With over 261 romantic destinations in 72 countries to choose from, Royal Caribbean® can take you and your special someone almost anywhere. From the lure of the Caribbean to the charm of Europe, we've got everything you need for a romantic getaway - endless beaches, tropical breezes and sunsets over shimmering blue waters. Cozy up together as you set sail on a romantic cruise vacation. Imagine sipping wine on your private balcony while taking in the sounds and scenes of the ocean or sleeping in and enjoying complimentary breakfast in bed. We have the perfect stateroom for any couple and any budget. Formal night in the dining room makes any special occasion even more special. Or, for private nibbles and kisses, enjoy complimentary room service in your stateroom until midnight. Our specialty dining options provide delicious cuisine in a romantic, intimate setting, and with our pre-cruise reservations service, you won't miss a delicious moment.

Thousands of weary passengers stranded at sea for more than 24-hours as 30-foot waves blocked their cruise ship from docking finally made it back to shore early Wednesday in Australia. The Carnival Spirit — with 2, 500 passengers and 1, 500 crew aboard — was forced to remain out at sea as a massive storm pummeled Australia's coastline and shut down Sydney Harbor. "Upstairs on the main deck a lot of the glass had actually been pushed out and smashed all over the place, chairs just turned like lollipops, it was just crazy, " passenger Ernie Pittana said. "It was horrific, " passenger Rachel Browne told The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. "You couldn't hear a thing anyone said, the noise was so loud and the rain was blowing sideways. "The glasses and teacups in my room smashed…They just blew off the table and hit the wall." On land, winds of up to 85 mph uprooted trees, crushed cars, snapped power poles and tore off roofs and building awnings. Damages were already in the millions and were expected to rise, according to officials.

Home > Cruise Destinations > Mediterranean Cruise Deals Embarking on a Mediterranean cruise is like being whisked away on a romantic odyssey. The Mediterranean will greet you with warm breezes, sparkling blue water, fresh seafood, medieval towns and European culture combined to create a relaxing and enlightening vacation. Mediterranean cruises offer plenty of port choices, big and small. You will be able to escape the crowds if you choose a ship small enough to fit into the more intimate ports. Because the Mediterranean ports are so close together, you can visit a different country each day and really get to understand the culture and history of each southern European port that you visit. Most cruises in the Mediterranean include one or two sea days for rest and relaxation and some sunbathing, too. Visiting the Mediterranean without taking a cruise is missing an important part of the Southern European experience. Search online for Mediterranean cruise discounts or let one of our cruise experts help you find the best cruise deal to the Mediterranean. Mediterranean and Southern European Cruise Highlights HISTORY AND ARCHEOLOGY The Southern Mediterranean has been a crossroads of civilization throughout history. The great explorers including Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Saint Paul, Marco Polo all explored the coastal cities. The histories of great civilizations lay waiting to be explored. From the Roman Empire to the Holy Lands a vast world filled with great heroes and adventurous stories waits to be heard. WINE AND CUISINE The Southern Mediterranean offers a vast variety of local cuisine and fine wines. Indulge in mouthwatering Spanish tapas, fabulous Italian pasta or many of the other regional specialties if the Southern Mediterranean. Add to that the incredible local wines and spirits produced in the Southern Mediterranean towns and villages and your Southern Mediterranean cruise can be a food lover’s delight.

