Royal Caribbean has 28 ships in the fleet, with four more already on order. With new ships launching so often, it can be tricky to keep track of which is the newest Royal Caribbean ship.
Knowing the age of each of the ships is important because some of the Royal Caribbean International ships are over 25 years old, and so they offer a very different experience from the newest and biggest Royal Caribbean ships.
While it’s true that Royal Caribbean’s ships are each refurbished every three to five years, there’s still quite a stark difference between the oldest and newest ships. It’s not just that the decor is dated, the newer ships have some incredible technology and facilities that the old ones don’t.
So, read on for a list of Royal Caribbean ships from newest to oldest.
The Royal Caribbean ships listed by age
This table shows all Royal Caribbean cruise ships from newest to oldest as well as when what class of ship they are.
| Ship Name | Class | Year Built |
|---|---|---|
| TBC* | Oasis | Due 2028 |
| TBC* | Icon | Due 2027 |
| TBC* | Icon | Due 2026 |
| Star of the Seas* | Icon | Due 2025 |
| Utopia of the Seas | Oasis | 2024 |
| Icon of the Seas | Icon | 2024 |
| Wonder of the Seas | Oasis | 2022 |
| Odyssey of the Seas | Quantum Ultra | 2021 |
| Spectrum of the Seas | Quantum Ultra | 2019 |
| Symphony of the Seas | Oasis | 2018 |
| Harmony of the Seas | Oasis | 2016 |
| Ovation of the Seas | Quantum | 2016 |
| Anthem of the Seas | Quantum | 2015 |
| Quantum of the Seas | Quantum | 2014 |
| Allure of the Seas | Oasis | 2010 |
| Oasis of the Seas | Oasis | 2009 |
| Independence of the Seas | Freedom | 2008 |
| Liberty of the Seas | Freedom | 2007 |
| Freedom of the Seas | Freedom | 2006 |
| Jewel of the Seas | Radiance | 2004 |
| Mariner of the Seas | Voyager | 2003 |
| Serenade of the Seas | Radiance | 2003 |
| Navigator of the Seas | Voyager | 2002 |
| Brilliance of the Seas | Radiance | 2002 |
| Adventure of the Seas | Voyager | 2001 |
| Radiance of the Seas | Radiance | 2001 |
| Explorer of the Seas | Voyager | 2000 |
| Voyager of the Seas | Voyager | 1999 |
| Vision of the Seas | Vision | 1998 |
| Enchantment of the Seas | Vision | 1997 |
| Rhapsody of the Seas | Vision | 1997 |
| Grandeur of the Seas | Vision | 1996 |
The newest additions…
These are the newest Royal Caribbean ships that are sailing in 2024…
1. Utopia of the Seas
- Launched: 2024
- Class: Oasis
- Guest capacity: 6,788
Following on from the success of Oasis-class ships such as Oasis of the Seas which was launched in 2009 right up to Wonder of the Seas in 2022, Royal Caribbean launched another in summer 2024 – Utopia of the Seas.
The agreement to build a sixth Oasis-class ship was signed on 18th February 2019. Originally, the ship was scheduled to be delivered in late 2023, but the date has been put back due to the effects of the global pause.
She’s now arrived and she is packed with amazing features, including all the best dining venues and bars from the prior ships, along with some exciting new additions, such as Royal Railway, an interactive dining experience set in a train cart in the Wild West.
She offers the ultimate weekend getaway, with 3- and 4-night cruises that all call at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Suggested read: Utopia of the Seas vs Icon of the Seas
2. Icon of the Seas
- Launched: 2024
- Class: Icon
- Guest capacity: 7,600
Debuting in January 2024, Icon of the Seas is the largest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, and it opened for bookings in October 2022.
Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the new Icon class and with a gross tonnage of 250,800 GT and a maximum guest occupancy of 7,600 – this ship is significantly larger than the previous biggest ship in the world, Wonder of the Seas.
Icon has eight neighbourhoods, with each hosting some incredible attractions. The six waterslides each break records, including the tallest ship at sea, the first open free-fall slide, and the first mat-racing duo slides on a cruise ship.
