royal caribbean cruise ships year built

Royal Caribbean Ships By Age: Newest To Oldest Complete List

Being a frequent cruiser since 2013, I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing the evolution of Royal Caribbean’s fleet over the years. I know its exciting to learn about the older and newer ships and exploring their respective amenities.

Currently, Royal Caribbean boasts a fleet of 26 cruise ships, with two more planned to be launched in 2024. Each ship has its own charm, amenities, and unique appeal, to satisfy guest’s preferences based on their age and design. 

As Royal Caribbean plans to launch some modern ships next year, I know it’s hard to keep track of which ship is the newest. But don’t worry.

Grab a coffee and sit back because I’ll be discussing each and everything about the Royal Caribbean ships by age.

So let’s get started.

Table of Contents

List of Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships By Age

I’ve compiled a list of Royal Caribbean ships from newest to oldest. Also, for you ease and better understanding, the class category of each ship is included.

Note: The ships marked with an asterisk (*) indicate those that are yet to make their maiden voyages. These include Star of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, and Icon of the Seas.

1. Wonder Of The Seas

• Launched: 2022
• Class: Oasis
• Guest capacity: 6,988

The Wonder of the Seas holds the flagship title for Royal Caribbean, being the boldest and biggest cruise ship to ever grace the ocean waves.

As the fifth Oasis-class vessel in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, it’s more than just a mere attraction. This mega-ship boasts 16 guest decks, 20 restaurants, four pools, and 2,867 cabins.

Setting itself apart from other Oasis-Class ships, it stands as the sole vessel featuring onboard Central Park with more than 10,000 plants and flowers

This mega-ship costs $1,350,000,000 to build, and it features eight distinct neighborhoods, including the new and exclusive Suite Neighbourhood. The Wonder of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s top ships, sailing in the Mediterranean from Barcelona and Rome and in the Caribbean from Port Canaveral, Florida.

• All shows (reservations required for most) 
• Most daily activities, unless otherwise noted 
• Fitness center use, but not classes or personal training sessions 
• Meals at Windjammer Buffet, Main Dining Room , and select specialty restaurants 
• All pools, slides, and hot tubs use 
• Flowrider surfing 
• Kids and Teens Clubs 
• Continental breakfast room service

2. Odyssey Of The Seas 

The Odyssey of the Seas proudly stands as the first Quantum Ultra-class cruise ship to sail in the US. It’s the second newest addition to Royal Caribbean’s fleet, and best ship for couples.

Having personally experienced this cruise, I can confidently say that this ship is a hub of non-stop action, offering the Suite accommodation options and a huge variety of activities and venues.

It’s perfect in every aspect, catering to comfort, convenience, and entertainment seekers alike. Despite being slightly smaller than Oasis-class ships, the Odyssey of the Seas is sure to appeal to all sorts of tastes.

The Odyssey of the Seas explores the Mediterranean from Rome and also sails the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

I love the elevated approach this ship takes to the cruise line’s Royal Promenade. For instance, designing a stylish area that looks fantastic yet remains thrilling.

• FlowRider Surf Simulator
• RipCord by iFLY Skydiving Simulator
• North Star Observation Capsule
• Rock Climbing Wall
• Full-service Vitality at Sea Spa and state-of-the-art Fitness Center
• SeaPlex Activity Center
• Bumper Cars
• Sports Court
• 17 dining options & multiple bars and lounges

Royal Caribbean Ships From The 2010s

Now, in this section, I’ll discuss the ships launched between 2010 and 2019. These are all fairly new but not from the above ones.

1. Spectrum Of The Seas

• Launched: 2019
• Class: Quantum-Ultra
• Guest capacity: 5,622

The Spectrum of the Seas stands as the pioneering vessel in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Ultra Class. It’s the award-winning Quantum Class, known for its adventurous offerings.

Amazingly, it boasts slightly larger dimensions than her sister ships and has been designed specifically for the China and Asia Markets.

The primary language on board is Mandarin, and signage is in simplified Chinese, followed by English.

Cruising from Shanghai and Singapore, the Spectrum of the Seas primarily offers short trips to Malaysia and Thailand, along with some week-long voyages to Japan.

The Spectrum of the Seas doesn’t seem to present a significant upgrade compared to previous Quantum-class ships like the Anthem of the Seas. 

This might be why this class was dubbed Quantum Ultra rather than receiving an entirely new name.

• 19 dining options
• Multiple Bars and Lounges
• RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator
• North Star observation capsule
• Flowrider surf simulator
• Star Moment karaoke
• Seaplex activities center with Bumper cars, roller skating, basketball court, circus school, and more

2. Symphony Of The Seas

• Launched: 2017
• Guest capacity: 6,680

Symphony of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s fourth huge Oasis-Class ship, made in 2018. When it first set sail, everyone was like, “Whoa, that’s huge!”

It’s like five times bigger than the Titanic ! And they’ve got these fancy Suites that come with amazing perks.

There’s a lot to do on there, like lots of pools, a surfing thing called FlowRider, a zip line, walls for rock climbing, and the crazy slide, the Ultimate Abyss!

The symphony features numerous food spots and different rooms for everyone. It’s like a whole city on the water!

Starting from Miami, Florida, the Symphony of the Seas takes you around the Caribbean. It’s a real adventure!

• 7 distinct neighborhoods
• 4 pools, 10 whirlpools
• 20 dining options
• The Ultimate Abyss water slide
• 2 FlowRider surf simulators
• 2 Rock Climbing Walls
• Three multi-story water slides
• Basketball court

3. Harmony Of The Seas

• Launched: 2016 
• Class: Oasis 
• Guest capacity: 6,687

Harmony of the Seas was the first Oasis-Class ship to launch in six years and the company’s third one. Most amazingly, it was named after the Harmony Module on the International Space Station. 

This ship also held the title of the largest cruise ship in the world until her sister, Symphony of the Seas, launched. 

Some of the features on Harmony of the Seas had only been available on Quantum-class ships before, such as Jamie’s Italian and Wonderland.

And guess what? Harmony of the Seas was the first ship in the fleet to introduce the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea at that time. In addition, it offers Junior and Grand Suites.

With all the entertainment options you need, the Deck plans of this ship also offer Serene and Adult-Only spots.

• Three multi-story waterslide

4. Ovation Of The Seas

• Launched: 2016
• Class: Quantum
• Guest capacity: 4,905

Ovation of the Seas is one of the coolest ships worldwide, being the third in the Quantum-class series. Its name was announced on September 18, 2014, when they started building it. 

Similar to its sibling ships, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, it offers fun stuff like the RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, the North Star capsule, bumper cars, and trapeze classes. 

The ship’s deck plans have both family-friendly and adults-only areas, ensuring there’s something for everyone when it comes to entertainment. 

In short, it’s a fantastic mega-ship with high-tech fun, but sometimes, it can get crowded in the dining and entertainment spots.

• Rock Climbing wall
• Ripcord by iFly
• Pool and Whirlpools

5. Anthem Of The Seas

• Launched: 2015

Anthem of the Seas is the second big ship in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class. It’s exciting and feels like a fun Las Vegas hotel. 

What’s great about it is that it’s modern, but also really fun. Similar to its other ship buddies, Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas, it has cool stuff like a skydiving simulator, a big capsule you can ride, bumper cars, and trapeze classes. 

It’s made for families and adults, so everyone can find something fun to do. In short, it’s a super fun and modern ship, but sometimes the places to eat and have fun might be a bit crowded.

• 17 Dining Options

6. Quantum Of The Seas

• Launched: 2014

Quantum of the Seas is a Quantum-Class cruise ship. When it was made in 2014, it was the third biggest in the world.  Right now, it sails in Alaska and Australia. It’s different because Royal Caribbean didn’t want to make the biggest ship in about 10 years. The outside of the ship is attention-grabbing, and inside, there’s a lot of fun stuff to do, too.   The cabins on this ship are pretty cool and surprising. Overall, it’s great for cruising in places where indoor spaces matter more. But the food quality isn’t consistent. You might find some good stuff, but it takes effort to find the best.

7. Allure Of The Seas

• Launched: 2010
• Guest capacity: 6,780

The allure of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship that holds the title of the World’s largest passenger ship upon its launch in November 2009 for six years. 

What I like most about Allure of the Seas is that she is breathtaking both in scale and ambition, yet it never feels overwhelming.

Inspired by Coney Island, the outdoor Boardwalk neighborhood features ships, a carousel, and the AquaTheater.

She was set to receive major upgrades, including new features like Ultimate Abyss slide and Perfect Storm waterslides. Unfortunately, due to the global shutdown, these plans were canceled.

Each area on board offers a distinct ambiance and atmosphere, almost like experiencing seven different ships in one. In short, this ship caters to every type of cruiser.

Allure of the Seas sails out of Orlando and Miami on Bahamas cruises, typically for 3 or 4 nights.

• 7 neighborhoods
• 24 dining options
• Multiple bars and lounges
• 4 pools and 10 whirlpools
• 2 rock climbing walls
• Ice-skating rink
• Full-service Vitality at Sea Spa and a state-of-the-art fitness center

Royal Caribbean Ships from the 2000s

1. oasis of the seas.

• Launched: 2009

Oasis of the Seas was a real game-changer for Royal Caribbean, which was the first ship to launch a c revolution. It introduces even more new thrills for couples and kids of all games.

Surpassing the Freedom Class cruise ships, it claimed the title of the largest cruise ship in the world at that time.

The ship’s Royal Promenade, lacking outside windows, can give off a mall-like vibe as you step on board. It entirely redefined the concept of a cruise ship and essentially pioneered the idea of a super ship.

Packed with eateries, shops selling designer items, logo apparel, and even a Starbucks, it creates an impression more akin to a shopping district than a traditional cruise ship.

Another amazing thing about this ship is its decks, which are laid out, allowing easy access to tons of amenities without the need to spend all day on the elevator. In short, Oasis of the Seas is packed with amenities, restaurants, and bars and is manageable despite its size. However, you should expect lines at popular venues.

• Surf Simulator
• An aquatic amphitheater
• A moving bar
• Multiple night clubs
• Miniature golf course
• Five swimming poos
• Youth zones
• Nurseries for children
• A Karaoke club
• Comedy club
• Volleyball and basketball courts

2. Independence Of The Seas

• Launched: 2008
• Class: Freedom
• Guest capacity: 4,560

  This third and last Freedom-class ship has always been of great importance in the fleet. It gave Royal Caribbean an injection of new adventures on gateways. It was also with the British cruisers, but before the Anthem of the Seas took over, Independence of the Seas was the Royal Caribbean ship for cruises out of Southampton. In May 2018, the ship, affectionately known as Indy among its numerous fans, underwent an extensive refurbishment that introduced a range of new features onboard. Independence of the Seas really excels in its kid-friendly offerings along with the extraordinary amount on offer for youngsters. However, many cruisers complain as the Food quality varies considerably, upcharging for certain activities.

• 13 dining options
• 4 pools, 6 whirlpools
• FlowRider surf simulator
• The Perfect Storm℠ dueling waterslides
• Laser Tag: Battle for Planet Z
• Escape Room: The Observatorium
• Rock climbing wall
• Ice skating rink

3. Liberty Of The Seas

• Launched: 2007
• Guest capacity: 4,960

Liberty of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s second Freedom-Class cruise ship, which entered the fleet in May 2007. It was initially announced that she would be called Endeavour of the Seas, but later, this name was changed.

The ship’s main area is the Royal Promenade. It’s four decks tall, featuring glass staircases and lit-up bridges in cool colors like purple and blue. Here, you’ll find lots of people looking for deals and fun character parades.

There are tons of family-friendly amenities on the Liberty of the Seas Deck Plan.

Even though it launched in 2007, Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas still feels modern and up-to-date in its public spaces.

• FlowRider onboard wave generator for surfing
• Interactive water play area for children
• Full-sized volleyball/basketball court
• Large fitness center
• Two cantilevered whirlpools offer unimpeded views of the sea.
• Modular conference center for business meetings

4. Freedom Of The Seas

• Launched: 2006
• Guest capacity: 4,515

Freedom of the Seas was launched in May 2006 and became the largest ever passenger ship to be built at that time, taking the title from Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.

Proudly, she is the namesake of Royal Caribbean’s Freedom Class.

While it’s not the largest in Royal Caribbean anymore (that title goes to the newer Oasis-class ships), its public areas still feel fresh and modern.  One of its standout features is the FlowRider surf simulator, introduced first on this ship and later added to all Royal Caribbean vessels, with some older ships retrofitted to include it as well. The Freedom of the Seas sails from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, offering cruises on both sides of the Caribbean. It includes shorter itineraries along with week-long sailings.

• Adventure Ocean
• Casino Play
• The Perfect Storm
• Hour Room Service
• Lime and Coconut
• Onboard gratuities
• Shore Excursions
• Splashaway Bay Kids Aqua Park

5. Jewel Of The Seas

• Launched: 2004
• Class: Radiance
• Guest capacity: 2,702

Jewel of the Seas is a Radiance class ship that made its debut in the spring of 2004. Carrying a maximum of 2700 plus passengers, it was the fourth and last limb on Royal Caribbean’s Radiance-class family tree. Arguably, it’s also the last mid-sized ship to ever be built for the cruise line. It’s perfect for those cruisers who prefer a traditional cruising experience rather than bells and whistles.

It’s a laid-back ship, where guests savor unhurried meals and a couple of G&Ts in the evening and enjoy nostalgic entertainment.

It caters to three different cruising areas, attracting younger crowds on shorter Caribbean trips and appealing to slightly older passengers on scenic, longer voyages to Northern Europe and New England-Canada.

She offers exciting onboard activities like the Royal Theater, a climbing wall, a sports court, an arcade, and more.

• Vitality Spa & Fitness Center
• Coral Theater
• Casino Royale
• Three pools
• Three whirlpools
• Outdoor movie screen
• Sports court
• Nine-hole miniature golf course
• Library & Cardroom
• Art & Photo Gallery
• Jogging track
• Video arcade
• Medical Center

6. Mariner Of The Sea

• Launched: 2003
• Class: Voyager
• Guest capacity: 4,000

Mariner of the Seas is the fifth ship in Royal Caribbean’s Voyager class, starting its journey in 2004. She was already a fun-packed ship over 20 years ago, but her recent Amplification added even more awesome features.

Mariner of the Seas offers an affordable Caribbean cruise experience with the right amount of excitement to make your short cruise vacation more memorable.

Its deck plans are so intelligently designed that make this small Royal Caribbean ship feel just the right size.

Guests can move about almost anywhere without crowds, and elevators zip up and down to pools, the gym, and the spa, and access other amenities.

• Escape Room
• Bamboo Room
• Spa and fitness area

7. Serenade Of The Seas

• Guest capacity: 2,476

Serenade of the Seas is the third Radiance-class ship for Royal Caribbean, which is famous for its plenty of amenities despite being a mid-sized ship. It’s a good choice for a wide range of travelers, including couples, singles, families, and groups. This ship differentiates from other Radiance-class ships due to its three acres of exterior glass employed in its design, including glass elevators with ocean views.

There are remarkable views from nearly every public room, and the ship is also very easy to navigate.

Guests can enjoy great food at various restaurants and plenty of fun activities, including sports and spa treatments.

• A visual feast
• Elevated sights
• Lounge on the Lookout
• Lights out, nights out
• Spa and fitness center
• Guest entertainment
• Live Orchestra
• Schooner Bar
• Solarium Bar
• Viking Crown Lounge

8. Navigator Of The Seas

• Launched: 2002

  Navigator of the Seas is an Amplified Voyager-class ship with tons of things to do onboard, from enjoying dinner to sipping sunset drinks with views. Most amazingly, Navigator of the Seas boasts plenty of quiet cabins as they are designed very smartly. A large percentage of cabins are far away from the busiest public and entertainment areas, allowing for quiet nights. Navigator of the Seas underwent a refurbishment in 2019, upgrading the pool area, adding new nightlife and dining spots, and introducing additional waterslides. In short, this ship caters to all tastes and budgets, but the new enhancements, like Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, do extra charge.

• Amplified pool deck
• The Blaster
• Ice skating shows
• Ballroom Fever
• Suite Lounge

9. Brilliance Of The Seas

• Guest capacity: 2,543

Brilliance of the Seas is the second Radiance-class ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet. The ship’s medium size, along with the ample activities and attentive service, makes it famous among the cruisers. With the Radiance series, cruisers never miss a view: the ship’s stunning, nice-story central atrium is surrounded by glass for amazing views. Most amazingly, the plethora of outdoor features at this ship, like the rock climbing wall, are easy to find, and no reservations are required. Although ship venues are generally not congested, some passengers complained about the smoky air quality throughout the ship despite smoking restrictions.

• English Pub
• Guest Entertainment
• Fitness and Spa

10. Adventure Of The Seas

• Launched: 2001
• Guest capacity: 3,807

  Adventure of the Seas debuted in 2001 as the third in the series of Royal Caribbean’s game-changing Voyager-class vessels. While Adventure of the Seas is not as large or equipped with as many amenities as the Quantum-class, Oasis-class, or Freedom-class ships, it still ranks among the world’s larger vessels.

It offers a variety of venues that set it apart from the traditional cruise experiences, which include an ice-skating rink, a rock-climbing wall, a shopping mall, bars, and cafes.   The Adventure of the Seas deck plan is similar to its sister ships, with a number of rooms that provide a quiet environment while few rooms share the deck with public spaces. Its ambiance is really good, but the only thing that’s not good is that it has a relatively small portion of rooms with balconies.

• 9 dining options.
• Three pools and 6 whirlpools.
• Rock Climbing Wall.
• Sports Court.
• Ice-skating rink.
• Typhoon & Cyclone water slides.
• Perfect Storm water slide.

11. Radiance Of The Seas

• Guest capacity: 2,466

  Radiance of the Seas was a different kind of ship for Royal Caribbean as Voyager-class ships were very popular; Royal Caribbean thought there was still a demand for “Mid-sized” ships. So they introduce Radiance of the Seas. In Australia, Radiance of the Seas is known as Royal Caribbean’s “Dining Ship” as it has such a large number of free and paid dining options. Although this ship doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as larger ships in the fleet, instead, it is more focused on adults who want some fun and a relaxed dining environment.

• 1 dining options
• 3 pools and 3 whirlpools
• Mini-golf course

12. Explorer Of The Seas

• Launched: 2000
• Guest capacity: 4,290

Explorer of the Seas is the second of five in the revolutionary Voyager-Class series, which can accommodate 4290 passengers.

This ship follows the floating resort concept, with a diverse range of entertainment, facilities, and activities that will appeal to the taste of every age group.

Its most famous and exciting attractions include the retrofitted Perfect Storm duo of water slides (Cyclone and Typhoon), each with stories of twists and turns.

Despite the numerous onboard activities, the ship has been surpassed in size and features by Royal Caribbean’s Freedom-class and Oasis-class ships. But it still has many appealing features.

However, the high passenger capacity means queuing is inevitable.

• Concert venue
• Spa/solarium complex
• A shopping mall
• Dining/Entertainment options
• 3D movie theater
• Nine-hole miniature golf
• New Flow Rider surf simulator

The Oldest Royal Caribbean Ships

Now, in this section of the guide, I’ll discuss the ships launched in the 1990s. These are the oldest and smallest ships in the Royal Caribbean family that have fewer facilities as compared to the newer ships.

1. Voyager Of The Seas

• Launched: 1999
• Guest capacity: 4,269

Voyager of the Seas is the first Voyager class ship of Royal Caribbean which gave the cruise line the largest cruise ship in the world.

At that time, it was an honor for this ship to have dozens of exciting things to enjoy onboard. Furthermore, it underwent a $97-million refurbishment in 2019, and many enhanced amenities were included 20 years after her debut.

Voyager of the Seas is ideally suited for families with superb children’s facilities catering to youngsters.

• 11 dining options
• 3 pools and 6 whirlpools
• Flow Rider surf simulator

2. Vision Of The Seas

• Launched: 1998
• Class: Vision
• Guest capacity: 2,514

Vision of the Seas is the final Vision Class ship, which is why it shares its name with the class itself.

It is famous for its stunning glass exterior; more than 2 acres of glass were used in its construction back when it launched in 1998.

It’s a mid-sized ship holding 2514 passengers at double occupancy.

Vision is not comparable to the newest ships in tech and amenities, but still, it offers all the basics and a few extra amenities for fun and relaxing vacations.

However, some cabins s howing age have fewer options for food and entertainment than larger ships.

• Entertainment options
• Spa & Fitness Center
• Royal Theatre

3. Enhancement Of The Seas

• Launched: 1997
• Guest capacity: 2,730

Enhancement of the Seas is a Vision-Class cruise ship focused on a quieter cruise experience as compared to the other larger ships in the fleet.

She might not have all the jaw-dropping features of newer Royal Caribbean ships, but its fun, friendly onboard atmosphere makes it an ideal choice among the cruisers.

With a capacity of 2700, passengers can share their contagious excitement about all the daily activities, and it provides the best ambiance and time to know your shipmates.

Most amazingly, its consistent food and few extra-fee venues make mealtime a pleasure onboard.

• Three pools, 6 whirlpools.
• Full-service Vitality at Sea Spa & state-of-the-art Fitness Center.

4. Rhapsody Of The Seas

• Guest capacity: 2,416

Rhapsody of the Seas is a second ship of the Vision Class. Although it’s not the biggest or flashiest ship in the fleet, it does have a lot to offer on a more manageable scale.

There are good-quality kids’ clubs and plenty of space for adults to enjoy their vacations. It also offers plenty of places onboard for those who admire ocean views.

In short, you’ll get personalized service and consistent quality in the main dining room and buffet. 

• 10 dining options
• 2 pools and 6 whirlpools

5. Grandeur Of The Seas

• Launched: 1996
• Guest capacity: 2,440

Grandeur of the Seas is the oldest and smallest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Due to the maintenance of public areas, it still retains the classic charm of a 20th-century cruise ship.

Obviously, you won’t get any modern amenities or decor as it’s the oldest ship, but the deck plan flows smoothly.

Most amazing, its main dining room goes beyond what I experienced on larger ships in both service and execution of the menu.

In short, this first Royal Caribbean ship is an ideal option to cater to both new and seasoned cruisers taste who are looking for a simplified and lower-cost cruising option on Royal Caribbean.

• 12 dining options
• 2 pools, 4 whirlpools
• Full-service vitality at Sea Spa and state-of-the-art Fi

The Next Royal Caribbean Ships To Launch

The Royal Caribbean has planned to launch the four iconic and modern ships in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Below is the list of those ships with their features:

1. Icon Of The Seas (To Be Launched In Jan 2024)

Specifications

• 7600 Guest Capacity
• Gross tonnage of 250,800 GT
• 28 accommodation options
• 15 restaurants
• A variety of bars and lounges
• Stunning live entertainment venues
• Eight neighborhoods
• Six waterslides

2. Utopia Of The Seas (To Be Launched In May 2024)

• LNG-powered ship
• Oasis Class
• 6788 Guest Capacity
• 8 distinct neighborhoods
• 21 dining options
• 5 pools and 8 whirlpools
• 2 Flow Rider surf simulators

3. Star Of The Seas (To Be Launched In 2025)

• In-suite slide
• Cinema space
• Two balconies
• Private entrance to the ultimate family neighborhood, Surfside
• Debut of the first Ultimate Family Townhouse in December 2023 (Icon and Star of the Seas)

4. Unnamed Ship (To Be Launched In 2026)

• Guest Capacity of 7600

Royal Caribbean plans to construct three Icon-class ships, with the third one to launch in 2026. 

The agreement for the third ship was signed in July 2019, but its arrival in 2026 isn’t certain due to financing uncertainties arising from recent events. However, the cruise industry’s future seems promising at present.

What Is The Newest Royal Caribbean Ship Available For Booking?

Icon of the Seas is the newest ship you can book with Royal Caribbean. Even though it hasn’t started sailing, you can book trips from January 2024 to April 2026.

Utopia of the Seas, another new ship, is also available for booking. It’s part of the Oasis Class ship and will start voyages in July 2024, with bookings open until April 2025.

The other two Royal Caribbean ships that are on the way aren’t available for booking just yet.

What Is The Newest Class Of Royal Caribbean Ships?

The Icon Class is Royal Caribbean’s newest ship type, with at least three ships planned. The first one, Icon of the Seas, will start sailing in January 2024. 

Icon of the Seas will be huge, about 6% larger than the current biggest Royal Caribbean ships. It’ll carry up to 7,600 passengers, which is 7% more than the largest ship now, Wonder of the Seas. 

This new ship will focus more on families. There will be more cabins for families with extra beds and a special outdoor area called Surfside, just for families with young kids.

What’s The Difference Between Newer And Older Royal Caribbean Ships?

Newer Royal Caribbean International ships are huge compared to the older ones, and they’ve got way more stuff to do. Think of multiple pools, mini-golf, basketball courts, and even zip lines on the top decks. 

Inside, there are a bunch of restaurants, bars, shops, big casinos, spas, and theaters with fantastic shows. Some even have ice skating rinks. They’re basically like giant floating resorts, ideal for people who love a big resort vibe.

What Makes the Newer Royal Caribbean Ships Stand Out?

• Destinations
• Demographic

How Many Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships Are There?

There are currently 26 ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, with more to launch in upcoming years.

What Are The Different Classes Of Royal Caribbean Ships?

