cruise to nowhere royal caribbean

A cruise to nowhere: Royal Caribbean sailing canceled after guests boarded

A Royal Caribbean International Alaska voyage became a cruise to nowhere over the weekend, with the line canceling the sailing after guests had already boarded.

The cruise line’s Radiance of the Seas ship experienced propulsion issues, forcing it to shorten and eventually scrap the weeklong itinerary, according to notices shared with guests. The sailing was originally set to depart from Vancouver on Friday.

Charlene Chong, who was on board with her husband, their 3-year and 11-month-old children, and her parents, said passengers were notified Saturday afternoon that the cruise was canceled. The 34-year-old teacher and her husband previously took a cruise for their honeymoon, but this marked their first trip with Royal Caribbean.

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“My parents had wanted to go to Alaska for a really long time,” said Chong, who lives in Vancouver.

The cruise line warned guests several days before boarding that the ship had a “technical issue with its propulsion system,” according to an email sent to passengers that Chong shared with USA TODAY. The line later pushed the departure back by two days to allow more time for repairs.

Royal Caribbean said boarding would proceed as planned but that the terminal would close Friday evening due to U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules. Passengers would not be able to leave until the ship arrived at Icy Strait Point.

“We were going stir crazy a little bit,” said Chong.

Royal Caribbean gave guests onboard credit worth two days of their fare, a future cruise credit of the same amount, complimentary drinks and other compensation, another email said.

According to Chong, the ship sailed toward a nearby cargo port, but the captain announced Saturday afternoon that the sailing could not proceed and that guests would need to disembark by Sunday at 4 p.m. Chong said she and her family were “lucky” they were local, but she saw other guests scrambling to change their flights and find accommodations.

Your cruise was canceled: Now what?

“We understand the disappointment due to this unfortunate turn of events,” the cruise line said in a letter shared with guests. “We truly extend our sincerest apologies for the continued unforeseen disruptions to your vacation.”

Royal Caribbean gave them their money back as onboard credit with any remaining amount refunded, increased their future cruise credit to 100% of their fare and kept its open-bar policy for the remaining time on board. The line also offered to reimburse trip change fees up to $250 for guests traveling domestically and $400 for international travel and additional reimbursements for hotel and transportation costs, among other compensation.

“Due to a technical issue, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the April 26 sailing," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "Guests will receive a full refund and 100% future cruise credit, and have been notified directly.” The spokesperson did not comment on the specifics of Chong's experience.

The ship will resume service for its May 3 sailing.

After they got home, Chong and her family booked a trip to Mexico instead – though her parents decided not to join as they were “a bit exhausted by the whole ordeal.” For now, she’s not inclined to use the future cruise credit. “I would like to go to Alaska,” she said. “I'm not sure if I want to go with them.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A cruise to nowhere: Royal Caribbean sailing canceled after guests boarded

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Cruise to Nowhere: A guide to Royal Caribbean’s dining, beverage, internet packages, and more

Royal Caribbean offers a bewildering assortment of food, drinks and internet packages to cruise passengers. Here's what you need to know.

In less than a week, I’ll be setting sail on a four-night Royal Caribbean cruise to nowhere. 

As a first-timer passenger, there’s an awful lot to learn in a short period of time, and believe me, they don’t make things simple for noobs. I’ve already written a detailed post about booking a cruise , so let’s now look at the planning decisions you’ll need to make before boarding. 

The Cruise Planner

Once your Royal Caribbean booking is confirmed, a six-digit reservation ID will be generated. You’ll need this to login to the Cruise Planner , the centralized hub for all your onboard reservations. 

For the unprepared, the Cruise Planner can be a minefield, full of upsell opportunities designed to lighten your wallet. It’s helpful to remember some of the basics:

• Most meals onboard are free (see dining section for more details)
• Some drinks onboard are free (water, basic drinks at breakfast)
• Most entertainment and activities onboard are free

In other words, you could still have a smashing good time on a cruise without spending an additional cent. 

But for those of you who want a little something extra, here’s where you book it. Scroll down on the Cruise Planner homepage, and you’ll see seven different categories:

Shore excursions don’t apply since this is a cruise to nowhere, and spa & fitness is pretty self-explanatory. I’ll focus on the other five categories below.

A few general points before we begin :

• The cut-off time for bookings via Cruise Planner is 11.59 p.m Eastern Standard Time, 2 days before your departure (e.g if you sail on 28 January 2021, you must book by 25 January 2021 11:59 p.m EST). Any later than that, and you’ll need to make reservations onboard
• All purchases require payment upfront, but can be refunded to your credit card up to 2-4 days before you sail (it depends on what you purchased; read the fine print). Beyond that, you may be able to get a refund in onboard credit (again, read the fine print)

Dining Reservations

Let’s start with the big draw of cruising: the food. Dining venues on Royal Caribbean ships are split into two categories:

• Complimentary

As the name suggests, all complimentary dining venues are included with the cost of your ticket (although their menus may contain items which require an additional supplement, e.g lobster), and all specialty dining venues will require an upcharge. 

Here’s the list of dining venues on Quantum of the Seas.

Reserving Complimentary Dining

You may have heard of the Main Dining Room (MDR), the primary complimentary dining location. On Quantum of the Seas, American Icon Grill, Chic, Silk and The Grande all  make up the MDR. Even though they’re different venues, they all offer the same menu (I’m assuming they have different names because once upon a time they served different cuisines). 

But how do you go about making an MDR reservation? I didn’t see any listing for American Icon Grill, Chic, Silk, or The Grande in the Cruise Planner, which confused me to no end. 

I later figured out that “My Time Dining” meant MDR, and I’d have to select this to make a reservation. 

If you pick Traditional dining, you’ll be seated in Chic or The Grande on deck 3. If you pick My Time dining, you’ll be seated in Silk or American Icon Grill on deck 4. 

If you’re a suites passenger, you’ll have access to Coastal Kitchen, a “better than MDR” dining experience. This cannot be booked in advance, however, and you’ll need to make reservations once onboard. 

Reserving Specialty Dining

In addition to the complimentary dining options, guests can choose to pay an upcharge for meals at specialty dining venues. This only covers food; drinks will be charged at a la carte prices (unless you have a beverage package )

You’ll be asked to select a specific time and date, and you can get a full refund to your credit card if you cancel at least four days prior to boarding. Within four days of boarding, cancellations must be made onboard after departure and will be credited to your shipboard account. Cancellations with less than 24 hours of notice will be charged a minimum of US$10- although this didn’t seem to be strictly enforced (I didn’t get charged, but don’t blame me if you do). 

Buying Dining Packages

If you intend to mostly stick to the MDR and just want to try the odd specialty restaurant, don’t bother with packages.

However, if the food’s a highlight and you really want to sample all there is, consider a dining package, which can save you money compared to making individual specialty dining reservations. 

These are the packages currently offered:

Don’t ask me why the 3-Night dining package is priced exactly the same as the UDP (maybe it’s the decoy effect ), but in any case I booked the latter. This includes all dinners plus lunch on sea days (days the boat is out of port, which for cruises to nowhere means every day except the day of boarding). You’ll also save 40% off bottles of wine under US$100 and 20% off bottles above US$100. 

I reasoned that all I had to do was eat one dinner at Wonderland and one at Chops to break even, and those were restaurants I wanted to try anyway. I’ve heard mixed reviews of Jamie’s Italian (their outlet at Forum Mall is dire), but I’ll probably grab lunch there too, and I’m fairly confident I’ll more than recoup my cost. 

You might think the next step after buying a UDP is to go on a specialty restaurant booking spree, but nope. The UDP gives you one complimentary specialty dining reservation upfront, for the first night of the cruise. You can choose the time, but you won’t know which restaurant it is until you board the ship (and can change it once onboard, subject to availabilty).

Otherwise, you’ll need to wait until you board to make the rest of your reservations . If you want a guaranteed seat at a guaranteed time at a guaranteed restaurant, you’ll need to make an a la carte specialty restaurant booking (and pay accordingly). 

For example, I could pay S$74.79 per person to guarantee a seat at Wonderland on 29 January 2021 at 6.30 p.m, or I could wait until boarding and try to make the same reservation with my UDP. That slot may or may not be available; that’s the chance you take. 

The UDP sounds like a gamble, but the good news is that just like a la carte specialty dining, you can get a full refund to your credit card up to four days before boarding (or in shipboard credit after that). Dining packages which are completely unused can be refunded up till the end of the first day of the voyage. I suppose this would come in useful if you boarded the ship and found that you couldn’t get any reservations at your desired restaurants. 

By the way, the same applies to the Chops + 1 package. You’ll get a guaranteed reservation at Chops Grille for dinner, and can reserve a further specialty dining restaurant for free once onboard (you can’t book Chops Grille again). 

Taste of Royal and Sushi & Sake are basically set lunches. For both, you’ll receive a letter in the stateroom the day before your reservation, confirming the time and location of your lunch. 

Beverage Packages

First things first. The tap water on a cruise ship is drinkable. You can boil it if you want, but the stuff’s safe to drink out of the tap. Other free drinks on offer include milk, tea, coffee (not the premium stuff, that requires an upcharge), lemonade, iced tea, juice (at breakfast, not fresh squeezed) and hot chocolate (instant). 

For those who want more, the following packages are available. All prices shown below (except the Cafe Select Coffee Card) are per day , and you must buy the package for the entire duration of the cruise. The prices here reflect a 40% discount off the usual price; watch for Royal’s sales emails:

With the exception of the deluxe beverage package (which must be purchased for all guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom), beverage packages can be purchased by individual guests. For example, my roommate can buy a classic soda package without the need for me to buy one (sharing is not allowed, obviously).

Here’s the full details of what exactly each package contains. 

Important point: No one should be paying full price for the Deluxe Beverage or Refreshment package.  Royal Caribbean runs frequent sales on these packages, and you’ll receive notification by email. 

Given that all packages are refundable, there’s no harm in making a pre-emptive booking to lock in the price, and rebooking if you see a lower price later on. 

Also note that if you’re booked in a Star Class suite, you already receive a Deluxe Beverage Package. If you’re booked in a Sky Class suite, you will have access to the Concierge Club which serves free alcohol during the evening happy hour (5 to 8 p.m). Since I’m in this category (Grand Suite), I decided not to buy any beverage package. 

Internet Packages

Cruise ship Wi-Fi has improved by leaps and bounds, and Royal Caribbean likes to boast it has the fastest internet at sea with its VOOM service (six times faster than other ships, apparently).

Royal Caribbean offers two types of Wi-Fi packages:

• Surf + Stream

As the names suggest, Surf is for basic internet tasks like emails and chat, while Surf + Stream is for more heavy-duty uses like video streaming and video chat. I’ve heard that Netflix works without any issues, but it does depend on weather conditions and where you’re located. 

If you’re booked in a Sky or Star Class suite, you will receive 2x Surf + Stream logins, valid for the whole length of your cruise.

Everyone else will have to purchase access. All prices shown below are per day , and you must buy the package for the entire duration of the cruise. I saw these prices during one of Royal’s 40% off sales, so keep a lookout for when they come back. 

Just like drinks packages, Wi-Fi packages frequently go on sale, so don’t pay full price. 

Last I heard, Royal Caribbean was testing a chat feature for its app that lets you message each other for US$1.99 per day. This could be a more economical alternative if all you need is to keep in touch with your partner, but I don’t know if it’s launched on Quantum yet. 

Onboard activities can be classified into two types: paid, and free. The following paid activities can be reserved ahead of boarding.

It really boils down to what you’re interested in, but for what it’s worth I only booked iFly. North Star (an observation capsule that lifts you 300 feet above sea level) might make sense if you’re sailing somewhere interesting, but I doubt the Strait of Malacca would have anything worth seeing. 

iFly and North Star reservations opened 12 days before departure, so don’t panic if you don’t see them listed yet. Reservations for both can be cancelled, but you must give at least 12 hours notice (or else there’s a US$25 no show fee). 

Free activities run throughout the day, and bookings are generally not required. These include:

• Art auctions (they serve free champagne)
• Arts & crafts classes
• Bumper cars (bookings required and can be done on board)
• Dance classes
• FlowRider (but private sessions are chargeable)
• Rock wall climbing
• Scavenger hunts
• Trivia quizzes

It seems like laser tag and escape room games have been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19, a shame because those seem like really fun activities. 

Entertainment

All entertainment must currently be booked on board, and takes place across three main venues: Royal Theater, Two70, and Music Hall. 

Here’s the schedule from a December sailing. The timings and shows are subject to change, but this should at least help you plan your mealtimes. 

While reservations are required for all shows, it’s free seating once the doors open. 

• For guests in Star and Sky Class suites, as well as Pinnacle Club members, doors open 30 mins prior to showtime
• For all other guests, doors open 20 mins prior to showtime

Odds and Ends

All charges onboard the ship are billed in USD. That creates some confusing listings in the Cruise Planner, such as pre-purchasing arcade credits.

You’re paying S$ 108.80 for US$ 100 of credits; although they really should make it more clear. 

Unlike hotel staycations, there’s no need to book the swimming pool ahead of time. You do, however, need to reserve the gym. Counterintuitively, you won’t find it under “spa & fitness”; navigate to the “onboard activities” tab instead.

Your friend the Cruise Compass

A Cruise Compass is a schedule of what’s happening on each day of the sailing- activities, shows and special events. As per my understanding, physical Cruise Compasses are no longer left in staterooms every night, but you can still request them from guest services. Do it; it makes planning that much easier. 

Here’s a copy of my Cruise Compass from a March 2021 sailing. 

Concierge Service

If you booked a Star or Sky Class suite, you’ll have access to a concierge who can help you book dining reservations, onboard activities and spa services in advance. The concierge should reach out ~5 days before departure to introduce him/herself (I got my mail late at night on 23 January for a 28 January departure). 

Here’s the key points:

It’s unclear from the mail whether they’re able to reserve shows in advance, or specialty dining for those with the UDP, but I’ll find out and update this section. 

While that sounds like a lot to mull over, the main decisions you’ll need to make are:

• Am I happy with the free food, or do I want more options?
• Am I happy to pay a la carte prices for drinks, or will I drink enough that a package makes sense (remember- you need to buy it for the whole duration of the cruise) 
• Am I happy to disconnect, or do I need internet?

I’ve written so much and haven’t even gotten to the all-important preboarding COVID-19 testing- look out for that in the next post!

Any other tips for pre-cruise planning?

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Great post. For Grand Suites and above, the concierge can reserve all Coastal Kitchen meals (B/L/D) and shows (1-2 days before).

