Royal Caribbean Cruises 

Would NOT recommend Royal Caribbean for younger kids. Pretty poorly catered towards kids under three. You have to pay by the hour for kids under three to be supervised in the Tots area, which isn't a huge issue, however the evening session doesn't commenced until 7pm, which is also what time the evening show starts, basically making it impossible for a parent with a child that age to see a show. We are happy to bring a screaming child to a show and will continue to so, but others won't be so happy. Intentional, poor communication between departments or just not thought of, not great either way.
All we could smell in pool on deck 11 where our kids were swiming was cigarette smoke. Disgusting! Have a designated area for smokers away from families. Poor form Royal Caribbean.
Kids need to be toilet trained to be in the pool which is fine, however they would rather risk a kid poop in the pool than to wear a nappy (as a just in case).
Now maybe you would say that a cruise is for all to enjoy, but this cruise has been marketed as a Wiggles cruise, so you'd think they'd cater towards that demographic. Clearly not.
Plus, their website states :
'No one does kid-friendly cruises better than Royal Caribbean'.
I'd hate to see what others are like then.

Do not trust Royal Caribbean - They will cancel your cruise reservation & make you rebook and pay more to get back on! BEWARE!

very Disappointing Handling of Delay – No Compensation at All
Our cruise with Royal Caribbean International aboard the Odyssey of the Seas started with a significant delay due to extreme snowfall. While the weather is, of course, beyond their control, the way this situation was handled was downright disappointing.
Due to the delay, our entire day in Nassau was canceled. This was one of the main destinations for us on this trip. Yet, no form of compensation was offered — no credit, no partial refund, not even a goodwill gesture.
What made it even more frustrating was being sent back and forth. Guest Services onboard referred us to the headquarters in Miami, and the headquarters then sent us back to Guest Services. No one took responsibility, and no one offered a concrete solution. As a paying guest, you expect at least clear communication and serious attention to your complaint.
We fully understand that weather conditions can affect a cruise. But customer focus, taking responsibility, and providing appropriate service are well within the cruise line’s control. In our view, Royal Caribbean fell seriously short here.
For a company of this size and reputation, this level of customer service is simply unacceptable.

I recently sailed on Harmony of the Seas with Royal Caribbean, and this was hands-down one of the worst vacations we’ve ever taken. We chose Royal Caribbean expecting high-quality dining and good service, but the reality fell far short.

The food was awful across the board. The main dining room meals were bland, overcooked, and repetitive, with very limited variety that didn’t improve throughout the cruise. The buffet (Windjammer) felt like reheated, low-effort options most of the time—nothing fresh or flavorful. Specialty restaurants were the only edible meals, but they come with steep extra charges on top of an already expensive fare. Overall, the onboard dining was not worth the money we paid, and we ended up spending hundreds more just to get decent food.

The biggest issue, however, was a serious breach of trust in our stateroom. An entire hanging garment bag containing 5 outfits (including formal wear for dinners and excursions) was stolen from our stateroom closet. We strongly believe it was taken by someone with access to the room—most likely the stateroom attendant or cleaning crew—since the bag was in the cabin closet. We reported it missing immediately, but the response was inadequate: minimal investigation, no real accountability, and no meaningful compensation or resolution.

For the high cost of the cruise (not including extras like drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, or specialty dining), this experience was absolutely not worth it. Poor food, overpriced everything, and then having personal belongings stolen with little recourse left us feeling ripped off and unsafe. I cannot recommend Royal Caribbean based on this trip, and we’ll be taking our business elsewhere in the future. Prospective cruisers should be very cautious with valuables and temper expectations for the included dining.

My girlfriend and I took a cruise on Royal carribean Odyssey of the sea out of Bayonne Nj February 7-15 2026. Was the worst cruise and experience. We have been cruiseing with Royal since 2019. Her luggage was lost on ship for two days to start. We got absolutely no help or assistance to find luggage. The room we had a balcony was filthy. We had to get our cabin attendant to clean bathroom n shower.the food in the windjammer is so bad and It is just getting worst each year. While on the ship we were so sick and tired of the excuses That we or I called Royal carribean and cancelled our 12 day carribean cruise that was booked for January 25 2027. Of course I got screwed out of the $900.00 deposit. Even though it was cancelled 11 mo the before sail date. It was well worth it as I will I NEVER ever sail with royal carribean again. They didn’t care or give a dame about anything I had to say when I called and cancelled our 1/25/2027 cruise. If I ran my business this way I would be in court every other week . Time to go back to all inclusive destinations. You get what u pay for .🙏💪🇮🇹

Utterly disgusting how they can take money from your account and not give it back, they have taken £352.53 as well as our bill amount

