Matt is back from his 7-night cruise to Europe on Anthem of the Seas and has his cruise review to share.
Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via...
With so many Royal Caribbean cruise ships in the fleet, it can be confusing to figure out how big each ship is by size.
The biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ships can hold more than 6,000 passengers, making them massive resorts floating on the sea. Big ships are definitely Royal Caribbean's calling card.
Royal Caribbean still has some ships with about 3,000 passengers capacity, and these ships are more intimate and offer a classic cruise experience. While they lack the amount of onboard activities the big ships have, they can reach far-flung destinations around the world.
The smallest Royal Caribbean cruise ships are ideal for someone who wants a less crowded and relaxed atmosphere.
While the size of a cruise ship is not the end-all-be-all statistic that defines one ship from another, it is certainly a metric many people pay attention to, especially from a marketing perspective. In fact, some of the biggest cruise ships in the world are Royal Caribbean ships.
So whether you have a passing interest in knowing how big each ship is in Royal Caribbean's fleet, or want to prove your friend wrong that you know which ship is the biggest, here is a look at all the Royal Caribbean cruise ships ranked from biggest to smallest.
Gross Tonnage: 250,800 GRT
Length: 1,198 feet long
Passengers: 5,610 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 248,663 GRT
Length: 1,196 feet long
Passengers: 5,610 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 236,860 GRT
Length: 1,188 feet long
Passengers: 5,668 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 236,857 GRT
Length: 1,188 feet long
Beam: 210 feet wide
Passengers: 5,734 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 228,081 GRT
Length: 1,188 feet long
Beam: 215.5 feet wide
Passengers: 5,518 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 226,963 GRT
Length: 1,188 feet long
Beam: 215.5 feet wide
Passengers: 5,479 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 226,838 GT
Length: 1,187 feet long
Beam: 215 feet wide
Passengers: 5,602 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 225,282 GRT
Length: 1,187 feet long
Beam: 215 feet wide
Passengers: 5,484 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 169,379 GRT
Length: 1,139 feet long
Beam: 135 feet wide
Passengers: 4,256 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 169,300 GT
Length: 1,138 feet long
Beam: 135 feet wide
Passengers: 4,284 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 168,666 GRT
Length: 1,138 feet long
Beam: 136 feet wide
Passengers: 4,180 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 168,666 GRT
Length: 1,141 feet long
Beam: 136 feet wide
Passengers: 4,180 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 168,666 GRT
Length: 1,141 feet long
Beam: 136 feet wide
Passengers: 4,180 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 156,271 GT
Length: 1,111 feet long
Beam: 185 feet wide
Passengers: 3,926 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 154,407 GRT
Length: 1,112 feet long
Beam: 185 feet wide
Passengers: 3,798 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 154,407 GRT
Length: 1,112 feet long
Beam: 185 feet wide
Passengers: 3,858 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 139,999 GT
Length: 1,020 feet long
Beam: 161 feet wide
Passengers: 3,388 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 139,863 GRT
Length: 1,020 feet long
Beam: 127 feet wide
Passengers: 3,344 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 137,308 GRT
Length: 1,020 feet long
Beam: 157.5 feet wide
Passengers: 3,286 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 137,276 GRT
Length: 1,020 feet long
Beam: 157 feet wide
Passengers: 3,114 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 137,276 GT
Length: 1,020 feet long
Beam: 157.5 feet wide
Passengers: 3,602 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 90,090 GRT
Length: 962 feet long
Beam: 106 feet wide
Passengers: 2,143 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 90,090 GRT
Length: 962 feet long
Beam: 106 feet wide
Passengers: 2,142 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 90,090 GRT
Length: 965 feet long
Beam: 106 feet wide
Passengers: 2,143 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 90,090 GRT
Length: 962 feet long
Beam: 106 feet wide
Passengers: 2,191 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 82,910 GRT
Length: 989 feet long
Beam: 105.6 feet wide
Passengers: 2,252 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 78,491 GRT
Length: 915.35 feet long
Beam: 105.6 feet wide
Passengers: 1,998 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 78,340 GT
Length: 915 feet long
Beam: 105.6 feet wide
Passengers: 2,050 (double occupancy)
Gross Tonnage: 73,817 GRT
Length: 916 feet long
Beam: 105.6 feet wide
Passengers: 1,992 (double occupancy)
Cruise ships are measured by their gross tonnage, which can be a confusing metric to understand.
Gross tonnage is a nonlinear measure of a ship's overall internal volume.
What?
Basically, this is a way to measure passenger vessels by volume and not weight. This is the standard way to measure how cruise ships compare to each other because of how designs can vary greatly.
The biggest Royal Caribbean ship is Icon of the Seas, which is also the world's biggest cruise ship.
The maximum capacity for Icon of the Seas is 7,600, and the ship measures 248,663 gross tons. That means you'll find a giant ship with so much to do onboard. There are new types of cabins, a water park, new neighborhoods, and plenty of activities in-between.
Icon of the Seas will remain the biggest cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet even when the second Icon Class ship launches in 2025, Star of the Seas.
The smallest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Grandeur of the Seas, and she is also the oldest Royal Caribbean cruise ship.
Grandeur of the Seas is just 73,817 gross tons and has a passenger capacity of 2,446.
Launched in 1996, Grandeur was originally going to be sold off, but the cruise industry shutdown of 2020 meant she'd stick around a bit longer.
The top deck features one main pool and a few hot tubs. Nearby is the adults-only Solarium, which has another pool and hot tub. There is also a rock climbing wall on the aft of the ship. This is typical of a cruise ship built almost 30 years ago.
Doing research ahead of a cruise vacation is always a good idea, and it paid off for me in a few ways on my recent cruise to Europe.
I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas for a 7-night cruise to France and Spain, and I enjoyed the cruise so much more than I anticipated.
The ports my ship visited were far better than I anticipated, especially my stops in Bilbao and La Coruna, Spain.
In looking back at my cruise, I think there are a few "big brain" moves I made that really paid off because it enhanced my trip much more.
If you're thinking about what makes a great vacation, I think it's a cumulative effort of big and small wins that stack up.
Here are 5 smartest things I did on my European cruise that I will do on every single future cruise I take.
While it wasn't my overarching plan to start with, I ended up exploring each port of call I visited on foot rather than take an organized tour or visit a single site and I think that worked out well.
When you're in a port for only a few hours, there's a limited choice of what you can do. I opted to take in each city by simply walking around and not committing myself to a museum, historical site, or activity.
While I don't think someone who did any of those things made a mistake, I believe taking walking tours of each city gave me a better sense of what each place has to offer, and prepared me to focus on any future visits.
Unlike the Caribbean, European cities have so much to see and do. It can feel overwhelming when you're trying to plot a course, but I'd rather have too many choices than not enough.
I relished the adventure of walking the city streets to see what was around the next corner. I reveled in stumbling across a Gothic church, incredible food stand, or a scenic vista.
I think if you're considering what to do in a European city, don't overlook walking around on your own. It's quite manageable, and it adds a sense of adventure to the experience.
There's no doubt the best €39.99 I spent on this trip was to get a European eSim card for my phone so I could use my phone like normal.
I purchased the Travel Orange eSim card before my cruise, and then activated as soon as I landed in London. This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use.
Once activated, I had a second line on my phone that could place calls, use the internet, and text. Not only could I stay in contact with family at home, but it made exploring Europe so much easier.
I was able to quickly use Google Maps to find the closest boulangerie, metro station, cultural site, and more.
Earlier I wrote about how much I loved exploring each city on foot, and it was really only possible with the fact I could easily get walking directions. Moreover, having an internet connection in London made it super simple to know which train to take.
While some American cell phone carriers have international roaming plans, I found the eSim card plan simple since all I had to do was scan a QR code and it just worked in every country I visited.
I forgot where I learned this trick, but prior to my cruise I installed the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app on my phone and it saved me so much time returning to the United States.
This is an app by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and basically it's a digital version of that blue form you usually fill out by hand.
I filled the app out while on my flight home, and then once we landed, I filed it. When you do this, you then have 4 hours to go through customs.
I don't have Global Entry or anything like that because I don't travel internationally by air nearly enough to warrant it.
When I go to the line for customs, I told the agent I had the MPC app and he directed me to a different line that had perhaps 4 people in it ahead of me.
I was able to breeze through customs in a matter of minutes rather than wait in line with everyone else.
I knew I needed to buy new shoes for my European cruise because what I wear everyday doesn't have enough cushion for a lot of walking. However, I learned a valuable lesson about comfort.
I bought the shoes, and then heard from Sheri from Cruise Tips TV that her that she emphasized greatly, "if there is just ONE piece of advice you take away from this Mediterranean Cruise Packing List – it is to pack worn-in shoes ONLY."
I immediately took my new sneakers out of the box, put them on and wore them in the days leading up to the trip to run errands. I wore them to the airport and on the airplane too.
As a result, my feet never bothered me during my trip and I easily logged 10,000 steps every day while in port.
When a reader suggested I try a free walking tour in La Coruna, I was leery, but it turned out to be a great choice.
GuroWalk offers free tours where there is no cost, but you are expected to tip at the end what you think is appropriate for the quality of the experience.
Our guide met myself and four other people for a great walking tour of the city, where he took us to the major historical spots around the city. We visited all sorts of sites and our guide provided context every step of the way.
Sometimes when planning a cruise, you run across a port where none of the popular activities jump out at you as the obvious choice and you find yourself at a loss of what to do. A free tour like this ended up being a wonderful choice given the circumstances.
Gratuities on a Royal Caribbean cruise are part of the total vacation cost, but they can be confusion, especially for first-time cruisers.
As a cruise ship passenger, you're expected to give tips to crew members during your voyage. Don't worry, this isn't as awkward or formal as it sounds, but understanding how these gratuities work and what they cover will be helpful.
Not only will you need to distribute gratuities, you also need to plan your cruise budget to account for them.
Royal Caribbean, like all major cruise lines, has a system in place to ensure that the hardworking staff members who enhance your vacation receive appropriate compensation. Gratuities are not included in the cruise fare (except for Australians), but they are compulsory.
We provide this guide to help you understand how gratuities work on the cruise, who receives them, how they are charged, and whether you can adjust them.
Royal Caribbean automatically adds a daily charge to each cruise passenger's SeaPass account.
Each day of your cruise, Royal Caribbean will automatically charge each person's SeaPass account a gratuity. It's a way to recognize great service onboard that you get from crew members.
The daily gratuities cover these crew members:
As of November 1, 2024, the daily gratuity amount is $18.50 per guest, per day for those guests in standard accommodations. Guests in suites will pay $21.00 per person, per day in gratuities. The daily gratuity amount is the same for all passengers, regardless of age.
Instead of paying them onboard, guests have the choice to pre-pay their gratuities before their cruise to help split up the cost of their cruise vacation.
If you are a My Time Dining guest, you must prepay your gratuities.
There are two good reasons to prepay gratuities. Some people prefer to have everything paid for before the cruise begins, so they don't have to worry about a big bill at the end of the trip.
The second reason to prepay gratuities is that your price is locked in. If Royal Caribbean were to raise the daily gratuity rates before your sailing, you'd be grandfathered into the old rate.
Pre-paying gratuities is a simple process. If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean, you can pre-pay gratuities by calling 866-562-7625 or logging into Royal Caribbean's website before the sailing.
If you booked with a travel agent, simply let the travel agent know your preference and they can take care of the arrangements.
The daily gratuities only cover some crew members, and there you'll need to tip on other purchases.
If this seems like "double dipping", the reality is these tips are for crew members not covered by the daily gratuities.
If you order beverage onboard your Royal Caribbean cruise, such as soda, beer, or wine, you will be charged an automatic 18% gratuity when you receive the bill.
If you bought an unlimited drink package, gratuities for all drinks you order is included with the drink package purchase. You'll actually get charged a "service fee" when you buy the drink package to cover that.
The gratuity amount is for the service you receive from the wait staff to serve your drink. The gratuity amount is added to what you purchase and indicated at the bottom of your receipt.
You can add an additional tip on the receipt if you wish.
The surcharge you pay to dine at a specialty restaurant aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise includes the tip.
There is no need to pay a tip on top of the surcharge amount, unless you would like to.
The Vitality Spa on Royal Caribbean ships will have gratuity added onto it as well.
Just like drinks, an 18% gratuity is automatically added.
If you want to tip above and beyond the automatic gratuity, you are always welcome to do so.
This is a discretionary tip, and it is up to you and not expected in all cases. Even crew members who receive an automatic gratuity can receive additional gratuities if you feel it is warranted.
Some instances where a discretionary tip may be appropriate are for room service deliveries or luggage service by porters.
Royal Caribbean will automatically charge you for every night of the cruise but that does not mean you have to pay it if you are not satisfied with the service.
You can go to Guest Services at any point in your cruise and have them reduced or removed from your account if you would prefer to tip a different amount.
The option to remove gratuities is a mechanism to rectify poor service, not a cost savings measure. Crew members work very hard every day of your cruise to make it a great vacation, so don't stiff them in order to save money.
Cruise ship tipping is an old tradition that still hangs on, and it's also a product of American tipping culture.
One benefit to keeping tipping in place is it incentives crew members to go above and beyond with their service. Even if they are a crew member that gets a tip automatically, the service they provide gets reflected in post-cruise surveys. Plus, many guests elect to tip on top of the base amount in the case of excellent service.
By having tips as an additional cost, it's something that doesn't drive up the base cruise fare, which helps advertise lower rates.
In fact, Royal Caribbean has said they won't offer an all inclusive cruise fare that includes gratuities because their internal research shows a majority of customers don't want all-in-one pricing.
Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said, "We know from our research that we need to give everybody the choice to decide what they do or don't want included in their vacation."
"We feel like the pricing strategy that we have on the bundling, unbundling is the right path to go."
The reality is gratuity on Royal Caribbean is an added fee you're expected to pay. Perhaps in the future tips would be included with the cruise fare, but that has yet to change.
Royal Caribbean's viral 274-night world cruise has ended after visiting around 60 countries across seven continents, including Antarctica.
On Tuesday morning, Serenade of the Seas returned to Miami to complete a 9-month journey around the world that visited all 7 continents.
This was Royal Caribbean's first every foray into offering a world cruise, and it was not only successful, but generated a lot of buzz along the way.
Royal Caribbean divided up the world cruise into four segments, with some cruises on the entire journey, and others on shorter portions.
Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley celebrated the completion of the world cruise by joining the ship for its final few days.
"What an amazing voyage these brave travelers have made," he posted on his Facebook page during the final day of the sailing, "Over the past days they have shared their stories, many telling of a true life changing experience and sharing such joy and emotion over new relationships formed and bonds created with fellow travelers and crew. The Serenade of the Seas has become such a warm friendly community and emotions run deep."
"It has been a true honor to represent the team at Royal Caribbean who curated and led this grand adventure. We were trusted by so many to deliver such an experience and we did it."
He went on to thank the officers in charge of Serenade during the voyage, "Thank you to our incredible team members ship and shore and to our two Captains Stig and Kjell whose wisdom and seafaring mastery safely guided all around the world safely and securely.
He also thanked the crew and guests for being a part of the experience, "To our beautiful caring and loving crew who demonstrated their humanity and love to our guests. To our guests for being such understanding, compassionate adventurers and for trusting Royal Caribbean. Onwards and Upwards!"
The world cruise rose to fame almost immediately on TikTok, as it generated a great deal of interest from people who couldn't fathom spending almost an entire year on a cruise ship.
The cruise set sail on December 10, 2023 and a series of videos were posted speculating on what might happen during such a long journey.
By the time the ship departed Miami, there were already 9 million views on TikTok for the #RoyalCaribbeanUltimateWorldCruise hashtag.
Later in January 2024, Mr. Bayley was talking to members of the press about the world cruise and admitted they could not have predicted that kind of response, "We had no clue that it would become... there's been 290 million views of some of the TikTok stuff that's gone out in the ultimate cruise."
One distinguishing factor about Royal Caribbean's world cruise was it set out to be the ultimate world cruise.
Mr. Bayley recalled the planning for it began during the cruise industry shutdown of 2020, "We kind of had this endless discussion about... let's really do something big. So let's do a world cruise because people want to they're going to want to go out and experience things."
"Most world cruises last four months max. So we said, no, let's do the ultimate world cruise."
