No. CrimeCruise must be purchased through the group to participate in activities. Badges will not be sold separately.

CrimeCruise is a 5-night Caribbean cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas. It will depart from Miami, Florida on Saturday, November 2, 2024, with a stop in Labadee, Haiti on Monday, November 4, 2024 and an additional stop in Falmouth, Jamaica  on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 and return to Miami, Florida on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

The price for the cruise varies per stateroom category, please visit our Prices & Inclusions page for a complete list of available stateroom categories and costs. 

Prices are per person based on double occupancy; guests who book a single occupancy stateroom will be charged 200% of the applicable double occupancy per person cruise fare.

Badge fees are additional and based on the badge type (Standard or VIP) you select.

Taxes and fees are a flat rate per passenger, regardless of room type or occupancy of the stateroom booked. Shipboard gratuities include your room steward and the ship’s main dining venue staff. Both must be prepaid with your reservation and are subject to change until the day of sailing. 

Casino dealers and spa personnel are not included since not all guests will utilize those services. A gratuity for bar services and servers will automatically be added to the price of your drinks on your bar check. 

Your cruise fare includes:

• All CrimeCruise programming and activities based on the badge level purchased (Standard badge holders will not have access to VIP-only activities)
• Private Opening Night reception with specialty cocktails, unlimited wine and beer, and hot & cold canapés
• Shipboard accommodations for five (5) nights in your choice of stateroom type
• Ocean transportation aboard the Independence of the Seas, round trip from Miami, Florida to the Caribbean
• All meals in the ship’s main dining venues (there’s gourmet fare in the formal dining rooms and casual restaurants for meals throughout the day), with reserved group dinner seating in the ship’s main dining room. Please note dining at specialty restaurants requires an additional fee.
• 24-hour room service is available (a service fee applies to all room service orders) 
• Variety of shipboard entertainment and activities

The following are NOT included in the package price:

• Air transportation
• Transfers (to or from airport/hotel and ship)
• Shore excursions
• Photographs
• Cost of medical services, if required
• Bottled water, sodas, alcoholic beverages, etc. 
• Specialty restaurant dining
• Goods purchased onboard (gift shops, art auctions, etc.)
• Spa and salon services
• Items of a personal nature including but not limited to laundry, and telephone 
• Gratuities for casino dealers, spa personnel, or bar services

When you book your cruise, simply click on the reservation button for one passenger then click the option that reads “I wish to be matched with another single traveler and pay the double occupancy price.” Best efforts will be made to pair you with a roommate of the same gender and within the same stateroom category, however roommate requests are not guaranteed. Please refer to the Single Share Terms & Conditions for additional information. 

Yes, we welcome family and friends! There is plenty of fun to be had on board the Independence of the Seas and the cruise ports for guests not attending the CrimeCruise sessions and activities (note: guests must be 18 years of age or older to attend the CrimeCruise programing and activities and at least on guest per stateroom must purchase an event badge). 

Passengers who wish to book staterooms near other passengers may make their request via email to cruise@crimecon.com. We’ll do our very best to accommodate the request, however it depends on whether the passengers have booked within the same stateroom category and the availability of rooms at time of request.

See all payment plan options

Due to the unique nature of this event, all reservations will be subject to the following cancellation policy related to the cruise portion of your booking:

Between the date of booking and January 29, 2024: $200 per person cancellation fee ($400 for single occupancy staterooms)

Between January 30 and March 29, 2024: $275 per person cancellation fee ($550 for single occupancy staterooms)

Between March 30 and May 29, 2024: 50% of total cruise reservation cost

Between May 30 and July 29, 2024: 75% of total cruise reservation cost

On or after July 30, 2024: no refunds will be issued

Please note:

• Badge fees are separate from above mentioned cancellation penalties and are non-refundable regardless of when the reservation is cancelled.  A voucher for the value of the event badge will be provided on cancellation. Vouchers are not tied to a specific Participant name and therefore are applicable toward any future equivalent CrimeCon event badge but not toward merchandise purchases. Any voucher issued after May 1, 2022, will expire in five (5) years after issuance  and will have zero value upon expiration. 
• Cancellation dates are based on Eastern Standard Time.
• Notice of cancellation must be submitted via email to cruise@crimecon.com. 
• No refunds will be made in the event of interruption or cancellation by any passenger after the commencement of the cruise. No refunds will be given for cruise no-shows.
• Any adjustment to the above policy is at the sole discretion of CrimeCon LLC, the organizer of CrimeCruise.
• Cancellation fees for airline tickets and/or other reservations made by attendees are subject to the cancellation policy of the specific airline/supplier.

