Royal Caribbean cruise ships ranked by size from biggest to smallest — the complete list
Are you looking for the most activity-packed, megaresort-like Royal Caribbean cruise ships at sea? If so, you’ll want to get on one of the biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ships.
These ships are, by nature, the Royal Caribbean ships with the most pools, waterslides and other top-deck activities, as well as the most onboard restaurants, bars and showrooms. They have the biggest casinos and spas among ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, as well as the largest number of cabins and suites — and the most variation in cabin and suite types.
With room for more than 6,000 passengers, the biggest Royal Caribbean ships are truly massive resorts like the ones you’d find at landlocked destinations such as Orlando and Las Vegas. If you’re in the “bigger is better” camp when it comes to a resort experience, these are the Royal Caribbean ships for you.
Royal Caribbean doesn’t only operate massive vessels, though. The Miami-based cruise giant also operates several relatively small ships that carry just 2,000 or 3,000 passengers and have a much more intimate feel. In some cases, these vessels are just half or one-third of the size of Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships. These ships, notably, have far fewer top-deck activities and interior venues than the biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ships.
The smallest Royal Caribbean cruise ships are best for vacationers who like a more intimate, less crowded resort experience.
To ensure you end up on the right ship for you, it pays to study which Royal Caribbean ships are the biggest and which are the smallest before booking.
Here is every Royal Caribbean ship currently in operation, ranked from biggest to smallest.
Note: Ships are ranked based on gross registered tonnage — the measure of a ship’s interior volume. Passenger numbers listed are based on double occupancy (two people per cabin).
Related: The 6 classes of Royal Caribbean ships, explained
Royal Caribbean cruise ships, biggest to smallest
| Rank | Ship | Class | Gross tons | Year | Passenger capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tied) | Legend of the Seas | Icon | 248,663 | 2026 | 5,610 |
| 1 (tied) | Star of the Seas | Icon | 248,663 | 2025 | 5,610 |
| 1 (tied) | Icon of the Seas | Icon | 248,663 | 2024 | 5,610 |
| 4 | Utopia of the Seas | Oasis | 236,473 | 2024 | 5,668 |
| 5 | Wonder of the Seas | Oasis | 235,600 | 2022 | 5,734 |
| 6 | Symphony of the Seas | Oasis | 228,081 | 2018 | 5,518 |
| 7 | Harmony of the Seas | Oasis | 226,963 | 2016 | 5,479 |
| 8 | Oasis of the Seas | Oasis | 226,838 | 2009 | 5,602 |
| 9 | Allure of the Seas | Oasis | 225,282 | 2010 | 5,718 |
| 10 | Spectrum of the Seas | Quantum | 169,379 | 2019 | 4,246 |
| 11 (tied) | Ovation of the Seas | Quantum | 168,666 | 2016 | 4,182 |
| 11 (tied) | Anthem of the Seas | Quantum | 168,666 | 2015 | 4,180 |
| 11 (tied) | Quantum of the Seas | Quantum | 168,666 | 2014 | 4,180 |
| 14 | Odyssey of the Seas | Quantum | 167,704 | 2022 | 4,198 |
| 15 | Freedom of the Seas | Freedom | 156,271 | 2006 | 3,926 |
| 16 (tied) | Independence of the Seas | Freedom | 154,407 | 2008 | 3,858 |
| 16 (tied) | Liberty of the Seas | Freedom | 154,407 | 2007 | 3,798 |
| 18 | Navigator of the Seas | Voyager | 139,999 | 2002 | 3,368 |
| 19 | Mariner of the Seas | Voyager | 139,863 | 2003 | 3,344 |
| 20 | Explorer of the Seas | Voyager | 137,308 | 2000 | 3,286 |
| 21 (tied) | Voyager of the Seas | Voyager | 137,276 | 1999 | 3,602 |
| 21 (tied) | Adventure of the Seas | Voyager | 137,276 | 2001 | 3,114 |
| 23 (tied) | Jewel of the Seas | Radiance | 90,090 | 2004 | 2,191 |
| 23 (tied) | Serenade of the Seas | Radiance | 90,090 | 2003 | 2,143 |
| 23 (tied) | Brilliance of the Seas | Radiance | 90,090 | 2002 | 2,142 |
| 23 (tied) | Radiance of the Seas | Radiance | 90,090 | 2001 | 2,143 |
| 27 | Enchantment of the Seas | Vision | 82,910 | 1997 | 2,252 |
| 28 | Rhapsody of the Seas | Vision | 78,878 | 1997 | 2,040 |
| 29 | Vision of the Seas | Vision | 78,340 | 1998 | 2,050 |
| 30 | Grandeur of the Seas | Vision | 73,817 | 1996 | 1,992 |
What is the biggest Royal Caribbean ship?
The three biggest Royal Caribbean cruise ships are Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas. All three are Icon Class ships measuring 248,663 gross tons, making them tied for the biggest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet — and also the biggest cruise ships ever built by any line. They’re loaded with more bars, restaurants, theaters and top-deck attractions than you’ll find on any other ship at sea.
Icon of the Seas debuted in 2024, followed by Star of the Seas in 2025 and Legend of the Seas in 2026. A fourth ship in the Icon Class (Hero of the Seas) will debut in August 2027, followed by another three as yet unnamed ships in 2028, 2029 and 2030.
