Cruise Lines · Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean Cruises, Booked by Travel Consultants Who Know the Ships
What Royal Caribbean feels like
An Icon-class ship is a floating amusement park: rides and experiences you would expect on land, moving with you from port to port. There are water slides and a water park, rock climbing walls, more pools than most resorts, a casino, a full shopping promenade, neighborhoods with their own character, and more restaurants and bars than you can try in a week. It can be sensory overload, but you will never run out of things to see and do, and kids and teens rarely say “I’m bored.”
The energy is upbeat and uptempo from morning to well past midnight, and the nightlife can run into the early hours. That is the point of a Royal cruise: it is made for families and groups who want to get their fun on together. If you are looking for a quiet, restful week, this is not that ship, and we will tell you so.
Entertainment worth planning around
Royal Caribbean’s shows are a real reason to sail. The production shows, the AquaTheater diving and acrobatics, the ice shows and the musicals bring talent at an off-Broadway level. We personally know several people who have worked in Royal’s entertainment department, from performers to stage managers, and the standard they hold themselves to shows on stage.
The ships: Icon class and Oasis class
The Icon-class ships are Royal Caribbean’s newest and largest, built around families: Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas, with about 5,600 guests each at standard occupancy. The Oasis-class ships came before them and share the same big-ship formula, with Central Park, the Boardwalk and the AquaTheater.
Cabins: the sweet spot is choice
Royal Caribbean’s real strength is the range of cabins, which is unusually wide for ships this size:
- Solo and inside cabins. Royal offers more single and inside cabins than most lines, which makes it a strong choice for solo cruisers and for travelers watching the budget.
- Ocean-view balconies for anyone who wants to wake up to the sea.
- Interior-facing balconies that overlook Central Park or the Boardwalk, for people who enjoy watching the life of the ship below.
- Suites, up to the Royal Suite Class, with priority access and suite-only spaces. Ask us about our Royal Suite Class sailing on Star of the Seas from Port Canaveral.
Why your cabin choice matters
On a ship this size, where your cabin sits shapes your whole week. Book online or call the cruise line and you get whatever cabin the system offers; nobody looks at where it sits on the ship. We know these ships: which cabins sit above late-night venues or beside the busiest corridors, which interior balconies overlook a quiet park and which overlook a loud boardwalk, and where you feel the most motion. We start with how you like to travel, search what is actually available, and choose the best cabin with you.
How to enjoy a big ship: plan, then stay flexible
Remember that the 5,000 or so other guests on board are trying to do the same things you are. Planning and thinking ahead are your best friends, and being agile and flexible is their twin; you need both. If a show, a restaurant or an activity matters to you, book it ahead. Last-minute decisions can mean sold-out seats, crowded activities, or a day spent waiting in lines. Our advice: plan, plan, plan, then be ready to call an audible when you need to. With patience and flexibility, a big ship is a fantastic week. Without them, it can be a frustrating one.
Port days
The size of these ships limits which ports they can reach, and thousands of guests can overwhelm a port, both getting off the ship and getting back on. It can feel like an invasion, especially when a second Icon-class ship calls at the same port on the same day, which does happen, particularly in the Bahamas. Be strategic about going ashore: either be at the gangway early and wait, or relax on board and follow once most of the crowd is off. Every Royal cruise we book includes Shore Secrets, our port guide with offline maps for each stop.
Drink packages
Royal Caribbean’s drink packages are well priced, and for many guests they make sense. With so many people on an all-you-can-drink plan, some guests do overindulge, so pace yourself and the late-night scene stays fun.
What’s included in a Royal Caribbean fare, and what isn’t
Included
- Main dining room, buffet and several casual restaurants
- Water, coffee, tea, lemonade and juice
- Pools, water slides, rock climbing and most activities
- Broadway-style shows, the AquaTheater and ice shows
- Adventure Ocean kids’ and teen programs
Extra
- Gratuities, charged per person per day, a little higher in suites
- Drink packages, soda and specialty coffee
- Specialty restaurants (dining packages are available)
- Wi-Fi
- Spa treatments and shore excursions
We price drink, dining and Wi-Fi packages for your sailing so you can see what is worth adding before you go. See how inclusions compare across cruise lines.
Inclusions, package prices and gratuity rates are set by Royal Caribbean and can change. We confirm the current terms for your sailing before you book.
Who Royal Caribbean suits
- Families with kids and teens who want nonstop things to do.
- Groups and multigenerational trips who want to have fun together.
- Solo cruisers and budget-minded travelers, thanks to the solo and inside cabins.
- Show lovers who want big production entertainment every night.
- First-time cruisers from Central Florida, with short sailings from Port Canaveral, about an hour from Orlando.
Not sure which cruise line fits this trip?
The Royal Caribbean fleet at a glance
| Class | Ships | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Icon class | Icon, Star, Legend of the Seas | Newest and largest, built for families. Hero of the Seas joins in August 2027. |
| Oasis class | Oasis, Allure, Harmony, Symphony, Wonder, Utopia of the Seas | The original big-ship formula: Central Park, the Boardwalk and the AquaTheater. |
| Smaller classes | Quantum, Freedom, Voyager, Radiance and Vision class | Mid-size and smaller ships that reach ports the giants cannot. |
Our Royal Caribbean sailings
Royal Caribbean questions we hear
Is Royal Caribbean good for families?
It is one of the best. The Icon-class and Oasis-class ships have water parks, rock climbing walls, pools, shows and free Adventure Ocean programs for kids and teens. Families and groups who want to have fun together are exactly who these ships are built for.
Is a Royal Caribbean cruise relaxing?
Not usually, and that is by design. The ships are upbeat and busy from morning until well past midnight. Quieter corners exist, but if a calm, restful week is the goal, we will talk through other options with you.
Should I book an interior balcony or an ocean balcony?
Choose an ocean balcony if you want sea views from your cabin. Choose an interior balcony overlooking Central Park or the Boardwalk if you enjoy watching the life of the ship. Location within each matters, so we pick the specific cabin with you.
Is Royal Caribbean good for solo travelers?
Yes. Royal offers more single and inside cabins than most lines, so solo cruisers have real choices without paying for a cabin built for two.
Do I need to book shows and restaurants in advance?
For anything that matters to you, yes. Popular shows, specialty restaurants and activities fill up on ships this size. Book in the Royal app before you sail, then stay flexible on board.
What is the newest Royal Caribbean ship?
Hero of the Seas, the fourth Icon-class ship, debuts from Miami in August 2027 with seven-night Caribbean sailings that all include Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Does it cost more to book Royal Caribbean through a travel consultant?
No. You pay the same fare as booking direct with Royal Caribbean. Through us you also get travel consultants who have sailed these ships many times, a cabin chosen for how you travel rather than assigned by a computer, planning for shows and dining before you sail, and Shore Secrets port guides for every stop.
Plan your Royal Caribbean cruise with people who know the ships
Tell us how you like to travel, and your Aurévia travel consultant will reply within one business day with ship, cabin and fare options. Let us hold your cabin.