If and when Royal Caribbean orders a new cruise ship to be built, it probably won't be ready until 2028 or later.

New cruise ships are just about the most exciting thing in the cruise industry because of all the excitement and hype they generate. It's akin to your favorite sports team signing the next big thing to play for them.

Naturally, there's a lot of intrigue surrounding new ships and Wall Street is equally interested to hear about new ship order plans as much as cruise fans.

During the Royal Caribbean Group earnings call on Tuesday, cruise line executives were asked if they were effectively done with any new ships showing up before 2028.

Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty thought about the question and said he believes all the ships that could be ordered in time for 2027 are probably done, and maybe even into 2028.

"I think for the most part, you certainly have seen all of our orders through 27 and maybe even into 2028," he said in response to the question.

He danced around the question a bit, as he wanted to emphasize the company was focused on slowly growing its fleet, and not seeking any kind of rapid building program.

"I will say that we heavily subscribed to moderate yield growth, moderate capacity growth, and good cost control."

"So on that moderate capacity growth standpoint, we continue to to look to moderately grow our fleet, moderately grow each of our brands."

A new smaller cruise ship

While the question covers every brand within the Royal Caribbean Group family, cruisers may be aware of Royal Caribbean International's not-so-well-kept secret of plans to build a new smaller cruise ship.

Referred to as the Discovery Class, it's a proposed plan to replace Royal Caribbean's aging smaller ships: the Radiance and Vision Class.

With the Vision Class ships approaching 30 years old in age, not only is the timing ripe, but the ships have a notable gap in experience between them and the newer ships that have launched in the last few years.

Officially, nothing has been confirmed or revealed regarding the Discovery Class ships. However, there have been subtle hints.

As recently as August 2024, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about them.

He indicated a new ship class was coming in the next three to four years, and was perhaps the most candid about the idea so far.

"We’re working now on another class of ship called Discovery Class. So, that’s going to be super exciting. That’ll come in about another 3 to 4 years from now," he said in an interview.

Doing the math on that quote, three to four years from now is 2027-2028, which is right around the time period Mr. Liberty indicated could be the new timeframe for a future ship order.

What ships Royal Caribbean has on order right now

There are a number of new cruise ships confirmed and ordered to come out in the next few years.

Star of the Seas is under construction in Finland, and will begin sailing in August 2025.

Star is the second Icon Class cruise ship, and will follow-up on the tremendous success of Icon of the Seas. It will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida and offer 7-night Caribbean cruises.

In 2026, a third Icon Class cruise ship will join the fleet.

There's no name yet for this ship, and we know virtually nothing about it yet. Royal Caribbean's tendency is not to talk about new ships beyond the next new cruise ship.

A fourth Icon Class cruise ship will launch sometime in 2027.

After that, we'll get a new Oasis Class ship in 2028.

Royal Caribbean also has options to build a fifth and sixth Icon Class ship. 

Options are like reserved slots at a shipyard, which means a cruise line can activate that option later and still get the ship in the construction pipeline.

The next new Royal Caribbean ship class could be here in the next few years.

A new smaller ship class could be built within the next three to four years, according to Royal Caribbean International’s CEO and President, Michael Bayley. This new ship class with smaller ships has been dubbed “Project Discovery.”

In a collaborative interview posted on Instagram between Royal Caribbean International, Michael Bayley, and Devon Rodriguez, Bayley talks about the upcoming plans for the Discovery Class. The interview was filmed onboard Utopia of the Seas, which is Royal Caribbean’s newest ship that just debuted last month.

During the casual interview, artist Devon Rodriguez draws a portrait of Bayley while asking questions about the cruise line’s exciting upcoming plans. Rodriguez asks Bayley, “What opportunities are you most excited about for Royal Caribbean in the coming years?”

Bayley responds by reflecting on how far Royal Caribbean has come this year with its newly-built mega ships before discussing the future of the brand. First, Bayley discussed how Icon of the Seas, which was launched in January 2024, is the most successful new ship that Royal Caribbean has ever launched.

However, Bayley continues to discuss Royal Caribbean’s future plans for new ship classes, hinting at the new Discovery Class.

“We’re working now on another class of ship called Discovery Class. So, that’s going to be super exciting. That’ll come in about another 3 to 4 years from now,” states Bayley in the interview.

Little details have been revealed about Royal Caribbean’s “Project Discovery”, although the cruise line has been slowly discussing the new ship class more frequently. Rumors have been circling for years about Royal Caribbean’s upcoming plans to build new ships of smaller size. However, the cruise line has not confirmed many details about Project Discovery.

If Royal Caribbean continues its naming trend, the first vessel from Discovery Class could be named Discovery of the Seas. Similarly, the Icon Class was named before the flagship vessel, Icon of the Seas, was announced.

In fact, President and Chief Executive Officer for Royal Caribbean Group, Jason Liberty, commented on the cruise line’s aging fleet and the need for new, smaller ships. As the oldest and smallest ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet continue to age, there is an increased need for replacement vessels in the coming years.

During the earnings call, Liberty stated, "We have ships that are reaching 30-35 years [old]. This is not just about what we want to build, it's also [about] replacing ships that will eventually reach their end of life.”

Building smaller ships will become necessary for Royal Caribbean, as the cruise line’s largest vessels are limited for itineraries due to port restrictions. Liberty also mentioned during the earnings call how smaller vessels allow passengers to visit unique destinations, which is a priority for Royal Caribbean.

Moreover, Bayley also commented on Project Discovery earlier this year on Facebook. One cruiser, Thomas Budzyn, commented to Bayley on a Facebook post. He asked Bayley about the prospect of Royal Caribbean building smaller ships that could reach more ports, noting that long-time Royal Caribbean guests find itineraries to Perfect Day at CocoCay to be repetitive.

