When you see a cruise ship in person, you can't help but marvel at just how big these things are and how much bigger they are than you expected.

Icon of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship when she launches next year, and she's currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.

At 250,800 gross tons, Icon will be the biggest cruise ship in the world. There's an entire water park, spa, surf simulator, shopping mall, arcade, casino, gym, three theaters, seven pools, 20 dining venues, and 15 bars onboard. 

It will have 20 decks and enough room for nearly 10,000 passengers and crew members.

Cruise ships are the biggest passenger vessels that humans have ever built.  They can fit a small town's worth of people into a single vehicle, and they certainly have a look to them that is different from ocean liners of 100 years ago.

How did the biggest ships today end up looking like this?

Origins with ocean liners

Before we had the cruise ships of today, there were ocean liners. These vessels were about simply getting you from one place to another.

Ocean liners were built to offer comfortable accommodations across oceans at the highest speed possible.

Of course, crossing a vast ocean, such as the Atlantic, means sea conditions could be miserable if the weather did not cooperate.

Ocean liners were divided up into classes, with the first class areas looking a lot like a fancy hotel you might see on land.

The SS Normandie could cross the Atlantic in a record 4.14 days, and was beautifully designed. She had an Art Déco and Streamline Moderne design, and had first class amenities such as a dining room, first-class lounge, grill room, first-class swimming pool, theatre and winter garden.

Normandie's first-class dining hall was the largest room afloat. At 305 ft, it was longer than the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles.

For first class passengers, the idea was to deliver a luxurious experience that you might find on land. First-class suites were given unique designs by select designers. The most luxurious accommodations were the Deauville and Trouville apartments, featuring dining rooms, baby grand pianos, multiple bedrooms, and private decks.

A vacation at sea

Once air travel became a popular method to cross oceans, ocean liners started to slowly become obsolete.

In the 1960s, it became very apparent that falling ocean liner numbers were not an anomaly and that compelled a change in the market.

By the late 1960s, some liners would head south to the warmer regions in the winter months to offer a different kind of trip. Instead of transportation, these ships offered a vacation.

The idea of a cruise ship started here, but the product would take some time to evolve into what we know today.

Ocean liners were not well acclimated to a leisure product. They were designed to go fast and consumed a lot of fuel. They sat low in the water, which kept them stable in rough seas, but meant they could only access ports with deep harbors. 

They had separate sections for first, second and third class, but that left a lot of passengers without access to amenities and limited everyone's freedom of movement throughout the ship.

And compared to the full time cruise ships of the time, ocean liners were huge. So they'd have to attract a lot of vacationers to be profitable.

In short, ocean liner's optimal design to make for a quick commute through rough waters hindered its ability to be attractive for a calm ocean at a slow pace.

Royal Caribbean started its operations up in 1969, and the company launched the first ship purpose-built for warm-water cruising. 

A milestone in the transition from ocean liner to cruise ship came in 1979 when Norwegian Caribbean Line bought the S.S. France with the intention of transforming it into a cruise ship.

The new owners spent $80 million to make the ship better at offering leisure cruises. 

The new ship would have larger and more numerous public spaces for the cruise-type recreations, had two propellors removed to reduce fuel consumption, and was given a complete set of bow/stern thrusters to make it easier to dock in port.

 A large lido deck was created at the very back of the ship. They built it wide enough to accommodate as many sunbathing passengers as possible.

The First Class Smoking Room was converted to an outdoor buffet restaurant, and the Patio Provençal on the Sun Deck was filled in with a top-side swimming pool.

Renamed as the S.S. Norway, the new ship started sailing in 1980 and it sailed to  just The Bahamas and St. Thomas, because the ship itself was marketed as the destination (rather than the places you could visit).

The cruise industry was transformed with the launch of the TV show, "The Love Boat" because it made the idea of cruising mainstream to the general public.

The Norway proved that size worked for cruise ships and it kicked off a race to build bigger and bigger ships that would change the look of a cruise ship.

In order to fit more cabins and amenities, everything above the deck became taller to fit all the amenities and that hid smokestacks that used to be an iconic feature on any ship.

To fit even more cabins and amenities, superstructures became wider, which shortened the front part of the ship (bow).

The bow didn't need to be long and pointed to cut through intense waves like on transatlantic liners. So builders rounded them out, giving even more square footage for amenities.

Big and bigger

With the model proven, now ships could grow to meet demand.

Over the next few decades, cruise ships would grow immensely. While the S.S. Norway had an internal volume of 70,000 gross tons, Royal Caribbean's cruise ships today are three times the size.

Icon of the Seas' gross tonnage is over 250,000 gross tons and she follows in many ways the tradition of the first ships.

When Royal Caribbean wanted to build its first mega ship, they had never built a cruise ship with an indoor café, a casino, a champagne bar or a health club; and having made the decision to include those options inside a suitably large hull, the scale of an inevitable new prototype emerged. Thus, Sovereign of the Seas, the world's largest purpose-built cruise ship at the time, was conceived.

The passenger count would be 2,673 total occupancy, more than double Song of America's capacity.

The launch of Sovereign of the Seas in 1988 introduced the era of the mega ship, and vessels became larger and larger. 

Royal Caribbean pushed the envelope of possibilities with the Voyager and Oasis Class ships in the decades to follow.

I often say that it's hard to have a bad cruise on a new cruise ship, and a large reason for that thought process is because of how much you can see and do on a new cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean's fleet of cruise ships offers ships of different size and age. There's a good reason to try them all, with the newest ships offering some superb experiences that truly stand out.

Of course, a new cruise ship will come with a premium price.  The newest ships have the most demand because of how intriguing they are to the general public. It leaves some people wondering what exactly a new cruise ships gets you and why you'd want to pay extra to sail on a brand new Royal Caribbean cruise ship compared to one that isn't as new.

Regardless of a ship's age, Royal Caribbean does a good job of maintaining its fleet with regular updates and even upgrades to some vessels.

The appeal of the latest and greatest certainly draws in plenty of cruisers, because it represents the very best Royal Caribbean has to offer. When you watch a commercial for Royal Caribbean, inevitably you want to do the same things you see in the commercial, and those are offered on newer ships.

If you've only sailed on older ships, or are simply curious what makes a new ship different from an older ship, there are a few nuances you will notice about a brand new cruise ship when you get onboard.

Updated cabin aesthetics

If you think all cruise ships are the same regardless of age, you have to see the cabin of a new ship.

New cruise ships have much more modern aesthetics, and I'd say the look and feel of a new ship cabin mirrors that of a land based hotel much more than older ships cabins.

Royal Caribbean ship cabins on ships built prior to 2014 seem to have a very traditional maritime look to them, and it seemed like the motif for these staterooms was very much the same whether you were on a Radiance or Voyager Class cruise ship.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes ultimate guide

With the Quantum Class, the look of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin began to change, and since then, it seems Royal Caribbean hasn't been content with delivering the same sort of cabin.

The colors have evolved over the last 10 years, and there's more accents that make your cruise ship cabin look less like a cruise ship cabin.  In my opinion, new ship cabins evoke more of a land resort look to them than older ship cabins did.

Read more: What are the different types of cabins on a cruise ship?

Smart TVs

Something else you'll notice in your cabin on a new cruise ship are the televisions.

I certainly don't watch a lot of TV while on a cruise, but when I do, the experience is much more enjoyable on a new TV given the feature set and performance you'll get with them.

Newer Royal Caribbean ships have interactive TVs, where you can complete your muster drill experience, order room service, review charges and more.

On the very newest Royal Caribbean ships, the TVs have a means to stream content from your smart device.  This alleviates one of the major pain points guests have had for years of trying to get a movie from their computer or phone on the TV without having to bring an HDMI cable and universal remote.

Plus, the new TVs change channels a heck of a lot quicker.  My pet peeve is using a TV that has a noticeable delay in trying to change channels, which is common with older units.

While the stateroom television isn't a reason to book a cruise or not, it certainly makes it slightly more enjoyable.

More specialty restaurants

There's simply more dining choices on a new cruise ship.

Part of the reason you'll find more dining variety is because the ship is bigger, which means more space onboard for more restaurants.

Over the years, Royal Caribbean has doubled down on specialty dining in particular because of how well-received it has been from guests.  It offers more cuisines and cooking styles than you can find in the complimentary venues, and it allows Royal Caribbean to experiment with new concepts too.

For those that opt to indulge in extra cost restaurants, you'll have many more choices on a new ship than an older ship.

As an example, Icon of the Seas will have more than 40 food and beverage concepts, with 23 of them completely new to Royal Caribbean.

Whether you go to all of those restaurants is secondary to the fact you have the choice to visit, and the sheer variety stands out to guests.

When you sail on an older ship, the amount of dining choices is considerably less.

Read more: Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Newer songs in production shows

If you want to tell which decade a cruise ship was launched, watch the production shows and listen for which songs are included.

When Royal Caribbean builds a new cruise ship, they develop new shows for guests onboard.  Inevitably, there are hit songs from the last few years included in the dance numbers.

When I went on Anthem of the Seas earlier this summer, I recall hearing Macklemore's, "Can't Hold Us" as part of a show in Two70.  It's a great hit from 2012, and it instantly sets the age of a ship in your mind.

Newer cruise ships seem to sample newer songs in their shows.

A lot of new cruisers

New cruise ships are built to bring in the crowds, especially those that have never cruised before.

Growth in the cruise industry is predicated on the concept of marketing to people that have never taken a cruise before because that is the largest segment of the population. According to statistics published by Cruise Lines International Association, around 15% of the total US population have ever cruised.

As a result, Royal Caribbean designs new cruise ships to be very intriguing to someone who has never cruised before, and the result is there will probably be a lot of new cruisers onboard.

To be fair, you'll find new cruisers on every Royal Caribbean cruise ship.  But there seems to be many more newbies on a new ship.

