Cruise Frog guide

Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International is a Miami-based cruise line built around very large ships packed with activities. Started by Norwegian shipping companies and launched in 1969, it put its first ship, Song of Norway, into service in 1970, has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group since 1997, and is the largest cruise line by revenue.

Official site

Style

Mainstream

big ships with lots to do and fares for most budgets

Best for

  • Families
  • First-time cruisers
  • Multigenerational groups
  • Friends and groups

Fleet rating

4.0/5

Average of 30 rated ships in service

About Royal Caribbean International

The line has repeatedly built the world's biggest cruise ships, from Sovereign of the Seas in 1988 to the Oasis class in 2009 and the LNG-powered Icon class in 2024. Its 30 ships span seven classes, from Vision-class ships of the 1990s carrying about 2,000 guests to Icon-class ships carrying more than 5,600 at double occupancy, and a fourth Icon-class ship, Hero of the Seas, is due in August 2027.

Most of the fleet sails short and weeklong Caribbean and Bahamas cruises from Florida, Texas, New Jersey and Puerto Rico, many stopping at the line's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, while other ships are based in Europe, Alaska, Asia and Australia. Days aboard revolve around attractions such as surf simulators, water slides, ice shows and large theater productions, with specialty restaurants and drink and dining packages sold on top of the fare.

What Royal Caribbean International is known for

Royal Caribbean is best known for big-ship innovation: rock walls, surf simulators, ice rinks and zip lines on older classes, and waterparks, the AquaDome and huge pool decks on the newest ones. It has won industry awards such as Travel Weekly's Best Cruise Line Overall in 2016, and Perfect Day at CocoCay is a major draw on Bahamas sailings.

The common criticisms are the flip side of that scale. The largest ships carry well over 5,000 guests, so pools, shows and buffets can feel busy at peak times, and many extras, from specialty dining to drink and internet packages, add to the cost. The fleet also varies widely in age, so a cruise on a 1990s Vision-class ship is quite different from one on an Icon-class ship. The company has also paid environmental penalties, including a US$475,000 EPA fine in 2024 over waste reporting.

Who it's for

Royal Caribbean suits families with children and teens, groups of friends and first-time cruisers who want plenty to do on board and easy short cruises from US ports. Multigenerational groups like the range of activities, cabin types and dining on the Oasis and Icon classes, and travelers who want a private-island beach day will find it on most Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries.

Travelers who want a quiet, small-ship atmosphere, an adults-only setting or an all-inclusive fare will usually be happier with a premium or luxury line. Those who prefer port-intensive cultural itineraries should look closely at the European and Asian programs, or at smaller ships, rather than the short Bahamas runs.

Families
kids' clubs, family cabins, things for every age
First-time cruisers
easy to book, short itineraries, nothing intimidating
Multigenerational groups
something for grandparents and grandchildren alike
Friends and groups
nightlife, group dining, connecting cabins

How it rates

Compare lines
Cabins
4/5
Dining
3/5
Entertainment
4.9/5
Service
4/5
Pools & decks
4/5
Value
4/5

The fleet's average on each metric, across 30 rated ships in service. Each ship is scored 1 to 5 by Cruise Frog's editors; these are not reader reviews.

  1. #1Icon of the Seas4.2/5
  2. #2Legend of the Seas4.2/5
  3. #3Odyssey of the Seas4.2/5
  4. #4Star of the Seas4.2/5
  5. #5Utopia of the Seas4.2/5
  6. #6Wonder of the Seas4.2/5
  7. #7Adventure of the Seas4.0/5
  8. #8Allure of the Seas4.0/5
  9. #9Anthem of the Seas4.0/5
  10. #10Brilliance of the Seas4.0/5
  11. #11Freedom of the Seas4.0/5
  12. #12Harmony of the Seas4.0/5
  13. #13Independence of the Seas4.0/5
  14. #14Jewel of the Seas4.0/5
  15. #15Liberty of the Seas4.0/5
  16. #16Mariner of the Seas4.0/5
  17. #17Navigator of the Seas4.0/5
  18. #18Oasis of the Seas4.0/5
  19. #19Ovation of the Seas4.0/5
  20. #20Quantum of the Seas4.0/5
  21. #21Radiance of the Seas4.0/5
  22. #22Serenade of the Seas4.0/5
  23. #23Spectrum of the Seas4.0/5
  24. #24Symphony of the Seas4.0/5
  25. #25Enchantment of the Seas3.8/5
  26. #26Explorer of the Seas3.8/5
  27. #27Voyager of the Seas3.8/5
  28. #28Grandeur of the Seas3.7/5
  29. #29Rhapsody of the Seas3.7/5
  30. #30Vision of the Seas3.7/5

Where Royal Caribbean International sails

Ships in service

Ships

30 in service
Adventure of the Seas at Grand Turk4.0 ★Adventure of the Seas2001 · 138,193 GT · 3,114 guests · Caribbean · BahamasAdventure of the Seas is a Voyager-class ship that entered service in November 2001 and is registered in the Bahamas. A US$61 million refurbishment in 2016 added staterooms, and…Allure of the Seas4.0 ★Allure of the Seas2010 · 226,637 GT · 5,484 guests · Caribbean · BahamasAllure of the Seas, the second Oasis-class ship, entered service in December 2010 and was for a time the world's largest passenger ship, about 50 mm longer than Oasis of the…Anthem of the Seas departing Sydney, 20264.0 ★Anthem of the Seas2015 · 168,666 GT · 4,180 guests · Australia and New Zealand · South PacificAnthem of the Seas, the second Quantum-class ship, entered service in April 2015 from Southampton, where she was christened by travel agent Emma Wilby. She shares the class's…Brilliance of the Seas in Boston, 20144.0 ★Brilliance of the Seas2002 · 90,090 GT · 2,140 guests · Bahamas · MediterraneanBrilliance of the Seas is the second Radiance-class ship, christened in July 2002 and sent on a Norwegian Fjords maiden voyage the same month. Like her sisters she is gas-turbine…Enchantment of the Seas in Barcelona, July 20233.8 ★Enchantment of the Seas1997 · 82,910 GT · 2,252 guests · Caribbean · BahamasEnchantment of the Seas is a Vision-class ship that entered service in 1997 and stands apart from her sisters because she was stretched in 2005: at the Keppel Verolme yard in…Explorer of the Seas departing Port Canaveral, February 20263.8 ★Explorer of the Seas2000 · 138,194 GT · 3,286 guests · Caribbean · MediterraneanExplorer of the Seas, completed in 2000, is the second Voyager-class ship and was briefly the world's largest passenger ship by tonnage. For several years she carried an…Freedom of the Seas at PortMiami, March 20244.0 ★Freedom of the Seas2006 · 156,271 GT · 3,782 guests · Caribbean · Northern EuropeFreedom of the Seas was the largest passenger ship ever built when she was completed in 2006 and is the namesake of the Freedom class, a lengthened version of the Voyager design…Grandeur of the Seas at Roatán, Honduras, 20263.7 ★Grandeur of the Seas1996 · 73,817 GT · 1,992 guests · CaribbeanGrandeur of the Seas is the oldest and smallest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, a Vision-class vessel of about 74,000 gross tons built at Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki and…Harmony of the Seas departing Port Canaveral, September 20264.0 ★Harmony of the Seas2016 · 226,963 GT · 5,479 guests · Caribbean · BahamasHarmony of the Seas, the third Oasis-class ship, was built by STX France at Saint-Nazaire and became the world's largest passenger ship when she entered service in May 2016. Like…Icon of the Seas in Puerto Rico, 20254.2 ★Icon of the Seas2024 · 248,663 GT · 5,610 guests · Caribbean · BahamasIcon of the Seas, built by Meyer Turku in Finland, entered service from Miami on 27 January 2024 as the largest cruise ship in the world, a title she now shares with her…Independence of the Seas, June 20254.0 ★Independence of the Seas2008 · 155,889 GT · 3,634 guests · Caribbean · BermudaIndependence of the Seas, delivered in April 2008, is the third Freedom-class ship and was christened in Southampton by Elizabeth Hill, founder of a children's disability…Jewel of the Seas, March 20244.0 ★Jewel of the Seas2004 · 90,090 GT · 2,112 guests · Bahamas · CaribbeanJewel of the Seas, the youngest of the four Radiance-class ships, made her maiden voyage in May 2004 and shares her sisters' gas-turbine power and glass-heavy design. She…Legend of the Seas at the Meyer Turku shipyard, Finland, June 20264.2 ★Legend of the Seas2026 · 248,663 GT · 5,610 guests · Caribbean · MediterraneanLegend of the Seas is the third Icon-class ship, completed at Meyer Turku in Finland in 2026 and in service since her maiden voyage on 4 July 2026. She shares the class's record…Liberty of the Seas in Halifax, Nova Scotia, August 20254.0 ★Liberty of the Seas2007 · 155,889 GT · 3,798 guests · CaribbeanLiberty of the Seas, the second Freedom-class ship, entered service in May 2007 and shared the title of world's largest passenger ship with her older sister until 2009…Mariner of the Seas in Nassau, June 20184.0 ★Mariner of the Seas2003 · 139,863 GT · 3,114 guests · Caribbean · MediterraneanMariner of the Seas is the fifth and last Voyager-class ship, a second-generation design that entered