Royal Caribbean Cruises
The biggest ships and the most to do on board.
High energy, big-ship resort feel: water slides, surf simulators, ice shows, Broadway-style productions and a dozen places to eat.
What Royal is like.
Royal Caribbean is the world's largest cruise line by capacity and the one most Americans picture when they think "cruise." The brand's bet is scale: ships built as floating resorts with neighborhoods, parks, a boardwalk with a carousel, an ice rink, a zip line and more restaurants than you can try in a week. If your group has kids, teens, grandparents and one person who "does not like cruises," Royal is where all of them find something.
The fleet runs from the record-setting Icon class (Icon and Star of the Seas, about 5,600 guests) and the Oasis class down to the Quantum, Freedom, Voyager and Radiance classes, which sail shorter itineraries and Alaska. Newer ships have more of everything; older ships are smaller, cheaper and often perfect for a three- or four-night Bahamas weekend where you spend most of the time on the beach anyway.
Most Royal Caribbean sailings from Florida stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, the company's private island in the Bahamas, and starting in 2025 a Perfect Day Mexico at Costa Maya is on the way. The line also has a strong Alaska program from Seattle and Vancouver, seasonal Europe, and short getaways from Galveston, New Orleans, Baltimore, Cape Liberty (New York) and Los Angeles.
Pricing is where Royal needs a planner. Base fares look reasonable, then drinks, Wi-Fi, specialty dining and excursions add up fast. We know which sailings bundle a beverage package, which cabins to avoid (under the pool deck, above the theater), and when a Junior Suite is actually cheaper per person than two balconies for a family of four.
Ship classes, and which one to pick.
Newer is not always better. The right ship depends on the itinerary, your group and what you want to do on a sea day.
Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas
The newest and largest: Category 6 waterpark, Surfside neighborhood for young families, seven pools, the AquaDome and Central Park.
Wonder, Symphony, Harmony, Oasis, Allure, Utopia of the Seas
Seven neighborhoods, Ultimate Abyss slide, Boardwalk and Central Park. The template every other mega-ship copied.
Quantum, Anthem, Ovation, Spectrum, Odyssey of the Seas
North Star observation pod, RipCord skydiving, bumper cars. Anthem sails from New York; Ovation and Quantum do Alaska.
Freedom, Liberty, Independence, Navigator, Mariner, Adventure of the Seas
The value picks for 3 to 5 night Bahamas and Caribbean runs. Refreshed with slides and new restaurants.
Perfect Day at CocoCay (Bahamas): Thrill Waterpark with the tallest slide in North America, Oasis Lagoon pool, Coco Beach Club (extra) and Hideaway Beach for adults only. Most of the island is included in your fare.
Where Royal goes, and what it typically costs.
Starting fares per person, double occupancy, before taxes, packages and flights. They move with season and demand; we price your exact dates.
| Itinerary | Nights | Sails from | Ports | Season | Typical fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect Day weekend | 3 to 4 | Miami, Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale | Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay | Year round | from about $350 to $700 pp |
| Eastern Caribbean | 7 | Port Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale | St. Thomas, St. Maarten or San Juan, CocoCay | Year round, best Nov to Apr | from about $900 to $1,800 pp |
| Western Caribbean | 7 | Miami, Galveston, Fort Lauderdale | Cozumel, Roatan, Costa Maya, CocoCay | Year round | from about $850 to $1,700 pp |
| Alaska Glacier | 7 | Seattle or Vancouver | Juneau, Skagway, Sitka or Ketchikan, glacier viewing | May to September | from about $1,100 to $2,400 pp |
| Southern Caribbean | 7 to 9 | San Juan or Fort Lauderdale | Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, St. Kitts | Nov to April | from about $1,000 to $2,200 pp |
Which cabin, and who should book it.
Interiors have no window; on Oasis and Icon class many look onto the indoor neighborhoods. Ocean views add a porthole or picture window.
Budget travelers, and light sleepers who want daylight without paying for a balcony.
Private veranda; Central Park and Boardwalk balconies face inward and cost less.