Yes, voucher credits can be applied to the badge portion of your CrimeCruise reservation. Please send us an email with your information and voucher code to cruise@crimecon.com, and we will provide a new code to use for your CrimeCruise reservation. 

You will have the option to obtain a quote and purchase trip insurance on the reservation site after payment is made (deposit or full payment) on your reservation. This travel insurance is offered by Travel Guard.

Yes, when registering please use your name and gender as shown on your travel documents. Please add your chosen name and pronoun in the requested fields. 

Proper travel documentation is required at embarkation and throughout the cruise for all passengers. Even though a passenger has completed the cruise line’s online reservation, it is still passenger’s responsibility to present the required travel documents at the time of embarkation. Any passenger without proper documents will not be allowed to board the vessel, and no refund of the cruise fare will be issued. RCI, CrimeCruise and its agents/affiliates assume no responsibility for advising passengers of proper travel documentation.

 RCI highly recommends all passengers travel with a government-issued passport that is valid for at least 6 months following the return of the cruise. Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port, travelling with a passport may help to expedite your CBP clearance upon return to the U.S. Additionally, passports are required in the event you need to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port should you miss your scheduled port of embarkation or need to fly back to the U.S. for emergency reasons.

 The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) currently allows U.S. citizens (including children) sailing on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port to travel with one of the WHTI compliant documents, listed below:

• Valid U.S. Passport
• Passport Card
• Original Birth Certificate issued by a government agency along with a government issued photo ID if 16 years of age and older 
• Original Certificate of Naturalization
• Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card, e.g., Nexus Card, Sentri Card or Fast Card
• Enhanced Tribal Card    
• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad
• Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) – only acceptable at land and seaports of entry.  It cannot be used for air travel outside the U.S.  The word ‘Enhanced’ must appear on the driver’s license. The following five states currently issue an EDL: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington.

Copies of US passports/naturalization papers, hospital certificates and baptismal certificates are not WHTI compliant documents and are therefore NOT acceptable.

Requirements are subject to change, and it is each guest’s responsibility to ensure that he/she has the appropriate documentation.

For more information on the documentation requirements, please see the cruise line’s website.

Please visit the U.S. Department of State website for all passport information. Please note a passport could take six weeks or more to process, so make certain you allow enough time. 

Passengers are responsible to ensure that they are eligible to sail according to Royal Caribbean’s requirements, including but not limited to the following:

• Infants must be at least 6 months old on the day of departure.
• Women must be less than 24 weeks into their pregnancy on the day of departure and for the duration of the cruise. This policy is due to the risk of premature labor. Pregnant women must have a letter signed by their doctor (on the physician’s letterhead) stating how far along in weeks their pregnancy will be at the beginning of the cruise, that mother and baby are in good health and fit to travel, and that the pregnancy is not considered high-risk.

Adults must be 21 or older unless the passenger is: 

• traveling in the same stateroom with an individual 25 years or older; or 
• traveling in the same stateroom with a spouse (proof of age and/or proof of marriage are required)

Passengers not meeting the cruise line’s requirements will be denied boarding, and no refund of the cruise fare will be issued. These policies are set by the cruise line (not CrimeCruise), and no exceptions are allowed.

Please note that guests must be 18 years of age or older to attend CrimeCruise programming and activities.

For questions about the ship or the registration process, CrimeCruise inclusions and events, email us at cruise@crimecon.com

While RCI is no longer requiring pre-cruise COVID-19 testing or proof of vaccination to sail, please note that requirements to meet any destination regulations and/or safety protocols that provide for the continued safety of all guests, crew, and the communities in the ports of call are subject to change at any time. 

