Royal Caribbean

Cruise ships have always had rules. The difference now is that Royal Caribbean actually seems determined to enforce some of them, at least more than they ever did before.

From drink package loopholes to wearable tech and onboard behaviour, the cruise line has become noticeably stricter in recent years – and some passengers are only finding out once they’re already on board.

Not all of the changes are controversial though. In one surprising area, the company is actually making life easier for loyal passengers…

1. Sharing Drinks Packages

This is probably the clearest example of Royal Caribbean tightening the rules – although there’s now been an interesting U-turn.

For years, passengers found ways around the cruise line’s policy requiring all adults in the same cabin to buy the Deluxe Beverage Package if one person purchased it.

In some cases, guests could call customer services and explain that one traveller didn’t drink for medical, religious or personal reasons. Royal Caribbean would sometimes make an exception and allow that person to buy the cheaper non-alcoholic package instead.

Let me be clear – I’m not saying that everyone who did this was cheating the system. Absolutely not, I trust that many of those phone calls were absolutely genuine.

But the exemption became widely discussed online as a workaround, and Royal Caribbean said that requests for exceptions had increased while passengers were continuing to share drinks packages, which isn’t allowed.

So, on 1st August 2025, Royal Caribbean stopped routinely granting these exceptions. If one adult bought the alcoholic package, every adult of legal drinking age in the same stateroom and on the same booking was generally required to buy it too.

However, Royal Caribbean has since made a major U-turn on that rule.

There’s now a formal Beverage Package Accommodation Request for passengers who can’t consume alcohol because of a disability, medical condition or pregnancy.

If Royal Caribbean approves the request, the affected passenger doesn’t have to buy the alcoholic package, although they will still be required to purchase a non-alcoholic beverage package.

This isn’t quite a return to the old system, though.

The new exemption is much more narrowly defined. Simply not drinking, wanting to save money or preferring not to buy the package isn’t enough, and the current accommodation process specifically lists disability, medical conditions and pregnancy as the qualifying reasons.

Approval isn’t guaranteed either, and Royal Caribbean has made it very clear that supplying false or misleading information could have serious consequences.

So while couples where one person genuinely can’t drink now have an option again, the loophole that people previously used to mix and match packages has effectively been closed.

And sharing a drinks package remains strictly against the rules.

In other words, Royal Caribbean has found a sensible middle ground: there’s protection for passengers who genuinely can’t drink alcohol, without reopening the much broader exemption system that became so easy to abuse.

Read more: 4 Ways Cruisers Try To Cheat The Royal Caribbean Drinks Package

2. Reserving Pool Chairs

Every cruiser knows the frustration – you arrive at the pool ready for a sea day only to discover rows of empty loungers “reserved” by towels, books and flip-flops that haven’t moved for hours.

Royal Caribbean has technically had rules against chair hogging for years, but enforcement now seems far more visible than it once was. Crew members on busy sailings are increasingly removing unattended belongings from loungers that have been left unused for extended periods.

It’s not difficult to see why. Ships are getting bigger, passenger numbers are climbing, and pool decks can become chaotic on warm-weather itineraries.

Also, Royal’s newest ships have so much to see and do, that it’s easy for someone to reserve a sun lounger and wander off to do an activity or grab a bite to eat, but then become distracted and end up spending hours away from the poolside.

However, on my latest cruise on Legend of the Seas, I only saw the signs telling people not to reserve deck chairs on sea days. On port days, it was still a bit of a free-for-all, with lots of people putting towels out early in the morning.

Read more: 11 Ways I Beat Chair Hogs On Cruises

3. Travel Routers And WiFi Devices

This is one of the lesser-known changes, but it has caught out quite a few tech-savvy cruisers.

Royal Caribbean has been taking a tougher stance on travel routers and networking devices that create personal WiFi hotspots onboard. These gadgets are often used by passengers who want to connect multiple devices through a single internet package.

From a passenger perspective, it feels harmless enough. From the cruise line’s perspective, it can interfere with onboard systems and create cybersecurity concerns.

As more people cruise while working remotely – or travel with phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches and cameras all needing internet access – these kinds of devices have become increasingly common.

But Royal Caribbean appears to be making it clear that unofficial onboard networks aren’t something it wants spreading across its ships.

Technically, travel routers have been on the banned list since late 2024, but it’s only more recently that more and more people are talking about the ban being enforced.

Ultimately, they want you to pay for more WiFi connections. Same as with the drinks packages – anything that could impact the bottom line of the cruise line won’t be allowed.

4. Smart Glasses And Wearable Cameras

Cruise lines are becoming noticeably more cautious about wearable recording technology.

Smart glasses with built-in cameras have triggered growing privacy concerns across the travel industry, especially in places like pools, spas, casinos and family areas where passengers may not realise they’re being filmed.

MSC Cruises was one of the first cruise lines to introduce specific restrictions around smart glasses onboard, but it didn’t take long for Royal Caribbean to catch up and ban them in February 2026.

Cruise lines are far less relaxed than they once were about passengers constantly recording content around the ship, especially when it’s not obvious to other guests that they might be being filmed. Someone walking around with a GoPro is a lot more conspicuous than someone just wearing glasses, after all.

And it’s not just a safety thing – cruise lines like Royal Caribbean don’t want everyone to be able to film if there’s something going wrong onboard that they don’t want publishing online! Something like…

5. Fighting And Disorderly Behaviour

This should go without saying, but recent incidents suggest cruise lines are no longer willing to quietly deal with onboard fights behind the scenes.

Videos of passengers arguing, brawling and being escorted off ships have spread widely online over the past few years, and Royal Caribbean appears increasingly prepared to take immediate action against disruptive behaviour.

There’s very little tolerance, and guests are often kicked off the ship at the next port of call, even if they have later calmed down and tried to apologise over a drunken ‘mistake’.

And to be clear, this isn’t just fights we’re talking about. Excessive drunken behaviour, threatening conduct and other types of disturbances are attracting faster intervention from security teams than many seasoned cruisers remember from years ago. No three strikes, no second chances. The message from Royal Caribbean is clear – off you go, good luck getting home, we don’t want you onboard anymore.

And again, part of that is likely because cruise ships now operate under constant social media scrutiny. One viral incident can generate headlines around the world before the ship has even reached its next destination.

Read more: Cruise Ship Fights Are Getting Worse (Here’s How to Avoid Them)

6. Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine Access

Royal Caribbean has quietly trimmed one of the small perks that many regular cruisers had come to expect.

Since March 2026, the cruise line has removed Coca-Cola Freestyle souvenir cups from both the Deluxe Beverage Package and the Refreshment Package. Guests can still buy the cups, but they’re no longer included as standard.

That matters because the cups unlock access to Royal Caribbean’s Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, which are found on most ships and allow passengers to create hundreds of different drink combinations using touchscreen dispensers.

Soft drinks themselves haven’t disappeared from the packages. Canned and fountain sodas are still included. The change only affects access to the self-service Freestyle machines.

Passengers who want to use them now need to purchase a Freestyle cup separately for a one-off fee of $4.99.

It’s hardly a holiday-ruining change, but it does reflect a broader trend across the cruise industry. Features that were once bundled into larger packages are increasingly being separated out and charged for individually, even when the extra cost is relatively small.

Read more: Royal Caribbean To Remove Coca-Cola Freestyle Cups From Key Drink Packages

7. Safety Concerns Around Labadee

Royal Caribbean’s approach to Labadee shows how much more cautious cruise lines have become around security concerns.