Plus there’s the thrilling Crown’s Edge skywalk/rope course/thrill ride hybrid that sees guests swing out over the sea.
With 28 different accommodation options, 15 restaurants, a wealth of bars and lounges, stunning live entertainment venues and so much more, Icon is a spectacular ship in every sense, bringing together the best of the Oasis-class and Quantum-class ships and adding even more.
3. Wonder of the Seas
- Launched: 2022
- Class: Oasis
- Guest capacity: 6,988
Launched in March 2022, Royal Caribbean’s fifth Oasis-Class ship is Wonder of the Seas. When she launched, she was the biggest cruise ship in the world.
With a building cost of $1,350,000,000, this mega-ship has everything you could want, with eight distinct neighbourhoods including the new and exclusive Suite Neighbourhood.
Wonder of the Seas features the Wonder Playscape – an underwater world with slides, games and climbing walls that will keep your kids entertained all day long. The ship also has plenty of Royal Caribbean favourites like the FlowRider surfing simulator and the Ultimate Abyss slide.
Sailing in the Mediterranean from Barcelona and Rome as well as the Caribbean from Port Canaveral in Florida, Wonder of the Seas is one of the best ships that Royal Caribbean has to offer so far.
4. Odyssey of the Seas
- Launched: 2021
- Class: Quantum-Ultra
- Guest capacity: 4,819
Launched in July 2021, Odyssey of the Seas is a Quantum-ultra class ship offering adventures in the Mediterranean from Rome as well as the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is the first and only Quantum-ultra class ship to sail from the US.
A little different from what’s gone before, Odyssey of the Seas featured a totally reimagined pool deck. Although Quantum-ultra class ships are slightly smaller than the Oasis-class, you’ll find so much to do on board with the SkyPad trampolines, RipCord skydiving simulator, the North Star observation pod and a 4D virtual reality adventure zone to name but a few.
Royal Caribbean Ships from the 2010s
The next ships are all fairly new, being launched between 2010 and 2019…
5. Spectrum of the Seas
- Launched: 2019
- Class: Quantum-Ultra
- Guest capacity: 5,622
Launched in April 2019, Spectrum of the Seas was designed with Chinese guests in mind, so unless you want your fellow passengers to be mostly from Asia, then this might not be the ship for you. The primary language on board is Mandarin and signage is in simplified Chinese, followed by English.
Sailing from Shanghai and Singapore, Spectrum of the Seas offers mostly short cruises to Malaysia and Thailand as well as some week-long cruises to Japan.
The first ship in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Ultra Class, Spectrum of the Seas doesn’t actually offer much of an upgrade from the previous Quantum-class ships like Anthem of the Seas. It seems that this is the reason why this class was given the name Quantum Ultra, rather than a whole new name.
6. Symphony of the Seas
- Launched: 2017
- Class: Oasis
- Guest capacity: 6,680
Symphony of the Seas is an Oasis-class ship that was launched in June 2017. The world’s biggest cruise ship before Wonder of the Seas came along in 2022, Symphony of the Seas offers a whole host of activities to enjoy at sea.
The first ship to feature Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate Family Suite and glow-in-the-dark laser tag, Symphony of the Seas also has many Oasis-class favourites like the ten-storey Ultimate Abyss slide and twin FlowRiders.
Symphony of the Seas sails from Miami, Florida calling at Royal Caribbean’s private island Perfect Day at Cococay, where you can chill or enjoy thrilling activities.
7. Harmony of the Seas
- Launched: 2016
- Class: Oasis
- Guest capacity: 6,687
Harmony of the Seas was the first Oasis-class ship to launch in six years, and for a short while she held the title of the largest ship at sea – until her sister Symphony launched a year later.
While many of the features on Harmony of the Seas had been seen before, some – such as Jamie’s Italian and Wonderland – had only been available on Quantum-class ships before this.
Harmony of the Seas was also the first ship in the fleet to feature the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest (at the time) slide at sea.
8. Ovation of the Seas
- Launched: 2016
- Class: Quantum
- Guest capacity: 4,905
Ovation of the Seas was the third Quantum-class ship, and the last before the introduction of the Quantum Ultra class. She shares many of the same popular features as her sister ships, such as the Bionic Bar and the North Star.