Certainly there will be many families on a new ship because of Royal Caribbean's historic appeal to the family travel market.

Those Royal Caribbean television commercials are made to attract the public to the ship, and often the whizz-bang activities onboard are the sort that compel someone who has never cruised before to try the ship. The Bionic Bar, Ultimate Abyss, and FlowRider all endear themselves to first time cruisers because they are the sort of activities someone might not have imagined you could do on a cruise ship.

More storage space in your cabin

Going back to the rooms on a cruise ship, one big difference with a new ship is how much more storage space there is in your cabin.

When I started cruising, I found storage space to always be at a premium.  But with cruise ships built in the last decade, there has been many more drawers, closets, and nooks added to store all of your belongings.

Instead of rationing shelves, I find even in inside cabins more shelving and drawers than we can possibly use.

This is especially helpful when cruising with kids, as the amount of stuff you have seems to grow exponentially.

Read more: 8 things you should know about your cruise ship cabin

The line's best musical acts

In terms of entertainment on a new cruise ship, the better acts tend to end up on the new ships.

When Royal Caribbean launches a new cruise ship, they will pluck the top rated bands and musicians to sail on the newest ship. This is largely based on guest feedback and reputation these performers have garnered over the years.

To be clear, all the musical acts across the fleet are talented, but the stagemanship the best acts have makes them stand out.

More app features

The Royal Caribbean app is now a must-use part of the cruise experience, and the feature set on a new ship is substantial.

The bottom row of the app has various things you can do in the app, and the newest ships in the fleet can do things like being able to open your stateroom door, augmented reality experiences, and even open your cabin curtains.

Whether you use all these features or not is another question, but it's nice to have them all as an option.

Better suite amenities

If you'd like to stay in a Royal Caribbean suite, you'll find the best suite perks on a new ship.

Royal Caribbean has two tiers of suite benefits, with its new ships offering Royal Suite Class amenities that are aimed at rivaling land resort suite benefits.

The Royal Suite Class has three tiers: Sea Class, Sky Class, and Star Class. They are available only on Quantum, Oasis, and Icon Class ships.

Read more: Guide to Icon of the Seas cabins and suites

Not only are the benefits better on new ships, but the size and layout of suites are arguably superior too.

Because of how lucrative the suite market is for the cruise line, Royal Caribbean has developed larger and more opulent suites that feature multi-deck layouts, in-suite slides, and private jacuzzis.

Read more: 5 best cruise ship suites on Royal Caribbean

A suite on an older ship will still be a lovely experience, but when you try a suite on the newer ships, I think the variety of perks stands out more.

More information

• I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s newest and oldest cruise ships: here's what it's like to cruise on each
• Does it matter how old your cruise ship is?

Royal Caribbean Group ships sailed at 102.1% capacity in the first quarter of 2023, but that doesn’t mean what you think it means. 

There’s no doubt the cruise industry rebound from the 2020-2021 shutdown is in full force. 

After struggling with restarting operations, things are quite good for the “big three” cruise companies: Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Carnival Corporation. 

In fact, business is so good that the average cruise line occupancy rates for the first quarter of 2023 for these lines either exceeded or came close to 100%. 

• Royal Caribbean: 102.1%
• Norwegian Cruise Line: 101.5%
• Carnival Cruise Line: 91.0%

If seeing those kind of numbers looks like a bad thing because it means their cruises are oversold, it’s actually not that case and a misleading statistic.  

What does 100% occupancy rate mean?

Let's start by defining what it means when a cruise ship sails above 100% capacity.

That sounds like the ship is oversold or some people don't have a cabin, but you have to understand how occupancy rates are calculated for cruise ships.

The cruise industry sells cabins on its cruise ships based on double occupancy. This means the line assumes two people will be in each cabin that is booked.

Each cabin has a capacity number, and it varies depending on the stateroom's category, as well each cruise line's methodology.

But when a cruise ship cabin planned for 2 guests adds a third or fourth guest (i.e. kids sharing a room with their parents), the capacity of that cabin exceeds 100%.

In fact, if you look at stats of a cruise ship, you'll see the ship's capacity (at double occupancy) and max capacity (when every extra passenger is included).

When you see Royal Caribbean had 102.1% occupancy rate in the first quarter of 2023, that means there were third and fourth passengers in those cabins occupying the room, which was beyond the standard double occupancy minimums.

High occupancy rates aren't new

These occupancy rates aren't a new phenomenon by any means. In fact, it's the norm for the cruise lines.

Prior to 2020, it was quite typical for cruise ships to sail above 100% occupancy rates, with the mainstream lines typically sailing between 103 - 107%, depending on the ship and line.

The cruise industry has traditionally followed a business model built around managing bookings to ensure ships are always full.

In 2019, the last full year of sailing before the pause, Royal Caribbean Group had an overall occupancy rate of 108.1%.

• 2019: 108.1%
• 2018: 108.9 %
• 2017: 108.4%
• 2016: 106.4%
• 2015: 105.1%

As cruise lines restarted operations in 2021, occupancy rates were about half that, with some ships even starting out at 30% occupancy rate.  These rates were meant to get the ships back into service slowly. The intent was never to stay at those rates, as it would not be profitable for the line.

Occupancy rates had been a little sluggish in 2022, but Royal Caribbean saw improvement as the year progressed. Load factor for the year averaged 85%, although load factor climbed to 95% in Q4 with a high of 110% on peak December holiday sailings. 

In 2023, it's become clear based on booking rates that consumers have no hesitation about booking a cruise vacation again.

Why occupancy rates above 100% isn't a problem

While you may see figures about higher occupancy rates in the media, the reality is that's what the ships are designed to handle in the first place.

Using Royal Caribbean as an example, their ships are built with thousands of cruise ship passengers in mind.  Venues are designed to accommodate a lot of passengers, and activities and entertainment are strategically listed to keep passengers moving around and not all doing the same thing at the same time.

Given the occupancy rates for the years preceding the cruise industry shutdown of 2020, you can see the 2023 occupancy rates we are seeing are more in line with what's normal.

When ships restarted sailing in 2021 and 2022, it set an outlier situation with some lines at less than 50% occupancy.

What about the oversold cruises?

You may have also read about oversold cruises, and that's a different and unrelated situation.

There's been reports of a handful of Royal Caribbean cruise ships that were oversold, with the cruise line asking passengers for volunteers to change sailings in order to free up space.

On those sailings, that isn't related at all to the occupancy rate.  Rather, that's a problem with the cruise line's inventory management selling too many cabins.  

From what we can tell, they're isolated incidents stemming from a mistake with Royal Caribbean's internal selling mechanism.

For an oversold Wonder of the Seas cruise in April 2023, the line informed guests, "We’re sorry to inform you that due to an unexpected inventory error, your scheduled Wonder of the Seas April 30th, 2023 sailing is currently oversold. We’re aware that this may cause disruption to your booking, so if your travel plans are flexible, you may be able to take advantage of our special offer."

It's important to understand occupancy rates have nothing to do with if a particular sailing gets oversold, because of how cruise lines count passengers in a cabin.

In the past year and a half, I’ve sailed on fifteen different Royal Caribbean cruise ships. I’ve experienced everything from the cruise line’s smallest ship to the biggest cruise ship in the world, and some ships are definitely better suited for adults than others.

While Royal Caribbean is not an adults-only cruise line, certain ships may offer a more adult-focused experience than others. Whereas some may focus on kid-friendly activities like waterslides and zip lines, others offer upgraded adults-only spaces and a quieter atmosphere onboard.

Whether you’re bringing the kids along or are planning an adults-only getaway, it’s helpful to know which Royal Caribbean ships are best for adults. After sailing on fifteen Royal Caribbean cruise ships, here are the seven ships I would recommend most to adults.

Icon of the Seas

Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, will debut in 2024 as the biggest cruise ship in the world. Although Icon of the Seas puts a heavy focus on family-friendly activities, the sheer amount of features onboard easily puts the ship as a top choice for adults.

Related: Icon of the Seas: Itinerary, features, and more

In lieu of a traditional Solarium, Icon of the Seas will feature Cloud 17, an adults-only retreat on the pool deck with a private pool, cantilevered whirlpool, and Lime & Coconut Bar. Additionally, the ship will feature the first-ever swim-up bar at sea, an excellent choice for a pool day hangout spot.

Even the design of family-focused neighborhoods, like the Surfside Neighborhood, have adults in mind. Surfside will be home to a brand new bar concept, The Lemon Post, which features both an adult and kids cocktail and mocktail menu.

From the bar, parents can supervise their kids at the nearby Splashaway Bay pool area, meaning you won’t need to sacrifice your own fun while keeping an eye on your kids.

Another area that will surely be popular for adults is The Hideaway, which is Royal Caribbean’s version of a Las Vegas beach club. At The Hideaway you’ll find a suspended infinity pool, multilevel terrace, hot tubs, and a bar.

With the cruise line’s most innovative entertainment, dining venues, and lounges yet, Icon of the Seas makes for the ultimate cruise vacation for adults.

Icon of the Seas itineraries

Icon of the Seas will sail 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruise itineraries when she launches in January 2024. Every itinerary includes a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.

In conjunction with the ship’s launch will be the opening of Hideaway Beach, a new adults-only beach at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Having access to this new venue will make your adult-focused getaway even more enjoyable.

Navigator of the Seas

Navigator of the Seas, a Voyager Class ship, is the only Royal Caribbean ship based on the west coast year round, and she offers one of the best values in a cruise vacation. Sailing from Los Angeles, California, she visits ports along the Mexican Riviera.

Although Navigator of the Seas is over twenty years old, she underwent a $115 million amplification in 2019 that significantly revitalized the cruise ship. One of the most significant changes was a revamp of the pool deck, which added Caribbean-style decor and venues. One addition was the Lime & Coconut Bar, which features its own menu of tropical cocktails and stylish hangout space.

