Royal Caribbean Blog

It doesn't look like Royal Caribbean will offer all-inclusive prices for a cruise anytime soon.

Royal Caribbean cruise fares typically offer a modular approach to pricing, where the base fare gets you on the cruise with a certain subset of included amenities.  Everything else costs extra, including shore excursions, most drinks, gratuities, and more.

Other cruise lines have recently made a shift to include more in their cruise fare, such as Celebrity Cruises which includes a basic drink package and internet package with its All Included fare.

A travel agent sailing on a preview sailing of Icon of the Seas asked Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley if his cruise line would make a similar move, and Mr. Bayley balked at the suggestion.

Half of passengers don't want a drink package

It doesn't seem like Mr. Bayley sees a need to include a drink package as part of the cruise fare.

Celebrity's drink package is similar to Royal Caribbean's deluxe beverage package in the sense it includes many extra cost drinks, such as beers, cocktails, sodas, and more.

Read more: Royal Caribbean drink package guide

"Our strategy has always been the unbundling of pricing to give people as much choice as they possibly can," he explained in answering the question.

"Our research says that around about 50% of the guests don't want a beverage package."

The average cost of Royal Caribbean's top drink package is around $65 to $105 per person per day, depending on the sailing.

"We've learned that unbundling is much easier and better for the guest. It also gets the price point in front of the customer, especially for families. And remember family is our is our real core target market."

Royal Caribbean's commitment to being a family cruise line above all else is self-evident with the launch of Icon of the Seas, which it considers the best alternative to a family land vacation to a place like Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Icon of the Seas features more for families to than any other ship before, and not just kids. It's designed for every member of the family.

The ship has eight neighborhoods offering an entire waterpark onboard, FlowRider surf simulator, mini-golf, and rock climbing.

Chill Island has seven different pools, with plenty of chairs nearby to enjoy the sun or shade.

Surfside is an entire area of the ship designed for young families. Parents can enjoy the Water's Edge pool at the back of the ship, while their kids enjoy Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay. Surfside also has three restaurants, an arcade, carousel, and lots of things to climb.

Unbundling offers choices

Mr. Bayley's comments focused on how much customers prefer having the discretion to add-on certain extra charges, rather than paying more up-front for a cruise fare.

"When you unbundle everything, it gives people choice and it pushes the pricing closer to their budget, which is a really important thing for families," he continued. 

"We feel like the pricing strategy that we have on the bundling, unbundling is the right path to go."

Mr. Bayley's comments echo what travel agents have been told before.  In 2020, Royal Caribbean Director of Revenue Strategy, Brittany Briggs, had a similar response when her team was asked during a webinar about all-inclusive pricing.

"We're a multigenerational cruise line with a lot of family sailing with us, so we do want to continue to be a family brand. I don't think this direction is a good fit for us," Ms. Briggs said.

"At this time we're not considering changing our pricing structure as we are truly focusing our on board experience for all of our guests."

Star Class is the exception

Mr. Bayley was quick to point out that if you move to Star Class cabins, you'll get as close to all-inclusive as Royal Caribbean can get.

"Around 10% of our total inventory, it falls into the suite category overall. So I think we're in the right place."

Is Crown's Edge too expensive?

Speaking of things that cost extra on a Royal Caribbean cruise, Mr. Bayley also took time to address concerns that the Crown's Edge experience is too pricey.

Crown's Edge is part skywalk, part ropes course, part thrill ride, and an all-out test of courage.  It's a ropes course-style attraction that goes around the ship's Crown and Anchor logo.

The initial price for this thrill attraction was $89 per person for a ride that is listed at taking 90 seconds.

Photo by Vicki Freed

Mr. Bayley pushed back on calls for a lower price because of everything involved to make it happen, "when you experience that and you see what's involved in it, there's multiple staff interactions. There's a huge amount of safety involved in it. There's a video that records your whole experience that you then receive on your phone. There's a lot that comes with the experience."

He also added that pricing helps control demand in many cases for limited opportunity experiences, "sometimes pricing is to manage just the sheer volume of expectations."

When it comes to pricing, Mr. Bayley believes a higher price is acceptable if the product matches it, "we've also learned is that if you have a genuine quality product that ticks the box and delivers the goods to the customer, you'd be surprised at how the customer is willing to pay the price for that product."

"For example, with the overwater cabanas in Coco Cay. If you've experienced the overwater cabanas, it is literally like going to heaven for the day."

"It's not cheap, but people have the most remarkable experience and they're willing to pay for that... We feel like we're on the right track."

Ultimately, he is waiting for feedback from passengers on a revenue sailing, "as we go through the next several weeks, we'll get a lot of feedback from our revenue customers. They are going to tell us that this works or that doesn't."

If you read between the lines, it sounds like Royal Caribbean might have plans for an even bigger cruise ship to move to Galveston.

Royal Caribbean first deployed Allure of the Seas to Galveston in November 2022. Shortly thereafter, the second Oasis Class ship was replaced by Harmony of the Seas, and recently, Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International's President and CEO, hinted that the former largest cruise ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas, might be next. 

During a Q&A session with travel agents on Icon of the Seas, Bayley was asked if Royal would ever consider deploying an Icon Class ship to Galveston, as they've done "very well" with Allure and Harmony and want to show the company what they could do with an Icon Class vessel. 

To be clear, he did not announce or confirm anything.  However, he did allude to a possible future ship deployment. 

"It wasn't an accident that we built that 100 and whatever it was million dollar terminal in Galveston, Texas, which, by the way, is our highest-rated terminal experience in the world," he said. 