Can you get the concierge’s help to reserve all this before boarding day (eg by email?) or do you have to still wait till you get on board and then contact the concierge for help to reserve ?

thanks! i’m trying to find out what the concierge can and can’t do- if they’re able to get priority access to things like specialty dining/shows even before boarding then it’d be very useful indeed

The concierge will help you to book all dining and shows before everyone else as they can only do it after they complete the muster drill. You should request for his help when you get the email and also ask him to contact you when the show schedule is out.

But in terms of actual seating its first come first serve unless you are in Star class.

Apart from these 2 benefots its the same as everyone else – via the app on board.

I’m currently on the 21 Jan sailing and it’s quite empty, so most of the shows can be reserved easily as long as you get onboard and book for all 3/4 night at the same time. Also, it can all be booked via the app so no need to go to the concierge or guest services. Restaurants are mostly empty as well except izumi which is constantly full for lunch. I had dinner at the coastal kitchen on night 2-4 and it’s pretty decent but quite crowded so reserve early with the host at the entrance of the kitchen. Jamie’s …  Read more »

thanks for the info! is there anything that can’t be booked by the app and requires you to physically go to the venue?

When can i book the shows and bumper car? Immediately on board or 6pm?

Just came back from the 21 jan cruise and I would suggest the following – take the 3 nights plus lunch dining package, food will be a main activity for 4 days – First thing you get on board is to book all your restaurants at the times you want. Also book your shows at the times you want but I guess you have reserved seats due to atas suite status – Must try ( Chops Grille, Jamie and Wonderland) . Izumi is a real disappointment. Just try once for lunch. – Chops menu to try besides steak, lobster and …  Read more »

thanks for the tips! skinny dipping is mandatory on any milelion trip.

Wait really? You mean me and my wife can go skinny dipping and it’s allowed in this adult’s pool?

But wouldn’t there be many perverts around?

Out of morbid curiosity, and of a deep desire to know about all things Milelion so that we may be better fans – when you were picking between cruise ships, what made you decide on the Royal Caribbean (Quantum) as opposed to the ship on the opposing dock (Genting Dream)? Was there anything in particular on Quantum that made you go, “if I’m gonna catch the Covids it’ll be worth it on THIS boat!”

Just came back from 18 – 22 Feb sailing, was told 1,300+ pax onboard, 2,100 pax on CNY weekend. Booked Balcony stateroom with no add-on packages. –      For non-foodies, the complimentary dinning is good enough. We forgot the feeling of hungriness during the entire sailing. –      VOOM WIFI prices shown in the article are actually after 40% discount (I had the impression that the above is regular price and waited for the flash discount but realised it is not and flash discount didn’t happen in the end). Paid 2 devices for 4 days for USD160 onboard. –      Chat feature is available at USD1.99 …  Read more »

thanks for the data points! have added a note that the prices for VOOM are after discount (I think the discount was 30% though, because i’m comparing them to the non-sales prices now).

Hi Aaron, what is this Cafe select card? Does it mean that only americano/black coffee is free, even at Coastal Kitchen and Concierge Club?

Hi, when can you start purchasing UDP? I have booked a cruise for May 2021 but UDP is not an option. Thank you

the UDP appears and disappears. I think they sell limited quantities. keep checking back every few days (I believe right now you should only see 3 night package)

Yes, I am only able to see the 3 night package. Thank you for replying. Will the UDP still be available on board?

The price indicated for beverage in your table is also after discount right? I’m booked for an upcoming trip but the price indicated when i logged in says 40% and then the reflected prices as above.

correct, this is after 40% discount, basically the cheapest I ever saw it go

Hi may i ask if the wifi charges shown on your blog are before or after sales discount? Usually how much discount are given? Thanks!

these are post 40% discount

thanks alot!

Do you think the price of the beverage package will go down once it increases? When I first booked, the Deluxe package was $54.40. Thought it will maintain at the same price. But when I went into the Cruise Planner yesterday, it was $73.44. 🙁 Would like to wait for it to drop again.

Thanks for the comprehensive guide Aaron! We used many of the information within for our own cruise preparations as well! Here’s what we did on the <a href=”https://www.2bearbear.com/cruise-to-nowhere-quantum-of-the-seas-royal-caribbean-cruise-day-2-napkin-folding-northstar-izumi-wonderland-and-starwater/”>Quantum of the Seas Cruise to Nowhere</a>!

Happy Cruising Everyone!

Tom & Kate, 2bearbear.com

thanks for sharing your report! always good to read about more experiences.

2 bear bear , you also have very good writeups and videos! Tq

Hi, if we only buy UDP and not beverage package, what drinks (non-alcoholic) will be served to us when we eat at specialty restaurants? And are they complimentary or we have to pay? Thanks.

free drinks at specialty restaurants- ice water, maybe basic coffee/tea free drinks at mdr- ice water, basic coffee/tea, juice (not the freshly squeezed one), milk, iced tea.

Thanks for the prompt reply! Btw, I still can’t see UDP on my cruise planner. Has been camping for it everyday. 36 more days to sailing~

This is by far the BEST writeup, i really wish the online you tubers (terrible videos) or bloggers could have been this detailed. One thing to point out is that prices change from cruise to cruise per person. My option for the dining and drinking packages were double what they were previously. S

thank you! with regards to the prices, I managed to get these when Royal did one of their 40% off sales. These used to be a *lot* more frequent; I was getting several emails a month. For my latest cruise last week, I only got one opportunity to buy at 40% off; I think they know we Singaporeans have developed a taste for cruising, and are looking to capitalize on that. other people also report that there are fewer sales than before. if there are really zero sales, one option you can do is buy on the first day. they …  Read more »

Can i buy 1 devices Wi-Fi packages but share between 3 devices? (My phone, my ipad & my wife phone) This that possible?

i realised i can use the windows 10 hotspot feature to share. dont know how your phone works, but it worked fine with my laptop. my phone then tapped the laptop to share 1 account.

Is there any free drink near the poolside or where can we get free drinks? Can i wear short in the pool?

Were you able to get reserve seats for the shows via the concierge, prior to boarding?

Keen to know this as well

I received the email from Royal on the discounted packages earlier on. It states 30% discount for deluxe beverage. When i clicked on the email, it redirects to their website and the price shown is $63.92 per day. Is this price before or after 30% discount? I recall seeing the price to be around $70-75 previously. the discount amount doesn’t sum up correctly

Hey Aaron currently my account is showing 30% discount off drink packages. Did you have to hold out long before 40% came along?

i booked it about 3 weeks before my cruise. but it’s also possible that they may not be doing 40% anymore.

Do the Duty free stores on board sell alcohol? and if so, are we able to bring it back to our rooms? Thanks

nope, they don’t sell booze. it…kind of wouldn’t make sense for royal.

Hi Aaron, do they stop serving alcohol at 10:30pm?

Btw I think some of the packages have a limited quota to be sold, eg. unlimited dining package (added to my cart for few days after I booked the cruise, and then gone), and unlimited 3-4 day fitness package (now I have to purchase the 5-7 day package which doesn’t make sense given I’m going on a 3N cruise only). Not sure if you or anyone’s had the same experience, Aaron?

yes apparently UDP has quota.

Hi Aaron. Can one access the Cruise Planner & browse packages from the app on the phone? I have a reservation but can’t seem to find these packages in the app (been searching round & round for it) although I am able to access all of them from my laptop. Thanks.

Nope. App is for when you are onboard

I see, ok. Thanks! Btw, the UDP today is at $114, a pretty good deal!

hi, this post is really useful! I have an upcoming trip in Aug, wondering if I gotta book all the meals before boarding? From cruise planner, i can book dinner for all the days under My Time Dining, but i don’t see the options for lunch or breakfast. Do I need to book for lunch and breakfast, or i can just drop by the restaurant? Thank you!

Also, saw from your post that the selection for MTD will be American Icon Grill or Silk, how do we know where we should head to? It will show in the app?

It is a centralised welcome area. The staff will assign

Lunch and dinner do not need reservation

ahh, i see, thanks so much!

Is Cruise ID same as Booking ID

Great article as usual Aaron! Anyway, just booked a cruise for an October sailing, just a balcony stateroom. Found this option to purchase ‘The Key’ program for the cruise. Basically a cut-down suite perk. Special times for certain attractions, priority boarding, with included voom package, and the all important ability to book stuff 72 hours before the sailing. Anyone heard or tried this? Is it worth it? It’s about $150 per person and has to be purchased for everyone sharing the room. So…. with my kids.. that’s about a $600 extra. Any tips or experience with this would help heaps! …  Read more »

Is there any difference in price when purchasing just one speciality restaurant (eg. Chops) prior to cruise, or to top up during meal time?

Any idea if dining packages have discount as well?

Hey, Aaron, thanks for the great article. Since you are going again next year, if Mr. Francisco is your Suite Concierge, please help me say one of your reader said Hi to him and thanks him for his service, he’s really professional and helped me booked stuff and answered my question

TQ for a really detailed and informative article!

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Ultimate Guide to Singapore’s Cruise to Nowhere on Royal Caribbean

If you have never been on a cruise or if the concept of cruising for a vacation doesn’t attract you, then this post is meant just for you. Even till a few weeks back, I would have never imagined going on a cruise for vacation. However, experiencing Singapore’s “Cruise to Nowhere” on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of Seas has completely changed my views about cruising. At first, the concept of cruising with “no destinations” felt absurd and the perfect hot-spot for breeding the pandemic. Travel-starved for 14 months, this was the only semblance of travel I could afford living in Singapore. With international borders still closed, I am happy to have experienced this mini-getaway that did wonders to my mental health. Also, thanks to Singapore’s exemplary management of the pandemic so far, I was never concerned about health and safety.

Before going on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise to Nowhere, I had no idea what to expect from it. A few positive reviews from friends inspired me to book this cruise as I was desperate for some change. But little did I know, I needed to plan a few important things that would make this cruise experience better. Although spontaneous getaway is good, you definitely don’t want to miss these insider tips to make this cruise vacation even more amazing. So if you want to find the ultimate guide to planning the perfect “cruise to nowhere” vacation in Singapore, continue reading below.

Table of Contents

REVIEW OF QUANTUM OF THE SEAS

Things to know before booking the cruise to nowhere, 1. what is the itinerary of cruise to nowhere.

As the name suggests, Cruise to Nowhere sails with no fixed destinations. Typically the first day starts off from the Marina Bay Cruise Center in Singapore when the cruise departs at 8pm. Next few days it sails on the sea and finally returns back to Singapore on the last day. During our 4-nights cruise, we had sailed far away from Singapore, Malaysia, & Indonesia and for most parts there was no land in sight. The vast expanse of the endless ocean merging with the horizon and the sound of waves gently breaking against the hull of the ship will make you feel relaxed throughout the entire trip.

2. HOW MANY DAYS FOR CRUISE TO NOWHERE

This is entirely dependent on you. Currently Royal Caribbean Cruise to Nowhere in Singapore is having options of 2-3-4 nights cruises. Depending on your schedule as well as your mood, you can opt for either one of these options. The cruise to Nowhere has so many events that you will never feel bored even if you decide to go for the maximum 4 nights option.

Back in January when I had booked this cruise for March, only options available were 3-nights (starting on Mondays) and 4-nights (starting on Thursdays). Currently, Royal Caribbean has 2 nights options which is ideal for people who are seeking a cruise experience on a budget. Since our main purpose of the trip was to celebrate our wedding anniversary and go on a weekend trip to avoid extra leave days from work, we chose the 4-nights option.

3. WHERE TO GET THE BEST DEALS FOR CRUISE TO NOWHERE

I am not a cruise expert but while planning, the official site of Royal Caribbean was the best site for finding the best deals. They are currently running amazing promotions where kids sail free, 50% discount over regular rates to name a few. During our booking, we availed Chinese New Year sale promotions which was fabulous. Being flexible with dates will also help in saving a lot of money. So, to get the best deals, I will highly recommend to book from their official site.

4. ACCOMODATION OPTIONS IN ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE

There are 4 types of Staterooms (rooms in Cruise) one can choose during sailing.

• Interior Room ($$) – Big & comfortable rooms for family with wide array of amenities with no external view.
• Ocean View Room ($$) – An upgrade to Interior room with ocean view window.
• Balcony Room ($$$) – As the name suggests, you get amazing views of the ocean from the comforts of your room’s balcony.
• Suites Room ($$$$) – If you are in the mood to splurge, then suites is the ideal option for celebrating an occasion! There are two kinds of Suite available on board. Junior Suite (267 sq. ft. room with 81 sq. ft. balcony) and Grand Suite (543 sq. ft. room with 259 sq. ft. balcony). The Grand Suite is the most expensive splurge with a mezzanine level, a king sized bed, two bathrooms, a spacious living and dining area and a huge balcony. Some of the rooms even come with a private jacuzzi.

Depending on your budget and number of members traveling together, you have to decide on the staterooms. If your sole purpose is to experience cruise life on a budget, the interior room is your best option. While those who wish to splurge, balcony or suite rooms are ideal. Since this was my first “cruise vacation” celebrating our wedding anniversary, I was looking for a junior suite. Unfortunately, suite rooms were completely sold out for our preferred dates. So we settled for balcony room and to my surprise it was big & perfect for a couple! I am extremely happy with the balcony room as I got to enjoy the lullaby of endless waves crashing!

Cruise Tip: If you have missed booking the room of your choice due to unavailability, fret not, as you will get another chance to try your luck. Just a week before sailing, Royal Caribbean will email you with the option of bidding. Provide your best bid and you can end up securing one of your dream rooms at a much cheaper price!

5. ROOMS WITH BEST VIEWS FOR CRUISING

Once you decide on the kind of staterooms, you will need to decide the location of the stateroom . There are 3 options; Aft (back of the ship), mid-ship (center of the ship) & forward (front of the ship)! Next, you will need to decide on the floor of the deck! If you are prone to seasickness and want to be at the center of all attractions, mid-ship will be your preferred choice. Usually lower decks close to the dining places tend to be more expensive while upper decks are cheaper in general. If you opt for balcony rooms , any deck from 10th & above in mid-ship will be best for views of the ocean While 13th deck may seem close to most attractions of the cruise, it can also get busy and noisy!

Another great tip to decide your stateroom is looking at the options of rooms given on the cruise planner. If you look carefully, certain staterooms with specific symbol can accommodate more number of people. For example, a triangle can accommodate 3 people even though you are paying for 2 guests. This will ensure you are securing a bigger room. Make sure to avoid selecting the rooms which has obstructed views from the balcony if you are keen on that aspect. Finally the lower the numerical value against the stateroom, the better the room size will be. For instance, 1D option will be better than 2D in terms of size.

While booking for balcony rooms, you can either select your own room or let the system automatically select best available rooms. If you are totally unsure of your choices, then latter may seem the best fit! Since I had done my research and was keen on certain aspect of the room, I chose the room of my choice looking at the cruise map of the room as mentioned above.