In addition to The Lime & Coconut, another of the most chic bars for adults on Navigator of the Seas is The Bamboo Room. This Polynesian-inspired bar crafts some of the most fun, fruity cocktails on Royal Caribbean.

Be sure to try the On The Run cocktail, made with Bacardi Superior Rum, watermelon juice, lime juice, guava syrup, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, and mint. Think of this cocktail as an adult version of a Capri Sun—you can order it to go and sip the drink as you explore the ship.

Outside of bars, new dining venues were also added to Navigator of the Seas including Hooked Seafood and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. These venues are excellent choices for a fun date night and tend to have a more adult-focused atmosphere.

Related: Navigator of the Seas Guide & Review

Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you can’t participate in fun activities, and a few adrenaline-filled features were added to the ship in 2019 as well. Navigator of the Seas features two waterslides, one of which has over 800 feet of dips, drops, and straightaways extending over the side of the ship!

Laser tag, a surfing simulator, and an escape room can also be found onboard.

Navigator of the Seas itineraries

There are far fewer port options available on the west coast of North America compared to in the Caribbean. This means Navigator of the Seas typically sails the same few itineraries year round, but that doesn’t mean the itineraries aren’t enticing.

Related: Mexican Riviera cruise guide

Here are the three main itineraries offered on Navigator of the Seas:

• 3-night Ensenada cruise visiting Ensenada, Mexico with one day at sea
• 4-night Catalina & Ensenada cruise visiting Ensenada, Mexico and Catalina Island with one day at sea
• 7-night Mexican Riviera cruise visiting Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlán with three days at sea

Mariner of the Seas

Like Navigator of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas is a Voyager Class cruise ship that underwent a significant amplification to add new features and venues to the ship. If we had to pick the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship for vacation value, we’d pick Mariner of the Seas.

Related: After 12 sailings on Mariner of the Seas, I’m convinced this ship offers the best value Royal Caribbean has to offer

During her amplification, Mariner of the Seas received $120 million in upgrades, which included an escape room, laser tag, waterslides, Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Izumi Hibachi, and Jamie’s Italian.

Like Navigator of the Seas, The Bamboo Room bar is located on the ship’s Royal Promenade, and is a fantastic getaway for adults onboard. In addition, the updated specialty restaurants make planning a date night easy, whether you’re in the mood for hibachi or homemade pasta.

Outside of dining and drinks, Mariner of the Seas has just the right amount of entertainment. The ice skating rink, Studio B, hosts a production show that features twists, turns, and flips on the ice, whereas the theater hosts game shows, comedians, and dancing productions.

Related: Mariner of the Seas Guide & Review

In combination with the wide variety of live music onboard, from Latin tunes at Boleros to piano melodies at the Schooner Bar, Mariner of the Seas offers nearly as much programming as you'll find on Royal Caribbean’s newest ships.

Mariner of the Seas itineraries

Mariner of the Seas currently offers Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida. Everything from short 4-night cruises to 8-night itineraries are available, which visit gorgeous destinations including Tortola, Bermuda, Aruba, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Starting in May 2024, she will begin offering 5-night Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston, Texas. These itineraries visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico with two days at sea.

Allure of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s massive Oasis Class cruise ships are arguably the most family-focused ships in the fleet. Each of these vessels boasts an unparalleled amount of activities for kids, including splash pads, ice skating rinks, rock climbing walls, and the most space dedicated to Adventure Ocean kids programming.

With so many activities, it’s unsurprising that Oasis Class ships attract a large number of families, but fear not: you can still have an incredible, adult-focused cruise experience on these vessels.

If we had to pick the Oasis Class ship best for adults, we’d choose Allure of the Seas. Allure of Seas was set to undergo an amplification in 2020 to add features like waterslides, updated kids programming, and new dining venues to the ship, but this has been indefinitely postponed.

Related: The Oasis Class features that are only left on Allure of the Seas

Because of this, the ship isn’t as kid-focused as other Oasis Class ships. This makes for a quieter, more tranquil atmosphere onboard while still offering world-class entertainment and a wide selection of dining and bars.

While onboard, you can enjoy romantic date nights at one of the many restaurants in Central Park, the ship’s outdoor park with over 20,000 plants. After dinner, catch the Broadway production of Mamma Mia, listen to a live rock band at Dazzles, or see a comedian at the ship’s standalone comedy club.

Since Allure of the Seas has not been amplified, cruise fares tend to be lower. Lower fares can make upgrading to a balcony cabin or suite more attainable for some guests, making for the perfect adult getaway.

Allure of the Seas itineraries

Allure of the Seas currently offers 7-night Western Caribbean cruises departing from Galveston, Texas and visiting Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel. These itineraries have three ports and three sea days, offering the perfect mix of time onboard and in port.

Starting in November 2023, Allure of the Seas will offer 3 and 4-night cruises departing from Port Canaveral, Florida. These itineraries will visit both Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, with the 4-night cruise including one day at sea.

Anthem of the Seas

Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class ships are among the best ships for adults. Their sophisticated design, quiet indoor spaces, and spectacular itineraries make them a perfect choice for adults.

That isn’t to say Quantum Class ships aren’t great for families, however, and we often recommend this class of ships to first time cruisers. With bumper cars, indoor skydiving, and surf simulators, Quantum Class ships can be fun for guests of all ages.

Related: All about Quantum Class ships

The reason these ships are so great for adults, though, is due to the their design. Most kid-focused attractions on the ships are found only in designated areas. The majority of family-friendly activities occur in the indoor SeaPlex court and in the ship’s aft, leaving the rest of the ship more geared toward adults.

Plus, the lack of waterslides on these vessels makes the pool deck experience calmer for adults, and the adults-only Solarium on Quantum Class ships is perhaps the best in the fleet.

While you can’t go wrong with any Quantum Class ship, our top recommendation for adults is Anthem of the Seas. As the second ship in the Quantum Class, Anthem of the Seas shines in her diverse itinerary options and high quality entertainment.

Related: Anthem of the Seas Guide & Review

Anthem of the Seas is one of the only non-Oasis Class ships to feature a Broadway show, We Will Rock You. The ship’s high-energy performance tells the story of a group of rock rebels fighting for musical freedom in a dystopian futuristic society.

Outside of the Broadway production are even more exciting entertainment choices, including a cabaret show in the expansive Two70 venue and live rock bands in the Music Hall.

Anthem of the Seas itineraries

Anthem of the Seas offers cruises from Southampton, England during the summer months and from Cape Liberty, New Jersey during the winter.

Departing from the UK allows Anthem of the Seas to offer a wider range of itinerary options compared to Royal Caribbean ships based in the Mediterranean, including:

• Norwegian fjords cruises: 7-night itineraries visiting Norway
• Spain & France cruises: 7-night itineraries visiting northern Spain and France
• Mediterranean cruises: 14-night itineraries visiting Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal
• Canary Islands cruises: 12-night itineraries visiting mainland Spain and Portugal as well as the Canary Islands and Madeira

These longer itineraries tend to attract fewer kids and families onboard, making for a more adult-focused cruise vacation.

Related: 30 Best European Cruise Tips

Once in North America, Anthem of the Seas sails primarily 7-night cruises to Port Canaveral, Nassau, and Perfect Day at CocoCay. She occasionally offers longer itineraries to the Southern Caribbean.

Radiance of the Seas

Planning an adults-only getaway to Alaska? If so, Radiance of the Seas makes a great choice. Like all Royal Caribbean ships, Radiance of the Seas is designed for guests of all ages, but the ship has a more chill vibe onboard compared to newer ships sailing to Alaska.

As a Radiance Class ship, Radiance of the Seas was built with ocean views in mind. Adults will appreciate the impressive amount of windows around the ship, allowing you to see breathtaking views in nearly every direction. Whether at the ship’s champagne bar or in the Viking Crown Lounge, you can always find a quiet spot to relax with a view.

Related: All about Radiance Class cruise ships

Many cruisers also appreciate that Radiance of the Seas gives guests access to the helicopter pad. When sailing through scenic destinations, the helicopter pad is among the best viewing spots on the ship, allowing you to connect more closely with the destinations on your itinerary.

While the ship lacks features like an escape room and ice skating, she still offers other fun activities for adults to enjoy including mini golf, rock climbing, and a sports court. Radiance of the Seas also features an indoor movie theater, which is perfect for chilly sea days or a date night after dinner.

Radiance of the Seas itineraries

Radiance of the Seas splits her time between Alaska and the Caribbean. During the summer months, she sails one-way Alaska cruises from Vancouver, Canada to Seward, Alaska and vice versa.

Related: Royal Caribbean Alaska cruise guide

A one-way itinerary allows guests to visit more destinations in Alaska and/or extend their time in interior Alaska before or after the cruise. Plus, these itineraries are usually priced lower than roundtrip sailings, providing an excellent value when cruising to the Last Frontier.

After a Panama Canal crossing, Radiance of the Seas spends the remainder of the year in the Caribbean. Departing from Tampa, guests can book 4, 5, and 7-night sailings to the Western Caribbean and Bahamas, some of which include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Rhapsody of the Seas

If you’re in search of a low-key getaway on a small cruise ship, it doesn’t get much better than Rhapsody of the Seas.

Rhapsody of the Seas is the second oldest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, and it’s a far cry from the cruise line’s newest and biggest vessels. With a total capacity of just 2,416 guests, the ship holds around a third of the passengers compared to new ships like Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas.

Related: All about Vision Class ships

The ship’s small size and age mean there are fewer activities for families. You certainly won’t find features like waterslides, laser tag, and skydiving onboard, although there is a rock climbing wall and Adventure Ocean kids programming.

The smaller amount of kid-friendly activities means far fewer families book cruises on Rhapsody of the Seas compared to the fleet’s newer ships. This leads to a more adult-focused atmosphere onboard, which can make a cruise more relaxing for those traveling without kids.