Royal Caribbean ships have the Vision Class, the Voyager Class, the Radiance Class, the Freedom Class, the Oasis Class, the Icon Class, and the Quantum Class, including Quantum Ultra. Icon Class ships are the largest and the newest.

What Is The Nicest Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship?

The best Royal Caribbean ship depends on what you want. The newest one is Icon of the Seas, launching in 2024. It’s the biggest ship in the world.

Final Words

Hopefully, now you must have a clear understanding of all the Royal Caribbean ships and their amenities.

So, if you’re looking for a modern cruising experience, I recommend you choose the exciting new ships of Royal Caribbean.

And if you’re cruising on a budget, old ships are recommended as they do offer a lot of things.

I am Zoe Grace, a passionate enthusiast of cruise ships. With a decade of firsthand experience in the cruising industry, I have developed a deep understanding of the intricacies and wonders that these majestic vessels hold.

Now, I am excited to embark on a new journey as an author, sharing my knowledge and insights with readers who share my fascination for the world of cruising.

Join me as we explore the captivating world of cruise ships together.

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Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships By Age - Newest to Oldest

We list the newest Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships 2024 & 2025, as well as the oldest Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships, based on built age. Make your Cruise booking today.

Book Royal Caribbean cruise

Royal Caribbean is constantly glorified for providing cruisers with the largest and most impressive ships at sea. Over the past few decades, they have consistently revealed ships that claim the title of " world's largest " and introduced numerous innovative onboard features that other cruise lines promptly adopted.

In the current year, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) has operated 26 cruise ships, and three more are set to launch in 2024 & 2025, which means Royal Caribbean currently has a total of 29 cruise ships , as per their official announcement.

Usually, the latest Royal Caribbean ship shines with the latest features in cabins, dining, bars, and entertainment. If you are looking for the newest and best cruise in 2024 or 2025 for your upcoming cruise vacation, Royal Caribbean is a great choice. You will definitely find multiple options to enjoy and spend your golden days at the sea.

Are you wondering which Royal Caribbean Cruise ships suit your upcoming cruise? Explore our up-to-date list of Royal Caribbean cruise ships by age, from the newest to the oldest.

List of Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships By Age (2024 & 2025 Edition)

• Star of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Icon of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Adventure of the Seas
• Radiance of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas
• Vision of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Rhapsody of the Seas
• Grandeur of the Seas

The table below displays Royal Caribbean's cruise ships in the order of newest to oldest, along with their respective ship classes and built years. The upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise Star of the Seas will debut in 2025 , which is the latest cruise ship in the line announced by Royal Caribbean officials. The first and oldest Royal Caribbean cruise was Grandeur of the Seas, which debuted in 1996.

The Complete List and In-depth Overview of All Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships By Age

1. star of the seas.

• Launch Date: Summer 2025
• Guest Capacity: 7,600
• Gross Tonnage: 250,800 (Approx.)
• Class: Icon

The upcoming Star of the Seas honors Royal Caribbean's second Icon Class cruise ship, which is expected to launch in the summer of 2025. While its exact size remains unknown, Royal Caribbean tends to make each new cruise slightly larger than the last, aiming for the " world's biggest cruise ship " title upon launch. Currently in construction at Finland's Meyer Turku shipyard, the ship is in progress.

Related:   Cruise Booking Offers the Most Affordable Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals

2. Utopia of the Seas

• Launch Date: July 22, 2024
• Guest Capacity: 6,788
• Gross Tonnage: 236,860
• Class: Oasis

Launching in July 2024, Utopia of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's latest addition. As the sixth ship in the Oasis Class, it is renowned for its open-air design and attractions such as AquaTheater and Central Park. Utopia of the Seas will operate 3-night and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida, exploring Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas.

3. Icon of the Seas

• Launch Date: January 27, 2024
• Gross Tonnage: 250,800

When it debuts in January 2024, Icon of the Seas will declare the title of the " World's largest cruise ship ." As the inaugural vessel in Royal Caribbean's Icon Class, it will feature a great range of activities and amenities. Guests can look forward to the exciting AquaDome neighborhood, the Category 6 Waterpark, and the family-friendly Surfside neighborhood. Starting from Miami, Florida, Icon of the Seas will initially offer 7-night Caribbean itineraries.

4. Wonder of the Seas

• Launch Date: March 4, 2022
• Guest Capacity: 6,988
• Gross Tonnage: 236,857

Wonder of the Seas, the world's current largest cruise ship (until 2024), marks the fifth in Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class series. It's soon to be succeeded by the sixth Utopia of the Seas. Constructed in France, this ship offers a suite neighborhood, the Ultimate Family Suite, and various dining spots, blending both familiar favorites and new experiences for travelers.

5. Odyssey of the Seas

• Launch Date: July 31, 2021
• Guest Capacity: 4,819
• Gross Tonnage: 167,704
• Class: Quantum-Ultra

Odyssey of the Seas is the last ship in Royal Caribbean’s high-tech Quantum Class. Known for its innovation, this ship features RipCord by iFLY, an indoor skydiving experience, and the SeaPlex, an indoor sports hub with bumper cars and rollerskating. Grown-ups can relax in the climate-controlled Solarium or enjoy the tropical pool deck with The Lime and coconut bar. It cruises the Caribbean in winter and heads to Europe in summer, offering Greek Isles and Holy Land trips from Rome.

Related:   Five Exciting Features on Odyssey of the Seas

6. Spectrum of the Seas

• Launch Date: April 18, 2019
• Guest Capacity: 5,622
• Gross Tonnage: 169,379

Spectrum of the Seas, the fourth ship in Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class series, predominantly charters voyages in Asia, catering to the region's cruise enthusiasts. As part of the Quantum Class fleet, the ship boasts signature attractions like the iFly skydiving simulator, the SeaPlex entertainment hub offering bumper cars and various amusements, and the distinctive North Star experience, elevating passengers into the skies within a suspended pod. Designed with innovative features, Spectrum of the Seas delivers an array of adrenaline-pumping activities and unique entertainment, catering to diverse tastes while sailing through the stunning waters of Asia.

Related:   Top 5 Things to Do on Spectrum of the Seas

7. Symphony of the Seas

• Launch Date: April 7, 2018
• Guest Capacity: 6,680
• Gross Tonnage: 228,081

Symphony of the Seas ranks as the world's second-largest cruise ship , closely trailing its newer sibling, Wonder of the Seas. Belonging to the innovative Oasis Class initiated in 2009, it stands as the fourth vessel in this prestigious lineup. Designed akin to its Oasis counterparts, Symphony of the Seas boasts diverse neighborhoods, such as the vibrant Central Park. This unique area houses an array of dining spots, bars, and shops, creating an open-air experience within the heart of the ship and enhancing the allure of cruising escapades.

8. Harmony of the Seas

• Launch Date: May 29, 2016
• Guest Capacity: 6,687
• Gross Tonnage: 226,963

Introduced in 2016, Harmony of the Seas marked the third addition to Royal Caribbean's renowned Oasis Class fleet, reigning as the largest ship globally upon its unveiling (although it has since been surpassed by the slightly larger Symphony of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas). Distinguished as the pioneer within the Oasis Class, it featured an extensive water park named Perfect Storm and the gravity-defying 10-story-high dry slide, Ultimate Abyss.

Related:   5 Things to Do on Harmony of the Seas Cruise

9. Ovation of the Seas

• Launch Date: April 17, 2016
• Guest Capacity : 4,905
• Gross Tonnage: 168,666
• Class: Quantum

The third marvel in Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class fleet, Ovation of the Seas, has been predominantly navigating the waters of Australia and Alaska. Much akin to its fellow Quantum Class ships, Ovation of the Seas boasts a plethora of entertainment options. From an iFly skydiving simulator to the SeaPlex entertainment hub featuring bumper cars, and not to forget the exhilarating North Star ride—lifting passengers high into the sky within a suspended pod—this vessel brims with thrilling amusements.

Related:   Top Things to Do on Ovation of the Seas

10. Anthem of the Seas

• Launch Date: April 2, 2015
• Guest Capacity: 4,905

Anthem of the Seas, the second cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class fleet, alternates between two key locations. During the winter months, it calls New York City home, navigating routes to New England, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. In the summer, Southampton, England, becomes its base for voyages. However, the winter of 2024-2025 will see Anthem of the Seas embarking on a new adventure as it is slated to relocate to Singapore for sailings in Asia.

Related:   Best Things to Do on the Anthem of the Seas

11. Quantum of the Seas

• Launch Date: November 2, 2014

Quantum of the Seas pioneered Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class, marking the inception of a groundbreaking era for the cruise line. With a capacity for 4,905 passengers, this vessel introduced unprecedented features, setting global firsts like the Bionic Bar—a robotic bartender concept now adopted across multiple Royal Caribbean ships. Additionally, it debuted the innovative iFly skydiving simulator, a dynamic SeaPlex entertainment hub housing bumper cars, and the North Star. This exhilarating suspended pod ride elevates passengers into the skies.

12. Allure of the Seas

• Launch Date: December 4, 2010
• Guest Capacity: 6,780
• Gross Tonnage: 225,282

Shortly following the launch of her sister ship, Allure of the Seas embarked on her maiden voyage, claiming not just the top spot in Royal Caribbean's fleet but also the world's largest vessel—a prestigious title she maintained for a remarkable six years. Plans were in place for an extensive enhancement, including the addition of thrilling features like the Ultimate Abyss slide and Perfect Storm waterslides. However, the global shutdown disrupted these intentions. Speculation has arisen about a potential upgrade now that cruising has resumed its normal course. The allure of the Seas is a fixture in Orlando and Miami, hosting Bahamas cruises typically spanning 3 or 4 nights.

Related:   Top Things to Do on Allure of the Seas

13. Oasis of the Seas

• Launch Date: December 5, 2009
• Gross Tonnage: 226,838

The Oasis of the Seas epitomized Royal Caribbean's statement in the world of ships. When the cruise line aimed to craft the largest vessel globally, it didn't merely surpass the previous record; it entirely reshaped the perception of a cruise ship, birthing the notion of a " super-ship ." Many features we now link with modern Royal Caribbean cruises made their debut on the Oasis of the Seas. This includes innovations like the zip-line, the immersive Central Park area, and the pioneering concept of distinct neighborhoods aboard a ship. During the winter, the Oasis of the Seas offers Caribbean cruises , but come summer, it gracefully navigates the Mediterranean, embarking from cities like Barcelona and Rome.

14. Independence of the Seas

• Launch Date: May 2, 2008
• Guest Capacity: 4,560
• Gross Tonnage: 154,407
• Class: Freedom

Independence of the Seas, the final ship of the Freedom-class to set sail, has remained a beloved vessel within the fleet. Among British cruisers, it held a special place—before Anthem of the Seas claimed its position—serving as THE Royal Caribbean vessel for Southampton cruises. Now anchored in Miami as its permanent residence, it offers year-round voyages spanning the Bahamas and both Caribbean coasts. Notable attractions on board include the thrilling Playmakers Sports Bar and the exhilarating Flowrider surf simulator.

15. Liberty of the Seas

• Launch Date: May 19, 2007
• Guest Capacity: 4,960

In 2007, Liberty of the Seas made a grand debut as the world's largest ship , surpassing her sister vessel, Freedom of the Seas, with a significantly higher passenger capacity, nearly accommodating up to 4,960 passengers. Despite facing a delay in her planned Amplification, she has been diligently cared for and continues to charm dedicated passengers. Renowned for her popularity, Liberty of the Seas primarily operates Caribbean and Bahamas voyages departing from Fort Lauderdale . Additionally, she extends her allure to cruises exploring Canada & New England, setting sail from Cape Liberty in New Jersey.

16. Freedom of the Seas

• Launch Date: May 11, 2006
• Guest Capacity: 4,515
• Gross Tonnage: 156,271

The Freedom of the Seas made a grand entrance as the largest passenger ship ever built, dethroning Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 upon her launch. One of her standout features is the groundbreaking FlowRider surf simulator. This pioneering addition has since become a staple on all Royal Caribbean ships, even making its way onto some older cruises. Sailing from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale, the Freedom of the Seas caters to Caribbean enthusiasts on both sides of the spectrum, offering a range of itineraries from shorter voyages to week-long escapades.

Related:   Top Things to Do on Freedom of the Seas

17. Jewel of the Seas

• Launch Date: May 8, 2004
• Guest Capacity: 2,702
• Gross Tonnage: 90,090
• Class: Radiance

Jewel of the Seas, though smaller than Royal Caribbean’s latest ships , offers a delightfully intimate experience. Crafted at Meyer Werft Yard in Papenberg, Germany, the cruise allows you to share the seas with only a few thousand fellow cruisers. Famous as the final Royal Caribbean ship with a multi-story atrium rather than a promenade, Jewel of the Seas underwent renovations in 2016. Since her maiden journey, she has navigated routes spanning the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Persian Gulf.

18. Mariner of the Seas

• Launch Date: November 14, 2003
• Guest Capacity: 4,000
• Gross Tonnage: 139,863
• Class: Voyager

The Mariner of the Seas was a super fun ship 20 years ago. But now, it's even more exciting! They added cool stuff like water slides you can race on, a surf simulator called FlowRider, and a chill place to eat called Jamie's Italian. Now, the Mariner of the Seas is going on trips to the Caribbean. It hangs out in Galveston for a bit and then spends the rest of the year sailing from Port Canaveral.

Related:   Top 5 Things You Cannot Miss on Mariner of the Seas

19. Serenade of the Seas

• Launch Date: August 25, 2003
• Guest Capacity: 2,476

Serenade of the Seas was the third ship like her sisters in the Radiance class for Royal Caribbean. People on board can have yummy food at different restaurants, lots of fun stuff like sports and spas, and awesome live shows. You can go on the Ultimate World Cruise with this ship, traveling to many places around the world. The rest of the time, she sails in the Caribbean from Tampa.

20. Navigator of the Seas

• Launch Date: December 14, 2002
• Gross Tonnage: 139,999

Navigator of the Seas has been a favorite cruise ship for a long time since it started in 2002. It got even better in 2019 with some cool upgrades. Now, people can have fun on exciting waterslides and a surf simulator and try tasty food at places like Hooked Seafood and Jonny Rockets Express. Navigator of the Seas is always on the west coast of the US, sailing to Mexico from Los Angeles.

21. Brilliance of the Seas

• Launch Date: July 15, 2002
• Guest Capacity: 2,543

Coming out just a year earlier than Serenade of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas is an almost similar cruise ship. Like Serenade of the Seas, it's a Radiance Class ship, and that means it's significantly smaller than the line's newer Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships. However, it is still loaded with venues, including more than a half-dozen places to eat, three pools, a rock-climbing wall, a miniature golf course, a sports court, whirlpools, and an adults-only solarium. Like its Radiance Class sisters, its interior venues include a theater, spa, casino, and multiple bars and lounges.

Related:   Best Things to Do on Brilliance of the Seas

22. Adventure of the Seas

• Launch Date: November 18, 2001
• Guest Capacity: 3,807
• Gross Tonnage: 137,276

Adventure of the Seas was supposed to get a big upgrade called Amplification, but that got delayed because everything shut down. Even so, since it started in 2001, it's been taken care of with small improvements. There are lots of yummy food choices and fun things to do during the day and at night. Adventure of the Seas ship has traveled on both sides of the Atlantic before, but now it's going to sail in the Caribbean from Port Canaveral mainly.

Related:   Best Things to Do on Adventure of the Seas

23. Radiance of the Seas

• Launch Date: April 7, 2001
• Guest Capacity: 2,466

The radiance of the Seas was different from that of other Royal Caribbean ships . The big Voyager-class ships were really liked, but the cruise line thought some people still wanted smaller ships. So, they made the Radiance Class. Radiance of the Seas isn't as fancy as the bigger ships. It's more for grown-ups who want a bit of fun but also lots of time to relax. It goes to the Caribbean and Alaska from different starting places.

24. Explorer of the Seas

• Launch Date: October 28, 2000
• Guest Capacity: 4,290
• Gross Tonnage: 137,308

Explorer of the Seas continued the fun from Voyager of the Seas by giving lots of cool things to do on the ship. They added something cool called the FlowRider, but they still need to do a big upgrade called Amplification. In the winter, Explorer of the Seas goes to the Caribbean from Miami, like many other ships. In the summer, it sails around the Greek Isles, starting from Ravenna.

Related:   Things to Do on Explorer of the Seas

25. Voyager of the Seas

• Launch Date: November 21, 1999
• Guest Capacity: 4,269

The Voyager of the Seas was a big new ship for Royal Caribbean around the year 2000. It was the biggest cruise ship in the world back then and had lots of fun stuff to do onboard. In 2019, twenty years after it first started, they made it even better with some upgrades. Now, you can go on trips to the Caribbean on the Voyager of the Seas. It leaves from either Galveston or Port Canaveral and mostly offers shorter vacations.

26. Vision of the Seas

• Launch Date: May 2, 1998
• Guest Capacity: 2,514
• Gross Tonnage: 78,340
• Class: Vision

Vision of the Seas is the newest kind of ship from Royal Caribbean called Vision Class. These ships are smaller compared to others in the Royal Caribbean group. Compared to many other Royal Caribbean ships, they have fewer things to do on board. People who like Vision of the Seas and its three older sister ships usually prefer a smaller and cozier cruise experience. They care more about where the boat goes than all the fun things to do on board.

Related:   Top Things to Do on Vision of the Seas

27. Enchantment of the Seas

• Launch Date: July 13, 1997
• Guest Capacity: 2,730
• Gross Tonnage: 82,910

Enchantment of the Seas is the third Vision-class ship. It offers a more peaceful experience compared to the bigger ships but still has excellent entertainment at night and tasty food options. In the winter, it travels in the Caribbean from Tampa. But in the summer, it crosses the Atlantic for different cruises in the Mediterranean from places like Ravenna, Barcelona, and Athens.

28. Rhapsody of the Seas

• Launch Date: May 19, 1997
• Guest Capacity: 2,416
• Gross Tonnage: 78,491

Rhapsody of the Seas is the second cruise ship in the Vision class. It came after Grandeur of the Seas. It may not have all the cool and colorful things that newer ships have, but it has nice places for kids and lots of room for grown-ups to relax. This ship goes on trips mostly around the southern Caribbean. It leaves from Colon in Panama and Cartagena in Colombia.

Related:   Top Things to Do on Rhapsody of the Seas

29. Grandeur of the Seas

• Launch Date: December 14, 1996
• Guest Capacity: 2,440
• Gross Tonnage: 73,817

The oldest and smallest ship in the Royal Caribbean group is Grandeur of the Seas. It has been sailing for more than 25 years. The experience on this ship is different from the newest ones, but many people really like it. It's good for those who prefer a quieter Royal Caribbean experience, especially when it comes to food and quality live entertainment. Grandeur of the Seas mostly travels in the Caribbean, starting from various ports in Florida. Sometimes, it also goes on cruises from Boston to explore Canada.

Related:   Things to Do on the Grandeur of the Seas

Royal Caribbean has lots of cool stuff on their cruise ships for everyone. Kids have fun things to do, while adults can enjoy exciting water slides like the twisting Perfect Storm. These ships go to many places like Europe, Asia, Australia, Alaska, and the Caribbean. If you're going on a cruise for the first time, Royal Caribbean is a great choice.

Also Read:   Carnival Cruise Ships By Age: Newest to Oldest

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Royal Caribbean Ships By Age – Newest to Oldest (Complete List)

Royal Caribbean currently has 26 cruise ships to choose from, each offering unique amenities and experiences.

And although the older cruise ships do get refurbished, knowing their age and features is important for many passengers. I know it’s important for me when booking!

The newer ships have some amazing features that the older ones just can’t match.

And even though Royal Caribbean ships as a whole are an amazing experience, you will notice some major perks in the newer ships.

Table of Contents

Overview of Royal Caribbean Ships

When you think of cruising, Royal Caribbean’s fleet is probably one of the first that comes to mind.

In recent years, Royal Caribbean has introduced a new class of ships called the Icon Class .

These ships, like the Icon of the Seas , have a gross tonnage of 250,800, making them significantly larger than some of their earlier counterparts, such as the Grandeur of the Seas, which has a gross tonnage of 73,817.

This increase in size allows for more innovative features, amenities, and passenger capacity.

Next up is the Quantum Class ships. These ships, introduced starting in 2014, are known for their state-of-the-art technology and unique experiences.

Some of the highlights include the North Star observation capsule, a skydiving simulator, and a bionic bar with robotic bartenders.

Quantum Class ships boast a gross tonnage of around 168,000, providing ample space to create unforgettable memories.

Then we also have the Oasis Class ships, which first set sail in 2009. Known for their sheer size and innovative features, Oasis Class vessels are among the largest cruise ships in the world.

With a gross tonnage of around 225,000 to 236,000, these impressive ships proudly offer seven distinct neighborhoods, over 20 dining options, and exhilarating activities like ziplining and surf simulators.

Finally, Royal Caribbean’s earlier ships, which fall into the Vision , Voyager , and Freedom classes.

These vessels, launched between the mid-1990s and mid-2000s, offer a more traditional cruise experience with a focus on comfort and classic amenities.

While smaller than newer ships, they still provide an enjoyable vacation with various dining choices, relaxing pools, and entertaining shows.

Royal Caribbean Ships By Age

Wonder of the Seas – 2022

Wonder of the Seas is the newest Royal Caribbean ship, and the largest, having set sail for the first time in March 2022. The ship is part of the Oasis class and is six times larger than the Titanic.

It features a new neighborhood suite, the Vue Bar, and a wide range of activities and amenities for passengers to enjoy.

Spectrum of the Seas – 2021

Spectrum of the Seas is a luxury cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International. It was launched in 2019 and is the first ship in the Quantum Ultra class.

The ship is known for its high-tech features, including virtual balconies and robot bartenders.

It also has a variety of dining options, entertainment venues, and activities for passengers of all ages.

Symphony of the Seas – 2018

Symphony of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world until Wonder of the Seas dethroned her.

The ship offers a wide range of entertainment options, including a 10-story slide, a zip line, and an ice skating rink.

It also has numerous dining options and activities for passengers of all ages, making it an ideal choice for families and groups.

Ovation of the Seas – 2016

Ovation of the Seas is part of the Quantum class and was launched in 2016.

The ship features a range of entertainment options, including a skydiving simulator and a North Star observation capsule.

It also offers a variety of dining options and activities for passengers of all ages, making it a popular choice for families and groups.

Harmony of the Seas – 2016

Harmony of the Seas is part of the Oasis class and is one of the largest cruise ships in the world, with a length of 1,188 feet and a maximum capacity of 6,687 passengers.

The ship features a range of entertainment options, including a 10-story slide, a zip line, and an ice skating rink.

Anthem of the Seas – 2015

Anthem of the Seas is part of the Quantum class and was launched in 2015.

One of the unique features of the ship is the North Star observation capsule, which offers guests a 360-degree view of the surrounding area from a height of 300 feet above sea level.

The ship also features a range of dining options and entertainment venues, including a skydiving simulator and a robotic bartending system.

Quantum of the Seas – 2014

Quantum of the Seas is part of the Quantum class and was launched in 2014.

Quantum of the Seas is similar to Anthem of the Seas as it also has the North Star observation capsule.

The ship also features a range of dining options, including Jamie Oliver’s Italian restaurant, and entertainment venues, including the skydiving simulator and a robotic bartending system found on Anthem of the Seas.

Quantum of the Seas is also known for its high-tech features, such as high-speed internet and virtual balconies.

Allure of the Seas – 2010

Allure of the Seas is part of the Oasis class and was launched in 2010.

One of the unique features of the ship is the Central Park neighborhood , which is an open-air park with more than 12,000 live plants and trees.

The ship also features a range of dining options, including a steakhouse and a seafood restaurant, and entertainment venues, such as the Aqua Theater and the ice skating rink.

Allure of the Seas also has a zip line and a 10-story slide, making it a popular choice for thrill-seekers.

Oasis of the Seas – 2009

Oasis of the Seas launched in 2009 and is part of the Oasis class.

Similar to Allure of the Seas, it includes the Central Park neighborhood with over 20,000 live plants and trees, a range of dining options, and entertainment venues such as the Aqua Theater and ice skating rink.

The ship also has a zip line and 10-story slide, making it a great choice for families (and adults alike.) While it was once the largest ship in the world, it has since been surpassed by its sister ships.

Independence of the Seas – 2008

Independence of the Seas was launched in 2008 and features a range of entertainment options, including a FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink.

Independence of the Seas underwent a major refurbishment in 2018, which included the addition of new amenities and staterooms.

Liberty of the Seas – 2007

Liberty of the Seas was launched in 2007 and has similar features to Independence of the Seas, like the FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink.

Liberty of the Seas underwent a major refurbishment in 2016, which included the addition of new amenities and staterooms. So although an ‘older’ ship it remains up to date and a great option for families.

Freedom of the Seas – 2006

Freedom of the Seas was launched in 2006 and also features a FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink.

Freedom of the Seas underwent a major refurbishment in 2020, like her sister ship Liberty of the Seas.

The upgrades make both of these older ships a great choice regardless of their age.

Jewel of the Seas – 2004

Jewel of the Seas launched in 2004 and features a range of entertainment options, including a rock climbing wall, mini-golf course, and outdoor movie screen.

Jewel of the Seas underwent a major refurbishment in 2016, which included the addition of new amenities and staterooms. The ship is known for its elegant decor and intimate atmosphere.

