Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean was founded in 1968 by Norwegian shipping families and launched its first ship, Song of Norway, in 1970, building one of the first cruise lines designed around Caribbean sailings from Miami. It has spent the decades since making ships bigger and busier, and today it is the flagship brand of Royal Caribbean Group, which also owns Celebrity Cruises and Silversea.

The fleet of nearly 30 ships falls into clear generations. The Icon class (Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas) and the Oasis class (Oasis, Allure, Harmony, Symphony, Wonder and Utopia of the Seas) are the giants, each split into themed neighborhoods. The Quantum class adds the North Star observation capsule and RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator. The Freedom and Voyager classes introduced the Royal Promenade and ice rinks, while the smaller Radiance and Vision classes, with more glass and fewer crowds, handle Alaska, Australia and longer, port-heavy routes.

Ships rotate, but the core of the business is three- to seven-night Caribbean and Bahamas cruises from Florida and Texas, with Alaska, Europe, Asia and Australia filling the summer and southern-hemisphere seasons.

Expect energy. On an Oasis- or Icon-class ship you may share the decks with 5,000 to more than 7,000 passengers, and the atmosphere is cheerful, loud by the pool and family-heavy during school holidays. The typical passenger is a family, a multigenerational group or a couple in their 30s to 50s, and plenty of first-timers. Dress is casual by day and smart casual at night, with one or two optional dress-up evenings on a week-long cruise, where some guests wear suits and gowns and others simply put on a nice shirt. The big ships are designed to spread crowds across neighborhoods such as Central Park, the Boardwalk and Surfside, but lines still form at embarkation, the buffet at peak times and popular attractions on sea days. The smaller Radiance- and Vision-class ships feel calmer and suit cruisers who care more about ports than slides.

Your fare covers the Main Dining Room (traditional assigned seating or flexible My Time Dining), the Windjammer Marketplace buffet, Café Promenade and Sorrento’s pizza, plus casual spots that vary by ship. Specialty restaurants cost extra and are where the line shines: Chops Grille steakhouse, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Izumi for sushi and hibachi, Hooked Seafood, the whimsical Wonderland, and on Oasis-class ships, the chef-driven 150 Central Park. Icon-class ships add more venues, including a supper-club style dinner show. Many cruisers buy an Unlimited Dining Package, which can work out well on longer sailings if you would eat at specialty venues most nights. Main-dining menus are solid and family-friendly rather than gourmet.

Entertainment is the line’s main selling point. Oasis- and Icon-class ships stage full-length Broadway musicals (titles rotate and have included Mamma Mia! and The Wizard of Oz), high-diving shows at the outdoor AquaTheater and ice-skating spectaculars. Quantum-class ships use Two70, a lounge with robotic video screens. By day you will find FlowRider surf simulators, rock-climbing walls, mini-golf, laser tag on some ships, zip lines and the Perfect Storm or Thrill Island waterslides, culminating in Category 6 on the Icon class, the largest water park at sea. Nights bring comedy clubs, dueling pianos, a casino and late-night dance parties.

Kids are a core audience. Adventure Ocean runs supervised, age-grouped programs for children 3 to 12 (with group babysitting late in the evening for a fee), and teen clubs give 12- to 17-year-olds their own lounge and activities. Several ships have a Royal Babies & Tots nursery for younger children. Icon-class ships add Surfside, a whole neighborhood for families with young kids, with a splash zone, carousel and casual eateries. Expect lots of children during summer, spring break and holidays.

Cabins range from compact interiors to multi-level suites. Look for virtual-balcony interiors on Quantum-class ships, which show a live view of the sea, and Central Park or Boardwalk balconies on Oasis-class ships, which overlook the interior neighborhoods instead of the ocean (cheaper, but noisier and less private). Family cabins sleep up to six or more, and the Icon class offers Surfside family suites. The Royal Suite Class adds perks by tier, with the top Star Class including a dedicated genie who handles reservations and shows. Solo cabins exist on some ships but are limited.

Drinks are extra. Royal Caribbean sells the Deluxe Beverage Package (cocktails, beer, wine, soft drinks and specialty coffee), the Refreshment Package (non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails) and the Classic Soda Package. If one adult in a cabin buys the Deluxe package, all adults in that cabin generally must buy it too. Water, basic coffee, tea, lemonade and iced tea are included in the buffet and dining room.

Royal Caribbean adds an automatic daily gratuity per guest to your onboard account, with a higher rate for suite guests. You can prepay before sailing or adjust it at Guest Services onboard. A service charge is automatically added to bar purchases, beverage packages and many spa services, so you don’t need to tip again on those.

The Crown & Anchor Society awards points for every night sailed, with bonus points for suites. Tiers run from Gold and Platinum through Emerald, Diamond and Diamond Plus to the Pinnacle Club, adding perks such as lounge access, drink vouchers and priority services. Status matches across to Celebrity’s Captain’s Club at an equivalent level.