Plus, cruise fares on Rhapsody of the Seas tend to be much lower than newer ships. Money saved on cruise fare can be put toward extra add-ons like drink packages, specialty dining, spa treatments, and shore excursions, leading to a more enhanced cruise experience.

Despite being a small ship, Rhapsody of the Seas still features nine dining venues. Guests can enjoy complimentary meals at the Main Dining Room, Windjammer, and Park Cafe or specialty dining at Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, and Izumi.

Related: I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s newest and oldest cruise ships: here’s what it’s like to cruise on each

Outside of dining venues, Rhapsody of the Seas also features a spacious adults-only Solarium, large spa and salon, Schooner Bar, and a variety of entertainment lounges and venues.

Rhapsody of the Seas itineraries

Rhapsody of the Seas splits her time between the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. During the 2023 summer season, she will offer 7-day cruises to the Greek Isles as well as itineraries to Israel and Cyprus. These itineraries are among the most romantic Royal Caribbean offers, making for an excellent getaway for adults.

In November, Rhapsody of the Seas will make her way back to North America, where she’ll offer Southern Caribbean cruises to Colombia, the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

If you are looking for the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship, you have plenty of great choices to consider.

Royal Caribbean offers cruises around the world on more than two dozen ships that will provide a great family vacation. Utopia of the Seas is the newest ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet, but does that make it the best ship? Is the oldest ship necessarily the worst ship?

Read more: I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s newest and oldest cruise ships: here's what it's like to cruise on each

Narrowing down the best ship means finding the right ship for you, depending on your personal tastes, budget and who is cruising with you.

Royal Caribbean prides itself on a consistent experience across all of its ships, but they aren't carbon copies of each other either.

Icon of the Seas

Icon of the Seas has been sailing for less than a year, and it's hard to overlook this ship if you are cruising with a family.

Icon of the Seas is  a game changer for families, and it has enough onboard to rival any land resort. It also packs in just about every new idea Royal Caribbean has to offer it's most complete cruise ship to date.

Being the biggest ship in the world, means there is more space for the activities and things to do that will keep children and adults busy all cruise long.

Royal Caribbean has designed this ship to cater more to families than ever before.

You'll find new categories of cabins with parents and kids in mind. More than 70% of all rooms onboard Icon of the Seas will have balconies, and  82% of rooms have a high occupancy of 3 or more guests, which is more than double the Oasis Class ships.

Royal Caribbean also dedicated an entire neighborhood of the ship to families, known as Surfside.  Surfside is the ultimate stay-all-day neighborhood that has pools for kids and parents, family-friendly restaurants, and bars that have mocktails for the kids and cocktails for the adults.

Icon of the Seas is home to the largest water park at sea, Category 6, where you will find six recording breaking slides, including the first family raft slides at sea: Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter. 

Royal Caribbean is building at least two more Icon Class ships that will also begin cruises over the next few years.

Oasis Class

Best ship: Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas or Oasis of the Seas

These are the largest cruise ships in the world, and they simply offer the latest and greatest that Royal Caribbean is known for onboard.

The six Oasis Class ships (with an unnamed 7th ship eventually joining the fleet sometime in 2028), have FlowRider surf simulators, zip lining, rock climbing, waterslides, clubs, specialty and complimentary restaurants and scenic evening strolls.

There is no shortage of things to do on an Oasis Class ship, including waterslides, Ultimate Abyss slide, two FlowRiders, mini-golf, zip line and more.

There are seven neighborhoods (eight on Utopia & Wonder of the Seas) on an Oasis Class ship, including Central Park outdoor space and the seaside-inspired Boardwalk. 

The shows on an Oasis Class ship are the best in the fleet, with three different theaters offering entertainment throughout your cruise. Watch a full Broadway show (such as Mamma Mia or Hairspray), check out the thrills of the AquaTheater performances, and be dazzled by ice shows in Studio B.

Oasis Class ships also have the most dining options of any Royal Caribbean ship, such as Chops Steakhouse, Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, Portside BBQ, classic Italian and much more.

Where they sail: Wonder of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas offer 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises that include stops at the private destination of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Some years, one Oasis Class ship sails from Europe for the summer.

Quantum Class

Best ship: Anthem of the Seas or Odyssey of the Seas

The newest class of Royal Caribbean ship does not compromise on entertainment, dining, or things to do with the Quantum Class ships.

Looking for some incredible things to do on a cruise ship? How about a skydiving simulator, or smash bumper cars into your fellow guest vehicles.  Then there is the observation capsule that takes you 300 feet in the air for breathtaking, 360-degree views. 

The Quantum Class ships are the only ones that feature Two70, which is a large circular space at the back of the ship where you will not only find a great view of the ocean, but also floor-to-ceiling screens that can transform the space along with their Roboscreen technology.

Music Hall is the perfect venue for anyone that loves live music performances, where cover bands perform and you can dance the night away.

The Royal Esplanade is located in the center of the ship and features dining and shopping opportunities.

Where they sail: Anthem of the Seas sails primarily from Bayonne, New Jersey to destinations in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, New England and Canada. She also started spending summer in Europe, sailing from Southampton, England for the summer, visiting coastal towns along the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Canary Islands.

Spectrum of the Seas sails in Asia.

Odyssey of the Seas splits her time between winter cruises from Florida to the Caribbean, and summer cruises in Europe around the Mediterranean.

Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas sail to Alaska in the summer, and then spend the other part of the year in Australia.

Freedom Class

Best ship: Freedom of the Seas or Independence of the Seas

One of the most versatile cruise ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet, the Freedom Class vessels combine large size with lots to do onboard. In fact, the Freedom Class ships have been upgraded in the last few years with waterslides and other new features onboard.

You will find Splashaway Bay aquapark for kids on all three ships, along with Perfect Storm waterslides on Independence and Freedom. Liberty of the Seas has her own set of water slides, including the only ship to feature a boomerang slide.

Independence of the Seas is the only Freedom Class ship to offer the Sky Pad virtual reality bungee jump trampoline experience.

If you are looking for dining, Independence has Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi and Fish & Ships, a poolside eatery where guests can grab quintessentially British seaside treats. Freedom of the Seas launched the first Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen specialty restaurant concept in the fleet, that features made-to-order pizzas, freshly made pastas and a wide selection of wines and limoncellos.

All three ships offer great shows onboard, including ice skating performances in Studio B.  Independence of the Seas has its own Broadway show with Grease, while Liberty of the Seas has Saturday Night Fever Broadway show.

Where they sail: Independence of the Seas sails three and four night cruises the Caribbean from Port Canaveral.

Liberty of the Seas sails from Galveston, Texas and offers seven-night cruises to the Western Caribbean.

Freedom of the Seas is homeported in Miami, Florida, where she offers short 3- and 4-night cruises.

Voyager Class

Best ship: Navigator of the Seas or Mariner of the Seas

One of the best values in Royal Caribbean is the Voyager Class ships. These multifaceted vessels are a great choice for first-time cruisers, as well as anyone on a limited budget.  They are still "big ships" and offer plenty to do onboard, but at a fraction of the price of their mega ship sister vessels.

The Voyager Class is perhaps the most varied ships in the fleet, as the Royal Amplification process has added so many new and different options to these ships.

Mariner and Navigator of the Seas received the most striking changes in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Mariner of the Seas has a Sky Pad and Perfect Storm waterslides. Navigator has The Blaster aqua coaster, the longest waterslide at sea, and Riptide, the industry’s only head-first mat racer waterslide. Both ships also now feature Battle for Planet Z and Royal Escape Room: The Observatorium.

There are plenty of other additions to both vessels, including hibachi on Mariner and Hooked Seafood specialty restaurant on Navigator. Both ships have a Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, as well as a Bamboo Room Polynessian-themed bar.

The other Voyager Class ships also have their own share of fun onboard, including a FlowRider surf simulator, mini-golf, rock climbing wall, ice skating rink and shows each evening. Adventure of the Seas has its own set of water slides that were added a few years ago.

Where they sail: Mariner of the Seas offers Caribbean cruises of various length from Port Canaveral.

Navigator of the Seas is homeported from Los Angeles, where she sails short cruises to Ensenada, Mexico, as well as 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises.

The other Voyager Class ships move around a bit more, offering cruises around the world. Adventure of the Seas will sail from Galveston and Bayonne in the winter, in addition to cruises in Europe from Copenhagen and Stockholm in the summer.

Explorer of the Seas also splits time between North America and Europe, with cruises from Rome in the summer, and Galveston or Miami in the winter.

Voyager of the Seas offers cruises in Australia or China, depending on the cruise season.

Radiance Class

Best ship: Brilliance of the Seas or Serenade of the Seas

An underrated, yet impressive class of ships is the Radiance Class ships that combine sleek elegance with varied itineraries around the world.

Just because they are smaller than other ships, does not mean they compromise on the fun onboard. Royal Caribbean added new features and amenities to these ships, and you will find an outdoor movie screen, full-scale entertainment productions in the three-story theater, and plenty of restaurants, bars, clubs and lounges.

Radiance class ships are popular with Royal Caribbean veterans for their elegant offerings and relaxing atmosphere. In fact, Radiance Class ships have one of the best adults-only Solarium areas across the entire fleet.

Where they sail: The Radiance Class ships are world travelers, offering lots of places to visit. Brilliance of the Seas spends her winters in Tampa with short sailings to the Caribbean, along with cruises from Boston and Miami.

You can cruise on Jewel of the Seas from Amsterdam to Northern Europe in the summer, while choosing between cruises from Galveston or Miami to the Caribbean.

Radiance of the Seas offers some really interesting cruises, including open-jaw sailings (one-way) to Alaska in the summer.  She then transitions to Australia and sails the South Pacific.

Serenade of the Seas also splits her time between Australia and Alaska itineraries.

Vision Class

Best ship: Grandeur of the Seas or Enchantment of the Seas

Royal Caribbean uses the Vision Class ships to offer cruises to the most exotic locations around, because they can fit almost anywhere.

Like the Radiance Class, Vision Class ships still offer plenty to do onboard and have amenities such as a rock climbing wall, great pool deck, poolside movie screen, specialty dining and a grand Atrium area.

The lounges on these ships are equally impressive, and many repeat cruisers love the warm and thoughtful staff onboard these ships.

Where they sail: Vision of the Seas offers cruises in the winter from Fort Lauderdale, and Barcelona in the summer.

Rhapsody of the Seas calls Tampa and Venice/Ravenna, Italy home, with cruises to the Western Caribbean and Greek Isles.

Enchantment of the Seas (the last Royal Caribbean ship to be stretched) sails year-round from Baltimore.

Grandeur of the Seas offers cruises from Galveston & Miami to the Caribbean.

What should you look for in the best cruise ship?

When you want to find the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship for you, the key is to understand what the ship offers and what it does not offer, and then weigh that against how much it will cost you.

Some important considerations you should look at in any ship is what it offers in:

• Kids Programming
• Signature activities (waterslides, Broadway shows, thrill attractions, open spaces, et al)
• Where it is sailing

If you want a never ending array of "things to do," then lean towards taking a cruise on the larger ships.  

If your idea of a good time is lounging by the pool and exploring the ports of call you visit, then any size ship will be fine.

The important thing to remember is to figure out if the ship you are looking at has a FlowRider, particular specialty restaurant or something else important to you onboard the ship.

The best ship depends on you

Picking the best ship is a lot like picking out the best movie or best restaurant: it is a subjective choice based on a variety of factors that every person weighs differently.

Since no one likes to hear that the answer is "it depends", here is as objective a breakdown as possible of what to look for in the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

Amenities, activities, and accommodations

At the heart of any cruise ship is what the ship offers onboard, and where you will call home during your vacation.

Royal Caribbean's cruise ships have four basic types of staterooms: inside, oceanview, balcony and suite cabins. These types of cruise cabins offer varying amount of living space and luxuries, and the some ships have more impressive cabins than others. 

Ultimately, the decision for which room you want is a question of what you can afford, but the larger and newer ships tend to offer the most expansive and luxurious accommodations.

What you do onboard is what makes Royal Caribbean stand out, and you will find various signature activities, fun things to do and multitudes of dining choices across an expansive layout.

Each cruise ship is made up of a different combination of onboard offerings and over the last decade, Royal Caribbean has varied these amenities considerably from ship to ship. So it behooves you to figure out which are the most important and pick the right ship for you.

My recommendations for the best ships

If you just want to know which ships I think might be best for certain people, here are my top picks for best Royal Caribbean ships.

• Best ships for new cruisers and families: Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas or Odyssey of the Seas
• Best ship if on a budget: Mariner of the Seas or Navigator of the Seas
• Best ship if you don't care about crazy activities: Brilliance of the Seas or Grandeur of the Seas
• Best combination of value (price for what you get): Freedom of the Seas or Liberty of the Seas
• Matt's favorite ships: Wonder of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas

With so many Royal Caribbean cruise ships in the fleet, it can be confusing to figure out how big each ship is by size.

Ship size isn't everything when it comes to picking the right ship for you, but how big a ship is remains one of the key metrics a lot of people pay attention to when it comes to comparing vessels.

Royal Caribbean is known for building big cruise ships. It's been their mantra since debuting the first "mega ships" in the late 1980s.

Since then, new cruise ships have rapidly grown in size.  New classes of cruise ship usually bring with them even larger ship sizes.

While the size of a cruise ship is not the end-all be-all statistic that defines a ship from another, it is certainly a metric many people pay attention to, especially from a marketing perspective.

So whether you have a passing interest in knowing how big each ship is in Royal Caribbean's fleet, or want to prove your friend wrong that you know which ship is the biggest, here is a look at all the Royal Caribbean cruise ships by size.

How do you measure how big a cruise ship is?

Cruise ships are measured by their gross tonnage, which can be a confusing metric to understand.

Gross tonnage is a nonlinear measure of a ship's overall internal volume.

What?

Basically, this is a way to measure passenger vessels by volume and not weight. This is the standard way to measure how cruise ships compare to each other because of how designs can vary greatly.

Royal Caribbean ships by size

1. Icon of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 250,800 GRT

Length: 1,198 feet long

Passengers: 5,610 (double occupancy)

2. Utopia of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 236,860 GRT

Length: 1,188 feet long

Passengers: 5,668 (double occupancy)

3. Wonder of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 236,857 GRT

Length: 1,188 feet long

Beam: 210 feet wide

Passengers: 5,734 (double occupancy)

3. Symphony of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 228,081 GRT

Length: 1,188 feet long

Beam: 215.5 feet wide

Passengers: 5,518 (double occupancy)

4. Harmony of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 226,963 GRT

Length: 1,188 feet long

Beam: 215.5 feet wide

Passengers: 5,479 (double occupancy)

5. Oasis of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 226,838 GT

Length: 1,187 feet long

Beam: 215 feet wide

Passengers: 5,602 (double occupancy)

6. Allure of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 225,282 GRT

Length: 1,187 feet long

Beam: 215 feet wide

Passengers: 5,484 (double occupancy)

7. Spectrum of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 169,379 GRT

Length: 1,139 feet long

Beam: 135 feet wide

Passengers: 4,256 (double occupancy)

8. Odyssey of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 169,300 GT

Length: 1,138 feet long

Beam: 135 feet wide

Passengers: 4,284 (double occupancy)

9. Ovation of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 168,666 GRT

Length: 1,138 feet long

Beam: 136 feet wide

Passengers: 4,180 (double occupancy)

10. Anthem of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 168,666 GRT

Length: 1,141 feet long

Beam: 136 feet wide

Passengers: 4,180 (double occupancy)

11. Quantum of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 168,666 GRT

Length: 1,141 feet long

Beam: 136 feet wide

Passengers: 4,180 (double occupancy)

12. Freedom of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 156,271 GT

Length: 1,111 feet long

Beam: 185 feet wide

Passengers: 3,926 (double occupancy)

13. Liberty of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 154,407 GRT

Length: 1,112 feet long

Beam: 185 feet wide

Passengers: 3,798 (double occupancy)

14. Independence of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 154,407 GRT

Length: 1,112 feet long

Beam: 185 feet wide

Passengers: 3,858 (double occupancy)

15. Navigator of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 139,999 GT

Length: 1,020 feet long

Beam: 161 feet wide

Passengers: 3,388 (double occupancy)

16. Mariner of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 139,863 GRT

Length: 1,020 feet long

Beam: 127 feet wide

Passengers: 3,344 (double occupancy)

17. Explorer of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 137,308 GRT

Length: 1,020 feet long

Beam: 157.5 feet wide

Passengers: 3,286 (double occupancy)

18. Adventure of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 137,276 GRT

Length: 1,020 feet long

Beam: 157 feet wide

Passengers: 3,114 (double occupancy)

19. Voyager of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 137,276 GT

Length: 1,020 feet long

Beam: 157.5 feet wide

Passengers: 3,602 (double occupancy)

20. Radiance of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 90,090 GRT

Length: 962 feet long

Beam: 106 feet wide

Passengers: 2,143  (double occupancy)

21. Brilliance of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 90,090 GRT

Length: 962 feet long

Beam: 106 feet wide

Passengers: 2,142  (double occupancy)

22. Serenade of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 90,090 GRT

Length: 965 feet long

Beam: 106 feet wide

Passengers: 2,143 (double occupancy)

23. Jewel of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 90,090 GRT

Length: 962 feet long

Beam: 106 feet wide

Passengers: 2,191 (double occupancy)

24. Enchantment of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 82,910 GRT

Length: 989 feet long

Beam: 105.6 feet wide

Passengers: 2,252 (double occupancy)

25. Rhapsody of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 78,491 GRT

Length: 915.35 feet long

Beam: 105.6 feet wide 

Passengers: 1,998 (double occupancy) 

26. Vision of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 78,340 GT

Length: 915 feet long

Beam: 105.6 feet wide

Passengers: 2,050 (double occupancy)

27. Grandeur of the Seas

Gross Tonnage: 73,817 GRT

Length: 916 feet long

Beam: 105.6 feet wide

Passengers: 1,992 (double occupancy)

Most people are awestruck by the size and amenities of today’s modern cruise ships, but how much do they cost?

Cruise ships are often referred to as floating cities. With upwards of twenty decks, a length of over 1,000 feet, and thousands of cabins, it’s no surprise that building a cruise ship is expensive.

Even when accounting for inflation, most new cruise ships built in the early 1990s would cost only around $300 million today. As cruise ships became even bigger in the 2000s, the average cost exceeded $500 million.

Today’s newest cruise ships can easily break $1 billion dollars, although construction costs can vary widely depending on the ship’s size. In fact, almost all cruise ships with a capacity of over 3,000 passengers cost over $750 million to build!

Why do cruise ships cost so much money to build?

Most major cruise lines launch a new ship nearly every year. Here are some of the estimated construction costs for recent ships:

• Wonder of the Seas: $1.35 billion
• MSC World Europa: $1.25 billion
• Norwegian Prima: $850 million
• Carnival Celebration: $1 billion
• Celebrity Beyond: $900 million

All of these ships fit over 3,200 passengers. In fact, the Carnival Celebration, MSC World Europa, and Wonder of the Seas have a capacity of over 6,000 passengers!

With so many passengers onboard, cruise lines need to ensure they are building enough cabins, dining venues, and entertainment spaces to satisfy all customers. This requires extensive market research, during which cruise lines design the ship’s layout and amenities.

Royal Caribbean has a spacious innovation lab for use throughout the research process. It includes a virtual reality room where designers can immerse themselves “inside” the cruise ship’s design.

After a thorough research process, construction on the cruise ship begins, which typically takes between 12-18 months. This involves an intricate process of building the ship in blocks which are later added together (think Legos!).

The manpower to build a cruise ship cannot be understated. For instance, there are over 3,000 people working every day on the construction of Icon of the Seas, set to be the biggest cruise ship in the world when she launches in 2024!

Refurbishing older ships versus buying new ships

Many cruise lines choose to refurbish older ships to modernize the vessel’s activities, amenities, and cabins. This is much less expensive than building a new ship from scratch, so it can be a cost-effective way to improve older cruise ships in order to increase demand and revenue.

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, for example, completed a $165 million amplification in 2019. This modernized the ship by adding new activities like waterslides, additional dining venues and lounges, and new cabins.

Refurbishing—or amplifying—the cruise ship was nearly eight times less expensive than building a new cruise ship, and the refurbishment was able to increase demand for the vessel.

Related: Does it matter how old your cruise ship is?

Royal Caribbean tends to only amplify its ships built after 2000. Norwegian Cruise Line, however, has refurbished ships that were built in the 1990s.

Norwegian Sky, built in 1996, underwent a major refurbishment in 2019 that added updated cabins and eight new dining and lounge venues, including Starbucks and a new Italian restaurant.

In the past, cruise ships over twenty years old would often be sent to the scrapyard. With the popularity of today’s refurbishment programs, though, cruise lines are choosing to maintain their vessels for longer amounts of time instead of replacing each vessel with a new ship.

What was the most expensive cruise ship ever built?

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class cruise ships are the most expensive cruise ships to ever be built; they’re also the biggest cruise ships in the world. Each Oasis Class cruise ship cost between $1.3 to $1.45 billion.

It’s likely that Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas will become the most expensive cruise ship ever built. Early estimates of the build are around $2 billion, but an exact number is not yet known.

Icon of the Seas will boast impressive features, including:

• The Category 6 waterpark with six record-breaking waterslides
• An indoor AquaDome for impressive entertainment shows
• Chill Island pool deck, with a swim-up bar and the largest pool at sea
• Surfside, a family-focused neighborhood with kid-friendly restaurants and activities

Related: Icon of the Seas: Itinerary, features, and more

Building Icon of the Seas is no small feat, and it will surely be one of the most popular cruise ships in the world when it launches.

Mass market ships versus luxury ships

Ships from mass market cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival, generally have a lower cost per berth than luxury cruise ships.

As an example, Carnival’s newest ship, Carnival Celebration, cost $900 million to build. With a maximum of 6500 passengers, this brings the price per berth to around $138,000.

To put this into perspective, the Regent Seven Seas Splendor, a luxury cruise ship built in 2020, reportedly cost over $600 million. With a capacity of only 750 passengers, though, the price per berth was over $800,000!

Construction costs of a luxury cruise ship can rival that of larger ships, leading to much higher cruise fares. A cruise on the Seven Seas Splendor—an all-suite ship—can start at over $1,000 per person, per day.

Why aren’t cruise ships built in the United States?

Even though the cruise industry is most popular in North America, most cruise ships are built in Europe instead of the United States. Whether at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland or at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France, the majority of today’s modern cruise ships are built overseas.

The main reason why cruise ships are not built in the United States is due to cost. Given that most large cruise ships cost upwards of one billion dollars, cruise lines try to find the most cost effective option.

Related: Why aren’t cruise ships built in the United States?

Both labor costs and material costs are much higher in the United States compared to other countries. The shipyard industry receives subsidies in the European Union, which helps to keep labor and construction prices down.

Additionally, cruise ships are foreign flagged. In order for a cruise ship to be U.S. flagged, most of the material onboard must be built and manufactured in the United States, and this can add a much higher cost to the overall construction.

Referring to a cruise ship as a boat is one of the biggest faux pas when it comes to cruising. We’ve all heard a first-time cruiser exclaim “Look how big that boat is!” without realizing that they should be calling it a ship.

Cruise ships are massive vessels that can weigh over 200,000 tons—the polar opposite of a small sailboat or canoe—but what is the difference between a boat and a ship?

Generally speaking, a boat refers to a small vessel whereas a ship refers to a large vessel. This may seem obvious, but it’s the easiest way to classify a boat versus a ship. A common way to compare the two is that a boat can be carried on a ship, but a ship cannot be carried on a boat.

However, the exact definition of a boat versus a ship cannot be determined by just size. At what size does a boat become a ship? Does having a certain number of engines turn a boat into a ship? Or does the body of water a vessel travels through determine if it is a boat or ship?

Unfortunately, there’s no standard, internationally-accepted definition of a boat versus a ship. Nonetheless, there are a few ways in which you can usually tell the difference between a boat and a ship.

Size of a boat versus a ship

The most obvious difference between a boat and a ship is size—boats are smaller than ships. Depending on the source, a water going vessel could be considered a ship when it is over 100 feet in length, although by some definitions it must be even longer.

Length is not the only factor that determines whether it is a ship or boat, though. Some definitions require a vessel to weigh over 500 tons to be considered a ship. For reference, the average sailboat weighs a little over four tons while the smallest Royal Caribbean ship has a gross tonnage of nearly 80,000!

Ships also have the potential to transport boats. The largest cruise ships, for example, carry around twenty lifeboats, but you'll never see a lifeboat carrying a ship (hence why it’s a lifeboat and not a lifeship).

Powering a boat versus a ship

Powering a ship is a complex operation. Ships have much more complex technology onboard, with modern navigation systems and operational equipment.

Allure of the Seas—one of Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships—has six engines that provide 13,500 horsepower, making the 225,282 ton vessel sail smoothly through the seas. In addition to engines are tunnel thrusters, stabilizers, gas turbines, wastewater treatment systems, and large galleys.

Boats, on the other hand, don’t require such complex mechanics. Small boats, such as canoes and kayaks, can be powered by a single paddle, whereas sailboats move with the wind. You certainly won’t see a Royal Caribbean ship powered by wind!

Boats can also be powered by motors, but they aren’t nearly as powerful as the engines you’ll find on a ship.

Crew, passengers, and cargo

Powering a ship requires much more technology compared to a boat. Most Royal Caribbean cruise ships have over 1,000 crew members working onboard, and most of them are not even involved in the technical operation of the ship.

Sure, you have crew working in the engine room, but there are chefs, stateroom attendants, entertainers, and musicians onboard as well, something you won’t find on most boats.

Other ships, such as cargo ships, may only have 20 to 30 crew members onboard. This is still much more than you’ll find on most boats, especially those built for only two or three people. Even most luxury yachts, which are considered large for boat standards, almost always have a crew under 15 people.

Some people classify a ship as a vessel that has a permanent crew whether the ship is in use or not. A boat may only be manned when it’s in use (i.e. traveling on the water instead of docked).

Furthermore, ships often carry passengers to travel long distances from one place to another. While small boats like water taxis may also carry passengers, it’s typically only for a short distance and there aren’t private cabins for each passenger onboard.

Another way to distinguish between a boat and a ship is in the ship’s cargo. Today’s largest container ships can hold nearly 25,000 containers, with the average somewhere around 15,000. A boat could never compete with the cargo capacity of a cargo ship, with each container weighing over 5,000 pounds when empty!

Boats don’t usually carry cargo, unless it’s a small fishing boat carrying the day’s catch.

Where they sail

Ships and boats typically sail in different bodies of water. Ships usually sail in the ocean, traveling far distances to carry cargo or passengers. You won’t find a ship traveling in a small lake or river, but you will find ships traversing the world’s oceans from one continent to another.

Examples of ships include cruise ships, container ships, tankers, offshore vessels, naval ships, and large ferries.

Boats most commonly sail in smaller bodies of water, including ponds, lakes, and rivers. Most boats only travel close to the coast, as they aren’t designed to travel long distances across the open ocean.

Examples of boats include small ferries, water taxis, towing vessels, sailboats, kayaks, and canoes.

What about sailboats and submarines?

It’s common to classify a boat as a vessel that does not travel long distances in the ocean, but what about a sailboat?

Most sailboats are considered to be boats instead of ships. They are significantly smaller than vessels like cargo ships and cruise ships, hold fewer passengers and crew, and are usually used for short-term travel near the coast.

However, there is a difference between a sailboat and a sailing ship. Sailing ships are larger vessels with at least three masts, and with square sails on each mast. These ships were the standard vessels used for ocean travel during the Age of Discovery in the 15th century.

Yet submarines, which should be considered ships, are considered boats. This is due to the history of submarines. Early submarines were carried on ships, so they were classified as boats. As submarines became bigger and bigger over time, the name stuck, and they are still called boats today.

The bottom line

If you’re looking for a concrete definition of a ship versus a boat, you won’t find one. More often than not, it’s easy to distinguish between the two by comparing the size of the vessel, its mechanics, and the body of water the vessel travels through.

As you can see, there are many exceptions, such as with submarines and large sailing ships. If there’s one thing we know for certain, however, it’s that you should never call a cruise ship a boat!

In the past year, I’ve sailed on Royal Caribbean’s oldest and newest cruise ships, and I wanted to see how they compare in terms of cabins, dining options, activities, and overall experience.

Despite being part of the same cruise line, my experience on a Royal Caribbean ship launched in 1997 was drastically different from the week I spent on a ship built in 2018. Everything from passenger demographics to entertainment and itineraries were vastly different from each other.

I expected to find the newer, bigger ship far superior, but I ended up having a wonderful experience on both ships.

Nonetheless, my experiences on both Royal Caribbean ships reinforced the importance of selecting a cruise ship wisely before booking your vacation. Not all Royal Caribbean ships are created equally, and here’s what it’s like to sail on both Royal Caribbean’s oldest and newest cruise ships.

Last summer, I cruised on Rhapsody of the Seas, one of the oldest ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, and I paid $1,512.