Experience the wonders of the Kennedy Space Center with the whole family. See, hear and touch NASA's glorious past, inspiring present and exciting future. Stroll through the Rocket Garden, home of Apollo and Gemini-era rockets, board life-size replicas of the space shuttle Explorer and see spacecraft that have actually orbited the Earth. Other Fun Things to Do Take an exciting and educational airboat tour into central Florida's Everglades. As you travel deep into the wilderness, you'll glide over a sea of grass into the pristine fresh-water eco-system of Bald Cypress Swamp, where alligators and other wildlife abound. Explore Cocoa Beach, made famous by "I Dream of Jeannie, " just a short drive from Port Canaveral and south of the Kennedy Space Center. You'll be charmed by the unique shops, many parks and 12 miles of beaches. Get a Taste of Local Flavor True Floridians celebrate Florida's wild side. And there aren't many places on earth more wild than the Everglades. Get a real taste of the Everglades by sampling some alligator meat. It's a popular appetizer all over the area and most people say it tastes "just like chicken." Local Currency The official currency of the United States is the U.S. Dollar (USD). Weather in Orlando (Port Canaveral) Temperature Fahrenheit Celsius Average High 69.9° 21.06° Average Low 47.3° 8.5° Mean Temperature 59° 15° Record High 88° 31.11° Record Low 19° -7.22° Precipitation Inches Centimeters Average Precip. 2.4 in

"We have adapted policies designed specifically to deal with the last minute discounts that are so disruptive to the system, " said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited. The discounts, which are usually offered anywhere from a week to a month ahead of a sailing, are designed to fill ships that aren't yet full. But they upset customers who booked early and can't qualify for the new deals, confuse travel agents and undermine the company's brand image, Fain said. "As a result in March we adopted a new policy that we would not do any last minute discounts on bookings in North America. Depending on the type of cruise, that last minute may be 10, 20 or 30 days out, but from that point on we will hold our price at the prior level." Overall, Cruise Critic readers are pleased with Fain's announcement. "I like this, " Cruise Critic member marci22 wrote on the Royal Caribbean forum. "You won't feel like an idiot for paying more for a similar cabin that gets discounted after final [payment date], and the ship won't be as crowded."

International Travel A valid passport is required; visas are required where they apply. This includes Europe, Asia, Central and South America. Our Recommendation Royal Caribbean International strongly recommends that all guests travel with a valid passport during their cruise. This greatly assists guests who may need to fly out of the United States to meet their ship at the next available port should they miss their scheduled embarkation in a U.S. port; guests entering the U.S. at the end of their cruise; and guests needing to fly to the U.S. before their cruise ends, because of medical, family, personal or business emergencies, missing a ship's departure from a port of call, involuntary disembarkation from a ship due to misconduct, or other reasons. Guests who need to fly to the United States before their cruise ends will likely experience significant delays and complications related to booking airline tickets and entering the United States if they do not have a valid U.S. passport with them. For additional passport information visit Non-U.S. Citizens You will need a valid passport and, in some cases, a visa. If you live in the U.S., you will also need the original copy of your Alien Registration Card (ARC or "Green Card") and any other documentation the countries on your itinerary require due to your alien status. Canadian Landed Immigrants All Canadian Landed Immigrants (inclusive of those who are citizens of the British Commonwealth countries) who reside in Canada must have valid passports and US visas. Also required is the original copy of your Permanent Resident Card (PR Card) formally the IMM 1000 or with respect to any country on the itinerary any other travel documentation required because of alien status. Visas Please contact the Embassy (Consular Services) of each country on your sailing itinerary or the visa service of your choice for specific visa requirements, information, forms and fees for your nationality. VISA WAIVER PROGRAM Citizens from the Visa Waiver Program countries of: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunel, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom seeking to enter the United States will be required to have in their possession a machine readable, biometic passport with a digital photograph valid for the duration of the voyage.