service in November 2003 with American Paralympic athlete Jean Driscoll as…Navigator of the Seas in Ensenada, Mexico, August 20244.0 ★Navigator of the Seas2002 · 139,999 GT · 3,386 guests · AsiaNavigator of the Seas entered service in December 2002 as a second-generation Voyager-class ship, with glass-fronted balcony cabins that extend from the hull, and was named by…Oasis of the Seas departing Port Canaveral, September 20264.0 ★Oasis of the Seas2009 · 226,838 GT · 5,606 guests · Bahamas · CaribbeanOasis of the Seas, delivered in October 2009, was the first of the Oasis class, whose ships were the world's largest cruise ships until the Icon class arrived in 2024. Her layout…Odyssey of the Seas at Rhodes, Greece, September 20244.2 ★Odyssey of the Seas2021 · 169,379 GT · 4,284 guests · Bahamas · MediterraneanOdyssey of the Seas is the second Quantum Ultra-class ship and the last of the Quantum family. She entered service in 2021, initially from Port Everglades, and was christened…Ovation of the Seas4.0 ★Ovation of the Seas2016 · 168,666 GT · 4,180 guests · Mexican RivieraOvation of the Seas is the third Quantum-class ship; she was christened in Tianjin, China, in June 2016 and has since been based in Hong Kong, Sydney and Seattle. A March-April…Quantum of the Seas in Juneau, Alaska, 20224.0 ★Quantum of the Seas2014 · 168,666 GT · 4,180 guests · South Pacific · AlaskaQuantum of the Seas, delivered by Meyer Werft in 2014, is the lead ship of the Quantum class, which introduced the North Star observation capsule on a crane arm, the RipCord by…Radiance of the Seas in Juneau, Alaska4.0 ★Radiance of the Seas2001 · 90,090 GT · 2,143 guests · CaribbeanRadiance of the Seas, delivered in March 2001, is the lead ship of the Radiance class, four Meyer Werft-built ships powered by gas turbines and sized to fit the Panama Canal. The…Rhapsody of the Seas at Argostoli, Greece3.7 ★Rhapsody of the Seas1997 · 78,878 GT · 2,040 guests · Mediterranean · CaribbeanRhapsody of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, and in service since May 1997, with room for about 2,040 guests at…Serenade of the Seas, January 20254.0 ★Serenade of the Seas2003 · 90,090 GT · 2,146 guests · Mexican Riviera · AlaskaSerenade of the Seas, completed in 2003, is the third of the four gas-turbine Radiance-class ships built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. She carries about 2,150 guests at…Spectrum of the Seas, June 20194.0 ★Spectrum of the Seas2019 · 169,379 GT · 4,246 guests · AsiaSpectrum of the Seas, delivered by Meyer Werft in April 2019, was the first Quantum Ultra-class ship, a modified version of the Quantum design with accommodations and features…Star of the Seas docked in Cádiz, Spain, July 20254.2 ★Star of the Seas2025 · 248,663 GT · 5,610 guests · Caribbean · BahamasStar of the Seas, the second Icon-class ship, entered service in August 2025 and shares the record for largest cruise ship by gross tonnage. Built at Meyer Turku, she is…Symphony of the Seas in Nassau4.0 ★Symphony of the Seas2018 · 228,081 GT · 5,518 guests · Caribbean · BahamasSymphony of the Seas, the fourth Oasis-class ship, was the world's largest cruise ship by tonnage when she entered service from Barcelona in April 2018. Her facilities include a…Utopia of the Seas departing Port Canaveral, Florida4.2 ★Utopia of the Seas2024 · 236,473 GT · 5,668 guests · BahamasUtopia of the Seas is the sixth Oasis-class ship and the first in the class to run on liquefied natural gas. Built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, she entered service from Port…Vision of the Seas departing Tallinn, August 20133.7 ★Vision of the Seas1998 · 78,340 GT · 2,050 guests · Caribbean · BermudaVision of the Seas, delivered in 1998, is the last of the six Vision-class ships and the one that gave the class its name. Built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France, she…Voyager of the Seas at Costa Maya, Mexico, 20233.8 ★Voyager of the Seas1999 · 138,194 GT · 3,602 guests · Mexican Riviera · AlaskaVoyager of the Seas is the lead ship of the Voyager class, built at Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Turku, Finland, and named in November 1999 by Olympic figure skater Katarina Witt. The…Wonder of the Seas, January 20254.2 ★Wonder of the Seas2022 · 235,600 GT · 5,734 guests · BahamasWonder of the Seas is the fifth Oasis-class ship, built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire and finished at a dry dock in Marseille before entering service in March…

Coming soon

Every new ship
Debuts Aug 2027Hero of the Seas2027 · 250,800 GT · Caribbean · BahamasHero of the Seas is an upcoming ship, the fourth of the Icon class, under construction at Meyer Turku in Finland; she was floated out on 8 September 2026 and is listed at about…

Former ships

All retired ships
ShipLeft
Majesty of the SeasDecember 2020
Empress of the SeasMarch 2020

Where to fly in

All ports

Quick answers

What is Royal Caribbean International known for?

Royal Caribbean is best known for big-ship innovation: rock walls, surf simulators, ice rinks and zip lines on older classes, and waterparks, the AquaDome and huge pool decks on the newest ones. It has won industry awards such as Travel Weekly's Best Cruise Line Overall in 2016, and Perfect Day at CocoCay is a major draw on Bahamas sailings.

Who is Royal Caribbean International best for?

Royal Caribbean suits families with children and teens, groups of friends and first-time cruisers who want plenty to do on board and easy short cruises from US ports. Multigenerational groups like the range of activities, cabin types and dining on the Oasis and Icon classes, and travelers who want a private-island beach day will find it on most Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries.

Where does Royal Caribbean International sail?

Royal Caribbean International's ships in service sail Caribbean (20 ships), Bahamas (18 ships), Mediterranean (6 ships), Transatlantic (6 ships), Alaska (4 ships), Mexican Riviera (3 ships), Asia (3 ships), Bermuda (2 ships), Canada and New England (2 ships), Australia and New Zealand (2 ships), South Pacific (2 ships), Northern Europe (1 ship), Norwegian Fjords (1 ship) and Hawaii (1 ship).

How is Royal Caribbean International rated?

Royal Caribbean International's fleet averages 4.0 out of 5 on Cruise Frog, across 30 rated ships. Its best-rated ship is Icon of the Seas at 4.2.

Does Royal Caribbean International have new ships coming?

Yes: Royal Caribbean International has 1 new ship on the way: Hero of the Seas (debuts August 1, 2027).

How many ships does Royal Caribbean International have?

Royal Caribbean International has 30 ships in service on Cruise Frog: Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas, and 22 more.

Who owns Royal Caribbean International?

Royal Caribbean International is part of Royal Caribbean Group.

Where is Royal Caribbean International based?

Royal Caribbean International is headquartered in Miami, Florida, United States. It has operated since 1969.

What is Royal Caribbean International's loyalty program called?

Royal Caribbean International's past-guest loyalty program is Crown & Anchor Society.

What is the largest Royal Caribbean International ship?

Icon of the Seas is Royal Caribbean International's largest ship at 248,663 gross tons, carrying 5,610 guests.

Cruising with children

Royal Caribbean offers several age-specific family options, but its nursery is ship dependent. Choose the actual vessel before making childcare the basis of a booking.

Read the Royal Caribbean International family guide →

News about Royal Caribbean International and its ships

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