Bayley responded, “The Royal team is working on a new class and I hope if all the needed hurdles are tackled, we can announce something this year.”

Earlier this year, Bayley also commented to the press about the conceptualization of a new ship class. “From a brand perspective, we recognize we've got two classes of ships, Radiance and Vision, that are doing phenomenal. They're beautiful ships, beautifully constructed.

“But... they're getting older. So we're obviously concepting thoughts and ideas on how we would ultimately replace those ships with a new class of ships,” concluded Bayley.

Although comments about the Discovery Class have been made throughout 2024, Bayley hinted at the new ship class last summer as well. While sailing on Allure of the Seas in 2023 for the President’s Cruise, Bayley was asked about Royal Caribbean’s plans for building smaller ships.

Bayley answered, “It is something that's certainly deeply in our consideration and our planning at the moment that we have a lot of conceptual work going on. I think when we're ready we can we can announce steps that will take to do just that.”

Royal Caribbean’s smallest ships in the Vision and Radiance Class were all built 20 to 30 years ago. The Vision Class has vessels around 73,000 gross tons, with the capacity to hold around 2,400 guests. Grandeur of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship at 28-years-old, being built in 1996.

The Radiance Class encompasses ships of slightly larger size, measuring around 90,000 gross tons. These ships can hold similar amount of passengers as the Vision Class, with around 2,400 passengers at maximum capacity.

Royal Caribbean is known for launching mega cruise ships, but it wants to expand new classes into a different market.

While record-breaking mega ships are becoming the norm for the cruise line, larger ships are limited to certain ports. Some ports can't accommodate larger ships due to size restrictions.

Vessels in the Icon, Oasis, and Quantum Class are often prevented from visiting certain ports and must send tender boats out to dock.

Given these limitations, Royal Caribbean wants to expand into the smaller ship market.

On the second quarter earnings call this week, Jason Liberty, President and Chief Executive Officer for Royal Caribbean Group, talked about plans for new ships, specifically saying they have to replace their aging fleet.

The next class of smaller cruise ships will replace previous classes, reaching new ports and upgrading the small ship experience.

The next class of small ships will replace aging vessels

Even as it builds astounding, entertainment-packed mega ships, Royal Caribbean is mindful that its smaller vessels are becoming outdated.

"We have ships that are reaching 30-35 years [old]," Jason Liberty said.

"This is not just about what we want to build, it's also [about] replacing ships that will eventually reach their end of life."

Royal Caribbean hasn't launched a smaller ship since 2004, when Jewel of the Seas (a Radiance Class vessel) took her maiden voyage.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Captain talks about new smaller cruise ship plans

Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's oldest vessel, was launched back in 1996. 

Since the early 2000s, Royal Caribbean has made a name for itself with record-breaking ships like the Oasis and Freedom Class. 

Although many of its smaller vessels have been revitalized in the last few years, they still lack the overall technology and stateroom categories the cruise line has developed more recently.

Cruisers have criticized ships like Grandeur of the Seas for their aged, broken-down quality. 

Some complain that the cabins feel dated, with more adventurous cruisers missing exciting amenities like waterslides or surf simulators.

In general, cruise ships begin to age out after 30 years in service, so many of the ships launched before 2000 are reaching the end of their life.

Read more: Royal Caribbean ships by age — Newest to Oldest

"We're looking at smaller ships that will replace some of those older ships," Liberty said, touching on the cruise line's next project.

He called the business of designing new ships a long-term business.

"In the cruise ship business, you're always thinking longer term, in growth and [new ship] orders, but also your environmental footprint."

Creating new classes takes more than a few years. The Icon Class, for example, was seven years in the making. 

Read more: How long does it take to build a cruise ship?

Royal Caribbean's goal is to be disciplined with its path of growth, thinking long-term, and taking on new ship orders with care.

Small vessels can visit more ports, expanding Royal Caribbean's global reach 

During the earnings call, an investor asked if building smaller vessels would allow Royal Caribbean to reach new markets.

Since smaller ships can enter more ports, this is the case.

However, Jason Liberty explained that it's "less about the sourcing market, it's more about where the ships can go."

In other words, smaller ships at new ports don't necessarily attract cruisers who live near those ports but rather appeal to cruisers who want to go to new destinations.

It's less about where the cruisers come from, and more about where they want to go: "It's about getting them into some of the more unique destinations."

Research has shown that cruisers want to stay with the Royal Caribbean brand while traveling to new destinations. 

The cruise line wants to further diversify its footprint around the world.

Read more: Does it matter how old your cruise ship is?

Royal Caribbean currently sails itineraries to over 270 destinations in 60+ countries, across six continents.

The goal with smaller vessels is to continue to spread out where guests can travel.

According to Liberty, Royal Caribbean wants to stay flexible in delivering the itineraries guests are looking to sail, as well as generating global demand for cruises. 

What we know about Project Discovery

Little has been revealed about "Project Discovery."

Royal Caribbean's next class of smaller vessels could be called the Discovery Class, similar to Project Icon, which named its class and first name directly.

The first ship in the class could be named Discovery of the Seas.

Read more: Royal Caribbean CEO: New smaller cruise ship could be announced in 2024

The public is still waiting for details to be finalized for the cruise line to formally announce its plans. 

However, Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean President and CEO, has hinted that more information could be released sometime in 2024.

He also implied that the next iteration of the Ultimate World Cruise could be held on these new vessels.

While on the 2024 President's Cruise, Bayley remarked that the line wants to offer more outside cabin categories on its next World Cruise, while also keeping the capability to travel to unique ports.