The company suspended visits to its private destination in Haiti throughout 2025 due to unrest in the country, with affected sailings rerouted to alternative Caribbean ports instead. That suspension has now carried through into 2026.

The port has been on-again, off-again, but for now it seems like a long-term plan to avoid Labadee visits until there are no concerns at all over the safety of guests. Which seems sensible.

Royal Caribbean has made clear that it hopes to return once it believes it’s safe to do so, but the situation highlights how seriously cruise operators now treat itinerary risk and passenger safety concerns.

Years ago, cruise lines were sometimes criticised for pushing ahead with controversial port calls during periods of instability. Increasingly, companies seem more willing to change itineraries entirely rather than risk negative attention or passenger unease.

Labadee’s fun – let’s hope things calm down and more guests get to enjoy the destination in future.

Read more: 14 Things To Know About Royal Caribbean’s Labadee

8. Loyalty Programmes Becoming Easier

Not every crackdown is bad news for passengers. In fact, this is one where the cruise line is cracking down on a wider issue, making sure that it goes against the flow and actually makes things better for guests!

While Royal Caribbean has been tightening rules in some areas, it’s also made a major change designed to simplify loyalty benefits across its cruise brands.

Royal Caribbean Group recently announced a new initiative called Points Choice, launching in 2026, which allows passengers to decide where loyalty points earned on cruises are applied across Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea.

Under the new system, guests sailing with one brand will be able to choose which programme receives the points from that cruise. A Royal Caribbean passenger sailing on Celebrity, for example, could apply those points toward Crown & Anchor Society status instead.

The company says existing benefits and status matching will remain unchanged. It’s essentially the opposite of a crackdown – a sign that while cruise lines are becoming stricter operationally, they’re also trying to make life easier for valuable repeat customers.

And when other cruise lines are struggling to convince their loyal guests over their own programme changes, this one is a big PR win for Royal Caribbean.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Group Unveils Cross-Brand Points Choice Loyalty Programme

Final Word

Royal Caribbean isn’t suddenly becoming the “fun police”. But it is becoming a bit more controlled, security-conscious and structured than it used to be.

Some of these changes are probably overdue. Few passengers genuinely enjoy chair hogs or having to put up with onboard fights. But others are more down to the reality that modern cruising has changed dramatically thanks to social media, remote working and increasingly packed mega-ships. And those updated drink package rules have definitely split opinion.

Regardless, the days of cruise lines quietly overlooking certain behaviours seem to be fading fast. Royal Caribbean has a fun, family-friendly reputation to protect, after all.

Don’t be surprised if there are more policy tweaks in future with that in mind. Will I still be allowed to film content onboard my cruises? Who knows!

Related Posts

Royal Caribbean has spent years convincing people that cruise ships can be more than just floating hotels. This is the cruise line that put surf simulators, zip lines and ice skating rinks at sea – and somehow made them feel normal.

Even people who don’t regularly sail with Royal Caribbean usually know its ships by name. That’s not an accident.

And while loyal cruise fans love arguing over whether Royal Caribbean is overrated, there are definitely areas where the line genuinely leads the industry. In some cases, rivals are still trying to catch up.

Love them or not, Royal Caribbean understands spectacle better than almost anyone else at sea!

1. They Build Ships That Feel Like Floating Cities

Royal Caribbean’s biggest achievement isn’t just building enormous ships. It’s making those ships feel like destinations in their own right.

The Oasis-class ships genuinely changed what people expected from mainstream cruising. Instead of one central pool deck and a few lounges, these ships introduced entire neighbourhoods with completely different atmospheres.

You can move from the greenery and calm of Central Park to the loud energy of the Boardwalk in a matter of minutes. Some areas feel family-focused, others feel almost resort-like and others barely feel like cruise ships at all.

And then the Icon Class came, at almost 20% bigger again – it’s absolutely crazy how big these ships are, but also how well they seem to flow.

Suggested read: Icon Class vs Oasis Class

That variety is what Royal Caribbean does so well. You can spend a full week onboard and still discover places you somehow missed earlier in the cruise.

In fact on the Icon-class ships I’d say there’s no chance you could do even close to everything onboard in a week.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Ships Ranked by Size

2. Royal Caribbean Delivers Better “Wow” Moments

No cruise line understands the power of “look at this” moments quite like Royal Caribbean.

This is the company that decided cruise ships should have surf simulators, observation capsules suspended above the ocean and diving shows performed in an open-air aqua theatre at the back of the ship.

Some attractions are genuinely impressive, others are slightly ridiculous. Overall though, most are memorable. And that’s the point – Royal Caribbean understands that modern cruising competes with theme parks, resorts and major city breaks now. The line wants passengers constantly finding things they can photograph, film and talk about afterwards.

Even people who claim they’d never use the attractions often end up trying them at least once, or even just telling family and friends about them when getting home – “not that you’d get me on there”, they may add!

3. Their Entertainment Is Often The Industry Benchmark

Royal Caribbean’s entertainment typically feels closer to Las Vegas or a major resort than traditional cruise ship productions. The line invests heavily in large-scale shows and it shows onboard. Full Broadway musicals, ice skating productions and AquaTheater performances all help Royal Caribbean stand apart from many other cruise lines.

The AquaTheater shows especially still feel really unique within cruising. Watching divers perform acrobatics at the back of a moving ship sounds absurd until you actually see it happening.

What Royal Caribbean also gets right is variety. You’re rarely limited to one theatre show each evening. On larger ships, there’s usually live music, comedy, pub entertainment, game shows and multiple production options happening at the same time.

That gives the ships a much busier, more energetic atmosphere at night, and – while it’s a cliché – it means there’s always something for everyone to enjoy.

4. Perfect Day At CocoCay Changed The Industry

Private islands existed long before Royal Caribbean launched Perfect Day At CocoCay, but CocoCay is probably the place that changed expectations more than any other.

Years ago, a private island stop was usually a pleasant extra. You’d spend a few hours on a beach, grab some lunch, maybe do an excursion and then head back to the ship. Nobody was booking a cruise specifically because of the private island.

These days it’s very different. Plenty of passengers actively look for CocoCay itineraries, and it’s easy to see why. The island has become an attraction in its own right, with enormous pools, a waterpark, beach clubs, swim-up bars and enough going on that some guests would happily spend longer there if they could.

The interesting part is what happened afterwards. Once Royal Caribbean proved people would choose cruises based around a private destination, other cruise lines started investing heavily in their own. Suddenly everyone wanted a beach club, a private resort or a purpose-built destination that passengers couldn’t get anywhere else.

Whether you love private islands or think they’re a bit artificial, CocoCay changed the direction of the industry. Cruise lines aren’t spending hundreds of millions of dollars on these projects by coincidence.

Read more: What’s Free at CocoCay? Activities, Food & Amenities

5. They’re Probably The Best Cruise Line For Active Families

Royal Caribbean has spent years building ships that are packed with things to do, and families are probably the biggest beneficiaries of that.

On some cruise lines, the challenge isn’t finding activities. It’s finding enough activities to fill seven days, particularly if you’re travelling with older children or teenagers. Royal Caribbean rarely has that problem. Between the waterslides, sports courts, climbing walls, surf simulators, arcades and organised activities, there always seems to be something happening somewhere.

What the line generally gets right is that all of this activity doesn’t completely take over the ship. Families are a huge part of Royal Caribbean’s audience, but there are still plenty of spaces that don’t feel dominated by children.

