doing though – you don’t want to stress yourself out budgeting for tips when you have covered the gratuities already.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Royal Caribbean is increasing gratuity prices from 1st November, adding $0.50 per guest per day to each category.
This means that guests in a regular stateroom will pay $18.50 per person, per day, up from $18.
And anyone staying in a Suite will now pay $21 per person, per day, up from $20.50.
While this may seem like a small increase, it comes just a year after the last increase of $2 across all categories, which followed another $1.50 increase in 2022.
This means that guests are now paying around 25% more than they were two years ago for gratuities.
However, anyone who books their cruise before 1st November 2024 and pre-pays their gratuities before the end of 31st October 2024 will secure them at the current rates, not the increased prices, regardless of the sailing date.
Automatic gratuities – right or wrong?
Automatic gratuities remain a controversial topic. Some guests understand that they help to reward the hard-working crew, including those behind the scenes who might not normally receive tips from guests.
Other guests prefer to give tips manually, where they feel they have received good service. And of course, tipping culture varies around the world too.
Automatic gratuities, including these with Royal Caribbean, are not mandatory. They are added to guests’ accounts, but guests can remove them if they really want to.
It’s not recommended, because unfortunately a lot of crew rely on the tips for their pay. Even if a guest receives bad service, it’s not fair to punish the rest of the crew.
The increased charges don’t impact the gratuity automatically added to drinks purchases (18%) and spa and salon treatments (20%).
Majestic Princess is a ship that truly lives up to her name – she really is majestic in every way, with some fantastic restaurants, places to relax and accommodation. But not all rooms are created equally.
So, before you make a snap decision and book a cabin that isn’t right for you, it’s important that you learn about the options available.
That’s why I’ve created this guide to all of the stateroom options onboard Majestic Princess. I’ve scoured the deck plans, read up on the cruise forums and Majestic Princess reviews, and I’ve spent time in various social media groups dedicated to the ship to learn everything I can. It’s been a hectic task!
In this guide to accommodation on Majestic Princess, I’ll give you the most comprehensive information on the internet to help you make the right choice for your stateroom. I’ve included everything on the best and worst cabins on Majestic Princess.
It’s worth reading through the whole guide. Even if you’re someone who only wants the cheapest room available, or you’re set on a Suite, it’s good to learn about the various options.
But most importantly, make sure you don’t skip the ‘cabins to avoid’ section – that’s got some great tips that the cruise line won’t necessarily tell you.
Majestic Princess Cabin Types
There are five main cabin types available on Majestic Princess.
Accommodation
Sleeps
Size (incl. balcony)
Interior
2 to 4
166 to 175 sq. ft.
Balcony
2 to 4
222 to 232 sq. ft.
Deluxe Balcony
2 to 4
242 to 312 sq. ft.
Mini Suite
2 to 4
299 to 329 sq. ft.
Suite
2 to 4
440 to 682 sq. ft.
The Majestic Princess was the last of the Royal-Class ships built without Ocean View staterooms – these were introduced on the Sky Princess and Enchanted Princess.
So, on Majestic Princess, you’ve either got the choice of having a private balcony, or no view at all from an Interior room.
There’s more to booking your cruise accommodation than deciding on whether you want a view though. You need to think about your budget (and where you want to prioritise spending it), and the location of the room on the ship.
Don’t worry though, I’ve made it simple with my own checklist of things you need to think about when you’re deciding which cabin to book. Get your copy of the checklist here:
Majestic Princess Inside Cabins
The cheapest accommodation you’ll find on Majestic Princess is the interior cabins. As the name suggests, they’re on the inside of the ship, which means no windows and therefore no natural light.
They’re also the smallest rooms, but many of them can still accommodate up to four guests, even if they’re better suited for two people. If you aren’t too fussed about spending a lot of time in your room and your priority is to get the cheapest cruise, then an interior room is a good option.
Remember that you’re never too far away from an open deck or a lounge with windows for when you do want to watch the sunset. Choosing an interior frees up more of your budget to spend on speciality dining, or on excursions.