The Discovery Class could satisfy this need, featuring upgraded oceanview and balcony cabins in a smaller frame.

The Captain of Radiance of the Seas commented that the new class of ship would be around the size of the Radiance Class, which has the capacity for around 2,500-2,700 passengers.

Read more: Royal Caribbean: Building a new smaller cruise ship is "deeply in our consideration"

The Radiance Class is the line's next-to-smallest class, averaging 962 feet long and 90,090 gross tons.

Jewel of the Seas was the last Radiance Class ship to be released, launched in May of 2004.

Over 20 years later, we could have a new ship to replace her.

Royal Caribbean isn't done building Oasis Class cruise ships.

On Thursday, its parent company announced that an order has been placed for a seventh Oasis Class ship from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique  shipyard.

Delivery of the new ship is expected in 2028.

Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty celebrated the new order in a statement, "While we eagerly anticipate the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas this summer, we’re already dreaming up her sister ship and the next installation in the brand’s extremely popular Oasis Class."

"Across our three brands, we are focused on continuously challenging ourselves to deliver the ultimate vacation experience."

This order is contingent upon financing, which is expected to be completed later this year.

The unnamed Oasis Class ship will follow Utopia of the Seas, which debuts later this summer.

Continuing the legacy

The new order is a bit of a surprise, given that it seemed like Utopia of the Seas was going to be the last in the Oasis Class.

Royal Caribbean ordered its sixth Oasis Class ship in 2019, and then with three Icon Class ships on order (and maybe a new class of ship coming too), it seemed like the Oasis Class was done.

Of course, the Oasis Class ships have been not just a game-changer in the cruise industry, but one of the primary standards that all other new cruise ships are measured against.

Ever since Oasis of the Seas debuted in 2009, these cruise ships have been the incredibly popular with the public.  Their size captures the imagination, and the experience onboard delivers great family vacations.

At an event in 2022, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked about how popular the Oasis Class ships have been, "When the first Oasis class ship came out 12 years ago, from the moment it sailed, it has been an absolute huge success. I mean, these these ships deliver from every single dimension."

"And the most important dimension is customer satisfaction. And the ratings that these ships get with the scale that we have is is unbelievable. People love sailing on these ships."

He believes the key to success has been a winning formula that is integral to this ship class, "It's just the breadth and depth, the neighborhoods, the ability to have for a family to come and engage and have fun across all of these different dimensions, but then come together for the evening for a great dinner, and then maybe go out and do all their different things on their own. It really is a winning formula and it's it's just it proves itself time and time again."

Royal Caribbean's future fleet

This new Oasis Class ship is far from the only new cruise ships Royal Caribbean has on order.

Utopia of the Seas enters service on July 22, 2024 and will offer short cruises, the first time an Oasis Class ship will start cruising with just weekend sailings.  It's part of a new strategy by Royal Caribbean to target first-time cruisers and families.

Read more: Royal Caribbean's plan to dominate short cruises

Then there's two more Icon Class ships coming out in the next two years. 

Star of the Seas debuts in August 2025 and will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida to destinations in the Caribbean. An unnamed third Icon Class ship will start cruising sometime in 2026.

Royal Caribbean also has not-so-secretive plans for a new class of cruise ship, which is smaller than the Oasis or Icon Class ships. 

Referred to as the Discovery Class, these ships are reportedly going to be somewhat smaller, so it can replace the aging Vision and Radiance Class ships. Details are scarce, so it's still a guessing game what to expect.  No orders have been placed for the Discovery Class ships.

Although Royal Caribbean is known for building the largest cruise ships in the world, a brand-new class of smaller ships is on the horizon. 

Little has been revealed about "Project Discovery," so it is unsure of what consumers can expect. If, however, it's similar to Project Icon, then we can hypothesize that the first ship in the class will be named Discovery of the Seas. 

According to Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO, the cruise line acknowledges that the majority of their smallest ships are aging. 

He has also alluded to the fact that the Royal Caribbean team has been working on a new ship class. Details, however, need to be finalized before anything can be formally announced. Hopefully, we will get more information sometime in 2024. 

Mega ships, like Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, have become a norm in the cruise industry. The downside, however, is that they cannot visit some ports due to size restrictions. 

We'll update this page as more information is divulged. 

Royal Caribbean's CEO has been hinting since July 2023

(Photo credit to Jon Evans)

While aboard Allure of the Seas, Bayley was asked if Royal was going to build smaller ships, to which he responded, “It is something that's certainly deeply in our consideration and our planning at the moment that we have a lot of conceptual work going on."

"I think when we're ready we can we can announce steps that will take to to do just that.”

The idea of a new ship class was confirmed again in 2024 via Facebook when Bayley responded to a comment posted by Thomas Budzyn: 

"Mr Bayley, you said years ago that Royal Caribbean was going to come out with smaller ships to get to smaller ports that people want, but the ships get larger and larger - and it’s repetitive for CocoCay."

"It’s time to listen to guests who have stayed loyal for over 30 years. People want different ports”

Bayley responded that the team had begun working on a new class and "...if all the needed hurdles are tackled, [they] can announce something this year. It is a journey. Don’t forget, Serenade just sailed on the Ultimate World [Cruise] with 274 days of global adventures! Lots of new ports.”

While speaking to the press on Icon of the Seas in January 2024, Mr. Bayley once again confirmed there's work being done on a new class, "from a brand perspective, we recognize we've got two classes of ships, Radiance and Vision, that are doing phenomenal. They're beautiful ships, beautifully constructed. "

"But... they're getting older. So we're obviously concepting thoughts and ideas on how we would ultimately replace those ships with a new class of ships."

