7 Things Royal Caribbean Is Quietly Taking Away in 2025

Royal Caribbean is among the many prime cruise traces on the earth (maybe essentially the most well-known of all) and is cherished by thousands and thousands of passengers.

Nevertheless, through the years, some perks and providers have been swept softly below the rug.

Should you’re a frequent Royal Caribbean traveler, you could’ve already seen a couple of of those modifications. However even in case you haven’t cruised with them lately, it’s value being conscious of those modifications.

From housekeeping methods to eating choices, a few of them make sense to me, whereas others depart me puzzled, and I feel it’s the identical for different loyal passengers as properly.

On this article, we are going to see eight issues Royal Caribbean has quietly taken away. Let’s see in case you’ve seen!

1. Complimentary Room Service

What as soon as was a significant perk of cruising with Royal Caribbean, free meals supply service, is now a paid choice.

Now, most space service orders include a flat service charge of $7.95 per order plus an 18% gratuity (no matter how a lot you order).

The one exception is the complimentary continental breakfast, which stays free for friends.

This nonetheless permits for some comfort within the lazy mornings. Nevertheless, the extra costs for different meals and snacks have upset many loyal cruisers.

So, as a substitute of having fun with late-night snacks or meals at no additional price, friends are inspired to think about eating in the primary eating places or buffets.

2. Limitless Lobster Tails on Formal Nights

Lobster on the formal night time was one of the crucial anticipated occasions on Royal Caribbean cruises.

It was a really luxurious perk, and years in the past, you can bask in an infinite variety of lobster tails at no extra price.

Sadly, Royal Caribbean has scaled again this providing. Whereas lobster continues to be out there throughout formal nights on choose itineraries, it’s now restricted to a single portion per visitor. That mentioned, a second entrée continues to be a free-of-charge choice.

As for these wanting extra servings of lobster, an additional charge applies (normally $16.99 plus an 18% gratuity for each).

Am I stunned? Not a lot; on this case, I feel it’s an comprehensible alternative, contemplating the price of lobsters.

3. Each day Housekeeping

Each day housekeeping has all the time been an enormous a part of the Royal Caribbean expertise. Usually, the cruise line used to supply this service twice a day.

They might be sure your room was tidied up and refreshed as soon as within the morning and as soon as extra within the night.

Sadly, the coverage has lately moved towards lowering this service to as soon as a day on many ships.

I’ve seen complaints from a number of passengers on social media, however I consider it’s a change that doesn’t impression the standard of the cruise.

It’s attention-grabbing to notice that suites nonetheless profit from the twice-a-day housekeeping service, plus some different exceptional advantages.

4. Free Midnight Buffets

The midnight buffet was a signature characteristic of Royal Caribbean, it provided cruisers a late-night feast. It was an exquisite expertise, with superbly offered dishes and indulgent shows of finger meals.

Unhappy to say, this beloved custom has been phased out too. Right now, you’ll be able to nonetheless discover late-night snacks at cafés, however the grand buffet occasion is now not a part of the journey.

On this case, I’m sorry that it’s gone. I feel it was a very nice factor and it might have stayed even only for a single night time.

Cruise traces are inclined to say that it’s to scale back meals waste, however as you’ll be able to think about, it is usually to scale back bills.

5. Loyalty Program Advantages

Should you’ve traveled with Royal Caribbean, you most likely know the Crown and Anchor Society, their standard loyalty program.

It provides perks like reductions, precedence providers, small presents, and unique experiences. Nevertheless, over time, a few of these advantages have been diminished or taken away.

For instance, free web was changed with only a smaller low cost in case you purchase one of many web packages.

Reductions on onboard purchasing and eating have additionally seen an enormous decline. These days, Gold, Platinum, and Emerald members obtain a ten% low cost solely on purchases of $25 or extra.

6. Signature Leisure Reveals

Royal Caribbean ships actually provided world-class leisure by way of their cruises.

You can have skilled Broadway-style productions and jaw-dropping reveals. In recent times, a few of these signature performances have been diminished or eliminated solely on sure sailings.

Probably the most notable modifications is the termination of all DreamWorks-related programming. Again within the day, friends might take pleasure in meet-and-greets with characters like Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Madagascar’s Alex the Lion.

Themed parades and character breakfasts made the cruise particularly magical for households. Nevertheless, in 2019, Royal Caribbean ended this partnership.

Simply let me add that, regardless of this transformation, all cruise ships nonetheless provide unbelievable in-house leisure choices (and in my view, Royal Caribbean provides one of the best reveals at sea of all of the cruise traces.).

7. Free Specialty Eating

Over the lengthy years of operation, Royal Caribbean made many modifications to the eating choices out there to passengers.

They eliminated some specialty corners from buffets and phased out a few eating places right here and there.

For example, the “Jade” part within the Windjammer buffet (which provided Asian-inspired dishes and limitless sushi rolls) is now not out there. As an alternative, there’s now an onboard specialty sushi restaurant, and it’s not freed from cost.

Is it value paying for them? It relies upon; you probably have any doubts, I recommend you check out the article on issues it’s best to by no means purchase on a cruise and issues which can be as a substitute value spending your cash on.

BONUS POINT: In-Individual Muster Drills

Earlier than 2021, all Royal Caribbean ships had an in-person muster drill.

Should you’ve by no means been on a cruise, it’s the place passengers collect at their assigned stations to evaluation security procedures as a gaggle.

Though a longstanding custom, and truly a mandatory one, it normally felt inconvenient and crowded.

As a contemporary strategy, Royal Caribbean cruise ships have switched to what’s generally known as “e-muster drills.” Now, as a visitor, you’ll be able to full the protection briefing individually by way of your room’s TV or cell machine after which test in at your assigned muster station.

Most likely, this is perhaps the one change that nobody is upset to listen to about.