R. Gino Santa Maria/Shutterstock Slide 1 of 17 A record 22.2 million people are expected to take a cruise in 2015; and with dozens of cruise lines to choose from, they’ve got some hard choices ahead of them. How do you save money without sacrificing quality? What luxury lines offer the unique experiences? What lines are best for those who want a little romance? On Tuesday, U.S. News & World Report released its ranking of the 2015 best cruise lines, including the best cruise lines for the money, for families and for romance, as well as the best luxury lines and the best lines in the Caribbean. U.S. News ranked 15 cruise lines (148 total ships) using expert recommendations (30% weight), travel reviews and ratings collected by Cruiseline.com (50%) and results from health evaluations conducted by the CDC (20%). Here are the best cruise lines for 2015: Leah-Anne Thompson / Shutterstock.com Slide 2 of 17 Best cruise lines for the money: Royal Caribbean (No. 1) For travelers looking to maximize quality while staying on a budget, Royal Caribbean RCL, -3.16% once again is the best way to go. “Apart from the line’s versatile amenities and low rates for 2015 itineraries, Royal Caribbean reigned supreme thanks to its health scores and high ratings from both travelers and experts, ” the U.S. News report reveals. Travelers will find activities including ice skating rinks, zip lines and surf simulators, along with rates that are among the lowest in the industry. Daryl Lang/Shutterstock Slide 3 of 17 Best cruise lines for the money: Disney (No. 2) Disney DIS, -0.67% snagged the no. 2 spot on budget-friendly list, but if you have little kids, you may want to bump this cruise line up a notch. Thanks to its Broadway-style Disney shows, 3-D theaters showing Disney movies and Disney character meet and greets — as well as its affordable rates — this cruise line is usually a big hit with children, as well as parents looking to stay within a budget. Creative Jen Designs/Shutterstock Slide 4 of 17 Best cruise lines for the money: Carnival (No. 3) Carnival CCL, -2.06% has done a lot to recover from 2013’s now-infamous “poop cruise, ” including pouring money into ship upgrades and offering passengers refunds if they didn’t like their cruising experience. And now, thanks in part to its recent cleanliness ratings, budget-friendly itineraries in 2015, and passenger satisfaction reviews, it lands the no. 3 spot on this list. Rounding out the top five budget cruise lines (in order) are Princess and Norwegian. EvrenKalinbacak/Shutterstock Slide 5 of 17 Best luxury cruise lines: Crystal Cruises (No. 1) Not only did Crystal score the highest traveler rating among all 15 cruise lines (4.6 out of 5), this is the second year in a row that Crystal has snagged the no. 1 spot on the luxury line list. For the past few years, the cruise line has done multimillion-dollar, high-end renovations on some of its ships - the Serenity now has an herb garden and the Symphony a fitness garden, to name a couple - which bumped its amenity listings a notch ahead of competitors (we also love the complimentary bottle of Cristal and 24-hour personal butler that Serenity passengers enjoy). Plus, U.S. News notes that “Crystal Cruises outshined competitors with its exemplary service, gourmet dining options and unique enrichment programs, such as tai chi lessons and food and wine tastings.” ducvien/Shutterstock Slide 6 of 17 Best luxury cruise lines: Silversea (No. 2) If high-end smaller ship cruises are more your style, Silversea is worth considering. This cruise line scored the No. 2 spot on this list for the second year in a row “due to a combination of personalized service (the line maintains a nearly 1-to-1 crew-to-guest ratio), all-suite accommodations and a 4.2 approval rating among travelers, ” the U.S. News report revealed. Vytautas Kielaitis/Shutterstock Slide 7 of 17 Best luxury cruise lines: Regent Seven Seas (No. 3) Regent — which this year was also named the best luxury line by the National Association of Career Travel Agents — kept its No. 3 ranking on this list “thanks to its luxury cabins, complimentary shore excursions and gourmet menus, ” the U.S. News report said. Rounding out the top five luxury cruise lines (in order) were Azamara, Oceania and Cunard. NAN728/Shutterstock Slide 8 of 17

