General Info

SPOTLIGHT EVENT: OPEN TO ALL TEAMS EVERYWHERE!!!

Welcome to the Anchors Aweigh VEX V5 Robotics Competition™: Open Sea, a one-of-a-kind VEX V5 Robotics Competition™ experience scheduled aboard Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, sailing from Miami to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas, December 21–24, 2026.

This event is designed to combine competitive robotics, STEM education, teamwork, family travel, and a memorable cruise experience. Teams will compete in an official-style VEX V5 Robotics Competition™ environment while traveling with their coaches, families, and supporters.

2027 VEX Robotics World Championship™

Qualifying Spot Information

(1) Excellence Award

TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS, EXCELLENCE AND DESIGN AWARD WINNERS WILL RECIEVE $500 VEX STORE VOUCHER!!!

Teams must first register for the event through RobotEvents/VEX Events. After registration, teams and travelers will receive information from Sunrise Love Travel regarding cruise deposits, cabin booking, required travel documentation, travel insurance options, and group placement.

Important cruise booking note:
Registration on events.vex.com secures the team’s spot in the robotics competition. Cruise reservations, deposits, cabin assignments, travel insurance, and final cruise payments are handled separately through Sunrise Love Travel and Royal Caribbean group booking procedures.

All students, coaches, parents, guardians, and spectators traveling with the team must be booked as part of the official Anchors Aweigh group in order to participate in the onboard event experience.

This event is expected to include:

• 3 event t-shirts per team
• VEX V5 qualification matches
• Robot skills opportunities
• Team pit areas
• Robot inspection
• Alliance selection
• Elimination rounds
• Awards ceremony
• Family-friendly cruise activities
• Optional networking, and team bonding opportunities

Final room assignments, field locations, field counts, and event schedule may be adjusted based on ship operations, Royal Caribbean approval, safety requirements, and final team count.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK CRUISE!!

The Anchors Aweigh VEX Open will take place aboard Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas on a 3-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay sailing from December 21–24, 2026.

Cruise pricing is separate from the VEX Events team registration fee. Each traveler must complete the cruise booking process through Sunrise Love Travel and be connected to the official Anchors Aweigh group.

*Prices are starting rates per person and are subject to change based on cabin availability, occupancy, taxes, port fees, Royal Caribbean pricing updates, and group booking terms.

Important: Registering for the robotics event on VEX Events does not automatically reserve cruise cabins. Teams must complete the separate cruise booking process for all students, coaches, parents, guardians, and spectators traveling with the group.

Only the cruise deposit per person is needed at the initial cruise booking stage. After the deposit is made, travelers will be connected to the official Anchors Aweigh group andafter that may choose to pay in full or setup payment plan.

Travelers may also be given the option to purchase travel insurance through Royal Caribbean.

Important Registration and Booking Instructions

After registering for the Anchors Aweigh VEX Open on VEX Events, teams will receive instructions for the cruise booking process.

Only the cruise deposit per person is needed at the initial cruise booking stage. Once the deposit is received, travelers will be connected to the official Anchors Aweigh group.

Teams should not assume that registering on VEX Events automatically books cruise cabins. VEX Events registration and cruise cabin booking are two separate steps.

Each participating team is responsible for making sure all traveling students, coaches, parents, guardians, and spectators have completed the required cruise reservation process.

Because this is a cruise-based event, teams should begin planning early for:

• Student and adult traveler lists
• Cabin assignments
• Required travel documents
• Passports or acceptable cruise identification documents
• Parent/guardian permission forms
• School travel approval, if applicable
• Robot transportation
• Battery and charger packing
• Tool restrictions
• Travel insurance decisions
• Pre-cruise hotel arrangements, if needed
• Transportation to and from PortMiami

Event Experience

The goal of the Anchors Aweigh VEX Open is to provide teams with a competitive robotics experience while also creating a memorable STEM travel opportunity.

Teams will have the opportunity to compete, collaborate, and celebrate robotics in a unique setting at sea. Coaches, students, and families will be able to enjoy the cruise experience while also participating in a structured VEX Robotics Competition.

This event is designed to be both competitive and family-friendly. Teams should come prepared to compete seriously, represent their schools and organizations well, and follow all event, ship, and REC Foundation expectations.

Competition Format

The event is expected to include qualification matches, robot skills, alliance selection, elimination rounds, and awards.

The final competition format may depend on the number of registered teams, available field space, ship schedule, inspection progress, and event approval requirements.

Approved competition locations include:

• Team check-in (confernce rooms)
• Robot inspection (confernce rooms)
• Practice field access (confernce rooms)
• Robot skills attempts (confernce rooms)
• Qualification matches (Studio B arena)
• Alliance selection (Studio B arena)
• Elimination rounds (Studio B arena)
• Awards ceremony (Studio B arena)

Final match schedules and event procedures will be shared with registered teams closer to the event date.

Location and Venue

The Anchors Aweigh VEX Open will take place aboard:

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas
Departing from PortMiami
Miami, Florida

Approved event spaces include ship-approved competition areas such as Studio B, Music Hall and onboard conference center areas.

Cruise Itinerary

The robotics schedule will be coordinated around the ship’s itinerary and approved onboard venue availability while also allowing travelers to time to enjoy the ship and ports.

Travel Documentation Reminder

All travelers are responsible for meeting Royal Caribbean’s travel documentation requirements.

Because this sailing visits international ports, families should review passport, birth certificate, government-issued ID, minor travel documentation, and school travel requirements well in advance.

Teams should not wait until the final weeks before sailing to gather required documents. Last-minute travel paperwork has a special talent for turning adults into stressed-out printers with shoes.

Spectator Information

Spectators are welcome but must be booked as official cruise passengers in the Anchors Aweigh group.

Because the event takes place aboard a cruise ship, there is no day-of public spectator access from land. Only registered cruise passengers who have completed Royal Caribbean boarding requirements may attend onboard event activities.

Venue seating may be limited depending on the final ship-approved competition space.

Food and Dining

There will not be traditional competition school-style concessions at this event.

Food and beverage options will be available through Royal Caribbean’s onboard dining venues according to each traveler’s cruise package and ship policies.

Teams should plan meals around the event agenda and ship dining schedule.

Important Notes

This event is different from a traditional school gym or convention center tournament. Teams should be prepared for cruise-specific logistics, including boarding procedures, ship security, limited access to certain areas, assigned event spaces, and possible schedule adjustments.

The Event Partner, Sunrise Love Travel, Royal Caribbean, and event staff will work together to provide the best possible experience for teams while following all ship safety and operational requirements.

By registering for this event, teams acknowledge that the event schedule, room assignments, field layout, and competition flow may be adjusted as needed due to ship operations, safety requirements, final registration numbers, or Royal Caribbean direction. At the time of this posting, robots, batteries, and chargers will be allowed on the ship. Specific Boarding Procedures will be released at a later date.

The goal is to create a safe, organized, competitive, and unforgettable robotics experience at sea.