Launched in 1997, Rhapsody of the Seas is currently the 2nd oldest Royal Caribbean cruise ship. At 915 feet long, with a gross tonnage of 78,491, and a maximum capacity of 2,416 guests, she’s also among the smallest ships in the fleet.

Rhapsody of the Seas provides a more traditional cruise ship experience to guests. Her small size means she can sail to a wide range of destinations around the world, and the onboard atmosphere is generally more relaxed than that of the fleet’s newest ships.

Related: All about Vision Class cruise ships

The ship has two pools, six jacuzzis, eight dining venues, and a selection of bars and lounges. Kids onboard can enjoy a rock climbing wall and complimentary programming at Adventure Ocean, although the ship isn’t as family-focused as other Royal Caribbean ships.

In total, I paid $1,512 for an interior room on a 7-night cruise to Greece. This cost included the price of two adults with taxes, fees, and prepaid gratuities added, making the total price $756 per person.

Last month, I cruised on Symphony of the Seas, which is the 2nd biggest cruise ship in the world, and I paid $1,656.

Launched in 2018, Symphony of the Seas is the 3rd newest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. As an Oasis Class cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas is massive. She is 1,188 feet long, weighs 228,081 gross tons, and has a maximum capacity of 6,680 passengers.

As an Oasis Class ship, Symphony of the Seas is split into seven distinct neighborhoods, each of which offers its own amenities and purpose. Neighborhoods include Central Park, a sprawling outdoor park with over 20,000 plants, and the Boardwalk, a family-focused neighborhood with a carousel, arcade, candy shop, and sports bar.

Related: Symphony of the Seas Guide & Review

As one of the world’s biggest cruise ships, Symphony of the Seas offers activities for cruisers of all ages, whether you want to sunbathe at the pool or try thrilling activities like a zip line or laser tag.

In total, I paid $1656 for an interior room on a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise. The cost was for two adults in an interior cabin with taxes, fees, and prepaid gratuities added, making the total price $828 per person.

My cabin on Rhapsody of the Seas had outdated decor, while my Symphony of the Seas cabin had updated furnishings and plenty of storage space.

Rhapsody of the Seas is over 25 years old, and our cabin definitely showed its age. Our cabin had older bedding, the furniture upholstery could use an update, and we had a cloth shower curtain in the bathroom.

The color scheme was relatively outdated, too, with dark green furniture and cream-tinted walls, and the room’s size left little walking space.

On the contrary, my Symphony of the Seas cabin appeared modern, spacious (for an interior cabin), and with an impressive amount of storage space.

The cabin had closet and drawer space on each side of the bed in addition to a dresser with more drawers. The blue color scheme was more pleasing than Rhapsody’s outdated decor, and I found the room to be much more comfortable during our time onboard.

My one gripe with our cabin was that I feel the bed would have been better placed at the back of the room. We constantly had to walk around a tiny space between the bed and desk to reach the dresser and couch; the cabin layout seemed poorly designed.

On Rhapsody of the Seas, I ate primarily at the buffet and Main Dining Room. Symphony of the Seas had many more complimentary dining options available.

Rhapsody of the Seas, being a smaller cruise ship, has limited complimentary dining venues. There are four places to grab complimentary food onboard: the Main Dining Room, Windjammer buffet, Park Cafe, and Cafe Latte-tudes.

I enjoyed most meals at the Main Dining Room and Windjammer, as these venues have the most options. I was impressed with the buffet’s food selection, and it was one of the best buffet experiences I’ve had on Royal Caribbean so far.

Related: Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise

We did make a few stops at Park Cafe during the late-night hours, which run from 9PM to 1AM. During these hours, Park Cafe served pizza, sandwiches, and desserts, and it was the only late-night option available onboard.

Unsurprisingly, Symphony of the Seas has many more complimentary dining options to cater to nearly 7,000 passengers. There are ten places to eat included in your cruise fare on the ship, from Mexican cuisine at El Loco Fresh to pizza at Sorrento’s.

Park Cafe on Symphony of the Seas is located in the ship’s Central Park neighborhood. Like on Rhapsody of the Seas, this venue offers grab and go options like bagels, salads, soups, and sandwiches. I much preferred the outdoor location on Symphony of the Seas, but the venue wasn’t open for late night snacks like on Rhapsody of the Seas.

I found the buffet on Symphony of the Seas to be lacking, though, and wasn’t particularly impressed with any of my meals there. The buffet’s size also felt much more cramped compared to on Rhapsody of the Seas, despite the ship being so much bigger.

Wonderland was my favorite restaurant experience on Symphony of the Seas. Rhapsody of the Seas had more traditional specialty dining options, but that doesn’t mean the dining experience wasn’t enjoyable.

In addition to complimentary dining, both ships offered several specialty dining options.

I tried four specialty restaurants on Symphony of the Seas: Jamie’s Italian, Izumi Sushi, Wonderland, and Playmakers. Of the restaurants, Wonderland was my favorite dining experience.

Wonderland is an eclectic restaurant based loosely on the tales of Alice and Wonderland. The restaurant goes above and beyond standard menu choices by offering unique, imaginative dishes that don’t necessarily look the same as they taste.

Our caprese appetizer, for example, was "reconstructed" caprese. Instead of a dish with slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, it consisted of cubed goat and bocconcini cheese with blue cheese meringue and basil puree.

To eat the dish, you first had to smash a reconstructed tomato into the cheese, which had been drained and blended with agar and Bloody Mary mix. “Creating” and mixing the dish together was just as fun as eating it!

Related: I spent $60 to eat at Royal Caribbean's most bizarre restaurant. I thought I would hate it, but it was one of the best meals of my cruise.

Despite being one of Royal Caribbean’s smallest ships, I found myself surprised by the amount of specialty dining options on Rhapsody of the Seas. The ship has four: Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi Sushi, and Chef’s Table.

We dined at Izumi Sushi one evening of our cruise and found the ambiance and food to be just as enjoyable as on Royal Caribbean’s newest ships.

Although the newest Royal Caribbean restaurants aren’t available on Rhapsody of the Seas—like Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Hooked Seafood—I found the variety of specialty options adequate for sailing on an older ship.

It’s no question that the entertainment on Symphony of the Seas was several notches higher than that on Rhapsody of the Seas.

While performers on both Symphony of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas were equally talented, it was clear the entertainment on the latter had a much higher budget.

I don’t necessarily cruise for entertainment shows, but I was beyond impressed with the shows on Symphony of the Seas. From the ice skating performance in Studio B to the Broadway production of Hairspray, I made sure to never miss a show onboard.

The most impressive production, in my opinion, was HiRO in the ship’s AquaTheater. This show combined high diving, slacklining, tightropes, aerial acrobatics, synchronized swimming, and dancing for one of the most mind-boggling performances I’ve ever seen on a cruise ship.

The entertainment on Rhapsody of the Seas, on the other hand, is the area in which the ship fell the most flat for me. Not only does the ship have far fewer entertainment venues, with most productions in the main theater, but I found the shows to be a bit outdated for my generation.

I did enjoy the variety of live music on both ships, from piano tunes to jazz bands and reggae music. If I had to pick one ship over the other when it comes to entertainment, though, I’d definitely pick Symphony of the Seas.

The pool deck on Rhapsody of the Seas had a more relaxed vibe than that on Symphony of the Seas, and I preferred it.

While I preferred entertainment on Symphony of the Seas, I preferred the pool deck on Rhapsody of the Seas.

With so many passengers on Symphony of the Seas, the pool deck was packed nearly every time I tried to use it. I wasn’t interested in sharing a hot tub with 20 other passengers or swimming in a crowded pool full of kids splashing around.

I noticed much more chair hogging than usual, too, and it was nearly impossible to find a pool chair in the middle of the day.

With traditional decor and a lack of waterslides, the pool deck on Rhapsody of the Seas was not as exciting as Symphony of the Seas, but I preferred the more relaxed vibe. With one pool outside and one pool in the adults-only Solarium, I didn’t encounter nearly as many crowds using the pools.

While the lack of crowds could have been due to our port-intensive itinerary, I found myself enjoying the pool deck far more on an older cruise ship.

Activities were much more varied on Symphony of the Seas, but there were way more kids onboard.

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships offer a far greater amount of activities onboard compared to the fleet’s oldest vessels. It’s practically impossible to feel bored on Symphony of the Seas, and I was almost overwhelmed with the amount of activities to choose from.

Whether riding waterslides, rock climbing, or using the FlowRider, each day onboard was packed with a full schedule of activities. Even if adrenaline isn’t your thing, you could still find an abundance of programming onboard, from trivia to game shows, live music, and dance parties.

Symphony of the Seas is especially popular with families, and there were a lot of kids onboard. With a large Adventure Ocean kids-only space and family-friendly activities like a carousel and Splashaway Bay, it’s no surprise that there were tons of families onboard.

As someone without kids, however, I have to say I preferred the more adult-focused atmosphere on Rhapsody of the Seas. Although Rhapsody of the Seas still had activities for kids, the ship doesn’t seem catered to families nearly as much as Symphony of the Seas.

If I were to bring my young nephews on a cruise, sailing on Symphony of the Seas would undoubtedly be a better choice. If I’m cruising with all adults, though, I think I prefer a smaller, less family-focused ship.

The itinerary on Rhapsody of the Seas was much more interesting than Symphony of the Seas, and visiting unique ports made the small ship experience worth it.

Generally speaking, Royal Caribbean’s oldest, smallest cruise ships offer much more fascinating itineraries compared to their newer ships.

New Royal Caribbean cruise ships focus more on the ship itself rather than the destination, and their big size means they can’t fit into as many cruise ports as smaller ships. While there’s nothing wrong with viewing the cruise ship as your vacation destination, I find the itineraries on smaller, older Royal Caribbean ships to be far more interesting.

