The last word information to Royal Caribbean cruise ships and itineraries

5 of the these six big ships, all related in design, are a part of what’s often known as the Oasis Class — a massively well-liked sequence of huge megaships that started debuting in 2009 and have modified the face of cruising. A sixth Oasis Class ship — Utopia of the Seas — is scheduled to hitch the fleet later this 12 months, and the road just lately ordered a seventh vessel within the sequence that’ll be prepared in 2028.

The outlier among the many six ships talked about above is Icon of the Seas, which is not an Oasis Class ship however the first of an all-new sequence of even larger vessels referred to as the Icon Class. At, 250,800 tons, It is presently the world’s greatest cruise ship. Royal Caribbean has ordered two extra Icon Class ships that can start crusing in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

The Oasis Class and Icon Class ships usually are not the one biggies within the Royal Caribbean fleet. 5 huge Quantum Class ships and three huge Freedom Class ships every have whole capacities starting from round 4,500 to five,600 passengers.

Add these in, and Royal Caribbean operates 14 of the world’s 35 greatest cruise ships.

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The road additionally operates 5 considerably smaller Voyager Class vessels that may every maintain round 3,800 passengers at most occupancy.

Collectively, the 19 Icon, Oasis, Quantum, Freedom and Voyager class vessels make up Royal Caribbean’s big-ship fleet.

The road’s remaining eight vessels, break up amongst two courses, are comparatively smaller, with most occupancy topping out at round 2,500 passengers.

Whereas not essentially the main target at Royal Caribbean, these smaller ships, which generally are the road’s older ships, enable it to supply itineraries to locations that are not as straightforward for giant ships to go to. Not all ports on the earth can deal with a ship the scale of Surprise of the Seas.

The smaller ships additionally enchantment to a subset of Royal Caribbean followers who like somewhat extra intimacy in a cruise vessel and do not thoughts giving up some onboard facilities to get it. These ships are additionally typically inexpensive for vacationers on a per-day foundation.

With every step-down in measurement, you will discover fewer eating places, bars, leisure choices and points of interest. Nonetheless, even the smallest of Royal Caribbean ships nonetheless have fairly a bit to supply.

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Locations and itineraries

Royal Caribbean sails virtually in every single place on the earth, however its heaviest presence is within the Caribbean and Europe. In a typical summer time, the road will deploy about half its ships on sailings to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda whereas sending one other seven or eight ships to Europe. The road usually sends 4 ships each summer time to Alaska.

In the course of the winter, the road will transfer much more of its ships to the Caribbean and ship just a few to Asia and Australia.

In North America, Royal Caribbean ships usually sail out of PortMiami, Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades and Tampa in Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Galveston, Texas; New Orleans; Bayonne, New Jersey (one of many ports for New York Metropolis); Baltimore; Boston; Seattle; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Seward, Alaska.

In Europe, Royal Caribbean ships largely sail out of Southampton, England; Amsterdam; Copenhagen; Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens); Istanbul; Barcelona; Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome) and — since 2021 — Ravenna, Italy (which changed Venice as a house port).

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Who sails Royal Caribbean?

For probably the most half, Royal Caribbean operates huge, bustling megaships that can enchantment to individuals who like a megaresort expertise. In different phrases, should you’re the form of one that loves staying on property at Disney World or at a large Las Vegas resort, that is the road for you. Royal Caribbean ships provide vacationers a ton of choices, whether or not it’s for eating (some vessels have greater than 20 distinct locations to seize a chunk) or leisure. They’re energetic and enjoyable.

That mentioned, in addition they provide serene spots. You possibly can take pleasure in a quiet afternoon studying a e book on a bench within the tree-lined Central Park space of Surprise of the Seas whereas, only a few decks above, hundreds of vacationers frolic away on the ship’s three distinct pool areas. Royal Caribbean’s designers are masters at designing vessels that may carry hundreds and hundreds of individuals however nonetheless really feel comparatively uncrowded — at the very least in some areas.

Insider tip: To flee the bustle on a Royal Caribbean ship, search out the comparatively quiet Solarium. It is an adult-only, deck-top retreat discovered on each Royal Caribbean vessel.