Discounted rates available on select sailings. Who Qualifies At least one guest in the stateroom must be qualified under the following: An active, retired or volunteer employee of a local or state, or police/fire department or Emergency Medical Services (Emergency Medical Technician - EMT) in the United States or Canada. Required Proof of Eligibility All forms of identification must be presented at time of check-in Qualified guests must present valid proof of employment (badge or ID) plus a second form of identification when boarding the ship *All guests traveling in the same stateroom are eligible to receive the police/fire rate. No additional stateroom, other than the one that is occupied by the qualified person is eligible for the police/fire rate. Benefit: Onboard Credit on any cruise. Amount per Qualified Passenger based on cruise length: Cruise Length Amount 6 Days or Less $50 7 - 13 Days $100 14 Days or Longer $250 Active personnel currently serving in the following service divisions: United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard or Reserves Canadian National Defense British Army, Royal Marines, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force or Reserves Retired Personnel defined as A) enlisted personnel or officers with a minimum of 20 years of service, B) medically retired, or C) 100% disabled Veterans with an Honorable Discharge serving a minimum of 2 years or 6 months in an active war zone in any of the applicable service divisions listed above. Must be submitted no later than 14 days to cruise departure date. Active Personnel Canada: NDI 20 Identification Card or NDI 10 which is a temporary identification card UK: Official Military identification Retired Personnel U.S.: DD214*, WD AGO (War Department Adjunct General Form) or NAVPERS (Naval Personnel Discharge Form) Canada: NDI 75 Record of Service Identification Card or CF75 Certificate of Discharge UK: Appropriate proof of service issued by the MOD Veterans with an Honorable Discharge serving a minimum of 2 years or 6 months in an active war zone, or an Educational Discharge if within 90 days of their normal separation date in any of the applicable service divisions listed above. U.S.: DD 214*, WDAGO (War Department Adjunct General Form) or NAVPERS (Naval Personnel Discharge Form) Canada: VAC (Veterans Affairs Canada) Health Identification Card * The Department of Defense issues veterans a DD 214 Form, which verifies their service and condition of discharge. Prior to 1950, other forms were issued including WD AGO and NAVPERS forms. If the passenger is not able to obtain a DD214 due to their date of service, request if they have or can obtain WD AGO or NAVPERS forms to submit in lieu of DD 214. Please note: This offer is combinable with most cruise fares. Some restrictions apply. Applications to receive this benefit must be made no later than 14 days to cruise departure date. Discounted rates on select sailings

