The answer to which Royal Caribbean cruise ship is the biggest depends on when you check.
At the moment, the largest Royal Caribbean vessel (and largest cruise ship in the world) is the Icon of the Seas.
In 2024, Icon of the Seas beat out Wonder of the Seas as the largest ship, ushering in Royal Caribbean's New Icon Class.
She overtakes Wonder of the Seas in gross tonnage, passenger capacity, and length.
Read more: Royal Caribbean ships by size
As of right now, it's unlikely that any other cruise ship will surpass her until 2025.
In August 2025, Star of the Seas, the next Icon Class ship, will take her maiden voyage.
Only a few details have been released about Star of the Seas, and her size hasn't been confirmed.
However, Royal Caribbean has said that subsequent Icon Class ships will not be a foot bigger than Icon of the Seas.
In the meantime, Icon of the Seas takes the crown as the largest Royal Caribbean ship.
Icon of the Seas officially began passenger cruises in 2024.
At maximum occupancy, she carries 7,600 guest passengers and 2,350 crew members, equalling a total occupancy of nearly 10,00 people.
That's the population of a small town, all gathered on one cruise ship.
She is 20 decks high, 250,800 gross tons, and 1,198 feet long.
If Icon of the Seas were stood up on one end, it would be taller than the Chrysler Building in New York City and the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas!
Read more: Icon of the Seas size comparison
The 20-deck ship has seven pools, eight distinct neighborhoods, and six waterslides that make up an entire water park.
Despite surpassing Wonder's size, Icon of the Seas actually has fewer cabins than the Oasis Class ship.
Icon only has 2,805 cabins compared to Wonder's 2,867.
Royal Caribbean intentionally built its new ship this way to accommodate more families onboard in larger cabins that fit three or four passengers.
Here's some more data pitting Icon of the Seas vs. Wonder of the Seas:
Gross tonnage
- Icon of the Seas: 250,800
- Wonder of the Seas: 236,857
Length
- Icon of the Seas: 1,198
- Wonder of the Seas: 1,188
Total decks
- Icon of the Seas: 20
- Wonder of the Seas: 18
Maximum passengers
- Icon of the Seas: 7,600
- Wonder of the Seas: 6,988
Crew capacity
- Icon of the Seas: 2,350
- Wonder of the Seas: 1,551
Big or small ship?
There are pros and cons to going on a big cruise ship.
In general, the bigger the ship, the more space the cruise line has to add things to do while you are onboard.
Space is always at a premium on a cruise ship, so if a ship is bigger, it has more room to offer more activities.
Smaller cruise ships don't have nearly as many whiz-bang amenities, and for some people, this matters more than for others.
Read more: What’s the difference between a large and small cruise ship?
Royal Caribbean has a reputation for building innovative and large ships, and many of the smallest ships in the fleet would still be considered large if they suddenly became part of another cruise line.
Why cruise ships are getting bigger
The trend in the cruise industry is to build bigger ships, so typically the smaller ships are also the older ships.
There are a lot of great things about older ships. They come at a better value, with more unique itineraries, and a more intimate, close-knit atmosphere onboard.
Newer ships, which are typically larger, offer the latest and greatest, the most hyped activities and innovative amenities.
Every cruiser is different, so everyone feels differently about the importance of the age of your ship.
Read more: 12 differences between the big and small Royal Caribbean cruise ships
So why are cruise lines building bigger ships?
Economy of Scale
The other aspect of making money is cost control and economies of scale make these bigger ships more profitable.
Whether 1,000 or 5,000 passengers are onboard, there are common expenses such as wages for the captain, cruise director, chief engineer, and other staff that must be paid.
Spreading these costs out over more passengers enhances profitability for the cruise line.
What does this mean to the bottom line?
According to Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group CEO, “newer, larger ships can break even on cash flow at around 35% capacity while older, smaller ships are closer to 50%." This makes a significant difference.
Despite these new ships having a price tag of over $1 billion, they have proven to be more cost-effective as building one large ship is more feasible than building two smaller ones.
Once a cruise ship covers its costs, it can focus on additional revenue sources, the icing on the cake.
Read more: I went on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship and saw why the surging hype is real
Marketing
A key aspect of a successful marketing strategy is a great product, and bigger cruise ships are just that.
These floating cities have tons of amazing amenities, especially for those guests who want to try the latest and greatest things.
With kids' areas, lounges, adult-only only sun decks, and world-class dining options, larger ships appeal to a broad target market. Whether it be families, solo travelers, honeymooners, or retirees, there is something for everyone.
New cruise ships create lots of buzz.
With each new ship being bigger than the last, anticipation is heightened. Facebook groups monitor the construction progress posting pictures and providing updates on sea trials.
Travel agents and media provide reviews and YouTube videos with all the new details, to excite would-be passengers and drive sales with good publicity.
Great amenities and activities
New ships like the Icon of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas have all the newest bells and whistles, with the flexibility to operate in different regions such as the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia.
Odyssey of the Seas with its 17 different restaurants and a variety of bars and lounges means that cruisers will not be short on great food and drink options. New onboard activities like a skydiving simulator, virtual reality bungee experience, and the SeaPlex activity interior all keep kids and parents busy.
Guests can also rent casitas for an additional fee, so no worries about getting a great spot on the sundeck on busy sea days.
Wonder of the Seas features some brand-new design elements such as a designated suite neighborhood with more suite-only amenities.
In addition, the ship has a redesigned pool deck experience and a new kids' playscape. These new features on the fleet’s biggest ship will no doubt be a big draw for consumers.
Revenue
The purpose of these bigger ships is to make more money. A big part of this equation is to increase revenues, especially as it relates to the amount of onboard spending.
Gambling at the casino, specialty dining restaurants, spas, and drink packages among other additional fee-based activities are all geared toward this.
With the exception of Utopia of the Seas, which begins sailing in July 2024 and will offer 3 and 4 day cruises, cruise lines are putting their newest ships on 7-day sailings, giving cruisers more to do and more time to spend.
Older ships are more frequently sailing on 3-4 day cruises.
For a 7-day cruise, Royal Caribbean makes an average of $300 per person after deducting expenses.
Passengers spending an extra couple hundred dollars on a drink or photo package, a massage, or playing blackjack, all help to improve margins, a significant impact on the cruise line's bottom line.
Suites
Larger ships mean more space. The development of a suite-only exclusive area is another revenue management strategy.
Icon of the Seas has an innovative layout with a dedicated suites-only neighborhood.
The exclusive neighborhood has upscale amenities for guests who are willing to pay for them, such as a private two-story sundeck, and an exclusive restaurant, the Grove.
Suite guests also have access to the Coastal Kitchen dining room, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Suites are a huge source of revenue for the cruise line as they can cost tens of thousands of dollars more than a standard balcony or interior stateroom.
For example, a 7-day 2025 Eastern Caribbean cruise on Icon of the Seas costs $2,185 per person in an interior cabin.
However, a one-bedroom Owner's Suite with Sky Class amenities is priced at $12,504 per person.
That's over 5 times the prices for just about double the space!
Even at this growing premium pricing, the demand for suites continues to grow.