Cruise Tip: Since the cruise will be sailing North of Singapore in the first few days, select your balcony room facing west i.e. left of the cruise. This will ensure amazing views of the ocean from the balcony while avoiding the harsh sun during the daytime. In addition, you will get to experience amazing sunset views as well as breakfast views from the comforts of your balcony.

PRE-BOARDING TIPS FOR CRUISE TO NOWHERE

Since this was my first cruise experience, I was completely unaware of the things to expect inside the cruise. But since this was an all-inclusive cruise vacation, we did not have to worry about detailed planning. However, few of the things mentioned below will come very handy for a hassle-free experience during your cruising.

1. COVID-19/PCR TESTING

As travel is slowly restarting, PCR tests is the new norm. On Royal Caribbean “Cruise to Nowhere”, the cost of swab tests for PCR is included in the cruise package. One will need to test negative to be eligible for boarding.

Once you have booked the cruise, approximately 10 days before sailing, you will receive email with instructions for scheduling PCR test. The swab tests are done at Raffles Convention Center at Raffles City Shopping Center. You will need to create an account on TrustOne web or download the TrustOne App where you can view the test results within 24 hours of testing. Generally the PCR test opens 3 days before sailing date. We took our tests 2 days before sailing and received the negative test result the next day.

The PCR test can be a bit uncomfortable but definitely bearable and quick. The entire process takes less than a minute. Staying calm and relaxed will ease the process. Previously, they did another test after disembarking. However, this has been discontinued.

2. THE APPS YOU WILL NEED FOR CRUISING

For pre-boarding and planning, these are the 3 apps that you will need:

• TustOne App – As mentioned before, you will need this app to schedule and view the PCR test result.
• TraceTogether – You can either carry your TraceTogether token or if you are like me, you can use this app for contact tracing. Every guest on board also receives a “Tracelet” (bracelet for tracing) which you are to wear at all times.
• Royal Caribbean App – The most used app before and during the cruise. With negative PCR-test result, one has to answer the health questionnaire before checking-in. This app has everything you need from checking-in to the day wise activity schedule as well as for monitoring any in-cruise expenditure. Once you link your booking, you will be able to start the check-in process and also select the boarding time.

Cruise Tip: Boarding time opens at 2 pm until 7pm at an interval of 30 mins to ensure safe distancing. Bear in mind, the sooner you get on board, the earlier you can connect to the ship’s wifi which will allow you to book the entertainment and dining options which tend to get filled up quickly. You can also start enjoying the cruise amenities immediately after boarding.

3. PLAN YOUR CRUISE EVENTS BEFORE SAILING

Royal Caribbean app will be the most useful app during your cruise for booking entertainments, shows, dining and other activities. However once you have logged onto the app with your given confirmation dates, the events don’t show up until the very day of the sailing. If you are a planner like me, this may frustrate you.

To overcome this issue, all you need to do is change the date of sailing closer to your sailing time. Keep in mind to select the dates that correspond to the same nights of cruise for better planning. For instance, if you are sailing on 1st- 5th April, then under your account, “select a different sailing” as shown in the photo. On next page select “Get more details on ships we support” and select “Quantum of the Seas” under Supported Ships. Among the several dates shown, select the one matching most close to your itinerary. I opted for the 25-29th March (4-nights cruise) to have a detailed views of the events, categorized by days and time with full details.

This tip will come in very handy if you want to plan or know things in advance. Trust me, you will save plenty of time on board if you have this valuable information before hand. This will help you to know the exact timing of the shows that you may want to book and plan your trip better.

Cruise Tip: You can book all the shows staged on the venues of Royal Theatre, Two70 and Music Hall only after boarding. The shows are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Therefore, the earlier you book your check in, the higher the chances of your getting the preferred time slots.

4. NO NEED FOR BEVERAGE AND DINING PACKAGES

Royal Caribbean cruise package involves complimentary dining for over 11 different restaurants on board. Barring a couple, the food is delicious and good in most restaurants that one can save money on food & drinks package. If you are keen to trying some of the speciality restaurants, that I highly recommend, paying separately will be the best option.

On boarding, you will receive 2 bottles of drinking water. For the remaining days, it’s best to carry your own water bottles and fill them during your meals at restaurants. Alternatively Café Promenade and Sorrentos serve water upon request. Alcohol is not complimentary in the package. Although one can opt for drinks package to have alcohol any time of the day, I did not see the need. The alcohol pricing and quality is similar to that of USA. So for every meal you can have a very good wine at ~10$ while the package is ~65$ per person/day.

Cruise Tip: During room service, which is complimentary, request glasses of water for free. Avoid bottled water as it will cost you additional money. Also, they stop serving alcohol after 10:30 pm on board just like in Singapore. It’s best to carry your own alcohol and every person can carry two bottles of alcohol which you can consume in room even after 10:30pm. If you carrying your own alcohol (highly recommended), carry them in your hand luggage as you will not be allowed to carry them in check-in luggage.

5. PREBOOK WIFI ON CRUISE PLANNER BEFORE DEPARTURE

If you wish to enjoy your favorite Netflix shows or stream music nonstop or share your live stories with the world, you will require good internet. While the cruise has public wifi, the speed is really slow for seamless streaming. It is best to purchase the wifi on the cruise planner few days before the departure. Few weeks before sailing, you will receive email promotions about VOOM Surf+ Stream packages. You can avail 10-20% discount on packages that range from 1 to 4 devices. We booked the package for 2 devices, one for each.

Cruise Tip: The cut-off time for online booking on cruise planner for internet, dining, beverages packages is 3-days before the sailing. Once you miss this time frame, you cannot avail the discounts. Also if you wish to save money on internet packages, you can book just for 1 device and click the “forget wifi network” and toggle between your devices under the same internet package.

THINGS TO DO ON QUANTUM OF THE SEAS

The number of activities and events that are available on this cruise is truly incredible. There are activities for all kind of travelers, be it adventure seekers or leisure travelers. The scale and extravaganza of everything will leave you in awe if you are cruising for the first time making you wonder how is it possible to have all these activities inside a huge moving vessel. You can choose to jam-pack your days with tons of activities or take it slow and easy. I have mentioned some of the activities that are worth trying and experiencing for an unforgettable experience.

1. THE NORTH STAR

For the most incredible views on the cruise, get on the North Star! Seeing the cruise and ocean 300 feet high above the sea level simply feels amazing.

This ride takes about 7 mins and you can have 360 views of the incredible expanse. Each ride takes in six people at a time, with allocated standing spots one metre apart. Book the ride through the app as soon as you embark using the Royal Caribbean App.

Cost: US$20 per person Tip: After the ride, while getting off the stairs, the views are amazing for clicking some photos.

2. ROCK CLIMBING

For all those who want an adrenaline rush, rock climbing on a cruise may seem exciting. Although avid climbers may find it underwhelming, it is a very different experience to climb on top with the views of ocean all around. A fun and safe experience to give it a try if you have never tried rock climbing before, especially for kids over 6 years.

3. THE SOLARIUM

There are 3 pools on the cruise but Solarium is the adults-only indoor pool (16+ years only)! With floors to ceilings glass windows, Solarium is located at the front of Royal Caribbean on the top deck. This place is perfect for couples and friends who want uninterrupted time soaking in the jacuzzis while gazing at the stunning ocean views.

The rules for these indoor pools are strict and you may have to wait in queue to get inside the pool due to safe distancing measures. There is also a bar and two jacuzzis at the front for magnificent views of the ocean. If you just want to chill, there are plenty deck chairs to lounge with drinks and views. Don’t forget to collect your pool towels before entering the Solarium!

Cost: Free Tip: Best time to soak in for views is around sunset. We saw some of the best sunsets from the Solarium. There are doors at the extreme end of the Solarium where you can go out to get a side view of the cruise and enjoy the evening breeze with a glass of wine.

4. DODGEM CARS

For all the thrill seekers out there, you can enjoy the fun of bumper cars on the cruise. It’s fun for both kids and adults to drive and bump into each other.

This is inside the SeaPlex, an indoor entertainment center on the 15th floor. It hosts many activities like dance class, crossbar challenge, basketball, foosball, table tennis and an arcade.

Cost: Free Tip: Since there are limited spaces, it is best to book the activities at the opening time at 9AM.

5. WATCH EVERY SUNSETS & SUNRISES

Never before this cruise, I had known how blissful it is to watch the sunrises and sunsets onboard the cruise. If your room is facing the East, don’t miss the sunrises! While we watched few sunsets from our west-facing room, our favorite was to watch rising or setting sun from the top deck or from the Solarium. The 360 degree uninhibited views of the ocean will ensure you will enjoy the surreal moments without fail.

Cost: Free Tip: If you are lucky enough, you may even spot few dolphins!

6. RIPCORD BY iFLY

If you have always fancied to sky-dive but never mustered the courage yet, this is your chance! Ripcord by iFLY helps you to experience the indoor version of sky-diving providing all the thrill and excitement of free-falling.

Since I have already ski-dived before, I passed on this activity. But, definitely one of the coolest experiences on board that you may want to try out (kids over 3 can also experience this).

Cost: US$40 (Free for suite guests)

7. BOOGIE BOARDING / SURFING

Another amazing experience to try is surfing on the 12-meter simulator of waves! If you have always wished to surf but never had the opportunity, this FlowRider surf simulator is ideal activity. With 100,000 liters of gushing water, surf like a pro or balance to stay upright on the board! This activity is sure to pump-up all the adrenaline junkies.

This activity is open for 7 hours from 9:30AM-5PM and entrance is subject to capacity. The first and last half an hour is set aside for advanced surfers. I couldn’t get a chance to surf as the queue for this activity was long as it is a popular activity.

Cost: Free for group sessions, US$69 and above for private sessions. Tip: To secure a free spot, queue for this activity before they open in the morning.

8. LIVE PERFORMANCES / SHOWS

The array of entertainment shows and live performances in this cruise is simply spectacular. The theatrical performances will make you wonder if you are watching on land or on a cruise. Been deprived of live performances for more than a year, watching every show on the cruise was a special delight. With cutting-edge high-tech acoustics and revolving, multi-functional stage shows, you will feel like watching shows in Las Vegas! Definitely book the shows first thing on board through the app and recommend watching them all.

Cost: Free Tip: Since seating is on first-come bases, arrive 15-20 mins before show to secure best seats!

The BeatleManiacs

If you are a fan of Beatles then this event is for you. Although I am not a big fan of Beatles, I loved watching this first live performance after more than a year. Some of the classics will make you swoon and singalong.

Sequins & Feathers

With extravagant costumes, sets and choreography, these performers will take your breath away. This particular performance made me feel I was watching one of the Las Vegas shows live on the cruise. Everything was so dazzling and amazing that you will be thoroughly entertained.

Starwater Show

This was my second favorite live performances because of the amazing songs and spectacular performances. The talented artists and every-changing stage will keep you enthralled throughout. A spell-binding visual treat, “Starwater explores the nature of human emotion through a fusion of live performance artistry and groundbreaking technology”. Definitely a must watch performance!

Gold Art Duo

The winner of Ukraine & America’s Got Talent, this duo will make you believe in the impossible. With body as flexible as a ribbon, they flawlessly creates a spellbinding performance of magic, comedy, aerial and complicated acrobatic. If you have time for watching only one performance, then this is your MUST-WATCH!

9. MUSIC & DANCE

Apart from the above four live performances, the Royal Caribbean’s Cruise to Nowhere has several other musicals and dance shows that will keep your days busy and making the late nights excited. Honestly there were far too many options than that we could attend. One of the musical shows that we enjoyed a lot is Piano Bar Entertainment by Paul O’Shea late nights at Schooner Bar. Another one was Live Jazz with Orchestra at Boleros. The relaxing atmosphere with good music was perfect to wind down the busy eventful days.

10. RUNNING TRACK ON TOP DECK

Although there is a fully functional gym on cruise, the joy of running on the jogging track of Quantum of Seas is unparalleled. If you are a fitness freak, you will absolutely love running on the amazing track on deck 15 either during sunrise or later in the evening.

The cold breeze sweeping you while running and the views of the vast endless ocean all around makes running a lot more fun. It’s also a perfect way to keep a check on the unlimited calories from all the gourmet food on cruise.

As soon as you’re out in international water, you can hit the casino. This is a pretty decent sized casino and entrance is based on the capacity. With cards being shuffled, stacked chips and poker machines paying out, this casino has all the feels of Las Vegas. There’s everything from the slots to blackjack, roulette to poker, all at a manageable minimum bet.

12. SHOPPING & SPA

Finally if you are in the mood to get pampered, then visit the onboard Vitality Spa. One of the largest spas at sea, you can avail medispa services to a full-service spa and beauty salon. I pampered myself with a manicure & pedicure and thoroughly enjoyed the experience overlooking the ocean views.

Also for all the shopaholics, Cruise to Nowhere has an array of international brands that will provide amazing retail therapy. Brands like Tiffany, BVLGARI, Coach, Michael Kors, Salvatore Ferragamo etc have retail stores as well as events that keep the shoppers engaged.

FOOD & DRINK OPTIONS ON QUANTUM OF THE SEAS

Complimentary dining.

Royal Caribbean’s Cruise to Nowhere is an all inclusive package with a wide array of food options. The complimentary food options are plenty with variety of cuisines like Indian, Italian, Asian, Chinese, Mexican, Japanese. There are many food options available for vegetarians as well as gluten-free.

We opted to have our most meals in Main Dining Room & My Time Dining Room . These served continental breakfast, and changing menu for lunch and dinner with amazing views of the ocean. Sorrento’s Pizza was perfect place for quick bites pizza while Solarium Bistro was ideal for munching some snacks in the late afternoon. You can reserve most of these places on the Royal Caribbean app or walk-in to get your seat.

Windjammer is an all-you-can-eat buffet hall with a wide array of cuisines. It’s open during every meal times (breakfast, lunch and dinner). This particular restaurant was a hit-or-miss one for the food options for me but all the desserts that I tried was simply fabulous.

One thing you shouldn’t miss while cruising is having the complimentary Room Service . We opted to have Breakfast from our balcony overlooking the ocean and it was such a treat. If your room is facing the West, it’s best to have breakfast in the balcony as the harsh rays of the sun wont disturb you.

SPECIALITY DINING

Apart from all the complimentary restaurants, the cruise offers many speciality dining options. We treated ourselves with lunch at Jamie’s Italian and it was just amazing. The gourmet Italian lunch experience with wine was worth the extra splurge of US$30 per person, where we got to choose one dish from every category! It was so much food that we stuffed ourselves & spend the afternoon napping after the sumptuous meal.