Serenade of the Seas – 2003

Serenade of the Seas launched in 2003 and like its sister ship, features a rock climbing wall, mini-golf course, and outdoor movie screen.

Serenade of the Seas underwent a major refurbishment in 2017, giving it a major upgrade.

The ship is known for its elegant decor and intimate atmosphere, as well as its panoramic views from the glass-enclosed elevators.

Mariner of the Seas – 2003

Mariner of the Seas was refurbished in 2018. The ship offers a range of entertainment options, including a FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink.

One of the unique features of Mariner of the Seas is the Sky Pad, a virtual reality bungee trampoline experience that is sure to thrill passengers looking for a unique and exciting activity.

Brilliance of the Seas – 2002

Brilliance of the Seas was launched in 2002 and is known for its elegant decor and intimate atmosphere, making it a popular choice for couples and older travelers.

It offers a range of entertainment options, including a rock climbing wall, mini-golf course, and outdoor movie screen.

Brilliance of the Seas also features a variety of dining options and activities for passengers of all ages, including a specialty restaurant featuring Italian cuisine and a spa offering a range of treatments.

Navigator of the Seas – 2002

Navigator of the Seas was refurbished in 2019 and offers a range of entertainment options, including a FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink.

One of the unique features of Navigator of the Seas is the Blaster, the longest waterslide at sea, which is sure to thrill passengers looking for a unique and exciting activity.

Radiance of the Seas – 2001

Radiance of the Seas was launched in 2001 and is known for its elegant decor and intimate atmosphere, making it a popular choice for couples and older travelers.

Radiance of the Seas also features a variety of dining options and activities for passengers of all ages, including a specialty restaurant featuring Italian cuisine and a spa offering a range of treatments.

One of the unique features of Radiance of the Seas is the glass-enclosed elevators, which offer stunning views of the surrounding ocean and ports of call.

Explorer of the Seas – 2000

Explorer of the Seas was launched in 2000 and refurbished in 2020. The ship has a FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink, among many other amenities.

One of the unique features of Explorer of the Seas is the Virtual Balcony staterooms, which offer passengers the experience of a real balcony with an HD screen displaying real-time views of the ocean.

Voyager of the Seas – 1999

Voyager of the Seas was launched in 1999 and refurbished in 2019. Like it’s sister ship, Explorer of the Seas, it includes a FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, and ice skating rink.

One of the unique features of Voyager of the Seas is the Royal Promenade, an indoor shopping and dining area that spans the length of the ship and is reminiscent of a bustling city street.

Vision of the Seas – 1998

Vision of the Seas was launched in 1998 and refurbished in 2013. This ship includes a rock climbing wall, mini-golf course, and outdoor movie screen.

A unique feature of Vision of the Seas is the Centrum, a multi-story atrium that serves as the ship’s central hub and features live entertainment and performances throughout the day and night.

Enchantment of the Seas – 1997

Enchantment of the Seas was launched in 1997 and refurbished in 2017. The ship, like many from this era, includes a rock climbing wall, mini-golf course, and outdoor movie screen.

One of the unique features of Enchantment of the Seas is the suspension bridge, a glass-bottomed walkway that extends over the edge of the ship and provides stunning views of the ocean below.

Rhapsody of the Seas – 1997

Rhapsody of the Seas was launched in 1997 and refurbished in 2019.

The ship offers a range of entertainment options, including a rock climbing wall, mini-golf course, and outdoor movie screen.

One of the unique features of Rhapsody of the Seas is the Solarium, an adults-only retreat with a pool, whirlpool, and lounge chairs, providing a relaxing and serene atmosphere for guests to unwind.

Grandeur of the Seas – 1996

Grandeur of the Seas was launched in 1996 and refurbished in 2017, making it the oldest Royal Caribbean ship still in service. The ship offers a range of entertainment options, including a rock climbing wall, mini-golf course, and outdoor movie screen.

It also features a variety of dining options and activities for passengers of all ages, making it a popular choice for families and groups.

One of the unique features of Grandeur of the Seas is the Centrum, a multi-story atrium that serves as the ship’s central hub and features live entertainment and performances throughout the day and night.

The ship also has a retractable glass roof over the Solarium, which allows guests to enjoy the pool and whirlpool area in any weather condition.

Ships Grouped by Decade

1990s Ships

During the 90s, Royal Caribbean introduced some truly innovative vessels.

You’d find smaller ships compared to the giants of today, but these ships set the stage for what the company is now known for – exciting and varied onboard experiences.

Two standout ships of this decade include Majesty of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas . While these ships may not have all the modern amenities of the newer fleet, they still hold a special place in Royal Caribbean history.

Many of these ships included the classic entertainment options found on cruise ships today, like mini-golf, rock climbing walls, and outdoor movie screen.

2000s Ships

Moving into the 2000s , you might notice that Royal Caribbean began to expand its fleet with larger and more feature-packed ships.

It’s in this decade that you’d see the rise of the innovative Voyager and Freedom-class ships. Key ships from this era include Navigator of the Seas , Mariner of the Seas , and Freedom of the Seas .

With a focus on providing more options and amenities, these ships brought you more dining choices, varied entertainment, and larger onboard spaces.

2010s Ships

The 2010s ushered in an era of even larger, more innovative Royal Caribbean ships. During this decade, the impressive Oasis and Quantum-class vessels joined the fleet.

Ships like Oasis of the Seas , Allure of the Seas , Quantum of the Seas , Anthem of the Seas , and Harmony of the Seas emerged to elevate the cruise experience to new heights.

As you explore these ships, you’ll find features such as the Central Park neighborhood, the Bionic Bar with robotic bartenders, and the RipCord by iFLY® skydiving simulator, bringing you unparalleled excitement on the high seas.

2020s Ships

Finally, we’ve arrived at the 2020s , the current decade, where you’ll discover the latest and greatest Royal Caribbean ships.

With their state-of-the-art technology and cutting-edge onboard experiences, these ships will keep you entertained and amazed throughout your voyage.

Iconic ships from this decade include the behemoth Symphony of the Seas , Odyssey of the Seas , and the recently launched Wonder of the Seas .

As you sail on these awe-inspiring vessels, indulge in unique experiences like the Ultimate Abyss slide, virtual reality trampolines, and a vast array of dining and entertainment options.

Royal Caribbean continues to innovate and expand its fleet. Each decade brings new ships and experiences tailored to creating unforgettable memories for you and your family.

So, whether you prefer the classic charm of the 1990s ships or the cutting-edge features of the 2020s fleet, there’s a Royal Caribbean ship waiting to make your cruise vacation a dream come true.

Ship Classes

Oasis class.

Oasis Class ships are the largest in Royal Caribbean’s fleet. These stunning vessels offer a wide range of amenities and entertainment options for you and your family.

With a gross tonnage ranging from 225,282 to 236,857 GT, you’ll find diverse neighborhoods and countless dining spots on-board.

Some notable Oasis Class ships include Harmony of the Seas (2016) and Wonder of the Seas (2022).

Quantum Class

If you’re looking for cutting-edge technology and innovative activities, the Quantum Class ships are your perfect match.

Featuring the unique SeaPlex and North Star observation pod, these vessels offer incredible experiences that will make your cruise truly memorable. Expect a gross tonnage of around 168,666 GT on these ships.

Freedom Class

Freedom Class ships are loved for their mix of classic cruise vibes and modern amenities. With a gross tonnage of approximately 154,407 GT, you’ll find elegant dining options and fantastic entertainment venues on-board.

Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, and Liberty of the Seas are some of the ships found in this class.

Voyager Class

Next up, the Voyager Class offers spacious ships that cater to the adventurous spirit. With a gross tonnage of around 138,194 GT, these ships are perfect for active cruisers.

Enjoy a wide range of activities such as ice-skating, rock climbing, and basketball on Voyager Class ships like Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas.

Radiance Class

Do you love panoramic views and natural light? Then the Radiance Class ships are for you. With their large expanses of glass windows, you’ll enjoy breathtaking ocean vistas throughout your cruise.

These ships have a gross tonnage of around 90,090 GT, offering an intimate and relaxed atmosphere to make your journey as enjoyable as possible.

Vision Class

Step into the Vision Class ships for an elegant and comfortable cruising experience. With a gross tonnage of approximately 78,491 GT, these ships provide a homey ambiance and a variety of dining and entertainment options.

Rendezvous Lounge is the perfect spot to mingle with other guests and make new friends during your voyage.

Sovereign Class

Last but not least, the Sovereign Class ships transport you back to the classic era of cruising. With a gross tonnage of around 73,941 GT, these vessels provide a traditional and intimate cruise experience.

You can enjoy elegant dining options and cozy accommodations as you sail the high seas in style.

As you embark on your next Royal Caribbean adventure, remember that each ship class offers its unique charm and character.

Whether you prefer cutting-edge attractions or classic elegance, there’s a Royal Caribbean ship for you.

Ship Refurbishment and Maintenance

When it comes to Royal Caribbean ships, you’ll find that necessary refurbishments and maintenance are prioritized to ensure that your cruise experience is top-notch.

Typically, older vessels undergo a comprehensive refurbishment every three to five years. This extensive process aims to keep the ships modern, welcoming, and equipped with up-to-date amenities.

During the refurbishment, you’ll notice that some of the ship’s features and technology may be enhanced or replaced to offer you a better experience onboard.

The changes could include décor revamps, new entertainment options, dining establishments, and even updates to the ship’s structural design. This way, you can enjoy a vibrant cruise, no matter the age of the ship.

Royal Caribbean’s commitment to exemplary maintenance ensures that all ships – both old and new – adhere to high standards of safety and cleanliness.

Stringent protocols and inspections are followed in order to uphold these standards, ensuring that your time at sea is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

In fact, Royal Caribbean frequently introduces game-changing ship transformations through their Royal Amplified® program.

This ambitious initiative goes beyond simple renovations, offering exciting new experiences such as glow-in-the-dark laser tag, innovative Royal Escape Rooms, and the longest waterslide at sea, The Blaster℠ aqua coaster.

Overall, when you embark on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you can expect well-maintained ships that cater to your every need, blending the charm of older ship designs with the modern conveniences and excitement of newer innovations.

It’s all about providing you with unforgettable adventures at sea.

Retired and Sold Ships

In Royal Caribbean’s history, several ships have been retired or sold off, making way for new vessels and innovations.

One of the most prominent ships to leave the fleet was Empress of the Seas . Before its departure in December 2020, this iconic ship held the title of being the oldest in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Many guests and staff members have fond memories aboard Empress of the Seas, but its time came to pass to continue evolving the cruising experience.

Another ship that followed a similar fate was Majesty of the Seas . This ship served as a significant part of the Royal Caribbean fleet for many years, attracting a loyal following.

However, like Empress of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas was eventually sold, giving the company room to expand and introduce new, modern ships to their guests.

It’s worth noting that Royal Caribbean doesn’t sell their ships solely because of their age. Numerous factors come into play, such as operational costs, refurbishment needs, and the demand for specific ship classes amongst travelers.

These considerations lead to a more efficient and diverse fleet better suited for different travelers’ preferences.

As new ships join the fleet, filling the void left by the retired and sold ones, it’s essential to remember how these former vessels played a crucial role in shaping the Royal Caribbean experience we know today.

Their departure allows the company to continually innovate, ensuring that you, the guest, can explore new horizons with each passing year.

What’s The Difference Between Old And New Royal Caribbean Ships?

There are a couple of key differences between the older and newer Royal Caribbean ships.

One of the most obvious differences is the older ships tend to be smaller and more intimate.

Smaller ships, while having a smaller passenger capacity and fewer facilities, offer a more personal service and can reach a wider variety of ports.

On the other hand, larger ships provide a wider variety of dining options, sports facilities, and water slides, making them ideal for families with children.

Additionally, larger Royal Caribbean ships often have splash pools for babies, making them more suitable for families with young children.

Newer ships tend to have a lot of the entertainment options of the older ones, plus more high-tech features like the Robot bar.

Overall, it comes down to personal preference and what amenities and experiences you are looking for in a cruise.

It’s hard to go wrong with a Royal Caribbean ship, but there are certainly some that are a better fit for the individual.

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Royal Caribbean International has been delivering innovation at sea for over 50 years. Each new class of ship has been considered an architectural marvel featuring the latest technology and guest experiences. Royal Caribbean currently has 27 cruise ships in service. The cruise line continues to revolutionize vacations with itineraries to more than 270 destinations in 72 countries on six continents, including Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay , the first in the Perfect Day Island Collection.

List of Royal Caribbean Ships By Age

Here is a complete list of Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships  newest to oldest . We hope this list will help you, as the cruise line has ships that can vary in size from 73,000 gross tons (Vision Class), to the upcoming Icon class that are 250,000+ gross tons.

Here is every cruise ship with Royal Caribbean currently and planned to delivered in the fleet,  sorted by newest first :

Icon of the Seas – 2024

Icon of the Seas  is the first ship in the  Icon Class  and is 250,800 GT’s. She carries   5,496 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of   6,826. The 20 deck ship took her maiden voyage from Miami in January 2024. 

Wonder of the Seas – 2022

Wonder of the Seas is the fifth ship in the popular  Oasis Class and is 235,600 GT’s. She carries 5,734 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 7,084. Wonder of the Seas is the first ship in the Oasis Class to feature 8 neighborhoods with the addition of the new Suite Neighborhood . She also received other design enhancements to the Windjammer Café and other areas and is the first ship to include the popular restaurant, The Mason Jar . The Godmother of the ship is Marie McCrea.

Ship Highlights:

• Suite Neighborhood
• The Mason Jar
• Wonder Playscape
• Ultimate Family Suite

Odyssey of the Seas – 2022

Odyssey of the Seas is the fifth ship in the popular  Quantum Class and is 169,000 GT’s. She carries 4,198 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 5,498. This 16 deck ship features the popular features like the North Star, Seaplex and a Bionic Bar. The Godmother of the ship is Erin Brown.

• Ripcord By IFLY

Spectrum of the Seas – 2021

Spectrum of the Seas is the first ship in the new  Quantum Ultra Class and is 168,666 GT’s. She carries 4,246 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 5,622. This 16 deck ship was specifically designed for the Chinese market. You will also find popular features like the North Star, Seaplex and a Bionic Bar. The Godparents of the ship are Angelababy and Huang Xiaoming.

Symphony of the Seas – 2018

Symphony of the Seas is the fourth ship in the  Oasis Class and is 228,081 GT’s. She carries 5,518 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 6,680. The 18 deck ship ship includes 7 neighborhoods and the Ultimate Family Suite. You can also take a ride of the Ultimate Abysss, which is a 10-story dry slide. The GodFamily of the ship are the PeneVegas family which includes Alexa, Carlos and Ocean.

• Ultimate Abyss – A 10-Story Dry Slide
• The Perfect Storm – A Trio of Waterslides
• Battle For Planet Z – Lazer Tag

Ovation of the Seas – 2016

Ovation of the Seas is the third ship in the  Quantum Class and is 168,666 GT’s. She carries 4,180 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 4,905. The 16 deck had her maiden voyage on April 17, 2016. The Godmother of the ship is the Chinese actress, Fan Bingbing.

Harmony of the Seas – 2016

Harmony of the Seas is the third ship in the  Oasis Class and is 226,963 GT’s. She carries 5,479 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 6,687. The 18 deck ship took her maiden voyage on May 29, 2016. Her Godmother is Brittany Affolter.

Anthem of the Seas – 2015

Anthem of the Seas is the second ship in the  Quantum Class and is 168,666 GT’s. She carries 4,180 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 4,905. With 16 deck ship took her Maiden voyage on April 22, 2015 The Godmother of the ship is British historian and author Emma Wilby.

Quantum of the Seas – 2014

Quantum of the Seas is the first ship in the  Quantum Class and is 168,666 GT’s. She carries 4,180 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 4,905. With 16 decks, this new class of ship is packed with amazing features like the North Star, Seaplex (Bumper Cars), Ripcord by IFLY, Bionic Bar and much more. The Godmother of the ship is American actress Kristin Chenoweth.

Allure of the Seas – 2010

Allure of the Seas is the second ship in the  Oasis Class and is 226,963 GT’s. She carries 5,496 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 6,826. The 18 deck ship took her maiden voyage on Dec 5, 2010. The ship features 7 different neighborhoods and highlights featuring a Central Park, Carousel, Zip Line ride and an Aquatheater. Her Godmother is Princess Fiona.

Oasis of the Seas – 2009

The revolutionary Oasis of the Seas is the first ship in the  Oasis Class and is 226,838 GT’s. She carries 5,602 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 6,771. The ship features 7 different neighborhoods and highlights like the Portside BBQ, Ultimate Panoramic Suite, Music Hall, Ultimate Abyss (10-story dry slide), The Perfect Storm waterpark and more. Her Godmothers are Gloria Estefan, Michelle Kwan, Dara Torres, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Shawn Johnson, Jane Seymour and Daisy Fuentes.

Independence of the Seas – 2008

Independence of the Seas is the third ship in the  Freedom Class and is 154,407 GT’s. She carries 3,634 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 4,375. She took her maiden voyage on May 2, 2008. Her Godmother is Elizabeth Hill.

Liberty of the Seas – 2007

Liberty of the Seas is the second ship in the  Freedom Class and is 154,407 GT’s. She carries 3,798 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 4,960. She took her maiden voyage on May 19, 2007. Her Godmother is travel agent, Donna Madeley.

Freedom of the Seas – 2006

Freedom of the Seas is the first ship in the  Freedom Class and is 156,271 GT’s. She carries 3,926 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 4,635. She took her maiden voyage on May 11, 2006. Her Godmother is foster-mother, Katherine Louise Calder.

Jewel of the Seas – 2004

Jewel of the Seas is the fourth ship in the  Radiance Class and is 90,090 GT’s. She carries 2,191 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 2,702. She took her maiden voyage on May 8, 2004. Her Godmother is ( National Teacher of the Year   for   2004 ), Kathy Mellor.

Serenade of the Seas – 2003

Serenade of the Seas is the third ship in the popular  Radiance Class and is 90,090 GT’s. She carries 2,143 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 2,476. She took her maiden voyage on August 25, 2003. Her Godmother is Whoopi Goldberg.

Mariner of the Seas – 2003

Mariner of the Seas is the third ship in the  Voyager Class and is 138,279 GT’s. She carries 3,114 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 3,807. The 15 deck ship took her maiden voyage on November 16, 2003. Her Godmother is Jean Driscoll.

Brilliance of the Seas – 2002

Brilliance of the Seas is the second ship in the  Radiance Class and is 90,090 GT’s. She carries 2,142 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 2,543. She took her maiden voyage on July 15, 2002. Her Godmother is Marilyn Ofer.

Navigator of the Seas – 2002

Navigator of the Seas is the third ship in the  Voyager Class and is 137,276 GT’s. She carries 3,114 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 3,807. The 15 deck ship took her maiden voyage on November 18, 2001. Her Godparents are Tara Stackpole (FDNY), Kevin Hannafin (FDNY), Margaret McDonnell (NYPD), Sgt. Richard Lucas (NYPD)

Radiance of the Seas – 2001

Radiance of the Seas is the first ship in the  Radiance Class and is 90,090 GT’s. She carries 2,143 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 2,466. The 13 deck ship took her maiden voyage on April 7, 2001. Her Godmother is Margot Pritzker.

Adventure of the Seas – 2001

Adventure of the Seas is the third ship in the  Voyager Class and is 137,276 GT’s. She carries 3,114 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 3,807. The 15 deck ship took her maiden voyage on November 18, 2001. Her Godparents are Tara Stackpole (FDNY), Kevin Hannafin (FDNY), Margaret McDonnell (NYPD), Sgt. Richard Lucas (NYPD)

Explorer of the Seas – 2000

Explorer of the Seas is the second ship in the  Voyager Class and is 137,308 GT’s. She carries 3,286 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 4,290. The 15 deck ship, along with an international crew of 1,185 and passengers took her maiden voyage on October 28, 2000. Her Godmother is retired American track and field athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Voyager of the Seas – 1999

Voyager of the Seas is the first ship in the  Voyager Class and is 137,276 GT’s. She carries 3,602 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 4,000. The 15 deck ship took her maiden voyage on November 21, 1999. This would be the first ship with a revolutionary new interior promenade area with shops, dining venues and more. Her Godmother is two-time Olympic champion figure skater, Katarina Witt.

Vision of the Seas – 1998

Vision of the Seas is the fourth ship in the  Vision Class and is 73,817 GT’s. The ship was built at Chantiers de L’Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France. She carries 1,998 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 2,416. The 12 deck ship took her maiden voyage on May 2, 1998. Her Godmother is Helen Morin Stephan, wife of Royal Caribbean’s founder and former Vice Chairman, Edwin Stephan.

Enchantment of the Seas – 1997

Enchantment of the Seas is the third ship in the  Vision Class and is 82,910 GT’s. The ship was built at Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Helsinki, Finland. The 12 deck ship took her maiden voyage on July 13, 1997. This ship is very unique since she was Lengthened by 73 feet in June 2005 with a new section being inserted in her mid-section. The result is a very unique look and greater size than her sisters. She carries 2,252 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 2,730. Her Godmother is Colleen Fain, wife of Royal Caribbean Chairman and former CEO Richard D. Fain.

Rhapsody of the Seas – 1997

Rhapsody of the Seas is the second ship in the  Vision Class and is 73,817 GT’s. The ship was built at Chantiers de L’Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France. She carries 1,998 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 2,416. The 12 deck ship took her maiden voyage on May 19, 1997. Her Godmother is Bodil Wilhelmsen, wife of Royal Caribbean principal shareholder Gjert Wilhelmsen.

Grandeur of the Seas – 1996

Grandeur of the Seas is the first ship in the  Vision Class and is 73,817 GT’s. She carries 1,992 passengers (based on two per cabin) with a total guest capacity of 2,440. The 12 deck ship took her maiden voyage on December 14, 1996. This new class of ship were known as “Ships of glass” with the large amount of glass used in the ship’s exterior. This was something very new for ship design at the time and helped create a more floating resort atmosphere. Her Godmother is Aviva Ofer, wife of Sammy Ofer and mother of Eyal Ofer, a member of Royal Caribbean’s Board of Directors.

Here are all the current list of Royal Caribbean cruise ships by age from newest to oldest:

Royal caribbean ships by age newest to oldest, list of royal caribbean ships by class.

Royal Caribbean has six unique classes of ship’s that have their own size and features.

What are the different classes of Royal Caribbean ships?

Here is a list of the six classes of ships:

• Vision Class  
• Voyager Class  
• Radiance Class  
• Freedom Class
• Quantum Class
• Quantum Ultra Class
• Oasis Class

Future Royal Caribbean ships

Icon of the Seas  is the first in the new-build in the Icon class . She is the first LNG powered cruise ship for Royal Caribbean and debuted in January of 2024 as the largest cruise ship ever built.

Utopia of the Seas  will be the sixth Oasis class cruise ship. She will also be the first LNG powered Oasis class ship. She is scheduled to debut in the Spring 2024.

Royal Caribbean also has two more Icon class cruise ships on order with deliveries expected in 2025 and 2026.

Royal Caribbean Ships Frequently Asked Questions

What is royal caribbean’s newest ship.

Icon of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s newest ship and began service on January 27, 2024. She is the first ship in the revolutionary Icon Class and is 250,800 GRT’s

What is the oldest ship of Royal Caribbean?

Grandeur of the Seas is currently the oldest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet. She began service on on December 14, 1996. She was the first popular Vision Clas s.

What is the smallest Royal Caribbean ship?

Grandeur of the Seas is currently the smallest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet coming in at 73,817 GRT’s.

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Royal Caribbean Ships by Age — Newest to Oldest

Doug Parker

• December 14, 2023

Royal Caribbean International operates a fleet of 27 ships, with varying ages ranging from the oldest, Grandeur of the Seas, launched in 1996, to the newest, Icon of the Seas.

The table below shows the ship’s name, class, the Royal Caribbean ship age, gross registered tonnage, and how many guests it carries at double occupancy.

Royal Caribbean ships listed by age

1. utopia of the seas.

Key Features: Ultimate Abyss, Perfect Storm, FlowRider Surf Simulator, Splashaway Bay, Zip Line, Casino Royale, Royal Theater, Aquatheatre, Studio B, Central Park, Boardwalk, and Windjammer Cafe

2. Icon of the Seas

Key Features:  Thrill Island, AquaDome, Chill Island, Surfside, The Hideaway, The Pearl, The Ultimate Family Townhouse, The Royal Bay Pool, The Cloud 17, The Lime & Coconut, The Mason Jar, The Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade, and The Adventure Ocean

Key Features:  Ultimate Abyss, Perfect Storm, FlowRider Surf Simulator, Splashaway Bay, Zip Line, Casino Royale, Royal Theater, Aquatheatre, Studio B, Central Park, Boardwalk, and Windjammer Cafe

3. Wonder of the Seas

Key Features: Wonder Playscape kids’ playground, The Lime and Coconut bar, Ultimate Abyss 10-story slide,  The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant  & Bar, a zip line, El Loco Fresh restaurant with the Cantina Fresca bar, an ice skating rink, Boleros Latin lounge, Hooked Seafood restaurant, adults-only Solarium Bar, and Wonderland restaurant. From top to bottom, Wonder of the Seas is packed with amenities.