How big could the new ships be?

Again, while nothing is confirmed, in May 2023, Radiance of the Seas' Captain commented that Royal Caribbean was planning on building a new ship around the size of Radiance Class vessels. 

While not the smallest ships in the fleet, they're certainly not the largest either, measuring around 90,000 gross registered tons (GRT). On the other hand, Icon of the Seas comes in at a whopping 250,800 GRT!

These ships can visit more unique destinations, as is being proved by the cruise line's first-ever world cruise onboard Serenade of the Seas, a Radiance Class vessel that launched in 203. 

Read more: See how Royal Caribbean ships stack up by size (2024)

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider alluded to the fact this new ship would be relatively smaller, "I'm careful to say small, but a less than large size class of ship."

The addition of a smaller ship could mean new itineraries 

In recent years, Royal Caribbean has been focusing on Perfect Day at CocoCay, their private island in The Bahamas. 

In fact, they reduced the number of ships that will be deployed to Europe in 2025, so more can be based out of North America and sail to The Bahamas/Caribbean. 

Only six ships will be in Europe during the summer of 2025, which is roughly a 33% decrease in the number of ships in Europe compared to 2023. 

Moreover, they've also begun sending larger ships to the region, which results in repetitive itineraries since they are limited in where they can visit.

Not only would a brand-new ship class appeal to many, but since it's going to be on the smaller end, there is a chance that it could offer sailings outside of North America. 

Mr. Schneider described the need for ships that can get into certain ports in January 2024, "the reality is families want to go on vacation, not just in the Western and Eastern Caribbean or in the classic Mediterranean where a ship like Icon can get into. They want to continue to stay with our brand and journey to different destinations that require more versatility and the ship size."

Currently, Royal Caribbean only has three ships on order

Unfortunately, if there's a smaller ship class in the works, an order hasn't been placed as of yet. 

The only ships on order are Utopia of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and the third Icon Class vessel set to launch in 2026. 

Before Royal Caribbean can announce anything or place an order, it needs to be approved internally.

Mr. Bayley said, "It has to go through the corporate machine and it has to go obviously to the board and it has to go through a process. But we're quite actively working on trying to figure out what that would be."

Rumors about a new ship class have been circulating for years

While onboard Royal Caribbean ships, many passengers have reported hearing rumors from crew members that the cruise line was supposedly planning on a new ship class with smaller vessels.

The name of the rumored class was Project Discovery, with the class itself potentially being dubbed the "Discovery Class." 

There’s a new update on the rumored smaller new Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

A new class of smaller Royal Caribbean cruise ships could be announced within the next year, according to a recent comment made by the cruise line’s President and CEO Michael Bayley.

Although Royal Caribbean is known for building the biggest cruise ships in the world, many loyal cruisers have been wondering about the possibility of a new ship class that could feature smaller vessels. Rumors have been circulating for years that Royal Caribbean might have plans to build a new cruise ship, although this has never been directly confirmed.

On Facebook, Royal Caribbean CEO and President Michael Bayley responded to one cruiser’s inquiry about the possibility of building new smaller cruise ships. In an exchange on Facebook, Bayley suggests the company is currently working on a new ship class with smaller vessels that could be announced this year - but details still need to be finalized.

In a comment to Bayley on Facebook, Thomas Budzyn writes, “Mr Bayley, you said years ago that Royal Caribbean was going to come out with smaller ships to get to smaller ports that people want, but the ships get larger and larger - and it’s repetitive for CocoCay. It’s time to listen to guests who have stayed loyal for over 30 years. People want different ports”

In response, Bayley commented, “The Royal team is working on a new class and I hope if all the needed hurdles are tackled, we can announce something this year. It is a journey. Don’t forget, Serenade just sailed on the Ultimate World [Cruise] with 274 days of global adventures! Lots of new ports.”

The comment from Bayley comes just a few weeks before Royal Caribbean launches the brand-new Icon of the Seas, which is the biggest cruise ship in the world. The massive cruise ship can hold upwards of 10,000 people onboard, including crew members. Later in the year, Utopia of the Seas will launch as the newest Oasis-class ship and will be followed by Star of the Seas in 2025, which is the next Icon-class ship.

As Royal Caribbean continues to build bigger ships than ever before, the comment from Bayley alludes to the cruise line making plans to build a new ship class that would feature smaller cruise ships.

While mega cruise ships are becoming the norm, these larger cruise ships are limited when it comes to visiting certain ports. Some ports simply cannot accommodate larger ships due to size restrictions. Therefore, the idea of a new and smaller cruise ship from Royal Caribbean is exciting, to say the least.

This isn’t the first time that Bayley has alluded to a new smaller ship class coming.

Photo credit to Jon Evans

While rumors have been circulating about a new ship class for a while, CEO and President Michael Bayley commented on the same topic over the summer. In July 2023, Bayley was sailing onboard Allure of the Seas for the President’s Cruise when he was asked about the possibility of a smaller Royal Caribbean ship being built. 

The audience member asked, “We are excited about Icon, but we were wondering the other ports where you can't have these large ships at, are you going to make other smaller ships?"

In response to the question, Bayley said, “It is something that's certainly deeply in our consideration and our planning at the moment that we have a lot of conceptual work going on. I think when we're ready we can we can announce steps that will take to to do just that.”

During the President’s cruise, Bayley shared how Royal Caribbean is a brand that focuses on innovation and growth. With this in mind, the cruise line is constantly looking at ways to expand their fleet and build revolutionary cruise ships. Bayley shared how the cruise line is essentially always in a state of growth with new ideas constantly being considered.

