Guide to Royal Caribbean Ship Classes
Are you trying to figure out which of the Royal Caribbean ship classes is the best?
With a total of 25 ships (including Icon of the Seas) in its fleet, Royal Caribbean International offers plenty of options for cruisers.
Whether you’re planning a singles cruise, a family vacation, or a couple’s getaway, the Royal Caribbean ships feature amenities, activities, and entertainment options that are perfect for you.
The Royal Caribbean cruise ships are conveniently grouped together in different classes. Each of these cruise-ship classes encompasses multiple sister ships.
In other words, if you are comparing two of the Oasis class ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, you’ll notice that they have many similarities. The gross tonnage, passenger capacity, and deck plans tend to somewhat resemble each other within the same class of ship.
In the post below, we will break down the Royal Caribbean ship classes, so you know exactly which ships belong in each group. We will also explain the main highlights for each of these classes of cruise ships.
This way, you will know which ships offer an ice-skating rink, water slides, splash pads, etc. So, continue reading below for our ultimate guide to Royal Caribbean ship classes!
Royal Caribbean’s Ship Classes
As mentioned above, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line features several different classes of cruise ships in its fleet. We will provide a list of each class of ship below along with an overview of the amenities you’ll find onboard.
Oasis Class Ships
We will start with the Oasis Class ships, which include:
- Oasis of the Seas
- Symphony of the Seas
- Allure of the Seas
- Wonder of the Seas
- Harmony of the Seas
- Utopia of the Seas (Scheduled to make her debut in Spring 2024.)
The Oasis Class ships can hold more than 6,000 passengers and used to be the largest cruise ships in the world. (Royal Caribbean’s new Icon Class ships are larger, but we will discuss those in more detail below.)
The Oasis-class ships are known for their various neighborhoods, multiple dining options, and family friendly activities.
Neighborhoods
The Oasis class ships feature public areas like the Royal Promenade where cruisers can stroll through shops or indulge in their favorite beverage at one of the many bars such as the Bionic Bar. The Royal Promenade is also home to live entertainment and restaurants like Sorrento’s and Cafe Promenade.
Central Park is another popular neighborhood that offers a unique, open-air atmosphere in the center of the cruise ship. Guests can stroll along the pathways lined with foliage to visit specialty restaurants like Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant, Vintages, and more.
The Boardwalk is a third neighborhood found on the Oasis class ships. Here, guests can partake in carnival games, carousel rides, and dining options like Playmakers Sports Bar or Johnny Rockets.
Activities
The Oasis class ships offer multiple entertainment options and activities for guests. From the amazing live performances in the AquaTheater to Broadway style shows in the theater, cruisers can always find something to do onboard these massive ships.
Adventure seekers should check out the rock-climbing wall, Flowrider surf simulator, zip line, or Ultimate Abyss for some thrilling fun. You’ll also find activities like an escape room, mini golf, ice skating, and basketball available onboard.
Pools
The Oasis class ships (except Allure of the Seas) feature multiple water slides for guests to enjoy on the pool deck. These slides combined with numerous swimming pools allow plenty of space for cruisers to cool off during their vacation.
If you are traveling with toddlers or younger kids, you’ll appreciate the baby splash zone for diapered kids and the Splashaway Bay water slides for potty trained children.
Quantum Class Ships
The Royal Caribbean Quantum Class ships include:
- Ovation of the Seas
- Anthem of the Seas
- Quantum of the Seas
- Spectrum of the Seas
- Odyssey of the Seas
The Quantum-class ships feature amazing shows, incredible dining options, and thrilling activities onboard. With family friendly experiences like bumper cars, rock climbing, escape room, and Flowrider, kids will never have a dull moment onboard a Quantum class ship.
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Plus, these technologically advanced cruise ships offer unique dining experiences like Wonderland and Izumi. Guests will also want to take a ride in the North Star, which raises you 300 feet above sea level for some jaw dropping panoramic views.
Finally, don’t miss out on the iFly skydiving simulator, which is the only activity of its kind at sea! As you can see, even though the Quantum class ships don’t offer water slides, there’s still plenty of fun options for kids!
Freedom Class Ships
The Royal Caribbean Freedom Class ships include:
- Liberty of the Seas
- Independence of the Seas
- Freedom of the Seas
These ships feature a smaller size than the popular Oasis class ships; however, they’re full of fun activities for families.
