Royal Caribbean Just Made Canceling a Cruise Much More Expensive (Here’s What You Need to Know)

 

Planning a cruise is full of excitement; booking exotic itineraries, choosing your stateroom, and counting down the days until departure. However, life happens, and sometimes plans change. If you have a cruise booked (or are planning to book) with Royal Caribbean, there is an important policy update you need to keep on your radar.

Royal Caribbean has updated its North American cancellation policy, streamlining its timeline categories and eliminating lower-tier penalty options. The takeaway for vacationers is clear: canceling a cruise after your final payment deadline will now cost you significantly more.

What Changed in the Royal Caribbean Cancellation Policy?

Starting October 11, 2026, Royal Caribbean is replacing its existing penalty structure with a tougher set of rules for new bookings.

1. The 25% Penalty Tier Is Gone

Previously, if you canceled shortly after the final payment date, you were charged a 25% penalty fee, allowing you to walk away with 75% of your fare refunded. That 25% buffer has been completely eliminated. Under the new rules, the moment you enter the penalty window, the fee jumps straight to 50% of the total cruise price.

2. Consolidated Cruise Length Categories

Royal Caribbean re-categorized its itinerary lengths, moving mid-length sailings into tighter penalty windows:

• 5 to 9-Night Cruises: The penalty window now kicks in at 89 days before sailing.

• 10+ Night Cruises: The penalty window kicks in at 119 days before sailing.

3. Strict Enforcement on 3rd & 4th Guests

If you travel with family or a group in one stateroom, take extra note: cancellation fees for 3rd and 4th guests will now be automatically enforced by the booking system, making fee waivers practically a thing of the past.

Breakdown: What Happens When You Cancel?

Here is how the fees work under the new rules for bookings made on or after October 11, 2026:

For 5 to 9-night cruises, you can cancel 90 days or more prior to departure without penalty and receive a full 100% refund. However, if you cancel between 89 and 61 days before sailing, you will be charged a 50% penalty fee, receiving only half of your total fare back. Canceling between 60 and 31 days prior to departure increases the fee to 75% of the total price. If you cancel 30 days or less before your cruise, you forfeit 100% of the cost and will receive no refund.

For 10+ night cruises, you have until 120 days or more before departure to cancel with no charge and get a 100% refund. Canceling between 119 and 61 days prior results in a 50% cancellation fee. If you cancel within 60 to 31 days before sailing, the fee jumps to 75% of the total fare. Finally, canceling 30 days or less before departure results in a total loss, with a 100% penalty fee and no refund.

(Note: Short cruises of 4 nights or fewer already operated without a 25% tier, so their cancellation fees remain unchanged.)

How Travel Insurance Shields Your Wallet

With cruise lines tightening their refund policies, relying solely on a cruise line’s standard booking terms is a big risk. This is where a comprehensive Travel Insurance policy becomes your safety net.

Here is how travel insurance helps cushion the financial blow:

1. Reimbursement for Covered Reasons

If you have to cancel your cruise due to an unforeseen covered event—such as a sudden illness or injury, severe weather, family emergencies, or unexpected job loss—standard travel insurance can reimburse up to 100% of your non-refundable cruise costs.

• Without Insurance: Cancel 40 days out on a 7-night cruise? Royal Caribbean keeps 75% of your money.

• With Travel Insurance: File a claim with your documentation, and your insurance provider reimburses the 75% penalty fee that the cruise line kept.

2. Upgrading to "Cancel For Any Reason" (CFAR)

Standard insurance only covers specific listed emergencies. If you want maximum flexibility, consider adding a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) rider to your policy.

• CFAR allows you to cancel your trip for any reason at all—whether you changed your mind, work got busy, or you simply prefer not to go.

• Most CFAR policies reimburse 50% to 75% of your pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs (as long as you cancel at least 48–72 hours prior to departure).

3. Extra Protection Beyond Cancellations

Cruises involve multiple moving parts: flights, hotel transfers, and port stops. Comprehensive travel insurance doesn't just cover cruise cancellations; it protects against:

• Flight Delays/Missed Connections: Pays to catch you up to the ship if flight delays cause you to miss embarkation.

• Medical Emergencies at Sea: Covers costly onboard medical clinic visits and emergency evacuations.

• Baggage Loss or Delays: Reimburses clothing and essentials if your luggage misses the boat.