However, Bayley was clear that nothing was set in stone and he could not confirm the new ship class.  He clarified, "It's very much in the forefront of our minds. We understand that we need to think and act on this. But we're in no position to make any statements or comments about it for obvious reasons.”

At the time, Royal Caribbean’s official order sheet showed the cruise line ordered Utopia of the Seas and three Icon-class ships. Of these three, we know this includes Icon of the Seas and the recently-announced Star of the Seas, which will debut in 2025. The third vessel name has yet to be released for the Icon-class.

In the same conversation, Bayley acknowledged that most of Royal Caribbean’s smallest ships are starting to show their age.

Bayley said, ”We recognize that we have classes of ships now that are, you know, getting a little up there in the years," likely referring to the Vision class ships that are more than 20+ years old. Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship class is the Vision-class, which debuted in 1995. Grandeur of the Seas is the oldest vessel still sailing for Royal Caribbean. The ship is 27 years old and holds around 2,400 passengers.

The next smallest ship class for the cruise line is the Radiance-class, which is where you can usually find Royal Caribbean’s more interesting itineraries that feature smaller ports. These ships are around 90,000 gross tons while Vision-class ships are smaller at 70,000 gross tons.

In this way, Bayley’s most recent comment references Serenade of the Seas visiting new ports for the cruise line this year. Serenade of the Seas is a Radiance class ship currently sailing on the company’s first world cruise.

While the voyage is visiting plenty of new and exciting ports across Europe, South America and Asia, the cruise is not necessarily accessible to the everyday cruiser. Even with individual segments available to book, each itinerary is only offered with one available date. The cost to embark on Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise for the entire 274-day cruise was anywhere from $60,000 to more than $100,000 per person. 

Although the biggest ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet receive most of the hype and attention, smaller vessels still play an important role. Some cruisers prioritize sailing on more interesting itineraries to unique ports - and prefer smaller ships for this very reason. 

For instance, Royal Caribbean's upcoming deployment schedule shows fewer ships sailing to Europe in 2025 with more itineraries sailing to the cruise line's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. Instead, the cruise line announced that it would be sending bigger vessels to sail around Europe to maintain passenger capacity in the region. 

As mentioned earlier, larger vessels are restricted with their itineraries due to size issues with smaller ports. Because of this, there are fewer itineraries available to book in Europe for Royal Caribbean cruisers. Having a smaller, newer vessel would allow Royal Caribbean to offer cruises to more unique destinations.

While Bayley alludes to there being a real possibility of a new ship class coming for Royal Caribbean, rumors have been swirling for years.

Rumors about a new ship class have been floating around for years. Many Royal Caribbean passengers have heard rumors from crew members that Royal Caribbean was allegedly planning a new ship class with smaller vessels. The rumored name of the proposed class was called Project Discovery with a new class potentially being named the Discovery Class.

As recently as May 2023, Radiance of the Seas’ Captain made a comment that the cruise line was planning to build a new cruise ship called Discovery of the Seas that would be similar in size to Radiance-class vessels.

Although Royal Caribbean has never directly confirmed this rumor, it appears that the cruise line is certainly considering a new ship class with smaller vessels. With Bayley’s recent Facebook comments, Royal Caribbean fans can look forward to a potential announcement about a new, smaller Royal Caribbean ship in 2024.

While nothing has been officially announced by Royal Caribbean, the rumor of a new smaller cruise ship is still floating out there.

While sailing on Radiance of the Seas this week, Captain Marek Slaby spoke to guests in a question and answer session and talked about the long-standing rumor.

After speaking about the work being done to maintain Radiance of the Seas and a planned refurbishment, Captain Marek referenced a new class of smaller cruise ships.

The Radiance and Vision Class ships are the oldest in Royal Caribbean's fleet, and the fact they are passing 20 years in age, Captain Marek believes there's a need for replacements in the coming years.

"All of these ships are over 20 years of age, and the company realizes that they're not going to be around forever," he explained.

He believes in another five or six years, we'll start to get information on what is being called internally as the Discovery Class.

"There is definitely very advanced talks about when we will start building the class of ships that will be the medium size, anything between 3000 3500 guests, because both Vision and Radiance class are not going to last forever."

Nothing official yet

This isn't the first time we've heard someone within Royal Caribbean speak about a new smaller class of cruise ship.

No new cruise ship orders have been placed with any shipbuilder, so at this stage, it appears any plans are still in an early concept stage.

Over the past few years, there's been similar statements made about the Discovery Class or Project Discovery ships.

Earlier this summer, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley made his first public comments on it.

Speaking at the President's Cruise event on Allure of the Seas, Mr. Bayley saw a need in the future to replace older ships, "We recognize that we have classes of ships now that are, you know, getting a little up there in the years."

He did not mention the new ship class name as Captain Marek did, but he did acknowledge that the company is looking at the future.

"It is something that's certainly deeply in our consideration and our planning at the moment that we have a lot of conceptual work going on."

"I think when we're ready we can we can announce steps that will take to to do just that."

"The brand has always been in kind of growth mode and we've always been building and engineering and designing new classes of ships," Mr. Bayley explained.

He was also quick to point out nothing is official, "But we're in no position to make any statements or comments about it for obvious reasons."

A possible replacement for Royal Caribbean's oldest ships

If the Discovery Class rumors are true, it's likely to replace Royal Caribbean's oldest and smallest cruise ships.

The first Vision Class ship was launched in 1995 and can accommodate around 2400 - 2700 passengers. Depending on the ship, they range between 73,817 GT and 82,910 GT.

The Radiance Class can also handle around 2400 - 2700 passengers and are 90,090 GT.

