Royal Caribbean has an active fleet of 26 ships currently. They plan to launch a further 4 more ships between 2022 and 2026 (Icon on of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas and two unnamed currently) which will bring them to 30 ships and keep their position as the largest cruise line fleet in the world.
Introduction to Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean is an American cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida. It was founded in 1968 in Norway by three Norwegian shipping companies and the first ship to sail for the company was Song of Norway in 1970.
Later on, the company merged with the greek cruise line Celebrity Cruises but kept the brand alive whilst also running Royal Caribbean. A further acquisition in 2018 of Silversea Cruises added another brand to the company, aimed at luxury cruise travellers.
Royal Caribbean is seen as one of the most innovative cruise lines in the world with many ‘firsts’ at sea (surfing, rock climbing, aqua theatre, world’s biggest ship and more) – they are very popular for all age groups and cater massively for families.
Their fleet of ships sails from dedicated ports around the world year-round and additionally they own two private islands which are visited by most of their Florida-based cruise ships.
This guide will help you work out which Royal Caribbean ship is which!
Royal Caribbean Ships Frequently Asked Questions
The latest ships to launch in the Royal Caribbean fleet are Wonder of the Seas (2022) and Odyssey of the Seas (2021)
The biggest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet currently is Wonder of the Seas.
There are currently 26 ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. With a further 4 ships on order.
That would depend on your definition of fun! However, the Oasis-class ships offer the most facilities at sea because they are bigger and have more activities on them.
Grandeur of the Seas is the smallest Royal Caribbean ship in the fleet.
The oldest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet is Grandeur of the Seas which launched back in 1996.
Wonder of the Seas is currently the world’s biggest cruise ship at 236,857 GRT.
Oasis of the Seas is the bigger of the two ships. She is an Oasis-class ship whereas Anthem of the Seas is a Quantum-class ship, which is smaller.
Yes. Royal Caribbean acquired Silversea in July 2018. Before then it was a family-owned cruise line.
No! Titanic is relatively small in comparison to modern cruise ships. Titanic was only 269m long compared to Wonder of the Seas at 362m long.
Titanic was 46,328 GRT compared to Wonder of the Seas with 236,857 GRT!
Royal Caribbean Ships by Size (from largest to smallest)
| Ship Name | Tonnage (GRT) | Passengers (Max) | Length (Metres) | Decks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wonder of the Seas | 236,857 | 6,988 | 362 | 18 |
| Symphony of the Seas | 228,081 | 6,680 | 362 | 18 |
| Harmony of the Seas | 226,963 | 7,209 | 362 | 18 |
| Oasis of the Seas | 226,838 | 6,771 | 362 | 18 |
| Allure of the Seas | 225,282 | 6,780 | 362 | 18 |
| Spectrum of the Seas | 169,379 | 5,622 | 347 | 16 |
| Ovation of the Seas | 168,666 | 4,905 | 347 | 16 |
| Anthem of the Seas | 168,666 | 4,905 | 348 | 16 |
| Quantum of the Seas | 168,666 | 4,905 | 348 | 16 |
| Odyssey of the Seas | 167,704 | 5,510 | 347 | 16 |
| Freedom of the Seas | 156,271 | 4,635 | 339 | 15 |
| Liberty of the Seas | 155,889 | 4,960 | 339 | 15 |
| Independence of the Seas | 155,889 | 4,560 | 339 | 15 |
| Navigator of the Seas | 139,999 | 3,970 | 311 | 15 |
| Mariner of the Seas | 139,863 | 4,000 | 311 | 15 |
| Voyager of the Seas | 138,194 | 4,000 | 311 | 15 |
| Explorer of the Seas | 137,308 | 4,290 | 311 | 15 |
| Adventure of the Seas | 137,276 | 3,807 | 311 | 15 |
| Jewel of the Seas | 90,090 | 2,702 | 293 | 13 |
| Serenade of the Seas | 90,090 | 2,702 | 293 | 13 |
| Radiance of the Seas | 90,090 | 2,466 | 293 | 13 |
| Brilliance of the Seas | 90,090 | 2,543 | 293 | 13 |
| Enchantment of the Seas | 82,910 | 2,730 | 301 | 12 |
| Rhapsody of the Seas | 78,491 | 2,416 | 279 | 12 |
| Vision of the Seas | 78,340 | 2,514 | 279 | 12 |
| Grandeur of the Seas | 74,136 | 2,440 | 279 | 12 |
What does ‘Tonnage (GRT)’ mean?
GRT (Gross Registered Tonnage) is a term used to calculate the volume inside a ship. It is a measure of cubic capacity and is calculated by the total volume from inside the hull and decks of the ship. 1 GRT = 100 cubic feet of space. In essence, the bigger the GRT – the more ‘space’ the ship has for passengers, cargo, etc.