Interior cabins all come with twin beds that can be zipped together to create a queen-sized one for couples who want to share. Grades IA to IE, which can all sleep up to four people, have Pullman beds too.
Pullman beds are fold-down beds that will either be stored attached to the wall, or hidden in the ceiling. They’re better for children than they are for adults, but grown-ups can use them at a push.
Just be aware that the interior cabins on Majestic Princess are the fold-down type, which means it’s annoyingly easy for guests in the main beds to bash their heads on them when sitting up.
Take a look at this video to see more of an inside cabin on Majestic Princess:
Princess Cruises assigns every stateroom a grade. These grades are made up of two characters – the first is always a letter, and for most cabin types the second will be too, though sometimes it is a number.
The first letter tells you what kind of cabin it is, with Interior cabins all beginning with “I”. So far, so simple.
The second character refers to where the cabin is on the ship. The higher the letter or lower the number, the more prime the location. So an IA cabin is a better choice than an IF. However, you will pay more too.
Grade
Sleeps up to
Average size (sq ft)
IA
4
175
IB
4
166 – 175
IC
4
166 – 175
ID
4
166
IE
4
166
IF
2
166
Majestic Princess Balcony Cabins
If you’re someone who needs natural light in their stateroom to avoid feeling a little claustrophobic, or you like the idea of sitting outside in your own private space with a view, then a Balcony cabin is what you need. You’ll have a small balcony of your own, accessed via sliding doors from your main cabin.
The balconies are usually quite small unless you buy one of the more premium grade cabins. You’ll be able to sit, but most only have space for two chairs at most.
And remember that a balcony doesn’t guarantee a great view. You might think you’ll be able to enjoy the sights of the port, but you might be unlucky enough to be on the wrong side of the ship.
Here’s a video of a Balcony Stateroom on Majestic Princess:
Majestic Princess has five different types of balcony cabins:
Balcony
Balcony with Obstructed View
Deluxe Balcony
Deluxe Balcony with Obstructed View
Premium Deluxe Balcony
An obstructed view balcony cabin means that your view is partially blocked. These rooms are all on Deck 8 and the cause is the lifeboats – they hang on the sides of the ship just outside these cabins.
If you’re clever you can book an ‘obstructed’ room that has its balcony between two lifeboats, which means they only hang slightly into your view. You still save money too. More on that later.
Majestic Princess Balcony Cabin Grades
Grade
Type
Sleeps up to
Average size (sq ft)
D4
Premium Deluxe Balcony
4
242 – 312
DA
Deluxe Balcony
3
233
DB
Deluxe Balcony
4
233
DC
Deluxe Balcony
4
233
DD
Deluxe Balcony
3
233
DE
Deluxe Balcony
4
233
DF
Deluxe Balcony
4
233
BA
Balcony
2
222
BB
Balcony
4
222
BC
Balcony
4
222
BD
Balcony
4
222
BE
Balcony
4
222
BF
Balcony
4
222
DW
Deluxe Balcony (Obstructed)
4
233
BW
Balcony (Obstructed)
4
222
Standard Vs. Deluxe Vs. Premium Deluxe Balcony
As you can see from the table of grades, the main difference between a Standard Balcony cabin and a Deluxe or Premium Deluxe option is the space available.
You get around 5% more floor space in total when you upgrade from Standard to Deluxe and 18% more when you opt for a Premium Deluxe room. This extra floor space just makes things a little more comfortable, but the furniture included is still mainly the same.
Here’s a video of the Premium Deluxe Stateroom for you to compare with the Standard Balcony video you saw earlier…
The only furniture difference is in the bed configurations – you get a sofa bed with both a Deluxe and Premium Deluxe room. These are designed to sleep one person, which means that the 3-berth rooms have no Pullman beds at all, and the 4-berth rooms have just one Pullman bed.
If you’ve got a child that’s younger that you don’t want to risk in a higher bunk, choosing a Deluxe or Premium Deluxe Balcony is therefore ideal since you can put them in the sofa bed instead. It’s a more comfortable choice for three adults travelling together too.
Majestic Princess Mini Suites
Looking for something a little more luxurious than a Balcony stateroom but don’t quite have the budget for a full-blown Suite? Mini Suites offer a good middle ground.
