The biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ships are absolutely massive – over three times the size of the smallest in the fleet!
If you’re planning a cruise, knowing the size of each ship can make a big difference. Whether you want the latest mega-ship packed with thrills or a smaller, more relaxed vessel, this guide will help you decide.
Below, you’ll find a complete list of all Royal Caribbean ships by size, ranked primarily by gross tonnage, with length used where ships are the same size
| Ship Name | Class | Year | Total Guest Capacity | Gross Tonnage | Length (feet) |
| Legend of the Seas | Icon | 2026 | 7,600 | 248,663 | 1,198 |
| Icon of the Seas | Icon | 2024 | 7,600 | 248,663 | 1,196 |
| Star of the Seas | Icon | 2025 | 7,600 | 248,663 | 1,196 |
| Wonder of the Seas | Oasis | 2022 | 6,988 | 236,857 | 1,188 |
| Utopia of the Seas | Oasis | 2024 | 6,788 | 236,473 | 1,188 |
| Symphony of the Seas | Oasis | 2018 | 6,680 | 228,081 | 1,184 |
| Harmony of the Seas | Oasis | 2016 | 6,687 | 226,963 | 1,188 |
| Allure of the Seas | Oasis | 2010 | 6,780 | 225,282 | 1,187 |
| Oasis of the Seas | Oasis | 2009 | 6,780 | 225,282 | 1,187 |
| Odyssey of the Seas | Quantum Ultra | 2021 | 4,819 | 169,379 | 1,142 |
| Spectrum of the Seas | Quantum Ultra | 2019 | 5,622 | 169,379 | 1,139 |
| Anthem of the Seas | Quantum | 2015 | 4,905 | 168,666 | 1,141 |
| Ovation of the Seas | Quantum | 2016 | 4,905 | 168,666 | 1,138 |
| Quantum of the Seas | Quantum | 2014 | 4,905 | 168,666 | 1141 |
| Freedom of the Seas | Freedom | 2006 | 4,515 | 154,407 | 1,112 |
| Independence of the Seas | Freedom | 2008 | 4,560 | 154,407 | 1,112 |
| Liberty of the Seas | Freedom | 2007 | 4,960 | 154,407 | 1,112 |
| Navigator of the Seas | Voyager | 2002 | 4,000 | 139,999 | 1,020 |
| Mariner of the Seas | Voyager | 2003 | 4,000 | 139,863 | 1,020 |
| Explorer of the Seas | Voyager | 2000 | 4,290 | 137,308 | 1,020 |
| Adventure of the Seas | Voyager | 2001 | 3,807 | 137,276 | 1,020 |
| Voyager of the Seas | Voyager | 1999 | 4,269 | 137,276 | 1,020 |
| Brilliance of the Seas | Radiance | 2002 | 2,543 | 90,090 | 962 |
| Jewel of the Seas | Radiance | 2004 | 2,702 | 90,090 | 962 |
| Radiance of the Seas | Radiance | 2001 | 2,466 | 90,090 | 962 |
| Serenade of the Seas | Radiance | 2003 | 2,476 | 90,090 | 965 |
| Enchantment of the Seas | Vision | 1997 | 2,730 | 82,910 | 989 |
| Rhapsody of the Seas | Vision | 1997 | 2,416 | 78,491 | 915 |
| Vision of the Seas | Vision | 1998 | 2,514 | 78,340 | 915 |
| Grandeur of the Seas | Vision | 1996 | 2,440 | 73,817 | 916 |
The Biggest Royal Caribbean Ships
Royal Caribbean makes the biggest cruise ships in the world, with its three Icon Class ships currently leading the fleet.
By gross tonnage, Legend of the Seas, Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas are the same size, at 248,663 GT each. However, Legend just pips her sister ships when it comes to length. She measures 1,198 feet long, compared to 1,196 feet for Icon and Star, making her the longest Royal Caribbean ship.
The arrival of the Icon Class marked a significant jump in size for Royal Caribbean. When Icon of the Seas launched in 2024, she took the title of the world’s largest cruise ship from Wonder of the Seas.
With more Icon Class ships on the way, Royal Caribbean clearly isn’t finished building at this scale either, so the top of this list could change again in the coming years.
Suggested read: How big is a cruise ship?
The Smallest Royal Caribbean Ships
The smallest Royal Caribbean ship currently operating, both in terms of gross tonnage and passenger capacity, is Grandeur of the Seas, which is also the oldest ship in the fleet.
Grandeur of the Seas can carry 2,440 passengers at max capacity and measures 73,817 tonnes.
If you love Royal Caribbean but prefer smaller ships, other ones you will enjoy are Vision, Rhapsody, Serenade, Radiance, Jewel and Brilliance. These ships won’t have all the wow-features, but they are much more relaxed, and the cruise tickets are cheaper too.
Largest Royal Caribbean Ships on Order
Royal Caribbean has several new cruise ships on order, either already under construction or covered by signed agreements with shipyards.
One of these is a brand-new Oasis-class ship, which came as a surprise to many, as Utopia of the Seas was widely expected to be the final vessel in the class.
However, it’s the Icon Class that will continue to dominate in terms of sheer size, with four more Icon-class ships due to join the fleet between 2027 and 2030. Hero of the Seas will arrive in 2027, followed by a fifth Icon Class ship in 2028 and two more in 2029 and 2030.
Royal Caribbean has also confirmed an entirely new Discovery Class, with two ships currently on firm order for 2029 and 2032, plus options for four more. Details such as their size and onboard features haven’t yet been revealed, but Royal Caribbean says the new class will focus on next-generation innovation and taking guests to destinations around the world.
List of Royal Caribbean Ships on Order
| Ship Name | Class | Year | Gross Tonnage |
| Hero of the Seas | Icon | 2027 | 250,800 |
| To be announced | Oasis | 2028 | TBC |
| To be announced | Icon | 2028 | 250,800 |
| To be announced | Discovery | 2029 | TBC |
| To be announced | Icon | 2029 | 250,800 |
| To be announced | Icon | 2030 | 250,800 |
| To be announced | Discovery | 2032 | TBC |
Royal Caribbean Ship Classes Ranked by Size
Royal Caribbean International currently has eight classes of ships in service, ranging from the huge Icon Class to the smaller Vision Class. A ninth, the new Discovery Class, is due to join the fleet from 2029.
Ships within the same class share a similar overall design, although their size and onboard features can vary slightly from one sister ship to another.
List of Royal Caribbean Ship Classes by Size
| Class | Average Gross Tonnage |
| Icon | 248,663 |
| Oasis | 229,068 |
| Quantum Ultra | 169,000 |
| Quantum | 167,100 |
| Freedom | 154,400 |
| Voyager | 142,000 |
| Radiance | 90,050 |
| Vision | 78,125 |
Final Word
There’s no perfect Royal Caribbean ship size. It really depends on what you want from your cruise.
We spent seven nights on Allure of the Seas and still didn’t manage to see and do everything on board. But bigger ships can also feel overwhelming, and you’ll often pay more for all those extra attractions and facilities.
If you’re mainly interested in relaxing by the pool or spending lots of time ashore, a smaller ship could suit you just as well. We spent four nights on Mariner of the Seas and certainly weren’t short of things to do.
Size isn’t everything, of course. I’ve also compared thousands of passenger reviews from Cruise Critic, TripAdvisor and Cruiseline.com to see how Royal Caribbean’s ships actually compare.
You can see the results here: Royal Caribbean Ships Ranked From Best To Worst.
I also made this video to show you how Royal Caribbean’s ships compare in size:
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Ecellent research, Jenni Fielding!
Thank you.
Tri Dao
So if Allure capacity is at 125%, then every bed is taken. 6740/5400 = 125%.
You list the dates the ships were launched. Knowing that some have been extensively renovated, can you provide the most recent year of the renovations?
Hi Jim. Thanks for the suggestion. I’m currently working on an article about Royal Caribbean’s amplification program. I will add a link to that here when it’s ready. Jenni
GREAT list of the ships by size / class. Is there a way to make it printable?
I tell everyone that to take a cruise is the best vacation.
Thanks for your offer to help but I was just curious to see all the new ships, as I started with Royal Caribbean on board the Song of Norway in 1978. Best years of my life. Thanks again.