4. Odyssey of the Seas

Key Features:  Sky Pad bungee trampoline, Wonderland restaurant, RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, Teppanyaki restaurant, laser tag, adults-only Solarium, Virtual Adventure Zone featuring 4D virtual reality, North Star observation capsule, Bionic Bar, and Chops Grille steakhouse

5. Spectrum of the Seas

Key Features:  North Star observation capsule, bumper cars, FlowRider surfing simulator, Sichuan Red Chinese restaurant, Chops Grille steakhouse, Sky Pad bungee trampoline, Bionic Bar, adults-only Solarium, and Jamie’s Italian restaurant

6. Symphony of the Seas

Key Features:  Numerous complimentary dining options , Wonderland restaurant, FlowRider surfing simulators, Bionic Bar, Hooked Seafood restaurant, laser tag, The Perfect Storm waterslide trio, Sugar Beach candy shop, Playmakers Bar & Arcade, adults-only Solarium, an ice skating rink, Chops Grille steakhouse, a zip line, and AquaTheater diving shows

7. Ovation of the Seas

Key Features:  Rock climbing wall, Jamie’s Italian restaurant, RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, Wonderland restaurant, Bionic Bar, North Star observation capsule, Vintages wine bar, Boleros Latin lounge, Fish & Ships restaurant, and Izumi Asian restaurant

8. Harmony of the Seas

Key Features:  The Perfect Storm waterslide trio, Wonderland restaurant, a zip line, an ice skating rink, Sabor Modern Mexican restaurant, Ultimate Abyss 10-story slide, Bionic Bar , Chops Grille steakhouse, Boleros Latin lounge, Coastal Kitchen, adults-only Solarium, and AquaTheater diving shows

9. Anthem of the Seas

Key Features:  RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, Jamie’s Italian restaurant, Bionic Bar, Sunshine Bar in the adults-only Solarium, Izumi Asian restaurant, bumper cars, Wonderland restaurant, North Star observation capsule, Chops Grille, and Johnny Rockets

10. Quantum of the Seas

Key Features:  North Star observation capsule, Jamie’s Italian restaurant, Bionic Bar, RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, La Patisserie French café, Izumi Asian restaurant, Wonderland restaurant, Sunshine Bar in the adults-only Solarium, bumper cars, and a FlowRider surfing simulator

11. Allure of the Seas

Key Features:  A zip line, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, FlowRider surfing simulators, Rising Tide Bar, Boleros Latin lounge, a rock climbing wall, Samba Grill Brazilian steakhouse, Sabor Modern Mexican restaurant, Park Café, adults-only Solarium, H2O Zone kids’ water park, and an adults-only Solarium

12. Oasis of the Seas

Key Features:  Splashaway Bay kids’ water park, laser tag, Bionic Bar, an escape room, Portside BBQ, Coastal Kitchen restaurant, Rising Tide Bar, 150 Central Park restaurant, AquaTheater diving shows, a zip line, The Perfect Storm waterslide duo, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, and an ice skating rink

13. Independence of the Seas

Key Features:  Fish & Ships restaurant, adults-only Solarium, The Perfect Storm waterslide duo, Sky Pad bungee trampoline, Izumi Asian restaurant, Sugar Beach candy shop, ice skating rink, Chops Grille steakhouse, Playmakers Bar & Arcade, and Splashaway Bay kids’ water park

14. Liberty of the Seas

Key Features:  Splashaway Bay kids’ water park, Sabor Mexican restaurant, Cupcake Cupboard shop, Boleros Latin lounge, adults-only Solarium, Vintages wine bar, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, Johnny Rockets, The Perfect Storm waterslide duo, and an ice skating rink

15. Freedom of the Seas

Key Features:  Laser tag, El Loco Fresh restaurant, The Perfect Storm waterslide duo, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, a FlowRider surfing simulator, The Lime and Coconut bar, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen restaurant, Boleros Latin lounge, adults-only Solarium, and Chops Grille steakhouse

16. Jewel of the Seas

Key Features:  A rock climbing wall, Park Café, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, Vitality Spa, Izumi Asian restaurant, adults-only Solarium, Chops Grille steakhouse, Viking Crown Lounge

17. Mariner of the Seas

Key Features:  Sky Pad bungee trampoline, Bamboo Room lounge , Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, escape room, Playmakers Bar & Arcade, laser tag, Jamie’s Italian restaurant, The Perfect Storm waterslide duo, ice skating rink, and Starbucks

18. Serenade of the Seas

Key Features:  Swimming pool with a retractable glass roof, Izumi Asian restaurant, Vitality Spa, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen restaurant, Viking Crown Lounge, mini golf, Park Café, Schooner Bar

19. Navigator of the Seas

Key Features:  The Blaster aqua coaster, Hooked Seafood restaurant, The  Lime and Coconut bar , RipTide mat waterslide, Bamboo Room lounge, ice skating rink, El Loco Fresh restaurant, Jamie’s Italian restaurant, and Playmakers Bar & Arcade

20. Brilliance of the Seas

Key Features:  Adults-only Solarium, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, a rock climbing wall, Chops Grille steakhouse, Vitality Spa, Viking Crown Lounge, mini golf, and Izumi Asian restaurant

21. Adventure of the Seas

Key Features:  Splashaway Bay kids’  water park , Johnny Rockets, Chops Grille steakhouse, The Perfect Storm waterslide duo, Boleros Latin lounge, a FlowRider surfing simulator, adults-only Solarium, and Izumi Asian restaurant

22. Radiance of the Seas

Key Features:  A rock climbing wall, Quill & Compass English pub, Vitality Spa, Samba Grill Brazilian steakhouse, Chops Grille, Viking Crown Lounge, Izumi Asian restaurant

23. Explorer of the Seas

Key Features:  Johnny Rockets, a FlowRider surfing simulator, Izumi Asian restaurant, an ice skating rink, Viking Crown Lounge, adults-only Solarium, Chops Grille, and Adventure Ocean kids’ clubs

24. Voyager of the Seas

Key Features:  The Perfect Storm waterslide duo, Izumi Asian restaurant, a FlowRider surfing simulator, laser tag, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, adults-only Solarium, Viking Crown Lounge

25. Vision of the Seas

Key Features:  Adults-only Solarium, Vitality Spa, Izumi Asian restaurant, a rock climbing wall, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, Viking Crown Lounge, Chops Grille, and Schooner Bar

26. Rhapsody of the Seas

Key Features:  Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, Viking Crown Lounge, Izumi Asian restaurant, Chops Grille steakhouse, Schooner Bar, Vitality Spa

27. Enchantment of the Seas

Key Features:  Adults-only Solarium, Boleros Latin lounge, Vitality Spa, Chops Grille Steakhouse, Viking Crown Lounge, Casino Royale

28. Grandeur of the Seas

Key Features:  Izumi Asian restaurant, a rock climbing wall, Chops Grille steakhouse, Vitality Spa, Viking Crown Lounge, Giovanni’s Table Italian restaurant, and the Schooner Bar

RELATED: Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships by Size

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Royal Caribbean Ships by Age [Infographic] from Newest to Oldest

Below you'll find all Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships by Age from newest to oldest . We know that some members of our cruise community like to sail the newest Royal Caribbean ship off the line. And we've heard from others who prefer nostalgia over that "new ship" smell. Fortunately, Royal Caribbean offers a wide variety of ship ages.

In this age of hyper-sensitivity, we wouldn't dare favor the youngest over the oldest Royal Caribbean Cruise ship. Nor vice versa. We love all ships equally . As annoyingly "PC" as that sounds, we truly have a soft spot in our hearts for all Royal Caribbean's ships regardless of age.

Our charts below will help you find the perfectly aged ship for your specific preference. We've prepared an infographic laying out Royal Caribbean ships by Age from its newest active ship, the Icon of the Seas , to its oldest ship still in operation (spoiler... it's the Grandeur of the Seas).

Royal Caribbean Oldest and Youngest Ships

Many cruisers will scroll to the very top or the very bottom of the chart. Maybe they want the freshest ship off the line. Or, perhaps they just want to avoid sailing the most ancient of the fleet. Either way, here are the most common two questions ask from potential Royal Caribbean cruisers.

What is Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship? Royal Caribbean's newest active ship is the Odyssey of the Seas, launched in December, 2021. She currently sails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The next ship to be released will be the Wonder of the Seas in March 2022 followed by the Icon of the Seas in 2023. See details on each below.

What is Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship? Royal Caribbean's oldest cruise ship, which is still active today, is the Grandeur of the Seas. It was launched in 1996 and currently offers departures form Barbados, Miami and Galveston.

Often we're asked if "age" affects size . The short answer is, "yes." It's not a 1:1 correlation. The newest ship won't always be the most expensive. And the oldest the least. Many more factors will come into play. The cruise length, itinerary, season, etc will all factor in. A new ship will generally cost more. The older ships tend to offer more deals. To get a sense of pricing, use the widget below. Play around with ships and dates to see how price changes with age and more.

You'll see from our Royal Caribbean Ship Age Infographic that the cruise line's active ships go back to 1996. If you're on one of these older ships, however, don't expect a 90's throwback complete with Nirvana music and tamagotchis. Cruise ships are regularly upgraded to provide the newest venues and a fresh coat of paint.

Let's be honest, the Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas won't have the same "new ship smell" that you'll find on the Odyssey of the Seas. And cruise pricing typically reflects this . Newer ships and ships more recently renovated will command higher prices than those in need of some updates.

If you're looking for the newest cruise ship off the lot, then our graph below should be exactly what you need. I

Royal Caribbean Ships by Age Infographic

Enough ship talking. Below, find the complete list of active Royal Caribbean Ships by Age.

Ship age alone won't tell the full story. Most of Royal Caribbean's ships have been renovated since first launched. Below, you'll find each of Royal Caribbean's ships with birth date, renovation date, and some other helpful info to help you find the perfect ship.

Feel free to use the menu below to jump to your Royal Caribbean ship.

• 1) Adventure of the Seas
• 2) Allure of the Seas
• 3) Anthem of the Seas
• 4) Brilliance of the Seas
• 5) Enchantment of the Seas
• 6) Explorer of the Seas
• 7) Freedom of the Seas
• 8) Grandeur of the Seas
• 9) Harmony of the Seas
• 10) Independence of the Seas
• 11) Jewel of the Seas
• 12) Liberty of the Seas
• 13) Mariner of the Seas
• 14) Navigator of the Seas
• 15) Oasis of the Seas
• 16) Odyssey of the Seas
• 17) Ovation of the Seas
• 18) Quantum of the Seas
• 19) Radiance of the Seas
• 20) Rhapsody of the Seas
• 21) Serenade of the Seas
• 22) Spectrum of the Seas
• 23) Symphony of the Seas
• 24) Vision of the Seas
• 25) Voyager of the Seas
• 26) Wonder of the Seas

Without further ado, below is our complete list of Royal Caribbean Ships by Age. You'll find them listed from newest to oldest.

Adventure of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Adventure of the Seas built? The Adventure of the Seas was built in 2001. She is among Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class of ships.

When was the last Adventure of the Seas dry dock? The Adventure of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2018. For renovation details, please see below.

The Adventure of the Seas received upgrades in February, 2018. Renovations included the addition of the Cyclone and Typhoon waterslides; Splashaway Bay Water Park; the Flowrider surf simulator; Izumi Sushi Restaurant; and Chops Grille steakhouse.

• Year Built : 2001
• Status : active
• Year Renovated : 2018
• Ship Class : Voyager
• Gross Tonnage : 137,276
• Years Served : 2001-Present
• Capacity : 3,114 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,061
• Ship Cost : $500 Million
• Flagged Country : Bahamas
• Ship Length : 1,021 feet (311 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Adventure of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Adventure of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Allure of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Allure of the Seas built? The Allure of the Seas was built in 2010. She is among Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class of ships.

When was the last Allure of the Seas dry dock? The Allure of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2020. For renovation details, please see below.

The Allure of the Seas underwent significant renovations in 2020. The improvements cost roughly $165 million. Upgrades included the following: addition of roughly 50 new inside and oceanview cabins; new shops; Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade; Ultimate Abyss 10 story waterslide; The Perfect Storm waterslides; Sugar Beach candy store; Adventure Ocean kids park; Royal Escape Room; The Lime & Coconut Bar poolside bar lounge; Splashaway Bay kids aquapark; Portside BBQ steakhouse; El Loco Fresh; Giovanni's Italian Kitchen; Spotlight Karaoke; Music Hall; Bionic Bar with robot bartenders; Clash for the Crystal City laser tag game.

• Year Built : 2010
• Year Renovated : 2020
• Ship Class : Oasis
• Gross Tonnage : 225,282
• Years Served : 2010-Present
• Capacity : 5,494 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 2,742
• Ship Cost : $1,500 Million
• Ship Length : 1,181 feet (360 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Allure of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Allure of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Anthem of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Anthem of the Seas built? The Anthem of the Seas was built in 2015. She is among Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class of ships.

When was the last Anthem of the Seas dry dock? The Anthem of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2020. For renovation details, please see below.

In 2020, the Anthem of the Seas experienced dry dock improvements including general maintenance items such as paint and engine upkeep.

• Year Built : 2015
• Ship Class : Quantum
• Gross Tonnage : 168,666
• Years Served : 2015-Present
• Capacity : 4,154 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 2,095
• Ship Cost : $950 Million
• Ship Length : 1,142 feet (348 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Anthem of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Anthem of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Brilliance of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Brilliance of the Seas built? The Brilliance of the Seas was built in 2002. She is among Royal Caribbean's Radiance Class of ships.

When was the last Brilliance of the Seas dry dock? The Brilliance of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2018. For renovation details, please see below.

In 2018, the Brilliance of the Seas received the Oasis Class Upgrades. at a cost of roughly $30 million. Additions include Giovanni’s Table Trattoria, Chef’s Table, Izumi sushi restaurant, Park Café, Rita’s Cantina Mexican restaurant, and an English pub. The Centrum was entirely transormed. The five-story venue features the R Bar and a new high-flying aerial act. Diamond Club and Crown and Anchor Society venues have been completely updated. Flatscreen TV's were added to all cabins. An LED movie screen was added to the pool deck.

• Year Built : 2002
• Ship Class : Radiance
• Gross Tonnage : 90,090
• Years Served : 2002-Present
• Capacity : 2,145 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,075
• Ship Cost : $350 Million
• Ship Length : 962 feet (293 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Brilliance of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Brilliance of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Enchantment of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Enchantment of the Seas built? The Enchantment of the Seas was built in 1997. She is among Royal Caribbean's Vision Class of ships.

When was the last Enchantment of the Seas dry dock? The Enchantment of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2012. For renovation details, please see below.

The Enchantment of the Seas experienced dry dock improvements in 2012. Prior to this, a significant retrofit was done in 2005. During that dry dock, a 73-foot section was added to the Enchantment of the Seas.

• Year Built : 1997
• Year Renovated : 2012
• Ship Class : Vision
• Gross Tonnage : 82,910
• Years Served : 1997-Present
• Capacity : 2,284 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,018
• Ship Cost : $300 Million
• Ship Length : 990 feet (302 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Enchantment of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Enchantment of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Explorer of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Explorer of the Seas built? The Explorer of the Seas was built in 2000. She is among Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class of ships.

When was the last Explorer of the Seas dry dock? The Explorer of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2020. For renovation details, please see below.

During the Spring of 2020, the Explorer of the Seas experienced a significant drydock costing roughly $110 million. Additions include the following: Cyclone, Typhoon & Tidal Wave waterslides; new pool deck with hammocks, day beds, casitas, and chaise lounge chairs; Lime & Coconut Bar; new Solarium Deck; Giovanni's Italian Kitchen; Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade; Johnny Rockets; Starbucks; Clash for the Crystal City laser tag game; Adventure Ocean Kids Complex; and Teens-only club.

• Year Built : 2000
• Gross Tonnage : 137,308
• Years Served : 2000-Present
• Capacity : 3,286 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,641
• Ship Length : 1,020 feet (311 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Explorer of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Explorer of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Freedom of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Freedom of the Seas built? The Freedom of the Seas was built in 2006. She is among Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class of ships.

When was the last Freedom of the Seas dry dock? The Freedom of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2020. For renovation details, please see below.

In the Spring of 2020, the Freedom of the Seas received the "Royal Amplified" treatment. Renovations cost roughly $116 million. Renovations include the following: all cabins were renovated; new mini golf course; Cyclone and Typhoon waterslides; The Blaster water coaster; Riptide racing slide; Splashaway Bar; refurbished pool deck with day-beds, casitas, hammocks, and chaise lounge chairs; new Solarium; To Dry For blow dry bar; Lime & Coconut Bar; Bamboo Room; Johny Rockets; Playmakers Sports Bar; Starbucks; Royal Escape Room; El Loco Fresh Mexican Restaurant; Giovanni's Italian Kitchen; Hooked Seafood restaurant; Izumi Hibachi & Sushi; Clash for the Crystal City laser tag.

• Year Built : 2006
• Ship Class : Freedom
• Gross Tonnage : 154,407
• Years Served : 2006-Present
• Capacity : 3,782 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,946
• Ship Cost : $800 Million
• Ship Length : 1,112 feet (339 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Freedom of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Freedom of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Grandeur of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Grandeur of the Seas built? The Grandeur of the Seas was built in 1996. She is among Royal Caribbean's Vision Class of ships.

When was the last Grandeur of the Seas dry dock? The Grandeur of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2017. For renovation details, please see below.

In 2017, Grandeur of the Seas underwent a minor renovation. Cabins were updated and the ship added their new VOOM fast-speed internet service.

• Year Built : 1996
• Year Renovated : 2017
• Gross Tonnage : 73,817
• Years Served : 1996-Present
• Capacity : 1,992 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 996
• Ship Length : 916 feet (279 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Grandeur of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Grandeur of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Harmony of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Harmony of the Seas built? The Harmony of the Seas was built in 2016. She is among Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class of ships.

When was the last Harmony of the Seas dry dock? The Harmony of the Seas has not experienced a dry dock as it's one of Royal Caribbean's newest ships.

In April of 2021, the Harmony of the Seas experienced dry dock improvements. These included a minor technical renovation.

• Year Built : 2016
• Year Renovated : NA
• Gross Tonnage : 227,700
• Years Served : 2016-Present
• Capacity : 5,479 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 2,745
• Ship Cost : $1,350 Million
• Ship Length : 1,187 feet (362 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Harmony of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Harmony of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Independence of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Independence of the Seas built? The Independence of the Seas was built in 2008. She is among Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class of ships.

When was the last Independence of the Seas dry dock? The Independence of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2018. For renovation details, please see below.

In April 2018, the Independence of the Seas experienced dry dock improvements. Additions include the following: Splashaway Bay Aqua Park; Cyclone, Typhoon, and Boomerango water slides, Izumi Japanese sushi & teppanyaki restaurant; Escape Room; trampoline park; laster tag course; ice rink, FlowRider surf simulator; upgraded Royal Theater; Panoramic Ocean View stateroom upgrade; Fish and Ships poolside bar; Sugar Beach candy shop.

• Year Built : 2008
• Years Served : 2008-Present
• Capacity : 3,648 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,667
• Ship Cost : $830 Million

To see how this compares, click through to see Independence of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Independence of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Jewel of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Jewel of the Seas built? The Jewel of the Seas was built in 2004. She is among Royal Caribbean's Radiance Class of ships.

When was the last Jewel of the Seas dry dock? The Jewel of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2016. For renovation details, please see below.

In May 2016, the Jewel of the Seas experience dry dock improvements. Upgrades included the following: new cabins and stateroom renovations; Giovanni's Table Italian restaurant; Izumi Japanese restaurant; Vintages wine bar; new children's Nursery, VOOM high-speed internet; pool deck JumboTron; new Concierge Club; Chops Grille, Spa improvements and new shopping venues.

• Year Built : 2004
• Year Renovated : 2016
• Years Served : 2004-Present
• Capacity : 2,110 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,142

To see how this compares, click through to see Jewel of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Jewel of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Liberty of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Liberty of the Seas built? The Liberty of the Seas was built in 2007. She is among Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class of ships.

When was the last Liberty of the Seas dry dock? The Liberty of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2016. For renovation details, please see below.

In February 2016, the Liberty of the Seas experienced dry dock improvements. Upgrades include the following: 89 added cabins (26 panoramic oceanviews, one 2-bedroom family suite, 24 new outside, and balcony staterooms); Cyclone, Typhoon, and Boomerango waterslides; Splashaway Bay aquapark; Izumi Japanese restaurant, Giovanni's Italian restaurant; Chops Grille steakhouse, Vintages bar, Sabor Mexican restaurant; children's Nursery; pool deck JumboTron; flatscreens added to all staterooms; VOOM high-speed internet service.

• Year Built : 2007
• Years Served : 2007-Present
• Total Staterooms : 1,636

To see how this compares, click through to see Liberty of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Liberty of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Mariner of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Mariner of the Seas built? The Mariner of the Seas was built in 2003. She is among Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class of ships.

When was the last Mariner of the Seas dry dock? The Mariner of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2018. For renovation details, please see below.

The Mariner of the Seas experienced dry dock renovations in 2019 at a cost of roughly $90 million. Imrpovements included the following upgrades: Sky Pad - a new bungee jump trampoline park with virtual reality experience; Laser Tag feature; Bamboo Room; Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade; Retro Lounge.

• Year Built : 2003
• Gross Tonnage : 138,279
• Years Served : 2003-Present

To see how this compares, click through to see Mariner of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Mariner of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Navigator of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Navigator of the Seas built? The Navigator of the Seas was built in 2002. She is among Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class of ships.

When was the last Navigator of the Seas dry dock? The Navigator of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2019. For renovation details, please see below.

In February 2019, the Navigator of the Seas experienced dry dock renovations. Upgrades include the following: virtual balconies; Cyclone and Typhoon waterslides; 800 foot long The Blaster raft slide; Riptide waterslide with tubes; renovated pool deck with Splash Pads; Lime and Coconut Bar; To Dry For blog-dry bar; Bamboo Room lounge; Johnny Rockets; Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade; Starbucks; El Loco Fresh Mexican restaurant; Jamie's Italian restaurant; Hooked Seafood restaurant; Royal Escape Room; mini golf course; laser tag course.

• Year Renovated : 2019
• Total Staterooms : 1,691

To see how this compares, click through to see Navigator of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Navigator of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Oasis of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Oasis of the Seas built? The Oasis of the Seas was built in 2009. She is among Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class of ships.

When was the last Oasis of the Seas dry dock? The Oasis of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2019. For renovation details, please see below.

In October 2019, the Oasis of the Seas experienced dry dock renovations. Upgrades include the following costing roughly $165 million: Blaze Comedy Club; new Diamond Lounge; Spotlight karaoke bar; new shopping venues; Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade; Ultimate Abyss waterslide; Sugar Beach; 51 new staterooms; Central Park Library; updgraded Adventure Ocean kids park; Royal Escape Room; The Perfect Storm aquapark with three waterslides; Lime and Coconut Bar; Splashaway Bay aquapark; Portside BBQ restaurant; El Loco Fresh outdoor food venue; two new hot tubs; Ultimate Abyss 10 story waterslide; Music Hall dancing lounge; Bionic Bar with robot bartenders; Clash for the City laser tag.

• Year Built : 2009
• Years Served : 2009-Present
• Total Staterooms : 2,137
• Ship Cost : $1,300 Million

To see how this compares, click through to see Oasis of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Oasis of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Odyssey of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Odyssey of the Seas built? The Odyssey of the Seas was built in 2021. She is among Royal Caribbean's Quantum-Ultra Class of ships.

When was the last Odyssey of the Seas dry dock? The Odyssey of the Seas has not experienced a dry dock as it's one of Royal Caribbean's newest ships.

The Odyssey of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean's newest ships and has no scheduled dry docks.

• Year Built : 2021
• Ship Class : Quantum-Ultra
• Gross Tonnage : 169,379
• Years Served : Future-2021
• Capacity : 4,284 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 2,098
• Ship Cost : $940 Million
• Ship Length : 1,139 feet (347 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Odyssey of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Odyssey of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Ovation of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Ovation of the Seas built? The Ovation of the Seas was built in 2016. She is among Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class of ships.

When was the last Ovation of the Seas dry dock? The Ovation of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2019. For renovation details, please see below.

In 2021, the Ovation of the Seas experienced dry dock improvements including general maintenance items such as paint and engine upkeep.

• Years Served : 2016 - Present
• Capacity : 4,180 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,918
• Ship Cost : $1,100 Million

To see how this compares, click through to see Ovation of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Ovation of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Quantum of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Quantum of the Seas built? The Quantum of the Seas was built in 2014. She is among Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class of ships.

When was the last Quantum of the Seas dry dock? The Quantum of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2019. For renovation details, please see below.

In October 2019, the Quantum of the Seas experienced dry dock renovations. Improvements included the following at a cost of roughly $65 million: technical upgrades; redesigned interiors; laser tag; and Escape Room.

• Year Built : 2014
• Years Served : 2014-Present
• Capacity : 4,160 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 2,090

To see how this compares, click through to see Quantum of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Quantum of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Radiance of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Radiance of the Seas built? The Radiance of the Seas was built in 2001. She is among Royal Caribbean's Radiance Class of ships.

When was the last Radiance of the Seas dry dock? The Radiance of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2016. For renovation details, please see below.

In September 2021, the Radiance of the Seas experienced minor dry dock renovation. Improvements included general maintenance items.