"The team went off and they created the itinerary and they came back and they said, yeah, it's nine months. So we said, yeah, let's do that."
According to Mr. Bayley, over 800 people booked the entire world cruise, with one of the first tickets for the sailing selling for $750,000 for a suite on Serenade of the Seas.
Read more: Suites on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship
If you'd like a chance to sail on a world cruise, Royal Caribbean has plans for another but details aren't available yet.
While onboard the final days of the first world cruise, Mr. Bayley confirmed a second world cruise is being planned.
At a community hall meeting onboard, "The answer is yes, we are going to do another Ultimate World Cruise."
“We’re announcing today that we are going to hold [an] Ultimate World Cruise reunion cruise. And when we have the reunion cruise, we are going to announce the next world cruise."
“And when we announce the next world cruise on the reunion cruise, we will only open it for sale for those people who are on the reunion cruise."
It will be on the September 7, 2025 sailing of Serenade of the Seas to Alaska.
He did admit there were a lot of logistical challenges with pulling off the world cruise, and it wasn't easy.
"Some things haven't gone to plan, specifically with the circumnavigation of Africa, and obviously that would come with a massive cost to the organization."
He also said that while Serenade was a great choice for the world cruise, the next one needs a ship with "more outside staterooms".
The work is never done improving its cruise ships, and Royal Caribbean is always working on new ways to enhance their vessels.
Utopia of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, which launched in July 2024, and our readers have noticed at least three new things onboard.
Why make changes to a brand new ship? Royal Caribbean embraces a continuous improvement methodology to its business, and a lot of efforts run concurrently.
Moreover, adding a new option to an existing ship is a better way to "soft test" the feature before adding it to other ships or even the next new cruise ship that is under construction.
As an example, Express Boarding was first added to Freedom of the Seas so it could be tested before the launch of Icon of the Seas.
Here are three new things Royal Caribbean has added just to Utopia of the Seas.
If you've stood in line at Guest Services on a cruise ship, you probably noticed a lot of people in line are there to pay off their onboard account.
It appears Royal Caribbean wants to make that easier and cut down the Guest Services line with a new kiosk that has popped up on Utopia of the Seas called SeaPay.
Royal Caribbean Blog reader CGTLH shared photos of the kiosk after it was added, and it's essentially a self-service way to add cash to your onboard account.
Guests can scan their SeaPass card and view their account balance.
From there, they can simply deposit cash proactively or pay off their onboard bill.
Just like an ATM machine, you insert cash into the machine and get confirmation of the transaction.
Utopia of the Seas is the latest cruise ship to be added to the Starbucks cruise ship collection.
The Starbucks "Been There" mugs is a fun way to commemorate a visit to a specific place, and Utopia of the Seas is now available for purchase.
Destiny Armstrong posted photos of the new mugs on sale at the Starbucks kiosk on the ship.
The design of the mug represents signature features of Utopia, and there are actually mugs available on 9 other Royal Caribbean ships.
The price for a mug is $16.95.
If you're looking for a different kind of beer choice, perhaps this new Sam Adams Utopias is up your alley.
CGTLH posted a photo of the Sam Adams Utopias beer, which is anything but a conventional beer.
Utopias has always been aged in charred whiskey casks, and this year the Sam Adams brewers expanded the kinds of barrels for more complex flavors.
With a retail price tag of $240 per bottle, and an alcohol level of 28% ABV, Utopias is banned in 15 states.
Utopia of the Seas is the only cruise ship to carry Utopias, and the onboard price is $30 for a 1oz pour, or $55 for a 2oz pour.
Royal Caribbean leads the cruise industry as one of the best cruise lines for kids because its ships are packed with the things families love.
From pools, outdoor movie screens, waterslides, and enormous kids clubs, there is no shortage of fun things for children's activities. There's also rock climbing walls, laser tag, ice skating rinks, carousels, and much more. While primarily it's the new cruise ships that have the most for kids, oldest ships were still designed with family fun in mind.
The cruise line's two newest cruise ships, Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, are arguably the best ships for families considering how much there is for guests of all ages. Being the world's largest cruise ships means you'll find plenty to do for everyone, not just kids. There's something for mom, grandpa, the older cousins, and your brother's girlfriend. Not an easy task for any vacation choice.
Royal Caribbean's Oasis, Icon, and Quantum Class ships lead the pack as the newest generation of cruise ships with more kid-friendly options than any ship before it. The Freedom and Voyager Class cruise ships still offer a lot, and at great prices for families. Lastly, the Radiance and Vision Class ships are the smallest, oldest ships in the fleet and lack the whiz-bang features that usually attract families with young children.
Whether you're looking for "wows", a multitude of things for the kids to do, or just a family vacation that won't break the bank, here's my top picks for the best Royal Caribbean ships for kids.
If you have little kids, you're going to want to sail on the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas.
Icon is the top choice in the fleet for anyone with young kids because that's exactly the market the cruise line has doubled down on to attract.
The fact there's an entire neighborhood for parents and their young kids is a compelling reason to choose Icon. Surfside is an open-air section of the ship that has a splash area, kid-friendly water slides, and infinity pool for adults. You will also find in Surfside an arcade, carousel, playground, and lots of family-centric dining choices.
Royal Caribbean positioned Surfside right near Adventure Ocean, so you can easily drop off and pick up your kids without trekking around the ship.
There's also special family cabins and suites in Surfside that are designed to give kids and parents the space they need to enjoy a cruise together.
Read more: Guide to Icon of the Seas cabins and suites
If that's not enough to do on a cruise, there's lots of other activities around the ship, such as the main pools, water slides, minigolf, ice skating, production shows and more.
