Royal Caribbean International facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Royal Caribbean International

Logo used since 2024
Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas in Miami, Florida
Formerly	Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (1968–1997)
Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Tourism
Founded	1968; 57 years ago (1968) in Norway 27,
Headquarters	25°46′31″N 80°10′42″W / 25.7752°N 80.1784°W / 25.7752; -80.1784, Miami, Florida , U.S.
Areas served	Worldwide
Key people	Michael Bayley (President & CEO)
Services	Cruises
Parent	Royal Caribbean Group

Royal Caribbean International is a huge cruise company that started in Norway in 1968. It used to be called Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Since 1997, it has been a part of a larger company called Royal Caribbean Group.

Its main office is in Miami, Florida, USA. It is one of the biggest cruise lines in the world. It earns the most money and carries the second-highest number of passengers. In 2025, about 27% of all cruise passengers worldwide sailed with Royal Caribbean International. The company earned almost 25% of all cruise money.

As of August 2024, Royal Caribbean International has 28 ships sailing the seas. Four more ships are being built, and two more are planned for the future.

History of Royal Caribbean Cruises

Royal Caribbean's first ship, Song of Norway

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line was started in 1968 by three shipping companies from Norway. Their first ship, Song of Norway, began sailing in 1970. A year later, they added Nordic Prince, and in 1972, Sun Viking.

In 1978, Song of Norway was made longer by adding a new section in the middle. This made the ship bigger and better. Nordic Prince was also stretched in 1980. In 1982, Royal Caribbean launched Song of America.

Royal Caribbean's third ship, Sun Viking

In 1986, Royal Caribbean leased a special place in Labadie, Haiti. This place became a private beach for their guests, called Labadee. In 1988, the company launched Sovereign of the Seas, which was the largest passenger ship in the world at that time.

Two years later, in 1990, Nordic Empress and Viking Serenade started sailing. Royal Caribbean also bought a second private island, Little Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas. They named it CocoCay.

Majesty of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas in Nassau, Bahamas

Two more large ships, Monarch of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas, joined the fleet in 1991 and 1992. In 1993, Royal Caribbean became a public company, meaning people could buy shares in it.

Company Changes and New Ships

In 1997, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line joined with a Greek cruise line called Celebrity Cruises. At this time, its name changed to Royal Caribbean International. A new company, Royal Caribbean Group, was created to own both Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises.

In 2000, Royal Caribbean started offering "cruise tours" in Alaska. These tours combined cruises with train rides in special glass-domed cars to see beautiful places. They also added cruise tours in Europe.

Even bigger ships, called the Oasis class, were launched in 2009 and 2010. These included Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. These ships were so big that Royal Caribbean kept the record for the largest ships for many years. More Oasis-class ships, like Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas, were built later. These ships were the first to have the "Ultimate Abyss" dry slide.

In 2013, Royal Caribbean announced a new type of ship, the Quantum class. The first two ships were Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas. A third Quantum-class ship, Ovation of the Seas, was announced in 2014.

In 2015 and 2016, Royal Caribbean sold two of its older ships, Splendour of the Seas and Legend of the Seas, to another cruise company.

In 2017, Royal Caribbean made a deal to use Port Everglades in Florida as a main port for its Oasis-class ships. This involved a big upgrade to the cruise terminal.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2020, Royal Caribbean stopped most of its cruises. They also sold Empress of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas. Quantum of the Seas was the first ship to start sailing again from Singapore in December 2020, with new health rules. In June 2021, Ovation of the Seas was the first cruise ship to return to the Port of Seattle after the pandemic began.

New Technologies and Partnerships

In August 2022, Royal Caribbean announced a partnership with SpaceX. They decided to use SpaceX's Starlink internet technology on all their ships. This helps make the internet connection much better for guests at sea.

Private Destinations

Royal Caribbean has special private places that some of its cruises visit. These are like private resorts just for their guests.

• Labadee: This is a resort on the northern coast of Haiti.
• CocoCay: This is a private island in the Berry Islands in the Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean is also planning to open a new private beach club on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, in December 2025. They are also looking to open more private resorts in Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico, and on Lelpea Island, Vanuatu in the South Pacific.

Royal Caribbean's Fleet of Ships

Since the Sovereign of the Seas started sailing in 1987, all new Royal Caribbean ships have names that end with "of the Seas."

Vision Class Ships

The Vision class has three pairs of similar ships. They are known for having lots of glass, with over 2 acres (8,100 m²) of glass on each ship. This allows for amazing views. One ship, Enchantment of the Seas, was made longer in 2005. Royal Caribbean sold Splendour of the Seas and Legend of the Seas to another cruise line in 2016 and 2017. Grandeur of the Seas was planned to be transferred to another company, but it stayed with Royal Caribbean.

Name	Year built	Gross tonnage	Berths		Flag	Notes	Ship image
			Double	Maximum
Grandeur of the Seas	1996	73,817	1,992	2,440	Bahamas	Last updated in 2012.
Rhapsody of the Seas	1997	78,878	1,998	2,416	Bahamas	Last updated in 2012.
Enchantment of the Seas	1997	82,910	2,252	2,730	Bahamas	Made longer in 2005. Last updated in 2013.
Vision of the Seas	1998	78,717	2,050	2,514	Bahamas	Last updated in 2013.

