Royal Caribbean Unveils Record-Breaking Cruise Deals for 2025: New Mega-Ship, Deep Discounts & Exclusive Routes

Royal Caribbean is making waves ahead of the summer cruise rush, unveiling fresh milestones for its record-breaking newbuild while simultaneously tweaking its onboard experience and itinerary map. Star of the Seas clears a key hurdle Royal Caribbean’s next Icon-class giant, Star of the Seas, has officially begun sea trials from the Meyer Turku yard in Finland, the last major test before delivery. Engineers are putting propulsion, navigation and life-safety systems through their paces in the Baltic, a step that historically signals a vessel is roughly 90 % complete and on schedule for its inaugural January 2026 Caribbean season. The 250,800-gross-ton ship will carry more than 7,500 guests and introduce the first “AquaDome neighborhood” at sea, building on innovations debuted aboard sister ship Icon of the Seas. Drink prices jump to $15 — but there’s a catch Quietly rolled out this week, bar menus across the fleet now list most standard cocktails at $15, up from the previous $14 ceiling. The cruise line says the Deluxe Beverage Package will still cover these new prices, so prepaid package holders won’t feel the pinch, but à-la-carte drinkers will see a roughly 7 % hike. Insiders suggest the adjustment helps offset increased labor and ingredient costs, while also nudging more guests toward the all-inclusive package that dynamically fluctuates between $65 and $100 per person per day. Labadee cancellations extended into late summer Security unrest in Haiti continues to ripple through Royal Caribbean itineraries. The company has now canceled additional calls to its private peninsula, Labadee, through at least August 2025, automatically refunding shore excursions and re-routing ships to Nassau or Perfect Day at CocoCay instead. The line emphasizes that guest safety remains the top priority and that Labadee visits will resume only “when conditions allow.” Overbooking headaches and back-to-back workarounds Royal Caribbean confirmed another sailing was oversold this month, offering affected passengers full refunds plus a future cruise credit or the option to shift to a later voyage. Frequent cruisers note that booking back-to-back cruises — essentially staying aboard for two consecutive itineraries — can be a strategic way to secure popular cabins and lock in today’s fare before further demand-driven increases. What it means for would-be cruisers • Expect higher onboard spend if you skip the beverage package; pre-purchase remains the best hedge against price creep. • Monitor itinerary updates in the cruise planner. Labadee may stay off the map longer than advertised, so flexible shore plans are wise. • Star of the Seas preview sailings could open for booking as soon as late fall once sea trials wrap and delivery dates firm up. Early reservations historically capture the lowest launch fares. Bottom line From megaship milestones to bar-menu fine print, Royal Caribbean is keeping its brand firmly in the spotlight. Travelers eyeing a 2025-2026 cruise should lock in rates early, keep an eye on port changes, and budget a little extra for those umbrella drinks — unless, of course, the Deluxe Beverage Package is part of the plan.