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It is not simply households that flock to Royal Caribbean, although. The road’s ships are designed to offer somewhat one thing for everybody, and so they enchantment to a large demographic, together with {couples} of all ages and even solo vacationers (the road has added solo cabins to extra ships in recent times).

The ships additionally draw prospects from a variety of incomes. Plentiful smaller and inexpensive cabins, included informal eating choices, and a plethora of bars and onboard points of interest give Royal Caribbean ships a for-the-masses really feel and make them accessible to vacationers on a price range.

Additionally, overlaid throughout most ships are high-end suites, eateries and providers which might be at a luxurious stage, and the road attracts a very good variety of luxury-seeking vacationers. Royal Caribbean executives prefer to say that in the event that they carved out all of the suites on their ships as a separate enterprise, it will be the biggest luxurious cruise line on the earth.

What Royal Caribbean cruisers all have in frequent is that they love a giant, bustling resort expertise.

Cabins and suites

Royal Caribbean is understood for providing a variety of lodging on its ships. Some ships have as many as 34 classes of cabins. You will discover all the pieces from comparatively low-cost, windowless inside cabins measuring simply 149 sq. ft (good for the price range traveler) to huge, multiroom suites which might be greater than 10 instances that measurement.

On the excessive finish, the lodging are aimed toward well-heeled vacationers who, for no matter cause, want the megaship expertise to being on a luxurious ship, and these really are among the many most spectacular lodging at sea. Some, such because the Royal Loft Suites discovered on Oasis Class ships, are two decks excessive with sweeping views throughout the highest of the vessel. Icon of the Seas has a collection that’s three decks excessive — the tallest suite in all of cruising.

Relying on the ship, high suites can include such perks as non-public butlers (referred to as Royal Genies) who attend to your each want, entry to a personal restaurant, entry to a personal suite lounge and solar deck, reserved seating in leisure venues, and precedence boarding and disembarkation.

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Eating places and eating

Whereas just a few of Royal Caribbean’s smallest ships have comparatively restricted eating choices, many of the line’s vessels provide so many selections that it will possibly virtually be overwhelming.

On Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships there are greater than 20 locations to seize a chunk, starting from Johnny Rockets diners to high-end eating places serving six-course tasting menus.

Each vessel has a primary eating room and an off-the-cuff buffet eatery the place meals are included within the fare — the latter referred to as both Windjammer Café or Windjammer Market. For dinner in the primary eating room, you will need to join both My Time Eating, which is the place you go everytime you need, or Conventional Eating, the place you’ve got a hard and fast desk and meal time.

Different included-in-the-fare choices discovered on some ships embody Sorrento’s pizza parlors, the Mediterranean cuisine-themed Solarium Bistro and the espresso bar Cafe Promenade.

As well as, each ship has a least one — and generally many — extra-charge eateries. The most typical one discovered throughout the fleet is Chops Grille, the road’s signature steakhouse. Many ships even have an Italian eatery, referred to as both Giovanni’s Desk or Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver. There’s additionally Hooked Seafood, a comparatively new idea now on 4 vessels (Icon of the Seas, Surprise of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas) that serves lobster rolls, fish sandwiches and the like.

On some ships, you will additionally discover Izumi, a sushi-serving Asian eatery; Vintages, a small bite-serving wine bar; imaginative cuisine-serving Wonderland; and Playmakers Sports activities Bar & Arcade, which presents chilly brews, burgers and wings together with video games like foosball.

There are full-blown Starbucks cafes on some ships or at the very least a Starbucks stand.

A few of the extra-charge eateries include a flat payment, often round $35 to $50 per individual, not together with the price of drinks. Others are a la carte.

If you understand you wish to eat at just a few extra-charge eating places throughout your voyage, you should buy one in every of a number of eating packages that provide meals at a reduction.

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Leisure and actions

No different cruise line has as broad a spread of leisure and actions on its ships as Royal Caribbean. As famous above, the road’s greatest vessels provide a number of leisure venues, from theaters to comedy golf equipment; all method of deck-top points of interest; giant casinos; full-service spas; and even ice skating rinks. Plus, you will discover extra bars, lounges and nightspots than you could possibly assume attainable.

Theaters and exhibits

One in every of Royal Caribbean’s nice strengths is its theater leisure, which might be mind-blowing at instances — i.e., you will not imagine you are seeing what you are seeing on a cruise ship.