That balance becomes more noticeable on longer cruises. Parents can have a drink in the Solarium, grandparents can find somewhere quieter to relax, and teenagers can disappear off and do their own thing for a few hours without anybody feeling like they’re compromising their holiday.

For a lot of families, that’s a big part of the appeal. Everyone gets to spend time together, but nobody is expected to do everything as a group all day long.

Read more: Best & Worst Royal Caribbean Cabins For Families

6. Their Ships Handle Crowds Better Than You’d Expect

One thing that surprises a lot of first-time Royal Caribbean passengers is how the biggest ships don’t necessarily feel the busiest.

When you look at the numbers, they probably should. The biggest ships carries more than 7,000 guests at full occupancy, which sounds like the sort of holiday where you’d spend half your time standing in queues.

But those passenger numbers only tell part of the story. These ships are absolutely enormous, and people naturally scatter themselves around them. Some are around the pools all day. Others disappear into Central Park with a coffee. You’ll always find people watching sports, sitting in bars, wandering the Royal Promenade or heading off to whatever show is starting next.

I think that’s one of the reasons Royal Caribbean’s neighbourhood concept works so well. The ship rarely feels like one giant shared space because everyone is using it differently.

Of course, you’ll still hit busy periods. The Windjammer before an excursion-heavy port day can be chaos, and the newest attractions always attract a queue. But I’ve sailed on smaller ships that felt far more crowded simply because everybody ended up in the same places at the same times.

Considering the scale of Royal Caribbean’s biggest vessels, the passenger flow is actually pretty impressive. It’s not something most people think about when booking a cruise, but you’d definitely notice if they got it wrong.

7. Royal Caribbean Makes Cruising Feel Modern

One reason Royal Caribbean appeals to so many first-time cruisers is that it rarely feels tied to old cruise traditions.

That’s not a criticism of the lines that lean into that side of cruising. Plenty of people love formal nights, grand dining rooms and the feeling of stepping into a world that hasn’t changed much in decades. But Royal Caribbean has largely positioned itself as something different.

The newer ships often feel closer to modern resorts than traditional cruise ships. Technology is a bit part of the experience, the atmosphere is generally relaxed, and there’s very little sense that passengers are expected to cruise in a particular way.

You can spend the entire week dressing casually, eating in a different venue every night and planning everything through an app if you want to. For people who have never cruised before, that removes a lot of the uncertainty that used to come with booking a cruise holiday.

In many ways, Royal Caribbean doesn’t ask guests to adapt to cruising. It adapts cruising to fit the way people already holiday.

8. They Understand Multi-Generational Cruising Better Than Most

Planning a holiday for three generations of the same family sounds straightforward until you actually try it.

The challenge isn’t finding things that people enjoy. It’s finding enough different things that everyone can enjoy themselves without feeling like they’re constantly making compromises for somebody else.

That’s where Royal Caribbean’s larger ships come into their own. There aren’t many holidays where grandparents can spend an afternoon relaxing with a book, teenagers can vanish off to sports courts and arcades, younger children can head to kids’ clubs, and everyone can still meet up later for dinner as if they’ve spent the day together.

The sheer amount of choice helps. Nobody has to spend the entire cruise following the same schedule.

It’s one of the reasons Royal Caribbean works so well for larger family groups. People can do their own thing when they want to, without feeling like they’ve booked separate holidays.

9. Their Solarium Areas Are Among The Best At Sea

When people talk about Royal Caribbean, the conversation usually revolves around surf simulators, waterslides, zip lines and all the other attractions that make the headlines.

The Solarium tends to get overlooked a bit, which is a shame because it’s often one of the nicest spaces on the ship.

Part of that is simply the atmosphere. While the main pool decks can be lively from morning until evening, the Solarium feels calmer without becoming stuffy or overly quiet. It’s somewhere you can sit for an hour with a coffee, read a book or just watch the ocean go by without much going on around you.

The design helps as well. On some ships it’s enclosed beneath glass, while others blend indoor and outdoor spaces together, but they generally feel like areas that have been properly thought through rather than added as an afterthought.

For all the attention Royal Caribbean gets for its biggest and loudest attractions, some of its best spaces are actually the ones where very little happens at all.

10. Their Private Suites And Suite Areas Are Excellent

It’s easy to think of Royal Caribbean purely as a mainstream cruise line, but the company has become increasingly strong at the premium end of the market as well.

The Royal Suite Class on newer ships offers a very different experience from the standard cruise. Dedicated restaurants, private lounges, exclusive sun decks and upgraded service levels create a level of separation that feels much closer to luxury cruising than many people expect from Royal Caribbean.

Some of the suites themselves are genuinely spectacular too. Whether it’s the Ultimate Family Suite with its slides and games or the sprawling multi-level suites found on the newest ships, Royal Caribbean clearly enjoys pushing boundaries here just as much as it does elsewhere onboard.

What the line generally gets right is that these premium spaces don’t overwhelm the rest of the ship. Passengers staying in standard cabins rarely feel like huge portions of the vessel have been taken away from them.

That’s not always an easy balance to strike, particularly on modern ships where suite guests are increasingly paying for exclusivity.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Suite Perks Explained

11. Royal Caribbean Has Become The “Safe Choice” For First-Time Cruisers

When friends or family ask experienced cruisers which cruise line they should try first, Royal Caribbean is one of the names that comes up again and again.

Part of that comes down to familiarity. Even people who have never cruised before usually know something about Royal Caribbean, whether it’s the giant ships, the surf simulators or simply the fact they’ve seen the adverts.

But the bigger reason is that the line occupies a very comfortable middle ground. It’s lively without feeling like a party cruise. Family-friendly without being aimed exclusively at families. Modern without being intimidating.

Most first-time cruisers can find something that suits them onboard, which isn’t as easy as it sounds when you’re dealing with passengers of different ages, interests and budgets.

There are certainly more luxurious cruise lines, more traditional cruise lines and more adventurous cruise lines. As an all-round introduction to modern cruising, though, Royal Caribbean is a difficult recommendation to argue against.

Royal Caribbean’s Pricing Frustrates Some Loyal Guests – But People Keep Paying

If there’s one complaint that comes up repeatedly among long-time Royal Caribbean passengers, it’s price.

The newest ships in particular can be eye-wateringly expensive once everything is added up. Drink packages, speciality dining, internet access, excursions and private destination upgrades can quickly push the final bill much higher than the headline fare suggests.

And yet demand remains remarkably strong. Part of that is because Royal Caribbean has spent years building ships that people genuinely want to experience. Icon of the Seas isn’t marketed as just another cruise ship. It’s presented as an attraction in its own right, and plenty of passengers seem willing to pay a premium to see what all the fuss is about.

Whether that remains sustainable long term is another question entirely. Cruise passengers are loyal up to a point, and there will always be competitors offering cheaper alternatives.

For now, though, Royal Caribbean appears to have positioned itself as the cruise line many people aspire to try, even if they’re grumbling about the price while they book.

Final Word

Royal Caribbean doesn’t do subtle cruising particularly well.

The ships are huge, the attractions are ambitious and the entire experience is designed to feel bigger, busier and more exciting than traditional cruising ever used to be.

But that’s also exactly why the line remains so influential. No mainstream cruise company has done more to redefine what modern cruising looks like. Even cruise lines that compete directly with Royal Caribbean often end up chasing trends the company introduced years earlier.

For now, the cruise line does have broad appeal – the older ships in the fleet are a bit smaller, and well-suited to guests looking for an enjoyable, varied cruise without too much going on. That might change in future though if those older ships are phased out.