"And if you just, you know, if you just think forward a few more years, I WONDER what we're going to do next. I'm not giving away our strategy here because it's pretty simple, but if you can just use your imagination, you know, big things are coming." 

It was clear that when he said "Wonder," he was emphasizing the word to the audience, to which they responded in cheer!

As of now, Harmony of the Seas is available to book from Galveston through March 2026. No other deployments have been announced beyond that date.

Wonder of the Seas is unlike any of the previous five Oasis Class ships

While you'll still find Oasis Class favorites onboard, such as Central Park, the Boardwalk, a Flowrider, AquaTheater, and Riding Tide Bar, the ship is slightly different than her younger sisters. 

Truthfully, she — and Utopia of the Seas — can be thought of as "Oasis Plus" ships. While Wonder shares many of the same bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues as Oasis, Allure, Harmony, and Symphony of the Seas, significant enhancements were made to her design and layout.

First, the cruise line added a brand-new neighborhood, the Suite Neighborhood, which is only accessible to those staying in suites. It's where they will find the Coastal Kitchen restaurant and suite concierge, as well as the Suite Sun Deck that's complete with a private bar, plunge pool with in-pool lounges, and a variety of comfy seating options. 

Additionally, whereas on other Oasis Class ships, many Loft Suites face the Sports Court, this isn't the case on Wonder, as this area is occupied by the Suite Sun Deck. Instead, the majority of suites have an ocean view. 

Royal Caribbean also significantly increased the size of the Windjammer Marketplace onboard. It can be found on Deck 15 and is situated around the entire Boardwalk Neighborhood. 

Adults will also appreciate how the Solarium is completely closed and climate-controlled. However, it is important to note that, while most Oasis Class ships have two cantilevered hot tubs near the Solarium, there's only one on Wonder, as the space for the second was used for The Vue Bar. 

When it comes to the pool deck, it's much more colorful than those found onboard Allure, Harmony, and Symphony of the Seas. Wonder has a Caribbean-style pool deck, which means that you will find a Lime and Coconut Bar, private casitas, and even a brand-new large television that hangs over the Central Park Neighborhood. 

At the aft of the ship, guests will notice that there's only one FlowRider. The second one was replaced with the Wonder Playscape area, which is essentially an underwater-themed climbing playground for children. Moreover, the mini-golf course was moved and rethemed. 

Read more: Wonder of the Seas vs other Oasis Class ships

Galveston's brand-new terminal opened in late 2022

Terminal 3 cost Royal Caribbean $125 million and is the cruise line's dedication to the Galveston cruise market. 

In total, the building measures 161,300 and has numerous high-tech features, including mobile check-in and facial recognition to help expedite guest arrival. 

Moreover, it's a LEED-certified terminal (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), meaning that it is environmentally responsible and uses resources efficiently.

Read more: I cruised Royal Caribbean from Galveston for the first time. Here's what a cruise from Texas is like

While you can cruise from the popular port cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or Tampa, Galveston helps make cruising to those living in Texas, as well as nearby states, more accessible

Before this terminal opened, you couldn't find some of the world's largest ships in Texas. Now, however, cruising on Oasis (and, potentially, even Icon) Class ships is easier than ever, especially if you aren't located near Florida. 

There are some limitations. First, newer ships usually are not sent here. Allure, for instance, while a jam-packed Oasis Class ship, isn't brand-new and never underwent any sort of Royal Amplification. 

Harmony of the Seas, which replaced Allure in 2023, is the newest ship to sail from Galveston for Royal Caribbean to date. 

Second, since Galveston is located on the Gulf of Mexico, you won't find any Eastern Caribbean itineraries. Western Caribbean cruises tend to be more port-intensive, too. 

While Bayley didn't give any specifics regarding when we could see Wonder move to Texas, it's exciting to think one of the largest Oasis Class vessels could call Texas home! 

Over 7 years in the making, the world's largest cruise ship is only one day away from making its formal debut. 

Icon of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean's first new class of ship since Quantum of the Seas launched in 2014. 

Onboard, guests will find the largest waterpark and ice rink at sea, new neighborhoods to explore, the cruise line's first-ever food hall, and so much more. 

Whether you're counting down the days until your Icon cruise or cannot fathom stepping foot on a ship that size, there's no denying that the launch of Icon of the Seas is a major milestone in the cruising industry. 

Read more: First Look Inside the World's Biggest Cruise Marvel, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas

The debut of Icon of the Seas marks the first time that an Oasis Class ship hasn't held the title of "world's largest cruise ship" in over a decade 

Icon of the Seas measures an astonishing 250,800 gross registered tons and can carry a maximum of 7,600 passengers, making Icon roughly 6% larger than Wonder of the Seas. 

While Royal Caribbean carried Oasis Class' neighborhood concept to Icon, that's about all that is the same. 

Yes, some neighborhoods might be familiar (i.e., Central Park and Royal Promenade), but they were both redesigned and feature Icon Class exclusives, such as the cruise line's first-ever walk-up champagne bar, indulgent Empire Supper Club specialty restaurant, and the jaw-dropping Pearl, which will have you saying, "WOW," the second you walk onboard. 

Read more: Icon of the Seas Royal Promenade: What to expect

The AquaDome Neighborhood is home to an enclosed AquaTheater, as well as a food hall featuring five different food vendors where you can choose from options ranging from mac and cheese to handcrafted Mediterranean bowls. 

