Which royal caribbean ship is best

Look, too, for theme sailings, where a one-off niche itinerary might considerably skew the onboard demographic toward a younger cruiser. River cruise line AmaWaterways ' wine-themed itineraries draw a good number of unders. Concert cruises and dance festivals like Sixth Man feature dozens of musicians on multiple stages and beach and pool parties to ensure young adult cruisers a pumping dance party all-sailing long.

Here are our top six picks for the all-around best cruises for and something young adults, listed by special interest:. The Ships: Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class ships -- Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas -- are particularly well suited to younger adults who demand a little more out of their vacation time than a simple poolside beach read.

Test out your surfing skills on the FlowRider surf simulator , scale the foot-high rock climbing wall, have a whirl skating on the indoor ice rink, sign up to get PADI certified for scuba diving, or zip along the zipline -- all onboard the ship.

Plus, once you've burned off some steam, there's ample opportunity come nighttime for bar-hopping, catching Broadway shows like "Grease," "Mamma Mia!

Other options include Anthem of the Seas, which touts exciting features like the Ripcord by iFly skydiving simulator and the robot bartender-helmed Bionic Bar. Oasis of the Seas also sails the Caribbean from Port Canaveral. It then repositions Port canaveral for the winter. The Ships: Attracting one of the youngest demographics industrywide, Carnival's two dozen-plus "Fun Ships" come jam-packed with party-hearty diversions, including bountiful bars and lounges like the cocktail pharmacy-themed Alchemy Bar , helmed by master mixologists available on select ships.

The line pulls out all the stops for its lively open-air poolside deck parties, with live music paired with umbrella drinks. The line's latest ships, Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon, also features the line's first-ever breweries, serving brewed-onboard craft beers.

Plus, Carnival touts some of the best nightclubs at sea , thanks in large part to the line's relationship with DJ Irie official DJ for the Miami Heat and a regular on the Vegas and South Beach club circuits , who is on hand to train all of Carnival's onboard DJs via Spin'iversity, the line's DJ academy at sea.

Also popular are shorter three- to four-night sailings with less time and financial commitment involved to the Bahamas, Baja California, Key West and Cozumel. Once in port, sign up for an array of adventurous excursions like ziplining, helicopter "flightseeing," kayaking, ATV riding and even bobsledding in Jamaica or helmet diving in the Caribbean where you wear an underwater breathing apparatus that lets you walk along the ocean floor.

The Ships: Lindblad Expeditions' sailings are get-your-hands-dirty affairs, meaning that you can leave the formalwear at home and dive sometimes quite literally into the adventure-filled ports that the line sails to, including destinations in the Galapagos, Alaska and Baja, California.

The expedition-style ships come equipped with a flotilla of Zodiacs and kayaks to easily get you onto remote terrain or out for open-water snorkeling, paddleboarding and boating. Plus, everyone is issued a wetsuit and snorkeling gear for personal use during the course of their trip.

In sync with Lindblad Expeditions' partnership with National Geographic, you can expect to hobnob onboard with an enthusiastic staff of naturalists, oceanographers, photographers and more. Active included-in-the-rates excursions are primed for in-shape and somethings and include snorkeling with hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos and kayaking the coastlines of the UNESCO-protected isles of Baja's Sea of Cortez.

Originally a river cruise line, Viking has launched six ocean-going vessels since , the most recent being the brand-new Viking Venus, whose maiden voyage took place in The ships are nearly identical, carrying passengers each, housed in balcony staterooms.

Though not all-inclusive, Viking Ocean offers guests one free excursion in each port the ships primarily sail Northern Europe, though there are some Mediterranean itineraries, too , beer and wine with lunch and dinner, and an unlimited Wi-Fi connection. These sailing yachts primarily split their time between the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, though they'll occasionally explore the Panama Canal and Northern Europe, too.

The oldest ship in the fleet is Sea Cloud , built in for an American heiress—at the time, it was the largest private yacht in the world. All three are sailing yachts, unfurling their sails for itineraries across the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia, with classic exteriors and interiors featuring several bars, a swimming pool, library, and formal dining room.

In early , Crystal brought a yacht into its fleet for the first time, and following its success, the cruise line decided to custom-build a polar-class expedition megayacht. The ultra-luxe Crystal Endeavor , which sails to remote locations like the Arctic and the Antarctic, as well as urban ports around the world, launched in , and can carry up to passengers.

The line has recently expanded its original fleet of four expedition ships and one sailing yacht with six new Explorer-class ships designed for luxury expedition-style cruising.