• Gross Tonnage : 90,900
• Capacity : 2,139 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,074

To see how this compares, click through to see Radiance of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Radiance of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Rhapsody of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Rhapsody of the Seas built? The Rhapsody of the Seas was built in 1997. She is among Royal Caribbean's Vision Class of ships.

When was the last Rhapsody of the Seas dry dock? The Rhapsody of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2019. For renovation details, please see below.

The Rhapsody of the Seas experienced dry dock in 2012 at a cost of $54 million. Improvements included the addition of an outdoor movie screen, nursery and additional dining area. In 2019, the Rhapsody underwent another retrofit. This included cosmetic maintenance adn technology upgrades.

• Gross Tonnage : 78,491
• Capacity : 2,040 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,193
• Ship Cost : $275 Million
• Ship Length : 915 feet (279 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Rhapsody of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Rhapsody of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Serenade of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Serenade of the Seas built? The Serenade of the Seas was built in 2003. She is among Royal Caribbean's Radiance Class of ships.

When was the last Serenade of the Seas dry dock? The Serenade of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2017. For renovation details, please see below.

In 2017, the Serenade of the Seas experienced minor dry dock renovation. Improvements included general maintenance items.

• Capacity : 2,143 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 1,013

To see how this compares, click through to see Serenade of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Serenade of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Spectrum of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Spectrum of the Seas built? The Spectrum of the Seas was built in 2019. She is among Royal Caribbean's Quantum-Ultra Class of ships.

When was the last Spectrum of the Seas dry dock? The Spectrum of the Seas has not experienced a dry dock as it's one of Royal Caribbean's newest ships.

The Spectrum of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ships. The ship has not yet experienced a dry dock.

• Year Built : 2019
• Gross Tonnage : 168,800
• Years Served : 2019-Present

To see how this compares, click through to see Spectrum of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Spectrum of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Symphony of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Symphony of the Seas built? The Symphony of the Seas was built in 2018. She is among Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class of ships.

When was the last Symphony of the Seas dry dock? The Symphony of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2021. For renovation details, please see below.

In May 2021, the Symphony of the Seas experienced dry dock renovations. Improvements included technical upgrades.

• Year Built : 2018
• Year Renovated : 2021
• Gross Tonnage : 228,081
• Years Served : 2018-Present
• Capacity : 5,518 passengers
• Ship Length : 1,188 feet (362 meters)

To see how this compares, click through to see Symphony of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Symphony of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Vision of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Vision of the Seas built? The Vision of the Seas was built in 1998. She is among Royal Caribbean's Vision Class of ships.

When was the last Vision of the Seas dry dock? The Vision of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2018. For renovation details, please see below.

In November 2018, the Vision of the Seas experienced minor dry dock renovation. Improvements included general maintenance items.

• Year Built : 1998
• Gross Tonnage : 78,340
• Years Served : 1998-Present
• Capacity : 2,048 passengers
• Total Staterooms : 997

To see how this compares, click through to see Vision of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Vision of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Voyager of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Voyager of the Seas built? The Voyager of the Seas was built in 1999. She is among Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class of ships.

When was the last Voyager of the Seas dry dock? The Voyager of the Seas last experienced a dry dock in 2019. For renovation details, please see below.

In September 2019, the Voyager of the Seas experienced dry dock renovations costing roughly $97 million. Improvements included the following: The Perfect Storm aquapark with Typhoon and Cyclone waterslides; Battle for Plaet Z laser tag course; Adventure Ocean upgrades; children's Nursury addition; 72 new cabins added; new Diamond and Concierge Lounge; improved Vitality Spa.

• Year Built : 1999
• Years Served : 1999-Present
• Total Staterooms : 1,072

To see how this compares, click through to see Voyager of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Voyager of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

Wonder of the Seas Year Built & Renovated

When was the Wonder of the Seas built? The Wonder of the Seas was built in 2022. She is among Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class of ships.

When was the last Wonder of the Seas dry dock? The Wonder of the Seas has not experienced a dry dock as it's one of Royal Caribbean's newest ships.

The Wonder of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean's newest ships and has no scheduled dry docks.

• Year Built : 2022

To see how this compares, click through to see Wonder of the Seas age vs all Royal Caribbean ships. There you’ll find graphs showing build date, length, capacity and more for this ship vs all in the fleet.

Also check out the Wonder of the Seas Deck Plans . You’ll find detailed floorplans as well as a full list of Things to Do on the ship.

If you found our Royal Caribbean Ships by Class post helpful, we have another great one for you. Click here to see all Royal Caribbean Ships by Size ! There, you'll find a list of all RC ships in order from largest cruise ship to smallest. The difference between the two might surprise you.

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Royal Caribbean Ships by Size, Age and Class (2022)

Royal Caribbean has an active fleet of 26 ships currently. They plan to launch a further 4 more ships between 2022 and 2026 ( Icon on of the Seas , Utopia of the Seas and two unnamed currently) which will bring them to 30 ships and keep their position as the largest cruise line fleet in the world.

Introduction to Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean is an American cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida. It was founded in 1968 in Norway by three Norwegian shipping companies and the first ship to sail for the company was Song of Norway in 1970.

Later on, the company merged with the greek cruise line Celebrity Cruises but kept the brand alive whilst also running Royal Caribbean. A further acquisition in 2018 of Silversea Cruises added another brand to the company, aimed at luxury cruise travellers.

Royal Caribbean is seen as one of the most innovative cruise lines in the world with many ‘firsts’ at sea (surfing, rock climbing, aqua theatre, world’s biggest ship and more) – they are very popular for all age groups and cater massively for families.

Their fleet of ships sails from dedicated ports around the world year-round and additionally they own two private islands which are visited by most of their Florida-based cruise ships.

This guide will help you work out which Royal Caribbean ship is which!

Royal Caribbean Ships Frequently Asked Questions

What are royal caribbean’s newest ships.

The latest ships to launch in the Royal Caribbean fleet are Wonder of the Seas (2022) and Odyssey of the Seas (2021)

What is the biggest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet?

The biggest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet currently is Wonder of the Seas .

How many Royal Caribbean ships are there?

There are currently 26 ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. With a further 4 ships on order.

Which Royal Caribbean ship is the most fun?

That would depend on your definition of fun! However, the Oasis-class ships offer the most facilities at sea because they are bigger and have more activities on them.

What is the smallest Royal Caribbean ship?

Grandeur of the Seas is the smallest Royal Caribbean ship in the fleet.

What is the oldest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet?

The oldest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet is Grandeur of the Seas which launched back in 1996.

What is the biggest cruise ship in the world?

Wonder of the Seas is currently the world’s biggest cruise ship at 236,857 GRT.

Which ship is bigger, Oasis or Anthem?

Oasis of the Seas is the bigger of the two ships. She is an Oasis-class ship whereas Anthem of the Seas is a Quantum-class ship, which is smaller.

Does Royal Caribbean own Silversea?

Yes. Royal Caribbean acquired Silversea in July 2018. Before then it was a family-owned cruise line.

Is the Titanic bigger than a cruise ship?

No! Titanic is relatively small in comparison to modern cruise ships. Titanic was only 269m long compared to Wonder of the Seas at 362m long. Titanic was 46,328 GRT compared to Wonder of the Seas with 236,857 GRT!

Royal Caribbean Ships by Size (from largest to smallest)

What does ‘tonnage (grt)’ mean.

GRT (Gross Registered Tonnage) is a term used to calculate the volume inside a ship. It is a measure of cubic capacity and is calculated by the total volume from inside the hull and decks of the ship. 1 GRT = 100 cubic feet of space. In essence, the bigger the GRT – the more ‘space’ the ship has for passengers, cargo, etc.

How are ‘Passengers (Max)’ calculated?

You’ll see multiple numbers for passengers on ships – this is because many ships include extra beds in cabins (such as the sofa/couch can convert to a pull-out bed) – but the majority of cabins usually have 2 people in them. the ‘Max’ number is if every cabin used their additional pull-out bed, etc. This number is unlikely to be reached very frequently.

Royal Caribbean Ships by Age (from newest to oldest)

Are all royal caribbean ships new builds.

Yes, all ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet have been built specifically for them. Some of their ships have at times been earmarked for transfer to other brands ( Grandeur of the Seas was due to move to Pullmantur, but was cancelled)

Royal Caribbean Ships by Class (from newest to oldest)

What is the difference between the oasis-class ships.

There are currently five Oasis-class ships and the sixth one is on order ( Utopia of the Seas ) – there are differences between each ship, although structurally they are all the same class of ship.

The first two ships are near-enough identical sisters, however, Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas both added the Ultimate Abyss – the world’s longest slide at sea.

The fifth ship, Wonder of the Seas added an eighth neighborhood ‘Suite Neighborhood’, a new restaurant ‘The Mason Jar’ and a new bar ‘ Vue’.

Final Thoughts

Royal Caribbean makes it easy for choosing a cruise ship to sail on – they have ships of varying different sizes and capacities – allowing them to sail from multiple ports around the world year-round.

Whilst their most-popular cruises leave from Miami, allowing calls at their private islands, many people enjoy Royal Caribbean sailing in Europe (to the Canaries and the Norwegian Fjords) and also in Asia, where Royal Caribbean has experimented with homeporting ships for the Chinese market in the past.

Oasis-class ships still get the most reviews (they of course also take the most passengers) but also because of more facilities and thus activities onboard.

That said, the Quantum-class ships are extremely popular with many delighted by the ‘ North Star ‘ attraction on the top of each Quantum-class ship.

Enjoy this guide? Read our other guides on MSC Cruises , Holland America Lin e and Disney Cruise Line .

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The 7 classes of Royal Caribbean cruise ships, explained

Editor's Note

Even if you're a newcomer to cruising, you've probably heard of Royal Caribbean 's giant Icon Class and Oasis Class ships. With the exception of a single MSC Cruises vessel , they're far bigger than any other cruise vessel afloat and like nothing else you'll find at sea.

Indeed, when you hear people talking about the wow factor of Royal Caribbean's "floating megaresorts," it's likely they're referring to the six ships in these two sets of vessels. This includes the just-unveiled Icon of the Seas — the world's biggest cruise ship.

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That said, not all Royal Caribbean ships are similarly supersized. While the line is perhaps best known for giant vessels — it operates six of the 10 biggest cruise ships in the world — it also markets some relatively smaller, more intimate ships.

In fact, Royal Caribbean has eight vessels that are less than half the size of the Oasis Class ships.

If you're thinking about booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, you'll find the line offers a wide range of ship styles and designs.

With the relatively recent removal of two older ships from its fleet, Royal Caribbean — the world's largest cruise line by passenger capacity — now has 27 oceangoing vessels in all. That's more than any other major cruise line, and it means that you have a lot of choices when it comes to picking the perfect Royal Caribbean ship for you.

Related: The ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean

The good news for those of you trying to get a handle on all the options is that the 27 ships can easily be bunched into just seven groups of vessels that have similar amenities. If you know one member of the group, you know them all.

These seven groups are made up of ships constructed around the same time with the same basic design. They're known in cruise industry lingo as "classes," and each has its own look and feel.

An introduction to Royal Caribbean ships

For the most part, Royal Caribbean operates big, bustling megaships that will appeal to people who like a megaresort experience. The company has built its brand around offering vacationers a ton of diversions on its ships, whether for dining (some vessels have more than 20 distinct places to grab a bite) or entertainment. Its vessels are lively and fun.

The over-the-top megaresort experience on a Royal Caribbean ship varies from class to class, though.

Related: Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean cabins and suites

The line's one Icon Class and five Oasis Class ships are unlike anything else you'll find at sea when it comes to size, amenities and capacity. They each can hold more than 6,600 passengers, with every berth full.

Somewhat smaller in size but still giant by any measure, each of the line's five Quantum Class and three Freedom Class vessels has a total capacity ranging from around 4,500 to 5,600 passengers. With space for around 3,800 passengers at maximum occupancy, the line's five Voyager Class vessels are relatively large, too.

Together, the 19 vessels of these five classes — Icon, Oasis, Quantum, Freedom and Voyager — make up Royal Caribbean's big-ship fleet. The line's remaining eight vessels, split among two classes, are smaller, with maximum occupancy topping out at around 2,500 passengers.

While no longer the focus at Royal Caribbean, the smaller ships (which are generally the line's older ships) allow it to offer itineraries to places that aren't as easy for big ships to visit. Not all ports in the world can handle a ship the size of Icon of the Seas.

The smaller ships also appeal to a subset of Royal Caribbean fans who prefer more intimacy in a cruise vessel and don't mind giving up some onboard amenities to get it. They are also often less expensive to sail per day.

Related: A beginners guide to picking a cruise line

As you might expect, the biggest Royal Caribbean ships have the most amenities. With each step down in size, you'll find fewer restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and attractions. Even the smallest Royal Caribbean ships still have quite a bit to offer, though.

If you're sailing with the line for the first time, it's important to understand that not all of Royal Caribbean's signature attractions and venues are present on all its ships. For instance, while every Royal Caribbean vessel now has one of the line's iconic climbing walls (some have two), only the 19 ships of the line's big-ship classes have a FlowRider surfing simulator. Only the 14 ships of the Icon, Oasis, Freedom and Voyager classes have ice skating rinks.

Here is a look at the seven classes of Royal Caribbean ships in more detail.

Ships in class: Icon of the Seas (2024), Star of the Seas (coming in 2025); unnamed vessel (coming in 2026)

Size: 250,800 tons

Is your idea of a great vacation a trip to a megaresort loaded with more restaurants, bars, theaters and watery amusements than you can imagine? Royal Caribbean's new Icon Class is the ship class for you.

As mentioned above, Icon of the Seas — the only Icon Class ship currently in operation — is bigger than any other cruise vessel afloat at 250,800 tons, and for big-ship lovers, there's really nothing quite like it. The two more Icon Class ships debuting soon will be equally over-the-top in size and venues.

Each of the Icon Class vessels that are operating or soon to debut has been designed with seven separate pools (a new record for a cruise ship), a water park with six waterslides (also a record), a kiddie splash zone, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court and even a zip line. And that's just on their top decks.

Inside the vessels, you'll find more lounges, bars, restaurants and shops than you can imagine — plus huge casinos, spas and showrooms with Broadway-style shows. They even have indoor ice skating rinks, just in case you want to get your Michelle Kwan on.

What you won't find on the Icon Class ships is intimacy. These are vessels that can carry as many as 7,600 passengers when every berth is filled. They operate with around 2,300 crew members. That means you could be sharing your vacation with nearly 10,000 people.

If the above sounds downright outrageous to you, it is. Keep in mind, though, that the biggest megaresorts on land are even bigger. The biggest resort in the U.S. — The Venetian in Las Vegas — has 7,092 rooms. That means it can hold more than 14,000 guests, assuming there are two people per room.

By that measure, Icon Class ships are almost small.

Icon Class ships also don't necessarily feel as crowded as they are. Royal Caribbean's designers are masters at creating vessels that can carry thousands and thousands of people but still feel relatively uncrowded — at least in some areas. You can have a quiet afternoon reading a book on a bench in the sometimes nearly empty, tree-lined Central Park area of Icon of the Seas while, just a few decks above, thousands of vacationers are frolicking about at the ship's pools.

Related: Why Royal Caribbean's new Icon of the Seas won't feel as crowded as you think

Only one ship in this series (Icon of the Seas) is currently operating, but the second vessel in the series (Star of the Seas) is already open for bookings. Its maiden voyage is set for Aug. 17, 2025.

Quantum Class

Ships in class: Quantum of the Seas (2014), Anthem of the Seas (2015), Ovation of the Seas (2016), Spectrum of the Seas (2019) and Odyssey of the Seas (2021)

Size: 168,666 to 169,379 tons

Unveiled in 2014, the Quantum Class may be Royal Caribbean's most innovative class ever.

In addition to a wide range of restaurants, bars and showrooms, the five ships in the class feature some of the most unusual new attractions you'll find at sea. This includes bumper car pavilions (yes, somehow they found room for these) and skydiving simulators.

The ships also have glass-enclosed capsules mounted on mechanical arms that will take you soaring into the sky for bird's-eye views. They're called the North Star rides, and they may be the oddest attractions ever added to the top of a cruise ship.

Quantum Class ships also feature unusual, multilevel entertainment spaces with floor-to-ceiling glass walls called Two70. The spaces are home to innovative shows that often feature aerial performers, singers and dancers who emerge from openings in the floor or the ceiling. At certain times of the day, the glass walls transform into an expansive ambient surface called Vistarama that projects real and imagined scenes.

Related: The 10 wildest attractions you'll find on a cruise ship

All the above come in addition to many of the core Royal Caribbean attractions you'll find on most of the brand's ships, including pools, rock climbing walls, casinos, spas and Broadway-style shows. But don't expect all the classic Royal Caribbean features on Quantum Class ships. For instance, you won't find ice skating rinks on the vessels even though they're a staple of all other big Royal Caribbean ships. Quantum Class ships also don't have water parks.

The Quantum Class ships aren't quite as big as Royal Caribbean's Icon Class and Oasis Class vessels (and thus don't have quite as much room for things like ice skating rinks). At around 169,000 tons, though, they're still among the biggest ships at sea, with a significant number of venues.

They also can carry a lot of people. Most of the ships in the class hold 4,180 passengers at double occupancy — 4,905 if every berth is filled. One exception is Spectrum of the Seas, which was specifically built for the China market with some design differences. It can hold up to 5,622 passengers. Additionally, the newest ship in the series, Odyssey of the Seas, can hold up to 5,498 passengers.

Related: 4 things you'll love about Royal Caribbean's new Odyssey of the Seas

One more big difference between the ships of the Quantum Class and other big Royal Caribbean ships: The Quantum Class ships are designed to be more versatile.

If you look closely at their deck plans, you'll notice that more of their main attractions are indoors and protected from the elements than the ships of the Icon, Oasis or Freedom classes, for example.

One of the two main pool areas on each Quantum Class ship (except Odyssey of the Seas) is enclosed. The bumper car pavilions are, too, doubling as roller skating rinks or indoor basketball courts. This allows Royal Caribbean to send the ships to cooler regions of the world, such as Alaska and Northern Europe, where the temperatures aren't always conducive to outdoor activity.

Royal Caribbean has also used some Quantum Class ships for sailings out of China.

Related: Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean's loyalty program

Oasis Class

Ships in class: Oasis of the Seas (2009), Allure of the Seas (2010), Harmony of the Seas (2016), Symphony of the Seas (2018), Wonder of the Seas (2022) and Utopia of the Seas (coming 2024)

Size: 226,838 to 236,857 tons

Until this year's debut of Icon of the Seas, these were the world's biggest and most venue-packed cruise ships. Although they're not quite as big as the new vessel, they remain among the very best options for vacationers who love nothing more than a big, bustling resort with every sort of amusement known to humans.

Each of the Oasis Class vessels has three separate main pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court and a zip line on their top decks — a nearly as wide array of features as the new Icon of the Seas. Inside the vessels, as on Icon of the Seas, you'll find a seemingly endless number of lounges, bars, restaurants and shops, as well as large casinos, spas and showrooms. Like Icon of the Seas, each ship has an indoor ice skating rink.

As is the case for Royal Caribbean's new Icon Class ships, which have many similarities with the Oasis Class ships, these vessels carry a huge number of people. They can carry as many as 6,988 passengers when every berth is filled. They operate with around 2,200 crew members. That means you could be sharing your vacation with more than 9,000 people — not quite as many as the nearly 10,000 you could find on an Icon Class ship but still a huge number.

The good news for those of you worried about excessive crowds is that, as is the case with the Icon Class ships, the Oasis Class ships don't necessarily feel as crowded as they are. Royal Caribbean designed them with a "neighborhood" concept that spreads passengers out in seven or eight (depending on the ship) distinct areas, such as the Pool and Sports Zone and the Boardwalk amusement zone. A lot of thought went into how passengers move between these neighborhoods, too.

Note that there are a few differences from ship to ship in the Oasis Class series. For starters, the three newest and largest ships in the series — Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas — have a few additional attractions and venues. Among them is the Ultimate Abyss, a terrifying slide that drops nine decks. (Royal Caribbean says it drops 10 decks, but don't be fooled; the line counts a nonexistent Deck 13.)

There are also giant waterslides on four of the five ships. Only Allure of the Seas is missing them. There are plans to add waterslides to Allure of the Seas, but they were put on hold after COVID-19 shut down cruising in 2020.

Related: The 6 most spectacular waterslides and watery fun zones at sea

A handful of restaurants also differ from ship to ship in the series.

The newest and largest ship in the series, Wonder of the Seas, has the most differences from the other Oasis Class vessels. At 236,857 tons, it's about 4% bigger than the next biggest ship in the series; the extra space is devoted to such additions as a dedicated suite area with a private lounge, a restaurant and a sun deck.

Related: Why Wonder of the Seas is awesome for families | Wonder of the Seas cabin comparison | A wild race to try every Wonder of the Seas attraction in 2 days

A sixth ship in the Oasis Class series, Utopia of the Seas , is scheduled to debut in July. Construction of the vessel began in April 2022 at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France — the same shipyard that built Wonder of the Seas.

Radiance Class

Ships in class: Radiance of the Seas (2001), Brilliance of the Seas (2002), Serenade of the Seas (2003) and Jewel of the Seas (2004)

Size: 90,090 tons

Not sure you want to sail on a megaship with 6,000 people but still want a vessel with a good amount of features and activities? The Radiance Class ships may be the perfect solution.

At 90,090 tons, the four vessels in the series are less than half the size of Royal Caribbean's massive Icon Class and Oasis Class ships, but still big enough that they have a lot to offer.

Each vessel has more than a half-dozen places to eat, including the main restaurant, a casual buffet, a steakhouse, an Italian restaurant and an Asian venue.

You'll also find three pools on each ship, whirlpools, a rock climbing wall, a miniature golf course, a sports court and an adults-only solarium. Each ship has a theater, a spa, a casino, and multiple bars and lounges.

What you won't find on the ships, because of their smaller size, are all the gee-whiz attractions — such as ice skating rinks, surfing simulators, giant waterslides and bumper car pavilions — that Royal Caribbean has put on its bigger vessels. If you can't live without those sorts of features on a cruise ship, the Radiance class probably isn't for you.

Each Radiance Class ship holds more than 2,100 passengers at double occupancy (plus a few hundred more with every berth filled). That's less than half the number of passengers on the biggest Royal Caribbean ships.

That makes them perfect for cruisers who want to get away from the sort of crowds on the biggest megaships without giving up many of the amenities that big ships offer.

Freedom Class

Ships in class: Freedom of the Seas (2006), Liberty of the Seas (2007) and Independence of the Seas (2008)

Size: 154,407 to 156,271 tons

As recently as 2009, these were the biggest cruise ships in the world, and they're still quite big compared to almost all other cruise vessels afloat.

While no longer on the list of the top 25 biggest cruise ships — they've been displaced by Royal Caribbean's Icon, Oasis and Quantum Class vessels, as well as several ships from other lines — the Freedom Class vessels offer a classic big-ship experience with lots of restaurants, bars, showrooms and deck-top attractions.

The Freedom Class ships, notably, were the first Royal Caribbean ships to feature a FlowRider surfing simulator on their top decks — now a signature attraction for the line. The vessels also have multiple pool areas, a water park, a miniature golf course and a rock climbing wall on their top decks (which are among the most activity-packed at sea).

Indeed, the top decks of Freedom Class ships are more loaded with attractions than any other Royal Caribbean vessels except the Icon Class and Oasis Class vessels. You just won't find several of the most over-the-top attractions, such as zip lines, that Icon Class and Oasis Class ships have.

In their interiors, Freedom Class vessels have the mall-like Royal Promenade spaces filled with eateries, bars and shops that have become standard on bigger Royal Caribbean ships. They also have large casinos and spas.

Related: Royal Caribbean just fixed the worst part of cruising

At around 156,000 tons, the Freedom Class ships are about 38% smaller than the Icon Class ships and 31% smaller than the Oasis Class ships, a significant step down in size. They're nearly 8% smaller than the Quantum Class ships.

They also carry significantly fewer passengers than the Oasis Class ships. Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas carry about 3,900 passengers at double occupancy (closer to 4,600 with every berth filled). Liberty of the Seas can carry several hundred more.

Voyager Class

Ships in class: Voyager of the Seas (1999), Explorer of the Seas (2000), Adventure of the Seas (2001), Navigator of the Seas (2002) and Mariner of the Seas (2003)

Size: 137,276 to 139,999 tons

The Voyager Class ships are similar to Freedom Class ships but shorter in length. In other words, the Freedom Class was a stretched version of the Voyager Class.

Like the Freedom Class vessels, the Voyager Class ships have many of Royal Caribbean's signature attractions, including rock climbing walls and ice skating rinks. In fact, the ships were the first at Royal Caribbean to have those attractions.

Voyager Class ships were also the first to feature a Royal Promenade with bars, cafes and shops in their interior. Each also has several specialty restaurants in addition to the main dining room and casual buffet; specialty restaurants include a version of Royal Caribbean's signature Chops Grille steakhouse and an Italian restaurant.

One of the main differences between the Voyager Class and the Freedom Class is that the Royal Promenades on Voyager Class ships are shorter. The top-deck areas of the Voyager Class ships are also more truncated than the Freedom Class vessels.

There are also fewer cabins on the Voyager Class ships, resulting in fewer passengers on board a typical sailing. Most of the ships carry around 3,100 passengers at double occupancy — about 800 fewer than the typical Freedom Class ship.