Whether you want to watch the ship pull into port or want clear views of the horizon while sipping on a cocktail, you will also find some of the best ocean views onboard here. 

Surfside was designed for families. It's where they can stay and play all day, especially since there's no need to head to the Windjammer for lunch. 

Instead, families can enjoy the complimentary Surfside Eatery buffet, grab some snacks at Surfside Bites, or splurge on an all-day brunch at Pier 7. Additionally, there's an aft pool, carousel, arcade, and kids splash zone. 

Adults looking for some alone time won't find a Solarium onboard. Instead, there's The Hideaway, which was designed to have a Las Vegas pool party vibe and features the first suspended infinity pool at sea, an expansive bar area, day beds, whirlpools, and lounge chairs. 

From the cruise line's first-ever swim-up bar to the largest pool at sea, infinity-edge Cove and Cloud 17 Pools, Chill Island is, undoubtedly, going to be the best pool deck at sea.

If relaxing isn't on your agenda, head to Thrill Island, where you will find the Category 6 water park, FlowRider surf simulator, and part skywalk, part ropes course, and part thrill ride Crown's Edge, which will take you 154 feet above the ocean. 

After the adrenaline rush, guests can order a snack at Basecamp or cool down with an over-the-top milkshake from Desserted. Adults, you can even order one that's spiked!

In short, there's so much to see and do on Icon that 7 nights likely will not be enough! 

Icon of the Seas will sail from Miami through at least April 2026

Icon of the Seas will offer 7-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Miami, Florida. 

Nearly every sailing will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in The Bahamas. The May 5, 2025 cruise will sail to Labadee, Haiti instead of CocoCay. 

Prior to arriving in Miami on January 10, the ship sailed to Cádiz, Spain and Ponce, Puerto Rico for some finishing touches. The crew also enjoyed a massive celebratory party at CocoCay. 

The inaugural cruise will depart on Saturday, January 27 and sail to Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis' Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Perfect Day At Cococay. This voyage will signify the ship's completion, as the ship will officially be ready for regular service.

At the time of writing, the lowest advertised fare on Royal Caribbean's website for a cruise onboard Icon in 2024 starts at $3,005 per person for an interior room for the March 23 sailing. 

Icon of the Seas offers 28 different stateroom categories to choose from, 14 of which are brand-new

Whether you're trying to pinch pennies and want to cruise in the most affordable cabin onboard or want to splurge on one of Icon's luxurious suites, you will surely find the perfect accommodation option for you and your travel party. 

In addition to the new stateroom designs, Royal Caribbean built Icon to cater to families, meaning that more than 82% of all cabins will accommodate three or more passengers. Plus, more than 70% of all staterooms onboard will feature balconies.

New rooms include the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony, Infinite Ocean View Balcony, Infinite Central Park View Balcony, Surfside Family View Balcony, Surfside Family View Interior, Interior Plus, Sunset Junior Suite, Surfside Family Suite, Sky Junior Suite, Infinite Grand Suite, Sunset Suite, Sunset Corner Suite, Icon Loft, and Ultimate Family Townhouse. 

All new suites, excluding the Sunset Junior Suite, are part of the Royal Suite Class' Sky or Star Tier, meaning that they come with all-day access to Coastal Kitchen and The Grove Suite Sun Deck. 

The Ultimate Family Townhouse is Royal Caribbean's most expensive cruise ship suite. It's not uncommon to find rates around $80,000 to $100,000 for a family of four. The 1,772-square-foot suite is comprised of three stories and has a private "backyard" that leads directly to Surfside. 

Read more: Guide to Icon of the Seas cabins and suites

There are more dining venues onboard Icon of the Seas than any other ship in the fleet

There's no shortage of both complimentary and specialty dining options for guests to enjoy onboard Icon. To avoid any surprises when you get on the ship, however, it is important that you understand what is and isn't included. 

It is fully possible to cruise on Icon without spending anything extra on food. You will have plenty of diversity, which is something older Royal Caribbean ships usually struggle with. 

Of course, there are some specialty restaurants that you might have your heart on splurging on, as food is one of the most important aspects of any cruise vacation!

Read more: What's included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare

Complimentary restaurants

You'll find 14 complimentary dining venues onboard Icon of the Seas, including Sprinkles and the two suite-only restaurants:

• Surfside Bites 
• Surfside Eatery 
• AquaDome Market 
• Main Dining Room 
• Coastal Kitchen (for those staying in suites) 
• The Grove (for those staying in suites)
• Basecamp (with a few exceptions)
• Sorrento's
• El Loco Fresh
• Vitality Cafe (with a few exceptions)
• Sprinkles
• Pearl Café (with a few exceptions)
• Park Cafe
• Windjammer Marketplace

Read more: Icon of the Seas restaurant and dining guide

Specialty restaurants

12 venues onboard Icon of the Seas come with an additional charge, excluding standard bars:

• Hooked Seafood
• Empire Supper Club
• Celebration Table
• Chops Grille
• Izumi Hibachi & Sushi
• Izumi in the Park
• Desserted
• Playmaker's
• Pier 7
• Starbucks
• Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar
• Trellis Bar (bar bites)

The world's largest cruise ship was delivered to Royal Caribbean on November 27, 2023

Construction of the brand-new vessel took over 900 days, and the delivery was met with a celebration with cruise line executives, crew members, and shipyard employees present. 

Even though Meyer Turku's time with Icon has come to an end, they're hard at work building Star of the Seas. Plus, the first steel for the third Icon Class ship was cut in mid-January. 

