What is the latest Royal Caribbean cruise ship? It might appear to be an odd query to ask, but it surely’s one thing that issues when you’re available in the market for a Royal Caribbean cruise.
The most recent Royal Caribbean ship is usually additionally the Royal Caribbean ship with probably the most bells and whistles and probably the most up-to-date cabins, eating places, bars and points of interest. It is what you need if you’d like the very newest and best in a vessel on your Royal Caribbean cruise trip.
Proper now, the latest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Surprise of the Seas. It debuted in March 2022. Though it is nearly one yr outdated, it will quickly be supplanted as the latest Royal Caribbean vessel by the much-awaited Icon of the Seas — the primary of a brand new class of vessels for the road. Icon of the Seas begins crusing in January 2024.
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Different comparatively new Royal Caribbean ships embrace Odyssey of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas. All started crusing within the final 5 years.
In all, Royal Caribbean operates 26 cruise vessels. On common, the road comes out with out about one new ship a yr, and it sometimes retains vessels in its fleet for round 20 to 30 years earlier than retiring them from the fleet. The oldest Royal Caribbean ship, Grandeur of the Seas, is 27 years outdated.
Usually, Royal Caribbean’s latest ships are far larger and rather more amenity-packed than its older ships. If you happen to crave numerous actions in a Royal Caribbean cruise trip, you will wish to follow vessels constructed within the final 15 or so years.
Associated: The 6 sorts of Royal Caribbean ships, defined
Royal Caribbean’s oldest cruise ships — these constructed within the Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s — in lots of circumstances are simply half to a 3rd the scale of the road’s latest vessels and have far fewer venues on board. Nonetheless, even these smaller ships supply numerous points of interest as in comparison with many vessels at competing strains.
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Royal Caribbean is thought for bustling, activity-packed ships throughout its fleet.
Right here, each Royal Caribbean ship at present in operation is ranked from latest to oldest:
1. Surprise of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2022.
Dimension: 235,600 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 5,734.
2. Odyssey of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2022.
Dimension: 167,704 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 4,284.
3. Spectrum of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2019.
Dimension: 169,379 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 4,246.
4. Symphony of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2018.
Dimension: 228,081 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 5,518.
5. Concord of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2016.
Dimension: 226,963 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 5,479.
6. Ovation of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2016.
Dimension: 168,666 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 4,180.
7. Anthem of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2015.
Dimension: 168,666 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 4,180.
8. Quantum of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2014.
Dimension: 168,666 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 4,180.
9. Attract of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2010.
Dimension: 225,282 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 5,484.
10. Oasis of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2009.
Dimension: 226,838 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 5,602.
11. Independence of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2008.
Dimension: 154,407 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 3,634.
12. Liberty of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2007.
Dimension: 154,407 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 3,798.
13. Freedom of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2006.
Dimension: 156,271 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 3,926.
14. Jewel of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2004.
Dimension: 90,090 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 2,191.
15. Mariner of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2003.
Dimension: 139,863 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 4,000.
16. Serenade of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2003.
Dimension: 90,090 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 2,143.
17. Navigator of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2002.
Dimension: 139,999 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 3,388.
18. Brilliance of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2002.
Dimension: 90,090 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 2,142.
19. Journey of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2001.
Dimension: 137,276 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 3,114.
20. Radiance of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2001.
Dimension: 90,090 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 2,143.
21. Explorer of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 2000.
Dimension: 137,308 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 3,286.
22. Voyager of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 1999.
Dimension: 137,276 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 3,602.
23. Imaginative and prescient of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 1998.
Dimension: 78,340 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 2,050 passengers.
24. Enchantment of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 1997.
Dimension: 82,910 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 2,252.
25. Rhapsody of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 1997.
Dimension: 78,419 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 1,998.
26. Grandeur of the Seas
Maiden voyage: 1996.
Dimension: 73,817 gross tons.
Passenger capability: 1,992.
What’s the latest Royal Caribbean ship?
The most recent Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Surprise of the Seas. As famous above, it debuted in March 2022. Measuring 235,600 gross tons, it is the most important cruise ship ever constructed. It is also loaded with extra eating places, bars, showrooms and deck-top points of interest than you will discover on every other ship at sea.
TPG despatched a three-person staff, at our personal expense, to evaluation Surprise of the Seas and all its new options after it started crusing. For extra on the ship, see the next guides and opinions from these staffers:
What’s the oldest Royal Caribbean ship?