She’s also one of the few modern Royal Caribbean ships to offer something different to the usual Caribbean or Mediterranean itineraries – she sails from Seattle during the summer, often to Alaska, and then for the rest of the year it switches to the southern hemisphere summer from Sydney.
9. Anthem of the Seas
- Launched: 2015
- Class: Quantum
- Guest capacity: 4,905
Anthem of the Seas is almost identical to her sister ship Quantum, with no real differentiating features. However, that’s not a bad thing – Quantum was well received, and having a sister ship that was the same just opened up more opportunities for people to experience the Quantum Class.
What was exciting – for British cruisers, anyway – was the plan for Anthem of the Seas to homeport in Southampton for the summer season, which she still does. She’s the biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ship to sail out of the UK.
10. Quantum of the Seas
- Launched: 2014
- Class: Quantum
- Guest capacity: 4,905
Quantum of the Seas was an exciting new development for Royal Caribbean, and she was also interesting because she was the first ship in almost 10 years to be launched by the cruise line without the intention of making the next biggest ship in the fleet (or, indeed, the world).
Instead, Quantum of the Seas was themed around technology, with a real focus on the contemporary. She also introduced new fun features such as Ripcord by iFly skydiving simulator.
11. Allure of the Seas
- Launched: 2010
- Class: Oasis
- Guest capacity: 6,780
Just a year after her sister ship launched, Allure of the Seas entered service and became not only the largest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, but the largest in the world – a title she would hold for six years.
She was due to get a massive upgrade to add features such as the Ultimate Abyss slide and Perfect Storm waterslides, but that was cancelled due to the global shutdown. There are rumours that she may yet be upgraded now that cruising is back to normal.
Allure of the Seas sails out of Orlando and Miami on Bahamas cruises, typically for 3 or 4 nights.
Suggested read: Allure of the Seas Vs Oasis of the Seas
Royal Caribbean Ships from the 2000s
These Royal Caribbean ships are all a little older, being built between 2000 and 2010. They still offer a great experience.
12. Oasis of the Seas
- Launched: 2009
- Class: Oasis
- Guest capacity: 6,780
Oasis of the Seas was a true statement ship for Royal Caribbean. When the cruise line set out to make the biggest ship in the world, it didn’t just set the record by a small margin. Instead, it completely redefined what a cruise ship could be, and essentially created the idea of a “super-ship”.
So much of what we associate with modern Royal Caribbean debuted on Oasis of the Seas, including the zip-line, the Central Park area, and even just the concept of different neighbourhoods onboard.
Oasis of the Seas offers Caribbean cruises during the winter months, but then sails around the Mediterranean in summer, from Barcelona and Rome.
13. Independence of the Seas
- Launched: 2008
- Class: Freedom
- Guest capacity: 4,560
The last of the Freedom-class ships to launch, Independence of the Seas has always been a popular ship in the fleet. This was especially so with British cruisers, as before Anthem of the Seas took over, Independence of the Seas was THE Royal Caribbean ship for cruises out of Southampton.
She’s now made Miami her year-round home, offering cruises around the Bahamas and both sides of the Caribbean. Popular features include the Playmakers Sports Bar, and the Flowrider surf simulator.
14. Liberty of the Seas
- Launched: 2007
- Class: Freedom
- Guest capacity: 4,960
When Liberty of the Seas launched in 2007, she was the biggest ship in the world. She also has a much higher capacity than her sister ship Freedom of the Seas, almost being one of the first ships to allow up to 5,000 passengers.
While she was another ship to have her Amplification postponed she has still been well maintained and she remains a popular ship with loyal passengers.
As well as Caribbean and Bahamas cruises from Fort Lauderdale, she also offers cruises to Canada & New England from Cape Liberty in New Jersey.
15. Freedom of the Seas
- Launched: 2006
- Class: Freedom
- Guest capacity: 4,515
Freedom of the Seas was a mightily impressive ship when she launched, becoming the largest ever passenger ship to be built – taking the title from Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.