But if you want huge ships packed with entertainment, activities and enough variety to keep almost anyone happy for a week, very few cruise lines do it better.

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Royal Caribbean has spent years building one of the strongest loyalty programmes in cruising, and for its most dedicated guests the perks can be genuinely valuable.

Free drinks, laundry, lounge access, priority benefits and special dining privileges are all part of the reason some cruisers keep coming back again and again. The more you sail, the more you get back, and eventually the very highest-status guests can end up with benefits that make a big difference to the onboard experience.

But there’s an obvious problem with any loyalty programme that keeps adding more people at the top.

What happens when too many guests qualify for the perks that are supposed to feel exclusive?

Recent Harmony of the Seas Sailing Highlights Issues

Some of Royal Caribbean’s most loyal cruisers have been left fuming aboard Harmony of the Seas after finding out that a perk they expected to use throughout their cruise is heavily restricted.

The ship left Barcelona on 26th July 2026 for a rare 13-night summer transatlantic sailing to Port Canaveral, and it has attracted a huge number of Royal Caribbean regulars.

According to Jordan from JJ Cruise, there were around 250 Pinnacle Club members onboard, along with just under 200 Masters-level casino players.

Both groups would normally have the opportunity to dine in Coastal Kitchen, the restaurant primarily reserved for suite guests. But with so many eligible passengers onboard, there simply wasn’t enough room for everyone.

Only Around 50 Pinnacle Guests Are Getting Access

According to JJ Cruise, Masters players were told that they won’t be able to use Coastal Kitchen for dinner on this sailing, while only around 50 of the roughly 250 Pinnacle members onboard were given access.

That has understandably caused a lot of frustration. The cruise’s Facebook group has apparently been full of complaints, and Jordan said he also saw passengers getting angry about the situation around the ship.

For some of these guests, Coastal Kitchen wasn’t just somewhere they hoped to try once during the cruise. They had expected to dine there regularly and had planned their meals around having access, so finding out after boarding that they weren’t going to get in was a big disappointment.

The obvious alternative would be to book some speciality restaurants instead, but that wasn’t straightforward either. JJ Cruise says speciality dining was effectively full from the start of the sailing unless passengers had booked before the cruise or made reservations very quickly once onboard.

Jordan and Jared had bought the Unlimited Dining Package for around $25 per day, which is a great deal on a ship like Harmony of the Seas. But if you can’t actually get a table at the restaurants, then suddenly that value disappears pretty quickly.

For some of the guests who had expected Coastal Kitchen access, that leaves them relying more heavily on the Main Dining Room. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but I can see why somebody who has sailed enough with Royal Caribbean to reach Pinnacle, or spent enough in the casino to reach Masters, might feel disappointed when that wasn’t what they had expected on a 13-night cruise.

Royal Caribbean Hasn’t Broken Its Own Rules

It’s important to say that Royal Caribbean hasn’t actually removed a guaranteed benefit here. Pinnacle Club access to Coastal Kitchen is subject to availability, and the Crown & Anchor terms specifically allow the cruise line to restrict access when there are too many suite guests and Pinnacle members onboard.

In those situations, Royal Caribbean can give priority to the Pinnacle members with the highest number of cruise points, which appears to be what is happening on Harmony of the Seas.

So technically, the cruise line is following its own rules. But I think there’s still a difference between knowing that a benefit is “subject to availability” and getting onboard to find out that around 200 other Pinnacle members are also competing for a very small number of places.

The bigger issue here seems to be communication. Royal Caribbean knew how many Pinnacle members were booked, how many Masters players were sailing and how many suite guests would be onboard, so this shouldn’t really have come as a surprise once the ship left Barcelona.

Royal Caribbean Surely Knew This Would Be A Problem

This is an unusual cruise in several ways. Transatlantic sailings often attract lots of experienced cruisers anyway, but this one is taking place in the middle of summer and JJ Cruise says there are more than 2,000 children onboard.

Harmony of the Seas has also just returned from a major refurbishment which added more cabins, increasing the number of passengers the ship can carry. With families filling many cabins to capacity, there are likely to be far more people staying in suites too, and those guests naturally take priority in Coastal Kitchen because the restaurant is part of the suite experience they have paid for.

None of that means Royal Caribbean could have somehow created hundreds of extra seats. But it does mean the cruise line should have had a pretty good idea before departure that Coastal Kitchen access for Pinnacle and Masters guests was going to be severely restricted.

An email before the cruise would at least have given people a chance to change their plans. They could have booked speciality restaurants earlier, bought a dining package with the situation in mind, or simply adjusted their expectations before they got onboard.

JJ Cruise says Masters players were given $200 onboard credit because they couldn’t use Coastal Kitchen, which I actually think is a fairly generous gesture. But it would still have been better if guests had known about the issue in advance rather than discovering it once the cruise had already started.

Some Guests Are Taking It Out On Crew

One part of this story that really doesn’t sit well with me is the suggestion that some passengers have been directing their frustration at crew members working in the restaurants.

Whatever you think about Royal Caribbean’s handling of this, the maître d’ at Coastal Kitchen hasn’t decided how many Pinnacle members should be allowed in. The crew member at Chops Grille hasn’t personally oversold speciality dining either.

If passengers think Royal Caribbean has handled the situation badly, then they absolutely have the right to complain. But that complaint needs to go to Royal Caribbean rather than the crew members who are simply having to enforce decisions made elsewhere.

The Bigger Problem Is What Happens As Loyalty Grows

What makes this story more interesting than just one busy restaurant is that it highlights a problem all cruise loyalty programmes eventually have to deal with.

Royal Caribbean wants people to cruise again and again. Crown & Anchor is there to reward that behaviour, and it works because passengers gradually build up points, move through the tiers and receive better perks as they do.

The problem is that once somebody reaches Pinnacle, they stay there. Another guest then reaches Pinnacle, and another, and the number of people at the top of the programme keeps increasing.

That isn’t such a big problem when the benefit is something that can be given to everyone fairly easily, such as a discount or a drinks voucher. It becomes much harder when the perk relies on something with a fixed capacity, like a restaurant, lounge or priority area.

Coastal Kitchen is a very obvious example of that. There are only so many tables, and suite guests have to come first. If hundreds of Pinnacle and Masters guests are also eligible to use it, eventually the numbers just don’t work.

More People Are Starting To Cruise Younger

Cruise lines also have another issue to think about, which is that people are discovering cruising at a younger age.

Royal Caribbean in particular has spent years building ships that appeal to families and younger holidaymakers, with waterparks, surf simulators, huge entertainment venues and ships that are marketed as destinations in their own right.

Somebody who starts cruising regularly in their 20s or 30s could potentially have another 30, 40 or even 50 years in which to build up Crown & Anchor points. Obviously not everyone who sails on Icon of the Seas at 28 is going to become a Pinnacle member, but if Royal Caribbean keeps successfully turning younger cruisers into repeat customers, plenty eventually will.

That’s great for the cruise line in one sense because those are exactly the customers it wants to keep. It just creates an awkward problem later when more and more people qualify for benefits that were easier to offer when far fewer passengers had them.

Bigger Ships Don’t Solve Everything

Royal Caribbean can continue building bigger ships and carrying more passengers, but that doesn’t mean every loyalty benefit can grow at the same rate.

You can add hundreds of cabins and thousands of passengers to a ship, but you can’t necessarily make every exclusive restaurant, lounge or priority service much bigger without completely changing what makes it exclusive in the first place.

