Royal Caribbean: The Complete Insider Guide

01The Fleet: Which Ship Class Is Right for You?

Newest · 7,600 guests

Icon Class

Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas & more comingThrill Island neighborhood with Category 6 waterslide, AquaDome, 7 neighborhoods and pools. Most innovative ships afloat.

Mega Ships · 6,600 guests

Oasis Class

Wonder, Symphony, Harmony, Allure & Oasis of the Seas7 neighborhoods including Central Park & Boardwalk. Original mega-ship concept. Great for families who want everything.

Smart Ships · 4,900 guests

Quantum Class

Quantum, Anthem, Ovation, Odyssey & Spectrum of the SeasNorth Star observation pod, RipCord skydiving, SeaPlex bumper cars. Tech-forward, great for Asia/Alaska/Europe.

Classic Fleet · 3,100–3,800 guests

Freedom / Voyager / Radiance

Older classes with timeless appealFlowRider surf simulator, rock climbing wall. Smaller ships = more ports, lower price. Great value pick.

02What’s Included vs. What Costs Extra

Included in Your Fare

All of this comes with your cruise

🍴 Main Dining Room — 3-course dinner nightly

🍽 Windjammer Buffet — breakfast, lunch & dinner

🛃 Room service — continental free, hot menu $

🏊 Pools, waterslides & FlowRider

🎭 Broadway shows — full productions nightly

⛸ Ice skating shows — Oasis class and larger

💪 Fitness center

👶 Adventure Ocean kids club — ages 6–12, included

Costs Extra

Budget for these add-ons

🍷 Deluxe Drink Package — ~$70–90/day, VERY popular

🍴 Specialty dining — $35–75 per restaurant

🌐 WiFi packages — satellite-based, buy pre-cruise

🌊 Shore excursions

🧖 Spa treatments

🎲 Casino

👶 Royal Babies & Tots nursery — 6–36 months, $8/hr

03Preparing for Your Cruise: The Timeline

1

At Booking

Pay deposit. Add travel insurance. Create Royal Caribbean account, download the Royal Caribbean app.

2

Choose Your Dining

Select My Time Dining (flexible) or Traditional (set time/table). Book specialty restaurants — Chops Grille, Izumi, Wonderland.

3

60 Days Before

Purchase drink & WiFi packages (often cheaper pre-cruise than onboard). Book shore excursions. Reserve spa treatments.

4

45 Days Before

Complete online check-in via the app. Select arrival time. Upload passport/travel docs. Set up onboard expense account.

5

Embarkation Day

Arrive at assigned time. Luggage tagged & dropped at port. Muster drill is digital via app (do it before boarding). Head to Windjammer for lunch while staterooms are prepared (~1pm).

04Dining & Entertainment

Included Dining

Main Dining Room 3-course, rotating menu nightly

Windjammer Marketplace Buffet — breakfast, lunch & dinner

Sorrento’s Pizza 24hr, Oasis class and larger

Café Promenade Sandwiches & pastries, 24hr

El Loco Fresh Mexican, select ships

Specialty & Shows

Chops Grille ($$$) Steakhouse — the signature RCI restaurant

Wonderland ($$$$) Oasis/Icon class — imaginative cuisine

Izumi ($$) Sushi & hibachi

150 Central Park ($$$$) Oasis class — fine dining

Broadway & Entertainment

Broadway productions Grease, Cats, Hairspray and more

Ice shows & AquaTheater Diving shows on Oasis class

Headliner lounge acts Live music & comedy nightly

05Insider Tips

1 Drink package is often the best value — if you’d have 5+ drinks/day (including specialty coffee, fresh juice, water bottles) it pays for itself.

2 Perfect Day at CocoCay is RCI’s private island — Thrill Waterpark costs extra but is worth it. Overwater cabanas sell out fast.

3 Crown & Anchor Society loyalty tiers earn perks — Diamond+ members get free drinks in the Diamond Lounge.

4 The Key package ($30–40/day) gets you priority boarding, reserved show seating, private hours at onboard activities — worth it on embarkation day.

5 WiFi is satellite-based and slow — buy the Surf & Stream package pre-cruise for best price, but set expectations.

6 Adventure Ocean kids club is FREE (ages 6–12) and excellent — Royal Babies & Tots (6–36 months) is $8/hr.

7 Coastal Kitchen is a hidden perk for suite guests — the best restaurant you won’t find on the menu.

8 Book a balcony for Caribbean, inside cabin for short Bahamas runs — the price difference funds your drink package.