Cruise ships are often compared to cities, and there are certain ones you'd love to go back and see again.
I just took my 100th cruise while sailing on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, and it's a milestone that made me reflect on all the sailings I've taken since I started cruising in 2006.
In those almost 20 years, I've been on most of the ships in the fleet. There are still a few I have yet to sail on, but I hope to try them all some day.
In the meantime, there are a handful of cruise ships I'll gladly sail on again because they stand out for offering a superior experience. In a lot of cases, they speak to my preferences and how I like to cruise.
Whether you're going on your first cruise or looking to get on every ship too, these are the five Royal Caribbean ships I highly recommend.
Utopia of the Seas has everything in a weekend cruise
I've loved Oasis Class ships since I first tried Oasis of the Seas in 2010, so picking a favorite is like choosing a favorite child.
I picked Utopia of the Seas because it's part of the latest generation and has the best in class features that just make it stand out.
Purists will complain the ship only sails short cruises instead of 7-nighters and that diminishes the appeal, but I'm willing to overlook the issue because Utopia is just better than the rest of the ships in its class.
Yes, it's marketed as a "weekend party ship" and you get an energetic bunch on there, but my goodness, they included so many smart ideas on Utopia.
Here's a few examples of things you'll only find on Utopia and none of the other Oasis Class ships:
- Best pool deck
- Flat Tire restaurant
- Royal Railway restaurant
- Izumi in Central Park
- Best Giovanni's location
Utopia also has my favorite bar on any ship, the Mason Jar.
Plus, the non-smoking casino on this ship is massive. Royal Caribbean gutted the comedy club and loyalty lounge and replaced it with a sprawling non-smoking casino area that feels like a land based casino.
While I wish it still had a dedicated comedy club because comedy in the Royal Theater doesn't hit the same, there's no doubt the casino is an upgrade.
It's also very similar to Wonder of the Seas, but I picked Utopia because Wonder doesn't have the Royal Railway, Flat Tire, or Izumi in Central Park. Little tweaks, but enough that I'd be lying if I said I didn't prefer them.
Freedom of the Seas has great prices and lots to do
I've sailed on Freedom of the Seas 8 times so far, and it's not a coincidence I've ended up back on onboard.
Not only are the Freedom Class ships great values that deliver a big ship feel, but the upgrades it received in 2020 easily make it the best of the class.
Freedom is a big ship, with a maximum capacity well over 4,000 passengers. There are water slides, a great variety of specialty restaurants, expansive aqua park for kids, and a great bar scene.
You're also very likely to find a good value when sailing on Freedom of the Seas. Both the Freedom and Voyager Class represent the best dollar-for-dollar value today because they're older ships (20 years old in 2026), but they also have a lot to do onboard.
Just like Utopia, it too got a nice upgrade with a non-smoking casino that replaced Vintages on the Royal Promenade. A welcome change to non-smokers that enjoy gambling.
The chief downside to Freedom is in its cabins, which still have a twenty year old motif to them. The light pink cabin doors, dated bedding, and lack of outlets are not reasons I recommend the ship.
They're things I hope are some day improved, but in the meantime, I can live with them because the rest of the ship makes up for it.
The hidden gem ship is Odyssey of the Seas
Odyssey of the Seas is in some ways Royal Caribbean's forgotten new ship.
It launched right as the cruise industry was recovering from the shutdown of 2020, and Wonder of the Seas entered service so quickly after Odyssey that it felt like it was quickly overshadowed.
What I love about Odyssey is it's the Quantum Class ship that got everything right. I always liked the Quantum Class ships, but never loved them until Odyssey came along.
Royal Caribbean figured out a lot of things with Odyssey. They added Playmakers and reworked the SeaPlex to make it a place everyone would like to enjoy, not just teenagers.
They reworked the pool deck and opened it all up, while also making it feel like you're at a resort.
Odyssey has the new Giovanni's Italian Kitchen restaurant, as well as a unified Main Dining Room.
If you haven't sailed on Odyssey yet, you really should book something on it because it's easily overlooked, yet a ship I think doesn't get enough praise for being that darn good.
My favorite budget cruise ship is Mariner of the Seas
If you've got sticker shock looking at Icon of the Seas, you'll find much more reasonable prices on Mariner of the Seas.
Mariner is a Voyager Class ship, and first launched in 2003. While a 20 year old cruise ship might seem less than ideal, recent upgrades boost this ship's appeal.
It has a Playmakers sports bar, water slides, laser tag, tiki bar, and a handful of specialty restaurants I frequent anytime I'm onboard.
I've sailed on Mariner 13 times, and I think the reason I love to come back is the good mix of low prices and fun activities onboard.
Similar to Freedom, Mariner is the kind of ship you book because you want to spend less, but still have enough to do. And like Freedom, Mariner's upgrades make it a more compelling choice than other ships within its class.
Out of all the ships I've sailed, Icon of the Seas is my favorite
It's been almost two years since Royal Caribbean reset the standard for all other cruise ships when they introduced Icon of the Seas, and it remains at the very top of my recommended ship list.
The array of innovations, tweaks, and additions make Icon a must-try for pretty much everyone. I think Royal Caribbean got so much right with this ship while also improving guest pain points that it stands out from the rest of the ships in the fleet.
For someone new to cruising, I think it's a wonderful introduction because it just makes everything so effortless. You'll find so much to do, enticing options, and a frictionless vacation.
I especially like the pool variety, incredible water slides, the fully enclosed AquaTheater, and really good included dining choices.
The only downside to Icon is it will cost you more than any other ship on this list. Both Icon and Star of the Seas command premium pricing, so don't expect a bargain basement price.
Speaking of Star, yes, I love Star and would recommend it too. The reason I picked Icon was simply because they're so similar and Icon was the original, so I opted for it.
Don't kid yourself, every other new ship out there is trying to catch up with the Icon Class, and none have come close to matching it.