Voyager Class Ships

When they were built, Voyager-class ships were the largest cruise ships in the world. They were the first to have an ice rink at sea! They also introduced the "Royal Promenade," a long indoor street with shops and cafes. Onboard activities include a basketball court, pools, mini-golf, a rock wall, and an ice skating rink. Some ships also have a Flowrider surf simulator.

Name	Year built	Gross tonnage	Berths		Flag	Notes	Ship image
			Double	Maximum
Voyager of the Seas	1999	138,194	3,114	3,840	Bahamas	Last updated in 2019.
Explorer of the Seas	2000	138,194	3,114	3,840	Bahamas	Planned update postponed.
Adventure of the Seas	2001	138,193	3,114	3,807	Bahamas	Last updated in 2016.
Navigator of the Seas	2002	139,999	3,376	4,000	Bahamas	Last updated in 2019.
Mariner of the Seas	2003	139,863	3,114	3,807	Bahamas	Last updated in 2018.

Radiance Class Ships

Radiance-class ships are known for being very environmentally friendly. They have special engines and lots of glass, including glass elevators with amazing views. They also have over 700 rooms with balconies. These ships can fit through the Panama Canal.

Name	Year built	Gross tonnage	Berths		Flag	Notes	Ship image
			Double	Maximum
Radiance of the Seas	2001	90,090	2,143	2,466	Bahamas	Last updated in 2011.
Brilliance of the Seas	2002	90,090	2,142	2,543	Bahamas	Last updated in 2013.
Serenade of the Seas	2003	90,090	2,146	2,476	Bahamas	Last updated in 2012.
Jewel of the Seas	2004	90,090	2,112	2,502	Bahamas	Last updated in 2016.

Freedom Class Ships

Freedom-class ships are longer versions of the Voyager class. They have a 400-foot (120 m) long Royal Promenade, an ice skating rink, basketball court, pools, mini-golf, and a rock wall. New features include the FlowRider surf simulator, a kids' water play area called H2O Zone, and hot tubs that hang over the side of the ship. These ships were the largest in the world from 2006 until the Oasis class came out in 2009.

Name	Year built	Gross tonnage	Berths		Flag	Notes	Ship image
			Double	Maximum
Freedom of the Seas	2006	156,271	3,782	4,515	Bahamas	Last updated in 2020.
Liberty of the Seas	2007	155,889	3,798	4,960	Bahamas	Last updated in 2016.
Independence of the Seas	2008	155,889	3,634	4,375	Bahamas	Last updated in 2018.

Oasis Class Ships

Oasis-class ships are some of the largest passenger ships ever built. They can hold up to 5,400 passengers and cost around $1.4 billion each. They are only smaller than the new Icon-class ships.

The first two ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, were delivered in 2009 and 2010. The third and fourth ships, Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas, were the first to have the "Ultimate Abyss" dry slide. A sixth Oasis-class ship, Utopia of the Seas, was ordered in 2019 and delivered in 2024.

Name	Year built	Gross tonnage	Berths		Flag	Notes	Ship image
			Double	Maximum
Oasis of the Seas	2009	226,838	5,400	6,780	Bahamas	Last updated in 2019.
Allure of the Seas	2010	225,282	5,492	6,780	Bahamas	Last updated in 2025.
Harmony of the Seas	2016	226,963	5,497	6,687	Bahamas
Symphony of the Seas	2018	228,081	5,518	6,680	Bahamas
Wonder of the Seas	2022	235,600	5,734	6,988	Bahamas
Utopia of the Seas	2024	236,473	5,668		Bahamas	First Oasis class ship powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas).

Quantum Class Ships

The Quantum-class ships were the second largest cruise ships in the world when they first sailed. They have cool features like the "North Star" observation capsule, which lifts you high above the ship for amazing views. They also have "RipCord by iFLY," a skydiving simulator, and the SeaPlex, a big indoor space for activities like bumper cars and roller skating. These ships were designed for "Dynamic Dining," offering many different restaurants instead of one main dining room.

Five ships in this class have been built: Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas, and Odyssey of the Seas.

Name	Year built	Gross tonnage	Berths		Flag	Notes	Ship image
			Double	Maximum
Quantum of the Seas	2014	168,666	4,180	4,905	Bahamas	Update planned for 2024.
Anthem of the Seas	2015	168,666	4,180	4,905	Bahamas
Ovation of the Seas	2016	168,666	4,180	4,905	Bahamas
Spectrum of the Seas	2019	169,379	4,246	5,622	Cyprus	First Quantum Ultra Class ship.
Odyssey of the Seas	2021	167,704	4,200	5,510	Bahamas	Second Quantum Ultra-class cruise ship.

Icon Class Ships

Icon-class ships are the largest cruise ships ever built. They use LNG (liquefied natural gas) for power, which is better for the environment. They also have other green features like fuel cells to make electricity and fresh water.

