Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean’s ships are built to keep everyone busy, from waterparks and the Ultimate Abyss dry slide to ice shows. Samantha calls it “a product that I think is super, super fun,” and it’s an easy pick for families and groups with a mix of ages.
Tell us who’s coming and when, and we’ll help you choose the right ship, cabin and sailing.
Who Royal Caribbean suits
Families with kids and teens, multigenerational groups, first-time cruisers, and friends planning a lively long weekend. Kids get Adventure Ocean, with groups for ages 3–5, 6–8 and 9–12, and select ships also have the Royal Babies & Tots nursery for 6 to 36 months. If you’d rather have a quieter, more adult ship, look at Celebrity. If everyone in your group is 18 or older, Virgin Voyages is worth a look too.
Short cruises from Florida
Utopia of the Seas sails 3- and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral to Nassau, and many also stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. They’re a good first cruise, birthday weekend or quick getaway with friends.
Ships worth knowing
Icon class
- Icon of the Seas sails 7-night Caribbean cruises from Miami, then moves to Galveston in August 2027.
- Star of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral.
- Legend of the Seas spends summers in Europe (from Barcelona and Rome) and winters in Fort Lauderdale.
- Hero of the Seas debuts from Miami in August 2027.
- All have Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, plus Thrill Island, the AquaDome and Surfside for young families.
Oasis class: Utopia, Wonder, Symphony, Harmony, Allure and Oasis of the Seas. Big ships with plenty to do, often for less than Icon.
Perfect Day at CocoCay and Royal Beach Club
CocoCay, Royal’s private island in the Bahamas, has:
- Thrill Waterpark, with the 135-foot Daredevil’s Peak
- Hideaway Beach, for adults only
- Chill Island
- Coco Beach Club, with the first overwater cabanas in The Bahamas
On Nassau stops, Royal Beach Club Paradise Island (opened December 2025) needs a day pass, and space is limited. Book cabanas, the beach club and day passes early.
What’s included and what costs extra
Your fare covers meals in many venues, including the Main Dining Room and the Windjammer. Some restaurants, such as Chops Grille and Johnny Rockets, charge extra. Other extras include:
- drink packages (Deluxe Beverage, Refreshment and Classic Soda)
- Voom Wi-Fi
- shore excursions
- gratuities: added automatically at $18.50 per guest per day ($21 in suites) unless you prepay, plus 18% on drinks, specialty dining and room service
When you compare cruises, add those up. The lowest fare isn’t always the lowest total.
Crown & Anchor Society member? Send us your number with your booking details.
Watch: Samantha talks Royal Caribbean
Our founder, Samantha Robichaud, hosts the travel show Talk Travel with Samantha. In this episode she sits down with Royal Caribbean’s Kirk Diebold to talk ship sizes, short cruises from Florida, CocoCay and the new Royal Beach Clubs.
Prefer to read? Read Samantha’s Royal Caribbean guide for first-timers on Talk Travel →
Keep planning: read about our side-to-side cruise, see our current cruise deals, or take our cruise quiz.
Facts checked November 2026 on royalcaribbean.com.
