If you’re in search of one of the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship, how do you choose the right one from all of the rankings?
Royal Caribbean provides cruises world wide on nearly 30 ships, every that guarantees an ideal household trip. Utopia of the Seas is the most recent ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, however does that make it one of the best ship? Is the oldest ship essentially the worst ship?
Figuring out one of the best ship means discovering the correct ship on your preferences, price range and who’s cruising with you.
Royal Caribbean prides itself on a constant expertise throughout all of its ships, however they don’t seem to be carbon copies of one another both.
High 10 greatest Royal Caribbean ships ranked
Icon of the SeasWonder of the SeasOdyssey of the SeasUtopia of the SeasFreedom of the SeasOasis of the SeasSymphony of the SeasMariner of the SeasHarmony of the SeasAnthem of the Seas
Learn extra: Royal Caribbean ships by age
Icon of the Seas
Icon of the Seas has been crusing for lower than a 12 months, and it is arduous to miss this ship if you’re cruising with a household.
Icon of the Seas is a sport changer for households, and it has sufficient onboard to rival any land resort. It additionally packs in nearly each new thought Royal Caribbean has to supply it is most full cruise ship so far.
Being the most important ship on the earth, means there may be more room for the actions and issues to do this will preserve kids and adults busy all cruise lengthy.
Royal Caribbean has designed this ship to cater extra to households than ever earlier than.
You will discover new classes of cabins with mother and father and children in thoughts. Greater than 70% of all rooms onboard Icon of the Seas may have balconies, and 82% of rooms have a excessive occupancy of three or extra friends, which is greater than double the Oasis Class ships.
Royal Caribbean additionally devoted a whole neighborhood of the ship to households, referred to as Surfside. Surfside is the last word stay-all-day neighborhood that has swimming pools for teenagers and oldsters, family-friendly eating places, and bars which have mocktails for the children and cocktails for the adults.
Icon of the Seas is residence to the biggest water park at sea, Class 6, the place you’ll discover six recording breaking slides, together with the primary household raft slides at sea: Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter.
Royal Caribbean is constructing not less than two extra Icon Class ships that can even start cruises over the subsequent few years.
Oasis Class
Greatest ship: Marvel of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas or Oasis of the Seas
These are the biggest cruise ships on the earth, they usually merely provide the newest and biggest that Royal Caribbean is understood for onboard.
The six Oasis Class ships (with an unnamed seventh ship finally becoming a member of the fleet someday in 2028), have FlowRider surf simulators, zip lining, mountain climbing, waterslides, golf equipment, specialty and complimentary eating places and scenic night strolls.
There is no such thing as a scarcity of issues to do on an Oasis Class ship, together with waterslides, Final Abyss slide, two FlowRiders, mini-golf, zip line and extra.
There are seven neighborhoods (eight on Utopia & Marvel of the Seas) on an Oasis Class ship, together with Central Park out of doors house and the seaside-inspired Boardwalk.
The exhibits on an Oasis Class ship are one of the best within the fleet, with three totally different theaters providing leisure all through your cruise. Watch a full Broadway present (reminiscent of Mamma Mia or Hairspray), take a look at the thrills of the AquaTheater performances, and be dazzled by ice exhibits in Studio B.
Oasis Class ships even have probably the most eating choices of any Royal Caribbean ship, reminiscent of Chops Steakhouse, Izumi Hibachi and Sushi, Portside BBQ, basic Italian and way more.
The place they sail: Marvel of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Attract of the Seas, Concord of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas provide 7-night Japanese and Western Caribbean cruises that embrace stops on the non-public vacation spot of Excellent Day at CocoCay.
Some years, one Oasis Class ship sails from Europe for the summer time.
Utopia of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral, Florida and solely provides brief 3- and 4-night cruises.
Quantum Class
Greatest ship: Anthem of the Seas or Odyssey of the Seas
The most recent class of Royal Caribbean ship doesn’t compromise on leisure, eating, or issues to do with the Quantum Class ships.
Searching for some unimaginable issues to do on a cruise ship? How a couple of skydiving simulator, or smash bumper vehicles into your fellow visitor autos. Then there may be the commentary capsule that takes you 300 toes within the air for breathtaking, 360-degree views.
The Quantum Class ships are the one ones that function Two70, which is a big round house behind the ship the place you’ll not solely discover an ideal view of the ocean, but in addition floor-to-ceiling screens that may rework the house together with their Roboscreen know-how.
Music Corridor is the right venue for anybody that loves stay music performances, the place cowl bands carry out and you may dance the night time away.