Compare that to Wonder of the Seas, which is the largest cruise ship in the world today. Wonder of the Seas measures 1,188 feet in length and has a gross tonnage of 236,857 across 18 decks. 

Icon will measure 20 decks high, 1,198 feet long, and 250,800 gross tons, making her 6% larger than Wonder. 

Both ships dwarf the Vision or Radiance Class ships.

The most notable difference that keeps these small ships valuable is the fact they can fit into ports that bigger ships cannot.

Ports such as Tampa and Baltimore are places only the smallest ships can access because of low bridges blocking access to the harbor to larger vessels.

One of the most intriguing questions out there is if Royal Caribbean will ever build a smaller cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean is known for its big ships, and the line has steadily been building bigger and bigger cruise ships over the last two decades.

While the new massive ships certainly garner a lot of attention because of how big they are, there is still a role that smaller cruise ships can play.

Speaking at the the President's Cruise event on Allure of the Seas on Monday, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley answered a question from the audience regarding a smaller ship.

Haley Evans from Living Adventures Travel Agency, shared a video clip of Mr. Bayley being asked about a smaller ship.

"We are excited about Icon, but we were wondering the other ports where you can't have these large ships at, are you going to make other smaller ships."

Mr. Bayley was quick to admit that the smaller vessels in the fleet are starting to show their age.

"We recognize that we have classes of ships now that are, you know, getting a little up there in the years," he responded.

While he didn't mention them, the Vision Class and Radiance Class cruise ships are the smallest of Royal Caribbean's ships and usually get sent to ports that can't handle big ships.

The first Vision Class ship was launched in 1995 and can accommodate around 2400 - 2700 passengers. Depending on the ship, they range between 73,817 GT and 82,910 GT.

The Radiance Class can also handle around 2400 - 2700 passengers and are 90,090 GT.

As for if Royal Caribbean had plans to replace these ships, or simply build new smaller ships, he was non-committal. 

"It is something that's certainly deeply in our consideration and our planning at the moment that we have a lot of conceptual work going on."

"I think when we're ready we can we can announce steps that will take to to do just that."

He went on to talk about the fact Royal Caribbean is always looking to the future, and new ideas are constantly being considered.

"The brand has always been in kind of growth mode and we've always been building and engineering and designing new classes of ships," Mr. Bayley explained.

He then was sure to say nothing is confirmed at this time, "It's very much in the forefront of our minds. We understand that we need to think and act on this."

"But we're in no position to make any statements or comments about it for obvious reasons."

Royal Caribbean's official order sheet only has the three Icon Class cruise ships and Utopia of the Seas ordered.  There are no other orders placed for Royal Caribbean International ships according to Royal Caribbean Group filings with the  U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Discovery Class rumor

Mr. Bayley's comments seem to indicate they are at the very least thinking about what the future may hold, but he certainly did not comment or allude to a long-running rumor for a new smaller ship.

For years, cruise ship passengers have heard from crew members on Royal Caribbean vessels refer to a new class of smaller ships, known as the Discovery Class or Project Discovery.

It's been a rumor circulating among cruise fans for years. As late as May 2023, the Captain of Radiance of the Seas said a new ship and class similar in size to the Radiance was being planned to be named Discovery of the Seas.

Whether or not these rumors come to fruition of not, the idea of a smaller ship coming in the near future is of great interest to cruise fans.

Royal Caribbean will launch two new cruise ships in 2024, and that might tempt you to book one of the first sailings.

Icon of the Seas will launch in January 2024 and offer 7-night Caribbean cruises. Icon is the first in the Icon Class of ships, and she's being set up as a game changer within the cruise industry.

At 250,800 tons, Icon will be the biggest cruise ship ever built, and will offer more activities on its pool deck than any other ship in history. A water park, sun decks, adults-only pool, sunset view pools and more are coming to Icon.

Not to be overshadowed, Utopia of the Seas will start sailing in July 2024 and while she is the sixth in the Oasis Class, she has a few innovations and new additions coming as well.

Utopia will be the first new Royal Caribbean cruise ship to start off with short 3- and 4-night cruises. 

Utopia will have a new tiki bar experience, new dining experiences, immersive dining, and an open deck filled with plenty of activities.

If these new ships sound incredible, you're not alone.  Lots of people are taking notice of what Royal Caribbean has in store and there is a sense of FOMO ("fear of missing out") circulating to experience these ships.

Should you book a cruise on a brand new Royal Caribbean ship, such as Icon or Utopia?

Depending on your flexibility and preferences, being on a new ship when it first starts sailing could be a really good or bad idea.

Why you should book a brand-new cruise ship

Being first is important to you

Among the cruise fan community, there's definitely a badge of honor to be first.

After years of hype and teases, cruise fans not only want to sail on new cruise ships, but want to beat their friends to seeing it first.

There's definite bragging rights to saying you were on a maiden voyage of a particular ship.  In the same way someone might wax poetically about having been to a concert of famous band, cruisers love to point out they were there when a new ship launched.

Certainly the first public sailing is more enticing for anyone that feels strongly about getting on a ship first.  Similar to how someone might want to see a movie on opening night, getting on a ship first means you can see everything before anyone else.  Less spoilers to contend with later, and a way to feel like "you were there".

After all, how great is it to be able to say, "I was on the maiden voyage"?

You love latest and greatest

Every new Royal Caribbean cruise ship introduces something new or different, and if you love innovation, a new ship might be for you.

Even though Utopia of the Seas is the last in the Oasis Class, she will still have new entertainment, and even a brand new innovative and immersive dining experience never before seen.