If half the ship has priority boarding, then priority boarding doesn’t really work. If hundreds of people qualify for an exclusive lounge, suddenly it doesn’t feel very exclusive. And if far more people qualify to use Coastal Kitchen than the restaurant can hold, somebody has to miss out.

Royal Caribbean’s own terms already recognise this, because they specifically explain what happens when too many eligible guests want to use Coastal Kitchen. That suggests the company is well aware that this can be a problem, even if Harmony of the Seas is an unusually extreme example.

Carnival Has Already Had To Deal With This

Carnival Cruise Line has already faced a very similar issue with its own loyalty programme.

When Carnival announced its new Carnival Rewards programme, it revealed that the number of Platinum guests had more than doubled between 2021 and 2024, while the number of Diamond guests had more than tripled.

On some Excel-class ships, Carnival said there were more than 1,200 Platinum and Diamond guests onboard at once. At that point, it becomes very difficult to give everyone benefits that still feel genuinely special.

Carnival’s answer was to completely rethink its loyalty programme. The new Carnival Rewards system moves away from simply accumulating cruise days for lifetime status and instead places more emphasis on spending, with guests generally needing to qualify again during set earning periods.

The announcement caused a huge backlash, particularly among long-standing guests who felt that the goalposts were being moved after years of loyalty. Carnival later softened some of its plans, including protecting lifetime Diamond status for guests who qualify under the old system by 31st August 2026.

The new Carnival Rewards programme launches on 1st September 2026.

Could Royal Caribbean Eventually Follow Carnival?

There’s nothing to suggest that Royal Caribbean is currently planning to copy Carnival, and I certainly wouldn’t read too much into one unusual transatlantic sailing.

But the underlying problem is the same. If more and more people reach the highest Crown & Anchor tiers, Royal Caribbean eventually has to find a way of making sure the benefits still work.

That might mean adding another tier above Pinnacle at some point, changing how many points are required, making certain perks dependent on how many points somebody has compared with other passengers onboard, or replacing some capacity-limited perks with benefits that are easier to offer to large numbers of people.

Royal Caribbean could also simply continue doing what it does now, which is restricting access when necessary and relying on the “subject to availability” wording.

That probably works perfectly well on most cruises. Harmony of the Seas just happens to show what it looks like when the system comes under real pressure.

Loyalty Programmes Can Become Victims Of Their Own Success

I actually think Royal Caribbean has one of the better cruise loyalty programmes, and some of the perks at Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle can be genuinely valuable.

The strange thing is that the more successful Crown & Anchor becomes, the harder some of those benefits are going to be to deliver.

Royal Caribbean wants people to become loyal customers and keep sailing for decades. But if enough of them do exactly that, eventually you end up with hundreds of “elite” passengers on the same ship all expecting access to something that only has room for a fraction of them.

For now, Harmony of the Seas looks like an unusually extreme example rather than the new normal.

But Carnival has already shown what can happen when the number of top-tier loyalty members grows faster than the benefits designed for them.

Royal Caribbean might not be at that point yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes a much bigger conversation in the years ahead.

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Royal Caribbean passengers looking at drinks packages are usually presented with a fairly simple choice: stick to non-alcoholic drinks, or pay for an unlimited package that includes alcohol.

But there is another Royal Caribbean drinks package sitting between those two options, and plenty of cruisers may still not know it exists.

The Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package combines Royal Caribbean’s standard Refreshment Package with a fixed allowance of 10 alcoholic drinks to use during the cruise.

Rather than providing unlimited alcohol every day, passengers receive the full selection of drinks covered by the Refreshment Package throughout their sailing, plus 10 alcoholic beverages in total.

It potentially makes the package an attractive middle ground for guests who enjoy cocktails, beer or wine but know they will not drink enough to justify paying for Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package.

The option first began attracting attention in 2025, but it remains considerably less well known than Royal Caribbean’s three main drinks packages. It also does not appear as a standard package on every sailing.

How The Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package Works

At its core is Royal Caribbean’s Refreshment Package, which provides unlimited non-alcoholic drinks for the duration of the cruise.

Royal Caribbean currently lists fountain soft drinks, non-alcoholic cocktails, Johnny Rockets milkshakes, bottled still and sparkling water, premium coffees and teas and freshly squeezed juices among the drinks included.

The cruise line’s latest package material also includes canned soft drinks, non-alcoholic beer and wine, although some non-alcoholic products are restricted to guests who meet the applicable drinking-age requirement. Licensed Starbucks locations are excluded.

On top of those unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, passengers buying the Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package receive 10 alcoholic beverages.

Importantly, that means 10 drinks for the entire cruise, not 10 alcoholic drinks every day.

Royal Caribbean described the option when it first appeared as “this is the package for ultimate flexibility”.

That distinction becomes especially important on longer cruises. A passenger on a 14-night sailing, for example, could use the included alcoholic drinks whenever they wanted rather than feeling the need to order several every day to get value from an unlimited package.

It could also suit cruisers who mainly drink coffee, bottled water, soft drinks and mocktails during the day, but still want the occasional alcoholic drink with dinner or during an evening in one of the ship’s bars.

Prices are dynamic and can change considerably between ships, departure dates and Cruise Planner sales.

When the package first appeared in 2025, prices of around $36.99 per person, per day were reported. Current 2026 package listings continue to show it, but at varying prices. Examples have included around $38 per day on a 10-night Independence of the Seas sailing and around $41 per day on some other voyages. This example is even higher:

That makes checking the numbers particularly important.

Passengers should compare the difference between the regular Refreshment Package and Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package rather than simply comparing it with the more expensive Deluxe Beverage Package.

If the upgrade costs substantially more over a long itinerary, buying 10 alcoholic drinks individually could potentially work out cheaper. Conversely, a good Cruise Planner discount could make the combined package more appealing.

There has also been one notable change since the package first started appearing.

From 15th March 2026, Royal Caribbean stopped including a Coca-Cola Freestyle Cup with its Refreshment and Deluxe Beverage Packages. Guests wanting to use Coca-Cola Freestyle machines with those packages can instead buy an RFID-enabled cup onboard for $4.99. The Classic Soda Package continues to include the cup.

That means older descriptions of the Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package which say that Coca-Cola Freestyle access is automatically included may now be out of date.

It Isn’t Just Appearing On Extremely Long Cruises

When the Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package first emerged, reports largely came from passengers booked on longer itineraries such as transatlantic cruises, Panama Canal voyages and sailings lasting considerably more than a week.

That led to the assumption that Royal Caribbean had introduced it specifically for longer cruises, where the cost of an unlimited alcohol package can become particularly high.

More recent evidence suggests the picture is no longer quite that simple.

The package has appeared in 2026 listings for seven-night Royal Caribbean cruises as well as longer itineraries. One recent listing for a seven-night Rhapsody of the Seas sailing showed the Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package alongside the regular Refreshment Package, while another seven-night Brilliance of the Seas voyage also listed the option.

It therefore appears that availability is sailing-specific rather than being determined solely by cruise length.

Passengers should not assume they will be able to buy it simply because they are taking a long cruise, or assume it will be unavailable because they are sailing for only seven nights. The simplest way to know is to check the beverage section of Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner for the individual booking.

There is another important consideration for passengers sharing a cabin.

Royal Caribbean says guests purchasing an alcoholic beverage package must purchase one for all guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom. Non-alcoholic packages can otherwise be purchased individually.

Because the Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package contains alcohol, passengers should check the purchase requirements displayed for their particular reservation before deciding whether the numbers work for everyone travelling in the cabin.

