Royal Caribbean Cruise Review — Ships, Destinations, Dining, and More

BY 

Katie Seemann

- UPDATED: February 12, 2020

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Royal Caribbean is a large cruise line offering mega-ship cruises throughout the globe. The company has been on the cutting edge of the cruise industry since it launched in 1969. Since then, they continue to push the boundaries of cruise ship size and amenities, offering lots of “firsts” including the first rock climbing, ice skating, and surfing at sea.

Today, Royal Caribbean has 26 ships sailing to hundreds of destinations every day. If you’ve never cruised before, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll find on a Royal Caribbean ship. If you are a cruising veteran, you probably look to Royal Caribbean for some of the biggest and most innovative ships at sea.

Basic Information

Name: Royal Caribbean International

Parent Company: Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. (also owns Celebrity Cruises, Azamara, and Silversea Cruises)

Number of Ships: 26 (2 more will be added by 2021)

Destinations: 300+

Loyalty Program: Crown & Anchor Society

Credit Card: Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card

Ships

Royal Caribbean features a fleet of 26 cruise ships.

Two additional ships will be added in the coming years: Odyssey of the Seas will debut in November 2020 and Wonder of the Seas is coming in 2021.

Departure Ports

Royal Caribbean sails to more than 300 destinations around the world from 37 departure ports.

Private Ports/Islands

Owning a private island or beach resort is a common thing among large cruise lines and is something many passengers have come to expect.

The Royal Caribbean “Perfect Day Island Collection” consists of 1 current location and 1 in the works.

1. Coco Cay: Located in the Bahamas, this destination features the largest freshwater pool in the Bahamas and the tallest waterslide in North America. You’ll also find a swim-up bar, wave pool, zip line, beaches, a kid’s area, and more.
2. Lelepa: Located on the island of Vanuatu in the South Pacific, this destination is scheduled to open in 2022.

Hot Tip: You can earn points and miles each time you set sail if you book your cruise with one of these credit cards.

Onboard Activities

There is so much to do on a cruise ship!

Royal Caribbean offers much of what you would expect to find on a cruise ship including pools, a casino, themed parties, Broadway-style shows, youth programs, and art auctions.

Royal Caribbean is also an industry leader in offering some of the most unique and interesting experiences at sea. Next time you’re on a Royal Caribbean cruise keep your eye out for some of these activities (not all activities are offered on every ship):

Formal Nights

Royal Caribbean still offers formal nights on their cruises. Most cruises will have 1-4 formal nights which can vary by ship and itinerary.

• 3-5 night cruises: 1 formal night
• 6-10 night cruises: 2 formal nights
• 11-14 night cruises: 3 formal nights
• 15+ night cruises: 3-4 formal nights

Dress on formal nights can include suits and ties, tuxedos, cocktail dresses or evening gowns. On formal nights, many of the restaurants require formal dress.

If you don’t want to dress up, that’s fine, too. Just stick to the buffet or some of the more casual spots for dinner.

Dining & Beverages

Like most cruise lines, Royal Caribbean offers both complimentary dining that’s included in your cruise fare and specialty dining that has either a flat fee or à la carte pricing.

Complimentary Dining

There are lots of dining options that will always be included in the price of your cruise, so you can eat every meal on your ship without paying an extra dime. The following locations are always complimentary, however, not all of these options are offered on every ship.

Hot Tip: Beverages like wine, beer, cocktails, and even soda will usually cost extra even at the complimentary restaurants. You can purchase a beverage package when you book your cruise or once you get on board. There are different drink package options available including ones that include alcoholic beverages, soda-only packages, and water bottle packages.

Specialty Dining

You’ll also find restaurants on every Royal Caribbean ship that come with additional charges — either a per person fee or à la carte menu pricing.

The following dining options will cost extra over what you pay for your cruise.

If you would like to try out some of the specialty restaurants, you can purchase a dining package ahead of time or once you are on board the ship. You’ll be able to choose between a 3-restaurant package or an unlimited package.

Hot Tip: How about specialty dining for free? Look out for deals when you book your cruise. Lots of websites offer perks like free specialty dining when you book with them. Be sure to check out our guide to the best websites to book a cruise to get you started.

Bars and Beverages

There are plenty of places on Royal Caribbean ships to kick back and relax with your favorite beverage. Bars and lounges offer à la carte pricing or you can use your beverage package.

Here are the bars and lounges you may find on your Royal Caribbean ship (not all locations are offered on every ship)

If you would prefer to pay for your drinks upfront, you can choose one of Royal Caribbean’s beverage packages:

Deluxe Beverage Package: $63-$89 per day

• Unlimited soda and Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola souvenir cup
• Non-alcoholic cocktails
• Bottled water
• Coffee and tea
• Freshly squeezed juice
• Cocktails, spirits, and liquor
• Beer
• Wine by the glass

Refreshment Package: $29-$38 per day

• Unlimited soda and Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola souvenir cup
• Non-alcoholic cocktails
• Bottled water
• Coffee and tea
• Freshly squeezed juice

Classic Soda Package: $12.99-$15 per day

• Unlimited soda and Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages
• Coca-Cola souvenir cup

Hot Tip: The drinking age onboard any Royal Caribbean ship is 21+ on sailings from North America and 18+ on sailings from South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Accommodations

There are so many different types of rooms you can book on your Royal Caribbean cruise. They offer 4 basic types of room — interior, oceanview, balcony, or suite — but there are many different types of rooms among those categories.

No matter what room category you choose, you’ll enjoy the following amenities:

• Flat-screen TV
• Drawer and closet space
• Hair Dryer
• Safe

Royal Caribbean offers a few unique room categories as well:

Virtual Balcony Staterooms — These rooms are available on select ships (including every interior room on Quantum of the Seas). They feature an 80-inch screen that gives you a virtual ocean view via a live camera outside of the ship.

Unique Interior View Rooms or Balconies — These rooms have a window or a balcony, but the view isn’t of the ocean! These rooms look out on the action inside the ship like The Royal Promenade or Central Park.

Royal Suite Class — This is a category of rooms that offer the highest level of luxury. You’ll not only enjoy fantastic accommodations but amazing experiences as well. These rooms offer 3 tiers of luxury — Sea Class, Sky Class, and the most luxurious, Star Class.

The Ultimate Family Suite — This one-of-a-kind room at sea is only available on Symphony of the Seas. It features 2 stories of the ultimate in family luxury including a balcony with jacuzzi, private game room, in-suite slide, and tons of other VIP perks!

Hot Tip: Tight budget? Why not pay for part or all of your cruise with points and miles! 

Crown & Anchor Society

Royal Caribbean offers a loyalty program called the Crown & Anchor Society.

After you’ve sailed with Royal Caribbean once, you’ll be automatically enrolled as a member of the Crown & Anchor Society. As a member you’ll earn 1 Cruise Point for every night you sail. Your points are doubled if you book a suite!

There are 6 tiers of membership in the Crown & Anchor Society:

• Gold: 3+ Cruise Points
• Platinum: 30+ Cruise Points
• Emerald: 55+ Cruise Points
• Diamond: 80+ Cruise Points
• Diamond Plus: 175+ Cruise Points
• Pinnacle Club: 700+ Cruise Points

Benefits vary by membership tier and can include things like discounts on close-in sailings, priority check-in, private departure area, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points, perks with MGM Resorts International, and free or discounted cruises.

Hot Tip: Make sure you’re prepared — check out our printable cruise packing list before you set sail.

Final Thoughts

Cruising is a great way to spend your vacation and Royal Caribbean offers some of the biggest and best ships around.

On a Royal Caribbean cruise, you’ll enjoy onboard activities like waterslides, zip-lining, bumper cars, and rock climbing. You’ll be able to dine at one of many included restaurants, or you can choose a specialty restaurant like Giovanni’s Table, Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver, or Johnny Rockets.

After a long day at sea, you’ll rest comfortably in your stateroom, whether you choose a Virtual Balcony room or opt for luxury in a Royal Class Suite. Plus you’ll earn perks and bonuses each time you cruise as a member of the Crown & Anchor Society.

Royal Caribbean offers cruises to over 300 destinations, so no matter what part of the world you want to visit, chances are you can get there on a cruise.