You get some extra perks, although nowhere near as many as a Suite offers. But you don’t pay Suite prices either, so it’s a balance.
Majestic Princess Mini Suite Perks:
A dedicated sitting area for the sofa bed, with a coffee table and an extra TV
A curtain to separate the sofa bed area from the bed, creating two ‘bedrooms’
A better bathroom with a bathtub and a massage shower
An improved bed with an extra luxurious mattress topper and more premium pillows
More chairs on the balcony (up to 4)
A free glass of sparkling wine when you board the ship
Majestic Princess Mini Suite Grades
Grade
Type
Sleeps up to
Average size (sq ft)
M1
Club Class Mini Suite
4
314
M6
Club Class Mini Suite
3
314
MA
Mini Suite
4
314
MB
Mini Suite
4
299 – 329
MC
Mini Suite
4
299
ME
Mini Suite
4
299
MF
Mini Suite
3
299
Club Class Mini Suites
An extra step up from your standard Mini Suites, the premium Club Class Mini Suites are even more spacious and they have a few extra perks to offer too. It’s up to you whether you think these are worth the extra cruise fare.
Majestic Princess Club Class Mini Suite Perks:
Priority embarkation and disembarkation queues at the start and end of your cruise
An enhanced bed designed to be more comfortable
A half bottle of red and half bottle of white wine provided in your cabin on embarkation day
Bathrobes for every guest in the room
Evening canapes served in your Mini Suite (though you have to ask for them)
Exclusive seating in the Main Dining Room with a few extra menu options too
So, take a look at this list – do you like the idea of shorter queue times and a nicer bed? Or would it be better to save the money? The decision on whether to upgrade to Club Class purely depends on your own preferences.
Check out this video of a Club Class Mini Suite on Majestic Princess…
Majestic Princess Suites
If you want the best of the best for your cruise holiday, you’re going to want to book one of the Majestic Princess Suites. These are much bigger rooms with a properly distinct bedroom and sitting area and the largest balconies too.
As well as all the benefits of a Club Class Mini Suite, there’s quite the list of extra perks you get too.
Majestic Princess Suite Perks:
Priority queues for excursions, as well as for embarkation and disembarkation
Priority queues at the guest services and shore excursion desks
Priority booking for the speciality dining venues
Exclusive Club Class dining with extra menu options
Access to the exclusive Lotus Spa Thermal Suite
An enhanced room service menu
A welcome glass of Champagne when you board the ship, and a free mimosa with every breakfast
A complimentary mini-bar in your room along with fresh orchids and a fruit bowl (topped up on request)
Twice-daily ice service
In-suite tea service
A cruise card wallet
Free laundry and dry cleaning, and a shoe-shining service
Free use of umbrellas if needed
A free private portrait sitting with the ship’s photographer
Majestic Princess Suite Grades
Grade
Type
Sleeps up to
Average size (sq ft)
S2
Owner’s Suite
3
879
S3
Penthouse Suite
3
587 – 682
S4
Penthouse Suite
3
440
S5
Premium Suite
4
554
Premium Suites Vs. Penthouse Suites Vs. Owner’s Suites
Within the Suite class, there are three different options: Premium, Penthouse and Owner’s.
Owner’s Suites are the crème de la crème of accommodation options, and they’re the most expensive. Penthouse Suites aren’t far behind and are just a little smaller. They only sleep 3 people though, so if you’re a group of 4 then you’ll want to look at Premium Suites instead.
The Premium Suites are situated towards the front of the ship, but they aren’t forward-facing. They’re closer to the elevators and have balconies facing the port or starboard side.
The Owner’s and Penthouse Suites are at the aft (back) of the ship with amazing views over the wake. The balconies are much larger than any other accommodation class on the ship and wrap around the aft.
The Owner’s Suites are situated on Deck 8 and are the biggest rooms on the ship. If you want the absolute best room on Majestic Princess, these are the ones to go for. The Penthouse Suites with the biggest balconies are higher up the ship on Decks 14 and 15.
