If you've been cruising for a while — or you've spent time down a rabbit hole of cruise tip videos — there's a good chance some of your go-to strategies are quietly out of date. Royal Caribbean Blog's Matt Hochberg recently rounded up seven pieces of advice that once made sense but no longer hold up in the era of apps, pre-cruise bidding, and ships that sail completely full.
One of the biggest myths still circulating is that you can waltz up to Guest Services on embarkation day and score a free cabin upgrade. That era is over. Royal Caribbean now funnels all upgrades through a formal bidding system done before the ship even departs, and with vessels sailing at capacity, there simply aren't spare cabins sitting around. Similarly, the once-coveted drink punch card has become so rare that Hochberg — who cruises at least once a month — says he can't remember the last time he actually spotted one being sold.
A few tips on the list are more surprising. Arriving at the cruise terminal late to "beat the crowd" was once a reasonable strategy, but Royal Caribbean's check-in process has become so streamlined that early arrivals now move through quickly — and showing up at 2 p.m. just means less time enjoying a vacation you've already paid for. Packing a highlighter to mark up a paper Cruise Compass is another relic; nearly everything in that printed schedule now lives inside the Royal Caribbean app, including a digital version of the Compass itself.
Hochberg also cautions against relying on the suite concierge to make specialty dining reservations before sailing, since the best time slots fill up fast and the online booking tools make it easy to do yourself. Buying The Key program specifically for tender-port priority is another spend he says doesn't pencil out, because Royal Caribbean shore excursions already include priority tendering, and the app now offers free digital tender tickets to everyone. Finally, he's moved on from sailing-specific Facebook groups, which he says have largely devolved into misinformation and snark without strong moderation.
For each outdated tip, Hochberg offers a practical modern alternative — from booking the earliest possible check-in slot at the 45-day mark to simply depositing drink money at Guest Services instead of hunting for a punch card. Full details and context are available at Royal Caribbean Blog.