Star of the Seas will sail out of Port Canaveral; however, the home port for the third ship is currently unknown. 

The ship is the cruise line's first-ever LNG-powered vessel

Cruise ships have traditionally been powered by diesel; however, many new builds have begun to run on alternative sources of energy that are more environmentally friendly, including Icon of the Seas, which will be fueled by liquid natural gas (LNG). 

Moreover, Icon will have a long lineup of other energy efficiency initiatives onboard, all of which help to contribute to Royal Caribbean Group's goal of introducing a net-zero ship by 2035. 

Do you have a cruise onboard Icon booked? If so, let us know what you're looking forward to the most in the comments! 

If you are planning a Royal Caribbean cruise with older children, you might be stuck wondering which ship is best. 

From the brand-new Icon of the Seas to smaller, revitalized ships like Navigator of the Seas, there are plenty of options for you to choose from. Activities like ice skating rinks, rock climbing walls, surfing simulators, and more will keep even the most active teens busy. 

Plus, Royal Caribbean ships have a variety of different accommodation options, so whether you want a family-friendly suite or adjoining interior rooms, you will be able to select the perfect stateroom to appease everyone in your party, even the teens who are desperate for their own space. 

Whether you're looking for a ship that's packed with WOW factors or simply a family vacation that won't leave your pockets empty, here are the 5 best cruises to take with teens. 

Icon of the Seas

Icon of the Seas is the namesake ship of Royal Caribbean's brand-new Icon Class. Surpassing the six Oasis Class ships, including the upcoming Utopia of the Seas, in terms of size, there's no shortage of activities that teens will enjoy onboard. 

From the record-breaking Category 6 water park to Crown's Edge, the largest ice rink at sea, thrilling AquaDome shows, a revamped mini-golf course, and more, your teens will surely have some brag-worthy stories to tell their friends about!

While the children are off exploring the ship, adults will love the one-of-a-kind experiences curated for them, too, including a walk-up champagne bar, swanky supper club, and Cloud 17 adults-only oasis with private pools, bars, and more. 

The only downside to a family vacation on Icon of the Seas is that it comes with a premium price tag. During July 2024, families can expect to pay around $2,900 per person for an interior room, while balconies are going for as much as $3,400 per person. 

Looking into 2025, prices don't drop much. The cheapest sailing in January 2025 currently starts at $2,400 per person for an inside stateroom. Prices increase again around spring break. 

Read more: Things you'll notice when cruising on the newest cruise ship

Utopia of the Seas

Utopia of the Seas, the newest Oasis Class ship, launches in July 2024, sailing 3- and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral to The Bahamas. While these are shorter cruises, your teens won't be denied the best that the cruise line has to offer, as this ship is unlike any other in the class.

You can expect to find fan favorites like Central Park, the Boardwalk, Sorrento's Pizza, the Lime and Coconut Bar, and more. Utopia of the Seas, however, has many new experiences that you will not find on even Wonder of the Seas, including the cruise line's first-ever immersive train car dining experience and the longest incarnation of the Ultimate Abyss dry slide. 

Advertised as the world's biggest weekend, a cruise onboard Utopia of the Seas is sure to appease your teens, as they'll be able to enjoy five pools, three water slides, eight hot tubs, and 21 dining venues, among other thrills. 

However, it is worth noting that any of the Oasis Class ships are great for adrenaline-loving teens. Regardless of which you select, you'll find a zip line, surf simulator, ice skating rink, mini-golf, and sports court. 

The other Oasis Class ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet are Wonder of the Seas (2022), Symphony of the Seas (2018), Harmony of the Seas (2016), Allure of the Seas (2010), and Oasis of the Seas (2009). 

Read more: 6 things to know before you book Wonder of the Seas

Odyssey of the Seas 

Odyssey of the Seas is the last Quantum Ultra Class ship constructed by the cruise line. Having only set sail in 2021, she's one of the newest ships in the fleet, too. 

While she's full of fun activities, what sets her apart from other ships is her summer itineraries in Europe. While enjoying everything that the ship has to offer, families can cruise around the Greek Isles and explore bucket-list destinations including Santorini, Mykonos, Naples, and more.  

Icon Class ships, including Star of the Seas launching in 2025, exclusively sail to the Caribbean, so you won't find much variety in itineraries. This can get repetitive, and if you want to explore ports outside of St. Maarten, Mexico, etc., you'll have to consider sailings on smaller ships. 

Onboard, you'll find an indoor SeaPlex where you can ride bumper cars, play glow-in-the-dark laser tag, or partake in a virtual reality game. 

There's also a skydiving simulator, FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall, and North Star observation capsule, where your family can soar nearly 300 feet above sea level for breathtaking views of the sea and ports of call. 

While still a newer ship by today's standards, prices are not quite as high as sailings onboard Icon of the Seas. A 7-night cruise onboard Odyssey of the Seas in July 2024 starts at $1,145 per person, which breaks down to about $163 per night, making it a more affordable choice. 

Other Quantum Class ships should be considered if you want to take your teens to Alaska, Northern Europe, Asia, or beyond. 

Read more: The forgotten new Royal Caribbean cruise ship: Why Odyssey of the Seas is worth your attention

Freedom of the Seas 

Freedom of the Seas is an older ship; however, she underwent a $116 million revitalization in early 2020 to update its pool deck and bring newer amenities onboard, meaning that you'll find plenty to do onboard without the price tag of newer vessels. 