If you’re trying to decide between the different suites, then here are some links to videos of each, which is the best way to have a look around before you book:
Special Cabin Types
Here are some special room types that may be perfect for you, depending on your situation…
Majestic Princess Aft Rooms
Some of the most popular staterooms on any ship are those located at the aft (back of the ship). The view over the wake of a ship is pretty stunning, and because you’re facing away from the direction of travel, you don’t have the wind smacking you in the face either – bonus. Often aft rooms are larger too.
On Majestic Princess there are three choices for aft-facing staterooms:
Premium Deluxe Balcony Rooms
Penthouse Suites
Owner’s Suite
Every deck from 9 to 15 has two Penthouse Suites in the respective aft corners, and then four Premium Deluxe Balcony rooms between them. The biggest rooms are the Owner’s Suites, which are both situated on Deck 8.
Majestic Princess Connecting Rooms
If you’re travelling with more than four people, or you just don’t want to rely on Pullman and sofa beds, you’ll want to consider connecting rooms. These are staterooms that have a connecting door between them. These doors stay locked unless you’ve requested for them to be unlocked to link the rooms together.
It’s best to try to avoid a connecting room if you are only booking one stateroom. No one can get through the locked door, but they’re not as soundproof, and sometimes there’s a draught under the door too.
On Majestic Princess you’ve got the following options for connecting staterooms:
Two Interior cabins
Two Standard Balcony cabins
An Obstructed Balcony and a Standard Balcony
An Obstructed Balcony and a Deluxe Balcony
Two Obstructed Deluxe Balcony rooms
Two Deluxe Balcony Rooms
Two Mini Suites
Two Club Class Mini Suites
Majestic Princess Accessible Rooms
There is a selection of accessible rooms available on Majestic Princess – these are specially designed for users of wheelchairs or scooters. They’re slightly larger and have widened doors to make it easier to get in and out. The bathroom is also a full wet room rather than having a separate shower cubicle.
Understandably, given how popular cruising is with less able-bodied people, these rooms are really popular. So, if you need one then try to book as far in advance as possible.
Majestic Princess’ accessible staterooms are as follows:
Interior – Decks 8 and 9
Balcony – Decks 9-12, Deck 15
Mini Suites – Decks 10, 11 and 12
Club Class Mini Suites – Decks 11 and 12
Penthouse Suites – Deck 14
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Majestic Princess Cabins to Avoid
OK, now you know the different options for cabin grades and all the factual information, let’s delve a little deeper into the specific cabins you’ll want to avoid.
This is the stuff the cruise line might hold back on telling you, or may not make completely obvious when you book. So, let’s take a look at the cabins you shouldn’t book for your Majestic Princess cruise holiday.
1. Cabins That May Make Seasickness Worse
L101 to L229, M101 to M229, R101 to R229
If you’re one of the poor few to suffer from seasickness, the last thing you want is a stateroom that can amplify the motion of the ocean and make you feel queasy. This is a general tip for any cruise ship rather than a specific Majestic Princess once, which is why I’m getting it out of the way early.
The rule is that the closer you are to the middle of the ship, the less you’ll feel the movement. So, avoid higher decks, and avoid the front or aft of the ship. The worst staterooms are those on high decks in a forward or aft position. If you know you’re likely to get seasick, ask for a lower mid-ship room instead.
2. Interconnecting Rooms That You Don’t Need
Various
Another tip that applies to any cruise ship rather than specifically Majestic Princess. If you don’t plan on booking two interconnecting rooms together and opening the door between them, you’ll want to avoid booking one of them altogether.
It’s not like you’ll get strangers wandering into your room – the door stays locked. But, that door is a lot less solid than an actual cabin wall, so don’t be surprised if you hear next door’s TV, a baby crying, or any other noises they might be making.
Interconnecting rooms are great for people who want to share two cabins, but otherwise, definitely one to avoid.
3. Obstructed View Rooms
Most of Deck 8 – cabins beginning with E
The lifeboats on Majestic Princess hang in front of the balconies on Deck 8, which means you’ll have an obstructed view. The whole point of paying for a Balcony stateroom is so that you can enjoy the ocean sights in comfort – not see the bottom of a lifeboat in front of your face.