I have not stepped on board yet and have had the worst experience with Royal Caribbean so far. Have been on multiple cruises with other cruise lines and the shenanigans these people play are unbelievable. I paid my reservation balance 2 weeks prior to the due date. I wanted to add gratuity and pay upfront as well but couldn’t find the option anywhere online or on the app so I had to call to have it added. During the call I was told you can add it and pay anytime up to 48hrs before cruising. Tell me why my cruise was then cancelled a week later for non payment. Since they added gratuity to my reservation it cancelled my whole reservation even though the reservation amount was paid in full. I call to get the cruise reinstated… which after a 40 minute call they were able to do but my reserved dinner time could not be added as the dining team was unavailable so I was told I would get a call back later the same day to get this handled. NO CALL BACK so I had to call again and I was able to get the time added. Then I had to call back again because I realized we had also paid upfront for a WiFi package that now was $168 more than I paid. During this call the answer was to just buy it and if I see it cheaper I could call back to cancel the package to then rebuy it at the new lower price. After an hour of going back and forth on how they should honor the price I was told I needed to be called back in 24hrs because the needed to pull the phone call from when I added the gratuity to the account to make sure the representative did not tell me I had to pay the gratuity before the reservation due date or the whole reservation would cancel. 72hrs later NO CALL BACK… they tell you whatever to just get you off the phone. I had to call back to speak to another representative and explain the issues all over again… this rep though didn’t have any issue honoring the price nothing about having to listen to a call and was able to give us the wifi package at the original price paid. but where is the customer service?!? Why am I spending countless hours on the phone re-explaining the situation to get things added back on when the cruise shouldn’t have been cancelled in the 1st place. They play games with the pricing on add on items such as the WiFi package or drink package once you pay your balance. You can’t cancel at this point because you have to pay them to cancel so they know you are stuck with the reservation. Before my balance was paid the pricing was the same from the day I booked the cruise until payment was made, now everyday there’s a new “promotion” to get the most money but it’s never the same price as before you are stuck with the reservation.

Our cruise was cancelled 24hrs out from departure that we were planning for over a year, it's hard to not get mad at the cruise line for this and I'm not as they do not cancel trips easily.
What I am mad and frustrated at I still have not received 1 cent back of my promised 100% refund, some 10k as they tell me that it will be processed from the 6th Feb yes, the last day of the non-cruise, instead of the 25th Jan when it was officially cancelled.
If I did not have another cruise booked already so I can use the future cruise credits, I would not sail with Royal Caribbean again.
This is a large company holding onto millions of dollars that they owe customers for goods and services that were not supplied, earning big interest.
Pay my money back you owe me.

Didn’t go to either island as booked , we were stuck in a room with sewage smell and woke up every morning due to crew working on ship . Wouldn’t refund any money . They are a scam!!! Going to report to the federal maritime commission

Although the cruise itself was enjoyable, the guest services policies are NOT. I’ve said with 2 other lines and I’ve always had an issue with charges. However, with Royal Caribbean, if a charge is wrong, duplicated, or simply needs to be removed they DO NOT provide any receipt or proof the issue was rectified. They just say it will fall off on its own and you should just trust the process??? This is definitely a flaw in their process that needs ATTENTION!!! I’m battling a charges that should’ve “fell off” according to their reps.

Where to start. First day... I ordered an in room specialty package to help celebrate our anniversary. Arrived to find happy birthday stuff, so much for that romantic surprise. Couldn't find anywhere to sit around any of the pools including adult only area. All chairs where covered in towels. Approached a staff member that looked like management and basically told me they don't have the staff to monitor the chair hogs and so basically I either had to potentially get into a confrontation or go without a chair. We paid for the specialty dining. What a complete waste. A couple of the meals were simply ok but some of the others were disgusting. Best meal was the one meal in the main dining room. Was lied to at the customer service desk after doing one complaint after another about the aforementioned disappointments. Was told we would receive a future cruise credit that was non expiring. Well... that was a lie because they are only good for 1 year from being issued. Basically I feel like I was led to just to get rid of me. I then called after seeing that the cruise credit expired and wanted it corrected. That's when the customer service person informed me they do expire. I then complained to her about the terrible experience and she started there was nothing she could do since I accepted the credit while talking to the customer service rep on the ship. Which I then replied that I accepted a non expiring credit and that I was lied to and so no my expectations to resolve the issue was not met. They don't care. Took my money and ran. I'll most likely never sail royal caribbean again unless we are invited to join others going on a cruise but even then we would be reluctant.

Been on two cruises with them however flight was canceled due to snow event the travel insurance AON or Royal Caribbean would not pay out. They will give you the run around and avoid paying you I will never sail with these guys again.

If you enjoy the cruise experience Royal is better than Carnival. But be sure to cancel the greedy gratuity at guest svc and just tip cash so it goes to the workers and not RC. They even separated me from my family departing bc they had lost my cred card to charge the absurd mandatory gratuity. This is how you prevent return customers.

⭐ Absolutely the WORST experience with Royal Caribbean — I’m shocked this is even possible.

I booked my cruise on October 16 for a family vacation scheduled Nov 30–Dec 7. I paid $2,287 in full, the payment went through with no issues, and after about 15 days I even received my boarding ticket booklet. Everything looked perfectly smooth — we had been planning this trip for three months.

Then out of nowhere, when I logged in just to check arrival times, I see my entire reservation canceled. No call. No email. No notification at all. Just gone.

So I called Royal Caribbean and the explanation they gave me was honestly unbelievable:

“Your bank requested a cancellation and refund.”