She is packed with great features, but perhaps most notable is the FlowRider surf simulator, which debuted on the ship. It’s been added to every Royal Caribbean ship since, and retrofitted to some older ones too.
Freedom of the Seas sails out of both Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and offers cruises on both sides of the Caribbean, including some shorter itineraries and some week-long sailings.
16. Jewel of the Seas
- Launched: 2004
- Class: Radiance
- Guest capacity: 2,702
Jewel of the Seas was the last of the Radiance-class ships to launch, and arguably the last mid-sized ship to ever be built for the cruise line.
She still has plenty of exciting things to do onboard, including the Royal Theater, the climbing wall, the sports court, the arcade and more.
Jewel of the Seas offers a range of itineraries, including short Greece cruises from Haifa, and Caribbean cruises from Galveston and San Juan.
17. Mariner of the Seas
- Launched: 2003
- Class: Voyager
- Guest capacity: 4,000
The Mariner of the Seas was already a fun-packed ship when she first launched over 20 years ago, but her Amplification since has seen even more awesome features added. Guests can enjoy duelling waterslides, the FlowRider surf simulator, or a relaxed meal in Jamie’s Italian.
Mariner of the Seas now offers cruises to the Caribbean, spending some time homeported in Galveston and the rest of the year sailing from Port Canaveral.
18. Serenade of the Seas
- Launched: 2003
- Class: Radiance
- Guest capacity: 2,476
Serenade of the Seas was the third Radiance-class ship for Royal Caribbean, and she shared a lot of the same features as her sister ships. Guests can enjoy great food at a range of restaurants, plenty of fun activities including sports and spa treatments, and fantastic live entertainment.
She offers the Ultimate World Cruise, including segment sailings all around the world. The rest of the year, she sails around the Caribbean from Tampa.
19. Navigator of the Seas
- Launched: 2002
- Class: Voyager
- Guest capacity: 4,000
Navigator of the Seas was a well-loved cruise ship for many years following her launch in 2002, but she got a whole new lease of life after her Amplification in 2019. Now guests can enjoy thrilling waterslides, the surf simulator, and some great restaurants including Hooked Seafood and Jonny Rockets Express.
Navigator of the Seas is based on the west coast of the US all year round, sailing to Mexico from Los Angeles.
20. Brilliance of the Seas
- Launched: 2002
- Class: Radiance
- Guest capacity: 2,543
The Brilliance of the Seas was the second Radiance-class ship to launch, with many similar features to her sister the Radiance of the Seas. She’s a great ship for relaxing, with lots of tranquil spots including the Solarium, and some wonderful restaurants too.
The main highlight of Brilliance of the Seas is the itineraries – cruise the Caribbean from New Orleans or see Alaska from Vancouver. You can also cruise to Hawaii, or sail around Australia from Sydney.
21. Adventure of the Seas
- Launched: 2001
- Class: Voyager
- Guest capacity: 3,807
Adventure of the Seas is another ship that was due to be Amplified, before that was postponed due to the shutdown. However, she has been well-maintained with her smaller updates since she launched in 2001, and she has plenty of great dining options and both daytime and evening activities to enjoy.
She has been used on both sides of the Atlantic previously, but she is now due to sail the Caribbean primarily from Port Canaveral.
22. Radiance of the Seas
- Launched: 2001
- Class: Radiance
- Guest capacity: 2,466
Radiance of the Seas was something of a departure from Royal Caribbean. While the Voyager-class ships were immensely popular, the cruise line believed there was still a market for the smaller ‘mid-sized’ ships, and so created the Radiance Class.
Radiance of the Seas doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as larger ships in the fleet, and is instead more aimed at adults who was some fun, but a lot of relaxation too. She sails both to the Caribbean and to Alaska, with various departure ports to choose from.
23. Explorer of the Seas
- Launched: 2000
- Class: Voyager
- Guest capacity: 4,290
Explorer of the Seas very much picked up where Voyager of the Seas left off, offering guests a wealth of exciting activities onboard a packed ship. She’s since had the FlowRider added, although her bigger Amplification upgrade was another that was postponed and has yet to be carried out.