However, there are some rooms that are between lifeboats, which only have a partially-blocked view. So if you don’t mind only seeing between two boats, or you don’t care about the view at all and just want to enjoy the fresh sea air, then you can save money by choosing one of these options instead.
When you check the Majestic Princess Deck plan, you can see the shapes of the lifeboats on Deck 8. The gaps between, such as where E310 is, are where you’ll want to aim for with your obstructed view cabin. This way, you’ll be able to see right through the gap.
The good thing about obstructed views on Majestic Princess is that the lifeboats are a little lower than on some other ships, so you can see over them. Check out this video to see what to expect from this cabin type…
4. Front-Facing Rooms With Limited Balcony Access
L101 to L108, M101 to M108
On the higher decks on Majestic Princess, there is a selection of forward-facing staterooms that have good-sized balconies. The catch is that you’re only allowed to use them in port, and they aren’t made of glass, so you only get a really good view when you’re stood up.
This is because the wind speed caused by the ship’s movement is pretty fast. It’s not safe to open the cabin doors while the ship is moving and it wouldn’t be particularly comfortable for you either.
If you want to use your balcony while the ship is sailing, don’t choose one of these cabins.
5. Rooms Underneath the Lido Deck or Sun Deck
M302 to M436, L101 to L301
These are the staterooms that you’ll want to avoid if you don’t want to hear sounds during the daytime. And that daytime could be very early hours, as other guests rush to secure themselves a deck chair on these decks.
While they’re dragging chairs around, it might not sound too loud to them, but the sound will definitely amplify through your ceiling. If you prefer a lie-in in the morning, try to avoid a room that’s directly underneath an area where guests might be moving furniture around.
6. Rooms Above the Entertainment at Night
E125, E130, E201 to E225, E445 to E612, E630 to E733
While the rooms on higher decks are at risk of noise above, it’s the rooms on Deck 8 situated above some of the entertainment venues that can cause problems in the evening. Some of the live music and shows can go onto the later hours, and the sound will carry through your floor.
If you are a light sleeper and you enjoy getting an early night ahead of another day of cruise adventures, then maybe book a room a little higher up the ship, away from the theatre and lounges.
M722, M723, M724, M725, M726, M727 (Overlooked by the Wake View Bar Terrace)
D145 to D277, D701 to D725(Overlooked by cabins above)
There are three areas on the ship where you’re at risk of being overlooked when you’re sitting on your balcony.
The first is in the staterooms below the SeaWalk – the glass-bottomed walkway that comes out from the side of the ship. Bear in mind too that not only can people see down into your balcony, but you can see them. Maybe don’t wear a skirt when you walk the SeaWalk yourself!
The other location is at the aft of the ship, where the design means that each balcony juts out a little further as you progress down the decks. It’s not usually an issue for any rooms below Deck 15 since you’d have to stand at the edge of your balcony looking down.
But on Deck 16 near the Wake View Bar, that’s exactly what some cruise guests do – stand at the railing to look out to sea. If they look down, they’ll see right into your balcony. Maybe opt for a lower deck or a mid-ship location if you value your privacy.
On Deck 9, some of the Deluxe Balcony staterooms have large balconies that jut out further than the rest. These are overlooked from above as you can see in this photo:
The Best Cabins on Majestic Princess
We’ve been through the cabins to avoid, but which are the best rooms on Majestic Princess? Well, there are a few that stand out as offering great value for money or special touches that might be worth splashing out on. These are…
1. Interior Stateroom
The cheapest and smallest accommodation on the ship – and one of the best? Well yes, if you don’t care about your room too much and you want to save money.
Majestic Princess is packed with places where you can relax and hang out, whether that’s a lounge or the theatre or just a deck chair beside the pool. You may only need your stateroom for a quick shower, a change of clothes and sleep. Why overspend if you don’t really care about relaxing in your own private space?
Mini Suites and above can sometimes be twice the price of an Interior room, if not more. Would you rather have one cruise in a Mini Suite, or two cruises in an Interior? One to think about.