The oldest Royal Caribbean cruise ship is Grandeur of the Seas. Unveiled approach again in 1996, it isn’t simply the oldest Royal Caribbean ship however the smallest Royal Caribbean ship — far smaller than the latest Royal Caribbean vessels. Measuring simply 73,817 gross tons, it is only a third the scale of Surprise of the Seas and has far fewer venues.
Apart from a mountaineering wall, Grandeur of the Seas has not one of the gee-whiz deck-top points of interest discovered on larger Royal Caribbean vessels, similar to skydiving simulators and big water parks. For probably the most half, its prime deck is lined with swimming pools, whirlpools and sunning areas, as is typical for ships constructed within the Nineteen Nineties.
That mentioned, Grandeur of the Seas has a loyal following amongst Royal Caribbean followers preferring smaller and extra intimate ships.
What new Royal Caribbean ships are coming?
Royal Caribbean at present has 4 new cruise ships on order. The primary to reach can be Icon of the Seas in January 2024. As famous above, it is the primary of all-new class of vessel for the road that, as of now, can be made up of three ships (Royal Caribbean may order extra Icon-class ships in coming years — we’ll see). Two extra ships within the collection are due in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
The Icon-class vessels are being constructed on the big Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland.
Associated: The final word information to Icon of the Seas itineraries, points of interest and extra
As well as, Royal Caribbean has a sister vessel to Surprise of the Seas on order for supply in 2024. To be referred to as Utopia of the Seas, it is the sixth and closing vessel within the line’s groundbreaking Oasis-class collection that started rolling out in 2009. It is at present beneath development on the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France.
What’s the latest Royal Caribbean ship accessible for reserving?
What’s the latest class of Royal Caribbean ships?
The Icon class is the latest class of Royal Caribbean ships. It will be made up of not less than three vessels, the primary of which (Icon of the Seas) is because of debut in January 2024.
At 250,600 tons, Icon of the Seas can be greater than 6% larger than the most important Royal Caribbean ships at present at sea. It will maintain as much as 7,600 passengers — a brand new file for a passenger ship. That is about 7% greater than the utmost capability of Surprise of the Seas, which might maintain as much as 7,084 passengers.
The larger passenger capability is partially because of the ship’s larger deal with household vacationers. Icon of the Seas is being constructed with much more cabins which have loads of additional bunks to accommodate households with many kids. It will even have extra facilities geared to households, together with a new-for-the-line out of doors “neighborhood” referred to as Surfside devoted to households with younger kids.
What is the distinction between newer and older Royal Caribbean ships?
Newer Royal Caribbean ships usually are larger than older Royal Caribbean ships — generally a lot larger. In consequence, they’ve room for lots extra onboard venues and points of interest than the road’s older vessels.
On Royal Caribbean’s latest and largest Oasis-class vessels, as an example, you will discover three separate principal pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, browsing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court docket and even a zipper line. And that’s simply on their prime decks. Contained in the vessels, you’ll discover extra lounges, bars, eating places and retailers than you may think about — plus big casinos, spas and showrooms with Broadway-style exhibits. They even have indoor ice skating rinks.
In brief, they’re like big floating variations of the megaresorts you discover within the Orlando space or Las Vegas, they usually enchantment to individuals who like a megaresort expertise.
Associated: The final word information to Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean’s older ships are a half to a 3rd smaller and lack most of the above options. They’ve a way more intimate really feel, not less than within the pantheon of comparatively large, mass-market ships, they usually maintain far fewer folks. Whereas Oasis-class ships can maintain greater than 6,600 passengers with each berth full, the road’s 4 oldest vessels (generally known as the Imaginative and prescient class) are solely designed to hold about 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.
That makes them a sensible choice for somebody who needs to attempt Royal Caribbean however is not wanting to journey with big crowds. The oldest ships within the Royal Caribbean fleet thus enchantment to a subset of Royal Caribbean followers preferring extra intimacy in a cruise vessel and don’t thoughts giving up some onboard facilities to get it. They’re additionally usually inexpensive to sail on, on a per-day foundation.
Associated: Do not miss out on these Royal Caribbean loyalty perks
As well as, due to their measurement, the oldest ships at Royal Caribbean are in a position to function itineraries to locations that aren’t as straightforward for large ships to go to. Not all ports on the planet can deal with a ship the scale of Surprise of the Seas.
Observe that every one Royal Caribbean ships are renovated and upgraded on a daily schedule each few years, so even the oldest Royal Caribbean cruise vessels have newer carpeting, up to date furnishings, fashionable decor in cabins and different updates. In lots of circumstances, additionally they have had whole eateries and bars renovated through the years with ideas that first debuted on newer vessels.
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