Holland America just opened a reserved, day-pass Beach Club on Half Moon Cay with priority tendering, waiter service at your lounger, and all-inclusive drinks — plus a new barbecue pavilion. The upgrades apply to more than two dozen Caribbean itineraries this winter, though the line hasn't posted a day-pass price yet.

Heard "Code Alpha" or "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar" over the PA and wondered if you should worry? Usually not — most codes are quiet crew-to-crew shorthand, and they're not standardized across lines. Here's what each reportedly means, and the one signal you're actually trained to act on.

It comes down to price versus breadth: Carnival wins for budget travelers, groups, and short party-friendly getaways, while Royal Caribbean wins for families and activity seekers who want the biggest ships and Perfect Day at CocoCay — for about 15-20% more. We break it down category by category.