Icon of the Seas offers weeklong cruises to the Caribbean from her homeport in Miami, and every cruise includes a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.
If you want something for everyone, look no further than Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship.
Wonder of the Seas (as well as the other Oasis Class cruise ships) is not just a giant cruise ship, but it has just about everything kids, teens, and grandma will find enjoyable.
Read more: See how Royal Caribbean ships stack up by size
Oasis Class ships are packed with the best offerings Royal Caribbean has, and there's very few activities or amenities found on other ships that you can't find on these vessels.
You've got water slides, a giant aqua park, surf simulator, two rock walls, playscape, and a carousel if you need to burn some energy. Then there's the zip line, ice skating, hot tubs, and 10-story dry slide.
The adults-only solarium pool area is found on every Royal Caribbean ship, but like everything on an Oasis Class ship, the solarium on Wonder is just bigger.
Another great amenity on Wonder of the Seas are the shows. There are three entertainment venues with shows almost every night: AquaTheater, Royal Theater, and Studio B.
You can expect to see comedy shows, ice skating show, diving show and more.
If you're new to cruising, or are traveling with a wide variety of ages, it's hard to go wrong with an Oasis Class cruise ship like Wonder.
If there's a downside to going on Wonder of the Seas, it's that you'll pay more on average for a cruise on Wonder of the Seas compared to other ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet.
Read more: Royal Caribbean ship classes guide & explanation
If your budget is tight, perhaps one of the other ships in this list might be a better fit, but that isn't to say Wonder will cost you an arm and a leg either. Relatively speaking, newer ships tend to cost more.
You can save money on just about every cruise by taking advantage of certain planning tips for getting the lowest price, so there's no excuse for paying top dollar, even for a cruise on Wonder of the Seas.
Let's say you have tweens or teen in your family and want to go on a Royal Caribbean cruise that caters more to them than younger children.
Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class ships have always been the best choice for families with older children because of the more sophisticated offerings onboard.
Just like Wonder of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas is the newest ship in its class and has the latest offerings available. Moreover, Odyssey is a very new ship too, which means you're going to find lots to enjoy.
If you have a teen, be sure to start off by showing them the teen club and teen sun deck. Teens not only have an indoor area for them, but they have a reserved area of the pool deck just for them.
Read more: 6 things you can only do on Odyssey of the Seas
Then there's the SeaPlex on Odyssey of the Seas, where throughout the day activities are swapped that include bumper cars, roller skating, basketball, and more. Parents can "observe" from the nearby Playmakers sports bar located on the upper level of the SeaPlex.
Something to do with your teens would be Zone Zero, an immersive virtual reality experience where you put on a full virtual reality suit.
Everyone will be able to also check out North Star observational pod, which is a glass capsule that takes you 300 feet above the ocean.
If your teens ever wanted to try skydiving, Odyssey has a sky diving simulator too!
Grandparents and parents will find their enclave in the Solarium, which is as beautiful to look at as it is to relax in and enjoy.
For your evening entertainment, head to Two70, which has performances that incorporate amazing technology at the rear of the ship. You'll be wowed by how Royal Caribbean has taken traditional stage productions and infused tech enhancements.
You want to take your family on a fabulous cruise but also need to make every dollar count? Check out Freedom of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean revamped this ship in early 2020, and it offers plenty to do without the price tag newer cruise ships come with.
Freedom is still a "big ship", so there's no compromising on what there is to do onboard. You're going to find a surf simulator, beautiful pool area, aqua park, water slides, rock climbing wall, and much more.
In fact, the resort-style pool deck stands out as a big win for families. Kids can enjoy time at Splashaway Bay aqua park while adults will find serenity at the Solarium. The Lime & Coconut spans 3 decks, which creates a fun party atmosphere onboard.
Freedom has Royal Caribbean's new take on kids club and teen area, just like the newer ships.
Because she's getting older, the average price on Freedom is notably less than ships built in the last 5 years. However, her age doesn't come with a lot of compromise, because there's a lot still to do for families onboard.
In short, Freedom of the Seas delivers on the promise of something for everyone, but at far less of a cost than newer ships.
There's simply nothing like an Alaska cruise, and families will love everything Alaska has to offer as well as onboard Ovation of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean offers cruises to Alaska on four ships, but I like Ovation the best for families, especially if it's your first Alaska cruise.
Related: Comparing the Royal Caribbean ships sailing to Alaska in 2024
Based out of Seattle, you'll be able to find more direct flights to get you onboard and if you're an American, at a lower price than if you flew to a ship departing from Canada.
Once onboard, there is lots to do and most of the activities are indoors. Just like Odyssey of the Seas, Ovation has a North Star, Flowrider, SeaPlex, indoor Solarium and more.
Since Ovation has an indoor pool for guests of all ages (in addition to the Solarium), it's the perfect ship for Alaska.
While Alaska is worthy of dedicating as much time as you can on shore, once you get back to the ship, there's no compromise with things to do aboard.
Whether your kids are with your or not, if you are ready to take mom and dad on a cruise too, you might look at a ship that focuses more on the classic cruise experience.
Brilliance of the Seas is a Radiance Class ship, which is actually one of Royal Caribbean's smaller ships in the fleet.
Don't let her size fool you, there's still activities onboard to enjoy. There's still the rock climbing wall and a fun pool deck. If you do bring young kids with you, there's a water slide on the back of the ship too.
The adults-only solarium might be my favorite solarium across the entire fleet. It's enclosed and climate controlled, and has lots of great seating for reading, napping, or both.