You can, for instance, find a 6-night cruise onboard Freedom of the Seas starting at $445 per person in March 2025. 

Activities onboard include a surf simulator, pool deck, aqua park for younger children, water slides, rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, and much more. 

When upgraded, Freedom of the Seas received new dining options including Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, El Loco Fresh for quick bites by the pool, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, and Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. 

Plus, Freedom has a redesigned teen area called Social 033, where teens can enjoy their own dedicated hangout space and play games, listen to music, watch movies, etc. 

Read more: 7 Best Royal Caribbean cruise ships for kids

Navigator of the Seas 

Finally, Navigator of the Seas based out of Los Angeles, California is a great choice for families with teens who want to have plenty to do onboard and cruise elsewhere than the Bahamas or Caribbean. 

The 139,999 gross registered ton vessel sails out of California to the Mexican Riveria year-round. While certainly not as large as Oasis or Icon Class ships, there's still a lot to do and see onboard. 

Like Freedom of the Seas, Navigator underwent some major upgrades in 2018, totaling roughly $115 million. This means that she has some activities and venues that other Voyager Class ships, such as Voyager and Explorer of the Seas, do not, including the Rip Tide and Blaster water slides. 

Parents will love the Bamboo Room, too. Navigator is one of only two ships in the fleet with this unique tiki-inspired bar onboard! Plus, Playmakers Sports Bar is centrally located in the Royal Promenade, and Hooked Seafood is ideal for families who want to treat their teens to a delicious seafood dinner consisting of crab cakes, chowders, oysters, and more. 

Read more: 50 best cruising with kids tips & secrets

A cool drink in your hand on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas can offer much more than a stereotypical cocktail.

Most people think of a pina colada, rum and coke, or margarita when you envision themselves on a cruise ship.  While Royal Caribbean still offers those staples, they wanted to give passengers more choices and opportunities to find a new favorite.

Icon of the Seas has 13 brand new bars and lounges that are new to the fleet, and they created over 100 new cocktails. Sixty-five of them have alcohol.  

Read more: Icon of the Seas restaurant and dining guide

Alexandra Palmeri is Royal Caribbean's Corporate Manager of Beverage Operations, and she helped come up with 13 new bar menus just for Icon of the Seas.

To put that in perspective, when Wonder of the Seas launched, there was only one new bar menu.

The process is methodical, but also quite fun, "We go venue by venue to start, because you really have to hone in and think about what your experience wants to be on each menu."

As an example, the Rye and Bean is a coffee-based bar, so Alex and her team started off with 20-25 drinks that they tasted and whittled it down to the ten that made the final menu.

"And then what we did afterwards was took a step back and made everything together. So every single cocktail with every single menu, all the menus created, so you look at it visually and say, okay, we really have a full variety across the entire ship."

How do they come up with a new drink?

It's not easy to come up with a new cocktail that will be just as good as traditional favorites.  

Drink menus need to balance what's popular versus what the team thinks will bring something different to make it all stand out.

Alex thinks the theme of the bar plays a big role in choosing which drinks work for that venue, "For example, Hideaway Bar is an outside, adults-only venue. We wanted to lean more into champagne based cocktails."

"Every cocktail on that menu has some bubbles in it and something that's easy to drink. You're sitting by the pool, you want to lounge all day. So low ABV really played a huge part into it."

Essentially, the location of the guest factors into the drink menu that the Food & Beverage team concocts so that it fits the vibe.

In creating new drinks, the process is very much based on trial and error. There's a panel at Royal Caribbean headquarters that sample the new drinks, "for some of these drinks, the first time we've tried them, they were a home run."

Other drinks take longer to get just right. In the case of the "Oh Mai Gawd" cocktail from The Hideaway neighborhood, Alex recalls it took the team 20 times before it was good, "sometimes it really takes that much to really get a perfect cocktail, but that's what's needed. It really makes sure you have holistically what's going to work for everybody."

You might also be wondering how the team chooses one liquor over another, and Alex said it's based on balancing taste and cost, "If we like the way it tastes in both separate ones, we'll see what the cost looks like and then make a decision from there."

Bubbles

Speaking of champagne, Royal Caribbean added a new champagne window on Icon of the Seas that leans into the increased popularity of the bubbly stuff.

Bubbles is located in the Central Park neighborhood, and it only serves champagne. Alex calls it a fun concept, "You want to go grab a glass of champagne as you're walking through Central Park. It really creates kind of a whole experience."

In thinking about Bubbles, her team came up with a drink called, "Garden Breeze", and Alex compares it to a passion fruit mojito.

Beyond the pina colada

With 13 new bar menus, there's going to be lots of new drinks to try on Icon of the Seas, and I was curious which drinks Alex recommended to try for someone who wants to branch out.

One trend Royal Caribbean is leaning into is bitters, and as a result, you'll find more bitter than sweet drinks to try.

Ed Eiswirth, Royal Caribbean Director of Beverage Operations, recommends the Jazzy Sass cocktail from Lou's Jazz 'n Blues as something different.

Alex liked many of the coffee drinks from the Rye & Bean bar in the Aquadome.

Zero proof drinks

One other trend that Royal Caribbean has embraced is the zero proof menu, which features drinks without any alcohol in them.

There's an entire bar in Surfside that features drinks that kids can enjoy too, and it's not just deconstructed alcoholic beverages.

"When you start with alcohol and you start to deconstruct it, it becomes a lot more challenging to create a non-alcoholic mocktail. So we started from the mocktail perspective and then built it built it up that way," Alex explained.