At around 139,000 tons, the ships are about 11% smaller than the Freedom Class ships.

There are also some variations in attractions among the five Voyager Class vessels. Navigator of the Seas has a relatively new waterslide zone that's home to The Blaster, the longest waterslide at sea . You won't find that on the other ships, though most of them have different waterslides. Only three of the five ships — Voyager of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas — have laser tag courses. Adventure of the Seas is the only vessel in the class with a kiddie splash zone.

Related: Why the overhaul of Navigator of the Seas was so great

Vision Class

Ships in class: Grandeur of the Seas (1996), Rhapsody of the Seas (1997), Enchantment of the Seas (1997) and Vision of the Seas (1998)

Size: 73,817 to 82,910 tons

Dating to the 1990s, the Vision Class ships are the smallest at Royal Caribbean, and they offer fewer onboard attractions and amenities than is typical for the line's vessels.

In general, they appeal to cruisers looking for a more intimate experience on a cruise ship as well as those who care more about the destinations they visit than the onboard attractions.

Along those lines, Royal Caribbean often sends some of its Vision Class ships to Europe in the summer to operate port call-intensive itineraries. The vessels also often sail longer trips in the Caribbean that include less-visited southerly islands. In both cases, the allure of the cruises has more to do with the ports the ships visit than the onboard experience.

Vision Class ships are also sometimes based in secondary ports such as Baltimore or San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the size of the local cruise market might not warrant a larger vessel.

Except for rock climbing walls, the Vision Class ships have none of the signature Royal Caribbean deck-top attractions such as surfing and skydiving simulators. For the most part, their top decks are lined with pools, whirlpools and sunning areas, as is typical for ships built in the 1990s. All have at least two pools and six whirlpools, except for Enchantment of the Seas, which has three pools and six whirlpools.

Related: Is cruising right for you? Start by asking yourself these 7 questions

In addition to main restaurants and casual buffets, each ship has at least one (and often several) additional specialty restaurants. The line's signature Chops Grille steakhouse and Italian eatery Giovanni's Table are two of them. Rhapsody of the Seas has the biggest selection of dining; Enchantment of the Seas has the smallest. Three of the four vessels — all but Enchantment of the Seas — have an Izumi Asian restaurant.

Each of the ships varies slightly in size. Grandeur of the Seas is the smallest of the four vessels, measuring around 74,000 tons. Enchantment of the Seas is the biggest, measuring around 83,000 tons (it was, notably, lengthened by 73 feet in 2005).

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Crying Myself to Sleep on the Biggest Cruise Ship Ever

Seven agonizing nights aboard the Icon of the Seas

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Updated at 2:44 p.m. ET on April 6, 2024.

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MY FIRST GLIMPSE of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, from the window of an approaching Miami cab, brings on a feeling of vertigo, nausea, amazement, and distress. I shut my eyes in defense, as my brain tells my optic nerve to try again.

The ship makes no sense, vertically or horizontally. It makes no sense on sea, or on land, or in outer space. It looks like a hodgepodge of domes and minarets, tubes and canopies, like Istanbul had it been designed by idiots. Vibrant, oversignifying colors are stacked upon other such colors, decks perched over still more decks; the only comfort is a row of lifeboats ringing its perimeter. There is no imposed order, no cogent thought, and, for those who do not harbor a totalitarian sense of gigantomania, no visual mercy. This is the biggest cruise ship ever built, and I have been tasked with witnessing its inaugural voyage.

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“Author embarks on their first cruise-ship voyage” has been a staple of American essay writing for almost three decades, beginning with David Foster Wallace’s “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again,” which was first published in 1996 under the title “Shipping Out.” Since then, many admirable writers have widened and diversified the genre. Usually the essayist commissioned to take to the sea is in their first or second flush of youth and is ready to sharpen their wit against the hull of the offending vessel. I am 51, old and tired, having seen much of the world as a former travel journalist, and mostly what I do in both life and prose is shrug while muttering to my imaginary dachshund, “This too shall pass.” But the Icon of the Seas will not countenance a shrug. The Icon of the Seas is the Linda Loman of cruise ships, exclaiming that attention must be paid. And here I am in late January with my one piece of luggage and useless gray winter jacket and passport, zipping through the Port of Miami en route to the gangway that will separate me from the bulk of North America for more than seven days, ready to pay it in full.

The aforementioned gangway opens up directly onto a thriving mall (I will soon learn it is imperiously called the “Royal Promenade”), presently filled with yapping passengers beneath a ceiling studded with balloons ready to drop. Crew members from every part of the global South, as well as a few Balkans, are shepherding us along while pressing flutes of champagne into our hands. By a humming Starbucks, I drink as many of these as I can and prepare to find my cabin. I show my blue Suite Sky SeaPass Card (more on this later, much more) to a smiling woman from the Philippines, and she tells me to go “aft.” Which is where, now? As someone who has rarely sailed on a vessel grander than the Staten Island Ferry, I am confused. It turns out that the aft is the stern of the ship, or, for those of us who don’t know what a stern or an aft are, its ass. The nose of the ship, responsible for separating the waves before it, is also called a bow, and is marked for passengers as the FWD , or forward. The part of the contemporary sailing vessel where the malls are clustered is called the midship. I trust that you have enjoyed this nautical lesson.

I ascend via elevator to my suite on Deck 11. This is where I encounter my first terrible surprise. My suite windows and balcony do not face the ocean. Instead, they look out onto another shopping mall. This mall is the one that’s called Central Park, perhaps in homage to the Olmsted-designed bit of greenery in the middle of my hometown. Although on land I would be delighted to own a suite with Central Park views, here I am deeply depressed. To sail on a ship and not wake up to a vast blue carpet of ocean? Unthinkable.

Allow me a brief preamble here. The story you are reading was commissioned at a moment when most staterooms on the Icon were sold out. In fact, so enthralled by the prospect of this voyage were hard-core mariners that the ship’s entire inventory of guest rooms (the Icon can accommodate up to 7,600 passengers, but its inaugural journey was reduced to 5,000 or so for a less crowded experience) was almost immediately sold out. Hence, this publication was faced with the shocking prospect of paying nearly $19,000 to procure for this solitary passenger an entire suite—not including drinking expenses—all for the privilege of bringing you this article. But the suite in question doesn’t even have a view of the ocean! I sit down hard on my soft bed. Nineteen thousand dollars for this .

The viewless suite does have its pluses. In addition to all the Malin+Goetz products in my dual bathrooms, I am granted use of a dedicated Suite Deck lounge; access to Coastal Kitchen, a superior restaurant for Suites passengers; complimentary VOOM SM Surf & Stream (“the fastest Internet at Sea”) “for one device per person for the whole cruise duration”; a pair of bathrobes (one of which comes prestained with what looks like a large expectoration by the greenest lizard on Earth); and use of the Grove Suite Sun, an area on Decks 18 and 19 with food and deck chairs reserved exclusively for Suite passengers. I also get reserved seating for a performance of The Wizard of Oz , an ice-skating tribute to the periodic table, and similar provocations. The very color of my Suite Sky SeaPass Card, an oceanic blue as opposed to the cloying royal purple of the standard non-Suite passenger, will soon provoke envy and admiration. But as high as my status may be, there are those on board who have much higher status still, and I will soon learn to bow before them.

In preparation for sailing, I have “priced in,” as they say on Wall Street, the possibility that I may come from a somewhat different monde than many of the other cruisers. Without falling into stereotypes or preconceptions, I prepare myself for a friendly outspokenness on the part of my fellow seafarers that may not comply with modern DEI standards. I believe in meeting people halfway, and so the day before flying down to Miami, I visited what remains of Little Italy to purchase a popular T-shirt that reads DADDY’S LITTLE MEATBALL across the breast in the colors of the Italian flag. My wife recommended that I bring one of my many T-shirts featuring Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, as all Americans love the beagle and his friends. But I naively thought that my meatball T-shirt would be more suitable for conversation-starting. “Oh, and who is your ‘daddy’?” some might ask upon seeing it. “And how long have you been his ‘little meatball’?” And so on.

I put on my meatball T-shirt and head for one of the dining rooms to get a late lunch. In the elevator, I stick out my chest for all to read the funny legend upon it, but soon I realize that despite its burnished tricolor letters, no one takes note. More to the point, no one takes note of me. Despite my attempts at bridge building, the very sight of me (small, ethnic, without a cap bearing the name of a football team) elicits no reaction from other passengers. Most often, they will small-talk over me as if I don’t exist. This brings to mind the travails of David Foster Wallace , who felt so ostracized by his fellow passengers that he retreated to his cabin for much of his voyage. And Wallace was raised primarily in the Midwest and was a much larger, more American-looking meatball than I am. If he couldn’t talk to these people, how will I? What if I leave this ship without making any friends at all, despite my T-shirt? I am a social creature, and the prospect of seven days alone and apart is saddening. Wallace’s stateroom, at least, had a view of the ocean, a kind of cheap eternity.

Worse awaits me in the dining room. This is a large, multichandeliered room where I attended my safety training (I was shown how to put on a flotation vest; it is a very simple procedure). But the maître d’ politely refuses me entry in an English that seems to verge on another language. “I’m sorry, this is only for pendejos ,” he seems to be saying. I push back politely and he repeats himself. Pendejos ? Piranhas? There’s some kind of P-word to which I am not attuned. Meanwhile elderly passengers stream right past, powered by their limbs, walkers, and electric wheelchairs. “It is only pendejo dining today, sir.” “But I have a suite!” I say, already starting to catch on to the ship’s class system. He examines my card again. “But you are not a pendejo ,” he confirms. I am wearing a DADDY’S LITTLE MEATBALL T-shirt, I want to say to him. I am the essence of pendejo .

Eventually, I give up and head to the plebeian buffet on Deck 15, which has an aquatic-styled name I have now forgotten. Before gaining entry to this endless cornucopia of reheated food, one passes a washing station of many sinks and soap dispensers, and perhaps the most intriguing character on the entire ship. He is Mr. Washy Washy—or, according to his name tag, Nielbert of the Philippines—and he is dressed as a taco (on other occasions, I’ll see him dressed as a burger). Mr. Washy Washy performs an eponymous song in spirited, indeed flamboyant English: “Washy, washy, wash your hands, WASHY WASHY!” The dangers of norovirus and COVID on a cruise ship this size (a giant fellow ship was stricken with the former right after my voyage) makes Mr. Washy Washy an essential member of the crew. The problem lies with the food at the end of Washy’s rainbow. The buffet is groaning with what sounds like sophisticated dishes—marinated octopus, boiled egg with anchovy, chorizo, lobster claws—but every animal tastes tragically the same, as if there was only one creature available at the market, a “cruisipus” bred specifically for Royal Caribbean dining. The “vegetables” are no better. I pick up a tomato slice and look right through it. It tastes like cellophane. I sit alone, apart from the couples and parents with gaggles of children, as “We Are Family” echoes across the buffet space.

I may have failed to mention that all this time, the Icon of the Seas has not left port. As the fiery mango of the subtropical setting sun makes Miami’s condo skyline even more apocalyptic, the ship shoves off beneath a perfunctory display of fireworks. After the sun sets, in the far, dark distance, another circus-lit cruise ship ruptures the waves before us. We glance at it with pity, because it is by definition a smaller ship than our own. I am on Deck 15, outside the buffet and overlooking a bunch of pools (the Icon has seven of them), drinking a frilly drink that I got from one of the bars (the Icon has 15 of them), still too shy to speak to anyone, despite Sister Sledge’s assertion that all on the ship are somehow related.

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The ship’s passage away from Ron DeSantis’s Florida provides no frisson, no sense of developing “sea legs,” as the ship is too large to register the presence of waves unless a mighty wind adds significant chop. It is time for me to register the presence of the 5,000 passengers around me, even if they refuse to register mine. My fellow travelers have prepared for this trip with personally decorated T-shirts celebrating the importance of this voyage. The simplest ones say ICON INAUGURAL ’24 on the back and the family name on the front. Others attest to an over-the-top love of cruise ships: WARNING! MAY START TALKING ABOUT CRUISING . Still others are artisanally designed and celebrate lifetimes spent married while cruising (on ships, of course). A couple possibly in their 90s are wearing shirts whose backs feature a drawing of a cruise liner, two flamingos with ostensibly male and female characteristics, and the legend “ HUSBAND AND WIFE Cruising Partners FOR LIFE WE MAY NOT HAVE IT All Together BUT TOGETHER WE HAVE IT ALL .” (The words not in all caps have been written in cursive.) A real journalist or a more intrepid conversationalist would have gone up to the couple and asked them to explain the longevity of their marriage vis-à-vis their love of cruising. But instead I head to my mall suite, take off my meatball T-shirt, and allow the first tears of the cruise to roll down my cheeks slowly enough that I briefly fall asleep amid the moisture and salt.

I WAKE UP with a hangover. Oh God. Right. I cannot believe all of that happened last night. A name floats into my cobwebbed, nauseated brain: “Ayn Rand.” Jesus Christ.

I breakfast alone at the Coastal Kitchen. The coffee tastes fine and the eggs came out of a bird. The ship rolls slightly this morning; I can feel it in my thighs and my schlong, the parts of me that are most receptive to danger.

I had a dangerous conversation last night. After the sun set and we were at least 50 miles from shore (most modern cruise ships sail at about 23 miles an hour), I lay in bed softly hiccupping, my arms stretched out exactly like Jesus on the cross, the sound of the distant waves missing from my mall-facing suite, replaced by the hum of air-conditioning and children shouting in Spanish through the vents of my two bathrooms. I decided this passivity was unacceptable. As an immigrant, I feel duty-bound to complete the tasks I am paid for, which means reaching out and trying to understand my fellow cruisers. So I put on a normal James Perse T-shirt and headed for one of the bars on the Royal Promenade—the Schooner Bar, it was called, if memory serves correctly.

I sat at the bar for a martini and two Negronis. An old man with thick, hairy forearms drank next to me, very silent and Hemingwaylike, while a dreadlocked piano player tinkled out a series of excellent Elton John covers. To my right, a young white couple—he in floral shorts, she in a light, summery miniskirt with a fearsome diamond ring, neither of them in football regalia—chatted with an elderly couple. Do it , I commanded myself. Open your mouth. Speak! Speak without being spoken to. Initiate. A sentence fragment caught my ear from the young woman, “Cherry Hill.” This is a suburb of Philadelphia in New Jersey, and I had once been there for a reading at a synagogue. “Excuse me,” I said gently to her. “Did you just mention Cherry Hill? It’s a lovely place.”

As it turned out, the couple now lived in Fort Lauderdale (the number of Floridians on the cruise surprised me, given that Southern Florida is itself a kind of cruise ship, albeit one slowly sinking), but soon they were talking with me exclusively—the man potbellied, with a chin like a hard-boiled egg; the woman as svelte as if she were one of the many Ukrainian members of the crew—the elderly couple next to them forgotten. This felt as groundbreaking as the first time I dared to address an American in his native tongue, as a child on a bus in Queens (“On my foot you are standing, Mister”).

“I don’t want to talk politics,” the man said. “But they’re going to eighty-six Biden and put Michelle in.”

I considered the contradictions of his opening conversational gambit, but decided to play along. “People like Michelle,” I said, testing the waters. The husband sneered, but the wife charitably put forward that the former first lady was “more personable” than Joe Biden. “They’re gonna eighty-six Biden,” the husband repeated. “He can’t put a sentence together.”

After I mentioned that I was a writer—though I presented myself as a writer of teleplays instead of novels and articles such as this one—the husband told me his favorite writer was Ayn Rand. “Ayn Rand, she came here with nothing,” the husband said. “I work with a lot of Cubans, so …” I wondered if I should mention what I usually do to ingratiate myself with Republicans or libertarians: the fact that my finances improved after pass-through corporations were taxed differently under Donald Trump. Instead, I ordered another drink and the couple did the same, and I told him that Rand and I were born in the same city, St. Petersburg/Leningrad, and that my family also came here with nothing. Now the bonding and drinking began in earnest, and several more rounds appeared. Until it all fell apart.

Read: Gary Shteyngart on watching Russian television for five days straight

My new friend, whom I will refer to as Ayn, called out to a buddy of his across the bar, and suddenly a young couple, both covered in tattoos, appeared next to us. “He fucking punked me,” Ayn’s frat-boy-like friend called out as he put his arm around Ayn, while his sizable partner sizzled up to Mrs. Rand. Both of them had a look I have never seen on land—their eyes projecting absence and enmity in equal measure. In the ’90s, I drank with Russian soldiers fresh from Chechnya and wandered the streets of wartime Zagreb, but I have never seen such undisguised hostility toward both me and perhaps the universe at large. I was briefly introduced to this psychopathic pair, but neither of them wanted to have anything to do with me, and the tattooed woman would not even reveal her Christian name to me (she pretended to have the same first name as Mrs. Rand). To impress his tattooed friends, Ayn made fun of the fact that as a television writer, I’d worked on the series Succession (which, it would turn out, practically nobody on the ship had watched), instead of the far more palatable, in his eyes, zombie drama of last year. And then my new friends drifted away from me into an angry private conversation—“He punked me!”—as I ordered another drink for myself, scared of the dead-eyed arrivals whose gaze never registered in the dim wattage of the Schooner Bar, whose terrifying voices and hollow laughs grated like unoiled gears against the crooning of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.”

But today is a new day for me and my hangover. After breakfast, I explore the ship’s so-called neighborhoods . There’s the AquaDome, where one can find a food hall and an acrobatic sound-and-light aquatic show. Central Park has a premium steak house, a sushi joint, and a used Rolex that can be bought for $8,000 on land here proudly offered at $17,000. There’s the aforementioned Royal Promenade, where I had drunk with the Rands, and where a pair of dueling pianos duel well into the night. There’s Surfside, a kids’ neighborhood full of sugary garbage, which looks out onto the frothy trail that the behemoth leaves behind itself. Thrill Island refers to the collection of tubes that clutter the ass of the ship and offer passengers six waterslides and a surfing simulation. There’s the Hideaway, an adult zone that plays music from a vomit-slathered, Brit-filled Alicante nightclub circa 1996 and proves a big favorite with groups of young Latin American customers. And, most hurtfully, there’s the Suite Neighborhood.

I say hurtfully because as a Suite passenger I should be here, though my particular suite is far from the others. Whereas I am stuck amid the riffraff of Deck 11, this section is on the highborn Decks 16 and 17, and in passing, I peek into the spacious, tall-ceilinged staterooms from the hallway, dazzled by the glint of the waves and sun. For $75,000, one multifloor suite even comes with its own slide between floors, so that a family may enjoy this particular terror in private. There is a quiet splendor to the Suite Neighborhood. I see fewer stickers and signs and drawings than in my own neighborhood—for example, MIKE AND DIANA PROUDLY SERVED U.S. MARINE CORPS RETIRED . No one here needs to announce their branch of service or rank; they are simply Suites, and this is where they belong. Once again, despite my hard work and perseverance, I have been disallowed from the true American elite. Once again, I am “Not our class, dear.” I am reminded of watching The Love Boat on my grandmother’s Zenith, which either was given to her or we found in the trash (I get our many malfunctioning Zeniths confused) and whose tube got so hot, I would put little chunks of government cheese on a thin tissue atop it to give our welfare treat a pleasant, Reagan-era gooeyness. I could not understand English well enough then to catch the nuances of that seafaring program, but I knew that there were differences in the status of the passengers, and that sometimes those differences made them sad. Still, this ship, this plenty—every few steps, there are complimentary nachos or milkshakes or gyros on offer—was the fatty fuel of my childhood dreams. If only I had remained a child.

I walk around the outdoor decks looking for company. There is a middle-aged African American couple who always seem to be asleep in each other’s arms, probably exhausted from the late capitalism they regularly encounter on land. There is far more diversity on this ship than I expected. Many couples are a testament to Loving v. Virginia , and there is a large group of folks whose T-shirts read MELANIN AT SEA / IT’S THE MELANIN FOR ME . I smile when I see them, but then some young kids from the group makes Mr. Washy Washy do a cruel, caricatured “Burger Dance” (today he is in his burger getup), and I think, Well, so much for intersectionality .

At the infinity pool on Deck 17, I spot some elderly women who could be ethnic and from my part of the world, and so I jump in. I am proved correct! Many of them seem to be originally from Queens (“Corona was still great when it was all Italian”), though they are now spread across the tristate area. We bond over the way “Ron-kon-koma” sounds when announced in Penn Station.

“Everyone is here for a different reason,” one of them tells me. She and her ex-husband last sailed together four years ago to prove to themselves that their marriage was truly over. Her 15-year-old son lost his virginity to “an Irish young lady” while their ship was moored in Ravenna, Italy. The gaggle of old-timers competes to tell me their favorite cruising stories and tips. “A guy proposed in Central Park a couple of years ago”—many Royal Caribbean ships apparently have this ridiculous communal area—“and she ran away screaming!” “If you’re diamond-class, you get four drinks for free.” “A different kind of passenger sails out of Bayonne.” (This, perhaps, is racially coded.) “Sometimes, if you tip the bartender $5, your next drink will be free.”

“Everyone’s here for a different reason,” the woman whose marriage ended on a cruise tells me again. “Some people are here for bad reasons—the drinkers and the gamblers. Some people are here for medical reasons.” I have seen more than a few oxygen tanks and at least one woman clearly undergoing very serious chemo. Some T-shirts celebrate good news about a cancer diagnosis. This might be someone’s last cruise or week on Earth. For these women, who have spent months, if not years, at sea, cruising is a ritual as well as a life cycle: first love, last love, marriage, divorce, death.

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I have talked with these women for so long, tonight I promise myself that after a sad solitary dinner I will not try to seek out company at the bars in the mall or the adult-themed Hideaway. I have enough material to fulfill my duties to this publication. As I approach my orphaned suite, I run into the aggro young people who stole Mr. and Mrs. Rand away from me the night before. The tattooed apparitions pass me without a glance. She is singing something violent about “Stuttering Stanley” (a character in a popular horror movie, as I discover with my complimentary VOOM SM Surf & Stream Internet at Sea) and he’s loudly shouting about “all the money I’ve lost,” presumably at the casino in the bowels of the ship.

So these bent psychos out of a Cormac McCarthy novel are angrily inhabiting my deck. As I mewl myself to sleep, I envision a limited series for HBO or some other streamer, a kind of low-rent White Lotus , where several aggressive couples conspire to throw a shy intellectual interloper overboard. I type the scenario into my phone. As I fall asleep, I think of what the woman who recently divorced her husband and whose son became a man through the good offices of the Irish Republic told me while I was hoisting myself out of the infinity pool. “I’m here because I’m an explorer. I’m here because I’m trying something new.” What if I allowed myself to believe in her fantasy?

“YOU REALLY STARTED AT THE TOP,” they tell me. I’m at the Coastal Kitchen for my eggs and corned-beef hash, and the maître d’ has slotted me in between two couples. Fueled by coffee or perhaps intrigued by my relative youth, they strike up a conversation with me. As always, people are shocked that this is my first cruise. They contrast the Icon favorably with all the preceding liners in the Royal Caribbean fleet, usually commenting on the efficiency of the elevators that hurl us from deck to deck (as in many large corporate buildings, the elevators ask you to choose a floor and then direct you to one of many lifts). The couple to my right, from Palo Alto—he refers to his “porn mustache” and calls his wife “my cougar” because she is two years older—tell me they are “Pandemic Pinnacles.”

This is the day that my eyes will be opened. Pinnacles , it is explained to me over translucent cantaloupe, have sailed with Royal Caribbean for 700 ungodly nights. Pandemic Pinnacles took advantage of the two-for-one accrual rate of Pinnacle points during the pandemic, when sailing on a cruise ship was even more ill-advised, to catapult themselves into Pinnacle status.

Because of the importance of the inaugural voyage of the world’s largest cruise liner, more than 200 Pinnacles are on this ship, a startling number, it seems. Mrs. Palo Alto takes out a golden badge that I have seen affixed over many a breast, which reads CROWN AND ANCHOR SOCIETY along with her name. This is the coveted badge of the Pinnacle. “You should hear all the whining in Guest Services,” her husband tells me. Apparently, the Pinnacles who are not also Suites like us are all trying to use their status to get into Coastal Kitchen, our elite restaurant. Even a Pinnacle needs to be a Suite to access this level of corned-beef hash.

“We’re just baby Pinnacles,” Mrs. Palo Alto tells me, describing a kind of internal class struggle among the Pinnacle elite for ever higher status.

And now I understand what the maître d’ was saying to me on the first day of my cruise. He wasn’t saying “ pendejo .” He was saying “Pinnacle.” The dining room was for Pinnacles only, all those older people rolling in like the tide on their motorized scooters.

And now I understand something else: This whole thing is a cult. And like most cults, it can’t help but mirror the endless American fight for status. Like Keith Raniere’s NXIVM, where different-colored sashes were given out to connote rank among Raniere’s branded acolytes, this is an endless competition among Pinnacles, Suites, Diamond-Plusers, and facing-the-mall, no-balcony purple SeaPass Card peasants, not to mention the many distinctions within each category. The more you cruise, the higher your status. No wonder a section of the Royal Promenade is devoted to getting passengers to book their next cruise during the one they should be enjoying now. No wonder desperate Royal Caribbean offers (“FINAL HOURS”) crowded my email account weeks before I set sail. No wonder the ship’s jewelry store, the Royal Bling, is selling a $100,000 golden chalice that will entitle its owner to drink free on Royal Caribbean cruises for life. (One passenger was already gaming out whether her 28-year-old son was young enough to “just about earn out” on the chalice or if that ship had sailed.) No wonder this ship was sold out months before departure , and we had to pay $19,000 for a horrid suite away from the Suite Neighborhood. No wonder the most mythical hero of Royal Caribbean lore is someone named Super Mario, who has cruised so often, he now has his own working desk on many ships. This whole experience is part cult, part nautical pyramid scheme.

