If you’re on the lookout for one of the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship, how do you choose the proper one from all of the rankings?
Royal Caribbean gives cruises around the globe on nearly 30 ships, every that guarantees an amazing household trip. Utopia of the Seas is the latest 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 suitable ship in your preferences, finances 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.
Prime 10 greatest Royal Caribbean ships ranked
- Icon of the Seas
- Surprise of the Seas
- Odyssey of the Seas
- Utopia of the Seas
- Freedom of the Seas
- Oasis of the Seas
- Symphony of the Seas
- Mariner of the Seas
- Concord of the Seas
- Anthem 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 yr, and it is onerous to miss this ship if you’re cruising with a household.
Icon of the Seas is a recreation 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 up to now.
Being the most important ship on the planet, means there’s extra space for the actions and issues to try this will maintain youngsters 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 dad and mom and youngsters in thoughts. Greater than 70% of all rooms onboard Icon of the Seas could have balconies, and 82% of rooms have a excessive occupancy of three or extra visitors, 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 fogeys, family-friendly eating places, and bars which have mocktails for the children and cocktails for the adults.
Icon of the Seas is dwelling to the most important water park at sea, Class 6, the place you can see six recording breaking slides, together with the primary household raft slides at sea: Storm Surge and Hurricane Hunter.
Royal Caribbean is constructing at the least two extra Icon Class ships that can even start cruises over the subsequent few years.
Oasis Class
Greatest ship: Surprise of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas or Oasis of the Seas
These are the most important cruise ships on the planet, and so they merely provide the most recent and best 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, mountaineering, 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 & Surprise of the Seas) on an Oasis Class ship, together with Central Park out of doors area and the seaside-inspired Boardwalk.
The reveals on an Oasis Class ship are one of the best within the fleet, with three completely different theaters providing leisure all through your cruise. Watch a full Broadway present (reminiscent of Mamma Mia or Hairspray), try the thrills of the AquaTheater performances, and be dazzled by ice reveals 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, traditional Italian and way more.
The place they sail: Surprise 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 embody stops on the non-public vacation spot of Good Day at CocoCay.
Some years, one Oasis Class ship sails from Europe for the summer season.
Utopia of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral, Florida and solely gives quick 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.
In search of some unbelievable issues to do on a cruise ship? How a couple of skydiving simulator, or smash bumper automobiles into your fellow visitor automobiles. Then there’s the remark capsule that takes you 300 ft within the air for breathtaking, 360-degree views.
The Quantum Class ships are the one ones that characteristic Two70, which is a big round area in the back of the ship the place you’ll not solely discover an amazing view of the ocean, but additionally floor-to-ceiling screens that may rework the area together with their Roboscreen expertise.
Music Corridor is the proper venue for anybody that loves dwell music performances, the place cowl bands carry out and you’ll dance the evening 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 season 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 season 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 yr in Australia.
Freedom Class
Greatest ship: Freedom of the Seas or Independence of the Seas
One of the versatile cruise ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, the Freedom Class vessels mix massive dimension with tons to do onboard. In truth, the Freedom Class ships have been upgraded in the previous couple of years with waterslides and different new options onboard.
You’ll find Splashaway Bay aquapark for teenagers on all three ships, together with Good Storm waterslides on Independence and Freedom. Liberty of the Seas has her personal set of water slides, together with the one ship to characteristic a boomerang slide.
If you’re on the lookout for eating, Independence has Playmakers Sports activities Bar & Arcade, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi and Fish & Ships, a poolside eatery the place visitors 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 wide array of wines and limoncellos.
All three ships provide nice reveals 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 evening cruises the Caribbean from Miami.
Liberty of the Seas sails from New York in summer season 2024 to Canada and Bermuda, earlier than shifting to Fort Lauderdale to supply quick 3- and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas.
Freedom of the Seas is homeported in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the place she gives 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 amazing alternative for first-time cruisers, in addition to anybody on a restricted finances. They’re nonetheless “huge ships” and provide loads to do onboard, however at a fraction of the worth of their mega ship sister vessels.
The Voyager Class is probably probably the most different ships within the fleet, because the Royal Amplification course of has added so many new and completely different choices to those ships.