The Royal Esplanade is situated within the heart of the ship and options eating and buying alternatives.
The place they sail: Anthem of the Seas is in Europe for summer time 2024 and can transfer to Singapore for a brief season earlier than alternating between Australia and Alaska cruises.
Spectrum of the Seas sails in Asia.
Odyssey of the Seas splits her time between winter cruises from Florida to the Caribbean, and summer time cruises in Europe across the Mediterranean.
Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas sail to Alaska in the summertime, after which spend the opposite a part of the 12 months in Australia.
Freedom Class
Greatest ship: Freedom of the Seas or Independence of the Seas
Some of the versatile cruise ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, the Freedom Class vessels mix giant measurement with heaps to do onboard. Actually, the Freedom Class ships have been upgraded in the previous couple of years with waterslides and different new options onboard.
You can see Splashaway Bay aquapark for teenagers on all three ships, together with Excellent Storm waterslides on Independence and Freedom. Liberty of the Seas has her personal set of water slides, together with the one ship to function a boomerang slide.
If you’re in search of eating, Independence has Playmakers Sports activities Bar & Arcade, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi and Fish & Ships, a poolside eatery the place friends can seize quintessentially British seaside treats. Freedom of the Seas launched the primary Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen specialty restaurant idea within the fleet, that options made-to-order pizzas, freshly made pastas and a big selection of wines and limoncellos.
All three ships provide nice exhibits onboard, together with ice skating performances in Studio B. Independence of the Seas has its personal Broadway present with Grease, whereas Liberty of the Seas has Saturday Night time Fever Broadway present.
The place they sail: Independence of the Seas sails 4 and 5 night time cruises the Caribbean from Miami.
Liberty of the Seas sails from New York in summer time 2024 to Canada and Bermuda, earlier than shifting to Fort Lauderdale to supply brief 3- and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas.
Freedom of the Seas is homeported in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the place she provides 7-night Caribbean cruises. In 2025, Freedom will provide weekend cruises from Miami.
Voyager Class
Greatest ship: Navigator of the Seas or Mariner of the Seas
Top-of-the-line values in Royal Caribbean is the Voyager Class ships. These multifaceted vessels are an ideal alternative for first-time cruisers, in addition to anybody on a restricted price range. They’re nonetheless “massive ships” and provide lots to do onboard, however at a fraction of the worth of their mega ship sister vessels.
The Voyager Class is probably probably the most diverse ships within the fleet, because the Royal Amplification course of has added so many new and totally different choices to those ships.
Mariner and Navigator of the Seas obtained probably the most placing modifications in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Navigator has The Blaster aqua coaster, the longest waterslide at sea, and Riptide, the trade’s solely head-first mat racer waterslide. Each ships additionally now function Battle for Planet Z and Royal Escape Room: The Observatorium.
There are many different additions to each vessels, together with hibachi on Mariner and Hooked Seafood specialty restaurant on Navigator. Each ships have a Playmakers Sports activities Bar & Arcade, in addition to a Bamboo Room Polynessian-themed bar.
The opposite Voyager Class ships even have their very own share of enjoyable onboard, together with a FlowRider surf simulator, mini-golf, mountain climbing wall, ice skating rink and exhibits every night. Journey of the Seas has its personal set of water slides that had been added just a few years in the past.
The place they sail: Mariner of the Seas provides Caribbean cruises of assorted size from Port Canaveral.
Navigator of the Seas is homeported from Los Angeles, the place she sails brief cruises to Ensenada, Mexico, in addition to 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises.
The opposite Voyager Class ships transfer round a bit extra, providing cruises world wide. Journey of the Seas will sail from Port Canaveral in winter 2024-2025.
Explorer of the Seas additionally splits time between North America and Europe, with cruises from Rome in the summertime, and Port Canaveral within the winter.
Voyager of the Seas provides cruises from Port Canaveral.
Radiance Class
Greatest ship: Brilliance of the Seas or Serenade of the Seas
An underrated, but spectacular class of ships is the Radiance Class ships that mix modern magnificence with diverse itineraries world wide.
Simply because they’re smaller than different ships, doesn’t imply they compromise on the enjoyable onboard. Royal Caribbean added new options and facilities to those ships, and you’ll discover an out of doors film display, full-scale leisure productions within the three-story theater, and loads of eating places, bars, golf equipment and lounges.
Radiance class ships are standard with Royal Caribbean veterans for his or her elegant choices and enjoyable ambiance. Actually, Radiance Class ships have among the finest adults-only Solarium areas throughout the whole fleet.