For some cruisers, Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package will still be the obvious choice, particularly those expecting to drink cocktails, wine or beer regularly throughout the holiday.

For others, the normal Refreshment Package and a handful of individually purchased alcoholic drinks could work out cheaper.

But for passengers who sit somewhere between those two groups, the little-known Refreshment + 10 Drinks Package offers an option many Royal Caribbean guests might not even realise they have.

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When Royal Caribbean launched the Icon Class, it didn’t just build the world’s biggest cruise ships – it completely reimagined what a family cruise could be.

First came Icon of the Seas, then Star of the Seas, followed by Legend of the Seas. While each introduced a few tweaks and improvements, they all shared the same core design, with differences that were relatively subtle.

Hero of the Seas changes that...

As the fourth announced Icon Class ship, Hero is the first to introduce more significant changes to the formula. Royal Caribbean is keeping everything that has made the Icon Class so popular, but it’s also making some much bigger updates to the ship’s layout and onboard experience.

Not every detail has been revealed yet, so there are still a few unknowns. But enough has been announced to see that Hero won’t simply be another copy of Legend…

Size

When it comes to size, there’s almost nothing to separate Legend of the Seas and Hero of the Seas. Both ships are part of Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class and share the same overall design, dimensions and guest capacity.

Like Legend, Hero of the Seas measures around 250,800 gross tons and stretches approximately 1,198 feet (365 metres) from bow to stern.

Both ships feature 20 decks in total, with 18 accessible to guests, and accommodate around 5,610 passengers at double occupancy, rising to roughly 7,600 when every berth is filled. Around 2,350 crew members are onboard to keep everything running smoothly.

Prior to the Icon-class of ships, Royal Caribbean had a history of making each new flagship just a tiny bit bigger than the last, but that isn’t the case here. Instead of chasing another world record, the cruise line has focused on refining the Icon Class design and introducing new features within the same footprint.

So, while Hero of the Seas brings some exciting changes elsewhere onboard, size isn’t one of them. If you’re choosing between these two ships, this section ends in a very straightforward draw.

Neighborhoods

Like the other Icon Class ships, both Legend of the Seas and Hero of the Seas are divided into themed Neighborhoods. Each one has its own atmosphere, attractions and purpose, making it easy to find exactly the kind of holiday you’re in the mood for.

Both ships feature the same eight Neighborhoods:

• AquaDome – A spectacular glass-enclosed venue with casual dining and bars during the day, transforming into the home of breathtaking AquaTheater performances at night.
• Chill Island – The main pool district, with multiple pools, whirlpools, swim-up bars and plenty of places to soak up the sunshine.
• Thrill Island – Packed with adrenaline-fuelled attractions including the Category 6 waterpark, FlowRider surf simulator, Crown’s Edge, rock climbing and sports courts.
• The Hideaway – An adults-only retreat centred around an infinity pool, with whirlpools, loungers and a lively beach club atmosphere.
• Surfside – A family-focused Neighborhood with splash zones, family dining venues, kids’ activities and family-friendly accommodation.
• Royal Promenade – The vibrant indoor heart of the ship, lined with bars, restaurants, shops and entertainment, along with the impressive Pearl feature.
• Central Park – A peaceful open-air space filled with thousands of real plants, alongside speciality restaurants, bars and boutique shopping.
• Suite Neighborhood – An exclusive area reserved for suite guests, with private restaurants, lounges and a dedicated sun deck.

On paper, the Neighborhood line-up is identical across both ships. But that doesn’t mean every space is exactly the same.

Hero of the Seas is introducing some of the biggest changes the Icon Class has seen so far, with updates to several venues and experiences within these Neighborhoods. The overall layout remains familiar, but some restaurants, entertainment venues and attractions have been reimagined.

We’ll cover all of those differences as we work through this guide, but if you’ve sailed on Legend of the Seas before, Hero will definitely feel more like an evolution than just another identical sister ship.

Accommodation

As you’d expect from two ships in the same class, Legend of the Seas and Hero of the Seas offer a very similar range of accommodation. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly inside cabin or one of the most luxurious suites at sea, you’ll find plenty of choice on both.

Suggested read: Legend of the Seas cabins guide

Both ships feature:

• Interior Staterooms – The most affordable option, with everything you need but no outside view.
• Ocean View Staterooms – Similar to Interior cabins but with a window looking out to sea.
• Balcony Staterooms – Including traditional ocean-view balconies, as well as balconies overlooking the lively Surfside Neighborhood or the tranquil Central Park.
• Infinite Ocean View Balconies – Royal Caribbean’s innovative design that lets you open the top half of a floor-to-ceiling window to create a balcony-like experience.
• Suites – Ranging from Junior Suites all the way up to spectacular Royal Loft Suites, complete with access to the exclusive Suite Neighborhood.

For most guests, the accommodation experience will feel very familiar whichever ship they choose.

However, this is also where Hero of the Seas introduces one of its biggest changes.

Legend of the Seas features the impressive Ultimate Family Townhouse, a three-storey suite with its own slide, cinema room, private outdoor yard and direct access to Surfside. It’s already one of the most extraordinary cruise suites ever created.

Hero still has the Ultimate Family Townhouse – but it also introduces something completely new: the Ultimate Family Treehouse.

Rather than replacing the Townhouse, the Treehouse gives families another ultra-premium option, and it’s unlike anything that’s ever been built on a cruise ship before.

Like the Townhouse, it’s spread across three decks and sleeps up to 12 guests. But instead of embracing a bright, theme park-inspired style, the Treehouse has a much calmer, nature-inspired design with wood-effect finishes and subtle woodland touches throughout.

One of its standout features is the dedicated two-storey teen hideout. This includes its own games room, connected bedrooms and a spiral staircase leading to a private upstairs retreat, giving older children somewhere to escape without taking over the main living areas.

Adults certainly aren’t forgotten either. The rooftop terrace includes a private whirlpool, outdoor dining space and panoramic ocean views, creating a space that feels more like a luxury villa than a cruise ship suite.

It’s also incredibly practical for larger groups. With two main bedrooms, four full bathrooms and room for up to 12 guests, it’s ideal for multi-generational holidays or two families travelling together while still giving everyone their own space.

Of course, this level of luxury comes at a price. Early sailings saw the Ultimate Family Treehouse priced at almost $90,000 per week, making it one of the most expensive cruise accommodations ever offered – although the Ultimate Family Townhouse on both ships isn’t far behind.

It’s certainly not a suite many people will ever book. But it perfectly sums up the direction Royal Caribbean is taking with Hero of the Seas – keeping everything guests already love while introducing bigger, bolder ideas that set the ship apart from her older sisters.

Read more: The Best & Worst Cabins on Legend of the Seas

Dining

Legend of the Seas already raised the bar for dining across the Icon Class. While it kept many of the restaurants guests already loved from Icon and Star, it also became the first Icon-class ship to feature the immersive Royal Railway dining experience, following the concept’s successful debut on Utopia of the Seas.

Both Legend and Hero offer the huge variety of dining that’s become one of the defining features of the Icon Class. Guests can enjoy quick bites at Basecamp after tackling Thrill Island, family meals at Pier 7 in Surfside, the food hall-style AquaDome Market, or familiar favourites including Sorrento’s Pizza, El Loco Fresh, Windjammer Marketplace, Park Café, Izumi, Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and many more.

One of Legend’s biggest dining upgrades was its completely refreshed AquaDome Market.

Rather than simply carrying over the food stalls from earlier Icon ships, Legend introduced five new concepts.