How are ‘Passengers (Max)’ calculated?
You’ll see multiple numbers for passengers on ships – this is because many ships include extra beds in cabins (such as the sofa/couch can convert to a pull-out bed) – but the majority of cabins usually have 2 people in them. the ‘Max’ number is if every cabin used their additional pull-out bed, etc. This number is unlikely to be reached very frequently.
Royal Caribbean Ships by Age (from newest to oldest)
| Ship Name | Built |
|---|---|
| Utopia of the Seas | Due 2024 |
| Icon of the Seas | Due 2023 |
| Wonder of the Seas | 2022 |
| Odyssey of the Seas | 2021 |
| Spectrum of the Seas | 2019 |
| Symphony of the Seas | 2018 |
| Harmony of the Seas | 2016 |
| Ovation of the Seas | 2016 |
| Anthem of the Seas | 2015 |
| Quantum of the Seas | 2014 |
| Allure of the Seas | 2010 |
| Oasis of the Seas | 2009 |
| Independence of the Seas | 2008 |
| Liberty of the Seas | 2007 |
| Freedom of the Seas | 2006 |
| Jewel of the Seas | 2004 |
| Mariner of the Seas | 2003 |
| Serenade of the Seas | 2003 |
| Navigator of the Seas | 2002 |
| Brilliance of the Seas | 2002 |
| Adventure of the Seas | 2001 |
| Radiance of the Seas | 2001 |
| Voyager of the Seas | 1999 |
| Explorer of the Seas | 2000 |
| Vision of the Seas | 1998 |
| Enchantment of the Seas | 1997 |
| Rhapsody of the Seas | 1997 |
| Grandeur of the Seas | 1996 |
Are all Royal Caribbean ships new builds?
Yes, all ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet have been built specifically for them. Some of their ships have at times been earmarked for transfer to other brands (Grandeur of the Seas was due to move to Pullmantur, but was cancelled)
Royal Caribbean Ships by Class (from newest to oldest)
| Ship Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Utopia of the Seas | Oasis class |
| Wonder of the Seas | Oasis class |
| Symphony of the Seas | Oasis class |
| Harmony of the Seas | Oasis class |
| Allure of the Seas | Oasis class |
| Oasis of the Seas | Oasis class |
| Icon of the Seas | Icon class |
| Odyssey of the Seas | Quantum-Ultra class |
| Spectrum of the Seas | Quantum-Ultra class |
| Ovation of the Seas | Quantum class |
| Anthem of the Seas | Quantum class |
| Quantum of the Seas | Quantum class |
| Independence of the Seas | Freedom class |
| Liberty of the Seas | Freedom class |
| Freedom of the Seas | Freedom class |
| Jewel of the Seas | Radiance class |
| Serenade of the Seas | Radiance class |
| Brilliance of the Seas | Radiance class |
| Radiance of the Seas | Radiance class |
| Mariner of the Seas | Voyager class |
| Navigator of the Seas | Voyager class |
| Adventure of the Seas | Voyager class |
| Explorer of the Seas | Voyager class |
| Voyager of the Seas | Voyager class |
| Vision of the Seas | Vision class |
| Enchantment of the Seas | Vision class |
| Rhapsody of the Seas | Vision class |
| Grandeur of the Seas | Vision class |
What is the difference between the Oasis-class ships?
There are currently five Oasis-class ships and the sixth one is on order (Utopia of the Seas) – there are differences between each ship, although structurally they are all the same class of ship.
The first two ships are near-enough identical sisters, however, Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas both added the Ultimate Abyss – the world’s longest slide at sea.
The fifth ship, Wonder of the Seas added an eighth neighborhood ‘Suite Neighborhood’, a new restaurant ‘The Mason Jar’ and a new bar ‘ Vue’.
Final Thoughts
Royal Caribbean makes it easy for choosing a cruise ship to sail on – they have ships of varying different sizes and capacities – allowing them to sail from multiple ports around the world year-round.
Whilst their most-popular cruises leave from Miami, allowing calls at their private islands, many people enjoy Royal Caribbean sailing in Europe (to the Canaries and the Norwegian Fjords) and also in Asia, where Royal Caribbean has experimented with homeporting ships for the Chinese market in the past.
Oasis-class ships still get the most reviews (they of course also take the most passengers) but also because of more facilities and thus activities onboard.
That said, the Quantum-class ships are extremely popular with many delighted by the ‘North Star‘ attraction on the top of each Quantum-class ship.
Enjoy this guide? Read our other guides on MSC Cruises, Holland America Line and Disney Cruise Line.