The place they sail: The Radiance Class ships are world vacationers, providing plenty of locations to go to. Brilliance of the Seas spends her winters in Tampa with brief sailings to the Caribbean, together with cruises from Boston and Miami.
You may cruise on Jewel of the Seas from Amsterdam to Northern Europe in the summertime, whereas selecting between cruises from Galveston to the Caribbean.
Radiance of the Seas provides some actually fascinating cruises, together with open-jaw sailings (one-way) to Alaska in the summertime. She then transitions to Australia and sails the South Pacific.
Serenade of the Seas will provide cruises to the Caribbean from Tampa.
Imaginative and prescient Class
Greatest ship: Grandeur of the Seas or Enchantment of the Seas
Royal Caribbean makes use of the Imaginative and prescient Class ships to supply cruises to probably the most unique places round, as a result of they will match nearly wherever.
Just like the Radiance Class, Imaginative and prescient Class ships nonetheless provide lots to do onboard and have facilities reminiscent of a mountain climbing wall, nice pool deck, poolside film display, specialty eating and a grand Atrium space.
The lounges on these ships are equally spectacular, and plenty of repeat cruisers love the nice and cozy and considerate workers onboard these ships.
The place they sail: Imaginative and prescient of the Seas provides cruises within the winter from Fort Lauderdale, and Barcelona in the summertime.
Rhapsody of the Seas calls Tampa and Venice/Ravenna, Italy residence, with cruises to the Western Caribbean and Greek Isles.
Imaginative and prescient of the Seas sails year-round from Baltimore to Canada/New England, Bahamas, and Bermuda.
Enchantment of the Seas (the final Royal Caribbean ship to be stretched) provides cruises from Tampa to the Caribbean.
Grandeur of the Seas sails from Port Everglades and provides primarily lengthy sailings to the Southern Caribbean.
What must you search for in one of the best cruise ship?
While you wish to discover one of the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship for you, the hot button is to grasp what the ship provides and what it doesn’t provide, after which weigh that towards how a lot it should price you.
Some necessary concerns it’s best to have a look at in any ship is what it provides in:
Children ProgrammingSignature actions (waterslides, Broadway exhibits, thrill points of interest, open areas, et al)The place it’s crusing
If you’d like a by no means ending array of “issues to do,” then lean in direction of taking a cruise on the bigger ships.
In case your thought of a very good time is lounging by the pool and exploring the ports of name you go to, then any measurement ship can be fantastic.
The necessary factor to recollect is to determine if the ship you’re looking at has a FlowRider, explicit specialty restaurant or one thing else necessary to you onboard the ship.
The perfect ship will depend on you
Choosing one of the best ship is lots like selecting out one of the best film or greatest restaurant: it’s a subjective alternative based mostly on quite a lot of components that each individual weighs otherwise.
Since nobody likes to listen to that the reply is “it relies upon”, right here is as goal a breakdown as doable of what to search for in one of the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship.
Facilities, actions, and lodging
On the coronary heart of any cruise ship is what the ship provides onboard, and the place you’ll name residence throughout your trip.
Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships have 4 fundamental forms of staterooms: inside, oceanview, balcony and suite cabins. Some of these cruise cabins provide various quantity of dwelling house and luxuries, and the some ships have extra spectacular cabins than others.
Finally, the choice for which room you need is a query of what you possibly can afford, however the bigger and newer ships have a tendency to supply probably the most expansive and opulent lodging.
What you do onboard is what makes Royal Caribbean stand out, and you’ll discover numerous signature actions, enjoyable issues to do and multitudes of eating decisions throughout an expansive structure.
Every cruise ship is made up of a distinct mixture of onboard choices and over the past decade, Royal Caribbean has diverse these facilities significantly from ship to ship. So it behooves you to determine that are an important and choose the correct ship for you.
My suggestions for one of the best ships
In case you simply wish to know which ships I believe may be greatest for sure folks, listed below are my prime picks for greatest Royal Caribbean ships.
Greatest ships for brand spanking new cruisers and households: Icon of the Seas, Marvel of the Seas or Utopia of the SeasBest ship if on a price range: Mariner of the Seas or Navigator of the SeasBest ship should you do not care about loopy actions: Brilliance of the Seas or Serenade of the SeasBest mixture of worth (worth for what you get): Freedom of the Seas or Mariner of the SeasMatt’s favourite ships: Icon of the Seas, Marvel of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas