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 is an AI-based chatbot that is available onboard Icon of the Seas. 

Before launching it on Icon, the Royal Caribbean team tested it onboard Wonder of the Seas. 

"One of our strategies is to not introduce new technologies onto a new ship, so we try to test it on a ship that's already up and running," remarked Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer for Royal Caribbean. 

This is rather common. Before launching anything new, it'll often be tested on a single ship. Not only does this help the company receive feedback, but it is easier for them to make any tweaks. 

For instance, Royal Caribbean tested out their new menus onboard Symphony of the Seas before implementing them fleetwide in early 2023. 

With a maximum passenger capacity of 7,600, the AI bot is meant to help reduce the lengthy Guest Services line. Instead, you can ask the bot simple questions or even be connected to an actual agent from anywhere onboard. 

According to Schneider, the new chat system "works beautifully." 

Read more: First look Inside the World's Biggest Cruise Marvel, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas

How does it work?

Rather than having to wait in line at Guest Services, passengers onboard the world's largest cruise ship can ask an AI bot in the Royal Caribbean app certain questions like "What can my SeaPass do?" and "How do I access Wi-Fi?" 

It will also tell you how much the drink package costs, as well as help you add a registered user to your account and opt out of gratuities.

Read more: Royal Caribbean has a $100,000 cup on its new cruise ship that includes a lifetime drink package

There's also something called "Human in the Loop," which helps connect you to an actual agent, without having to physically visit Guest Services. 

"Being able to text someone from your pool deck chair or your swim-up bar seat is where we'd much rather you be [on vacation]," said Schneider. 

Both functions can be accessed through the Royal Caribbean app's chat function. Note that guests must be 13 years of age or older to gain access to this feature. 

Of course, if there's an emergency, you should not waste time on the app waiting to chat with someone. Instead, you should call the ship's emergency number immediately. 

AI has been beneficial for Royal Caribbean in numerous ways

There's no denying that ship development is fascinating; however, that's not the only facet of the company that AI has been helpful in. AI has helped Royal in the revenue space, pricing space, and revenue tracking space.

"The other area...for us is food waste," said Schneider.

"We have a very specific...waste program that is all about using a combination of really great hard work from our [food and beverage] staff, as well as AI and technology to reduce the amount of waste from a food perspective." 

Read more: Icon of the Seas restaurant and dining guide

With this new program, Royal can see what's been produced, consumed, wasted, and even repurposed. It helps give better data to the chefs, so they can understand how to make adjustments for the next production. 

They even created a new food & beverage position to help lead the project of control. 

All the food produced for the Windjammer will be weighed and then measured by the user-friendly app. It's also weighed after any given service to see how much of each item was consumed. 

There were certain apps already on the market, but nothing that Royal Caribbean needed, so they produced the app in-house. 

This is a step in the company's goal of reducing food waste across the fleet by 50% by 2025. 

Read more: Guide to Royal Caribbean's Windjammer Cafe buffet

Royal Caribbean is celebrating the launch of its newest cruise ship with a naming ceremony in Miami today, and this new ship is a big deal.

Icon of the Seas’ naming ceremony today cements her position as the newest, biggest cruise ship in the world.

After a three-day media cruise, she will take part in a traditional christening, a ceremony attended by key figures and celebrities.

Every detail of the ship just proves what a huge milestone icon of the seas represents.

From record sales to choosing an icon to name her, to all-new neighborhoods, Royal Caribbean has a lot to be proud of.

Not only is Icon of the Seas a brand-new ship—and the current largest in the world—she also is the first in a completely new class of Royal Caribbean ships.

Icon entered the scene unapologetically

Icon of the Seas is no small feat, and Royal Caribbean is incredibly proud.

“We built the biggest, baddest ship on the planet,” Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group CEO said. “that in itself is a crown jewel for marketing.”

At a briefing session on Icon of the Seas, he shared that he remembers days when the group had to really work with television stations just to get content.

But now, news stations are “lined up around the corner begging [to be able to] come onto the ship and host.”

Once news broke about the size and innovation of Icon of the Seas, the response was instantaneous.

The huge ship has pushed the boundaries of cruise ships, from her cutting-edge design to pure size, with a total of eight neighborhoods.

A ship that has been seven years in the making,  Icon of the Seas is a whole new class of ship that seeks to reach new demographics.

Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO, said that the high demand for the ship proves that the new features and spaces are just right for the customer market.

“The demand we’ve seen for Icon has just been unbelievable,” Bayley said.

In addition to the multitude of news stories and chatter of digital conversation about  Icon of the Seas, sales for the ship have been off-the-charts.

Icon of the Seas’ bookings so far have performed better than any other cruise ship launch.

Bookings for the maiden voyage embarking on January 27th sold out in under 24 hours.

On January 10th, Icon entered her home port in Miami, Florida for the first time in an unapologetic celebration.

Michael Bayley said that the music blasting from the side of the ship came from $100,000 worth of speakers.

“We really woke up Miami,” he said, and that’s not an understatement.

A total of 17 formal complaints were filed with the county by Miami residents who were woken up by the noise of  Icon of the Seas entering the harbor.

From its first appearance, it became clear that  Icon of the Seas would be an incredible hit.

Choosing the right icon for Icon

 Icon of the Seas has been hosting a media preview cruise for the past three days, but today she will have her christening in Miami, Florida.

This exclusive naming ceremony is part of a longtime maritime tradition and will be attended by Icon Lionel Messi, one of the most famous soccer players of all time.

In a position similar to the ship’s godmother, Messi will serve as the icon and representative of  Icon of the Seas.

Messi will name and bestow safekeeping onto the new ship, her crew, and the millions of families who will create memories onboard.

Like  Icon of the Seas, Lionel Messi has built a career changing the status quo through his unmatched skills. He is one of the most well-known soccer players today, having made a name for himself as a top goal scorer with FC Barcelona.

Many call Messi one of the best soccer players of all time.

Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group CEO, said he first thought it was a prank when he got the call that they might be able to get the athlete onboard. “but it actually got quite serious.”

Messi has been very tuned into the process, focused on the brand and partnerships with the team.

Jason Liberty said that Messi is more than just an incredible athlete: “he’s an incredible human being.”

He also represents the ship’s focus on family.

“Not only is he going out and being the best soccer player in the world, but above that is family.”

Both the brand and the ship are about family, liberty emphasized.

Messi not only represents the ship’s excellence and fame but also the backbone of it all: family.

Icon is all about making young families happy

 Icon of the Seas includes a new neighborhood dedicated to families with children under six.

Surfside neighborhood replaces what was the Boardwalk on Oasis Class ships and has a vibrant design with an arcade, kids splash zone, aft pool, carousel, and both complimentary and specialty venues.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley explained that the cruise line intentionally wanted to include young families in this design.

Because children under six don’t have to go to school, young families can (and do) travel all year round with Royal Caribbean.

When Royal Caribbean saw that a high number of young families travel on their cruise ships, they realized that they weren’t doing enough to serve that demographic.

So in the building of Icon, the cruise line put a lot of energy into intentionally creating Surfside.

“It makes a lot of commercial business sense, but more importantly, it makes our young families really happy,” Bayley said.

How do you keep pushing the boundaries on new ships?

Icon is the most innovative cruise ship in the world, so how can the cruise line keep pushing the boundaries on new ships?

Royal Caribbean has a history of over five decades working to improve and innovate every day.

Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group CEO, believes that it “comes down to a really strong culture of dreaming, innovating, and doing the right thing.”

Across the 65 ships in the fleet, he says that senior leadership spends time in every inch of the ships, always looking for how to improve.

He used the Oasis Class ships as an example: “each version got a little bit better each time.”

As Royal Caribbean builds upon each ship, the line studies previous ships to consider what can be improved for a better cruising experience each time.

Even as the leadership team walks around Icon of the Seas, they are thinking about what to change and how to improve the next icon class ship.

“Our main mission is to deliver the best vacations in the world in a responsible way,” Liberty said.

If sharing Icon of the Seas with up to 7,600 other passengers sounds like it will be crowded, Royal Caribbean has planned around that issue.

Icon of the Seas is the biggest cruise ship in the world, and there will be anywhere between 5,610 to 7,600 passengers depending on how many third, fourth, and fifth passengers are booked into each cabin.  Without a doubt, that's a lot of people on any ship.

Royal Caribbean knew it had to be able to accommodate that many people while still retaining a positive guest experience.  They had already successfully tackled the issue on the Oasis Class ships that preceded Icon, and the challenge was to keep crowds moving on Icon too.

Naturally, the public was curious how crowded a ship as big as Icon would be once it started to sail.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley joked about just how much time his company spent on the issue of crowds on Icon, "A lot of time. I mean, a gazillion billion, gazillion, trillion hours of time with a lot of people."

"We were obsessively focused, and we've got a lot of experience," he said alluding to the fact Royal Caribbean has been developing mega cruise ships for decades. 

"If you look at the classes of ships over time, how they've evolved, we do know a lot about the flow of people, and we do know how you need to create an experience that delights the customer, but also moves people around."

That isn't to say there wont be any lines or crowds. Any cruise ship have lines and crowds of people that occur throughout any sailing.  With Icon, the cruise line wanted to ensure the flow of passengers mitigated the problem.

Changing the formula

One way Royal Caribbean has focused on crowds has been to re-think its crowd management strategy.

"A lot of work, a lot of study, a lot of analytics, and we've got a lot of information from our existing fleet, and we utilize it a lot to try to to operate this efficiently as possible, but also make sure people have a great time," Mr. Bayley explained.

"Our classic formula is in the evening is a dinner and a show," alluding to how things have typically worked. "When you think about dinner and a show, that really allows you to understand how people do move. And then, of course, during the day, we've created neighborhoods."

Neighborhoods have served two purposes for Royal Caribbean's mega ships.  First, it provides easy navigation aids.  Second, it helps spread passengers out.

Surfside is focused on young families with kids six and under and there's so much to do for kids and their parents that it keeps those families in one section of the ship without much need to leave. Meanwhile, older kids are busy with Thrill Island's water park.  Adults can hang out at The Hideaway, and then there's likely trivia, production shows, meals, and a host of other things to do happening at the same time.

Believe it or not, there's actually less cabins on Icon of the Seas than an Oasis Class ship.  According to Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty, that means the actual square footage per passenger is higher.

"I think the construction of the different neighborhoods and being able to segregate different multi generations through the course of the ship was really the focus of it."

Spinning up higher capacity

Mr. Bayley indicated prepping Icon for the crowds that would come onboard has been an ongoing effort.

Icon departed Europe with extra crew members and a lot of contractors who were onboard to continue finalizations. 

Once the ship got to Miami, they started doing shakedown cruises with employees.  That amounted to around 4,000 passengers. For the preview sailings with media and travel agents, the number went up to 4,500.