These included Seoulmate, Royal Caribbean’s first venue dedicated to Korean cuisine, serving umami-rich dishes inspired by East Asia. Guests could also sample Spanish small plates at La Española, Louisiana-inspired comfort food at Cajun Kitchen, fresh juices from Simply Pressed, and Mexican favourites at Adobo. Meanwhile, the popular Crème de la Crêpe returned from previous Icon-class ships.

With Hero of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is evolving rather than standing still…

Its AquaDome Market will feature four brand-new food stalls, alongside returning favourites Crème de la Crêpe and Simply Pressed. At the time of writing, Royal Caribbean hasn’t revealed full details of every new concept, but it’s continuing the idea that each Icon-class ship offers its own unique mix of cuisines rather than simply copying the previous vessel.

Another area where every Icon-class ship now has its own identity is the elegant Supper Club.

Legend of the Seas features the Hollywoodland Supper Club, inspired by the glamour of Hollywood’s golden age, where guests enjoy an intimate multi-course tasting menu paired with cocktails, live music and immersive entertainment.

Hero of the Seas introduces the Orleans Parish Supper Club, transporting guests to early 20th-century New Orleans. Here, live jazz accompanies gourmet Cajun and Creole cuisine, with every course paired with a carefully selected craft cocktail and music designed to complement the flavours. It’s intended to be as much a theatrical experience as it is a meal.

Hero also nudges the dining count up even further. With 28 dining experiences onboard, it’s set to offer the most food venues ever found on a cruise ship.

That extra venue isn’t another restaurant, though. Instead, Hero introduces Family Cooking Classes, a brand-new interactive experience where parents and children can cook together. Adults and kids prepare recipes side by side, take part in fun culinary experiments and then sit down to enjoy what they’ve created together.

It might not be somewhere you’ll eat every day of your cruise, but it’s exactly the sort of experience that shows how Hero of the Seas is expanding beyond simply offering more places to dine. Instead, it’s finding new ways to make food part of the holiday itself.

In short – both offer a stunning range of dining options, though there’s a few differences between the specifics when it comes to the AquaDome Market and the Supper Club. But those cooking classes are what really help Hero stand out.

Bars & Lounges

Whether you’re looking for a quiet cocktail, a lively piano bar or somewhere to enjoy a frozen drink by the pool, both Legend of the Seas and Hero of the Seas have you covered. Each ship features more than 20 bars and lounges spread across the various Neighborhoods, giving guests plenty of choice from morning until late into the evening.

Many of Royal Caribbean’s most popular venues return on both ships, including favourites such as Schooner Bar, Trellis Bar in Central Park, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Dueling Pianos, Lou’s Jazz ‘n Blues and the ever-popular Lime & Coconut pool bars. There are also plenty of quieter spaces to relax with a coffee or glass of wine if you’re looking to escape the crowds for a while.

Royal Caribbean hasn’t yet confirmed Hero of the Seas’ complete bar lineup, but we do already know about a couple of notable upgrades.

The Swim & Tonic neighbourhood pool and swim-up bar will be expanded, giving guests even more space to cool off with a drink in the water. Meanwhile, The Hideaway adults-only neighbourhood will feature what Royal Caribbean says will be the largest swim-up bar at sea, building on one of the most popular areas found on the earlier Icon-class ships.

They’re not revolutionary changes, but they continue the trend we’ve already seen throughout Hero of the Seas – taking successful ideas from Legend and making them just a little bigger and better.

Activities & Entertainment

One of the biggest challenges on both Legend of the Seas and Hero of the Seas is accepting that you simply won’t be able to do everything.

Between the shows, attractions, pools, activities and entertainment, there’s enough onboard to keep you busy for weeks rather than days. That’s really the appeal of the Icon Class – every cruise feels like you’ll discover something you missed the last time.

Guests on both ships can enjoy spectacular AquaTheater performances, live music throughout the ship, comedy, ice skating shows and countless daily activities. There’s also the casino, mini golf, the FlowRider surf simulators, rock climbing walls, escape rooms, sports courts, karaoke, the arcade and, of course, Crown’s Edge – the unique attraction that combines a ropes course with a heart-stopping ride over the side of the ship.

Live theatre is another huge part of the Icon Class experience. Legend of the Seas features Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as its headline Broadway-style production, bringing the much-loved story to life with spectacular sets, costumes and effects.

Royal Caribbean hasn’t yet announced Hero of the Seas’ main theatre show, but expectations are high. With The Wizard of Oz on Icon of the Seas, Back to the Future: The Musical on Star of the Seas and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Legend, it’s safe to assume Hero will also debut a major licensed production rather than relying on an original show.

The iconic Category 6 waterpark also returns on both vessels, but Hero of the Seas is introducing the biggest changes it’s seen since the Icon Class debuted.

The headline additions are two brand-new family raft slides, including the first funnel raft slide at sea, giving families a completely new way to experience the waterpark together. Royal Caribbean is also refreshing the popular Storm Chasers mat-racing slides with new layouts and surprises, adding even more replay value for thrill seekers.

For guests looking to slow things down a little, Hero also introduces Coconut Cove, an all-new pool located just steps from The Lime & Coconut bar. Complete with in-water loungers, poolside drink service and views across the greenery of Central Park, it’s designed as another relaxing spot to spend a sea day without having to venture far for your next cocktail.

Just like elsewhere on Hero of the Seas, these aren’t changes that reinvent the Icon Class experience. Instead, they’re thoughtful additions that build on what already works, giving guests even more reasons to come back for another cruise.

Itineraries

While the onboard experience is very similar, the biggest deciding factor for many people may actually be where these ships sail.

Legend of the Seas made history when she became the first-ever Icon-class ship to sail in Europe. Her inaugural European season began in summer 2026, bringing Royal Caribbean’s newest class of ships to the Mediterranean for the first time – something many European cruisers had been waiting for.

During both her 2026 and 2027 summer seasons, Legend offers 7-night Mediterranean itineraries, with guests able to embark in either Barcelona or Rome (Civitavecchia). That flexibility makes it easier to combine a cruise with a city break, while also opening up the Icon Class to travellers who don’t necessarily want to fly to Florida.

When winter arrives, Legend repositions to Fort Lauderdale, where she offers a wider mix of Caribbean itineraries, ranging from shorter getaways to longer voyages depending on the season.

Hero of the Seas, meanwhile, has a much simpler deployment. She will homeport in Miami, sailing 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises throughout the year.

Every Hero itinerary also includes a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s hugely popular private island in The Bahamas. For many guests, that’s almost as much of a highlight as the ship itself, with its enormous waterpark, beaches, pools and exclusive adults-only areas.

Ultimately, choosing between these two ships could come down to where you want to cruise. If you’ve always wanted to experience the Icon Class without crossing the Atlantic, Legend is the obvious choice. If you’re planning a classic Caribbean holiday with a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Hero fits the bill perfectly.

Final Word

Legend of the Seas and Hero of the Seas are clearly cut from the same cloth. They share the same groundbreaking Icon Class design, the same Neighborhoods and many of the same restaurants, bars and attractions that have made these ships so popular.

But Hero isn’t simply another copy of Legend.

It’s the first Icon-class ship to introduce more meaningful changes across multiple areas of the onboard experience. From the Ultimate Family Treehouse and revamped waterpark to new dining concepts, expanded pool spaces and other enhancements, Hero feels like the next evolution of the class rather than just another sister ship.