It is the responsibility of each guest to be informed and comply with RCI’s COVID-19 requirements and protocols at the time the cruise sails. Passengers not meeting the cruise line’s requirements will be denied boarding, and no refund of the cruise fare will be issued. These policies are set by the cruise line (not CrimeCruise), and no exceptions are allowed.

Any changes in registrations must be made via the online registration system. Until approximately 60 days prior to sailing, most changes to existing registrations can be made by logging into the cruise registration system. Within 60 days of sailing, any change requests will need to be submitted via email to cruise@crimecon.com

Name changes are permitted at the discretion of the cruise line, but at least one of the original and/or primary financially responsible guest’s names must remain on the reservation. If all original guests cancel, this is considered a full cancellation without refund, and name changes will not be allowed. 

In all cases of name changes, the “new” guest must make the full payment amount due as of the date of the name replacement in order for the guest being replaced to receive a refund of payment amounts previously made.

Yes, you can - subject to availability. Rates are based on the number of guests in your reserved stateroom. Changes in occupancy will result in a rate increase or decrease, depending on the type of change. No refunds will be issued for any decrease of rate change until the stateroom has been paid for in full.

While many staterooms can accommodate more than two people with a sofa bed or upper berths stored in the stateroom ceiling, etc., not all rooms can; and such accommodations are subject to availability at the time of reservation. Due to Coast Guard safety regulations, there cannot be more guests accommodated in a stateroom than the designated occupancy for that room. Also, please be advised that each guest must be registered and paid for in full in order to be allowed to board the ship.

Stateroom changes to another room within the same room category or higher can be made until 60 days prior to sailing and require authorization by all parties named on the reservation. A stateroom change to a room category lower than the room category of the original reservation would be considered a room cancellation and rebooking, and cancellation fees would be applied.

Approximately 3 to 4 weeks prior to the sailing date, guests who have booked and paid in full will receive an email with their cruise line booking number for the cruise. The email will also contain instructions on how to check-in online via Royal Caribbean’s website - where guests can sign up for shore excursions, make specialty dining reservations and pre-register a credit card for onboard purchases. All guests are required to complete the online check-in at least four days prior to cruising. Cruise documents will be available for printing through the cruise line’s online check-in approximately 3 weeks prior to sailing.

You can pre-purchase shore excursions on Royal Caribbean’s website once you receive your booking number and online check-in instructions for the cruise (approximately 3 to 4 weeks prior to the sailing date) or once you are onboard ship.

Yes, this cruise will count towards your Crown & Anchor membership, and your program amenities will be available onboard the ship.

Daytime: Casual attire is always appropriate day wear and in port, and includes jeans, shorts, tees, tank tops, polos, sundresses, and blouses. (Please keep swimwear for the pool deck only.). Also, be sure to bring low-heeled, comfortable shoes for deck activities and shore tours; and a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses are highly recommended.

Evening: For most evenings, casual attire (excluding tank tops and shorts) is fine; or you may wish to take it up a notch with collared shirts, slacks, skirts, etc. One evening of your cruise will have a “Wear Your Best” attire designation, which is your chance to get glamorous, be chic and shine - your way.

Reminder: Travel documents, valuables and medications should be packed in carry-on luggage.

Detailed instructions about clearing customs will be provided onboard ship near the end of your cruise. Some general guidelines/suggestions to keep in mind as you shop in foreign ports include keeping receipts for gifts and purchases. U.S. residents visiting foreign ports have a duty-free allowance of $400 and those 21 years or older may include one liter of liquor.

Royal Caribbean can accommodate special diets that have been created in consultation with a dietary specialist. Selections offered are for lunch and dinner in the main dining room only. Sample diets include vegetarian, vegan, diabetic, low fat, low sodium, low cholesterol, kosher meals, gluten free and lactose free. Please note any special dietary needs in the Notes section of your reservation.

Room service is available any time of the day or night - simply order from the room service menu located in your stateroom (a service fee applies for all room service orders). 

There are a limited number of wheelchair accessible staterooms available onboard the ship. For people that do not use a wheelchair but still need minimal assistance, bars and raised toilet seats can be accommodated in most staterooms. In addition, disposal units for needles, refrigerators for medication, and oxygen tanks can be put into most staterooms upon request. All of these items are available on a limited basis and should be requested in the Notes section of your reservation. If you have an accessibility need, please send an email to cruise@crimecon.com

Yes, you can take personal photos and videos of yourself and family/friends on board. Please be courteous and not include other ship guests or crew members in your photos or videos without their permission.