Icon of the Seas was delivered in November 2023. The second ship, Star of the Seas, is expected in 2025. The third ship, Legend of the Seas, is planned for 2026. In August 2024, Royal Caribbean ordered a fourth ship for 2027 and planned two more.

Name	Year built	Gross tonnage	Berths		Flag	Notes	Ship image
			Double	Maximum
Icon of the Seas	2023	248,663	5,610	7,600	Bahamas	First LNG powered ship in the fleet, largest cruise ship in the world.

Future Ships

Royal Caribbean has more exciting ships coming!

Name	Class	Estimated date of completion	Current status	Gross tonnage	Berths		Notes	Ship image
					Double	Maximum
Star of the Seas	Icon class	2025	Floated out on 25 September 2024.	250,800	5,610	7,600	Second LNG powered Icon class ship.
Legend of the Seas	Icon class	2026	Steel cutting started in January 2024.	250,800	5,610	7,600	Third LNG powered Icon class ship.
TBA	Icon class	2027	Ordered.				Fourth LNG powered Icon class ship.
TBA	Oasis class	2028	Ordered.	236,860	5,668		Seventh Oasis-class cruise ship. Second LNG powered Oasis class, similar to Utopia of the Seas.

A new class of smaller ships, called the Discovery class, is also being planned.

Former Ships

Royal Caribbean has had many ships over the years. Here are some that are no longer part of their fleet:

Name	Class	Year built	Years with Royal Caribbean International	Current status	Gross tonnage	Notes	Ship image
Song of Norway	Song of Norway class	1970	1970–1997	Taken apart for scrap in 2013.	22,945	Made longer in 1978.
Nordic Prince	Song of Norway class	1971	1971–1995	Taken apart for scrap in 2015.	23,149	Made longer in 1980.
Sun Viking	Song of Norway class	1972	1972–1998	Sold for scrap in 2021.	16,607
Song of America	Song of America class	1982	1982–1999	Sold for scrap in 2025.	37,584
Viking Serenade	-	1982	1990–2002	Taken apart for scrap in 2018.	40,171	Moved from another Royal Caribbean company in 1990.
Sovereign of the Seas	Sovereign class	1987	1988–2008	Taken apart for scrap in 2020.	73,192	Largest cruise ship from 1987 to 1990.
Monarch of the Seas	Sovereign class	1991	1991–2013	Taken apart for scrap in 2020.	73,192
Splendour of the Seas	Vision class	1996	1996–2016	Now sails as Marella Discovery for Marella Cruises.	69,130
Legend of the Seas	Vision class	1995	1995–2017	Now sails as Marella Discovery 2 for Marella Cruises.	69,130
Empress of the Seas	Empress class	1990	1990–2008 2016–2020	Sold to Cordelia Cruises.	48,563	Sailed for Pullmantur Cruises as Empress from 2008 to 2016.
Majesty of the Seas	Sovereign class	1992	1992–2020	Sold to Seajets and renamed Majesty of the Oceans.	78,941

Ports Around the World

Royal Caribbean sails to many different places all over the world. These are called ports of call.

International Ports

Territory	Port	City
Netherlands	Port of Amsterdam	Amsterdam
Spain	Port of Barcelona	Barcelona
Canada	Port of Quebec	Quebec
China	Port of Shenzhen	Shenzhen
Sweden	Port of Stockholm [sv]	Stockholm
Canada	Port of Vancouver	Vancouver
New Zealand	Port of Auckland	Auckland
China	Port of Tianjin	Beijing
Italy	Port of Civitavecchia	Rome
Singapore	Port of Singapore	Singapore
Australia	Port Jackson	Sydney
Italy	Port of Venice	Venice
Denmark	Port of Copenhagen	Copenhagen
Hong Kong	Port of Hong Kong	Hong Kong
Australia	Port of Melbourne	Melbourne
China	Port of Shanghai	Shanghai
United Kingdom	Port of Southampton	Southampton
India	Marmagao Port	Goa

U.S. Ports

Territory	Port	City
Florida	Port Everglades	Fort Lauderdale
New Jersey	Cape Liberty	Bayonne
Hawaii	Honolulu Harbor	Honolulu
Florida	PortMiami	Miami
Washington	Port of Seattle	Seattle
Texas	Port of Galveston	Galveston
California	Port of Los Angeles	Los Angeles
Louisiana	Port of New Orleans	New Orleans
California	Port of San Diego	San Diego
Alaska	Port of Seward	Seward
Maryland	Port of Baltimore	Baltimore
Massachusetts	Port of Boston	Boston
Florida	Port Canaveral	Cape Canaveral
Florida	Port Tampa Bay	Tampa
Puerto Rico	Port of San Juan	San Juan

Awards and Recognition

Royal Caribbean has won many awards for being a great cruise line.

• "Best Cruise Line Overall" in 2016 by Travel Weekly
• "Cruise Line of the Year 2018" by Cruisedaily

See also

In Spanish: Royal Caribbean International para niños

• PortMiami
• Tourism in Florida (Miami)