Of course, there are still some details we don’t know yet. Royal Caribbean hasn’t revealed everything Hero will offer, and more announcements are almost certain as her launch gets closer.

If you’re cruising in Europe, though, Legend of the Seas remains an easy choice. She’s the only Icon-class ship sailing the Mediterranean, making her a fantastic opportunity to experience Royal Caribbean’s flagship class without travelling to the Caribbean.

Whichever ship you choose, you’re in for an incredible holiday. The differences between them are exciting, but they’re built on an already outstanding formula. In the end, your decision will probably come down to which itinerary suits you best – because you’re guaranteed an unforgettable experience on either ship.

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Royal Caribbean likes to go big – but one of its most charming ideas is actually fairly small, very furry and usually found making people lose all sense of composure somewhere near Central Park.

What started with Rover on Icon of the Seas has grown into a proper fleet tradition. Sailor is now settled on Star of the Seas, Skipper is the dog everyone wants to meet on Legend of the Seas. The cruise line now has an official line-up of Chief Dog Officers.

And yes, that title is every bit as delightful as it sounds.

They are not mascots in the usual sense. They are part of the crew, woven into life onboard in a way that feels playful, thoughtful and just the right side of ridiculous.

It Started With Rover

Rover was the first Chief Dog Officer, joining Icon of the Seas as a six-month-old pup after the ship’s transatlantic crossing and before her first passenger sailing. She also took part in the christening celebrations in Miami in January 2024, which is not a bad way to launch a career.

Now older, more settled and very much at home onboard, Rover has become one of the ship’s best-known residents. She has great sea legs, has handled rough seas well, and seems to have taken to cruise life with impressive ease.

For plenty of families, especially those travelling with children, spotting Rover has become one of the real highlights of the trip.

Then Came Sailor

Rover may have started it, but Sailor has made it clear this was never going to be a one-dog operation.

Now based on Star of the Seas, Sailor has been getting used to life onboard and carrying on the same idea – bringing a bit of warmth, familiarity and fun to a huge ship. Like Rover, she’s there for guests and crew alike, and not in a stage-managed, scheduled-entertainment sort of way.

When Star of the Seas returns to Port Canaveral, Sailor gets to head ashore for a bit, stretch her legs and enjoy some time off the ship before the next sailing.

And Skipper’s Waiting In The Wings

Skipper is now onboard as the future Chief Dog Officer for Legend of the Seas, which means this has officially become a thing rather than a one-off.

They’re Real Crew

Part of the charm here is that Royal Caribbean has fully committed to the idea.

Rover and Sailor are officially three-stripe officers. They have their own suite-style cabin, set up with space to play, sleep and relax, plus multiple dog beds and a steady supply of toys and activities. Each dog’s Chief of Staff lives there too, which makes sense given this is the person responsible for their day-to-day care.

The role is apparently highly competitive, and not hard to understand. It comes with a lot of responsibility, but also the fairly unbeatable perk of looking after one of the ship’s most beloved residents.

No Fixed Schedule

One of the nicest things about Rover and Sailor is that they are not trotted out on a strict timetable.

They do not have formal meet-and-greets listed in the daily planner, and they are not expected to be constantly ‘on’. Their appearances are more spontaneous than that, which makes seeing them feel more special.

Rover is said to prefer quieter spaces and is more likely to appear somewhere like Central Park or the Overlook than in the middle of a big crowd. The whole set-up feels built around what works for the dog, not what looks best on a schedule.

Yes, You Can Sometimes Meet Them Properly

While there is no standard meet-and-greet set-up, there are occasions when guests can get more dedicated time with Rover or Sailor.

Private sessions with the dogs have sometimes appeared as part of the ship’s Make-A-Wish charity auction. Guests bid for the experience, with the money going to a good cause, and winners get a more personal visit with Rover or Sailor and their teams.

That means an encounter can range from a lucky sighting in passing to a much more memorable dedicated session – and either way, it is easy to see why people get excited about it.

Welfare Comes First

This is one of the most important parts of the whole thing.

Royal Caribbean works with the American Humane Society, which carries out regular visits and inspections to check on the dogs’ health, wellbeing and living environment. The cruise line has been very clear that the programme is designed around proper welfare standards rather than simply creating a talking point.

That shows up in the details. Rover and Sailor are only allowed to ‘work’ for limited stretches – usually no more than 20 minutes at a time, and only a few hours in total across the day. The rest of their time is for naps, play, walks and generally being dogs.

It is a fun idea, but there is clearly a serious structure behind it.

They’ve Got Muster Stations

Naturally, proper shipboard officers need proper shipboard safety arrangements.

Rover has her own doggy life vest and a designated muster station by the giant dog statue on the Royal Promenade, and Sailor follows the same approach onboard Star of the Seas. It is one of those details that sounds slightly absurd until you remember they really do live onboard full-time.

Once you know it, though, it is hard not to love the fact that even the safety planning has made room for the Chief Dog Officers.

They Know How To Work A Camera

Rover – and presumably Sailor too – are not just photogenic by accident.

They are trained to respond to both hand signals and verbal commands, including posing for pictures and looking directly at the camera. Rover can even wave, which sets a fairly high bar.

It helps explain why so many of their photos look so polished – they are not just naturally adorable, they know exactly what they are doing.

They’re Big With The Crew

Guests adore Rover and Sailor, but the crew might love them even more.

Both dogs spend time in crew-only areas as well as guest spaces, bringing a bit of normality to life onboard. Rover, in particular, is known to visit places like the crew café and even the bridge, where the captain is said to be a big fan. She also gets time to properly run around in certain areas, including the helipad.

For crew members who may be months away from home and from their own pets, having Rover or Sailor around makes a real difference.

They Have Big Personalities

Rover has set the tone here, and Sailor is very much following suit.

Rover loves games like fetch and tug of war so much that staff avoid saying certain words out loud unless they mean it – otherwise she assumes it is game time immediately. She is also hand-fed throughout the day, with her Chief of Staff regularly pulling food from a pouch, and she has a clear soft spot for carrots and bananas.

Sailor is still growing into her role, but if Rover is anything to go by, plenty of personality comes with the job.

And yes – strong opinions are part of the package.

Other Dogs? It’s Complicated

Royal Caribbean does allow service animals onboard, and whenever one is sailing, the dogs’ Chief of Staff are notified.

Rover, in particular, is not especially keen on small dogs, partly because they can be a bit more aggressive around her. Which makes one very specific onboard story all the better.

Icon of the Seas features The Wizard of Oz, complete with a small dog puppet playing Toto. When Rover was introduced to the puppet, she was completely baffled – it looked like a small dog, but did not smell, sound or move like one.

It is exactly the sort of detail that makes the whole Chief Dog Officer idea feel even more charmingly odd.

Read more: 5 Ways to Cruise With Your Dog: Top Options for Pet Owners

They Love Ducks – But Can’t Have Them

At one point, Rover became completely fixated on finding cruise ducks after discovering one hidden in a room.

For the uninitiated, guests often hide small rubber ducks around ships for others to find. Rover was very interested. Unfortunately for her, she is not allowed to keep them, as they are a choking hazard.

The same rules apply across the programme, including limits on certain toys. Once she turned two, Rover was finally allowed plush toys – which, for her, sounds like a fairly major milestone.

Shore Leave Looks Pretty Good

When Icon of the Seas returns to Miami, Rover gets off the ship.

There is a practical side – she has a regular vet and weekly grooming appointments – but also the fun part: beach trips, park visits and time out exploring. She loves the sand and has even been recognised while out and about in the city.