Guests can be contacted onboard the Independence of the Seas by calling 1-888-724-7447 (from the U.S.) or 1-321-953-9003 (from outside the U.S.) Please note that rates apply and are billed at $7.95 per minute (subject to change). Forms of payment accepted are Visa and MasterCard only and calls are limited to 10 minutes per call.  Callers should have the ship name and the stateroom number or name of the party they are contacting before calling. Callers using the above numbers will be transferred directly to the guest’s stateroom. If the guest is not in the stateroom at the time of the call, the caller may leave a voicemail message. 

You can also make calls from the ship using the Ship-to-Shore telephone service. Rates for this service also apply and will be billed to your shipboard account starting at $7.95 per minute. Telephones are available in all staterooms. 

To keep you connected while at sea, all RCI ships provide VOOM Internet access facilitated through the Internet Café and through the ship-wide Wi-Fi network. There are various plans available for purchase. Further details regarding availability and cost will be available on the cruise line’s website after you complete your online check-in and onboard ship.

Royal Caribbean offers an advanced roaming network onboard all ships, allowing you to make and receive calls while at sea using compatible mobile phones that are set to roaming. International roaming charges will be conveniently billed to you by your home mobile carrier. Mobile phone service will be available for use while the ship is at sea. 

Rates for usage of your cellular phone are determined by your home mobile carrier. Please note that calls to 800, 888, 866 and 877 numbers are not toll free while onboard or in foreign ports. You will be billed by your home mobile carrier for your international roaming usage on your regular mobile phone bill. It can take up to 60 days for charges acquired while using your cellular phone at these times to appear on your phone bill. For more information, please contact your home mobile carrier customer service.

Yes.

Staterooms do not have irons or ironing boards; however, the ship offers washing, pressing, and dry-cleaning services for a reasonable rate. Please also note that irons and clothes steamers are strictly prohibited onboard the ship for safety reasons. If you choose to bring one with you, it will be confiscated from your luggage before sailing.

Yes.

Any special needs, including allergies, must be indicated in the Special Requests/Notes section of the online reservation, and will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. While there is no guarantee that all special needs/requests can be accommodated, we will make our best efforts to accommodate the need or provide an alternative if possible.

The ship has a minimum of one fully licensed doctor and 2 licensed nurses onboard, who are available in the ship’s medical facility during scheduled hours or on call 24 hours a day through the Guest Services desk.

The Independence of the Seas does NOT provide wheelchairs for onboard use. Guests can, however, rent a wheelchair, motorized wheelchair, or scooter from one of Royal Caribbean’s recommended providers:

• Scootaround - 1-888-441-7575 or 1-204-982-0657
• Special Needs At Sea - 1-800-513-4515 or 1-954-585-0575

Not every area of the ship is wheelchair accessible; however, Royal Caribbean has made substantial modifications to enhance your ability to move about the ship. The Independence of the Seas features accessible elevators at each elevator bank with tactile controls within reach of passengers who use wheelchairs.  

Accessible routes are available throughout most areas of the ship, and signs are posted to assist you in locating these pathways. There is also accessible seating within your ship's restaurants and lounges, and in designated accessible public restrooms.

The cruise ship operates on a cashless system. Passengers can validate their onboard account with a Visa, MasterCard, or American Express card, or by making payment by cash or traveler's check. Passengers can then sign all onboard services and purchases to their shipboard account. At the end of the cruise, passengers will receive a completely itemized statement of charges.

Royal Caribbean does not accept personal checks, and only U.S. currency is accepted aboard the ships. There is an ATM located onboard the ship, though a transaction fee will apply.

Yes, there is a fitness center (see ship’s daily newsletter for scheduled hours) and a jogging track, which is open 24 hours a day and complimentary to all passengers. 

Guests are not allowed to bring water, sodas, and other non-alcoholic beverages onboard that are packaged in glass or plastic bottles. A small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages (i.e., sparkling water, sodas, energy drinks, juice, and milk) packaged in cans or cartons may be brought onboard on embarkation day and must be in the guest’s carry-on luggage. A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12-ounces each or less per person.

Guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onboard for consumption, except two bottles of wine or champagne per stateroom with an adult of drinking age (no larger than 750 ml) per sailing. Guests who consume their personal wine or champagne in the dining room will incur at $15 corkage fee per bottle. Personal wine or champagne may not be consumed in any other public area of the ship. 

Please remember that luggage will be scanned and alcohol outside of the cruise line’s policy will be removed and discarded. Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Royal Caribbean is not responsible for any alcoholic beverages removed and discarded by shore-side security staff. Such items are not eligible for monetary refund or replacement.

Alcoholic beverages purchased duty free from the ship’s gift shop, or at ports of call, will be collected for safekeeping and delivered to the passenger’s stateroom on the last day of the cruise. A member of the ship’s staff will be at the gangway to assist passengers with the storage of their shore-side alcoholic purchase, while the ship’s gift shop staff will assist passengers with shipboard alcoholic purchases. 

Guests who are under the permitted drinking age will not have alcohol returned to them. Please note: All guests must comply with TSA guidelines for transporting liquids. 

All interior public spaces (except as otherwise noted below) and staterooms/suite accommodations are entirely smoke free, including outside stateroom balconies. This policy includes all forms of smoking, including but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, electronic cigarettes, and personal vaporizers.

Cigarette, E-cigarette, and personal vaporizer smoking is only permitted in designated exterior open deck areas, and in certain areas within the casino. Cigar and pipe smoking are allowed in designated exterior open deck areas.

Outdoor areas near restricted areas, food venues, and kids play areas and pools will not allow smoking. To assist in locating areas where smoking is permitted, guests will find visible signage posted within all smoking areas and ashtrays that are provided for use. 

Cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco must be properly disposed of and never thrown overboard. You must be at least 18 years of age to purchase, possess or use tobacco onboard.

Note: Passengers who smoke in their staterooms or on their balconies will be assessed a $250 cleaning and refreshing fee on their onboard account and may be subject to further action. Information on this fee is included in Royal Caribbean’s cruise ticket contract. Passengers agree to strictly comply with Royal Caribbean’s non-smoking policy. 

Miami International Airport (MIA) is approximately 12 miles from the Port of Miami, approximately 35 minutes driving depending on traffic.

If you are flying on the day the cruise departs, it is recommended that your flight arrive at Miami International Airport (MIA) before 12:00pm on November 2, 2024, to be sure you have time to disembark the plane, collect your luggage and make your way to the cruise terminal. All guests must be checked in and onboard the ship at least one hour prior to sailing. 

If you are flying on the day the cruise returns, it is recommended that your flight departs Miami International Airport (MIA) after 12:00pm on November 7, 2024. The ship is scheduled to return to the Port of Miami (which is approximately a 35-minute drive from Miami International Airport (MIA) at 6:00am, but the ship must be cleared by local authorities before the disembarkation process begins. Guests must then claim their luggage, go through the Customs and Immigration process, and then make their way to Miami International Airport.

The address for the port is:

Port of Miami - Terminal A

2299 East Port Blvd

Miami, FL 33132

Parking for Royal Caribbean guests is available in Terminal A parking garage at a cost of $28 per night (please note this is subject to change.) Cash and all major credit cards are accepted forms of payment at the parking garage but please note debit cards are not accepted.

Parking facilities are patrolled by local security, but neither the port nor Royal Caribbean is responsible for any damages or losses occasioned from the use of the facilities.

For more information regarding parking at the port, click here

Guests are required to check-in at least one hour prior to departure. Guests will be asked to choose an Arrival Time Slot during the online check-in prior to sailing. It is important that you arrive during your designated time slot. If you arrive earlier, you will NOT be able to begin the boarding process until your designated time and will have to wait. Those who arrive late will have to wait till they can be placed in another arrival group.

The ship must be cleared by local US Customs and Border Protection authorities before guests can begin boarding, which can be as early as 11:30am or noon but varies. Please note, however, that staterooms will not be available until approximately 1:00pm and guests will be asked to adhere to their chosen Arrival Time Slot.