From the June 2014 issue: Ship of wonks

“The toilets are amazing,” the Palo Altos are telling me. “One flush and you’re done.” “They don’t understand how energy-efficient these ships are,” the husband of the other couple is telling me. “They got the LNG”—liquefied natural gas, which is supposed to make the Icon a boon to the environment (a concept widely disputed and sometimes ridiculed by environmentalists).

But I’m thinking along a different line of attack as I spear my last pallid slice of melon. For my streaming limited series, a Pinnacle would have to get killed by either an outright peasant or a Suite without an ocean view. I tell my breakfast companions my idea.

“Oh, for sure a Pinnacle would have to be killed,” Mr. Palo Alto, the Pandemic Pinnacle, says, touching his porn mustache thoughtfully as his wife nods.

“THAT’S RIGHT, IT’S your time, buddy!” Hubert, my fun-loving Panamanian cabin attendant, shouts as I step out of my suite in a robe. “Take it easy, buddy!”

I have come up with a new dressing strategy. Instead of trying to impress with my choice of T-shirts, I have decided to start wearing a robe, as one does at a resort property on land, with a proper spa and hammam. The response among my fellow cruisers has been ecstatic. “Look at you in the robe!” Mr. Rand cries out as we pass each other by the Thrill Island aqua park. “You’re living the cruise life! You know, you really drank me under the table that night.” I laugh as we part ways, but my soul cries out, Please spend more time with me, Mr. and Mrs. Rand; I so need the company .

In my white robe, I am a stately presence, a refugee from a better limited series, a one-man crossover episode. (Only Suites are granted these robes to begin with.) Today, I will try many of the activities these ships have on offer to provide their clientele with a sense of never-ceasing motion. Because I am already at Thrill Island, I decide to climb the staircase to what looks like a mast on an old-fashioned ship (terrified, because I am afraid of heights) to try a ride called “Storm Chasers,” which is part of the “Category 6” water park, named in honor of one of the storms that may someday do away with the Port of Miami entirely. Storm Chasers consists of falling from the “mast” down a long, twisting neon tube filled with water, like being the camera inside your own colonoscopy, as you hold on to the handles of a mat, hoping not to die. The tube then flops you down headfirst into a trough of water, a Royal Caribbean baptism. It both knocks my breath out and makes me sad.

In keeping with the aquatic theme, I attend a show at the AquaDome. To the sound of “Live and Let Die,” a man in a harness gyrates to and fro in the sultry air. I saw something very similar in the back rooms of the famed Berghain club in early-aughts Berlin. Soon another harnessed man is gyrating next to the first. Ja , I think to myself, I know how this ends. Now will come the fisting , natürlich . But the show soon devolves into the usual Marvel-film-grade nonsense, with too much light and sound signifying nichts . If any fisting is happening, it is probably in the Suite Neighborhood, inside a cabin marked with an upside-down pineapple, which I understand means a couple are ready to swing, and I will see none of it.

I go to the ice show, which is a kind of homage—if that’s possible—to the periodic table, done with the style and pomp and masterful precision that would please the likes of Kim Jong Un, if only he could afford Royal Caribbean talent. At one point, the dancers skate to the theme song of Succession . “See that!” I want to say to my fellow Suites—at “cultural” events, we have a special section reserved for us away from the commoners—“ Succession ! It’s even better than the zombie show! Open your minds!”

Finally, I visit a comedy revue in an enormous and too brightly lit version of an “intimate,” per Royal Caribbean literature, “Manhattan comedy club.” Many of the jokes are about the cruising life. “I’ve lived on ships for 20 years,” one of the middle-aged comedians says. “I can only see so many Filipino homosexuals dressed as a taco.” He pauses while the audience laughs. “I am so fired tonight,” he says. He segues into a Trump impression and then Biden falling asleep at the microphone, which gets the most laughs. “Anyone here from Fort Leonard Wood?” another comedian asks. Half the crowd seems to cheer. As I fall asleep that night, I realize another connection I have failed to make, and one that may explain some of the diversity on this vessel—many of its passengers have served in the military.

As a coddled passenger with a suite, I feel like I am starting to understand what it means to have a rank and be constantly reminded of it. There are many espresso makers , I think as I look across the expanse of my officer-grade quarters before closing my eyes, but this one is mine .

A shocking sight greets me beyond the pools of Deck 17 as I saunter over to the Coastal Kitchen for my morning intake of slightly sour Americanos. A tiny city beneath a series of perfectly pressed green mountains. Land! We have docked for a brief respite in Basseterre, the capital of St. Kitts and Nevis. I wolf down my egg scramble to be one of the first passengers off the ship. Once past the gangway, I barely refrain from kissing the ground. I rush into the sights and sounds of this scruffy island city, sampling incredible conch curry and buckets of non-Starbucks coffee. How wonderful it is to be where God intended humans to be: on land. After all, I am neither a fish nor a mall rat. This is my natural environment. Basseterre may not be Havana, but there are signs of human ingenuity and desire everywhere you look. The Black Table Grill Has been Relocated to Soho Village, Market Street, Directly Behind of, Gary’s Fruits and Flower Shop. Signed. THE PORK MAN reads a sign stuck to a wall. Now, that is how you write a sign. A real sign, not the come-ons for overpriced Rolexes that blink across the screens of the Royal Promenade.

“Hey, tie your shoestring!” a pair of laughing ladies shout to me across the street.

“Thank you!” I shout back. Shoestring! “Thank you very much.”

A man in Independence Square Park comes by and asks if I want to play with his monkey. I haven’t heard that pickup line since the Penn Station of the 1980s. But then he pulls a real monkey out of a bag. The monkey is wearing a diaper and looks insane. Wonderful , I think, just wonderful! There is so much life here. I email my editor asking if I can remain on St. Kitts and allow the Icon to sail off into the horizon without me. I have even priced a flight home at less than $300, and I have enough material from the first four days on the cruise to write the entire story. “It would be funny …” my editor replies. “Now get on the boat.”

As I slink back to the ship after my brief jailbreak, the locals stand under umbrellas to gaze at and photograph the boat that towers over their small capital city. The limousines of the prime minister and his lackeys are parked beside the gangway. St. Kitts, I’ve been told, is one of the few islands that would allow a ship of this size to dock.

“We hear about all the waterslides,” a sweet young server in one of the cafés told me. “We wish we could go on the ship, but we have to work.”

“I want to stay on your island,” I replied. “I love it here.”

But she didn’t understand how I could possibly mean that.

“WASHY, WASHY, so you don’t get stinky, stinky!” kids are singing outside the AquaDome, while their adult minders look on in disapproval, perhaps worried that Mr. Washy Washy is grooming them into a life of gayness. I heard a southern couple skip the buffet entirely out of fear of Mr. Washy Washy.

Meanwhile, I have found a new watering hole for myself, the Swim & Tonic, the biggest swim-up bar on any cruise ship in the world. Drinking next to full-size, nearly naked Americans takes away one’s own self-consciousness. The men have curvaceous mom bodies. The women are equally un-shy about their sprawling physiques.

Today I’ve befriended a bald man with many children who tells me that all of the little trinkets that Royal Caribbean has left us in our staterooms and suites are worth a fortune on eBay. “Eighty dollars for the water bottle, 60 for the lanyard,” the man says. “This is a cult.”

“Tell me about it,” I say. There is, however, a clientele for whom this cruise makes perfect sense. For a large middle-class family (he works in “supply chains”), seven days in a lower-tier cabin—which starts at $1,800 a person—allow the parents to drop off their children in Surfside, where I imagine many young Filipina crew members will take care of them, while the parents are free to get drunk at a swim-up bar and maybe even get intimate in their cabin. Cruise ships have become, for a certain kind of hardworking family, a form of subsidized child care.

There is another man I would like to befriend at the Swim & Tonic, a tall, bald fellow who is perpetually inebriated and who wears a necklace studded with little rubber duckies in sunglasses, which, I am told, is a sort of secret handshake for cruise aficionados. Tomorrow, I will spend more time with him, but first the ship docks at St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Charlotte Amalie, the capital, is more charming in name than in presence, but I still all but jump off the ship to score a juicy oxtail and plantains at the well-known Petite Pump Room, overlooking the harbor. From one of the highest points in the small city, the Icon of the Seas appears bigger than the surrounding hills.

I usually tan very evenly, but something about the discombobulation of life at sea makes me forget the regular application of sunscreen. As I walk down the streets of Charlotte Amalie in my fluorescent Icon of the Seas cap, an old Rastafarian stares me down. “Redneck,” he hisses.

“No,” I want to tell him, as I bring a hand up to my red neck, “that’s not who I am at all. On my island, Mannahatta, as Whitman would have it, I am an interesting person living within an engaging artistic milieu. I do not wish to use the Caribbean as a dumping ground for the cruise-ship industry. I love the work of Derek Walcott. You don’t understand. I am not a redneck. And if I am, they did this to me.” They meaning Royal Caribbean? Its passengers? The Rands?

“They did this to me!”

Back on the Icon, some older matrons are muttering about a run-in with passengers from the Celebrity cruise ship docked next to us, the Celebrity Apex. Although Celebrity Cruises is also owned by Royal Caribbean, I am made to understand that there is a deep fratricidal beef between passengers of the two lines. “We met a woman from the Apex,” one matron says, “and she says it was a small ship and there was nothing to do. Her face was as tight as a 19-year-old’s, she had so much surgery.” With those words, and beneath a cloudy sky, humidity shrouding our weathered faces and red necks, we set sail once again, hopefully in the direction of home.

THERE ARE BARELY 48 HOURS LEFT to the cruise, and the Icon of the Seas’ passengers are salty. They know how to work the elevators. They know the Washy Washy song by heart. They understand that the chicken gyro at “Feta Mediterranean,” in the AquaDome Market, is the least problematic form of chicken on the ship.

The passengers have shed their INAUGURAL CRUISE T-shirts and are now starting to evince political opinions. There are caps pledging to make America great again and T-shirts that celebrate words sometimes attributed to Patrick Henry: “The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.” With their preponderance of FAMILY FLAG FAITH FRIENDS FIREARMS T-shirts, the tables by the crepe station sometimes resemble the Capitol Rotunda on January 6. The Real Anthony Fauci , by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appears to be a popular form of literature, especially among young men with very complicated versions of the American flag on their T-shirts. Other opinions blend the personal and the political. “Someone needs to kill Washy guy, right?” a well-dressed man in the elevator tells me, his gray eyes radiating nothing. “Just beat him to death. Am I right?” I overhear the male member of a young couple whisper, “There goes that freak” as I saunter by in my white spa robe, and I decide to retire it for the rest of the cruise.

I visit the Royal Bling to see up close the $100,000 golden chalice that entitles you to free drinks on Royal Caribbean forever. The pleasant Serbian saleslady explains that the chalice is actually gold-plated and covered in white zirconia instead of diamonds, as it would otherwise cost $1 million. “If you already have everything,” she explains, “this is one more thing you can get.”

I believe that anyone who works for Royal Caribbean should be entitled to immediate American citizenship. They already speak English better than most of the passengers and, per the Serbian lady’s sales pitch above, better understand what America is as well. Crew members like my Panamanian cabin attendant seem to work 24 hours a day. A waiter from New Delhi tells me that his contract is six months and three weeks long. After a cruise ends, he says, “in a few hours, we start again for the next cruise.” At the end of the half a year at sea, he is allowed a two-to-three-month stay at home with his family. As of 2019, the median income for crew members was somewhere in the vicinity of $20,000, according to a major business publication. Royal Caribbean would not share the current median salary for its crew members, but I am certain that it amounts to a fraction of the cost of a Royal Bling gold-plated, zirconia-studded chalice.

And because most of the Icon’s hyper-sanitized spaces are just a frittata away from being a Delta lounge, one forgets that there are actual sailors on this ship, charged with the herculean task of docking it in port. “Having driven 100,000-ton aircraft carriers throughout my career,” retired Admiral James G. Stavridis, the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, writes to me, “I’m not sure I would even know where to begin with trying to control a sea monster like this one nearly three times the size.” (I first met Stavridis while touring Army bases in Germany more than a decade ago.)

Today, I decide to head to the hot tub near Swim & Tonic, where some of the ship’s drunkest reprobates seem to gather (the other tubs are filled with families and couples). The talk here, like everywhere else on the ship, concerns football, a sport about which I know nothing. It is apparent that four teams have recently competed in some kind of finals for the year, and that two of them will now face off in the championship. Often when people on the Icon speak, I will try to repeat the last thing they said with a laugh or a nod of disbelief. “Yes, 20-yard line! Ha!” “Oh my God, of course, scrimmage.”

Soon we are joined in the hot tub by the late-middle-age drunk guy with the duck necklace. He is wearing a bucket hat with the legend HAWKEYES , which, I soon gather, is yet another football team. “All right, who turned me in?” Duck Necklace says as he plops into the tub beside us. “I get a call in the morning,” he says. “It’s security. Can you come down to the dining room by 10 a.m.? You need to stay away from the members of this religious family.” Apparently, the gregarious Duck Necklace had photobombed the wrong people. There are several families who present as evangelical Christians or practicing Muslims on the ship. One man, evidently, was not happy that Duck Necklace had made contact with his relatives. “It’s because of religious stuff; he was offended. I put my arm around 20 people a day.”

Everyone laughs. “They asked me three times if I needed medication,” he says of the security people who apparently interrogated him in full view of others having breakfast.

Another hot-tub denizen suggests that he should have asked for fentanyl. After a few more drinks, Duck Necklace begins to muse about what it would be like to fall off the ship. “I’m 62 and I’m ready to go,” he says. “I just don’t want a shark to eat me. I’m a huge God guy. I’m a Bible guy. There’s some Mayan theory squaring science stuff with religion. There is so much more to life on Earth.” We all nod into our Red Stripes.

“I never get off the ship when we dock,” he says. He tells us he lost $6,000 in the casino the other day. Later, I look him up, and it appears that on land, he’s a financial adviser in a crisp gray suit, probably a pillar of his North Chicago community.

THE OCEAN IS TEEMING with fascinating life, but on the surface it has little to teach us. The waves come and go. The horizon remains ever far away.

I am constantly told by my fellow passengers that “everybody here has a story.” Yes, I want to reply, but everybody everywhere has a story. You, the reader of this essay, have a story, and yet you’re not inclined to jump on a cruise ship and, like Duck Necklace, tell your story to others at great pitch and volume. Maybe what they’re saying is that everybody on this ship wants to have a bigger, more coherent, more interesting story than the one they’ve been given. Maybe that’s why there’s so much signage on the doors around me attesting to marriages spent on the sea. Maybe that’s why the Royal Caribbean newsletter slipped under my door tells me that “this isn’t a vacation day spent—it’s bragging rights earned.” Maybe that’s why I’m so lonely.

Today is a big day for Icon passengers. Today the ship docks at Royal Caribbean’s own Bahamian island, the Perfect Day at CocoCay. (This appears to be the actual name of the island.) A comedian at the nightclub opined on what his perfect day at CocoCay would look like—receiving oral sex while learning that his ex-wife had been killed in a car crash (big laughter). But the reality of the island is far less humorous than that.

One of the ethnic tristate ladies in the infinity pool told me that she loved CocoCay because it had exactly the same things that could be found on the ship itself. This proves to be correct. It is like the Icon, but with sand. The same tired burgers, the same colorful tubes conveying children and water from Point A to B. The same swim-up bar at its Hideaway ($140 for admittance, no children allowed; Royal Caribbean must be printing money off its clientele). “There was almost a fight at The Wizard of Oz ,” I overhear an elderly woman tell her companion on a chaise lounge. Apparently one of the passengers began recording Royal Caribbean’s intellectual property and “three guys came after him.”

I walk down a pathway to the center of the island, where a sign reads DO NOT ENTER: YOU HAVE REACHED THE BOUNDARY OF ADVENTURE . I hear an animal scampering in the bushes. A Royal Caribbean worker in an enormous golf cart soon chases me down and takes me back to the Hideaway, where I run into Mrs. Rand in a bikini. She becomes livid telling me about an altercation she had the other day with a woman over a towel and a deck chair. We Suites have special towel privileges; we do not have to hand over our SeaPass Card to score a towel. But the Rands are not Suites. “People are so entitled here,” Mrs. Rand says. “It’s like the airport with all its classes.” “You see,” I want to say, “this is where your husband’s love of Ayn Rand runs into the cruelties and arbitrary indignities of unbridled capitalism.” Instead we make plans to meet for a final drink in the Schooner Bar tonight (the Rands will stand me up).

Back on the ship, I try to do laps, but the pool (the largest on any cruise ship, naturally) is fully trashed with the detritus of American life: candy wrappers, a slowly dissolving tortilla chip, napkins. I take an extra-long shower in my suite, then walk around the perimeter of the ship on a kind of exercise track, past all the alluring lifeboats in their yellow-and-white livery. Maybe there is a dystopian angle to the HBO series that I will surely end up pitching, one with shades of WALL-E or Snowpiercer . In a collapsed world, a Royal Caribbean–like cruise liner sails from port to port, collecting new shipmates and supplies in exchange for the precious energy it has on board. (The actual Icon features a new technology that converts passengers’ poop into enough energy to power the waterslides . In the series, this shitty technology would be greatly expanded.) A very young woman (18? 19?), smart and lonely, who has only known life on the ship, walks along the same track as I do now, contemplating jumping off into the surf left by its wake. I picture reusing Duck Necklace’s words in the opening shot of the pilot. The girl is walking around the track, her eyes on the horizon; maybe she’s highborn—a Suite—and we hear the voice-over: “I’m 19 and I’m ready to go. I just don’t want a shark to eat me.”

Before the cruise is finished, I talk to Mr. Washy Washy, or Nielbert of the Philippines. He is a sweet, gentle man, and I thank him for the earworm of a song he has given me and for keeping us safe from the dreaded norovirus. “This is very important to me, getting people to wash their hands,” he tells me in his burger getup. He has dreams, as an artist and a performer, but they are limited in scope. One day he wants to dress up as a piece of bacon for the morning shift.

THE MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE TITANIC (the Icon of the Seas is five times as large as that doomed vessel) at least offered its passengers an exciting ending to their cruise, but when I wake up on the eighth day, all I see are the gray ghosts that populate Miami’s condo skyline. Throughout my voyage, my writer friends wrote in to commiserate with me. Sloane Crosley, who once covered a three-day spa mini-cruise for Vogue , tells me she felt “so very alone … I found it very untethering.” Gideon Lewis-Kraus writes in an Instagram comment: “When Gary is done I think it’s time this genre was taken out back and shot.” And he is right. To badly paraphrase Adorno: After this, no more cruise stories. It is unfair to put a thinking person on a cruise ship. Writers typically have difficult childhoods, and it is cruel to remind them of the inherent loneliness that drove them to writing in the first place. It is also unseemly to write about the kind of people who go on cruises. Our country does not provide the education and upbringing that allow its citizens an interior life. For the creative class to point fingers at the large, breasty gentlemen adrift in tortilla-chip-laden pools of water is to gather a sour harvest of low-hanging fruit.

A day or two before I got off the ship, I decided to make use of my balcony, which I had avoided because I thought the view would only depress me further. What I found shocked me. My suite did not look out on Central Park after all. This entire time, I had been living in the ship’s Disneyland, Surfside, the neighborhood full of screaming toddlers consuming milkshakes and candy. And as I leaned out over my balcony, I beheld a slight vista of the sea and surf that I thought I had been missing. It had been there all along. The sea was frothy and infinite and blue-green beneath the span of a seagull’s wing. And though it had been trod hard by the world’s largest cruise ship, it remained.

This article appears in the May 2024 print edition with the headline “A Meatball at Sea.” When you buy a book using a link on this page, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.

I sailed on Royal Caribbean's 2 largest cruise ships. They were shockingly similar for the $1,000 difference

• Royal Caribbean operates many of the cruise industry's biggest ships.
• Icon of the Seas  launched in January, dethroning its predecessor, Wonder of the Seas, as the world's largest.
• Here's how the two mega-ships compare in size, neighborhoods, amenities, dining, cabins, and costs.

Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's new mega-cruise ship darling, was deemed a success before it was even built.

In January, the highly anticipated vessel — complete with more than 40 bars and restaurants, a six-slide waterpark, and a waterfall — set sail, dethroning its less than two-year-old precursor, the Wonder of the Seas , as the world's largest cruise ship.

Before its debut, Michael Bayley, the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, had already repeatedly called Icon its "best-selling product" yet. The company experienced its largest booking day ever when reservations opened for Icon of the Seas more than a year before its launch, it said

Despite all of this fanfare, you might be surprised by how similar it is to its predecessor.

I've sailed on both ships. Let's see how Icon and Wonder compare in six categories: size, neighborhoods, amenities, dining, cabins, and costs.

Both ships stunt the size of their competitors.

Wonder of the Seas debuted in 2022 as the then-world's largest cruise liner, measuring 235,600 gross-tons, 1,188 feet-long, and 18 decks-tall. The ship can accommodate up to 9,288 people, including 2,204 crew.

Icon of the Seas is, comparatively, 13,063 gross-tons heavier, eight feet longer, and two decks taller. It can sail up to 9,950 people, including 2,350 crew, although it's 52 feet less wide than its predecessor.

Both vessels feel more like amusement parks than traditional cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean invited me on complimentary, non-revenue sailings on both ships: two nights on Wonder in late 2022 and three nights on Icon in January.

I spent most of my time lost, overwhelmed, and exhausted.

It's no surprise both ships are operating weeklong itineraries this year. Any less, and you might not have time to experience all the activities and restaurants on your list.

Like other Royal Caribbean ships, Wonder and Icon have eight 'neighborhoods' that serve separate purposes.

The new ship shares three of Wonder of the Seas' neighborhoods : Central Park, Royal Promenade, and Suite.

Icon's other five — Thrill Island , Surfside, Hideaway, Chill Island, and AquaDome — are a first for the cruise line.

Many of the ships' amenities overlap, but in differing quantities.

Wonder has three waterslides. Icon has a six-slide waterpark complete with rafting and racing options.

Both have increasingly popular cruise amenities like decks-long dry slides, mini-golf courses, rock climbing walls, and playgrounds.

But instead of Wonder of the Seas' zipline , Icon of the Seas has Crown's Edge, a thrilling agility course with a small zipline that leaves travelers dangling 154 feet above the ocean.

Wonder’s Boardwalk neighborhood was my go-to.

Boardwalk delivered exactly as it had promised: an open-air space grounded by wood-planked floors, a hot dog stand, a sweets store, and kitschy, colorful decor.

Icon of the Seas' Surfside , designed for families with young children, felt like its closest dupe.

Both neighborhoods had a carousel, an outdoor playground, and family-friendly dining. But Surfside was more toddler-friendly, as suggested by the children's water play area and nighttime story readings.

On to entertainment: Both mega-ships have ice skating performances and exciting multi-disciplinary shows at the AquaTheater.

But travelers who enjoy musicals at sea will want to stick to Icon.

Unlike its predecessor, the new ship shows a rendition of Broadway hit "The Wizard of Oz" — Munchkins, a puppet Toto, and a 16-piece live band included.

The layout of Icon's amenities were better than its cousin.

Some of Wonder of the Seas' enticing outdoor amenities — like the surf simulator, zipline, and mini-golf course — are clustered on the deck above and away from the pools and water slides.

This layout might be difficult for parents with children who bounce from one activity to the next. Wouldn't it be easier to have all of these outdoor extras near each other, or at least on the same deck, for parental supervision purposes?

This is where Icon of the Seas excelled: All its exciting open-air activities were adjacent.

The rows of pools flowed perfectly into Thrill Island's waterpark , rock climbing walls, mini-golf course, and Crown's Edge.

The best part? The adult-only Hideaway — which flexes an infinity pool club with a DJ — is right behind Thrill Island, creating a clear separation between parents and their children without being too far from each other.

'Free' options like the buffet and build-your-own tacos and burritos bar are available on both ships.

But you won't find the larger vessel's five-stall food hall or mini-golf-adjacent finger food stand on Wonder.

As expected, Icon of the Seas has more dining options than its predecessor, although there are some overlaps.

Wonder of the Seas has 11 bars and 21 dining venues (9 complimentary and 12 upcharged).

Icon of the Seas has eight more bars, four more complimentary restaurants, and three more specialty dining choices.

Nor will you find the new ship’s plush $200-a-person Empire Supper Club on any other cruise liner.

The multi-course dinner, paired with cocktails and live music, stunts the cost of either vessel's other dinner options.

But if you love Johnny Rockets, you’ll be disappointed by Icon of the Seas.

Restaurants like the popular burger chain and Southern comfort-inspired Mason Jar are only on Wonder of the Seas. Fine by me: My fried chicken at Mason Jar was as dry as a desert.

The younger ship doesn't have Wonder's robot bartender-armed bar either. It does, however, have new watering holes with dueling pianos and live jazz.