If you’re a real budget cruiser like me, you can get some great deals by having four adults in an inside stateroom and taking advantage of discounts for third and fourth passengers. Sometimes, they can cruise for just a nominal extra fee – making your cruise virtually half price!
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2. Owner’s Suite
From one end of the scale to the other – Owner’s Suites are definitely amazing and if you have the money for them – they do make your holiday feel so much more special.
As well as having all the space you could want to unwind in peace, you get a lot of extra perks both within your room and as part of your overall cruise experience.
But, you can’t ignore the price, which makes it a personal decision as to whether they are right for you or not. If you want all those extras then go for it, but consider whether two cruises in a Balcony stateroom would be a better use of your hard-earned money.
3. Rooms With Larger Balconies
Not every balcony on Majestic Princess is the same. Some of the mid-ship balconies have angle balconies, which makes them larger. Look at this section of the deck plan to see what I mean:
You can find these balconies in some Mini Suites, including Club Class Mini Suites. They’re also an option on Decks 8 and 9 for Balcony and Deluxe Balcony staterooms too, although the ones on Deck 8 are those with an obstructed view because of the lifeboats.
If a larger balcony appeals, then make sure you try to secure one of these options with an angled veranda.
4. ‘White Noise’ Rooms
If you’re the kind of person who likes to fall asleep to the gentle sound of white noise, then this little hint might be right up your street. There are some interior cabins on Deck 10 from C316 to C335 that are next to an air vent from the funnels. It generates a low background humming noise.
The cruisers that have commented on this have said that it’s not annoying at all because it’s so quiet, but it is audible when the ship is peaceful, and it’s apparently quite relaxing. If you like the sound of a gentle hum sending you to sleep at night then consider one of these rooms – no white noise app required!
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Majestic Princess Accommodation FAQs
Do you still have questions about Majestic Princess staterooms and suites? Here are some of the top ones I’ve been asked…
Does Majestic Princess have single cabins?
There are no dedicated single cabins on Majestic Princess. Solo travellers will need to book a two-berth room and may need to pay the full amount for two people, but you may avoid that if you book early enough and secure a deal.
How many suites are on the Majestic Princess?
There are 36 Suites available on Majestic Princess. There are 12 aft-facing Penthouse Suites, 14 mid-ship Penthouse Suites, 8 Premium Suites and 2 Owner’s Suites.
What deck is the SeaWalk on Majestic Princess?
The SeaWalk on Majestic Princess is situated on Deck 16, the Lido Deck. If you choose a Balcony Stateroom on Decks 15 (M403 to M431) or 14 (R403 to R437), you should be aware that people on the SeaWalk can see onto the balconies.
How old is the Majestic Princess cruise ship?
Majestic Princess is one of the Royal-class ships in the Princess Cruises fleet and she launched in 2017. Originally designed for the Chinese market, she has since started offering itineraries in Oceania and on the west coast of America too.
Has Majestic Princess been refurbished?
Majestic Princess has not been refurbished. She was launched in 2017 and so hasn’t needed to be updated yet. Sister ship Royal Princess, which launched the Royal-class of ships in 2013, was refurbished in 2018, so Majestic Princess may be refurbished in the near future.
The Bottom Line
Majestic Princess is a wonderful cruise ship, but as with any ship, there are some rooms that are better than others. It usually doesn’t cost any extra to choose your room on a Princess Cruise, so it’s worth spending a little time to make sure that you choose a great one, rather than having any room assigned to you.
After all, the rooms that are assigned will, by default, be the rooms that nobody else has chosen!
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Related Posts:
More Princess Cruises Cabin Guides
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Have you already booked a cruise but are worried that you’ve chosen a poor cabin location? Or perhaps you’re just wondering if there’s an option to upgrade your accommodation to something a bit more indulgent? Whatever your reasons, a cabin upgrade is always a nice perk to add to your cruise.
If you want to upgrade your cruise cabin after you’ve booked, this guide will tell you exactly how to do it…
Can You Change Your Cabin on a Cruise?
You should have no problems changing your cruise cabin after booking, although you will have to pay extra. It’s very easy to upgrade by contacting the cruise line or your travel agent. Some cruise lines also offer programs to allow you to bid for upgrades closer to the departure date.