Mariner and Navigator of the Seas obtained probably the most placing adjustments in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Navigator has The Blaster aqua coaster, the longest waterslide at sea, and Riptide, the business’s solely head-first mat racer waterslide. Each ships additionally now characteristic 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, mountaineering wall, ice skating rink and reveals every night. Journey of the Seas has its personal set of water slides that had been added a couple of years in the past.
The place they sail: Mariner of the Seas gives Caribbean cruises of varied size from Port Canaveral.
Navigator of the Seas is homeported from Los Angeles, the place she sails quick cruises to Ensenada, Mexico, in addition to 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises.
The opposite Voyager Class ships transfer round a bit extra, providing cruises around the globe. 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 gives 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 class with different itineraries around the globe.
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 can see 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 well-liked with Royal Caribbean veterans for his or her elegant choices and enjoyable ambiance. In truth, Radiance Class ships have the most effective adults-only Solarium areas throughout your complete fleet.
The place they sail: The Radiance Class ships are world vacationers, providing a lot of locations to go to. Brilliance of the Seas spends her winters in Tampa with quick sailings to the Caribbean, together with cruises from Boston and Miami.
You possibly can 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 gives some actually attention-grabbing 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 areas round, as a result of they will match nearly anyplace.
Just like the Radiance Class, Imaginative and prescient Class ships nonetheless provide loads to do onboard and have facilities reminiscent of a mountaineering wall, nice pool deck, poolside film display, specialty eating and a grand Atrium space.
The lounges on these ships are equally spectacular, and lots of repeat cruisers love the nice and cozy and considerate employees onboard these ships.
The place they sail: Imaginative and prescient of the Seas gives cruises within the winter from Fort Lauderdale, and Barcelona in the summertime.
Rhapsody of the Seas calls Tampa and Venice/Ravenna, Italy dwelling, 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) gives cruises from Tampa to the Caribbean.
Grandeur of the Seas sails from Port Everglades and gives 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 secret’s to grasp what the ship gives and what it doesn’t provide, after which weigh that in opposition to how a lot it’s going to value you.
Some essential issues it is best to have a look at in any ship is what it gives in:
- Children Programming
- Signature actions (waterslides, Broadway reveals, thrill points of interest, open areas, et al)
- The place it’s crusing
If you would 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 superb time is lounging by the pool and exploring the ports of name you go to, then any dimension ship will probably be high-quality.
The essential factor to recollect is to determine if the ship you’re looking at has a FlowRider, explicit specialty restaurant or one thing else essential to you onboard the ship.
The most effective ship is dependent upon you
Selecting one of the best ship is quite a bit like choosing out one of the best film or greatest restaurant: it’s a subjective alternative primarily based on quite a lot of elements that each particular person 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 gives onboard, and the place you’ll name dwelling throughout your trip.
Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships have 4 fundamental forms of staterooms: inside, oceanview, balcony and suite cabins. All these cruise cabins provide various quantity of dwelling area and luxuries, and the some ships have extra spectacular cabins than others.
In the end, 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 splendid lodging.
What you do onboard is what makes Royal Caribbean stand out, and you can see numerous signature actions, enjoyable issues to do and multitudes of eating decisions throughout an expansive format.
Every cruise ship is made up of a special mixture of onboard choices and during the last decade, Royal Caribbean has different these facilities significantly from ship to ship. So it behooves you to determine that are crucial and choose the suitable ship for you.
My suggestions for one of the best ships
If you happen to simply wish to know which ships I feel is likely to be greatest for sure folks, listed below are my high picks for greatest Royal Caribbean ships.
- Greatest ships for brand spanking new cruisers and households: Icon of the Seas, Surprise of the Seas or Utopia of the Seas
- Greatest ship if on a finances: Mariner of the Seas or Navigator of the Seas
- Greatest ship when you do not care about loopy actions: Brilliance of the Seas or Serenade of the Seas
- Greatest mixture of worth (worth for what you get): Freedom of the Seas or Mariner of the Seas
- Matt’s favourite ships: Icon of the Seas, Surprise of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas