Even in the event you’re a newcomer to cruising, you have most likely heard of Royal Caribbean’s large Icon Class and Oasis Class ships. With the exception of two MSC Cruises vessels — MSC World Europa and MSC World America — they’re far greater than every other cruise vessel afloat and like nothing else you may discover at sea.
Indeed, whenever you hear individuals speaking concerning the wow issue of Royal Caribbean’s “floating megaresorts,” it is probably they’re referring to the seven ships in these two units of vessels. This contains the just lately unveiled Icon of the Seas — the world’s greatest cruise ship.
That stated, not all Royal Caribbean ships are equally supersized. While the road is probably finest identified for large vessels — it operates seven of the ten greatest cruise ships on the earth — it additionally markets some comparatively smaller, extra intimate ships.
In truth, Royal Caribbean has eight vessels which can be lower than half the scale of the Icon Class and Oasis Class ships.
If you are fascinated with reserving a Royal Caribbean cruise, you may discover the road affords a variety of ship kinds and designs.
With the addition of 4 new ships and the removing of two older vessels from its fleet since 2020, Royal Caribbean — the world’s largest cruise line by passenger capability — now has 28 oceangoing ships in all. That’s greater than every other main cruise line, and it means that you’ve loads of selections with regards to selecting the proper Royal Caribbean ship for you.
Related: The final information to Royal Caribbean cruise ships and itineraries
The excellent news for these of you making an attempt to get a deal with on all of the choices is that the 28 ships can simply be bunched into simply seven teams of vessels which have related facilities. If one member of the group, all of them.
These seven teams are made up of ships constructed across the similar time with the identical fundamental design. They’re identified in cruise business lingo as “classes,” and every has its personal feel and look.
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An introduction to Royal Caribbean ships
For essentially the most half, Royal Caribbean operates large, bustling megaships that may attraction to individuals who like a megaresort expertise. The firm has constructed its model round providing vacationers a ton of diversions on its ships, whether or not for eating (some vessels have greater than 20 distinct locations to seize a chunk) or leisure. Its vessels are full of life and enjoyable.
The over-the-top megaresort expertise on a Royal Caribbean ship varies from class to class, although.
Related: Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin and suite information: Everything you wish to know
The line’s one Icon Class and 6 Oasis Class ships are not like anything you may discover at sea with regards to dimension, facilities and capability. They every can maintain greater than 6,600 passengers, with each berth full.
Somewhat smaller in dimension however nonetheless large by any measure, every of the road’s 5 Quantum Class and three Freedom Class vessels has a complete capability starting from round 4,500 to five,600 passengers. With house for round 3,800 passengers at most occupancy, the road’s 5 Voyager Class vessels are comparatively giant, too.
Together, the 20 vessels of these 5 classes — Icon, Oasis, Quantum, Freedom and Voyager — make up Royal Caribbean’s big-ship fleet. The line’s remaining eight vessels, break up amongst two classes, are smaller, with most occupancy topping out at round 2,500 passengers.
While now not the main focus at Royal Caribbean, the smaller ships (that are typically the road’s older ships) enable it to supply itineraries to locations that are not as straightforward for large ships to go to. Not all ports on the earth can deal with a ship the scale of Icon of the Seas.
The smaller ships additionally attraction to a subset of Royal Caribbean followers preferring extra intimacy in a cruise vessel and do not thoughts giving up some onboard facilities to get it. They are additionally typically cheaper to sail per day.
Related: A newbies information to selecting a cruise line
As you may anticipate, the largest Royal Caribbean ships have essentially the most facilities. With every step down in dimension, you may discover fewer eating places, bars, leisure venues and points of interest. Even the smallest Royal Caribbean ships nonetheless have fairly a bit to supply, although.
If you are crusing with the road for the primary time, it is necessary to grasp that not all of Royal Caribbean’s signature points of interest and venues are current on all its ships. For occasion, whereas each Royal Caribbean vessel now has one of the road’s iconic climbing partitions (some have two), solely the 20 ships of the road’s big-ship classes have a FlowRider browsing simulator. Only the 15 ships of the Icon, Oasis, Freedom and Voyager classes have ice skating rinks.
Here is a have a look at the seven classes of Royal Caribbean ships in additional element.
Icon Class
Ships at school: Icon of the Seas (2024), Star of the Seas (coming in August), Legend of the Seas (coming in 2026) and an unnamed vessel (coming in 2027)
Size: 248,663 tons
Is your concept of an amazing trip a visit to a megaresort loaded with extra eating places, bars, theaters and watery amusements than you’ll be able to think about? Royal Caribbean’s new Icon Class is the ship class for you.
As talked about above, Icon of the Seas — the one Icon Class ship at present in operation — is greater than every other cruise vessel afloat at 248,663 tons, and for big-ship lovers, there’s actually nothing fairly prefer it. Three further Icon Class ships debuting over the subsequent three years will probably be equally excessive in dimension and venues.
Each of the Icon Class vessels which can be working or quickly to debut has been designed with seven separate swimming pools (a brand new document for a cruise ship), a water park with six waterslides (additionally a document), a kiddie splash zone, browsing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court docket and even a zipper line. And that is simply on their high decks.
Inside the vessels, you may discover extra lounges, bars, eating places and outlets than you’ll be able to think about — plus big casinos, spas and showrooms with Broadway-style reveals. They even have indoor ice skating rinks, simply in case you wish to get your Michelle Kwan on.
What you will not discover on the Icon Class ships is intimacy. These are vessels that may carry as many as 7,600 passengers when each berth is crammed. They function with round 2,300 crew members. That means you might be sharing your trip with almost 10,000 individuals.
If the above sounds downright outrageous to you, it’s. Keep in thoughts, although, that the largest megaresorts on land are even greater. The greatest resort within the U.S. — The Venetian Resort Las Vegas — has 7,092 rooms. That means it could maintain greater than 14,000 visitors, assuming there are two individuals per room.
By that measure, Icon Class ships are nearly small.
Icon Class ships additionally do not essentially really feel as crowded as they’re. Royal Caribbean’s designers are masters at creating vessels that may carry hundreds and hundreds of individuals however nonetheless really feel comparatively uncrowded — at the least in some areas. You can have a quiet afternoon studying a e book on a bench within the generally almost empty, tree-lined Central Park space of Icon of the Seas whereas hundreds of vacationers are frolicking about on the ship’s swimming pools only a few decks above.
Related: Why Royal Caribbean’s new Icon of the Seas will not really feel as crowded as you suppose
While just one ship on this sequence (Icon of the Seas) is at present working, the second and third vessels within the sequence (Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas) are already open for bookings. The maiden voyage for Star of the Seas is ready for Aug. 31, 2025. Legend of the Seas is scheduled to debut Aug. 2, 2026.
A fourth, as but unnamed, Icon Class ship is on order for supply in 2027.
Quantum Class
Ships at school: 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 could also be Royal Caribbean’s most modern class ever.
In addition to a variety of eating places, bars and showrooms, the 5 ships within the class function some of essentially the most uncommon new points of interest you may discover at sea. This contains bumper automotive pavilions (sure, in some way they discovered room for these) and skydiving simulators.
The ships even have glass-enclosed capsules mounted on mechanical arms that may take you hovering into the sky for chicken’s-eye views. They’re referred to as the North Star rides, and so they would be the oddest points of interest ever added to the highest of a cruise ship.
Quantum Class ships additionally function uncommon multilevel leisure areas with floor-to-ceiling glass partitions referred to as Two70. The areas are house to modern reveals that usually function aerial performers, singers and dancers who emerge from openings within the flooring or the ceiling. At sure instances of the day, the glass partitions remodel into an expansive ambient floor referred to as Vistarama that initiatives actual and imagined scenes.
Related: The 10 wildest points of interest you may discover on a cruise ship
All the above come along with many of the core Royal Caribbean points of interest you may discover on most of the model’s ships, together with swimming pools, mountain climbing partitions, casinos, spas and Broadway-style reveals. But do not anticipate all of the traditional Royal Caribbean options on Quantum Class ships. For occasion, you will not discover ice skating rinks on the vessels although they are a staple of all different large Royal Caribbean ships. Quantum Class ships additionally haven’t got water parks.
The Quantum Class ships aren’t fairly as large as Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class and Oasis Class vessels (and thus haven’t got fairly as a lot room for issues like ice skating rinks). At round 169,000 tons, although, they’re nonetheless among the many greatest ships at sea, with a big quantity of venues.
They can also carry loads of individuals. Most of the ships within the class maintain 4,180 passengers at double occupancy — 4,905 if each berth is crammed. One exception is Spectrum of the Seas, which was particularly constructed for the China market with some design variations. It can maintain as much as 5,622 passengers. Additionally, the most recent ship within the sequence, Odyssey of the Seas, can maintain as much as 5,498 passengers.
Related: 4 belongings you’ll love about Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas
One extra large distinction between the ships of the Quantum Class and different large Royal Caribbean ships: The Quantum Class ships are designed to be extra versatile.
If you look intently at their deck plans, you may discover that extra of their most important points of interest are indoors and protected against the weather than the ships of the Icon, Oasis and Freedom classes, for instance.
One of the 2 most important pool areas on every Quantum Class ship (besides Odyssey of the Seas) is enclosed. The bumper automotive pavilions are, too, doubling as curler skating rinks or indoor basketball courts. This permits Royal Caribbean to ship the ships to cooler areas of the world, reminiscent of Alaska and Northern Europe, the place the temperatures aren’t at all times conducive to out of doors exercise.