Something I've always loved about the Radiance Class are the floor-to-ceiling views, which are perfect for taking in the sunsets and watching your destinations come into view.
In addition to the main dining room, you'll find three great specialty restaurants worthy of a visit. After dinner, take a show in at the Royal Theater.
So why Brilliance over her sister ships? The upgrades Brilliance received a few years ago stand out from her sister vessels (although Serenade has very similar features). Sailing from Tampa in the winter, there's also a good chance mom and dad are nearby.
Something else you'll love when you invite your parents to sail with you is the price. Quite often the value of Brilliance is unmatched.
If you have young kids under the age of 3, there are a subset of Royal Caribbean ships you'll want to book for the better offerings they have for this age group.
Look for ships that have these important features.
Not every Royal Caribbean ship has a Royal Babies & Tots Nursery, and it's a difference maker to go on a ship that has one.
The Royal Babies & Tots Nursery has an hourly cost to it, along with limited capacity. They are available for children between the age of 6 and 36 months old.
The fee for this service is $6 per hour between 9 am and 6 pm and $8 per hour from 6 pm until midnight.
The ship's nursery is a boon for parents because the nursery is a place you can drop off your infant or toddler and have someone take care of them for a few hours, allowing you to go to dinner, see a show, and otherwise enjoy the ship.
Heck, you can leave the child in the nursery while you get off the cruise ship in a port of call for a fun shore excursion.
Royal Caribbean ships with Royal Babies & Tots Nursery:
Did you know children in a diaper cannot go in the pools or hot tubs on Royal Caribbean?
Babies still in a diaper can, however, go in designated splash zones that are part of Splashaway Bay or the H2O Zone.
Royal Caribbean ships with a baby splash zone:
It's important to talk about why Royal Caribbean is the best cruise line for families before we pick a ship. Someone new to cruising may not be aware of how Royal Caribbean separates itself from other lines in the family travel market.
Royal Caribbean is known in the cruise industry for building cruise ships that are floating destinations, with lots of amazing things to do onboard.
Every Royal Caribbean ship has a supervised kids club, fun activities on the pool deck, and visits to private islands in the Caribbean. Many ships have babysitting for younger children, water slides, surf simulators, bumper cars and more.
Royal Caribbean doesn't put things on its ships just for kids, rather, they design experiences that kids and their parents can enjoy together. FlowRider, bumper cars, carousels, laser tag are all things guests of all age can find fun.
If getting your adrenaline pumping isn't your idea of fun, Royal Caribbean also has Broadway musicals on select ships, parades, ice skating shows, and expansive pool decks.
Arguably as important for parent and child alike is Adventure Ocean. Every day of your cruise there's a kids club where kids can go to meet other kids and play together in a supervised environment. Adventure Ocean isn't just a large room that kids get put in. There's activities, art, games, video games, and books for kids to enjoy.
Royal Caribbean revised its Adventure Ocean program on its newest ships and a few amplified ships, which revamped the spaces and greatly expanded the offerings.
Adventure Ocean is included in your cruise fare, with the exception of late night (after 10pm), so your vacation budget won't break.
There's even teen spaces on many ships, including dedicated lounges for teens and tweens to go and find their own enclave. The teens club is less programmed as the younger kids club, but there's still fun activities for them. In fact, Royal Caribbean will dedicate certain times of the day at the FlowRider or other signature activities just for teens.
If you have toddlers, the nursery program is a fantastic offering for parents and kids alike. The nursery has an additional hourly cost to it, but it provides a safe place for children between 6 - 36 months to go and play, nap, eat, and play some more. For parents to have a place to drop infants off and be able to enjoy dinner and evening entertainment while their baby gets to play and be put down for sleep is a boon.
If all of this sounds great, you might be wondering how much this will cost you. Royal Caribbean's prices are quite reasonable, with cabins and cruise fares to match nearly any family vacation budget.
Another ace Royal Caribbean has up its sleeve for families are its private islands of Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee.
These are ports your ship can visit on a Caribbean itinerary that are run by Royal Caribbean, which means lots of activities, beaches and a freshwater pool (at CocoCay) included with your cruise fare. A visit to either island is a highlight for nearly any family.
Other cruise lines may be more synonymous with kids, but Royal Caribbean's onboard programming stacks up favorably and offers more for children of all ages without compromising on the adult experience. Plus, Royal Caribbean routinely offers a kids sail free deal where children in the same cabin as the adults pay nothing for their cruise fare.
Royal Caribbean cruises are bookable through early 2026, but when will more cruises in 2026 and 2027 be available to book?
Summer 2026 cruises are not open to book yet, along with anything beyond April 2026.
While it may seem strange to book vacations more than 2 years in advance, booking a cruise that far ahead can net some of the best prices.
Booking a cruise early could get you a great room, a competitive rate, or a booking on a rare itinerary that could sell out quickly.
Whatever the reason, here's what you should know about when to expect Royal Caribbean to post new cruises for sale.
While nothing has officially been announced by Royal Caribbean as to when 2026 cruises will go on sale, based on historical data, it usually occurs on a set schedule.
Royal Caribbean typically has two release cycles: in the fall and again in the spring.
For the last few years, Royal Caribbean has posted their new sailings around:
They've stuck to this pattern, even during the cruise industry shutdown of 2020.
Example deployment schedule from last year
Prior to the actual sailings going on sale, Royal Caribbean will post a deployment schedule, which specifies the week (but not day) of release for each block of itineraries. These blocks are grouped by cruise length and region.
One trick some cruisers have come up with is to follow what sister brand Celebrity Cruises does, as Celebrity is usually ahead of Royal Caribbean in posting new deployments by about a month.