Related: 15 countries you didn't know you could cruise to on Royal Caribbean

My Rhapsody of the Seas sailing left from Athens, Greece and visited Mykonos, Crete, Zakynthos, Kotor, and Split before ending in Ravenna, Italy. We only had one sea day on our entire 7-night cruise, and the ship felt more like an afterthought compared to the incredible ports we were visiting.

When I booked my cruise on Symphony of the Seas, I had fewer itinerary options. The ship’s Caribbean itineraries visit the same ports week after week, and the itineraries all visited popular cruise ports I’ve been to before.

I settled on a Western Caribbean cruise, and while I won’t ever complain about spending the day in Mexico, I much prefer the wider range of itinerary options on Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships.

Overall, I enjoyed sailing on both ships. Each ship comes with its own advantages and disadvantages, which may vary depending on your travel style.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Royal Caribbean’s older, smaller ships. While they may lack the shiny, sparkly new decor and venues, I appreciate the more traditional cruise ship experience they offer.

I’m perfectly happy sitting on the promenade deck and watching the ocean pass by without worrying about rushing to trivia or a theater show.

At the same time, however, I do enjoy the upgraded entertainment and programming available on Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ships. There’s something special about eating breakfast in Central Park, strolling through the Royal Promenade, and having endless choices.

If there’s anything my experience on both ships taught me, it’s that having the right mindset can make or break your cruise vacation. If I boarded Rhapsody of the Seas expecting it to be on the same level as Symphony of the Seas, I would have been disappointed.

Likewise, if I boarded Symphony of the Seas expecting it to be a quiet, traditional cruise environment, I would have been shocked once onboard.

Whenever you book a Royal Caribbean cruise, it’s helpful to remain open and flexible to trying something new. You might surprise yourself by how much you enjoy cruising on a ship you never would have considered, whether it’s the biggest, most exciting ship in the fleet or the oldest and smallest vessel.

Royal Caribbean's ship classes are known for offering some of the biggest cruise ships in the world.

Royal Caribbean groups its ships in classes, which are based largely on the ship general design and structure.

Within each ship class, there can be variations of features, restaurants, or activities that have been added or modified over the years. While there may be three, four, or more ships within a particular class, the exact onboard activities can vary.

You might be wondering what makes Royal Caribbean's ship classes different from each other, and it boils down to the size of the ship, onboard amenities, and signature activities offered.

There are seven Royal Caribbean cruise ship classes. Each ship in the class was built around the same time and from the outside certainly looks similar.

Icon Class

Icon of the Seas entered service in January 2024, offering cruises from Miami and taking the title of the world's largest cruise ship. She is over 6% bigger than Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships, and offers nearly unlimited activities, amenities, and dining options onboard.

This is the first new class of ships since the Quantum Class debuted in 2014, and the Icon Class is the first class to be powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas).

Icon of the Seas has several new features not found elsewhere in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, including the cruise line’s first onboard waterpark and indoor AquaDome space.

Icon Class ships, like Oasis Class ships, will be split into neighborhoods:

• The AquaDome, home to an indoor AquaTheater and lounge space
• Central Park, an outdoor oasis with shops and restaurants
• Chill Island, the pool deck of Icon of the Seas
• Thrill Island, home to the Category 6 waterpark and sports activities
• Surfside, a family-friendly neighborhood with a pool, Splashaway Bay, and kid-friendly dining venues
• The Hideaway, located in the aft of the ship with a pool, bar, whirlpools, and seating areas
• Suite Neighborhood, a private neighborhood for suite guests with a pool, sun deck, and two dining venues
• Royal Promenade, an indoor thoroughfare with retail, lounges, and restaurants

Related: Icon of the Seas: itinerary, features, and more

Why choose Icon Class: If you want the biggest, boldest, and most exciting cruise ships at sea, an Icon Class ship will provide all of that and more! The ship truly is the destination with the Icon Class, and it’s especially fun for families.

Icon Class ships

• Icon of the Seas
• Star of the Seas (2025)
• Unnamed Icon Class ship (2026)

Related: 7 of the most cutting-edge features coming to Icon of the Seas

Icon Class highlights

• Category 6 waterpark
• Swim-up pool
• The Hideaway neighborhood with a suspended pool
• Cloud 17 adults-only area
• AquaDome neighborhood
• Surfside neighborhood for families
• Suites-only neighborhood
• Largest ice skating rink in the fleet
• The Pearl
• New suites and stateroom categories
• Central Park
• FlowRider surf simulator

Related: Guide to Icon of the Seas cabins and suites

Oasis Class

Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships offer the latest and greatest features found on any ship in the fleet, as well as in the industry. The Oasis Class cruise ships are the largest cruise ships in the world sailing today.

The Oasis Class ships can handle just about 5,500 passengers and have a gross tonnage of over 225,000 tons.

Related: All about Oasis Class cruise ships

If you are concerned about crowds and navigating a ship of this size, Royal Caribbean has you covered.  Royal Caribbean designed the ship to be easy to get around, and break up crowds.  Seven neighborhoods help distinguish parts of the ship apart to guests, and there are so many activities on Oasis Class ships that everyone will be on their own schedule.

Oasis Class ships are among the newest Royal Caribbean ships, so they are packed with the latest and greatest.

Why choose Oasis Class: You want it all on one ship! The latest features, tons of activities, and great dining.

Oasis Class ships

• Oasis of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas (coming July 2024)
• Oasis 7 (coming 2028)

Oasis Class highlights

• Neighborhoods
• AquaTheater
• 3D Movies
• Broadway Musicals
• Waterslides (except Allure of the Seas)
• Zip Line
• Central Park
• 2 FlowRider Surf Simulators
• Boardwalk 
• Carousel
• Ice-Skating Rink
• Loft Suites
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• Adults-only Solarium pool area

Quantum Class

The innovative Quantum Class cruise ships were designed to user in the 21st century with a blend of high-tech, and tried-and-true family vacation experiences. These stylish new ships offer incredible views and activities onboard. 

Related: All about Quantum Class ships

Quantum Class ships have signature features found just on these ships, and are a big hit with families of varied ages.  Quantum Class ships are the sort of cruise ship that has something for everyone to enjoy, whether you are new to cruising or an established veteran.

Why choose Quantum Class: Families looking for lots to do onboard, along with some incredible features.

Quantum Class ships

• Quantum of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas

Quantum Class highlights

• North Star
• RipCord by iFLY 
• Seaplex
• FlowRider Surf Simulator
• Two70 
• Virtual Balcony Staterooms
• 3D Movies
• Loft Suites
• Music Hall
• Broadway Musicals
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• Adults-only Solarium pool area

Freedom Class

Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class cruise ships offer a big ship experience, with plenty to see and do onboard.  In fact, Royal Caribbean updated two of them with much more to do in just the last few years.

Freedom Class ships represent an excellent value for families that want to cruise on a large ship, have lots of activities, but not break their budget.  From a pure value standpoint, the Freedom Class ships are a great choice for a fabulous cruise experience.

Related: All about Freedom Class cruise ships

Freedom Class ships are essentially a slightly larger version of their Voyager Class sisters.

Why choose Freedom Class: Big ship experience, minus the premium price tag that the newer ships in the fleet currently command.

Freedom Class ships

• Freedom of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas

Freedom Class highlights

• Aqua park
• Rock Climbing Wall
• Ice-Skating Rink
• Royal Promenade
• British-Style Pub
• Designer Shopping
• Adults-only Solarium pool area
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• Panoramic staterooms
• FlowRider Surf Simulator
• Water slides

Voyager Class

When Royal Caribbean introduced the Voyager Class, it revolutionized the industry with features and activities that we cannot dream of not having on a cruise ship these days.  Mini-golf, the Royal Promenade, ice skating and more all had their start on the Voyager Class.

Related: All about Voyager Class cruise ships

Just like the larger Freedom Class ships, Voyager Class vessels are a terrific value, and offer some incredible itineraries.  Royal Caribbean is not done investing in these ships, having added new restaurants, surf simulators, aqua parks, entertainment and more over the last few years.

Why choose Voyager Class: Plenty to do onboard, newly added features and terrific pricing.  It is a great choice for families looking to save.

Voyager Class ships

• Voyager of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas

Voyager Class highlights

• Rock Climbing Wall
• Ice-Skating Rink
• Royal Promenade
• British-Style Pub
• Virtual Balcony Staterooms
• Adults-only Solarium pool area
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• FlowRider Surf Simulator

Radiance Class

Radiance of the Seas combine lots of glass and open areas to provide guests with a classic cruise experience.  

Royal Caribbean's Radiance Class ships are stylish, and get into many of the smaller cruise ports around the world that Royal Caribbean's larger ships cannot.

Related: All about Radiance Class cruise ships

Radiance Class ships do not skimp on things to do, offering varied dining experiences, as well as terrific live entertainment. Veteran cruisers enjoy the Radiance Class for the ship's refined offering and easy going atmosphere.

Why choose Radiance Class: Beautiful ships that offer a time-honored cruise experience, with a connection to the ocean itself.

Radiance Class ships

• Radiance of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas

Radiance Class highlights

• Sunlit Glass-Covered Spaces
• Glass Elevators
• Adults-only Solarium pool area
• Self-Leveling Pool Tables
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• Indoor movie theater
• Mini-golf

Vision Class

Royal Caribbean designed their Vision Class ships to fit into almost any port, which means guests can travel to exotic ports of call around the world.

Related: All about Vision Class cruise ships

Like the Radiance Class, Vision Class ships combine a small size with many activities that have been added over the years. Whether you are looking to "do it all" or just relax, Vision Class ships are a good choice.

Why choose Vision Class: Impressive itineraries that other ships in the fleet cannot offer. 

Vision Class ships

• Grandeur of the Seas
• Rhapsody of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Vision of the Seas

Vision Class highlights

• Adults-only Solarium pool area
• Bungee Trampoline (Enchantment of the Seas)
• Rock Climbing Wall
• Specialty Dining Options
• Outdoor Movie Screen
• Broadway-Style Shows