Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
Overview
Royal Caribbean International has been innovating cruise travel since its founding in 1968, launching its first ship in 1970. The modern fleet appeals to an increasingly younger demographic (average age ~46), offering world-class entertainment, diverse dining, and thrilling features—from waterparks to neighborhood-style design.
Ships/Activities
Icon of the Seas (2024) and Star of the Seas (2025) lead the fleet in size and innovation, with Legend of the Seas set to join in 2026.
Royal Caribbean is renowned for its innovative shipboard amenities and attractions:
- Thrill attractions:
- Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, with record-breaking slides
- Crown’s Edge, an aerial cliffwalk and ropes course
- Surf simulators like FlowRider
- Ice-skating rinks, skydiving simulators (RipCord, iFLY), and the North Star observation pod aboard Quantum-class ships
- Entertainment and dining diversity: Broadway-style shows, multiple specialty and global cuisine venues, and attractions like the Ultimate Abyss dry slide on Oasis-class ships
- Extraordinary scale: Eight neighborhoods, seven pools, and the largest waterpark at sea on Icon-class ships
Destinations
Royal Caribbean’s itineraries span six continents, featuring iconic private destinations—Labadee and Perfect Day at CocoCay, where many amenities are free, while premium options require extra. They also offer Alaska Cruisetours that can be added onto Alaskan cruises.