Expert review of Royal Caribbean
Best for
Active families, plus sporty couples and singles who want a never-a-dull-moment experience.
Not for
These cruise ships aren't for anyone who doesn’t love people, or action.
We love
- Sports activities on Royal Caribbean are the best at sea, including rock-climbing, surfing simulations, ice skating, zip lining, inline skating, boxing (in a real ring!), and billiards — and most of them are complimentary.
- Impressive, high-octane entertainment choices include high-dive and synchronized swimming shows on Oasis and Allure, and parades with stilt walkers and costumed characters.
- Classic Broadway productions (“Chicago,” “Saturday Night Fever,” and “Hairspray”) … need we say more?
- Royal Caribbean's partnership with DreamWorks Animation brings characters from “Madagascar,” “Shrek,” and “Kung Fu Panda” aboard for character breakfasts and photo ops.
- Kids are catered to with water parks that have cannons and sprayers (on Freedom and Oasis classes).
- The 1950s-style Johnny Rockets diners (with singing and dancing waiters) are a great alternative to the sprawling buffet restaurant.
- The innovative Oasis-class design features themed neighborhoods, including a “boardwalk” district that has a carousel with hand-carved wooden horses.
- The two-story, glass-walled Loft Suites have a living room below and a loft bedroom above.
We could live without
- Royal Caribbean's small standard cabins have truly compact showers.
- Huge passenger capacities mean competition getting on and off the ship, as well as for deck chairs.
- The push to sell … just about anything, from DVDs of the cruise to the ubiquitous photographers snapping pictures they sell later, can get quite annoying.