Really? After 17 days? For a trip fully paid and confirmed?
I contacted my bank immediately — and guess what?
They never requested ANY cancellation or refund.

And this is where the situation turned from frustrating to outrageous.

I called Royal Caribbean 3–4 times, and every single time they pushed the responsibility onto my bank. At first they said refunds “take 14 days.” Well, it’s been over 30 days, and now their answer is still:

“Contact your financial institution.”

Even the supervisor couldn’t help — just repeated the same script.

And here’s the part that truly shows how little they care:
When I asked to simply rebook the same cruise, the same dates, the same ocean-view room that they canceled, they refused to honor the original price. Instead, they wanted $700 MORE for the exact same room.
So not only did they cancel my fully paid reservation without telling me, they tried to charge me extra to get it back.

This is honestly terrifying.
What if I had shown up at the port with my family — including my 2-year-old child — ready to board, only to be told my reservation was canceled behind my back? Can you imagine being stranded there, bags in hand, because of their mistake?

Royal Caribbean completely ruined what should have been a beautiful family trip — and they’re still refusing to own up to their error.

If this is how they treat fully paid, confirmed reservations… I will NEVER trust Royal Caribbean again.

I am writing this to share a difficult realization following the cancellation of my March 16, 2026, Celebrity Millennium sailing. After 15 years of loyalty to the Royal Caribbean Group, the handling of this situation has fundamentally changed how I view your brands.
My frustration is centered on a total lack of transparency and a series of broken promises. Being told my reservation was canceled for "inventory issues" is a vague explanation that provides no real understanding of why my booking was selected for removal. This lack of honesty makes it impossible to feel confident that if I book with you again, the same thing won't happen.
Furthermore, I feel a deep sense of betrayal regarding the travel reimbursement. During my initial calls, I was told repeatedly that any non-refundable travel expenses would be reimbursed as part of the compensation package. It was only after I spent weeks chasing management and submitting documentation that the goalposts were moved. To be told that Celebrity only covers "cancellation fees" and not the actual out-of-pocket cost of the flights feels like a deliberate reneging on a promise. If this had been communicated clearly from the start, it would have been one thing, but to label it a "miscommunication" after the fact is unacceptable.
For over a decade, I have been a vocal advocate for your cruise lines. However, after being treated as a transaction and subjected to inconsistent management, that trust has been eroded. While I am not ending my relationship with Royal Caribbean Group entirely, you are no longer my exclusive choice for vacations.
This experience has prompted me to actively explore other cruise lines for our future travel. I no longer feel the same confidence in recommending your brands to friends and family, as I can no longer guarantee they will be told the truth or that the company will stand by its word.

Company's website is very poorly designed. Needs updating, more options to choose from and easier navigation for online users.

They had HORRIBLE customer service! We had to be on the ship the WHOLE time due to their changing the place we wanted to go and making us go to NASSAU. It was the WORST cruise EVER! They got my account mixed up and it took 4 MONTHS for them to help fix it. I will NEVER cruise them again!!!

Nickle and dime you to death, horrible wait times for a drink at casino, excursion cancelation policy is trash, just stay away from this cruise line had way better experience on carnival and carnival being way more affordable, usually more you pay better experience and amenities you get while amenities you get are more due to their larger ships everything else goes down the tube they had only one complimentary restaurant open 24/7 which i find disgusting for the price you pay.

DO NOT BOOK WITH THEM. Significantly changed our itinerary months before departure, refusing to give a refund or correspond over email.

Please beware of the RC discounts...they are not as they appear....They advertise but discreetly the price mounts up...Several discounts I complained about...to which RC will always have an explanation to justify why it doesnt apply🙄!!...So then why advertise...Just be honest about the Price at the offset!!...
Our onboard credit was also reduced...God knows...something to do with changing rooms!!...
We also lost a destination, no reduction, and still charged the same price?? We sailed over New year and they knew from August, Haiti was not an option, but did not replace with an alternative port.
Cruises are far too full, at no time could you find sun beds anywhere on deck, or in the solarium.
Staff are lovely...but we had a member of staff in the main dining room tell us staff do not get sick leave or sick pay...and from the overall impression the staff are not overly appreciated in their roles...
tbh best part is balcony room and views of sea at night... not sure about the raving reviews you read 🤷...
Shows are fantastic...highly professional...great to watch!!...People around the world so friendly 😊!!...
Was it worth best part of £6-7k just for RC...certainly not for 7 days...maybe a 2 week cruise!!...
RC is raking it in...
But we did have a Good time, and memories.. Maybe because we spent time several days in orlando 1st, then used Brightline train to miami.
Getting to miami cruise port is a nightmare in traffic, allow at least 1hr 30 mins!!.....
I understand any other port in usa is better fld & orlando..
We also saw a women walking bare foot outside the Brightline train station, which I believe the area is extremely deprived...ironic these megacruise ship dock in such a deprived area.
There are no cash machines to use when you get the RC port..so bring dollars to tip porters, as we didnt have any!!
Issue with RC is they do not hold themselves accountable when they mess up..and refuse to acknowledge customer dissatisfaction because they are making money big bucks from loyal and wealthy customers!!