As of today, RCL has a total of seven classes of cruise ships with a total of 25 Ships with two under construction due out later this year and next (Utopia and the Star). We have been fortunate to sail of 23 of the current ships and I wanted to share with you our insights on the ships and classes so you can make a better decision on which ship you may prefer to book. All of the RCL Ships end with “of the Seas” so I will omit that when I am referring to the ships. The seven classes (from smallest to largest) are: Vision, Radiance, Voyager, Freedom, Quantum (smaller but newer than the first oasis class ships), Oasis and Icon (new 2024). For each class, I have also provided the ratio of the gross tonnage to max passengers (double occupancy) T/P, to give you a feel of how crowded they may feel. The results here may surprise you. Generally, the smallest ships have more passengers in a given space, making them feel more crowded. This is also a good way to compare ships across the different cruise lines.

Vision Class ships (4): Grandeur (smallest ship in the fleet), Vision, Enchantment (Stretched), and Rhapsody.

These ships were put into service starting in 1997 , making them 25 plus years old. They do not have that many balcony cabins and are an old style of cruise ship. Nothing special here. They are very comparable to the older NCL and Carnival ships. These are basic ships and in need of some love. RCL is planning new small ships and they need to! That said, these ships can go to smaller ports than the larger ships and are easy to get around. These ships are best for older folks and those that are more interested in the specific ports. Food and entertainment choices are basic. The T/P ration varies for these ships but is 36-39 (not good).

Radiance Class ships (4): Brilliance, Jewel, Serenade, and Radiance.

These ships were put into service beginning in 2001. They are an expanded version of the Vision class with some nice upgrades. There are more balconies and a few more decks. They do have separate small movie theaters. But again, these ships are old and showing their age. One captain refereed to them as the Ferrari of cruise ships due to their powerful gas turbine engines. These ships can go places others can’t. The Serenade was chosen for the 9 month world voyage starting in 2023. Again, these ships are nice, but don’t expect many thrills here. The crowds still tend to be older and dining/entertainment venues are nice…but basic. The T/P ration is 42. So you will not feel as crowded on these ships as on the Vision Class. These ships also allow you to walk all the way around the ship to the very front. Its very nice to hang out on the helicopter pad….you can even redue the scene from Titanic if you wish.

Voyager Class ships (5): Explorer, Voyager, Navigator, Adventure and Mariner,

This is a very nice class of ship and definitely one of our favorites. Three (Navigator, Voyager, and Mariner) of these ships have been “Amplified” with surf simulators (flowrider) and better waterslides. The Navigator is the only ship in the RCL Fleet with a water roller-coaster (its a lot of fun). This class is the first one with an ice skating rink and the “Royal Promenade” an internal area that runs through the middle of the ship with shops, bars and restaurants. Surprisingly, these ships have the highest T/P ratio at 44+. They also have a peek-a-boo bridge on deck 12 where you can see what is going on in the bridge and you have the ability to walk to the very front of the ship. These ships are a great size for going to exotic locations, but big enough to give your family a great vacation. However, they are too big to enter some ports like Tampa and Baltimore.

Freedom class ships (3): Freedom, Independence, Liberty

These ships are almost exactly like the Voyager Class. The layout is the same. The restaurant layout is slightly better and the peek-a-boo bridge is gone, but if you cruised on a Voyager class ship before, you will know where everything is located. The only difference really is the size of these ships. The T/P ratio of the class is 41-42. So they are very similar to the Radiance Class.

Quantum Class ships (5): Quantum, Anthem, Ovation, Odyssey and Spectrum) (The Anthem and Spectrum and the only two RCL ships we have not sailed on.)

Two of the ships (Odyssey and Spectrum) are referred to as Quantum-Ultra Class, but there isn’t much difference between them and their sister ships. The Quantum Class ships really changed things around. You can’t go out to the very nose of the ship anymore and the ice skating rink was removed. However, they added a “sportsplex” with bumper cars, roller skating, and other sports activities. This space is completely enclosed so it can be used anytime. They also created the Two-70 theater with many high tech innovations. The two story music hall is an excellent venue to listen to music. Also with indoor sky diving and the “North Star observation pod (think of an over-sized crane stuck on top of the ship), there is a ton of entertainment. These ships feel a little more cramped with a T/P ratio of 40, they are the second most cramped Class of RCL cruise ship. However, they are the second newest class of ship in the RCL Family and are very nicely done. One of my biggest complaints with this class is the distance from the rear of the ship to the central elevators and stairways. You will get your exercise if you have a cabin in the rear. These are very large ships, but they are small enough to fit under the Vancouver Harbor bridge, so they are excellent ships for cruises to Alaska. RCL has been basing two of these in Seattle for 7 day round trip cruises.

Oasis Class ships (5 with a sixth under construction): Oasis, Allure, Harmony, Symphony, Wonder and Utopia (summer 2024).

The first Oasis class ship came out in 2000 and they are fantastic ships. These monsters cost $1 billion or more to construct and are larger than any Aircraft Carrier. RCL continues to build these and has announced that they intend to build another one (even while they are building Icon Class ships). These are floating resorts and its easy to forget that you are on a ship when sailing on them. The Grand Atrium is huge and RCL incorporated a “Central Park” in the middle of the ship with plants and trees. In the back of the ship you will find the Boardwalk area complete with a carousal. These ships have huge rock climbing walls, flowriders, ice skating, massive slides, high dive shows, a zip line and much, much more. With 5,734 passengers (double occupancy) you might think that the ship would be too crowded. However, the T/P ratio is 41 and RCL does a good job segregating guests in different areas of the ship. Cruising on these ships is a real experience and I highly recommend everyone give it a try, at least once. The biggest issue with these ships is their size. They are too big to go to many ports. Also, with the large number of passengers, tendering into ports just isn’t realistic. So, if you sail often on these ships, you will go to the same ports …..over…and over….and over again. RCL has started using these ships for three and four day cruises. If you are concerned about being seasick, these are a good choice for you and your family. These are very stable ships!

Icon Class ships (1 with 1 under construction): Icon and Star (2025)

If you want the details of the Icon, please read my blog about this ship. Wow, just wow! RCL combined the best qualities of the Oasis Class and the Quantum Class ships, jacked up the technology, addressed issues and really created an amazing floating resort. You won’t be bored on this ship. However, this ship is so big, there won’t be many ports that it can visit. This ship cost $2 billion dollars to build and it shows. Surprisingly, the T/P ratio is 44, just slightly below the Voyager Class ships. I described it as the largest, small ship I had ever been on. This ship is focused on families, but there is something for everyone here. The big hesitation, right now, is the iconic cost of cruising on this ship. Cabins are 50% or more than on the other Classes of ships. RCL has two more of these under construction at the moment and there is talk of a fourth one. So, the prices will come down, eventually.

So there you have it, a quick summary of all the RCL ship classes. Now, let me give you my takeaways and recommendations for which ship to pick.

• If you are looking for a low-price cruise, The older ships tend to be less expensive than the newer ones.
• If you want to travel to small ports and don’t care how you get there, the Vision and Radiance Class ships are good. But, you might want to consider Carnival, MSC or NCL as well. There is nothing special with these ships.
• If you are old and want to hang with old people, consider the Vision Class ships. Holland American tends have an older clientele as well, but nicer ships. (I guess we are old, but we like hanging with younger people and children.)
• For families, I recommend the “Amplified” Voyager, Quantum, Oasis or Icon Class ships. Any of these will give you a fantastic vacation experience. You will be with other families and the Voyager and Quantum Class ships are still small enough to enter unique ports.
• The Oasis and Icon Class ships are complete resorts and worth a try. These are best if you are just starting out and are concerned about sea sickness.
• For families, I did a quick screen for 7 night RCL cruises between 1 June and 15 August 2024, looking for what I believe were the best deals on the best ships. These are inside cabin rates per guest and do not include taxes and fees (as of 4 Mar 24):
  • Alaska: Jun 2^nd Quantum from Seattle: $910 (Quantun Class)
  • Bahamas: Jun 6^th Symphony from Bayonne NJ (New York): $923 (Oasis Class)
  • Caribbean: Jun 8^th Harmony from Galveston TX: $948 (Oasis Class)
  • Mediterranean: Jun 23^rd Voyager from Ravenna, Italy to Barcelona: $664 (Amplified Voyager Class)
  • Mexico: Aug 15^th Navigator from LA: $676 (Amplified Voyager Class)
• If you are OK with cruising when school is in session, prices are dramatically less and children are often free.
• If you have the time and want to travel across the Ocean on a ship, these are the best deals today:
  • Nov 24^th Adventure from Barcelona to Port Canaveral, FL: $441 (13 Nights) ( Voyager Class)
  • Apr 13^th Ovation from Sydney, Australia to Honolulu, HI: $690 (18 Nights) (Quantum Class)

Hope this helps you decide on what RCL ship you might like to vacation on…..see you on the Sea:)