Cruisers onboard one of the Freedom Class ships can enjoy things like laser tag, Flowrider surf simulator, ice skating, sports court, arcade, rock climbing wall, and mini golf. These ships also feature water slides, including the Splashaway Bay water play area for younger kids.
Additionally, the Freedom Class ships offer similar dining options to the larger Oasis class ships. Some of the restaurants you’ll find onboard include Playmakers Bar and Arcade, Chef’s Table, El Loco Fresh, Johnny Rockets, and Chops Grille.
For a full guide to available dining options onboard, you can check out our post Is Food Included on Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships.
Voyager Class Ships
Royal Caribbean’s Voyager Class ships include:
- Mariner of the Seas
- Explorer of the Seas
- Navigator of the Seas
- Voyager of the Seas
- Adventure of the Seas
These Voyager Class ships come in handy at visiting smaller ports of call that the larger mega-ships can’t quite navigate into.
Smaller ships in the Voyager Class are able to reach Caribbean islands and other ports around the world that aren’t able to hold massive ships or large numbers of passengers.
Even though the Voyager Class ships aren’t as large as some of the other Royal Caribbean ships, they still offer plenty of excitement onboard. Guests sailing on one of these ships will find activities like the Flowrider surf simulator, sports court, arcade, laser tag, mini golf, rock climbing wall, and ice skating.
Additionally, Voyager Class ships feature amazing pools and water slides, except for Explorer of the Seas, which does not have slides.
Vision Class Ships
The Royal Caribbean Vision Class ships include:
- Vision of the Seas
- Grandeur of the Seas
- Rhapsody of the Seas
- Enchantment of the Seas
While these are some of the smallest and oldest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, they still offer plenty of great activities and amenities.
Some of the family friendly entertainment you’ll find onboard include a rock climbing wall, arcade, jump zone, and swimming pools.
Like the Voyager Class mentioned above, the Vision Class ships are able to visit smaller ports throughout the world thanks to their smaller size and passenger capacity.
Radiance Class Ships
Royal Caribbean’s Radiance Class ships include:
- Radiance of the Seas
- Brilliance of the Seas
- Serenade of the Seas
- Jewel of the Seas
These Radiance-class ships are on the smaller side, similar to the Vision Class ships discussed above. Radiance Class Ships offer unique itineraries around the world since they are able to navigate to smaller cruise ports.
Some of the fun activities you’ll find onboard these ships are a rock climbing wall, swimming pools, mini golf, and a sports court. Although the Radiance Class ships don’t offer as many activities as some of the larger ships, many of the itineraries are very port heavy.
In other words, depending on where the ship takes you, you may be off the ship exploring more than you are on it looking for activities.
Icon Class Ships
Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class ships are the newest ships hitting the fleet. With Icon of the Seas scheduled to make her debut in 2024, this new ship will become the world’s largest cruise ship.
Icon of the Seas will feature popular Oasis class neighborhoods like Central Park and the Royal Promenade. Additionally, it will include some brand-new spots like an exclusive suite neighborhood and the Surfside family neighborhood.
Royal Caribbean’s newest ship will also take its pool options to the next level. Boasting the largest waterpark on a cruise ship, a suspended infinity pool, and multiple new swimming pool features, Icon of the Seas is sure to impress all types of cruisers.
Icon of the Seas will also feature brand new stateroom and suite categories for guests to enjoy. From family cabins with bunk beds to the Ultimate Family Townhouse with a slide, cruisers will have no trouble finding a room that fits their needs.
Final Thoughts on Royal Caribbean Ship Classes
With all the amazing ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, the task of choosing the best one for your family can feel daunting. By narrowing down the ships by class, you can get a better understanding of what each ship class offers.
Whether you’re looking for a smaller ship with a low-key vibe or a mega ship with the latest bells and whistles, Royal Caribbean provides numerous ships in each class to meet your needs.
If you’re cruising with kids, my family and I really enjoyed our time spent on Oasis of the Seas. We wouldn’t hesitate to book another Oasis class ship again. And we’re also super excited to experience the new Icon of the Seas!
For a full account of my family’s time on an Oasis Class ship, I recommend checking out our Review of Oasis of the Seas. In that post, I write about each day of our 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise where we visited Labadee, CocoCay, St. Thomas, and San Juan.
What is your favorite ship class in the Royal Caribbean fleet?
Comment below to share your thoughts!