Since we love sushi, we had our last dinner at Izumi Sushi and it was the perfect end to the cruising vacation. The wonderful maki rolls & sashimi paired with sake was a wonderful change to our palette. The food was amazing and the service was top notch to make this whole dining experience wonderful.

Although we had heard great reviews about Wonderland , we were not able to secure any reservation to this restaurant. With limited capacity and open only for dinner, this restaurant is hard to book onboard. If you are keen to dine in this creative themed restaurant, I would strongly advise to call (+65 6305 0033) and make reservation the moment you have booked your cruise.

There are many bars and lounges on the cruise that are ideal to get your favorite cocktails and drinks. Almost every main decks have bars with good options for drinks. I loved the  Sky Bar  by the pool and  Sunshine  in the adults only Solarium. If you are up for something fancy, don’t miss out the chance to get your drinks made by the robots at Bionic Bar . It’s just a wonderful experience to watch the robotic arms work in perfect synchronization and mixing the ingredients to get you the perfect cocktail!

FINAL DAY OF CRUISE TO NOWHERE

The day before disembarkation, each room will receive a luggage tag with a number on it! Based on the number on the tag, each room will have an allotted time for disembarkation. On the final day, the cruise arrives at the port at 6:30am and disembarkation begins as early as 7am until 10am to ensure safe distancing measures. Our luggage tag was 33 and hence we stayed on the ship till 9:30am.

Since we had a late departure, we were able to enjoy the breakfast at the cruise along with some time photographing the Singapore skyline from the top deck. There’s no fixed pattern how the numbers were allocated but we were glad to receive a late slot and enjoy some more time on the cruise.

Few weeks ago, after disembarking, every guests had to undergo an antigen testing. However, this test is no longer needed as more and more residents of Singapore are getting vaccinated.

IS A CRUISE TO NOWHERE WORTH IT?

Hell YEAH!! ABSOLUTELY YES!!

Let’s be real… after 14 months of being stuck in Singapore, this was the closest semblance to vacation that I could have. Sailing far away from the lands and seeing the vast ocean with sounds of waves crashing against the ship helped me disconnect from the real world and feel completely relaxed.

Not once throughout the cruise I was worried about the pandemic as Singapore government and cruise management have demonstrated exemplary measures to ensure safety and public health. We had to do gazillion times temperature screenings and contact tracing but it was worth every bit for this wonderful holiday. The stress free enjoyment and relaxation that was possible on this “Cruise to Nowhere” was beyond words. The joy of watching live performances, movies on board, listening to musicals and get to eat amazing food and unwind at pools were far worth the fact of not having a destination.

Although I have never been on a cruise before, this sailing gave me the best experience of a cruising life minus the hop-off-destinations. I am glad I was introduced to cruise life in this manner as I got to explore and experience everything that was offered on board and I truly loved it. This was definitely once in a lifetime experience and Royal Caribbean’s Cruise to Nowhere is the only vacation we can have before the international borders open!

Planning to go on a cruise to nowhere? Comment any questions you have below & I will be happy to clarify!

I hope this detailed guide to Cruise to Nowhere in Singapore has inspired you!

For further reading on other Singapore inspirations, discover : 🏨 The Hotel with the Best View in Singapore – The Ritz Carlton Millenia 🌳 Best Photo Spots in Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

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26 comments.

I can see it. I love the days at sea, although really for me, I love the ports too. Great review, gives a real feel for what it is like.

So true! I love ports and those charming towns as well. Miss traveling to such places so much.

I have never done a cruise before, but now I feel like I have after this great post. I honestly never heard of a “cruise to nowhere,” but I can see how this was almost therapeutic, given the current situation in the world.

Thanks so much Shelley! I had never ever imagined before I would end up going for such a “vacation” but so glad this happened as this is the only “travel feel” we can avail given the current situations.

I’ll be honest in that I am not a cruise person at all. However, I would love the North Star view and the Many gorgeous sunrises and sunsets from the deck. The concept of a cruise to nowhere is interesting and certainly makes sense during these pandemic times.

I feel you Ildiko.. I was just like you too but past one year with no traveling, I had only this as an option & thoroughly enjoyed this little getaway.

Wow! I am impressed with this cruise. I honestly have never had a desire to go on a cruise, nor have I been on one, but after reading this article, you definitely have me wanting to book a Royal Caribbean cruise! That is so awesome they have the indoor skydiving and the pools look so beautiful. Great guide Sunetra! 🙂

Thank you so much Taylor. This cruise has changed my mindset and given the scenario, it was the best vacation I had in last 14 months!😅 Can’t wait to travel again once Singapore opens its borders.

I really enjoyed following your cruise adventure on Instagram and this is so nice to have everything break down in one post! Thank you Su! I would definitely like to do one one day *w*

Aww Thank you so much Marina and I hope this guide will help more people from Singapore to enjoy the only “vacation” we can have.

A cruise to nowhere sounds like such a bonkers idea! Like you, I’ve never really felt compelled to experience a cruise. However, the cruise to nowhere looks like such a relaxing escape! What a great way to relax and recharge while still feeling like you’re getting a vacation. The ship looks incredible! Maybe I’ll be tempted to try a cruise after all! Thanks for the great guide!

That’s so true Hannah!! Being traveled starved for more than a year, this escape was therapeutic and truly enjoyable!

This is such a fun concept! It’s a great idea to go on a cruise for a few days even though the international borders are not open!

Good to see that cruises ate happening, even if they are just at sea.

I’ve never actually been on a cruise before. Maybe a cruise to nowhere is a good way to experience the atmosphere on the boat and stop me from being worried that I’d get bored or feel claustrophobic on one. It looks amazing!

So true. This was the best way I could ever experience a cruise life 🙂

I didn’t even know this existed, how neat!!

What a cool experience! The views from the North Star look spectacular. Singapore is definitely on my travel list, post pandemic and I would love to do this! Thank you for the recommendations!

Your photos are always SO SO beautiful – and this looks utterly amazing, I never knew there was so much to do onboard a cruise ship!

Thank you so much Shafinah! Even I was pleasantly surprised and hence loved the experience so much.

This sounds like so much fun! I’ve only been on a cruise once and it was so much fun. I do like this ‘cruising nowhere’ I’ll definitely check it out.

This was my first and I enjoyed it so much! I’m also very glad there was no “destination” involved and hence could enjoy the cruise amenities and entertainment so well.

Great that you were able to go here during these times! Thanks for sharing your experience!

It’s my pleasure. I am indeed glad this opportunity came by for the residents of Singapore as the international borders continue to be closed for leisure travel.

Sounds like so much fun! I still haven’t cruised yet!

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Cruises to Nowhere

What is "Cruise To Nowhere" and does it mean that a cruise ship is going nowhere? We give you the ultimate list of all cruise ships sailing the always very special "cruises to Nowhere" with departures from ports in the USA, Australia / New Zealand, Europe / England UK, Asia, South America. This review is integrated with Party Cruises .

Here you will find information on Cruise To Nowhere deals as itineraries/departure dates, prices, and ports. Itineraries are always roundtrips, without any call ports on the route. This internal link goes directly to the cruise schedule - if you wanna skip the intro info.

"Cruise to Nowhere" - what is, where to find it, why Nowhere cruise deals

What is a Cruise to Nowhere? Well, strangely enough, by definition, it's a unique itinerary on which a cruise ship is going to absolutely Nowhere! However, it will definitely not stay in the port all the time, instead, it will sail without any destination to a specific point at sea to allow its passengers to experience a very short but most romantic, exciting, and not always cheap cruise vacation on a floating resort at sea.

What are Cruises to Nowhere (the definition)? As a concise overview - it's an always round-trip special cruise itinerary with no other call ports than your disembarkation port, which happens to be the same as your embarkation port (the cruise ship port of departure).

Why take a Cruise to Nowhere? Three very big reasons - and the first one is that it is very short as duration (its cruise length is 1 or 2 night, rarely 3- or 4-night), so by this variable is more like mini cruise deals (but not all of them are round-trips, and they usually visit other ports). Being a short cruise is an important issue, considering your business schedule, right? The second one is it's from the category of very cheap cruise deals - the no-call-ports itinerary and the duration are major determinants of cruise prices - port charges, fuel consumption, etc. The third one is it's one of the very special types of cruises - rare to be found (as a number of sailings per year), offered by a very limited number of passenger ships (excluding trips by smaller boats and floating hotel-casino ship deals), extremely popular, departures only from the world's biggest cruise ports of the world's most developed countries - like USA, UK, Australia.

What is a Cruise to Nowhere as length and prices?

And finally, about the real deals - what is from where, when, and for how much. As to the cost of cruises to Nowhere, the prices are always per person (based on double occupancy), we will give you only the cheapest cruise rates in US dollars on the lowest cabin category by ship (it's usually an Inside stateroom), all prices are indicative and may change due to availability. So, compare sailing dates and prices, pick your port of departure, book it! Be aware, that availability is a strong issue on this one - early booking is a must! It really goes to Nowhere, but it is a so so so special deal - and we all like "special" very much!

It's usually 1- or 2 nights (2-3-day cruise deals), but some lines (like P&O, for example) offer longer itineraries of 3-4-nights, on which you'll have a themed program pre-scheduled for your voyage (more often "Food & Wine", but also "Lifestyle", "Comedy", "Art", etc).

As to the price, one thing is absolutely sure - it's a cheap deal. Nowhere cruises are always cheaper than all other trips with itineraries including stops in ports of call. One of the main reasons for that is the sort length. The price really depends online and ship, but also on the time of booking (availability), cabin grades, departure port, and mostly on how much are you willing to spend while on board. What does the last statement mean? Well, your ship will have - absolutely for sure - a big Casino, a specialty (reservations only) fancy restaurant, lots of bars and lounges to buy expensive drinks and whatnot, and of course - a whole district of pretty lined-up duty-free shopping boutiques, where, as far the money spending is concerned, only the sky is the limit! As to all the rest on-board activities and amenities - they are all included in your rates (remember, all rates are based on double occupancy). But as a general rule, cruise prices on cruises to Nowhere rarely exceed the amount of US $200 per night per person. And this is a great deal, considering the type of your short cruise ship vacation and all that's included (plus the cabin, open-seating dining in the Main Dining Rooms, 24-hour room service, etc, etc).

What do you do on Cruises to Nowhere?

Remember these six words - "you spend money to have fun"! It could be your special romantic short cruise break or a weekend getaway dinner cruise to dining with your beloved one in a classy restaurant at sea, it could be your "gambling night" at sea, it could be your best "party cruise deal" ever to spend some quality fun time with your friends or colleges, or it could be simply your "me and the sea" special time to relax and enjoy the vastness of the ocean and the beauty of the modern cruise ship man-made miracle.

The long list of onboard activities includes also the trivia of games and contests, both fine and casual dining options (themed buffets), big and top-fun pools and pool contests (including kids-only pools), sports contests, fine art auctions, music and dancing experiences, huge-theatre excitement with nightly grand-style live show productions, movies, revues, comedians and magicians, Casino gambling tournaments and gambling lessons, ship tours (bridge, galley, etc), dance lessons, educational lectures, shopping sales promotions with special offers, and absolutely not the last are the fitness (and Yoga) classes and the Spa treatments in a huge wellness center on board.

Who goes on Nowhere cruises and what the ships look like?

This type of cruise is perfect for first-time cruise travelers to sample the "life on board" - to get a sense of what a cruise and a cruise ship is like avoiding the big-money spending on a long and expensive trip. It's the perfect opportunity to sample new cruise ships (no matter new-built or newly refit/refurbished).

As to the "Nowhere ships" - they all are BIG. All cruise ships for Cruises to Nowhere are from very big to hugely-big - their owners and crew know best how to gather huge crowds and are absolutely the best in keeping these crowds happy. Still, most of the departures are from New York City - with its unlimited capacity to keep the ships full of passengers. Prior to 2017, the major player in the NYC market was NCL - with 2 new ships (launched in 2013 and 2014).

Why cruise ship lines offer Nowhere deals?

The very itinerary explains it all - on its short cruise break itinerary, the cruise ship will leave its port to sails on an ocean (or on a river, by smaller ships and river cruise boats), then will return to the same port. And all this for what reason.

I mentioned earlier something about a special "point at sea". This location allows the boat to open its duty-free stores and casinos for passengers to spend their time and mostly their money enjoying all there is to be enjoyed on a very big ship without being obstructed by the "law of the land" or distracted by ports of call.

At the same time, your ship will sail calmly on a looping course to take you back to your embarkation port, offering you the chance to have an unforgettable night (or two or three or four) of the best fun and special memories from a special vacation.

Cruises to Nowhere 2021-2022 schedule

Most of these special roundtrip itineraries are offered as departures from some of the world's largest cruise ports. Just follow the ship links from the table to see regularly updated indicative prices per person (with double occupancy) to compare. These CruiseMapper links will show you the boat's individual "itinerary-schedule-current position" page, also listing the cheapest rates on the lowest cabin category currently available for booking.

Note: Due to COVID -related international travel restrictions, in 2021 several major companies started their passenger shipping operations with "nowhere cruises" available for booking by the country's residents only. Those included AIDA Cruises ( AIDAsol and AIDAprima from Kiel Germany ), Princess Cruises ( Regal Princess and Sky Princess , from Southampton ), DCL-Disney Cruise Line ( Disney Magic from Southampton, London-Tilbury , Liverpool , Newcastle ), RCI-Royal Caribbean International ( Quantum of the Seas from Singapore , Spectrum of the Seas from Hong Kong China ).

Cruise to Nowhere USA

Cruises to Nowhere from US ports by major cruise companies and on larger ships will not be offered anytime soon. The news became fact in 2016 when the few passenger shipping companies offering such deals canceled all scheduled voyages which itineraries didn't include a foreign port of call. This new policy was implemented after a change made in the enforcement of the US embarkation law.

Under an act passed over 100 years ago, foreign-flagged vessels are not allowed to operate voyages leaving roundtrip from US ports without at least one port call in a foreign country. In a June 2015 statement, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency announced the reasons for the changes. D-1 visa holders (crew visas) were not eligible for working on "Cruises to Nowhere" as they are eligible to serve as crewmembers only if they intend to land in a US port (temporarily) and to depart from a US port with the cruise vessel. Although nowhere cruises do enter international waters, CBP maintains that crewmembers don't actually depart from the USA because "they don't land in a foreign port or territory".

Among the canceled sailings were Carnival's 2-night cruises from Norfolk Virginia (2016, on Carnival Sunshine ) and NCL's 2-night cruises from NYC New York (2017, on Norwegian Breakaway ). Still, the change applies only to foreign-flagged cruise ships, most of which have as flag states countries like Bahamas, Panama, Bermuda. By the new regulations, the only way for "Cruises to Nowhere" to be permitted is for the companies to employ an all-American crew for the vessel. Otherwise, each itinerary (long or short) must include at least 1 foreign port of call before the ship returns to the USA with the crew who are not American citizens. Currently, the only large-sized ocean cruise ship with an entirely American crew is NCL's Pride of America .

Cruise to Nowhere NYC

Operated as special voyages until 2017, the 1-2 night cruise to Nowhere NYC deals were inclusive of shipboard dining, entertainment, numerous activities, and modern amenities. The "nowhere" ships made their special itinerary out of New York City calling on no other ports. Ships simply sailed far enough from the US shore to start providing duty-free shopping and gambling for their party-loving passengers.

Package deals included pre- and post-cruise hotel stays and airport-ship transportation. These deals were perfect for first-timers to sample the onboard fun, including dining, Spa, Casino, staterooms, lounges and bars, activities, amenities, etc. Most NYC Nowhere cruises were by NCL's Norwegian Gem ship - offered when the liner adjusted its Bermuda schedule for the summer. Then joined Norwegian Breakaway, and just before closing the market - the Royal Caribbean "WOW ship" Quantum of the Seas (leaving from Bayonne NJ). Quantum's prices were comparatively high ($300 pp per day), but the ship is truly unique and new (launched 2014).

China Cruises to Nowhere

On May 8, 2019, China's Ministry of Transport officially approved nowhere cruises leaving roundtrip from homeports Sanya and Haikou (Haidian Island) . The deal allows China-based liners to operate on itineraries not visiting a foreign port.

However, the Ministry imposed as requirements that the cruise company must include a Chinese investor (with majority stake), the vessel to be not older than 30 years, and onboard gambling is forbidden. China-flagged ships are treated on an exclusive basis. Passengers' boarding documents and customs clearance on these voyages are simplified - only national identification cards (or entry/exit documents) are required, and travel agents can submit group customers' documents.

Singapore Cruises to Nowhere

In early-October 2020, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) began to develop new health and safety protocols that are expected to allow cruises to nowhere leaving roundtrip from Singapore.

The new proposal came after Singapore Airlines announced in September that they would offer 3-hour "flights to nowhere" (sightseeing roundtrips) from Singapore's Changi Airport. However, Singapore Airlines later canceled the program due to active criticism from local environmental campaigners.

STB hired DNV-GL (Hovic Norway-based risk management company and accredited registrar and classification society) to create a compliance and certification scheme ("benchmarked against global health, safety and hygiene standards") to help shipping companies who want to restart voyages out of Port Singapore as the country was still in lockdown due to the pandemic/Coronavirus crisis.

STB's Regional Director of the Americas (Rachel Loh) advised that cruise shipping companies would need to pass an audit for certification to return to cruising. His report added that ships would only be allowed to accommodate ~50% of their max passenger capacity for the first 3 months of operation.

There is no official date for when "Singapore cruises to nowhere" will commence but all operators homeporting in Singapore were eager to restart operations after voluntarily ceasing voyages since March 2020.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE SINGAPORE: CRUISE TO NOWHERE

Cruise to Nowhere, started November 2020 and have been approved to offer cruises from Singapore designed to restrain cross-boundary covid 19 transmissions. Go on an intriguing and extravagant cruise to nowhere and set forth ready for the honor-winning and widely-praised cruise ship boat of Royal Caribbean Cruise. Experience deck-defying experiences like simulated skydiving and surf sessions, game-changing onboard amusements that dazzle, culinary experiences that are both wow-worthy and crave-worthy, and limitless opportunities for the entire family to make the most of every minute aboard.

Savor far-flung flavors from far-flung destinations including Chops Grille’s American steakhouse classics, Izumi Japanese Cuisine’s freshly hand-rolled sushi, and Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver’s Tuscan favorites. Then, at Bionic Bar, conclude your dinner – or start your night – with some robot-crafted concoctions from the future.

Note:  Please verify the cruising itinerary for the cruise terminal. See below for detailed information on check-in, baggage drop-off, driving directions and parking at this terminal. 

Here’s a detailed information on where to board Royal Caribbean cruise in Singapore:

Royal Caribbean Directions to the Singapore Cruise Terminal:

Coming from aye (towards changi airport).

• Take Exit 2 on MCE/Central Boulevard
• Keep right towards Marina Boulevard
• Turn right at Marina Boulevard to Marina Coastal Drive
• The destination is on your left after Marina South Pier

Coming from MCE (from Changi Airport)

• Take Exit 3 on MCE/Marina Coastal Drive
• Turn LEFT onto Marina Coastal Drive
• Destination is on your LEFT after Marina South Pier

Public Transport

• Board the train along the East-West Line towards Pasir Ris or towards Downtown Station if coming from the Downtown Line
• Alight at Tanjong Pagar Station (Exit C) or Downtown Station (Exit C)
• Board bus 402 at the bus stop, near International Plaza (03223) or near Marina Bay Financial Centre (03391)
• Alight at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore
• Board train along the North-South Line towards Marina Bay Station
• Alight at Marina South Pier Station
• Walk 600 m alongside the sheltered linkway to Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore

For your comfort and convenience, we recommend that you arrive at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore for ship check-in formalities beginning at the boarding time stated in your cruise documents but no later than 2 hours prior to the scheduled sail time.

Baggage Drop Off

Porters will be available to receive baggage to be checked prior to check-in at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore.

Parking (DriveCruise – Enjoy a local convenience)

The DriveCruise service allows you to park your vehicle at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore carpark, at a discounted rate.

* All rates and prices are subject to change.

** Royal Caribbean is not responsible for theft or damage to vehicles.

WELLNESS CHECK & NEGATIVE TEST

Your well-being and safety are our utmost priority. Being said that, guests have always been asked some common questions about their health. Implementing wellness checks for all, ensuring healthy guests and crew before the ship sails.

A negative covid test is required as proof that you have tested negative. One being healthy, all will be in safety. Committed to fully testing crew and all its passengers.

GET MESMERIZED BY WHAT YOU SEE, IT IS THE SPLENDIDNESS AT THE SEA

Forget all of your worries, look at the fine sky and fresh breeze ahead. This moment is for you to indulge without anything holding you back. World-class dining, outstanding entertainment, and never-ending activities – with complete peace of mind, you will be able to enjoy all of these.

Are you ready for your ultimate ocean getaway? Check out our deals!

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In 2010, the company took a major step forward to break into the cruise business. Stamford Discovery Cruise Center(SDCC) was launched the same year, offering both regional and international cruises.

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Cruises to nowhere: Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas is 2nd ship to sail from S'pore

SINGAPORE - Royal Caribbean International's Quantum of the Seas on Thursday (Dec 3) became the second ship to start cruises to nowhere from Singapore, complete with stepped-up safety protocols to keep Covid-19 at bay.

It follows Genting Cruise Line's World Dream, which launched Singapore's first pandemic cruises to nowhere on Nov 6.

These round-trip cruises without ports of call are taking place under a pilot programme announced by the Singapore Tourism Board in October.

Royal Caribbean will have up to two sailings a week, departing on Mondays and Thursdays, with tickets starting at $374 per person for a three-night cruise.

The operator is offering three- and four-night Ocean Getaway cruises on the ship at a reduced 50 per cent capacity.

The first voyage, a four-night cruise carrying over 1,300 people, leaves on Thursday at 9pm. Its second, a three-night cruise leaving at 9pm on Monday, will carry over 1,700 passengers.

At full capacity during the pandemic, the Quantum of the Seas can serve up to 2,000 guests - half of its usual of over 4,000 passengers.

"We want to trial our product, and the demand is there, as we are already 99 per cent sold out for most of December," said Ms Angie Stephen, managing director for Asia Pacific at Royal Caribbean International.

"We'd like to start slow, and ramp up in a safe manner," Ms Stephen said, adding that tickets for January are already 50 per cent sold out.

She added that the demand has "exceeded expectations", and that the company will likely see a surge in bookings for the Chinese New Year period in February and the March school holidays.

Boarding began at 2pm on Thursday in staggered time periods. As part of strict health and safety measures in place, the process involved having passengers check in online in advance. Passengers were also required to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 test prior to arriving at the cruise centre, the costs of which were absorbed by Royal Caribbean International.

This procedure differs from that used on Genting's World Dream cruise, which involved passengers taking an antigen rapid test for Covid-19 at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre.

Those boarding the Royal Caribbean cruise had their boarding passes scanned and suitcases underwent a disinfection process called electrostatic fogging.

The ship is also kept spic and span. Apart from deep sanitation between sailings, the ship's corridors and public areas are disinfected daily, while frequently touched areas in lifts, escalators, stairways, and promenades are cleaned every two hours.

Passengers must abide by safe distancing measures on board at all the entertainment and dining venues, and capacity limits apply. They will be given a full run of the ship's many amenities, but bookings must be made in advance for key attractions such as the RipCord by iFly, a sky-diving experience in a glass chamber, and the FlowRider, a surf simulator.

Also available for reservations are the North Star, which offers a 15-minute spin in a glass capsule that rises almost 100m above the sea to provide a 360-degree view.

Mask wearing is mandatory on board, and passengers must have the Trace Together mobile application or token on their person at all times.

"With all of these protocols on board, our guests can cruise with confidence knowing that safety is the priority for Royal Caribbean and with all these measures in place, the likelihood of a case on board is expected to be very minimal," Ms Stephen said.

"We want our customers and our guests to enjoy their well deserved holiday, but also to be protected in a very safe and healthy environment."

If a Covid-19 positive case is detected during the cruise, the Quantum of the Seas has a hospital on board - complete with a PCR testing laboratory and intensive care units equipped with ventilators, where cases can be isolated and treated.

The cruise is manned by approximately 1,200 crew members who are tested for Covid-19 every seven days. This is 70 per cent of its usual crew capacity.

Meanwhile, the World Dream has up to three sailings a week, with two-night and three-night cruises to nowhere available.

The two companies are part of a "safe cruise" pilot that caters to Singapore residents at a reduced capacity. Together, passenger capacities on the Quantum of the Seas and the World Dream will represent only about 30 per cent of the usual winter cruising season, the Singapore Tourism Board said in November.

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Cruise to Nowhere Review on The Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas

Yes, this was the Royal Caribbean Cruise to Nowhere ship that had a suspected Covid-19 case on board.

You might have caught the news of the Cruise to Nowhere that returned early because of a suspected Covid-19 case. Yes, we were on that cruise .

Turns out, it was a false alarm. And despite having our mini-getaway cut from four to three days, there was still loads that went on before disembarking.

If you’re planning a vacation while the travel borders are still closed, here are our thoughts and experience on the Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas — Asia’s largest cruise ship!

Pre-boarding process for a Cruise to Nowhere

Taking a PCR test will be the new norm as travel is slowly reintroduced. On Royal Caribbean cruises, the cost of your swab test is included in your cruise package — you just have to test negative before boarding!

Once you’ve booked your cruise, you will receive instructions to schedule your PCR test via email. You’ll also be prompted to sign up for a few apps before heading down to Raffles Convention Centre to have your swab test taken.

We had ours taken two days before the cruise and received our results the next day.

The test was uncomfortable but honestly still bearable. I heard the experience varies a bit but my tester was really quick and gentle, so no tears on my end. If there’s any advice I can offer though, it’s to breathe slowly through the process so your body stays relaxed!

One of thee apps you’ll need is the Royal Caribbean app . This app has everything you need from checking-in to the activity schedule as well as for tracking your cruise expenditure.

Photo credit: Royal Caribbean

Choose your time slot: Pick from 30-minute intervals between 2–7PM. Checking in by designated time slots ensures that the check-in process is smooth and that the cruise centre isn’t crowded with people. For us, the entire process from health screening to immigration took no more than half an hour!

During check-in, you’ll also receive a Tracelet. We were told to wear it throughout the cruise for contact tracing. It’s not the most fashionable accessory, but well, safety is sexy 😉

Cruise to Nowhere Accommodation

We stayed in a balcony room with views of the endless sea (from S$359/pax for three nights ). Comes with a queen bed, long sofa, en-suite bathroom and a private balcony.

I loved starting my morning slow on the balcony watching the waves go by!

However, if you don’t see yourself spending much time in the room, the simple Interior Room is just as cosy, just without the views. Rates for the Interior Room start at S$279/pax for three nights .

Alternatively, pamper yourself with one of their suites ( from S$599/pax ).

Grand Loft Suite Stateroom

The Grand Loft Suite comes with a mezzanine level, a king-sized bed, two bathrooms, a spacious living and dining area and an equally spacious balcony 🤯 Some of the suites even come with a private jacuzzi!

Different suites come with different perks . For example, if you’re staying at the Grand Loft Suite (above), you get complimentary access to all specialty dining experiences as well as free-flow drinks* (alcoholic beverages included) all day, every day! You get a Royal Genie (a personal butler of sorts but better)!

*any drink US$12 and below

Things to Do on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas

For thrill seekers.

Ripcord by iFly

One of the coolest things on the Quantum of the Seas is the skydiving simulator! It’s slightly smaller than the one in Sentosa but still gives you the thrills of free-falling.

Cost: US$40/flight — complimentary for suite guests (Star Class)

The 12-metre simulator will definitely get your adrenaline pumping as you try to keep your balance.

It’s open from 9:30AM to 5PM, but the first and last half an hour is set aside for advanced surfers. So, if you already have prior surfing experiences, head there first thing in the morning to get first dibs!

*Pro-tip: Register when it opens before the crowd pours in, then try out the rock wall right next door while waiting for the advance session to end.

Cost: From US$69 for private sessions, free for group sessions

Rock climbing

Avid climbers might find the wall underwhelming, but I encourage you to still give it a try. The seemingly manageable routes get trickier as you make your way up with strong ocean winds howling at you.

*Pro-tip: Don’t rush up the wall, and check each handhold before pulling on it. Some of the grips loosen after a full day of climbers.

Dodgem Cars

Everybody loves bumper cars because you can drive recklessly — and without a license! It’s fun for both kids and adults to chase and bump into one another.

The bumper arena is located in the SeaPlex, a multi-purpose space that hosts other activities in the day. Here, you can have a friendly game of basketball with your mates or combat each other on the Xbox!

*Pro-tip: Spaces are easily booked out. Head to the SeaPlex when it opens (9AM) to book your activities for the day!

For An Uninterrupted Time

The North Star

For the best views on the cruise, get high up on the North Star! Check out the endless horizon and a top down view of the cruise resembling a giant playground.

It’s a seven-minute ride up to heaven — rising 300 feet above, being on the North Star was a nice break from the busyness below. Each ride takes in six people at a time, with allocated standing points one metre apart.