The rules are a little different for each cruise line though, so read on for all the details…
But first, you’ll want to make sure that your new cabin doesn’t have any issues like noise or being far from the main amenities. Grab a copy of my free checklist to know what to look out for to avoid picking a bad stateroom:
Is It Worth Paying Extra for a Balcony on a Cruise?
On some cruises, it’s definitely worth paying extra for a balcony, but on others, you may barely use it.If you’re sailing to a scenic destination such as the Norwegian Fjords, the extra cost of a balcony is a small price to pay for the enjoyment you would get in return. However, on a cold, windy, transatlantic cruise you’re unlikely to spend much time on your balcony.
I don’t usually get a balcony, but I did on this cruise
Balcony cabins are the next option to upgrade to after Inside and Ocean View cabins. They provide additional outdoor space, which is entirely your own, and often come with furniture such as a table and chairs to relax on while outside.
Sailing to hot destinations is a great time to opt for a balcony as you can enjoy the warm weather all to yourself without hunting for a sun lounger on the pool deck. For families, it also offers more space to spread out without leaving your room. This is great for when you’re getting ready in the morning or if you want somewhere to sit and relax once the little ones go to bed.
If you suffer from claustrophobia, you may not enjoy the feeling of staying in a small, windowless room, so a balcony can be an essential upgrade for some.
When deciding whether to upgrade to a balcony room on your cruise, be sure to consider how much extra it costs. Balcony staterooms can be pricey, sometimes even double the cost of an inside cabin!
A suite is the top level of accommodation on a cruise, and if you ever have the opportunity to upgrade, it’s more than worth it. Suites come with all the benefits of the cabins before them as well as additional extras, though the exact perks depend on the cruise line and the type of suite you book.
Suites have enough space to entertain friends
Typical perks you would find in a suite include butler service and delicious canapes and snacks delivered to your room daily. You’ll enjoy luxurious amenities from top brands such as Le Labo bathroom toiletries or Venchi goodnight chocolates. Suites also come with exclusive access to a range of dining venues, lounges and even VIP pools on some ships.
If you decide that you want to go for a suite, be sure to have a look at the different suite options that are available. Entry-level suites are called Mini Suites and these don’t always come with the perks of a suite – on some cruise ships, they’re not that different to balcony rooms.
The suite perks vary depending on the cruise line, but here are a few guides that may help you to decide whether to upgrade to a suite or stick with the balcony room…
How to Upgrade Your Cruise to the Cabin Number You Want
To upgrade your cruise accommodation to the cabin number you want, you should speak with the cruise line directly, or via your travel agent if you’ve booked with one. This allows them to advise you on the latest availability as well as any necessary charges such as admin fees or upgrade prices.
Some cruise lines offer a choice of different fares when booking such as P&O Cruises which offers an Early Saver Fare, a Saver Fare and Select Fare.
If you initially booked an Early Saver or Saver Fare you would have received a great price but wouldn’t have had the option to choose your cabin number as this is assigned by P&O Cruises. In this instance, to upgrade you would need to switch to Select Fare where you can enjoy alternative benefits including being able to choose your cabin location and being amongst the first to be offered upgrades where available.
The best time to upgrade your cruise to the cabin number you want is as soon as possible, especially if you have a specific location on the ship in mind. The longer you leave this option open, the more likely it is that the cabin you want will be booked by someone else and no longer be available.
How to Get a Cruise Upgrade for Cheap
If you’re not fussy about cabin location, you may be able to opt for a cruise line program that allows you to upgrade for cheaper. If you’re eligible for one of these, you should receive an email from the cruise line to invite you to bid a few weeks before your cruise departs.
Only selected cruise lines offer upgrade bidding and it’s only available on cruises that haven’t sold out.
Cruise lines that offer the bidding process for cheap upgrades:
Here’s what the upgrade emails I’ve received look like…
The bidding process is similar to a blind auction. You enter your maximum bid for each cabin type and whichever guests bid the most will win and be upgraded. Sometimes, the gains are incredible with people snapping up fantastic deals on their cabin upgrades for much cheaper than they would have originally cost.