Lots of Royal Caribbean’s greatest ships have state-of-the-art theaters as huge as you will discover on Broadway, with top-name Broadway exhibits. Symphony of the Seas has “Hairspray,” as an example, and Oasis of the Seas has Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats.”

In some circumstances, the exhibits are minimize down barely (although some nonetheless run practically two hours), and the casts aren’t the A-team you will discover on Broadway. Nonetheless, these are high quality productions. The most effective half is — they’re fully free. Examine that with the tons of of {dollars} you will spend to take your loved ones to a present in New York Metropolis.

Much more “wow,” as Royal Caribbean executives prefer to say, are the ice skating exhibits placed on on the ice skating rinks discovered on 14 of the road’s ships. The rinks are within the interiors of the ships, surrounded by stadium seating for as much as 775 individuals, and the exhibits are out of this world.

The road has employed Olympic-level skaters to star within the productions. The truth is, the road likes to boast that it employs extra world-class skilled skaters than some other firm on the earth.

On Oasis Class ships, there are also 735-seat outside “aqua theaters” which might be residence to dazzling aerial and water exhibits (Icon of the Seas has its personal model of this beneath a glass dome referred to as the AquaDome). Quantum Class ships have Two70, a unprecedented, high-tech theater area that provides multisensory exhibits combining singing, dancing and acrobatics.

Some ships even have comedy golf equipment, and there is at all times dwell music in a number of venues nightly. We’re notably keen on the two-deck-high Music Halls on Quantum Class vessels.

Insider tip: Make sure you e book the (free) tickets for onboard comedy golf equipment early. They generally promote out upfront on account of heavy demand and restricted capability.

Different inside points of interest and actions

Along with leisure areas, the interiors of Royal Caribbean ships are loaded with different venues the place passengers can chill and let free day and night time, together with a seemingly countless array of bars, lounges and nightspots.

Each Royal Caribbean ship has a on line casino, and on the road’s larger vessels, these are huge operations. The On line casino Royale on Oasis of the Seas sprawls with 450 slot machines, 27 desk video games (together with blackjack, roulette and craps) and a poker site, plus its very personal bar. The casinos on the 4 different Oasis Class ships are equally big.

The 14 vessels which might be a part of the Voyager, Freedom, Oasis and Icon courses even have Royal Promenades — indoor, mall-like areas which might be residence to a few of the coolest bars at sea, in addition to meals shops and retail retailers.

The model of the Royal Promenade on Oasis of the Seas, as an example, presents the Bionic Bar, the place a robotic makes the drinks, together with the equally revolutionary Rising Tide Bar, which rises between the Royal Promenade and the outside Central Park space three decks above whilst you drink. There’s additionally a British pub, a karaoke lounge, a Latin-themed nightspot and — positioned one deck up in a balcony space — the road’s signature Schooner Bar.

The road’s 5 Quantum Class vessels have a a lot smaller model of the Royal Promenade referred to as the Royal Esplanade that transitions into one other indoor space referred to as The Through.

The Quantum Class ships even have an indoor enjoyable zone often known as The SeaPlex that features a bumper automotive pavilion. When the bumper automobiles aren’t in use, the area transforms right into a curler rink, which can be used as a “circus faculty” with classes on a flying trapeze. Different SeaPlex actions embody air hockey and desk tennis.

For one thing quieter and extra pampering, Royal Caribbean ships additionally all have spas. Some are huge, with greater than two dozen remedy rooms and thermal areas with sizzling stone chairs, rainforest bathe areas, saunas and steam rooms.

Deck-top points of interest

The highest decks of Royal Caribbean ships are the place issues get wild. There may be stuff you simply will not see on some other vessel at sea.

There are swimming pools, after all — on the larger ships, oodles of them. The Oasis Class ships have three distinct pool areas, in addition to a watery play zone for youths. A rising variety of Royal Caribbean ships even have water parks with important waterslides.

You will additionally discover all types of different fun-focused points of interest — big mountain climbing partitions, browsing simulators, zip traces, miniature golf programs and basketball courts, to call just a few. Some just lately constructed ships even have skydiving simulators — big acrylic tubes the place you get to expertise the feeling of skydiving.

