Royal Caribbean review

About Royal Caribbean review

By the ULTIMATE Cruises Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Royal Caribbean builds the biggest ships at sea and has turned them into family resorts, with waterparks, Broadway musicals, ice shows and its own island in the Bahamas. Here is who it suits, how the ships differ, what is included and how to book well.

Royal Caribbean began with a single ship, Song of Norway, which sailed on her maiden voyage from Miami on 7 November 1970 (royalcaribbeangroup.com), and a simple idea: a week of Caribbean islands, with the ship as a floating hotel. Everything since has been about making that hotel a destination in its own right. Today the line builds the biggest ships afloat, divides them into neighbourhoods and gives its guests a private island in the Bahamas.

Thirty ships sail today, with Hero of the Seas due in August 2027 (royalcaribbean.com, Oct 2026). Here is how to choose among them, what the fare covers and what to budget for.

This is the line for families and first-time cruisers who want the ship to be the holiday.

Who Royal Caribbean suits

This is the line for families, for groups of friends and for first-time cruisers who want the ship to be the holiday. Children are looked after in Adventure Ocean, which groups them by age, and Royal Babies & Tots takes the youngest; the Late Night Party Zone looks after children aged 3–11 from 10pm to 2am, so parents can have an evening of their own. Youth programmes are included in the fare.

If you want quiet, intimacy or a ship of a few hundred guests, look elsewhere. Royal Caribbean is energetic by design, and its pleasures are scale and choice.

Icon class

Icon of the Seas debuted in January 2024 as the biggest cruise ship in the world, and her sisters Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas now match her gross tonnage. On board you find Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, with six slides including Frightening Bolt, the tallest waterslide at sea, and Pressure Drop, the first open freefall slide on a cruise; Royal Bay, the largest pool at sea; Surfside, a whole neighbourhood for young families; and the glass AquaDome, a theatre with a pool for a stage. Thrill Island adds the FlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing and mini golf, all included.

Icon of the Seas sails 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Miami, every one with a day at Perfect Day CocoCay, and moves to Galveston, Texas, for Western Caribbean sailings from August 2027. Star of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral, so a cruise can be paired with Kennedy Space Center or the Orlando parks. Legend of the Seas brings the Icon formula to Europe, with week-long sailings from Barcelona and Rome in summer and Southern Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale in winter. Hero of the Seas arrives in Miami in August 2027 with nine pools and the first funnel raft slide at sea.

Oasis class and the wider fleet

The turning point came with Oasis of the Seas, delivered in October 2009, which broke the ship into neighbourhoods: a Boardwalk with a carousel, the Royal Promenade of shops and bars, and Central Park, an open-air garden of more than 10,000 plants in the heart of the ship. Six Oasis-class ships now sail, from Oasis to Utopia of the Seas, and Utopia, Wonder and Oasis also run short three- and four-night Bahamas getaways.

Beyond the Icon and Oasis classes, 21 more ships sail, among them Quantum, Anthem, Odyssey, Freedom, Enchantment and Vision of the Seas. Search by ship on royalcaribbean.com to see where each sails this season.

Suites and family rooms

On Icon-class ships the Suite Neighborhood is reserved for suite guests, with a two-storey sun deck, its own pool and hot tub, and The Grove, a suites-only restaurant included in the fare. The Ultimate Family Townhouse, spread over three levels with two bedrooms, an in-suite slide, a wraparound balcony with a whirlpool and its own front door onto Surfside, measures 1,772 sq ft for up to eight guests, in Royal Caribbean’s guide.

For most families the sweet spot is lower down: the Family Infinite Balcony sleeps up to six, with a kids’ alcove with bunk beds and TVs, a split bathroom and a balcony that becomes extra living space at the push of a button, and the Surfside Family Suites add a separate kids’ room close to the family neighbourhood.

Dining

You can eat very well without paying extra. On Icon-class ships there are 17 complimentary eateries: the Dining Room with a three-course menu nightly, two buffets, seven fast-casual spots, the five food stands of AquaDome Market, soft serve at Sprinkles, pizza at Sorrento’s and Pearl Café around the clock.