Couples, and Alaska, where the balcony earns its keep.
Bigger cabin, walk-in closet, larger balcony, some Suite perks on newer ships.
Families of four who want one room; often cheaper than two balconies.
Suite lounge, Coastal Kitchen restaurant, reserved seating, Genie service at the top tiers.
Groups that want the Suite Neighborhood on Icon and Oasis ships.
- Main Dining Room (My Time or fixed seating)
- Windjammer buffet
- Park Cafe, Sorrento's pizza, Cafe Promenade
- El Loco Fresh, Solarium Bistro on many ships
- Room service continental breakfast
- Chops Grille steakhouse
- Giovanni's Italian Kitchen
- Izumi sushi and hibachi
- Hooked Seafood
- Wonderland (Quantum and Oasis)
- 150 Central Park
- Jamie's Italian on some ships
What a sea day looks like.
What is in the fare, what is extra, and which packages pay off.
Names and inclusions change by sailing. We confirm the current terms before you buy anything.
- Main dining and buffet
- Most entertainment and shows
- Pools, slides, sports deck
- Adventure Ocean kids program
- Basic coffee, tea, water, lemonade
- Alcohol, soda and specialty coffee (or a package)
- Wi-Fi
- Specialty restaurants
- Shore excursions and CocoCay extras
- Gratuities (~$18 to $21 per person per day)
- Spa, casino, photos, arcade
Cocktails, beer, wine by the glass, specialty coffee, bottled water and sodas. Priced per person per day; everyone 21+ in the cabin must buy it.
Non-alcoholic options: mocktails, coffee, juices, sodas. Good for teens and non-drinkers.
Every specialty restaurant for one price; 3-night versions exist on longer sailings.
Fast enough for video calls and streaming, priced per device per day. Multi-device bundles are cheaper.
Priority boarding, reserved show seats, private hours on FlowRider and slides, Chops embarkation lunch.
Ship-run tours in every port. We pair them with independent charters and beach clubs from the same pier.
- Book the beverage package during a pre-cruise sale, never on board.
- Central Park balconies are quieter and cheaper than ocean balconies on Oasis ships.
- Reserve shows in the app the day booking opens; the ice and AquaTheater shows fill.
- CocoCay: the beach and pools are free; skip the waterpark unless the kids insist.
- Fly in the night before. Miami and Port Canaveral traffic has missed more ships than weather has.
Our take How we plan Royal.
Royal is our first suggestion for a family that wants a lot to do without leaving the ship. We watch for sailings where a beverage or dining package is bundled, book the cabin location that matters for your group, and line up a real fishing charter or beach club in port so you are not standing in a 2,000-person excursion line.
Before you book Royal.
Is the beverage package worth it on Royal Caribbean?
Usually yes if you will have three or more drinks a day including specialty coffee and bottled water. Royal requires every adult in the cabin to buy it, so we run the numbers for your cabin before recommending it.
Which Royal Caribbean ship is best for families?
Icon of the Seas and the Oasis-class ships for the most kid activities; Freedom and Voyager classes for three- and four-night Bahamas trips where the ship matters less than the price.
How much does a Royal Caribbean cruise really cost?
A seven-night Caribbean cruise for two in a balcony typically lands at $3,000 to $5,000 all in once you add gratuities, a drink package, Wi-Fi and a couple of excursions. Short Bahamas trips can be half that. We price the whole thing before you commit.
Do I need a passport?
For closed-loop sailings from a US port a birth certificate and government ID are legally enough, but we strongly recommend a passport in case you need to fly home from a port.
Can you plan the pre-cruise hotel and flights too?
Yes. We book the flight in the day before, the hotel near the port, the transfer to the pier and the excursions, so the whole trip is one plan with one person behind it.
What is the best time to cruise the Caribbean with Royal?
December through April for weather; late April through May and September through early November for price. Hurricane season (June to November) is cheaper and ships reroute around storms.
Compare with the rest.
Ready to sail Royal?
Tell us who is going and when. A person who has sailed it replies with the right ship, cabin and ports. No fee to you.