You have to be careful though. Oftentimes, the system will allow you to bid more than the room originally cost, so be careful not to get carried away and bid too much!
The bidding process isn’t always open to everyone. If limited rooms are available it may be offered to those who are loyal passengers to the cruise line and sometimes also based on how much you paid for your cruise in the first instance. Other factors in the process include how many cabins are remaining on the ship and the category of accommodation you have originally booked.
Invites to make a bid are shared via email, so make sure you have opted into the cruise line’s marketing emails. If you haven’t received one, you may be able to log into the cruise planner section on their website to check.
It’s key to know that the bid process doesn’t guarantee an upgrade, nor does it guarantee a specific room location or attributes. In most cases, if your bid wins and is accepted, you will be charged immediately, and the upgrade amount is non-refundable.
How to Get a Cruise Upgrade for Free
One of the best ways to get a cabin upgrade for free is with a cruise line promotion. Quite often, cruise lines will offer upgrades on staterooms, such as from an Ocean View to a Balcony, for free if you book during the promotional period.
Free upgrades are most commonly offered on winter cruises where most people will opt for an inside cabin. You may find that the balcony cabins are the same price as the insides, so there’s no reason for most people not to book one.
Another way to be upgraded for free is with a guaranteed cabin. This is an option when you book with certain cruise lines and simply means that can’t choose your cabin number. Instead, you are guaranteed a room at the grade you’ve chosen, or higher. The cabin number will be assigned to you before you board.
As the cruise lines always try to ensure that their ships are full to capacity, if they find that a specific grade is sold out, they might offer upgrades to those in that grade in order to continue offering a cheap rate.
This is something Cruise.co.uk mention as working time and time again. For example, you could book a guaranteed inside cabin and after a while, all the inside staterooms sell out. The cruise line could offer you an ocean view or balcony cabin to make room for more of the cheaper insides that they can then sell.
Free upgrades are more likely to happen if you book a cruise on a ship with fewer inside rooms. Once they sell out, you’re more likely to be upgraded.
Alternatively, if you book a cruise on a ship like P&O Cruises’ Britannia that has no sea view rooms, if you get upgraded from an inside room you’ll skip straight to the balcony tier!
Cruising off-peak is another great tip as the ships are usually quieter. This offers more options for the cruise lines to offer upgrades. If you’ve booked with a travel agent, get them to check if any free upgrades are available in the last few weeks before your embarkation. Some people on Cruise Critic’s message boards have said they have been able to upgrade this way on their last two cruises.
Another tip to bag a free upgrade is to join the cruise line’s loyalty programmes. Each cruise line has one and while it might not offer a completely free upgrade, there are perks including discounts on balcony rooms and suites.
Cabin Upgrade FAQs
On a Royal Caribbean cruise can I upgrade room after final payment?
If you’ve passed the final payment deadline for your cruise, you can still upgrade your cabin if another is available. Just be aware that you’ll need to pay the difference in full, immediately when calling to upgrade. You won’t get an extra deadline to pay off the difference.
How does the MSC Upgrade Program work?
The MSC Upgrade option works similar to other cruise lines – you can place a bid on an upgraded stateroom and, if your bid is highest, you automatically win and will be charged the difference. You can wait for the MSC Upgrade email to be sent to let you know when bidding is open, or keep checking your online account.
Can I change my cabin on a P&O cruise?
P&O cabin upgrades are possible, provided you’ve booked a Select Fare. If you booked a Saver Fare then you’ll need to switch to a Select Fare and pay the difference in order to choose a new room.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of ways you can upgrade your cabin after purchase, even if it’s within the same stateroom category or just moving to another deck. These small changes can sometimes make or break your cruise.
It’s worth researching the grades and stateroom categories for the ship you’re booking beforehand, to check you would be happy upgrading to anything and everything, or if you have a specific stateroom in mind. After all, once you upgrade it can be difficult to move back to your original cabin selection.
If you’re booking through a travel agent, let them know you want to upgrade if any become available and they can be on the lookout for a good deal too.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