During the winter months, Explorer of the Seas offers Caribbean itineraries similar to many other ships in the fleet – her base is Miami. In the summer, she sails around the Greek Isles from Ravenna.
The Oldest Royal Caribbean Ships
These ships were launched in the 1990s. They tend to be the smallest ships and have fewer facilities than the newer ships.
24. Voyager of the Seas
- Launched: 1999
- Class: Voyager
- Guest capacity: 4,269
Voyager of the Seas was a bold new ship for Royal Caribbean when she launched just before the turn of the millennium. For the first time, it gave the cruise line the largest cruise ship in the world, with loads of exciting things to enjoy onboard. And these have been enhanced even further with the Amplification in 2019, twenty years after her debut.
She now offers Caribbean sailings from either Galveston or Port Canaveral, with mainly short breaks available.
25. Vision of the Seas
- Launched: 1998
- Class: Vision
- Guest capacity: 2,514
The last ship to launch in the Vision Class was also the one to share its name. Vision of the Seas may be the last ship to be built for Royal Caribbean before the focus switched to much larger vessels, but she still offers a great experience, including a variety of food options and some great live entertainment.
Now, Vision of the Seas sails out of Baltimore, offering cruises to the Bahamas and to Canada/New England.
26. Enchantment of the Seas
- Launched: 1997
- Class: Vision
- Guest capacity: 2,730
The third of the Vision-class ships, Enchantment of the Seas is another where the focus is on a quieter experience compared to the larger ships in the fleet, but still with great quality entertainment at night and a good choice of food.
During winter, she sails around the Caribbean from Tampa, but she’s another ship that crosses the Atlantic for the summer season, with a variety of Mediterranean cruises from Ravenna, Barcelona, and Athens.
27. Rhapsody of the Seas
- Launched: 1997
- Class: Vision
- Guest capacity: 2,416
Rhapsody of the Seas was the second ship in the Vision class, following on from Grandeur of the Seas. It doesn’t have all the exciting and colourful features that later ships in the fleet may have, but it does have good-quality kids’ clubs and plenty of space for adults to unwind.
She offers cruises mainly around the southern Caribbean, including departures from Colon in Panama, and Cartagena in Colombia.
28. Grandeur of the Seas
- Launched: 1996
- Class: Vision
- Guest capacity: 2,440
The oldest and smallest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Grandeur of the Seas has been sailing for over 25 years. The experience onboard is very different to what you’d get on the newest ships, but she still has a loyal fanbase and is great for anyone who wants the quieter side of the Royal Caribbean experience, including the food and the dedication to quality live entertainment.
Grandeur of the Seas primarily cruises around the Caribbean from different ports in Florida, although there are also cruises from Boston to explore Canada.
The next ships to launch
Royal Caribbean has signed agreements for the next four ships to be delivered in 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028. The cruise line also has an ‘option’ for two more, which means the space is reserved in the shipyard if they decide to go ahead.
Here’s a list of the newest Royal Caribbean ships that are on order and will be coming out over the next few years.
1. Star of the Seas
- Launches: 2025
- Class: Icon
- Guest capacity: 7,600
Following on from the launch of the first Icon-class ship in 2024, Royal Caribbean will launch a second Icon-class ship in 2025 – Star of the Seas.
As is usually the case with sister ships within a class, it’s expected that these ships will be very similar. There will probably, however, be some slight changes such as different restaurants and bars and different shows in the theatre.
The agreement to build the second Icon-class ship was signed on 10th October 2016, at the same time as the agreement for the first ship, Icon of the Seas. At the time of signing, the two ships were set to be delivered in the second quarters of 2022 and 2024, although construction of new ships has since been pushed back by 12 to 18 months.
2. Unnamed Icon-Class Ships
- Launches: 2026 and 2027
- Class: Icon
- Guest capacity: 7,600
Royal Caribbean has plans to build at least four Icon-class ships, with the third scheduled to launch in 2026 and the fourth the year after, in 2027.