On Oasis Class ships, there’s additionally an out of doors Boardwalk space with a hand-carved carousel. On the brand new Icon Class ships, the Boardwalk space is changed with a watery play zone for youthful children referred to as Surfside.

Probably the most out-there deck-top points of interest on Royal Caribbean ships are certainly the North Star rides discovered on Quantum Class ships. Maybe probably the most weird points of interest ever conceived for a cruise ship, they’re big mechanical arms topped with glass-enclosed capsules that can take you hovering above the ships for the view.

The North Star is usually free to journey. It additionally might be booked for particular occasions, reminiscent of weddings, for a cost.

Kids’s packages

Royal Caribbean has one of the vital in depth youngsters’s packages at sea, with packages and actions for youngsters as younger as 6 months previous by way of the age of 17.

The center of this system, referred to as Journey Ocean, has free, supervised actions day by day for youngsters ages 3 to 12.

The road splits youngsters right here up into three age teams: Aquanauts (ages 3 to five years), Explorers (ages 6 to eight years) and Voyagers (ages 9 to 12 years), every with its personal age-appropriate actions starting from scavenger hunts to arts and crafts. On many ships, there are in depth devoted areas for the totally different teams.

Whereas the free programming ends at 10 p.m., you’ll be able to pay further to go away your children at Journey Ocean till 2 a.m., when it transforms right into a supervised Late Evening Social gathering Zone.

Royal Caribbean additionally operates a Royal Infants nursery program for youngsters ages 6 to 18 months previous that features interactive little one and father or mother courses with actions developed by early childhood specialists. The Royal Tots program (for ages 18 months to three years) presents 45-minute interactive playground periods with age-appropriate actions and toys. Each packages are hosted by skilled youth employees. On many ships, dad and mom can drop off their infants on the nursery for short-term babysitting (this service comes with an additional cost).

Royal Caribbean additionally presents devoted teen and tween packages on ships for youngsters ages 12 to 17. On some vessels, such because the Quantum Class ships, you will discover a devoted area with video games and a widescreen TV referred to as The Residing Room the place teenagers can hang around, plus a teens-only disco referred to as Gasoline.

What to know earlier than you go

Required paperwork

When you’re a U.S. citizen on a cruise that begins and ends in a U.S. port, you will want both a present passport or an official copy of your start certificates and a driver’s license or different government-issued picture identification to sail. Passports should be legitimate for at the very least six months. For cruises from worldwide ports, you will want a passport. The identify in your reservation should be precisely as it’s acknowledged in your passport or different official proof of nationality.

Gratuities

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Wi-Fi

Royal Caribbean has one of many quickest Wi-Fi techniques at sea — so quick that you just’re in a position to watch Netflix out of your room in your cellular machine. Pricing adjustments over time, however just lately has been priced at $17.99 per day per machine for a bundle that features streaming. There are also multi-device packages which might be inexpensive on a per-device foundation.

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Carry-on drinks coverage

Royal Caribbean lets you carry two bottles of wine or Champagne per cabin onto ships at boarding, plus as much as a dozen customary cans, bottles or cartons of nonalcoholic drinks reminiscent of sodas. The road expenses a $15 corkage payment should you carry the wine or Champagne to an onboard restaurant or different public areas to drink.

Smoking coverage

Smoking (together with e-cigarette smoking) is allowed solely in designated outside areas, casinos and the cigar golf equipment discovered on Freedom Class and Voyager Class ships. It is forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies, and those that violate this rule will face a $250 cleansing payment. Within the on line casino, solely cigarette smoking is allowed, and solely in designated areas on most ships (smoking in casinos is forbidden on sailings out of Australia and U.Ok. ports).

Laundry

Not like some traces, Royal Caribbean doesn’t construct self-service launderettes onto its ships. Vessels provide extra-charge laundry and dry cleansing providers.

Electrical shops

All vessels have North American-style 110-volt shops in rooms, in addition to European-style 220-volt shops. A rising variety of vessels even have USB ports in cabins.

Foreign money

The forex used on all Royal Caribbean ships is U.S. {dollars}, irrespective of the place they’re on the earth. All vessels function on a “cashless system,” with any onboard purchases you make posting routinely to your onboard account. You will obtain a SeaPass card that you need to use to make expenses.

Ingesting age

You should be 21 to eat alcohol on sailings originating in North America or the United Arab Emirates. The consuming age on sailings from South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand is eighteen.

Gown code

In the course of the day, there is no such thing as a particular costume code, and folks costume casually. If it is a sea day in a warm-weather vacation spot, and also you’re certain for the highest deck, meaning wanting like you are going to the seashore — T-shirts, shorts and bathing fits (with a cover-up to go inside) are simply effective.

In the course of the evenings, there is an official costume code, nevertheless it solely applies to passengers getting into the primary eating room. On any given night time, one in every of three costume codes will apply — informal, sensible informal or formal.

Informal means simply that — denims, polo shirts and sundresses. Good informal is a step as much as collared shirts, clothes, skirts and blouses, or pantsuits, with a jacket for males non-obligatory. Formal formally means fits and ties, tuxedos, cocktail clothes or night robes. Don’t fret should you do not wish to go that fancy, although. Not everyone performs into it. You will see most males carrying fits or sports activities coats and girls in cocktail clothes.

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Royal Caribbean loyalty program

Members earn factors for each night time they sail on one of many line’s ships, with double factors awarded to passengers staying in suites. It takes one cruise to hit the primary tier, Gold. It will take 5 cruises should you’re doing seven-night journeys (fewer should you’re in a collection) to achieve the second tier, Platinum (30 factors).

Decrease tiers do not carry all that a lot when it comes to really beneficial advantages. You will obtain issues like precedence check-in and a personal departure lounge with continental breakfast on the finish of a visit. Nonetheless, larger ranges of this system begin to be very attractive.

The second-to-highest tier, Diamond Plus (175 factors), brings Concierge Membership entry, precedence seating at onboard exhibits, an unique quantity to name for bookings and decreased charges for solo vacationers, plus different issues. The highest Pinnacle Membership stage brings free cruises after hitting key milestones.

Be aware that, in contrast to airline frequent flyer packages, cruise line loyalty packages don’t require you to requalify for standing yearly. So, sure, the perks with decrease tiers aren’t nice, nevertheless it’s not as tough as it would at first appear to hit the extra rewarding higher-level tiers in only a few years should you’re cruising lots.

A passenger staying in suites can get to the Diamond Plus stage with simply 13 seven-night cruises. Take just a few longer voyages, like a transatlantic crusing, and you may attain it even sooner.

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How a lot does a Royal Caribbean cruise value?

Royal Caribbean designs its ships to enchantment to a broad combine of individuals, partly by providing a variety of cabin varieties at various value factors. On a typical crusing, you may discover an entry-level cabin for round $100 per individual per night time, whereas a high-end suite is 5 or 10 instances that quantity.

As of the time of this information’s posting, as an example, a two-bedroom Star Loft Suite on Concord of the Seas for a seven-night Caribbean cruise in January 2026 was going for $7,559 per individual, primarily based on double occupancy. That is greater than 11 instances the price of the least-expensive inside cabin (which was beginning at $646 per individual, primarily based on double occupancy). Balcony cabins on the identical crusing began at round $836 per individual, primarily based on double occupancy.

Be aware the “primarily based on double occupancy” caveat. As is typical for cruise traces, Royal Caribbean expenses on a per-person foundation, not per room, and it costs most cabins primarily based on two individuals occupying a room. It does provide a small variety of cabins on some ships which might be priced primarily based on single occupancy for solo vacationers.

As you may anticipate, pricing for all ships will usually be much less throughout offseason durations reminiscent of September and October.

The timing of once you e book may also matter. Cruises e book up a lot additional upfront than airplanes or inns. Many cruisers will inform you that the very best pricing for any given crusing typically is on the market when cruises first go on sale (which generally is a good two years earlier than a departure). Reserving far upfront additionally offers you the very best likelihood of getting your most popular cabin kind and site on a ship.

As soon as on board a Royal Caribbean vessel, you will pay further for many drinks (most beers will set you again $7.99, as an example; wine by the glass ranges from $8 to $14), extra-charge eating places, spa providers, shore excursions, web service and some different issues — except you have purchased a bundle for a few of these gadgets upfront.

Most onboard actions, reminiscent of mountain climbing and zip lining, are included within the fare, as are your lodging, meals (in non-extra-charge eating places) and leisure.

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