There's no way to know for certain which itineraries will be released in November or December of this year, but based on the pattern from the last few years, it seems like there's a likelihood of certain regions getting posted first.
In 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020, Royal Caribbean opened up new bookings for three regions in November and December:
In 2023, the first new deployment release came the week of October 30, and then continued through the week of December 4, 2023 (skipping the Thanksgiving holiday week).
The rest of the new itineraries were released in the spring.
It is very important to remember that this is what the cruise line has done in the past, and they may change everything up this year. But since the question of when new bookings will be released is such a common question, this is the best information we have at our disposal.
After the winter holidays are over, Royal Caribbean gears up to release new itineraries for the rest of the schedule in the spring.
In 2023, new itineraries were posted as early as the week of February 13, 2023. In 2022, the first new itineraries were posted the week of February 21. In 2021, it was posted during the week of February 15.
Just like the fall, you'll get one batch of itineraries posted per week and the process can take all the way until April or May to fully complete.
In the spring, you'll get the bulk of the new itineraries released that fill in the gaps left from the fall.
Short Caribbean cruises, cruises from New York and Baltimore, and long Caribbean cruises are the notable sailings that get posted in the spring. Australia cruises are also released this time of year.
One of the best strategies to get the lowest price on your cruise is to book a cruise early, even two years early.
It may seem crazy to some to book a cruise quite that far in advance, but there are some really good benefits to placing a deposit that early.
At a very basic level, cruise lines increase the price of a sailing as the ship sells out. By booking early, inventory is at its highest, and that usually nets you some of the best prices (especially for suites).
If you live in certain countries, you're allowed to re-price your cabin and take advantage of a price drop up until the final payment date. This includes the United States and Canada, but there are others too.
Beyond the cost of a cruise, another good reason to book early is to get a specific cabin.
Read more: What are the different types of cabins on a cruise ship?
There are certain types of cruise ship cabins that sell out quickly, and booking early is almost always the only way to get them. Suites are usually the first type of cabin category to sell out because there are so few suites onboard.
Keep in mind that suites always have always non-refundable cruise fare, so there's a bit of a risk if you aren't totally certain what your vacation plans will be in two years or more.
Moreover, there could be a specific location you want, such as an aft balcony and once again, booking early can get you the best room location.
Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship
The other really important reason to book so early is because you may want to cruise over a holiday.
Holiday sailings are always competitive. This includes spring break, Christmas, summer, and New Years. If you want to take a cruise during these times of year, you will want to snag a cabin because prices will almost certainly only go up.
When I'm asked, "How far in advance should I book a cruise?", my answer is always as early as you can. Certainly when new itineraries are published is the ideal time.
At the risk of jinxing the pattern that's been in play for years, the information in this article is my best guess of what we can expect.
Once a deployment schedule is released, I will post a new article with the information on this site, so until then, our fingers are crossed that it will line up as expected.
While there's no way to be absolutely certain of when Royal Caribbean will release new summer cruises, I hope this article gives you a frame of reference of what to expect.
The hottest trend in cruising today isn't a new bar, beach, or waterslide; it's hiding rubber ducks.
What began as a small group of people looking to share their enthusiasm about going on a cruise has grown into a global phenomenon with at least a few people on every Royal Caribbean hiding ducks and many others seeking them out.
It's almost like an oral tradition passed down through social media, where someone goes on a cruise and sees others hiding and seeking rubber ducks, thinks its a fun idea, and then subsequently tries it on their next cruise.
The appeal of this activity is hard to describe until you see it in action on a cruise ship.
Essentially, some guests take it upon themselves to purchase small rubber ducks and then hide them around the ship for others to find. Some ducks are purposefully not-so-well-hidden, while others are truly placed in odd spots.
The idea is to provide a "thrill of the hunt" for other guests, primarily children. Parents seem to get into the spirit of it as well.
While sailing on 7-night Royal Caribbean cruise in Europe on Anthem of the Seas, it became clear to me hiding ducks on a cruise ship is not just an American thing. It's gone global.
Loz Griffin posted in the Facebook group for my sailing, "Is anyone hiding ducks on this cruise. We are. And we have LOADS. Can't wait."
That sparked over a dozen other people to respond they would be participating too, and for the duration of the sailing, most of the posts were seemingly about people either hiding ducks or looking for clues as to where their kids could find a hidden duck.
Lisa Hunke shared how it started for her, "My husband thought I was out of my mind when I was getting my ducks ready for our Icon cruise this past February."
"He ended up hiding more of them than I did and was always on the look out for hidden ones."
Hiding rubber ducks on a cruise is a relatively new trend in cruising, and it seems it began on Facebook.
The Facebook group "Cruising Ducks™ -Original group" claims it began with a 10 year old girl named Abby.
The idea was to give Abby something fun to do during her sailing, "a cute and entertaining way to have a blast on cruises and to brighten others days."
This particular group not only encouraged the hiding of ducks, but for those that found the duck to share a photo of their duck in the group so that everyone could see the journey the duck had made.
As of the writing of this article, the Facebook group has over 280,000 members.
Inside the group, there's inspiration for others to find creative looking ducks. Some people go beyond traditional cheap plastic ducks, and hide ornate ducks.
Jheri Mauai shared a photo of the 250 bedazzled ducks that will be hidden soon on a cruise ship.
One man actually prints his own ducks, creating glow-in-the-dark, giant, and very creative ducks.
"Cris the Cruising Duck Man" is his online moniker, and he shares his latest creations.