The specialty restaurants cost extra, with an 18% gratuity added. Chops Grille serves steaks in a quieter room; Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen serves Italian dishes to share; Izumi Hibachi & Sushi pairs sushi with hibachi tables; 150 Central Park, on Oasis-class ships, is the line’s chef-driven restaurant; and Empire Supper Club, on Icon class, is its most theatrical table, with live music at dinner. Dining packages cover several specialty nights, with prices that vary by ship and sailing.

Shows and the spa

The big shows are included: The Wizard of Oz on Icon of the Seas, Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Legend of the Seas, ice shows such as Absolute Zero, and diving and acrobatics in the AquaTheater or the AquaDome. Spa treatments are an optional upgrade, with a 20% gratuity added, and can be booked before you sail through the cruise planner.

Perfect Day CocoCay and the beach clubs

Perfect Day CocoCay, in the Bahamas, is for Royal Caribbean guests only. Much of it is included: the beaches, Splashaway Bay, the children’s aquapark, and food at the Snack Shack, Skipper’s Grill and Chill Grill. Thrill Waterpark, with 14 slides including Daredevil’s Peak, at 135 ft the tallest slide in the Caribbean, is a paid upgrade, as are Hideaway Beach for guests aged 18 and over, Coco Beach Club with its infinity pool and overwater cabanas, cabanas and cocktails. Passes are limited, so book them before you sail.

Royal Beach Clubs now welcome guests at Paradise Island in Nassau, by day pass, and in Santorini, as part of the Ultimate Santorini Day excursion. Royal Beach Club Cozumel is in development, and Royal Beach Club Lelepa in Vanuatu is due to open in October 2027.

Where Royal Caribbean sails

Florida is home. Week-long Caribbean cruises and short Bahamas getaways leave from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral and Galveston, and longer Southern Caribbean voyages of eight or nine nights reach the islands further south. In summer, Legend of the Seas sails the Mediterranean from Barcelona and Rome, calling at places such as Naples and Palma, while other ships sail 7-night Greek Island cruises from Rome and Greek Isles and Croatia voyages from Ravenna, all stopping at Santorini. South Pacific cruises leave from Brisbane and Sydney.

What’s included, and what isn’t

The fare covers your stateroom, the complimentary restaurants, pools, waterparks, youth programmes and the shows. Specialty dining, drinks, spa treatments and some experiences are optional upgrades. Unless prepaid, gratuities are added at US$18.50 per guest per day for most staterooms and US$21 in suites; an 18% gratuity is added to drinks and drinks packages, specialty dining, room service and minibar purchases, and 20% to spa and salon services (royalcaribbean.com, Oct 2026).

Drinks packages range from the Classic Soda Package to all-inclusive packages with cocktails and wine, with an 18% gratuity added to the price; check the Royal app for prices on your sailing.

How Royal Caribbean compares

Royal Caribbean’s closest rivals are the other big resort lines. Norwegian is built around Freestyle Cruising and sells bundled packages of drinks, dining and Wi-Fi; Celebrity, part of the same group, offers big ships with a calmer, design-led feel and The Retreat for suite guests. Royal Caribbean’s edge is the sheer scale of what is included for families: the waterparks, the shows, the youth clubs and a day at CocoCay.

Booking tips

For a first try, a three- or four-night Bahamas sailing from Florida with a day at CocoCay shows you the line for a modest outlay. For a family week, an Icon- or Oasis-class ship with a balcony or Surfside family room is the sweet spot. Price the drinks and dining packages before you sail rather than on board, book CocoCay passes early, and add the daily gratuities to your budget.

Our advice: if your children are of waterslide age, book Icon of the Seas or Star of the Seas, and plan the CocoCay day before you board. If you are travelling as adults, an Oasis-class week with a dinner at 150 Central Park and a night at the AquaTheater shows the line at its best.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Royal Caribbean review before you go.