Final Tip for Your Next Cruise

If you are planning to book a Royal Caribbean cruise, lock in your plans before October 11, 2026 to take advantage of the old policy rules where applicable, or make sure you quote a third-party travel insurance policy right alongside your cruise deposit. Spending a small percentage on coverage up front ensures a sudden change of plans won't wash away your vacation savings!

Why Booking with a Travel Advisor Matters

Policy updates like this highlight exactly why working with a dedicated travel advisor is invaluable, we are always watching out for you! Whether you already have a trip on the calendar or are just beginning to dream up your next getaway, a travel advisor is constantly monitoring the travelsphere for industry developments, policy adjustments, and logistics changes that could impact your plans. We help you navigate complex rules, protect your financial investment, and ensure you never get caught off guard. Come Monday Travel is your expert travel partner—contact us today to plan your next journey with total peace of mind!

Rolling in Style: Friendly Tips for Your Next Sushi Adventure

 

There is something undeniably satisfying about sitting down at a great sushi bar. The pristine cuts of fish, the precisely seasoned rice, the artful presentation; it’s an experience meant to be savored.

Because sushi is such a favorite staple, many of us have picked up a few funny habits along the way. While no sushi chef is going to grade you, learning a few traditional insider tips is a super fun way to show appreciation for the craft and, best of all, it actually makes your sushi taste even better!

Here are five lighthearted etiquette tips to keep in mind for your next sushi night.

1. Mixing Wasabi Directly Into Your Soy Sauce

• The Common Habit: Creating a greenish, murky "wasabi soup" in your small soy sauce dish.

• The Flavor Secret: Chefs usually add a subtle touch of wasabi directly between the fish and the rice to complement that specific cut. Flooding your soy sauce dish with extra wasabi can overpower the delicate flavors.

• The Pro Move: Let the chef handle the balance! If you love an extra kick, simply dab a tiny bit of wasabi straight onto the top of the fish with your chopstick.

2. Dipping the Rice Side into the Soy Sauce

• The Common Habit: Dunking the rice bottom of a piece of nigiri straight into the sauce.

• The Flavor Secret: Sushi rice acts like a sponge, quickly soaking up too much salt and causing the delicate piece to fall apart before reaching your mouth.

• The Pro Move: Gently tip the piece onto its side and dip only the fish side into the sauce for just a splash of flavor.

3. Eating Pickled Ginger at the Same Time as Sushi

• The Common Habit: Stacking a bright pink slice of pickled ginger (gari) directly on top of your roll or nigiri.

• The Flavor Secret: Pickled ginger is designed as a palate cleanser between different types of fish (like resetting your taste buds after rich salmon before moving to light flounder).

• The Pro Move: Enjoy a bite of ginger separately between sushi pieces rather than as a topping!

4. Biting a Piece in Half

• The Common Habit: Taking a half-bite of a piece of nigiri or a roll and putting the rest back on the plate.

• The Flavor Secret: Each piece is carefully designed by the chef to deliver a single, perfectly balanced mouthful of flavor and texture.

• The Pro Move: Commit to the whole bite! Pop the entire piece into your mouth at once—ideally fish-side down so it hits your tongue first.

5. Fearing the Hands!

• The Common Habit: Struggling to balance nigiri or hand rolls with chopsticks when they keep slipping.

• The Flavor Secret: Nigiri and hand rolls were originally created as handheld street food in Japan!

• The Pro Move: Feel free to put the chopsticks down! Using your thumb, index, and middle finger to pick up nigiri or hand rolls is totally acceptable and traditionally encouraged.

At the end of the day, honoring sushi etiquette isn’t about rigid rules, it’s about unlocking the best possible flavors, textures, and craft behind every bite. By bringing a few simple customs into your dining routine, you can roll into your next sushi adventure with total confidence, connect more deeply with the craft, and enjoy every piece exactly as the chef intended!

Best BBQ Joints in the Mid-Atlantic: Short Trips from Philadelphia

 

When thinking of legendary American barbecue, thoughts often drift south toward Texas, Kansas City, or Memphis. But you don't need to take a long journey for incredible BBQ. Great smoked meats can be found right here in the Mid-Atlantic region, making for easy short trips from Philadelphia.