For the maiden voyage, they're expecting, "80% of the double occupancy, it's probably would probably be around 5500, which is easy," Mr. Bayley said.

"And then week by week, we increase the capacity until we're confident that we've got everything working the way it should. And so the full capacity of this ship, which typically will happen in peak summer during the school holidays, will be 7600."

For those keeping score at home, Oasis Class ships max out around a similar number, "Our Oasis class peak summer have operated at around 7500 today. So we're very confident on our ability to manage all of our guests."

By methodically increasing capacity, Royal Caribbean feels good about handling crowds, "So far we feel really good about everything that we do."

New elevators

There are no traditional elevators on Icon of the Seas.  Instead, the ship has destination elevators.

Destination elevators aren't just a fad, they're a way to more efficiently tackle the issue of getting passengers between decks and that's been a traditional pain point on big ships.

With the destination elevators, you select which floor you want to go to on a panel and are told which elevator to take.

Once in the elevator, there's no buttons to push.  This means less people coming in and stopping the elevator on every floor.  Or someone leaning against the panel and accidentally pushing all the buttons.

Royal Caribbean did a lot of proactive work to ensure destination elevators would be a good idea. 

"We even constructed the elevator lobbies in a warehouse in Miami full scale so we could visually understand how those elevator lobbies would look. "

"And then we sent teams all over the world to look at similar technologies to make sure that it really was something that we thought would work."

The result early on has been a successful and efficient system.

"We've been delighted with the elevator lobbies, and in fact, we thought because people would be confused." 

"In the beginning of our cruises, we put staff on every lobby with ask me on it to help people, and we found it's really not an issue. People kind of figure it out quite quickly. And I got to say, I think the elevators are great."

Easier ways to get between decks

As a passenger, you'll find more ways to move from one deck to another beyond elevators and the traditional stairwells.

There are multiple stairways in the Royal Promenade to go down and up, and most importantly, in the middle of the deck.

There are a few dry slides for kids and adults to go between decks that is meant to be fun, but it's functional. There's one between the two levels of Chill Island and a slide in Surfside that acts as an express way down.

While the slides aren't going to make much of an impact to lessen crowds, the escalators and stairs are easy ways to reduce the need of an elevator, and keep people moving quicker.  Moving between decks 4 through 7 is very easy on Icon of the Seas.

Keeping everyone busy

When it comes to crowds on Icon, you can expect a lot of different things happening that should draw passengers in many directions.

Royal Caribbean is leveraging entertainment, smart design, and more things to do than on any other ship to keep people busy.

Keeping in mind that Icon of the Seas is about 7% larger than Wonder of the Seas, so it's not doubling or significantly increasing the overall size of a known entity.

If you're having second thoughts about going on a ship as big as Icon of the Seas because of how many people will be onboard, it's likely not going to be nearly as bad as you think it will be.

Icon of the Seas is about to set sail on her maiden voyage later this week, and Royal Caribbean is already working on ways to improve on a ship that has barely sailed.

Star of the Seas will be the second Icon Class cruise ship and will debut in 2025 to sail from Port Canaveral.  Not only is the ship well into construction, but improvements and updates from Icon are in the works.

Icon of the Seas will have her first voyage with paying passengers on Saturday, but the ship has had employees, media, and travel agents onboard for short preview sailings to fine tune everything in the lead-up to the maiden sailing.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider is leading the charge to innovate with Star.

While the cruise line is not ready to reveal everything that will be different on Star, we have a few ideas what they have in mind.

Star of the Seas will not be the biggest ship in the world

With the Oasis Class ships, Royal Caribbean made each subsequent ship just a little bit bigger so that it could take the title of biggest in the world.  The Icon class will not follow that trend.

"That isn't the case on Icon. Star will not be a foot bigger. It will be 1198ft long. The third ship in the icon class, yet to be named publicly, will also be 1198ft long."

According to Mr. Schneider, there's no point in continuing that pattern, "We don't feel a need to do that right now. Maybe we'll change our mind. Never say never. But that isn't the design intent."

Update to the supper club

Royal Caribbean opened its first ever supper club experience on Icon of the Seas with Empire Supper Club, but expect a new motif on Star.

On Star of the Seas, the venue will be Chicago themed (Icon has a New York theme to it). And there's more ideas after that.

"It'll actually become Chicago themed, but same DNA," said Mr. Schneider. " "On Icon three, it becomes Hollywood themed."

"Great music choreographed to the delivery of the food and the service, with cocktails paired but all wired for the theme that goes with it. So Chicago will be more Midwestern themed, Hollywood will be Hollywood themed, and the decor and the venue will match, and the food and music will twist to again match that theme."

"If we build future versions of icon, we'll just keep going around the world assuming that concept remains successful."

Star and Icon 3 are being built at the same time

With Star of the Seas coming in 2025 and Icon 3 in 2026, work is happening concurrently. 

"The ships are essentially being built in parallel," which is a necessity in order to keep the ship on schedule for delivery.

While work is underway, that doesn't mean tweaks can't be made in the process.

"As we operate this with real guests over the next three, four months, that will also really help inform what we want to adjust on Star and what we want to adjust on Icon three."

A hot tub will be added

Mr. Schneider alluded to a hot tub idea that was cut from Icon due to weight concerns, but will be on Star.

"When we initially were pulling out in sea trials, we thought we were at maximum weight."

"We are not as it turned out so, we did have some room. And so the hot tub that I that painfully cut is now coming back on Star of the Seas."