New ships are a look at what Royal Caribbean has been working on for years, and many of these offerings were secretive for months or years leading up to the ship's launch.

It's impressive to see new concepts that Royal Caribbean has, and in many cases, they re-define our expectations.  Some cruisers will go on a new ship and then look at older ships with contempt because they don't stack up to the new level of cruising set forth by a new ship.

You like a party

Without a doubt, a new cruise ship is a reason to celebrate and the first sailing of a new ship is a giant party.

When Royal Caribbean launches a new cruise ship, it's sort of like an iPhone launch or opening day of a baseball game.  There's a lot of excitement and pomp and circumstance surrounding the ship's launch.

You'll find nearly all of Royal Caribbean's top executives onboard to oversee and celebrate the launch.

Likewise, cruise fans that cruise the most flock to new ship launches because it's an opportunity to see friends.  Think high school reunion meets birthday party.

Royal Caribbean usually includes extra events on the first sailing of a new ship, along with swag.

The best crew members

When Royal Caribbean launches a new cruise ship, they look to bring in the top rated crew members to help get the ship going.

Any new cruise ship is a challenge to get up and running, because routines need to be set up and systems will need tweaking.

Some crew members relish this challenge, and it gets competitive among crew to get a transfer to a new ship.

Just like how guests like to point out they were there first, many crew members wear it as a badge of honor to help launch a ship.

Because these crew members are the best the cruise line has to offer, you get superior service onboard.

Port stops are a local event

When a brand new cruise ship pulls into a port of call, it's a celebration in and of itself.

Each port is a new stop for a ship on an inaugural cruise so often its arrival becomes a local event.  Sometimes it's a small ceremony, and other times there is a big party on the pier and guests are invited too.

It's kind of neat to see the party atmosphere surrounding a new ship spill over to the places you visit. 

There's no wear and tear

One of the most common concerns I hear from readers is if a particular ship feels old or dated, and there's no such concern with a new ship.

A new cruise ship has no wear and tear. Every aspect of the ship is still in never-been-used, pristine condition. 

Beds are new, decorations are contemporary, and menus reflect trends we are still seeing today.

Why you shouldn't book a brand-new cruise ship

You want everything ready and working for your cruise

New cruise ships aren't always totally complete when they launch.

The ship is functional and perfectly safe to sail on, but not every feature or offering may be ready for the first sailing.

There's a lot of pressure to get a new ship out and sailing on time, and sometimes there could be a venue or show not quite ready for the first sailing.  This is especially true today, as supply chain issues are still difficult to manage.

Most commonly, the full lineup of shows may not be ready for the first sailing.  In some cases, the shows may be performed, but only partially while the cast learns the full lineup.

As an example, Effectors wasn't ready for many months after Wonder of the Seas launched.

Oh, and the price for early sailings is the same whether or not everything is 100% or not.

If you'd be disappointed not to be able to experience every single feature promoted with a new ship because it's not ready yet, a new ship might be worth skipping.

You don't want to pay top dollar

Without a doubt, a cruise on a brand new ship will cost more than other ships.

You'll pay a premium for sailing on a new ship compared to older ships, and sometimes the price gap can be substantial.

Even prices for add-ons, like a drink package or cabana at Perfect Day at CocoCay, will cost more on a new ship.

In speaking with Wall Street analysts, Royal Caribbean has talked about how well Icon of the Seas is selling and at higher prices.

In short, you'll pay more for a cruise if you want to get on a new ship. Especially, if it's the first sailing.

You don't like big ships

New or not, if you are not a fan of big cruise ships, then you can probably skip Icon or Utopia too.

Royal Caribbean has steadily been building bigger ships, and some people prefer smaller ships.

There could be a delay

Something else to keep in mind with any new cruise ship is plans can change.

Cruise ship construction is well-thought out, but there's plenty of examples of new ship launches being pushed back.

While there's no reason to believe Icon or Utopia of the Seas will be delayed, we've seen ship launches delayed over the years. 

New cruise ships and destinations are coming to a Royal Caribbean cruise near you between now and 2025.

Change is continuous at Royal Caribbean, and the next few years are looking to be monumental for the cruise line, with brand new ships, private island expansions, and exciting itineraries.

From time to time, Royal Caribbean reveals its long term plans to give customers a glimpse of what is coming next. There are not usually a ton of details shared until Royal Caribbean is ready to pull back the curtain more, as the nature of cruise ship development is that some decisions are changed or purposefully left undecided until closer to launch.

Here is a project by project look at everything new and coming soon to Royal Caribbean.

Icon of the Seas

The next new cruise ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet will be Icon of the Seas, which is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. Icon of the Seas will be a game changer for the cruise industry and will be the biggest cruise ship in the world when she launches.

Icon of the Seas will be the first ship in Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class, and will be followed by two additional Icon Class ships. The ship will be powered by LNG (liquified natural gas) and include environmentally friendly applications that will reduce carbon footprint.

Related: Icon of the Seas: Itinerary, features, and more

The ship will be split into eight separate neighborhoods, each of which offers its own set of amenities, activities, and dining options:

• AquaDome, an indoor AquaTheater in a multipurpose space with wraparound ocean views and dining venues
• Central Park, an open-air park in the middle of the ship
• Chill Island, the ship’s pool deck, which features a swim-up bar, infinity edge pool, and an adults-only retreat named Cloud 17
• Thrill Island, home to the Category 6 waterpark and other adrenaline-filled activities
• Surfside, an outdoor neighborhood dedicated to young families, with a splash area, kid-friendly restaurants, a carousel, and an arcade
• The Hideaway, a neighborhood with a beach club atmosphere in the ship’s aft, which features a suspended infinity pool and bar
• Suite Neighborhood, an exclusive suites-only area with a sun deck, Coastal Kitchen restaurant, and casual Mediterranean restaurant
• Royal Promenade, an indoor thoroughfare with bars, lounges, dining venues, and shops 

The ship will have a maximum capacity of around 7,600 passengers and will be 250,800 gross tons in size. Icon of the Seas will be homeported in Miami with her first revenue sailing on January 27, 2024.