At its core, barbecue (BBQ) is just a method of cooking meat; generally low, slow, and with some smoke. It's done all across the world in some shape or form, but in the United States, calling it "just a method" might land you in some trouble. This culinary style is inextricably tied to the country's culture. Tracing its origins to a single style mastered in the South, BBQ has spread across the continent, adapting its methods, tweaking its taste, and altering its ingredients to match the palate and produce of each region.

Here are the best BBQ joints in each state of the Mid-Atlantic, listed in alphabetical order by state:

Delaware: Bethany Blues (Bethany Beach)

Such is BBQ's enormous reach that even small states like Delaware are producing excellent smoked meats. Bethany Blues at Bethany Beach is the pick of the bunch, offering a suitably hearty counterpoint to the seafood-heavy dining scene along the coast. It combines styles, offering everything from Carolina-style pork to Texas-style brisket. For something more unique, swing for their "Delmarva-Q" dishes, like the Delmarva Chicken or Deviled Egg the latter throwing lump crab meat on for good measure. If the crab pulls you from traditional BBQ, their crab cakes will be waiting for you, too. Their bourbon collection is stunning as well.

Maryland: Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar (Baltimore)

Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar in Baltimore takes a slightly different route with its brisket, using a coffee rub to give the beef added bitterness and depth. That unique spin is just one reason the restaurant has been highlighted as one of Maryland's best barbecue joints, giving Baltimore another serious smoked-meat destination. Both local publications like the Baltimore Sun and national publications like Southern Living have named it the best in Maryland. It even gets a little bonus for having the best mac and cheese, too. Throw in an epic whiskey selection, and you've got a match made in BBQ heaven.

New Jersey: Red White & Que Smokehouse (Green Brook)

There is no shortage of clever names, and Red White & Que Smokehouse in Green Brook might have the best. Owned by a former Marine, the restaurant specializes in Texas-style barbecue and has been regularly included among the best smoked-meat spots in the state. Its brisket, cooked low and slow until the fat renders into the beef and a dark bark forms around the outside, is the play here, helping garner accolades from the likes of Business Insider and Mashed.

New York: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (Syracuse)

New York City is a dominant culinary force across the world, but it's Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse that has built a reputation big enough to escape its shadow. Originally founded as a pop-up for hungry bikers in Albany in 1983, it laid roots in Syracuse and has expanded since then, even launching a spot in Harlem. Business Insider named it the best in-state, crediting it with introducing a BBQ-deprived corner of the country to southern-style cooking.

Pennsylvania: Red Rock BBQ (Susquehanna)

Pennsylvania's food scene usually revolves around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but Red Rock BBQ in Susquehanna has helped put northeastern Pennsylvania on the barbecue map. The restaurant's simple but strong menu has appeared on statewide barbecue trails and earned recognition as one of the better smokehouses in the state. The place piles on extra kudos by doubling up as a brewery, too.

Virginia: Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que (Williamsburg)

Williamsburg is far better known for colonial history than barbecue, but Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que has become something of a local institution in its own right. Business Insider gave it the top spot in Virginia, as did Southern Living, while Virginia Living named it a runner-up in its region. The restaurant's chopped pork sandwiches have been feeding locals and visitors for generations now, making it a pretty easy addition to a day otherwise spent surrounded by considerably older Williamsburg attractions.

West Virginia: Rollin' Smoke BBQ (Charleston)

West Virginia doesn't get dragged into many national barbecue arguments, but Rollin' Smoke BBQ in Charleston has done enough to force its way into this one. Southern Living named it the state's best barbecue joint, with brisket among the big reasons for the nod. You can get it piled into a sandwich or platter, while brisket burnt ends regularly appear among the specials. There's even a pepperoni roll on the menu, just in case you needed reminding you were still in West Virginia. The riverside view tops everything off.

Ready for a Smokin' Road Trip?

So, what are you waiting for? Incredible, finger-licking barbecue is closer than you think! Whether you're craving coffee-rubbed brisket in Baltimore, a quick drive for Texas-style bark in New Jersey, or a pepperoni roll with a side of ribs along a scenic West Virginia river, your ultimate smoky adventure is calling. Grab your road trip playlist, map out your route, and hit the open road for the ultimate Mid-Atlantic flavor tour. Pack your fork and plenty of extra napkins, because your taste buds are in for one wild, delicious ride!