Royal Caribbean has additionally used some Quantum Class ships for sailings out of China.
Related: Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society cruise loyalty program: The final information
Oasis Class
Ships at school: 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), Utopia of the Seas (2024) and an unnamed vessel (coming in 2028)
Size: 226,838 to 236,857 tons
Until this yr’s debut of Icon of the Seas, these have been the world’s greatest and most venue-packed cruise ships. Although they don’t seem to be fairly as large as the brand new vessel, they continue to be among the many best possible choices for vacationers who love nothing greater than a giant, bustling resort with each type of amusement identified to people.
Each of the Oasis Class vessels has three separate most important pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, browsing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court docket and a zipper line on their high decks — an almost as big selection of options as the brand new Icon of the Seas. Inside the vessels, as on Icon of the Seas, you may discover a seemingly countless quantity of lounges, bars, eating places and outlets, in addition to giant casinos, spas and showrooms. Like Icon of the Seas, every 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 an enormous quantity of individuals. They can carry as many as 6,988 passengers when each berth is crammed. They function with round 2,200 crew members. That means you might be sharing your trip with greater than 9,000 individuals — not fairly as many because the almost 10,000 you might discover on an Icon Class ship however nonetheless an enormous quantity.
The excellent news for these of you fearful about extreme crowds is that, as is the case with the Icon Class ships, the Oasis Class ships do not essentially really feel as crowded as they’re. Royal Caribbean designed them with a “neighborhood” idea that spreads passengers out in seven or eight (relying on the ship) distinct areas, such because the Pool and Sports Zone and the Boardwalk amusement zone. Quite a bit of thought went into how passengers transfer between these neighborhoods, too.
Note that there are a number of variations from ship to ship within the Oasis Class sequence. For starters, the 4 latest and largest ships within the sequence — Utopia of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas — have a number of further points of interest and venues. Among them is the Ultimate Abyss, a terrifying slide that drops 9 decks. (Royal Caribbean says it drops 10 decks, however do not be fooled; the road counts a nonexistent Deck 13.)
Related: The 7 finest cruise ship waterslides and watery enjoyable zones
A handful of eating places additionally differ from ship to ship within the sequence.
The two latest and largest ships within the sequence, Utopia of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, have essentially the most variations from the opposite Oasis Class vessels. At 236,473 tons and 235,600 tons, respectively, they’re about 4% greater than the subsequent greatest ship within the sequence; the additional house is dedicated to such additions as a devoted suite space with a non-public lounge, a restaurant and a sundeck.
Related: Why Wonder of the Seas is superior for households
A seventh, as-yet-unnamed ship within the Oasis Class sequence is below development and anticipated to debut in 2028. It’s being constructed by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France — the identical shipyard that constructed Utopia of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas.
Radiance Class
Ships at school: 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 certain you wish to sail on a megaship with 6,000 individuals however nonetheless desire a vessel with a superb quantity of options and actions? The Radiance Class ships would be the good resolution.
At 90,090 tons, the 4 vessels within the sequence are lower than half the scale of Royal Caribbean’s huge Icon Class and Oasis Class ships however are nonetheless sufficiently big that they’ve loads to supply.
Each vessel has greater than a half dozen locations to eat, together with the primary restaurant, an off-the-cuff buffet, a steakhouse, an Italian restaurant and an Asian venue.
You’ll additionally discover three swimming pools on every ship, whirlpools, a mountain climbing wall, a miniature golf course, a sports activities court docket and an adults-only solarium. Each ship has a theater, a spa, a on line casino and a number of bars and lounges.
What you will not discover on the ships, as a result of of their smaller dimension, are all of the gee-whiz points of interest — reminiscent of ice skating rinks, browsing simulators, large waterslides and bumper automotive pavilions — that Royal Caribbean has placed on its greater vessels. If you’ll be able to’t stay with out these kinds of options on a cruise ship, the Radiance Class most likely is not for you.
Each Radiance Class ship holds greater than 2,100 passengers at double occupancy (plus a number of hundred extra with each berth crammed). That’s lower than half the quantity of passengers on the largest Royal Caribbean ships.
That makes them good for cruisers who wish to get away from the type of crowds on the largest megaships with out giving up many of the facilities that large ships supply.
Freedom Class
Ships at school: Freedom of the Seas (2006), Liberty of the Seas (2007) and Independence of the Seas (2008)
Size: 154,407 to 156,271 tons
As just lately as 2009, these have been the largest cruise ships on the earth, and so they’re nonetheless fairly large in comparison with nearly all different cruise vessels afloat.
While now not on the listing of the highest 25 greatest cruise ships — they have been displaced by Royal Caribbean’s Icon, Oasis and Quantum Class vessels, in addition to a number of ships from different strains — the Freedom Class vessels supply a traditional big-ship expertise with tons of eating places, bars, showrooms and deck-top points of interest.
The Freedom Class ships, notably, have been the primary Royal Caribbean ships to function a FlowRider browsing simulator on their high decks — now a signature attraction for the road. Each of these vessels additionally has a number of pool areas, a water park, a miniature golf course and a mountain climbing wall on its high decks (that are among the many most activity-packed at sea).
Indeed, the highest decks of Freedom Class ships are extra loaded with points of interest than every other Royal Caribbean vessels besides the Icon Class and Oasis Class vessels. You simply will not discover a number of of essentially the most over-the-top points of interest, reminiscent of zip strains, that Icon Class and Oasis Class ships have.
In their interiors, Freedom Class vessels have the mall-like Royal Promenade areas full of eateries, bars and outlets which have grow to be normal on greater Royal Caribbean ships. They even have giant casinos and spas.
At round 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 big step down in dimension. They’re almost 8% smaller than the Quantum Class ships.
They additionally carry considerably fewer passengers than the Oasis Class ships. Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas carry about 3,900 passengers at double occupancy (nearer to 4,600 with each berth crammed). Liberty of the Seas can carry a number of hundred extra.
Voyager Class
Ships at school: 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 much like Freedom Class ships however shorter in size. In different phrases, the Freedom Class was a stretched model of the Voyager Class.
Like the Freedom Class vessels, the Voyager Class ships have many of Royal Caribbean’s signature points of interest, together with mountain climbing partitions and ice skating rinks. In truth, the ships have been the primary at Royal Caribbean to have these points of interest.
Voyager Class ships have been additionally the primary to function a Royal Promenade with bars, cafes and outlets of their inside. Each additionally has a number of specialty eating places along with the primary eating room and informal buffet; specialty eating places embrace a model of Royal Caribbean’s signature Chops Grille steakhouse and an Italian restaurant.
One of the primary variations 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 additionally extra truncated than the Freedom Class vessels.
There are additionally fewer cabins on the Voyager Class ships, leading to fewer passengers on board a typical crusing. Most of the ships carry round 3,100 passengers at double occupancy — about 800 fewer than the standard Freedom Class ship.
At round 139,000 tons, the ships are about 11% smaller than the Freedom Class ships.
There are additionally some variations in points of interest among the many 5 Voyager Class vessels. Navigator of the Seas has a comparatively new waterslide zone that is house to The Blaster, the longest waterslide at sea. You will not discover that on the opposite ships, although most of them have totally different waterslides. Only three of the 5 ships — Voyager of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas — have laser tag programs. Adventure of the Seas is the one vessel within the class with a kiddie splash zone.
Vision Class
Ships at school: 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 Nineties, the Vision Class ships are the smallest at Royal Caribbean, and so they supply fewer onboard points of interest and facilities than is typical for the road’s vessels.
In common, they attraction to cruisers searching for a extra intimate expertise on a cruise ship and those that care extra concerning the locations they go to than the onboard points of interest.
Along these strains, Royal Caribbean typically sends some of its Vision Class ships to Europe in the summertime to function port call-intensive itineraries. The vessels additionally typically sail longer journeys within the Caribbean that embrace less-visited southerly islands. In each circumstances, the attract of the cruises has extra to do with the ports the ships go to than the onboard expertise.
Vision Class ships are additionally generally based mostly in secondary ports reminiscent of Baltimore or San Juan, Puerto Rico, the place the scale of the native cruise market may not warrant a bigger vessel.
Except for mountain climbing partitions, the Vision Class ships have none of the signature Royal Caribbean deck-top points of interest reminiscent of browsing and skydiving simulators. For essentially the most half, their high decks are lined with swimming pools, whirlpools and sunning areas, as is typical for ships constructed within the Nineties. All have at the least two swimming pools and 6 whirlpools, aside from Enchantment of the Seas, which has three swimming pools and 6 whirlpools.
Related: Is cruising best for you? Start by asking your self these 7 questions
In addition to most important eating places and informal buffets, every ship has at the least one (and infrequently a number of) further specialty eating places. The line’s signature Chops Grille steakhouse and Italian eatery Giovanni’s Table are two of them. Rhapsody of the Seas has the largest choice of eating; Enchantment of the Seas has the smallest. Three of the 4 vessels — all however Enchantment of the Seas — have an Izumi Asian restaurant.
Each of the ships varies barely in dimension. Grandeur of the Seas is the smallest of the 4 vessels, measuring round 74,000 tons. Enchantment of the Seas is the largest, measuring round 83,000 tons (it was, notably, lengthened by 73 toes in 2005).
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