The biggest Royal Caribbean ships are the three Icon-class ships: Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas. Each is roughly 250,000 gross tons and carries about 5,610 guests at double occupancy. The smallest ship in the fleet is Grandeur of the Seas, at 73,817 gross tons and 1,992 guests. That gap shapes what a week on board feels like.
Royal Caribbean groups its ships into classes, and this guide goes through them from biggest to smallest. Gross tonnage measures a ship's enclosed volume, not its weight, and double occupancy means two guests in every cabin. The figures below are the ones Royal Caribbean gives in its ships-by-age guide, which lists each ship's gross tonnage and approximate guests at double occupancy, as of October 15, 2026.
Icon Class: The Biggest Ships
Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas sit at the top. Royal Caribbean lists Icon and Star at 248,663 gross tons with 5,610 guests each at double occupancy, and Legend at 250,800 gross tons with 5,628.
Royal Caribbean describes Icon of the Seas as having seven pools, the Cat6 Waterpark and Central Park, and runs it on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises that stop at Perfect Day CocoCay. Its page lists Legend of the Seas as sailing, with Barcelona and Rome as summer home ports and Fort Lauderdale in winter. Hero of the Seas, the fourth Icon-class ship, is listed for August 2027 from Miami.
Oasis Class: Still Enormous
Oasis, Allure, Harmony, Symphony, Wonder and Utopia of the Seas make up the next class. The first four run about 225,000 to 228,000 gross tons and carry 5,479 to 5,718 guests at double occupancy. Oasis of the Seas entered service in 2009 at 226,838 gross tons and 5,602 guests, and Symphony of the Seas, from 2018, is 228,081 gross tons with 5,518.
Wonder of the Seas, from 2022, is bigger again at 235,600 gross tons and 5,734 guests. Utopia of the Seas, from 2024, rounds out the class at 236,473 gross tons with 5,668 guests.
Quantum Class: The Middle Giants
Quantum, Anthem and Ovation of the Seas are each 168,666 gross tons with 4,180 to 4,182 guests, entering service between 2014 and 2016. Spectrum of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas are close variations on the design at 169,379 and 167,704 gross tons, with 4,246 and 4,198 guests.
Freedom Class
Freedom, Liberty and Independence of the Seas entered service from 2006 to 2008. Freedom is 156,271 gross tons with 3,926 guests at double occupancy, and Liberty and Independence are 154,407 each, with 3,798 and 3,858.
Voyager Class
Voyager, Explorer, Adventure, Navigator and Mariner of the Seas date from 1999 to 2003 and run about 137,000 to 140,000 gross tons. Navigator and Mariner are the largest at roughly 140,000. Guest counts run from 3,114 on Adventure of the Seas to 3,602 on Voyager of the Seas.
Radiance Class
Radiance, Brilliance, Serenade and Jewel of the Seas are each 90,090 gross tons and entered service from 2001 to 2004. Guest counts run 2,142 to 2,191.
Vision Class: The Smallest Ships
Enchantment of the Seas is the largest of the four Vision-class ships at 82,910 gross tons, with 2,252 guests. Rhapsody of the Seas is 78,878 gross tons with 2,040 guests, and Vision of the Seas is 78,340 with 2,050. Grandeur of the Seas is the smallest ship Royal Caribbean sails, at 73,817 gross tons and 1,992 guests, and it entered service in 1996.
What Size Means for Your Cruise
A ship with about 2,000 guests and one with about 5,600 can sail the same length of week. The bigger ships have more pools, restaurants and neighborhoods to choose from, and more people sharing them. The smaller ones don't have as many of each, and they carry fewer guests.
Look up the ship and its class before you book, then use the figures above to judge how busy it will be. Our all-in cost comparison of Royal Caribbean and Norwegian shows how to price a sailing beyond the advertised fare, and our guide to the best credit cards for cruises covers which card to put the booking on. If your itinerary includes the Bahamas, see our piece on Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.