I sailed with Cris on Icon and Liberty of the Seas earlier this year, and he has a backpack full of ducks he keeps with him to hide.
When questioned why someone would hide a duck in the first place, Rense Dunn responded, "for the kids if you see their faces when they find them. Priceless!"
Pam Mull added, "[it's] just for fun. Everyone enjoys finding them and reading the tags & seeing where they come from."
While most people seem indifferent to hiding ducks at worst, there are some cruisers that really despise the trend.
The issue some people have with hiding ducks is where they get hidden, such as in-between plants that get rustled in the process. Or someone hiding a duck in non-public space, such a restaurant.
Mike Simmons commented, "When I see one, or 5, or 20; now they're my ducks and they love to be re-hidden in the various garbage cans."
Laurie Bridges shared two issues with hiding ducks, "I do not like seeing the tiny ducks in places that small children can find them, as they're a choking hazard."
"It's also pretty disgusting to see one that has a tag attached that advertises a couple looking for others with whom to swing/swap. Yes, we've actually seen that."
The basics are simple, walk around public areas of your cruise ship and keep an eye out for a bright yellow rubber duck.
Most people attach a card to each duck they hide, as a kind of "calling card" to not only identify who hid it, but provide the rules because there's a good chance someone will find it without knowing about this new activity.
If someone stumbles across a duck, they can then either keep them, or re-hide for someone else to find.
Passengers like to hide ducks among plants, on top of signs, or in crevices.
In my experience, most of the ducks get hidden towards the beginning of the cruise, so if you or your family are hunting for them, seek them out early, especially on a sea day.
Another strategy is to join the Facebook group for your particular Royal Caribbean sailing, as those that hide ducks tend to announce when they're releasing their flock.
Some people will ask in the group about if there are more ducks hidden and for clues as well. Younger children can sometimes struggle with finding them, so clues can help.
If this sounds like just the kind of fun you want to try, getting started is pretty easy.
Most people buy a batch of ducks on Amazon, such as this batch of 100 ducks that come with name tags and rubber bands. (Note: this link contains an affiliate link, which means we make a commission but costs you nothing extra!)
Then it's up to you how involved you want to be with sharing this experience. You could join your sailing's Facebook group or even the Cruising Ducks group.
There are some basic guidelines people that hide ducks tend to follow. Avoid areas where they could blow overboard, as well as pools, hot tubs or inside stores or restaurants.
It will now be more expensive to visit Cozumel's Mayan ruins, beaches, and restaurants as the country is adding a Natural Disaster Prevention Fund of $5 per cruise ship passenger.
As first reported by PorEsto, the new tax would apply to guests visiting a port in either Cozumel, Mexico or Costa Maya, Mexico and will be a single payment, regardless of which port they enter first.
It would apply to cruise ship passengers only, and not crew members.
It's not yet clear how the new tax would be implemented in regards to those that already have a 2025 cruise booked.
The goal of the tax is to improve tourism infrastructure. “Seventy percent of the income will be used to improve the tourist infrastructure and the remaining 30 percent will be used to create a Natural Disaster Fund for when storms, rain, and hurricanes impact the area.
The new tax could become a reality in 2025.
From January to October of this year, 3,260,568 passengers have arrived at the three piers of Cozumel, which represents a growth of 16.5 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
The island of Cozumel is the third-busiest cruise ship port in the world, and is visited by about 1,250 cruise ships each year.
Quintana Roo is located on the eastern portion of the Yucatan peninsula, and two popular cruise ports are within the state. The other port in Eastern Mexico that Royal Caribbean cruise ships visit, Progreso, is in the state of Yucatan.
Port fees and taxes, such as this new tax, are levied on top of the base cruise fare. Royal Caribbean recently made a change to how it advertises its cruise prices by including fees and taxes in their pricing.
As an example, port fees and taxes for a 7-night cruise on Wonder of the Seas in 2025 amounted to $325.18, or $162.59 per person.
There's no getting around these fees, as it's levied by the countries ships visit and cruise lines simply pass it onto the passenger.
While the fare you pay for a cruise vacation includes the basics, there are other costs you'll need to account for in the total vacation cost.
Some of the extra charges are what you probably expect, such as souvenirs, a spa treatment, or a shore excursion not being included.
However, there are extra costs that take some cruisers by surprise when they discover them, especially first time cruisers.
Internet access is not included with your cruise fare, and if you want to use Royal Caribbean's WiFi, you'll need to pay $27.99 per day for one device a at a time when purchased on the ship.
You could save a little bit of money off the cost if you pre-paid it before the cruise, as well as if you opted for a multi-device plan.
Another extra cost is room service, which Royal Caribbean began charging for in 2017.
A single $7.95 per order fee is added to any room service order, regardless of how much you order.
An 18% gratuity is added on top of the $7.95 fee for a total cost of around $9.40.
Another common extra cost you'll run into are drinks.
Royal Caribbean includes basic beverages with your cruise fare, you'll need to pay extra if you want a soda, beer, wine, cocktail, or latte.
You can pay for each drink individually, with a can of soda costing $3.50 each, or a beer at $7.99 each.
Read more: Royal Caribbean drink prices list
Gratuities are another extra cost you're going to run into on any cruise.
Each passenger pays a daily gratuity that covers the services of the crew members they interact with the most, and this daily rate is charged automatically unless the guest pre-pays it prior to the cruise.
Royal Caribbean charges $18.00 per day, per person for guests staying in a Junior Suite or below, and $20.50 per day per person for guests staying in a suite.
On a typical seven-night cruise, that's around $500 in fees for a family of four.