The agreement to build a third Icon-class ship was signed on 2nd July 2019. At the time, it was contingent on financing, so with everything that’s happened, we can’t be 100% sure that this ship will arrive in 2026. That said, the future does certainly look bright for the cruise industry right now.
The order for the fourth Icon-class ship was confirmed in August 2024, with an option for two more.
3. Unnamed Oasis-Class Ship
- Launches: 2028
- Class: Oasis
- Guest capacity: TBC
In early 2024, it was announced that a new Oasis-class ship would launch in 2028. This surprised many, as it was expected that Utopia of the Seas would be the final one as the cruise line moved towards building Icon-class ships.
We know very little so far but I’ll keep you updated.
What makes the newer ships stand out?
There are several differences between the older and newer ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Let’s take a closer look at each of these…
Size
Royal Caribbean ships have increased in size as time has passed with the newer ships being much larger and with the capacity for more passengers compared to older ships.
Icon of the Seas has a gross tonnage of 250,800, which makes her almost 3.5 times as large as Grandeur of the Seas with a gross tonnage of 73,817.
Read more: Royal Caribbean ships by size
Facilities
Newer Royal Caribbean ships have an incredible array of facilities onboard with amenities like water slides, zip lines, skydiving simulators, virtual reality trampolines, escape room games and bumper cars.
You won’t find any of these things on the older ships. However, every Royal Caribbean ship does have swimming pools, a rock-climbing wall, an arcade and a kids’ club.
Read more: The best Royal Caribbean ships for kids
Destinations
Each cruise ship sails out of one or two ports. In many cases, the ships are based in Europe in the summer and the Caribbean in the winter.
Many cruise ports have a limit as to the size of the ships they can accommodate. For this reason, Royal Caribbean uses its smaller, older ships to visit destinations that are not accessible to mega-ships.
Itineraries on smaller, older cruise ships are often more port-intensive with fewer sea days. With the newer ships, the ship itself is often the attraction rather than the ports of call, so you may have more days at sea.
Demographic
As the newer Royal Caribbean ships have so much to do on board, they tend to attract a younger crowd of families with children and younger couples. Older ships tend to be more popular with older couples and retired people.
If you cruise on one of the newer ships in the school holidays, there will be almost as many kids as there are adults.
Ambience
The atmosphere on board the oldest and newest Royal Caribbean ships is somewhat different. This is in part down to the passengers, as older ships tend to attract fewer children and an older, more relaxed crowd. You probably won’t find the nightclub to be pumping late into the night as it will be on a new ship.
Also, the decor of the newer ships will be much more modern. Royal Caribbean cruise ships are refurbished every three years, so the oldest ships are always in good condition, but the decor may look a little dated in some places in comparison.
Price
The older Royal Caribbean cruise ships are much cheaper than the newer ones. Frequent cruisers are always excited to try the next new ship, so cruises on brand-new ships are priced at a premium to reflect the demand for them.
If you’re cruising on a tight budget, you can save a lot by choosing one of the older ships.
NEW DEALS JUST RELEASED!
Don’t miss the latest Royal Caribbean offers…
Reviews
So, are the new Royal Caribbean ships better than the older ones? Well, to find that out you can take a look at the reviews…
To make that easier for you, I combined all of the reviews from the major review sites and Ranked the Royal Caribbean Ships From Best To Worst according to their review scores.
To conclude
With new ships launched every year, it can be hard to keep up with Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ships. But, if you want to experience the latest in cruising innovation on these exciting new ships, then I can certainly see the attraction of picking the newest ship there is.
After all, that’s exactly what I did when I booked my first-ever cruise for our honeymoon on Allure of the Seas back in 2013. At the time, that was the newest Royal Caribbean ship, and it’s the ship that started a lifetime of cruise addiction for me.
Of course, the older ships have a lot to offer too, and the price can certainly be very attractive if you compare them side by side.
NEW DEALS JUST RELEASED!
Don’t miss the latest Royal Caribbean offers…
Related Posts:
- Royal Caribbean Ships By Class
- The Best Royal Caribbean Ships for Adults
- The Best Royal Caribbean Ships for Kids
- Royal Caribbean Ships Ranked From Best To Worst
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