Author: Jessica B. Date of Trip: December 2009 We just got back from a 7 night Christmas cruise on the Disney Magic. The ports were St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay (Disney Bahaminan island). I promised myself I would assess different parts of the cruise in comparison with our previous Christmas cruise on the Carnival Freedom. Disney was definitely more expensive so I am partially assessing on the basis of... Is it worth the extra money? You decide at the end of the review. PREFACE: Let me preface this by saying that I have met lots of folks that do not like Carnival, but I normally say that these folks should try one of Carnival's newer and higher-rated ships. The Freedom is 4.5 stars, more than Disney's Magic. We actually enjoyed both Carnival and Disney for very different reasons, so here is the honest truth for any family with children. (It should be stated here that when we travelled Carnival we only had one child, but this year on Disney we had an infant (6 mo) and a 10 year old.) BREAKDOWN: Here I will overview Disney with some comparisons to Carnival. Cabins: Inside staterooms were almost equivalent on both, for different reasons. Disney's had a couch and a flat screen TV that swiveled, and a split bath with the toilet and sink in one room and shower/bath and sink in another. Although it was crowded we fit a prot-a-crib in the room and still functioned. We would not have been able to do this on Carnival. Carnival's bedding was much newer and less worn than Disney and very comfortable. The layout of Carnival's was better because the bed was easier to maneuver around. VOTE: TOSS UP. Stability of Ship: This was far more important that we ever realized. You can blame it on weather perhaps but a marine officer told us the two ships have different stabalizing mechanisms. When we hit bad weather on Carnival the ship bobbed so bad that people were literally running out of the dining room in hoards puking. When the same happened on Disney we barely noticed and no one we knew got sick. VOTE: DISNEY, hands down! Pool area: Disney's pool area was very nice, whether you are talking family pools or adult only pools. Two key things here: You can actually find pool chairs that don't have towels on them and the pools are heated freshwater/chlorinated. Carnival's pools are freezing saltwater (enough said) and you can scour all three pool decks and hardly find an open pool chair (very frustrating). VOTE: DISNEY, hands down! Nighttime activities: Disney's night activities are centered around the shows, and include some adult comedy/music options afterward. There are three basic options for night entertainment but honestly they are not that good except the shows. Carnival had about 15 themed bars, clubs, nighttime entertainment/show/casino options to choose from and they were fantastic and diverse. VOTE: CARNIVAL, hands down! Ship Decor: Disney Magic is an older ship but well kept. Disney's themed restaurants have unique decor, but Carnival's entertainment spaces are decorated better. Carnival Freedom is a newer ship but passengers are more likely to abuse it over time. VOTE: TOSS UP. Photo Opps: Disney Characters, need I say more? VOTE: Disney. Food: Disney obviously takes a lot of pride in their food quality. Their main dining rooms had excellent food choices that changed, and they would accommodate your desire for part of one or the other. Their elite dining option PALO was perhaps the best food I have ever eaten... truly. Too bad they only let you go once. Carnival had good food most of the time, but the lunch buffet was insanity and poorly serviced. VOTE: Disney. Service: Disney service claims to be the best in the business, but I honestly thought our Carnival stateroom person provided better service. The dining servers were comparable. However, the pool area service and the buffet service was better on Disney. VOTE: Disney, by a hair. Kids Programs: Disney has a nursery for infants and the nursery will give you extra time after the first full day, so that REALLY helps for infants. Plus, Character experiences daily really are neat. We walked into the nursery to pick up our infant and found that Cinderella was sitting on the floor holding her, in full dress. However, interestingly our 10 year old liked the Carnival kids program a little better but this was probably due to her grouping. She was in the 9 - 11 on Carnival (at 9 yrs) and in the 8 - 10 on Disney (at 10 yrs). I asked the teens if they enjoyed Disney and they exclaimed a resounding yes. VOTE: Disney for young ones, Carnival for middle ages, Disney for teens. Shipmates: Part of the enjoyment of vacation depends upon how others treat you...including shipmates. The crew can be great but if the shipmates are vicious, it's a wash. Disney's clientelle is superior in terms of being considerate of others. They do expect the same in return though, so they will be more judgemental about swearing, loud or obnoxious behavior. VOTE: Disney.

It is absolutely impossible to predict the price you'll pay for your Disney Cruise, as there are a number of factors that influence this. First (and most important) is the time of year that you will be cruising. Spring and Fall are usually the best time to find deals. Your best bet is to book your cruise as FAR IN ADVANCE as possible. Disney Cruise Line offers “tier pricing” and the best savings can be found if you book early enough. There are also other discounts available on some Disney Cruise Line sailings. How Disney Cruise Line Pricing WorksAll cruises are priced based on two adults in the stateroom. So, even if you are one adult traveling with a child, the price is the same as if there were two adults in the stateroom. After the two adult price, the third and fourth passenger in the stateroom are charged a lower rate. If you are traveling alone, DCL will charge you 100% of the second adult's cruise fare (not including port fees and taxes) in addition to the full fare for the first adult. **NOTE** Teenagers will be Charged adult fares (13-17). Child rates apply to ages 3-12. Children ages 0-2 pay 50% of the child rate. This does not impact access to areas of the ship that are designated as "18 and over" (like the Spa, Adults only pool, and Palo). When to Travel on a Disney Cruise When to travel - It will depend on where you plan on cruising to when the best time to travel is. If you are planning on sailing to the Caribbean the summer months are going to be the best. If you are cruising to Alaska, then you will want to travel May-September. Disney typically sails on special cruises during the summer months. They may also offer a Panama Canal cruise during the summer if they need to reposition one of the cruise ships. Transferring a reservation to a travel agent Disney has a policy for reservations booked directly with them and transferred to a travel agent. Included in this policy are Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, and Aulani. Disney must approve all requested transfers. Reservations paid in full are not eligible to be transferred. Reservations that are not paid in full may only be requested within 30 days of the initial booking. (Initial booking date is the date the Reservation Center generates a reservation number, not when the deposit is made).