Are you looking for the most activity-packed, megaresort-like Royal Caribbean cruise ships at sea? If so, you’ll want to get on one of the biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ships.
These ships are, by nature, the Royal Caribbean ships with the most pools, waterslides and other top-deck activities, as well as the most onboard restaurants, bars and showrooms. They have the biggest casinos and spas among ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, as well as the largest number of cabins and suites — and the most variation in cabin and suite types.
With room for more than 6,000 passengers, the biggest Royal Caribbean ships are truly massive resorts like the ones you’d find at landlocked destinations such as Orlando and Las Vegas. If you’re in the “bigger is better” camp when it comes to a resort experience, these are the Royal Caribbean ships for you.
Royal Caribbean doesn’t only operate massive vessels, though. The Miami-based cruise giant also operates several relatively small ships that carry just 2,000 or 3,000 passengers and have a much more intimate feel. In some cases, these vessels are just half or one-third of the size of Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships. These ships, notably, have far fewer top-deck activities and interior venues than the biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ships.
The smallest Royal Caribbean cruise ships are best for vacationers who like a more intimate, less crowded resort experience.
To ensure you end up on the right ship for you, it pays to study which Royal Caribbean ships are the biggest and which are the smallest before booking.
Here is every Royal Caribbean ship currently in operation, ranked from biggest to smallest.
Note: Ships are ranked based on gross registered tonnage — the measure of a ship’s interior volume. Passenger numbers listed are based on double occupancy (two people per cabin).
Royal Caribbean cruise ships, biggest to smallest
| Rank | Ship | Class | Gross tons | Year | Passenger capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tied) | Legend of the Seas | Icon | 248,663 | 2026 | 5,610 |
| 1 (tied) | Star of the Seas | Icon | 248,663 | 2025 | 5,610 |
| 1 (tied) | Icon of the Seas | Icon | 248,663 | 2024 | 5,610 |
| 4 | Utopia of the Seas | Oasis | 236,473 | 2024 | 5,668 |
| 5 | Wonder of the Seas | Oasis | 235,600 | 2022 | 5,734 |
| 6 | Symphony of the Seas | Oasis | 228,081 | 2018 | 5,518 |
| 7 | Harmony of the Seas | Oasis | 226,963 | 2016 | 5,479 |
| 8 | Oasis of the Seas | Oasis | 226,838 | 2009 | 5,602 |
| 9 | Allure of the Seas | Oasis | 225,282 | 2010 | 5,718 |
| 10 | Spectrum of the Seas | Quantum | 169,379 | 2019 | 4,246 |
| 11 (tied) | Ovation of the Seas | Quantum | 168,666 | 2016 | 4,182 |
| 11 (tied) | Anthem of the Seas | Quantum | 168,666 | 2015 | 4,180 |
| 11 (tied) | Quantum of the Seas | Quantum | 168,666 | 2014 | 4,180 |
| 14 | Odyssey of the Seas | Quantum | 167,704 | 2022 | 4,198 |
| 15 | Freedom of the Seas | Freedom | 156,271 | 2006 | 3,926 |
| 16 (tied) | Independence of the Seas | Freedom | 154,407 | 2008 | 3,858 |
| 16 (tied) | Liberty of the Seas | Freedom | 154,407 | 2007 | 3,798 |
| 18 | Navigator of the Seas | Voyager | 139,999 | 2002 | 3,368 |
| 19 | Mariner of the Seas | Voyager | 139,863 | 2003 | 3,344 |
| 20 | Explorer of the Seas | Voyager | 137,308 | 2000 | 3,286 |
| 21 (tied) | Voyager of the Seas | Voyager | 137,276 | 1999 | 3,602 |
| 21 (tied) | Adventure of the Seas | Voyager | 137,276 | 2001 | 3,114 |
| 23 (tied) | Jewel of the Seas | Radiance | 90,090 | 2004 | 2,191 |
| 23 (tied) | Serenade of the Seas | Radiance | 90,090 | 2003 | 2,143 |
| 23 (tied) | Brilliance of the Seas | Radiance | 90,090 | 2002 | 2,142 |
| 23 (tied) | Radiance of the Seas | Radiance | 90,090 | 2001 | 2,143 |
| 27 | Enchantment of the Seas | Vision | 82,910 | 1997 | 2,252 |
| 28 | Rhapsody of the Seas | Vision | 78,878 | 1997 | 2,040 |
| 29 | Vision of the Seas | Vision | 78,340 | 1998 | 2,050 |
| 30 | Grandeur of the Seas | Vision | 73,817 | 1996 | 1,992 |
What is the biggest Royal Caribbean ship?
The three biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ships are Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas. All three are Icon Class ships measuring 248,663 gross tons, making them tied for the biggest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet — and also the biggest cruise ships ever built by any line. They’re loaded with more bars, restaurants, theaters and top-deck attractions than you’ll find on any other ship at sea.