*Pro-tip: Catch a ride at the beginning of the trip before the ship leaves Singapore’s shores. You’ll get sick views of Marina Bay unlike any other. Cost: Top-up fee required

The Solarium

Located at the front of every Royal Caribbean ship, this indoor pool area is for adults only (aged 16 and above). With floor to ceiling windows, you get to soak in the warm pool with views of the sea. It’s a great place for adults who want an uninterrupted dip away from rowdy kids.

There is also a bar and two jacuzzis, perfect for unwinding after a long day of activities.

*Pro-tip: Be there to catch the sunset — it’s the best place to watch the sun go down with a drink in hand.

Entrance fee: Free

The entertainment doesn’t stop just because the sun goes down. Each night, there are different performances to catch. Check the schedule on the Royal Caribbean app and book your seats early!

It’s said that Royal Caribbean’s most impressive multimedia performances are shown here. The theatre’s two-storey windows show stunning ocean views in the day, and become massive visual displays by night.

From music performances to mind-boggling magic shows, we were thoroughly entertained each night with these talented acts.

This magician cum comedy juggler kept us on our toes and gave us stitches from laughing!

What to eat on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas

Complimentary dining options.

Windjammer is an all-you-can-eat buffet hall with a wide array of options. It’s open during all meal times (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Vegetarian and gluten-free options can be found here too.

As we’re cruising in a pandemic, the friendly staff pile food on your plate instead.

The shared dining halls have specific meal timings, and lunch ends at 1:30PM. If you do miss these timings, check out Sorrento’s pizza or Dog House’s crafted hot dogs instead!

Specialty Dining Experiences

These Cruise to Nowhere dining experiences require a top-up (unless you’re in a suite), but I’d say it’s worth the top-up considering how much more it would cost back on land.

Royal Caribbean has nine specialty restaurants ranging from affordable to hella fancy. Here are our top three!

Jamie’s Italian: We had one of our best nights stuffing ourselves here. They have an à la carte buffet you won’t find at any other outlet on land.

For ~S$53, you get to choose anything off their menu. Peter, our helpful waiter, told us to pick one from each category. So we got the famous meat plank to share along with one appetiser, pasta, main and dessert each.

The lasagne and the truffle tagliatelle are a must-have!

Wonderland: Inspired by the whimsical world from Alice in Wonderland, this specialty restaurant takes you on a journey from the moment you pick up the menu.

Meals are served course–by–course, however, instead of picking out what you want to eat, your meal is kept a mystery and what you get depends on the elements you pick — Sun, Ice, Fire, Sea or Earth. We had a lot of fun trying to make out the flavours in each dish!

One of our favourite appetisers was the crispy crab cone. It’s fresh crab wrapped in a wanton cone, topped with avocado. We swear we could’ve had 10 of those, but then we wouldn’t have space for our glorious entrees 😂

We chose the Terroir Beef and the Halibut. The steak was really tender, but the real winner was the fish — it was melt-in-your-mouth perfection 🤤

Chef’s Table: One of the most exclusive dining experiences on the cruise, this six-course fine-dining meal is prepared by the ship’s Chef de Cuisine.

The best part though, is that each course comes with a sommelier-selected premium white or red wine to pair with the dish.

Not to worry if wine pairings aren’t your forte — the waiters will be beyond happy to explain!

Is a Cruise to Nowhere Worth It?

Some of you may know we were on the cruise with the suspected Covid-19 patient . Thank goodness it turned out to be a false positive ! And although the trip was cut short, we got a sneak peek of what it’s like cruising during a pandemic and I must say, I’d gladly hop onboard a cruise again.

Despite the unfortunate event, the Royal Caribbean team showed that they had everything under control. While waiting for instructions, food was brought to our rooms and the captain kept us updated at expected intervals, so kudos to the team!

Read more: What It Was Like When a COVID-19 Case Was Confirmed on a Cruise to Nowhere

During the entire cruise, we also probably checked in and sanitised more than we would’ve on a regular day.

On the Royal Caribbean cruise, each juncture required us to tap our SeaPass, take our temperature and sanitise our hands. Safe distancing was also always practiced and we’d get gentle reminders from the staff before the crowds would form.

Given the safety measures, fun activities and chance to “travel” out of Singapore, I say a Cruise to Nowhere is probably your best bet at a vacation before the travel borders open up again.

Planning to go on a Cruise to Nowhere? Comment any questions you have below!

For more travel inspiration, follow us on  Instagram ,  YouTube ,  Facebook  and  Telegram !

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15 comments.

hi thanks for the informative post on your cruise experience. I’m struggling to understand how the Unlimited Dining Package works. Does the cost of $100+ cover for all the meals for all days or is it only for a specific day/meal? Would you have more insights to share?

Hey Jojo! We didnt encounter this during our experience but i found this! https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-is-the-unlimited-dining-package

hope it helps

Do we still get regular 3G/4G Internet on the cruise?

Hi Stephanie! It depends on how far away we are from Singapore! As the ship sails away from mainland, there will be significant amounts of time without 3G/4G. Hope this helps!

Hi, are there any activities for toddlers on the ship?

Hi Sachb, Maybe this link will help! https://www.royalcaribbean.com/sgp/en/experience/cruises-for-kids-and-teens

Hope you guys will do a Royal VS. Dream video/blog! Been wanting to book a cruise for sometime now but can’t decide which to go for.

We’ll be doing an article about this very very soon!

Hi! Great post 🙂 Do we have to book the activities in advance or we can just wait to be onboard to do it? Thanks!

Can you still use the Royal Caribbean App onboard without subscribing to any internet access?

Yes you can! 🙂

Hi! thanks for your great article! May i know how will the Royal Caribbean App work without subscribing to any internet access (e.g. Voom or other data services)?

Separately, will it work if we just apply for data roaming instead of Voom? It seems to be a much cheaper option!

Yup the app will still work! You can still access the ship information from the app and book things as long as you are connected to the ship’s wifi. We believe it works better with the ship’s wifi. Data roaming might not work as well, especially in the cabin corridors.

Hi Leslie, did you get data roaming or voom in the end?

Hi few questions here as we couldn’t find the info online: 1. How much does it cost to get their wifi? Is it worth getting or our usual 3G/4G is good enough?

2. How much do we have to pay for food upgrade? Per person?

3. Will it still be worth going with a 2 year old?

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Cruise To Nowhere: Review of Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas

A cruise holiday has always played second fiddle in my vision of an ideal holiday. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that I have not been on one in more than 2 decades. However, that all changed recently after my experience on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas. Stuck without a holiday since Nov 2019 and given that leisure travel is unlikely to resume in 2021 , I bit the bullet and booked a Cruise to Nowhere. I paid approx. $1,400 for 2 adults and 1 child for a 5D4N stay in an Ocean View stateroom with balcony, exclusive of any add-ons. The child ticket was free due to an ongoing promotion and Cruise to Nowhere is not eligible under Singapore Rediscover Vouchers (SRV) campaign. To my pleasant surprise, even with the pandemic-enforced restrictions in place, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and made even more memorable as I also celebrated my birthday on international waters. Needless to say, it was Olympia’s first ever experience on a cruise and she was thrilled to bits. She kept asking to go back, never mind that she had to undergo 2 rounds of Covid-19 testing. Here is my review of Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas, a Cruise to Nowhere.

Tips On Planning Before The Trip

Having almost zero experience with a cruise holiday, it was a steep learning curve for me. However, I am the sort of person who enjoys planning holiday itineraries so I actually relished this specific challenge. Having clocked 1 experience under my belt, here are some tips that I am sharing so that you can also maximise your trip on Quantum of the Seas.

Tip #1: Change To Current Sailing To View Calendar of Activities On The RC Mobile App

We all probably know that downloading the Royal Caribbean mobile app is very helpful in planning our activities on the vessel. Amongst other things, it shows the deck plans as well as your calendar. However, the frustrating thing is that we do not know ahead of schedule what activities are available on the days that we are sailing and this complicates planning. Well that all changed when I learnt that it was possible to temporarily switch your itinerary to another cruise that is currently sailing. ( Credit goes to another financial blogger who told me about this ) I know this concept can be quite confusing so let me explain exactly what I did.

Step 1: I logged into Royal Caribbean mobile app and found that I was automatically synced to my actual cruise reservation, i.e. depart 4 Feb (Thur) and return 8 Feb (Mon)

Step 2: I searched for Quantum of the Seas that was currently sailing on the date of my research, i.e. depart 21 Jan (Thur) and return 25 Jan (Mon).

Diagram 1: Switch and match the days of the week for more certainty on the schedule of the activities

Step 3: I slowly scrolled through each day (1-5) to see what activities were available as shown in Diagram 2.

Diagram 2: Calendar of activities happening on another “similar” cruise trip

For holiday goers like me who plan travel itineraries to the last detail, this was a game-changer! I could now predict which activities were likely to take place on the days that I would actually be on board. Furthermore, this allowed me to narrow down the specific time slots of the entertainment shows that I wanted to watch. Do note that all shows staged on the venues of Royal Theatre, Two70 and Music Hall can only be booked on board after boarding and are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Therefore, your arrival time/boarding time absolutely matters.

Trust me, you will save plenty of time when you have this valuable information beforehand! This is especially the case if you are booked on a “ heartlander ” stateroom class like me and do not have the benefit of concierge doing the reservations on your behalf (only available to those on Sky Loft Suite and above).

Once you have successfully secured your prized seats to the shows, do turn up early to snag the best seats as they are all free-seating.

Tip #2: Beverage and Dining Packages Are Not Necessities

I discussed with my wife beforehand and we decided not to purchase any dining and beverage packages.

Firstly, the water served on a cruise ship is drinkable. To play it extra safe, you can also boil it before drinking it. As parents, we felt confident enough to serve boiled water from the cruise ship to our 2-year-old. We could also request for water from Café Promenade and Sorrentos which are opened till late. Furthermore, other basic drinks such as coffee, tea, milk and juice were also served during meal times. Therefore, we did not find it necessary to pay extra money (ranging from $10 to $65 per pax) for a Beverage/Drink Package on the Quantum of the Seas. If you like a glass of wine to go with your meal, then the alcohol package is worth considering.

Secondly, specialty dining venues do not come cheap. They range from a low of $31 to $130 per meal while unlimited passes go for S$135 per pax. As we have done our homework and found that the food pictures from the 11 Complimentary restaurants looked appetising on their own, we decided not to purchase dining packages. Well, turned out that appetising was a huge understatement because the food at the complimentary restaurants far exceeded my expectations.

Diagram 3: Appetisers in Main Dining Room of Quantum of the Seas

Diagram 4: Entrees in Main Dining Room of Quantum of the Seas

Diagram 5: Deserts in Main Dining Room and Windjammer on the Quantum of the Seas

Furthermore, we are not big eaters and are unlikely to extract maximum value from the speciality restaurants on board. Of course, for those who can and would like to, I think it’s perfectly reasonable to splurge on food and drinks while on a cruise holiday!

[Update: Some readers have feedbacked that the quality of the food at the complimentary restaurants have dropped in standards]

Tip #3: Purchase Your wifi on the Cruise Planner  

If you are like me who cannot survive without internet, it would be wise to purchase your wifi on the cruise planner before departure. Do take note that the cut-off time for bookings via Cruise Planner is 11.50 Eastern Standard time, 2 days before your departure. VOOM Surf+ Stream packages range from 1 to 4 devices. If you want to save money, you can click the “forget wifi network” and toggle between your devices under the same internet package.

Tip #4: Take note of the restrictions on some activities

There are plenty of exciting activities on board which can fill your schedule completely. However, several restrictions apply and some of them affected my 2-year-old toddler as shown in Diagram 6.

Diagram 6: Restrictions apply for some activities on Quantum of the Seas

On hindsight, I would have waited till at least Olympia is 3 years old so that she can at least try iFLY. But then again, not sure if the Cruise to Nowhere concept would still be available then?

Tip # 5: Purchase Travel Insurance for additional coverage

It is comforting to know that Royal Caribbean will provide a full refund (whether in cash or future cruise credit) if your travel party or close contacts test positive prior, at boarding terminal or during the cruise. This is in addition to covering onboard medical treatment in the event of Covid-19 related expenses. Nevertheless, being super kiasu , I have decided to purchase travel insurance policy from Starr via SingSaver. (It is running a $10 PayNow cash rebate till 31 Dec 2021)

It has a “cruise rider” that I added on top of the base policy so it obviously covers cruise to nowhere. It helps to cover for events such as:

• Having to cancel the trip (eg: my daughter falls sick which is a high probability event now that she is in preschool), bereavement in the family etc
• Medical expenses from personal accidents on the ship that are not related to Covid-19
• Lost luggage/travel documents etc

The other insurance policy that I did consider was from MSIG . Most importantly, I bought travel insurance plan for my family to give us some peace of mind.

Heartland Boy’s Experience on Quantum of the Seas

With all the pre-planning out of the way, here is a look at some of the activities we did on the Quantum of the Seas. Judging from her experience in school, we knew that Olympia would not be comfortable with being dropped off at Adventure Ocean. Despite missing out on that, we were able to keep her occupied with these kid-friendly activities on the cruise.

Diagram 7: Holiday card making activity on Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas

I spent some quality father-daughter time with Olympia making a holiday card while the mum got to soak in the hot jacuzzis located the adults-only Solarium.

Diagram 8: Cupcake decorating class (a paid activity pre-booked on Cruise Planner)

The wife and Olympia enrolled in a cupcake decorating class at Jamie’s Italian restaurant. The end result was a cute looking cupcake to help celebrate my birthday. While they were busy decorating the cup cake, I managed to sneak in a session at the Flow Rider. It was also my first time boogieboarding and I am glad to be able to tick another item off the bucket list.

Diagram 9: Swimming and Xbox Room located at SeaPlex

We were also at the swimming pool every day except on the first and last day as swimming was a good activity for Olympia to work off the additional calories from all the ice cream that she indulged on the cruise. This trip also exposed her to video games for the first time to the extent that we were not allowed to touch her controller. The arcade, located on the same deck as the bumper cars, was a slight let-down in my opinion as I had expected it to be bigger.

Diagram 10: Complimentary fitness and pop dance classes on the cruise

This cruise once again confirmed what I already know my whole life, i.e. I cannot dance to save my own life. Despite being born with two left feet, I tried my best to be a positive role model for Olympia. One noteworthy mention is Heartland Boy snagging the coveted gold medal at the Volleyball competition which hanged proudly on Olympia’s neck throughout the trip.

Diagram 11: 2 of the 4 performances available on Quantum of the Seas, Cruise to Nowhere

Finally, we ended each night with a different show. I was rewarded for my diligent planning as the family managed to watch all the 4 shows at our preferred time slots. The 10pm time slots were not suitable since they were way past Olympia’s bed time. That pretty much summed up our daily routine on Quantum of the Seas – activities for Olympia in the mornings, exercise in the afternoons ending with enthralling performances at night.