Utopia of the Seas

The sixth ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class has begun construction and is expected to launch in 2024.

Like Icon of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas will be powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas), the first Oasis Class ship to do so. By using LNG power and the addition of further environmentally friendly applications onboard, Utopia of the Seas will reduce emissions and boost its energy efficiency.

As Utopia of the Seas is an Oasis Class ship, she will likely share a similar layout to other Oasis Class ships, offering venues and amenities like the AquaTheater, Central Park, Ultimate Abyss, and more.

As Wonder of the Seas had quite a few differences compared to other Oasis Class ships, it’s unclear yet whether Utopia of the Seas will share these same features.

Related: Wonder of the Seas vs other Oasis Class ships

More cruise ships

While Royal Caribbean currently has orders in place for three Icon Class cruise ships and Utopia of the Seas, the coming years may see more orders placed for new cruise ships.

At an event for the delivery of the new Celebrity Beyond, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty said the company is considering ordering new ships for its three brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea.

No information has been shared on what these cruise ship orders will be, so it’s unknown whether the additional cruise ship orders will be for additional ships in Royal Caribbean’s existing ship classes or for a brand new ship class altogether.

The second Icon Class ship began construction in February 2023.

Hideaway Beach at Perfect Day at CocoCay

Hideaway Beach, an adults-only area of Perfect Day at CocoCay, is currently under construction and set to open in late 2023. The island’s capacity is predicted to increase by 3,000 guests following the completion of Hideaway Beach.

Related: Guide to Hideaway Beach adults-only beach at CocoCay

The beach is located to the west of the island’s pier, adjacent to CocoCay’s Thrill Waterpark. The western side of the island is still undeveloped aside from storage and housing for some crew members, so this is the first project to expand Perfect Day at CocoCay on that side of the island.

Royal Beach Club

Royal Caribbean's Royal Beach Club will open in Nassau in 2025. This 17-acre club will feature a private beach atmosphere with cabanas, beach bars, a food hall, and several pools.

Island-style barbecues, live music, and local artisans will be found at the beach club as well. Activities at the club will include snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, parasailing, inflatable water slides, and more.

Related: Royal Caribbean beach club in Nassau will open in 2025

The Royal Beach Club will not be a complimentary island stop for all passengers like Perfect Day at CocoCay. Instead, it can be expected that passengers will reserve the Royal Beach Club as a shore excursion for an additional fee.

Perfect Day at Lelepa

Despite delays due to the pandemic, plans are still underway for Royal Caribbean’s newest private destination, Perfect Day at Lelepa. The private destination will be located in the South Pacific country of Vanuatu on the small, uninhabited island of Lelepa.

While Perfect Day at CocoCay features amenities like waterslides and a wave pool, Perfect Day at Lelepa will provide a more tranquil, traditional beach day for visitors. In addition, it will be the world’s first private cruise destination to achieve carbon neutrality, and all energy consumed on the island will be generated from renewable resources.

Related: First look at Perfect Day at Lelepa

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley explained how Perfect Day at Lelepa will focus on showcasing the island’s natural beauty and diverse local culture.

“We believe our destinations should be sustainably designed. That idea goes beyond simply protecting the ecological features of Lelepa and includes showing respect for the people and traditions that make this a special place.”

Perfect Day at Lelepa will handle fewer passengers than Perfect Day at CocoCay. Approximately 3 million passengers visit CocoCay each year, whereas Perfect Day at Lelepa is estimated to accommodate around 800,000 visitors per year.

There is no set opening date for Perfect Day at Lelepa, although it is expected to open within the next few years.

Panama canal cruises

In 2021, Royal Caribbean began sailing from the port of Los Angeles for the first time in over ten years, with Navigator of the Seas offering cruises to the Mexican Riviera.

Royal Caribbean continued to expand its itinerary options by announcing itineraries that depart from either Colón, Panama or Cartagena, Colombia. The sailings will be 6 or 7-nights on Rhapsody of the Seas between December 2023 and April 2024.

One of the biggest advantages of these sailings is the opportunity to traverse the Panama Canal, which had usually only been reserved for Royal Caribbean’s longer repositioning cruises. Plus, the itineraries feature lesser-visited ports like Quepos and Puntarenas in Costa Rica and Cartagena in Colombia.

Royal Caribbean Blog is offering a Panama Canal group cruise from March 16-24, 2024 for those interested in sailing around the Southern Caribbean and Panama Canal.

Projects on hold or abandoned

The public is at the mercy of Royal Caribbean to give updates on projects, or for there to be statements made as a matter of public record, to get a sense of any progress.

Many projects were announced before 2020 that are at best on hold, or perhaps even canceled. These are projects and ideas Royal Caribbean announced at one time, but there has not been an update in quite some time.

The Royal Amplified program, which upgrades Oasis, Freedom, and Voyager Class ships, has been on hold since the start of the pandemic. Ships like Allure of the Seas, which was due for amplification in 2020, do not have any enhancements scheduled.

In addition, the Royal Beach Club in Antigua, which was originally supposed to be finished by 2021, appears to be on hold, and no information has been released about the project since 2020.

Likewise, there have not been any new updates on a Perfect Day makeover for Labadee.