Icon of the Seas debuted in 2024, followed by Star of the Seas in 2025 and Legend of the Seas in 2026. A fourth ship in the Icon Class (Hero of the Seas) will debut in August 2027, followed by another three as yet unnamed ships in 2028, 2029 and 2030.
How big is Legend of the Seas?
At 248,663 gross tons, Legend of the Seas (and the rest of the Icon Class ships) is about 5% larger than Royal Caribbean’s second-largest ship, Utopia of the Seas. Legend of the Seas can carry up to 7,600 passengers — a new record for a passenger ship.
The bigger passenger capacity is partly due to the ship’s greater focus on family travelers. Icon Class ships were built with many more cabins with plenty of extra bunks to accommodate families with children. They also have more amenities geared toward families. The ships include a new-for-the-line outdoor “neighborhood” called Surfside, which is dedicated to families with young children.
What is the smallest Royal Caribbean ship?
The smallest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Grandeur of the Seas. Measuring just 73,817 tons, it’s just one-third of the size of Icon of the Seas.
Grandeur of the Seas dates to 1996, a time when cruise ships were built far smaller than they are nowadays and with far fewer amenities and dining venues. At 30 years old, it’s the oldest vessel in the Royal Caribbean fleet.
Except for a rock climbing wall, Grandeur of the Seas has none of the notable Royal Caribbean top-deck attractions — such as skydiving simulators and giant water parks — found on the newest Royal Caribbean vessels. For the most part, its top deck is lined with pools, whirlpools and sun-deck areas, as is typical for ships built in the 1990s.
That said, Grandeur of the Seas has a loyal following among Royal Caribbean fans who prefer smaller and more intimate ships.
Royal Caribbean is building a new series of smaller ships that could replace Grandeur of the Seas and other older, smaller vessels in the line’s fleet.
Are bigger Royal Caribbean ships coming?
Royal Caribbean currently has seven new cruise ships on order, some of which will be among its biggest cruise ships ever.
These ships include four more vessels in the line’s Icon Class, which are similar in size and amenities to Legend of the Seas. They’re on order from a shipyard for delivery in 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030, respectively. The first will be named Hero of the Seas; the second, third and fourth are currently unnamed.
Royal Caribbean also has one more ship in its popular Oasis Class series on order for delivery in 2028.
Launched in 2009 with the debut of Oasis of the Seas, the Oasis Class vessels have dominated the world of mega-sized cruise ships since then. When the class began rolling out, the vessels were around 40% larger than the next-largest cruise ships, and they have remained among the largest and most amenity-laden ships in the world ever since.
The new Oasis Class vessel, which hasn’t yet been named, is expected to be roughly the same size as Utopia of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s second-biggest cruise ship, but smaller than Icon Class ships.
Are smaller Royal Caribbean ships coming?
Royal Caribbean has a new class of smaller ships in the works. The line’s first Discovery Class vessel is scheduled to debut in 2029, with a second ship due in 2032.
Unlike Royal Caribbean’s giant Oasis and Icon Class ships, the Discovery Class ships are being designed to visit smaller ports that can’t accommodate the line’s biggest vessels. The new ships are also expected to replace some of the oldest ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet.
What’s the difference between bigger and smaller Royal Caribbean ships?
Royal Caribbean’s largest ships have room for many more onboard venues and attractions than its older ships. That makes them more alluring for vacationers who prefer a big, bustling megaresort experience to a stay at a smaller resort.
On Royal Caribbean’s biggest Oasis Class vessels, for instance, you’ll find three separate main pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court and even a zip line. And that’s just on the top decks. Inside the vessels, you’ll find more lounges, bars, restaurants and shops than you can imagine — plus huge casinos, spas and theaters with Broadway-style shows. They even have indoor ice skating rinks.
Royal Caribbean’s smallest ships are one-half to one-third smaller than the Oasis Class and Icon Class vessels and lack many of the above features. They have a much more intimate feel, at least in the pantheon of relatively big mass-market ships, and they hold far fewer people. While Oasis Class and Icon Class ships can hold more than 5,400 passengers at double occupancy, the line’s four oldest vessels (known as the Vision Class) are designed to carry only about 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.
Royal Caribbean’s smallest ships are a good choice for someone who wants to try Royal Caribbean but isn’t eager to travel with huge crowds. The smallest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet appeal to a subset of Royal Caribbean fans who prefer more intimacy in a cruise vessel and don’t mind giving up some onboard amenities to get it. They are also often less expensive per day for cruisers.
Additionally, because of their size, the smallest Royal Caribbean ships can operate itineraries to destinations that aren’t as easy for larger ships to reach. Not all ports in the world can handle ships the size of Icon Class vessels.
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Source: thepointsguy.com