Diagram 12: In-room dining at the balcony of our stateroom

To break the routine, we ordered room service for breakfast on one of the mornings. We dined at the balcony under the full glare of the merciless sun. Despite the heat, it was a refreshing change of scenery, and definitely a breath-taking view that I wouldn’t mind getting accustomed to.

Overall, I am most satisfied with the hospitality of the staff and the food quality on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas. Despite it being a cruise to nowhere, it felt like we were really away on an overseas vacation far away from Singapore. Our decision to prioritize a secation over a staycation also paid off handsomely. If the Covid-19 vaccine situation does not improve, we might even explore another cruise trip (maybe Genting World Dream ) at the end of the year? That shows you how hooked we have become on cruising now.

P.S. On 12 May 2022, we sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas which is also a cruise to nowhere. Read my review of our experience in this blogpost .

This blog article is published on 14 Feb 2021. By the way, cruising makes for a perfect Valentine’s gift for your loved one especially when Royal Caribbean’s Cruise to Nowhere has been extended twice till end October 2021. You can book it via Klook to earn Klook credits (cash rebates). Alternatively, score 5% discount by booking your cruise to nowhere trip via HSBC credit card .  

If you enjoyed this article, I will be grateful if you could purchase your travel insurance from my affiliate links below:

• Starr TraveLead
• Allianz Travel Insurance
• AIG Travel Guard
• FWD Travel Insurance

February 16, 2021 at 11:17 am

Wow.. Nice and useful article.. It’s very much helpful for anyone who sail for first time including me :)..

February 16, 2021 at 6:00 pm

Thanks! Hope you will have a fantastic trip!

February 17, 2021 at 2:23 pm

Great write.

February 22, 2021 at 5:43 pm

do u happen to have any promo code for the travel insurance?

February 22, 2021 at 10:24 pm

Nope, I don’t. But when i bought the travel insurance, both AXA and Starr was running some promotion and I took advantage of it.

February 27, 2021 at 2:35 pm

Thanks! This was very helpful – our family is also a bunch of Cruise novices 🙂 Did you book all of your show tickets/live entertainment the first day right after you boarded or was it possible to wait and book some seats later?

Lovely family you have thanks for sharing your tips 🙂

February 27, 2021 at 6:37 pm

Hi Geraldine,

Thanks for your compliments. I booked everything right after I boarded. Depending on the amount of passengers on your cruise, you might be able to book some seats later on the day of the performances.

February 27, 2021 at 11:42 pm

Hi Alison, thanks for the useful info. Is there fridge and kettle for boiling water in the room? Thanks!

February 28, 2021 at 9:23 am

Yes, there is fridge and kettle. I boil water on the ship daily as I did not purchase the beverage package.

March 1, 2021 at 3:42 pm

I lol-ed at your “Despite being born with two left feet…” comment, haha. I just booked our cruise to nowhere, 5 adults & 1 4yo, this article is really useful for newbies like us, thanks a lot for sharing. 🙂

March 1, 2021 at 3:46 pm

Thanks for your compliments! I am excited for your upcoming trip too! It will definitely be a lot of fun and a good getaway!

March 31, 2021 at 7:57 am

Hi @heartland boy

I was thinking if reaching by 4:30 could be a good idea. As kids could attend school that day and then we could proceed for the cruise. Would that be late? Also, what time are we really out of the ship on date of arrival. I saw 6:30 am .. but how quick is the process? Is breakfast included for that morning?

March 31, 2021 at 8:09 am

I picked up my girl after her nap time from preschool at 3pm and reached cruise terminal at 330pm. I think 430 is not too late!

On arrival, it is true that you can leave as early as 630am. I had breakfast at 830am!

May 5, 2021 at 10:14 pm

Hi, as I will be bringing my 2 yo along for the cruise. Can I check if the swab test for children was as thorough as for adults? Because I am kind of worried about that. I read that you mentioned two rounds of test will be done. Meaning it will be done before and after the cruise?

May 6, 2021 at 7:33 am

I feel that it is not as thorough as adults’. I understand that measures might have slackened- testing reduced to one round? You can check on the website. Thanks.

March 1, 2021 at 5:09 pm

Reading your review on the cruise to nowhere on RC. Appreciate your update and information due to covid19 situation.

Really miss cruising. Am considering to take a cruise in May 2021. Am so excited. Even if there are no port of calls, does not matter, can still enjoy the facilities on board.

Btw, is the casino open?

Thank you and Cheers!!

March 1, 2021 at 6:18 pm

Hi Susanna,

Yes, the casino is opened! approx 2 hours after the ship has sailed so that it’s on international waters 😀

March 8, 2021 at 11:17 pm

Thanks for sharing. I will be going alone on the cruise later this month and this will be my first cruise. Are there compulsory activities and would you share what to bring along.. are toiletries provided each day what about clothes?

March 9, 2021 at 7:40 am

The only compulsory activity is the fire safety briefing once you have checked into your stateroom. If you are not in suite, the toiletries provided are the typical 2 in 1 bathroom and shampoo. Clothes are not provided so bring them!

March 10, 2021 at 1:37 pm

Thanks for the reply. Actually I meant what clothes to bring as in whether there were attire requirements.. I’ll definitely bring clothes though.. haha

March 11, 2021 at 10:57 am

lol, miscomm!

March 11, 2021 at 8:05 am

Hello Heartlandboy,

Thanks for sharing your review on the dining options, and now i probably have an idea or whether to get the add-ons or not..

May i ask if you know what is the earliest time that we are allowed on the cruise? Just want to plan my time and not get stuck at the cruise centre nor arrive too late. Appreciate your advice!

March 11, 2021 at 10:58 am

You are welcome. I understand the earliest boarding time is 2pm (only applies for now)

March 11, 2021 at 9:35 pm

I see.. if that is so then its not too bad to go check in and board early. Thanks for the info!

March 14, 2021 at 3:24 pm

Thanks for the very insightful tips! Can I check if the in-room dining service will require additional costs? TIA!

March 14, 2021 at 7:18 pm

There is no extra cost if you order the standard items!

March 17, 2021 at 10:43 pm

Hi, is it that kids of all ages are required to do the nose swab test?

March 18, 2021 at 7:24 am

Yes, all passengers including 6 month-olds

March 18, 2021 at 7:38 am

Hi and thanks for the tips, I tried to change the dates as per your tip 1, step 2. But can’t seem to change it. Do you still remember the exact steps you took in the app to change the dates? Thanks and have a great day ahead.

March 18, 2021 at 7:59 am

These were the exact steps. You need to search for current sailing- that is 18 March.

March 30, 2021 at 12:31 am

Yea I tried to change but they don’t allowed to do so as it leads you to key in new reservation number. Thanks.

March 22, 2021 at 10:32 pm

I think you need to choose “ships we support” and then you can find the list of cruise dates under “Quantum of the Seas”.

March 24, 2021 at 10:11 pm

Hi there, can I check if the reservation of the shows and activities on the app is meant for all the people under one booking? Or need to reserve separately for individual names under the booking? Can advise? Thank you!!!!

March 24, 2021 at 10:30 pm

You can reserve for all the persons under the same booking

April 1, 2021 at 3:10 pm

How to save money on Wifi package? Can 2 device be share with 1 package? How the Wifi working?

April 1, 2021 at 3:29 pm

Yes, multiple devices can log in to the package, provided that you keep to the quota you purchase. Wifi speed was good

April 5, 2021 at 10:37 pm

What i mean is….. can i buy 1 internet package but share between 2 devices? (phone & laptop) Is that possible? Any advise?

April 6, 2021 at 7:07 am

its possible, but do not log on at the same time.

April 5, 2021 at 7:04 pm

Hi, thank you for sharing! Great read!

Would you know if Voom Surf+ suffice for phone app games (e.g. Robloox, Mindcraft? or I should take the Voom Surf+ Stream option? *Call centre personnel could not advise.

April 5, 2021 at 7:28 pm

I could not advise either as I do not play phone app games. I took the Surf+Stream option and internet speed as good

April 10, 2021 at 11:03 am

Hi there very informative article you’ve given . Thanks. I too have a 2 year old. Would you be able to let me know what are the activities we can do with a 2 year old on board without extra charges? We are planning to go in may, but before we decide, your advice will greatly help us. Is it really worth going with a 2 yr old and a 5 yr old even though not much we can do with the younger one?

Thanks ☺️ Oiz

April 10, 2021 at 11:35 am

Thanks. Bring your 2yo along since its free anyway! Free activities include the playroom at Royal Tots (provided your kid is fine if there is someone else babysitting). Other daily random activities include origami, holiday card making, towel folding, etc.

April 26, 2021 at 5:32 pm

hi thanks so much for sharing! just wondering if there was any reception? since we’re technically still in singapore/

April 26, 2021 at 7:32 pm

There is no reception as the cruise will travel to international waters.

May 12, 2021 at 11:59 am

Thank you! This is very informative. For balcony room, do all the rooms have unobstructed view or any recommended deck level?

Also, what is the beverage package for? For the in-room or for the daily normal dining in the restaurants?

Thank you again!

May 12, 2021 at 1:44 pm

Thanks, not all rooms have unobstructed views. It will be stated clearly before you book whether your selected room is obstructed or not. Beverage package is for daily normal dining at restaurants and cafes

May 25, 2021 at 5:45 pm

Hi Heartland boy and Alison

Thanks for sharing, great info, really!

Can I know more about the different timings for the 4 shows that you’ve watched please? I’ve done the switched cruise date trick that you shared above but some timings are still not available yet it seems.

May 25, 2021 at 8:04 pm

Thank you for your kind comments. If i recall, show timings are usually (1)7.45/8pm, (2)10/1015pm and (3)5pm. I notice that 5pm slots are not common and probably depends on no.of passengers on board.

June 6, 2021 at 1:06 am

Hi can I check with you whether the different complimentary restaurants serve the same menu or different menus? Thanks!

June 6, 2021 at 8:41 am

Hi, The main dining restaurants serve the same menu. You will be assigned to only 1 main dining restaurant throughout the entire trip

July 1, 2021 at 1:22 am

Hi, thanks for the very insightful blog of your experience with RC. May I ask if you are required to reserve slots for the Windjammer meals and also for the swimming pool slots?

July 1, 2021 at 12:27 pm

Reservation was not necessary when I sailed in Feb

July 11, 2021 at 10:55 pm

Hello, thank you for sharing your experience. Can i check with you whether we can only make a booking for the entertainment if we purchase wifi?

July 12, 2021 at 10:27 am

Nope, you should be able to book the entertainment programmes via their complimentary, on-board wifi (allows access to the app and communication on board only)

July 27, 2021 at 5:55 pm

Hi Heartlandboy,

thank you for the informative article and tips. May I have a “feel” of the price of drinks on board? ie coke, latte, juice, mocktail if you know any. also the complimentary restaurants do they provide any free water like plain water etc? I’m still contemplating whether to get the beverage package. thanks for the heads up.

July 27, 2021 at 8:53 pm

I can’t recall the prices but they are definitely prohibitive. Yes, complimentary restaurants provide drinking water, coffee and tea as well.

July 30, 2021 at 12:33 am

Thank you Alison. May I ask if you remember how long in advance can we book the check-in timeslot? as in the boarding time slot. we hope to secure the earliest slot to board the ship. thanks

October 23, 2021 at 2:05 pm

Can I check what type of room is yours that comes with the kettle …. I’ve seen some guys mentioned they have, some commented they dont have

October 23, 2021 at 5:16 pm

I had the balcony room. I am pretty sure if you asked for a kettle, they will be more than willing to provide 1 if they have it!

October 23, 2021 at 5:45 pm

Thanks alot for the info… 😊

October 31, 2021 at 6:39 am

Hi, can I please check if your daughter was toilet trained when you went for the cruise? Intending to bring my son when he turns 2, but he is not toilet trained and it seems he can’t enter the pool. Was their a cot provided too for her in your room? This may be a silly question, but are their high chairs for all restaurants?

October 31, 2021 at 8:10 am

There are no silly questions, and as a parent I understand your concerns. 1) there are high chairs at the restaurant 2) yes, baby cot is provided and there are 2 sizes. We took the larger one 3) If i recall, children need not be toilet trained to go to the children’s pool. this one is only thigh-deep

November 3, 2021 at 2:36 pm

Hi! For normal drinking water, will they provide free bottles of them throughout the cruise? If not, is it a hassle to keep topping my existing bottle up? I’m contemplating whether it’s necessary to get the evian bottle water package.

November 3, 2021 at 3:44 pm

If i recall correctly, 2 bottles are provided daily during room cleaning. I did not purchase the beverage package. Instead, I refilled my bottles at the restaurants. Staff are more than happy to help you on this.

November 29, 2021 at 2:53 pm

Hi Alison, your article is very informative. Pertaining to the part on changing sail date on the app to see the activities in advance, could you elaborate & perhaps show us with screenshots? Cos like one of the readers mentioned earlier, me too can’t change the sailing date. Thanks in advance!

November 29, 2021 at 9:33 pm

Thanks for your compliments. Unfortunately, I am not able to illustrate with screen shots as I am not travelling on a RCC anytime soon.

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Royal Caribbean Cruise Revisited: Cruise To Nowhere Day 1 of Drinks Bookings and Show on Quantum of the Seas!

Royal Caribbean Cruise’s Cruise to Nowhere remains to be one of the most viable options of travel amidst the ongoing pandemic. Even as we write, Omicron has spread to over 70 countries and parts of Europe have returned to the enforcement of lock-downs, dampening the mood for Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs). Thankfully, we’re still able to have a getaway via cruises to nowhere and this time, we decided to revisit Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas to check out several new offerings that we didn’t get to do on our last cruise to nowhere with RCC.

Preparations for Royal Caribbean’s Cruise To Nowhere

For our cruise to nowhere this time round, we wanted to try out Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package . This would allow us to do two activities that we didn’t get to do during our last trip – bar hopping and wine tasting !

Unfortunately, we decided against VTL travel quite late and were only able to book a rather expensive trip during the December 2021 school holidays…

This was almost double the price that we paid for our last cruise to nowhere. Well, that’s the price to pay for travel during the peak period. We also added the Deluxe Drinks Package . Remember to make bookings during offers (such as Black Friday deals / 12.12 deals) and monitor the prices. If they do drop, you can call into RCC’s hotline to lock in the lower prices. We’ve discussed in depth, on how this is done in our Cruise To Nowhere Pre-Cruise Preparations post .

All in all, we paid a total of $2500, inclusive of the Deluxe Beverage Package for 2 pax. That works out to be about $600 per night, with food and drinks included. During this cruise to nowhere back with Quantum of the Seas, we also tried the Key as well as the Chef’s Table .

