Royal Caribbean

I took my first cruise aboard a Royal Caribbean ship over 15 years ago, so the family-friendly cruise line has been a favorite of mine for a long time. 

Some of my best memories are from spending spring break on Oasis of the Seas with my family and cruising on Freedom of the Seas with my now-fiancée.

I took my first cruise aboard Freedom of the Seas in 2010. The 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise went to CocoCay, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas and introduced me to the Royal Caribbean brand. Ice skating rinks and surf simulators at sea? You had to be kidding me! 

Royal Caribbean ships have only gotten bigger since Freedom of the Seas initially launched in 2006. Icon of the Seas, for example, made her long-awaited debut in January 2024 and holds the record as the world's largest cruise ship. 

Royal Caribbean and MSC’s biggest cruise ships offer mind-blowing attractions and an endless variety of things to do onboard, but I thought one ship was better than the other, despite the higher cost.

Within the same year, I cruised on the biggest ship by MSC Cruises—MSC World Europa—and the biggest ship by Royal Caribbean—Icon of the Seas. The vessels, which each accommodate roughly 7,000 passengers, are more akin to floating cities than traditional cruise ships.

Symphony of the Seas is one of the world's largest cruise ships. However, I discovered that the cabins are far from spacious. I stayed in an inside cabin on a weeklong cruise to the Caribbean from Miami, Florida. It was my first time in an interior stateroom, and I wasn't sure what to expect. 

The 228,081 gross registered ton ship has over 2,700 staterooms onboard capable of accommodating 6,680 guests at maximum capacity. 

Today's newest cruise ships are all the rage with ice skating rinks, rollercoasters, go-kart tracks, waterparks, and more. However, newer isn't always better. Last year, I sailed on three old cruise ships built in the 1990s for Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Disney, and my experiences couldn't have been more different. 

For example, my cabin aboard Vision of the Seas felt like it was stuck in the 90s with outdated decor and a noticeable lack of outlets. In comparison, my interior stateroom on Disney Magic also had a nostalgic charm but greater attention to detail. 

Today's newest cruise ships offer the most onboard dining options and activities, such as innovative restaurants like Royal Caribbean's Utopia Station: Royal Railway and Carnival's BOLT rollercoaster. However, just because one cruise ship is newer than another doesn't make it better.

Having sailed primarily on Royal Caribbean's Oasis and Freedom Class, I wondered why many cruisers remained loyal to the dated Vision Class ships, which launched over 20 years ago. 

There are countless activities to try on a cruise ship, from ice-skating to surfing simulators, but perhaps no activity is as controversial as the onboard art auction.

Most mass-market cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Carnival Cruise Line, offer art auctions on any given sailing. These auctions are held by Park West Gallery, a commercial art gallery claiming to be the world’s largest art dealer. The gallery partners with cruise lines, working with over 90 ships around the world.

Royal Caribbean and Carnival are two of the most popular cruise lines in operation with, collectively, over 50 ships at sea. Though I've been sailing with Royal Caribbean since I was 10, I recently began my journey with Carnival to explore why the "FUN" ship brand attracts millions of passengers annually.

Both lines offer unique experiences and cater to different styles of cruising. Royal Caribbean, for example, is known for its innovative and jam-packed ships. 

While cruises can be an affordable way to travel, you don't want to make costly mistakes that could put you over budget. Several common pitfalls can quickly add up, from hidden fees to overlooked expenses. 

It's usually easy to budget for certain extras, such as specialty dining, shore excursions, Wi-Fi, and alcoholic beverages. However, one Royal Caribbean cruiser was hit with an unexpected bill after they forgot to put their phone on airplane mode while on a cruise.