Surprisingly, Wonder of the Seas has 65 more cabins than its new cousin.

But several of Icon's 28 stateroom categories are a first for the cruise line.

This includes the new family infinite balcony cabin, which has a small bunk bed nook for children.

Royal Caribbean assigned me an ocean-view balcony stateroom on both ships.

My Wonder of the Seas' cabin was 20 square-feet smaller than the one on Icon. But my bathroom on the latter was so tiny, I accidentally elbowed the walls at almost every turn.

Sailing on the world's largest cruise ship doesn't mean you'll have the world's largest cabin after all.

Wonder and Icon are both operating seven-night roundtrip itineraries from Florida to the Caribbean.

In 2024, Wonder of the Seas is scheduled for year-round sailings from Port Canaveral to the Caribbean and Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay , starting at $700 per person.

Icon of the Seas is spending its first year in service operating nearly identical itineraries but from Miami instead. The cheapest 2024 option is $1,786 per person.

That's a difference of more than $125 per person per day.

"Bookings and pricing for Icon of the Seas can only be described as 'iconic,'" Naftali Holtz, the CFO of Royal Caribbean Group, told analysts in February.

Icon of the Seas’ name speaks for itself.

If your family is looking for a jam-packed kid-friendly cruise with enough amenities to stay entertained for a week, both ships are a great option.

But if you're a seasoned mega-ship-cruiser looking to experience something new, Icon of the Seas is your best bet.

They may be similar, but no other behemoth cruise liner has a waterpark for children and a pool club for adults just dozens of feet from each other.

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You won’t believe these 10 incredible cruise ship features for 2024.

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There’s a clear trend in cruise ship design that “bigger is better”, with ships like Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas setting new passenger records and redefining the idea of a cruise vacation.

Major cruise lines are also competing with each other by introducing innovative activities and features to the high seas.

From racing around multi-level karting courses to taking your pick of the latest blockbusters inside multiscreen movie theaters, these are some of the most impressive activities available on cruise ships right now.

Karting on ships has been around for a while, but the latest ‘Prima class’ of cruise ships introduced by Norwegian Cruise Line takes things up a notch.

Go-karting track on the Norwegian Prima cruise ship.

The track on the Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva now spans three levels, offering guests a longer, more intense karting experience than on the line’s older ships.

Described as “a perfect way to spend a day at sea” by CN Traveler’s Meena Thiruvengadam , the 1,400-foot track hosts various competitions throughout a cruise, with a podium to reward winners and a fastest lap scoreboard continually updated.

The activity isn’t included in the cruise fare. Typically, $15 buys you entry into a race. For additional fees, it’s possible to rent the track for yourself in order to drive faster, or even buy a pass for unlimited use of the track.

Apple Confirms Major iPhone Changes With New App Features Enabled

Aew dynamite results winners and grades as cm punk destroys jack perry, o j simpson dies of cancer at 76, robot bartenders.

Royal Caribbean's ‘Quantum class’ and some of its ‘Oasis class’ ships feature robotic bartenders. These robots mix themed drinks like the signature Bionic Tea.

While an innovative feature and a fun experience as a one-off, the bars aren't necessarily somewhere you’ll want to hang around for hours.

Moving Bars

Found on Royal Caribbean’s biggest cruise ships, the Rising Tide Bar provides guests the opportunity to enjoy their preferred drinks while moving vertically between the ship's decks.

Magic Carpet is an orange glass-sheltered platform suspended from the starboard side of the cruise ... [+] ship Celebrity Edge.

But moving bars aren't restricted to inside a cruise ship. Each of Celebrity’s newest ‘Edge class’ vessels are equipped with the Magic Carpet .

This orange exterior apparatus can move up and down the starboard side of the ship, serving various functions throughout the cruise. It’s used as a tender platform, but most notably it turns into an open-air dining venue and bar, accompanied by spectacular views and an ocean breeze.

Zip lines on cruise ships offer an exhilarating adventure on board, allowing passengers to soar across the deck and take in stunning ocean views, if they can keep their eyes open!

Found mainly on modern, larger vessels, these attractions can stretch over 600 feet in length. Although not widespread, Royal Caribbean's ‘Oasis class’ ships, together with some ships from MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line feature zip lines.

Rollercoasters

Another option to feel the sea breeze while enjoying an exhilarating experience can be found on Carnival’s ‘Bolt’, the world’s first rollercoaster at sea.

Three ships operated by Carnival Cruise Line feature a rollercoaster known as 'Bolt'.

Capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 mph, the attraction is available on Carnival’s Mardi Gras , Celebration and Jubilee ships.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Disney Cruise Line also features theme park style attractions on some of its ships. Guests in the two-person rafts on the serpentine water coaster ‘Aqua Duck’ reach speeds of up to 14 mph.

Planetariums

A facility designed to simulate the night sky for educational and entertainment purposes, a planetarium is an immersive environment that allows people to explore the universe from the comfort of their seats.

While lacking the adrenaline-fueled fun of zip-lines or karting, planetariums are nevertheless an exciting feature on a handful of cruise ships. Cunard’s ocean liner Queen Mary 2 and Viking Orion are among the few ships with this intriguing feature.

Multiscreen Cinemas

Princess Cruises was the first cruise line to introduce giant outdoor movie screens, but other lines are now pushing hard into the world of the silver screen.

The foyer of the multiscreen cinema onboard P&O cruise ship 'Arvia'.

Carnival was the first—and still only—cruise line to offer a full IMAX experience at sea. If choice matters more, P&O Arvia features a three-screen cinema showing multiple different pictures throughout the day.

Skydiving Simulators

The ‘Quantum class’ ships in Royal Carribean's fleet feature Ripcord by iFLY , a skydiving simulator that offers guests the opportunity to experience the thrill of skydiving including the feel of weightlessness in a safe environment.

Although a pricey activity, the cruise line does usually release a limited number of complimentary spaces, allowing everyone the chance to try it out if you’re flexible on time.

Surfing Simulators

On a Royal Caribbean cruise, adventure-seekers can surf the waves without setting foot off the ship.

The FlowRider surfing simulator is a signature feature of Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

Whether you're just starting out or you've surfed before, you can dive into the fun with either boogie boarding or standup surfing on one of the 19 FlowRider surf simulators spread across the fleet.

Arcades on cruise ships are nothing new, but in recent years new virtual reality technology has transformed these spaces into immersive VR arcades, elevating the gaming experience to a new level.

These cutting-edge attractions blend the nostalgic charm of traditional arcades with the thrilling experiences of virtual reality. However, be aware that the experiences might trigger seasickness in susceptible cruisers.

Unlimited passes for Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Galaxy Pavilion provide good value for teenagers and big kids alike.

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A new summer anthem makes its way to australia in 2025-26.

SYDNEY, 10 April 2024 – A summer of memory making is on the horizon with Royal Caribbean International’s newly revealed 2025-2026 line-up from Australia. Holidaymakers have action-packed adventures in store, from shorter and bolder getaways to the Down Under debut of Anthem of the Seas in Sydney and Voyager of the Seas ’ long-awaited return when it arrives to its new home in Brisbane, Australia. The new line-up of 45 long and short getaways to the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia, sailing between November 2025 and April 2026, are now open for bookings on Royal Caribbean’s website .

Royal Caribbean’s vice president and managing director of Australia and New Zealand, Gavin Smith, said: “Between the excitement of Anthem of the Seas making its Australian debut, Voyager’s return Down Under and more weekend getaways than ever before, the 2025-2026 summer season is one for the books. Every kind of holidaymaker can make memories in more ways than one with a varied line-up, from short getaways to a longer sailing from Asia, and new experiences like the show-stopping ‘We Will Rock You’ musical production, ice-skating shows and six exclusive family adventures created by Royal Caribbean and the Wiggly Friends.”

Anthem of the Seas – From Sydney

New to Australia, Anthem is the latest ship from Royal Caribbean to make its Down Under debut when it arrives to Sydney in November 2025. Adventurers can choose from 24 holidays, ranging from 3-to 18-nights , to explore top destinations across rugged New Zealand , the sunny Australian coast and the idyllic islands of the South Pacific .

On deck are more short getaways than ever before. With five 2- to 4-night coastal cruises, travellers can pack in more thrills – and memories – as they make the most of every day while at sea with family and friends, or they can enjoy a 5-night getaway that visits Hobart, Australia. Travellers can also relax on longer 9- to 12-night cruises to New Zealand , including a pair of festive 9- and 11-night sailings for Christmas and New Year celebrations .

Holidaymakers can look forward to adventures for all ages on Anthem , which include returning experiences from Quantum and Ovation of the Seas – like skydiving on RipCord by iFly , SeaPlex , the largest indoor activity space at sea; Latin-themed club Boleros , the English pub with pints from across the globe; and a variety of restaurants serving up a world of flavours, such as family-style Tuscan favourites at Jamie’s Italian . Sydney’s new hometown ship also brings world-class entertainment centre stage, with Royal Caribbean’s rendition of the Olivier Award-winning musical phenomenon “ We Will Rock You” , featuring Queen’s iconic hits; and American treats – such as shakes, burgers and more – from the retro-themed Johnny Rockets .

Voyager of the Seas – From Brisbane, Australia

Voyager will sail from Brisbane for the first time from December 2025, with 20 holidays to choose from and a new destination in the line-up – Luganville , Vanuatu. Travellers can also take their pick of more ways to play in the South Pacific by choosing from a series of 7- to 9-night sunny escapes to Noumea, New Caledonia, and Port Vila, Luganville and Mystery Island, Vanuatu, which includes two 8- and 9-night cruises over Christmas and the New Year.

For holidaymakers seeking a longer escape, they can choose a unique 12-night adventure from Singapore to Australia in December. The destinations in store include Benoa, Bali , and Darwin and Airlie Beach, Australia. Plus, there are as many as 10 shorter 4-, 6- and 7-night holidays that visit Airlie Beach and Cairns, Australia , on the sun-drenched coast of Queensland.

There is a variety of ways for everyone to play on Voyager, including racing family and friends on The Perfect Storm , three storeys of two high-speed waterslides with twisting turns and thrills; ice skating at Studio B , putting at mini golf ; and competing in glow-in-the-dark laser tag at Battle for Planet Z . Lighting up the stage and night is jaw-dropping entertainment like “ Ice Odyssey ”, where professional ice skaters bring the magic and mystery of tarot cards to life, and famous Broadway show tunes in “ Broadway Rhythm & Rhyme ”.

The Ultimate Wiggly Adventure

The summer also brings the debut of six Wiggly Sailings , exclusive to Royal Caribbean and featuring the Wiggly Friends , across Anthem and Voyager. Bringing the ultimate family holiday to life is the combination of signature Royal Caribbean family experiences and the excitement and adventures of The Wiggles that inspire wonder and discovery. Young kids and their loved ones can look forward to character events , live concerts , exclusive Royal Caribbean x The Wiggles merchandise and more.     More details on the newly opened 2025-2026 season in Australia and New Zealand are available on Royal Caribbean’s website .

About Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean International , part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), has delivered memorable vacations for more than 50 years. The cruise line’s game-changing ships and private destinations revolutionise vacations with innovations and an all-encompassing combination of experiences, from thrills to dining and entertainment, for every type of family and vacationer. Voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 21 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards, Royal Caribbean makes memories with adventurers across more than 300 destinations in 80 countries on all seven continents, including the line’s top-rated private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on X and visiting www.RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com . For additional information or to book, vacationers can visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com, call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN or contact their travel advisor.

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Overview b-roll footage of Royal Caribbean's innovative Anthem of the Seas.  The game-changing thrills guests have in store on board the award-winning Quantum Class ship include the RipCord by iFly sky diving experience, the signature FlowRider surf simulator, North Star, the all-glass observation capsule that extends 300 feet (91 meters) above sea level; indoor and outdoor pools; and SeaPlex, the largest indoor activity space at sea. With show-stopping entertainment, dedicated spaces for kids and teens, a variety of restaurants serving up a world of flavors and more, Anthem is the ideal getaway for travelers of all ages.

Related Images

March 2024 - Two iconic family brands, Royal Caribbean International and The Wiggles, are coming together to create the ultimate family holiday in Australia. In the summer of 2025-2026, Wiggles fans and adventurers alike can set their sights on making memories with the popular cast of the Wiggly Friends on exclusive Wiggles Sailings that feature special experiences for the whole family.

March 2024 - Two iconic family brands, Royal Caribbean International and The Wiggles, are coming together to create the ultimate family holiday in Australia. Wiggly Friends Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Henry the Octopus, Wags the Dog and Shirley Shawn the Unicorn celebrate the partnership by going for a spin on the bumper cars at SeaPlex, which is the largest indoor activity complex at sea and features a line-up of thrills like a sports court and roller skating, on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas .

March 2024 - Two iconic family brands, Royal Caribbean International and The Wiggles, are coming together to create the ultimate family holiday in Australia. Wiggle Friends’ Henry the Octopus celebrates the partnership at Splashaway Bay kids aqua park on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, where there are slides, water cannons and more.

March 2024 - Two iconic family brands, Royal Caribbean International and The Wiggles, are coming together to create the ultimate family holiday in Australia. Captain Feathersword conquers the signature FlowRider surf simulator , alongside the RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas.

March 2024 - Two iconic family brands, Royal Caribbean International and The Wiggles, are coming together to create the ultimate family holiday in Australia. The Wiggles and the popular cast of the Wiggly Friends enjoy breakfast in the dining room on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas .

Royal Caribbean Adds Second Ship to Chinese Market in 2025

• April 11, 2024

Royal Caribbean International is adding a second Quantum-Class ship to its operation out of China in 2025.

Joining the Spectrum of the Seas, the Ovation of the Seas is scheduled to offer a series of cruises out of Tianjin starting on May 1, 2025.

Running through early October 2025, the ship’s program includes four- and five-night cruises to destinations in Japan and South Korea, including Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Incheon and Jeju.

In addition to the short cruises, the program includes two seven-night sailings to Japan departing in July and October 2025.

The week-long itineraries feature visits to additional ports of call in the country, such as Sasebo, Kagoshima and Kumamoto.

In April, before arriving in Tianjin, the Ovation of the Seas is also scheduled to offer two five-night cruises out of Hong Kong.

The Spectrum of the Seas is also set to return to China in 2025. After marking the company’s return to the country in 2024 , the 2019-built cruise ship is set to offer a complete program out of Shanghai.

The deployment starts in early February 2025 and includes a series of three- and five-night cruises to Japan and South Korea. Among the ports of call being visited by Spectrum are Okinawa, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Busan and Jeju.

Like the Ovation, the Spectrum is also scheduled to offer week-long cruises to Japan during its season in the Far East.

Also sailing roundtrip from Shanghai’s Baoshan Cruise Terminal, the seven- and eight-night itineraries explore further destinations in the country, including Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka, Hakodate and Maizuru.

Spectrum’s year-round program in China also includes four- and five-night sailings from Hong Kong in January 2025.

After completing its homeporting in Shanghai, the 4,200-guest ship returns to the port for additional sailings in December 2025.

Ranging from two to nine nights, the itineraries departing from Hong Kong include visits to destinations in Vietnam and Japan.

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The top 10 biggest cruise ships in the world

M odern cruise ships continue to grow in size, with the biggest cruise ship, the Icon of the Seas , launching at the start of this year, and her sister ship the Star of the Seas expected to surpass her in size.

Both of these ships are operated by Royal Caribbean International, which operates five of the ten largest cruise ships in the world. Carnival Corporation, arguably the biggest cruise company in the world, features three times on the list through its subsidiaries P&O Cruises and Costa Cruises.

All of the heaviest cruise ships in the world were built within the last 20 years, although the majority – six of the ten – were built within the last five years.

So, here are the top ten biggest cruise ships in the world, by gross tonnage. 

10. P&O Cruises MS Arvia : 185,581 gross tonnes

The MS Arvia is P&O Cruises’ fourth ship to be built by German shipyard Meyer Werft. Weighing in at 185,581 gross tonnes, the 345m (1,130-foot) Arvia is slightly larger than her sister ship, the MS Iona . The 20-deck ship is the largest ship commissioned for the British cruise market and has a maximum passenger capacity of 6,264 passengers, with 1,800 crew onboard. 

The ship is the second liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered Excellence-class vessel for P&O, following the Iona . Arvia is powered by a 61,760kW LNG drive system, with a propulsion power of 37 megawatts. The LNG-powered propulsion system allows the vessel to sail at a maximum speed of 21.5 knots.

After being floated out in August 2022, the Arvia mainly operates itineraries around the Caribbean or the Mediterranean.

9. Costa Cruises – Costa Smeralda : 185,010 gross tonnes

The Costa Smeralda is the first LNG-powered vessel in the Costa Cruises fleet. With a gross tonnage of 185,010gt, the 20-deck Excellence-class ship measures 337m (1,106 feet) in length. The second LNG-powered cruise ship to enter operation in the world, she has a maximum capacity of 6,554 passengers with 1,646 crew and a service speed of 21.5 knots.

Construction of the Costa Smeralda began at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, in September 2017. Meyer Turku collaborated with the Meyer Werft Papenburg shipyard to develop and integrate the LNG propulsion plant for the ship. She is fitted with four 16-cylinder, Caterpillar MaK 16VM46DF engines, with 15.4 megawatts (20,710 horsepower) output per engine, resulting in a maximum power of  37 megawatts (50,000 horsepower).

The ship, which was named after the Emerald Coast of Sardinia, entered service in December 2019 , departing Savona on its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean, where it has sailed since.

8. Costa Cruises – Costa Toscana : 186,364 gross tonnes

The Costa Toscana is the sister ship of the Costa Smeralda and is also powered by LNG . measuring 337m (1,106 feet) long and weighing in at 186,364 gross tonnes, the Toscana has a maximum capacity of 6,338 passengers and 1,678 staff across her 20 decks.

Like her sister ship, the Toscana was also built at the Meyer shipyard in Finland, with construction completed in 2021. She is also powered by four MaK-Caterpillar engines, with a total power of 57.2 megawatts (76,706 horsepower), and two ABB Azipod motors , resulting in a service speed of 17 knots.

Named in homage to the Tuscany region of Italy, Costa Toscana mainly sails around the Mediterranean Sea but Costa Cruises has also used the ship to sail itineraries further afield, such as around Brazil and the UAE.

7. MSC Cruises – MSC World Europa : 215,863 gross tonnes

The only entry in the top ten from MSC Cruises, MSC World Europa measures 333m (1,094 feet) in length. With 215,863 gross tonnage, she can house more people than any other ship in the MSC fleet: up to 6,762 passengers across 2,633 cabins spread over 22 decks, in addition to 2,138 crew.

Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, the World Europa ’s LNG-power propulsion system was subcontracted to Finland-based Wärtsilä. Five LNG-powered, 14-cylinder Wartsila 46DF dual-fuel engines power the vessel, with a propulsion power of 44 megawatts ( 59,005 horsepower). She also features nitrogen oxide reduction (NOR) units, two Wartsila LNGPac fuel storage and supply systems, seven thrusters, and two fixed-pitch propellers. 

The MSC World Europa was floated out at the end of 2021 and was initially used as an accommodation vessel for fans attending the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the ship berthed at Doha Port in Qatar during the tournament. Following the competition, the ship subsequently travelled several routes around the UAE, before sailing to the Mediterranean, where it has sailed itineraries since.

6. Royal Caribbean International – Allure of the Seas : 225,282 gross tonnes

The first of many entries on this list operated by Royal Caribbean, Allure of the Seas weighs in at 225,282 gross tonnes. Measuring 362m (1,187 feet), she is only 50mm (2 inches) longer than her sister ship the Oasis of the Seas . The Allure has a maximum capacity of 6,780 passengers and 2,200 crew across 18 decks.

Built at the Turku Shipyard in Finland, the Allure took two years to build , floating out in 2010. She features six Wärtsilä 46 diesel engines with a total power output of 97 megawatts (130,053 horsepower). It is propelled by three electric Azipod azimuth thrusters. The ship can travel at a cruising speed of 22 knots.

With a homeport of Galveston, Texas in the US, the Allure mainly serves itineraries around the Bahamas but she is scheduled to sail routes around the Mediterranean in 2025.

5. Royal Caribbean International – Oasis of the Seas : 226,838 gross tonnes

The oldest ship on this list, the Oasis of the Seas has been in service for over a decade. She was the biggest cruise ship at the time when floated out in 2009, with a gross tonnage of 226,838gt and a length of 360m (1,181 feet). The Oasis has a maximum capacity of 6,699 passengers and 2,181 staff across 18 decks.

The Oasis took two years to build at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, with the keel laid on 12 November 2007 and the ship arriving at her homeport of Port Everglades in Florida, US, on 13 November 2009.

The Oasis is powered by eight Wärtsilä V12 diesel engines, which generate 5.6 megawatts (7,500 horsepower) each, alongside four bow thrusters. The main propulsion system consists of three 20-megawatt (26,820 horsepower) electric Azipod motors, resulting in a combined propulsion power of 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower) and a standard cruising speed of 23 knots.

The Oasis mainly operates routes around the Caribbean, but occasionally repositions to offer itineraries in the Mediterranean.

4. Royal Caribbean International – Harmony of the Seas : 226,963 gross tonnes

The third Oasis-class ship built by Royal Caribbean, Harmony of the Seas weighed in bigger than her existing sister ships at launch in 2016, with 226,963 gross tonnage, but she has since been surpassed by newer vessels. With a total length of 362m (1,188 feet), Harmony has a maximum capacity of 6,780 passengers and 2,300 staff across 18 decks.

Royal Caribbean placed an order with STX France for the construction of Harmony of the Seas in December 2012. The first steel for the ship was cut at STX France’s Saint-Nazaire shipyard in September 2013, while the keel-laying ceremony was held in May 2014.

The Harmony is powered by three 18.9-megawatt Wärtsilä 16V46 16-cylinder main generator diesel engines and three Wärtsilä 12V46 12-cylinder engines producing 13.9 megawatts each. The propulsion power is provided by three electric Azipod azimuth thrusters and manoeuvring is assisted by four 5.5-megawatt Wärtsilä CT 3500 tunnel thrusters. The propulsion system results in 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower) and enables the ship to sail at a standard speed of 23 knots.

Harmony of the Seas embarked on her inaugural seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona, Spain, in June 2016, and currently operates itineraries around the Western Caribbean from her homeport of Galveston, Texas in the US.

3. Royal Caribbean International – Symphony of the Seas : 228,081 gross tonnes

At launch in 2018, the Symphony of the Seas surpassed the Harmony as the biggest cruise ship, weighing in at 228,081 gross tonnes. Measuring 361m (1,185 feet), the Symphony has a maximum capacity of 6,680 passengers and 2,200 staff across 18 decks and was the testing ground for Royal Caribbean's new muster drill . With a total length of 361m (1,185 feet), She is roughly 30 metres (98 feet) longer than the largest military ships , the US Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and the USS Gerald R. Ford .

The keel-laying ceremony for the Symphony of the Seas was held in October 2015 at STX’s Saint-Nazaire shipyard in France, and the ship sailed out in June 2017. She is powered by six diesel sets, each composed of three Wärtsilä 16V46D engines and three Wärtsilä 12V46D engines, as well as three 20-megawatt electric Azipod main engines – resulting in 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower) of propulsion power and a standard cruising speed of 22 knots.

The Symphony commenced her seven-day maiden voyage from Barcelona in April 2018, and since then has mainly operated itineraries around the Caribbean from her homeports of Miami, New York, and Fort Lauderdale.

2. Royal Caribbean International – Wonder of the Seas : 235,600 gross tonnes

Royal Caribbean's flagship, Wonder of the Seas is the fifth Oasis-class cruise ship built for the cruise company. Weighing in at 235,600 gross tonnes, the Wonder was the largest ship in the world when she was completed in January 2022. Measuring 362m (1,187 feet) in length, the 18-deck Wonder has a maximum capacity of 7,084 guests across its 2,867 staterooms, as well as housing 2,369 crew.

Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, Wonder is powered by two Wärtsilä 16V46D engines and four Wärtsilä 12V46D engines; and uses three 20-megawatt electric Azipod engines for propulsion, combining for a propulsion power of 82 megawatts (109,964 horsepower and a standard cruising speed of 22 knots.

The Wonder sailed her maiden voyage in March 2022 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has since served itineraries around the Caribbean from her homeports of Miami and Cape Canaveral.

1. Royal Caribbean International – Icon of the Seas : 248,663 gross tonnes

Weighing 248,663 gross tonnes and measuring 365 metres (1,1967 feet), the Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. Christened on 23 January 2024, the Icon has a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew across 20 decks. She is the lead ship of the new Icon-class, with a sister ship the Star of the Seas due to be delivered in 2025 and another ship planned for delivery in 2026.

Built by Meyer Turku in Finland, the Icon is the first ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet that can be powered by LNG. It uses three Wärtsilä 14V46DF and three Wärtsilä 12V46DF for its main generator engines, which provide 67.5 megawatts of energy to run the ship. She is propelled by three 20-megawatt Azipod thrusters as well as five 4.8-megawatt Wärtsilä WTT-45 CP bow thrusters, with a cruising speed of 22 knots.

After sailing her maiden voyage on 27 January 2024, the Icon now sails year-round itineraries of seven-night trips around the Eastern and Western Caribbean from her homeport of Miami, Florida.

"The top 10 biggest cruise ships in the world" was originally created and published by Ship Technology , a GlobalData owned brand.

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