Royal Caribbean Cruise ART Test and Boarding Experience

If you have read our updates to Royal Caribbean’s ART Test at Raffles City , you’ll realise that there’s no longer a need for PCR test (which is good) but you do have to travel from Raffles City to Marina Bay Cruise Centre after your test. Thankfully, Royal Caribbean has ironed out the kinks from their first departure on 2 December 2021 and we had a really pleasant ART experience. We started our morning with a hearty breakfast of mee pok and mee kia (with extra vinegar of course), before heading to Raffles City Convention Centre for our test.

We decided to have local food as we had checked the menu onboard prior to our departure. If you do not already know, you can utilise the Royal App to access the Main Dining Room Menu (in advance prior to your cruise) , simply by following these steps:

Step 1 : Click on the Profile (Human Figure) on the top right hand side of the app

Step 2 : Select an alternate sailing date by choosing Supported Ships. Click on Quantum of the Seas in this case.

Step 3 : Choose the date closest to your sailing date. In our case, as we were sailing on 9 December, we looked at the 2 December sailing for a closer reference.

Note that only when the ship is sailing, then can you check out the actual menu . After our hearty breakfast, we headed to Raffles City Convention Centre for our pre-departure ART.

The timing that we booked via the Royal App was the arrival time at 1pm. According to the latest instructions, we would have to arrive at Raffles City at 12pm for our test. As kiasu Singaporeans, we arrived “slightly” earlier at 11:30am but were not allowed entry. In a sense, this was good. We circled around Raffles City, shopped a little and returned at 11:55am. This time, the signboard had changed to our arrival time and we could directly head in by showing our arrival time on the Royal App.

The entire process in the testing centre was smooth and efficient. We only took a grand total of 5 minutes from entry to verification to swab to exit. That was fast!

After completing our tests, we were told to hang around in Raffles City till our results are released. It took about 20 minutes before the results were made known to us . First, by repeatedly pressing the refresh button via the TraceTogether App. Then, the results also came in via SMS. Lastly, via email.

With the results, we took the MRT to Marina South Pier station . Surprisingly, we were the only ones heading over via MRT at that time!

The ride from City Hall MRT to Marina South Pier took less than 10 minutes and the walk from Marina South Pier MRT to Marina Bay Cruise Centre was about 10 minutes as well. By 12:45pm, we were able to enter into the Marina Bay Cruise Centre.

Upon entry, we just had to show our ART results , vaccination status , Setsail Pass (on Royal App) and do a final health declaration . Thereafter, we were allocated our coloured waiting zone, awaiting for our colour to be called. Do note that your Seapass Cards (room key cards) would not be issued at this time and would only be placed at your door at 2pm . Boarding started with the pink group (probably the suites), the Key programme, brown, silver, green, mustard (a really creative colour) before our turn for Orange.

While clearing immigrations using the automated lanes, remember to remove your mask and look straight at the camera. No need to smile. It would take about 10 seconds or so before the facial recognition is completed . Once aboard, we got down to business…

Bookings for Shows and Activities on Quantum of the Seas Cruise To Nowhere

Day 1 on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise to Nowhere is always a hectic affair. If you recall our last cruise to nowhere with Quantum of the Seas , we headed straight to Pool Bar, grabbed a drink and started booking all the slots that we had planned for. This time, after we boarded, we wanted to head to our room, grab our key card and head to a bar to grab a drink to do likewise. However, as we boarded at 1:45pm, passengers were not yet allowed to head to the rooms as yet. Thankfully, our Setsail Pass indicated “DX” (for Deluxe Package) and we were able to head to Harp and Horn for our first drinks , without the need for our Seapass Card! Awesome!

Though it’s a little disappointing that draft beers are not served aboard (unlike Dream Cruises), it was still nice to sit in the cosy Harp and Horn to start off our cruise to nowhere onboard Quantum of the Seas. As we did not have the Unlimited Dining Package this time, bookings were much simpler. We just had to book the shows and the bumper cars . Thereafter, we headed to Seaplex to physically make bookings for Xbox and Foosball . You can also make bookings for table tennis at Seaplex. As for swimming pool, hot tubs, FlowRider and Rockwall, they’re on a first-come-first-served basis . For the pool and hot tubs, during peak hours, you’ll be limited to a 10 minutes timing. The pros and cons will be discussed later in the post.

Show Timings

Day 1 Two70 Experience featuring Viktoria Stryzhak (8pm, 10pm ) Headliner at Royal Theatre Sequins & Feathers (8:15pm)

Day 2 Two70 Experience featuring Viktoria Stryzhak (5:15pm, 8pm, 10pm) Headliner at Royal Theatre John Taylor (8:15pm, 10:15pm )

Day 3 Two70 Experience featuring Reuben Laurente (8pm, 10pm) Headliner at Royal Theatre Sequins & Feathers (8:15pm, 10:15pm )

Day 4 Two70 Experience featuring Reuben Laurente ( 5:15pm , 8pm) Headliner at Royal Theatre John Taylor (8:15pm)

The timings in bold were the bookings that we made. Through the app, we were able to make bookings for both the Royal Theatre. However, we were only able to book one of the 2 Two70 shows. This is due to a limitation in the app for only one Two70 show to be done via the Royal App. To overcome this problem, we headed to Guests Services and were able to make the final booking. In this way, we were able to book all the 4 shows for this cruise. Next, bookings for bumper car.

Due to the school holidays, bumper cars were only limited to 1 booking per room . This was unlike the last cruise where we were able to make multiple bookings for bumper cars. Thankfully, with The Key , we had a dedicated time slot where were able to go on the bumper cars several times.

Next, we went back to our stateroom to retrieve our Seapass cards before we checked out the Solarium, the venue where we would be spending alot of time at. Entry to Solarium is only allowed for those who are 16 years old and above. This gave us some nice respite from the crowds at the pools. Surprisingly, the crowd at Solarium was much thinner as compared to our last cruise. Some subtle differences between school holidays and non-school holidays sailings.

It was also here that we met our favourite bartender of the cruise – George! He gave us such great service, ensuring that we always had drinks and were able to try out the various cocktails that he concocted. This time, we started with Mojito, Pina Colada, water and George’s concoction of “Green Tea” …

After we had finished the first shot of “Green Tea” and still sipping on our cocktails, George brought the next cocktail shot – Kamikaze in quick succession! By this time, we had already started to be tipsy as we had yet to have any food after boarding the ship!

At this point, we knew that the wisest thing to do would be to head up to Windjammer (Deck 14 aft) to line our tummies with fried food…

The burger and spaghetti were really good while the char siew was a little dry with the fish & chips a little fishy. Otherwise, the meal was good enough to perk us up as we continued our exploration of the ship. For our next snack, we headed to Sorrento’s at deck 4 to try out the legendary pizzas of Quantum of the Seas. While at deck 4, we also had the freshly squeezed orange and vanilla latte from La Patisserie , which are also part of the Deluxe Drinks Package. Essentially, if the price of a drink is below $13USD, it can be ordered as part of the Deluxe Drinks Package. If you order a drink at $15USD, you’ll just have to pay the difference (i.e. $2USD) plus the 18% gratuity fee.

As always, Sorrento’s pizza was superb . Cheesy with a nice thin crust. Grab a beer from Harp and Horn together with a pizza from Sorrento’s, that’s always a great start to a vacation onboard Quantum of the Seas. While at deck 4, we also popped by Guest Services to grab the Cruise Compass (Royal Caribbean Cruise Program Sheet) …

Back in our room, we noticed that our Balcony state room was partially obstructed …

This was despite the fact that we chose the slightly more expensive option of “unobstructed” balcony state room. With the extension above us from deck 14, we were not able to have sky and full oceans views, unlike our last balcony state room…

Hence, we recommend that if you’re choosing your balcony state room, choose decks 12 and below . This would avoid the possibility of getting this “partially obstructed” balcony state room. Also, kids do run on deck 14. Hence, we do get some noise from running foot steps from time to time, which is not that pleasant. Choose wisely…

We also checked out the free on-demand movies and found that there were several free movies such as Space Jam (A New Legacy), Escape Room (Tournament of Champions) and Jungle Cruise . If you have not watched Old yet, it is quite a good show as well. We then went to Seaplex to make bookings for Xbox and Fussball at 9am on Day 4 . Each game lasts for only 20 minutes. On the way, we also walked past this see-through platform that peeks all the way from Deck 14 to Deck 5. For those who have fear of heights, don’t look down!

After bookings were completed, we still had a little bit of time before dinner. Hence, we popped by North Star Bar for some pre-dinner drinks. This time, we ordered Long Island Tea and Mai Tai …

As we were still in harbour, we were not able to access all the selection of alcohol on the Deluxe Drinks Package. This is because, in harbour, we can only access the duty-paid alcohol. This means that premium alcohol like peach-flavoured alcohol and Patron Silver, can only be served at sea.

Quantum of the Seas Cruise To Nowhere Main Dining Room Dinner

For dinner, we dined at Main Dining Room – American Icon . Our favourite MDRs are American Icon (Deck 4) and Grande (Deck 5). However, guests are usually allocated according to the space availability of the venue. We did not have much say on which restaurant to go to. However, we did have good control of our time. While our allocated time was at 8:15pm, we didn’t have any problem getting a seat for all the times that we arrived before 8:15pm. Again, perhaps it was the school holidays, the preferred option for parents was probably Windjammer for meals. Here’s the dinner menu on our first night on the cruise to nowhere:

There were also other options such as Indian cuisine and Vegetarian options on the menu as well. For appetizers, we started with cured Salmon Gravlax

Crispy Coconut Shrimp . Breaded coconut shrimp with a pineapple-red-onion slaw and sweet chili dipping sauce.

Escargots a la Bourguignonne . Baked snails in garlic-parsley butter – a true French delicacy.

Artisan Cheese Plate . Assorted cheeses, fig and date chutney, dried fruit bread.

We were pleasantly surprised by the crispy coconut shrimp . The shrimp was succulent and the outer crust was crispy as advertised. As always, the escargots didn’t disappoint. Its fragrance was so enticing such that each dinner would definitely include escargots, even when we’re quite stuffed. As dinners serve cheese plates , guests with Deluxe Beverage Package can choose to have wines to go along with the cheeses. Also, we found out that MDR has more (and better) wine choices than Vintage wine bar . Hence, pre-dinner drinks with cheeses at MDR may not be such a bad option afterall.

For entrees, we had

Braised Lamb Shank . Served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, bean ragout, sauteed spinach and rosemary-lamb jus.

Classic Fish & Chips . Deep fried tempura-battered atlantic cod served alongside thick-cut fried potatoes, coleslaw and tartar sauce.

Aged Prime Rib of Beef . Slow-roasted boneless beef ribeye with crispy potato croquette, broccoli and horseradish au jus.

Our waiter Arturo warned us that the beef was not so good , after feedbacks from the first seating. Nonetheless, we still went ahead to order it. True enough, it came up to be a little tough. Wonder if it was really “aged”. As for the Fish & Chips , there was no Atlantic Cod but was instead replaced with another white fish. While the batter was good, the fish itself was a little fishy. The highlight for dinner was definitely the braised lamb shank which was tender, moist and did not have any gamey taste at all. Well done!

To accompany the meal, we had Rose to go with the cheeses, cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc to go with the red and white meats respectively . The Rose was quite good while the cabernet was full-bodied – enjoyed these two wines with the meal this evening. To end off the meal, we had these desserts:

Profiteroles . Puff pastries filled with sweet pastry cream, toasted almonds, chocolate glaze.

Royal Cheesecake . Velvety cheesecake garnished with glazed strawberries.

Both desserts were pretty good. Not too sweet. In particular, the cheesecake was surprisingly rich. Yum! Here’s a little tip for dining at Main Dining Room: If you enjoyed something on the menu, you can order as many rounds of the same item as you wish. Escargots are usually ordered with seconds and thirds for dinners at MDR…

After dinner, we headed to Two70 Theatre (Deck 5 aft) to watch Viktoria Stryzhak’s violin performance . With the Key, we were able to enter the premise earlier to snag some great seats. The performance was good. However, we still preferred the classics that she performed during our last cruise to nowhere…

Check out this video review of our 5D4N Cruise To Nowhere on Quantum of the Seas from Singapore!

It was a beautiful first day at sea for our return to cruise to nowhere with Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas. Stay tuned as we continue more activities on day 2 of our cruise to nowhere!

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Nude cruise to set sail from Florida next year: Here are the starting costs, itinerary

The "Big Nude Boat" cruise, which allows passengers to bare all − yes, even at the buffet − is set to sail from Florida next year.

The "11-day adventure" to the Caribbean is set for the first two weeks of February on the Norwegian Pearl, according to the Bare Necessities Tour & Travel website.

"Bare Necessities’ newest nude cruise is a private island double-dip with a brand new travel partner!" the company wrote on its website.

The trip which embarks from Miami, includes "an exclusive visit to an idyllic private island" in The Bahamas as well a another exclusive stop on the way back to the Port of Miami.

"Two opportunities to enjoy a new slice of Bare-adise, coupled with a beautiful selection of Eastern Caribbean island stops, will make this a can’t miss Big Nude Boat experience," the travel company posted.

Why cruises are popular with swingers: 'What happens on the ship ... stays on the ship'

A cruise to nowhere: Royal Caribbean sailing canceled after guests boarded

Big Nude Boat cruise sailing dates and destinations:

The ship departs from the Port of Miami on Feb. 3 and returns to the same port on Feb. 14.

The itinerary includes stops at the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Dominica, Martinique and St. Lucia.

How much does the Big Nude Boat cruise cost?

Rates for an inside cabin start at $2,000 per person.

They stretch as high as $33,155 for the top room on the ship: a Haven three-bedroom garden villa.

Laws of the land (and sea)

Guests are encouraged to park their bare behinds on towels provided on board in areas including the pool deck and the buffet area, according to the website.

"Passengers can easily follow our rule on nudist etiquette by always placing a towel down before sitting," it reads. "Remember to pack a swimsuit; not all excursions are clothing optional."

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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4 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise

Your ship allure of the seas.

NEXT LEVEL THRILLS

FlowRider ®

Rock Climbing Wall

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Fuel up for adventure.

Izumi Hibachi & Sushi

150 Central Park

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Steal the show.

Blue Planet

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Day 1: orlando, florida.

Trekkie Track

Get In Character

Outside The lines

Local Cuisine

Day 2: Nassau, Bahamas

popular Shore Excursions

Amazing experiences coming soon..

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Private Paradise

LOUNGE LIKE A LOCAL

Day 3: Cruising

Ice Skating

Spa & Fitness Center

Day 4: perfect day at cococay, bahamas.

Thrill Waterpark

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Splash Summit

Adventure Pool

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Overwater Cabanas

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Hideaway Beach

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Day 5: orlando, florida.

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