In , Ponant acquired Paul Gauguin Cruises, adding another ship to the fleet, and just this year launched Le Commandant Charcot , an ice-breaking expedition ship. Celebrity's three expedition vessels are by far the smallest ships in the cruise line's fleet: Celebrity Xpedition carries 48 passengers, Celebrity Xploration a catamaran!

Facilities on the six decks include a pool, whirlpool, and casino, but the real highlight is the watersports marina that can be lowered down to the waves for easy ocean swimming, kayaking, and more. The ships often overnight in port, allowing guests the opportunity to experience the local nightlife before taking off for their next destination.

The tiny ships, which only accommodate between 40 and 78 passengers, have a laid-back atmosphere where the focus is very much on wildlife spotting. Off-the-beaten-path excursions make for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like penguin spotting in Antarctica or private catamaran tours in tropical locales.

In September , Silversea completed its first journey through the Northwest Passage—a monumental feat—with the Silver Explorer , a passenger expedition vessel. Yet note the street cred of said ships: One of the two, the Grace , is the former yacht of Princess Grace of Monaco. American Cruise Lines has the unique distinction of operating not only old-school paddlewheelers in the United States, but also contemporary river ships.

Beyond that, the strong fleet also has oceangoing vessels that explore the coasts surrounding the entire country, from New England to Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico. The newest ship, American Melody , set sail in August and will spend its inaugural season on the Mississippi River.

Those smaller ports can give a sense of intimacy that isn't always present in the most common cruise destinations, allowing for wholly different experiences. In , Windstar also became the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, introducing further special itineraries with culinary themes and guest chefs. Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller designs specialty menus on the ships, and a partnership with UNESCO ensures shore excursions and sustainable tourism practices at some of the wildest and most wonderful destinations around the world.

Later this year, the line will debut its first expedition ship, Seabourn Venture, with a sister ship to follow. Sailing with only guests, the Seven Seas Navigator takes its all-inclusive promise seriously, offering unlimited shore excursions, open bars with premium wines and in-room minibars , unlimited Wi-Fi, and dining in specialty restaurants. The ship sails all over the world, from New Zealand to Dubai, on week-long to three-month-long itineraries.

The single ship Paul Gauguin focuses solely on the Pacific, treating its guests to picture-perfect beaches and dramatic scenery in Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Fiji year-round. For those wanting to get under the waves, an onboard PADI scuba program certifies divers in some of the clearest waters on the planet. Best of all? In , Ponant acquired the cruise line. A Lindblad cruise typically prioritizes adventure over luxury.

On most ships, expect small, simple cabins, but plenty of memorable excursions, like snorkeling in Borneo or hiking an ice field in Patagonia. But some of its recent fleet additions are truly luxe, from its two polar-sailing expedition ships, National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution, to the elegant Oberoi Philae , which sails the Nile.

Each sailing has an expedition team made up of experts in fields like marine biology and photography. Each voyage is completely all-inclusive—transfers, excursions, all food and beverage including the mini-bar! With a fleet of 14 river ships, Avalon has quite a few itineraries throughout Europe, India, Southeast Asia, Egypt, and Peru though it charters ships in those last two destinations. Crystal River Cruises launched in with custom-built river ships.

The company is dead-set on matching the top-of-the-line service of its ocean ships, and it certainly has readers convinced. Guests enjoy an all-inclusive experience, with free butler service, unlimited drinks including wine , Wi-Fi, and fitness classes. These are leisurely sailings: most are nine days long, with some outliers like the or day journey from Minneapolis to New Orleans. In , the line launched AMAMagna , a double-wide river cruise on the Danube that features massive square-foot suites—a size unheard of on a river-going vessel.

It can hold up to 5, passengers. The newest ship in the series, Odyssey of the Seas, can hold up to 5, passengers. One more big difference between the ships of the Quantum Class and other big Royal Caribbean ships is that Quantum Class ships are designed to be more versatile. One of the two main pool areas on each of the Quantum Class ships is enclosed, for instance. So are the bumper car pavilions, which double as roller-skating rinks and also can be used as indoor basketball courts.

Each of the Oasis Class vessels has three separate main pool areas, a kiddie splash zone, surfing simulators, a miniature golf course, a basketball court and even a zip line. They even have indoor ice-skating rinks, just in case you want to get your Michelle Kwan on. These are vessels that can carry as many as 6, passengers when every berth is filled. They operate with around 2, crew. That means you could be sharing your vacation with nearly 9, people.

If the above sounds downright insane to you, it is. But keep in mind that the biggest megaresorts on land are even bigger. The biggest resort in the U. That means it can hold more than 14, guests, assuming two people per room.

Note that there are a few differences from ship to ship in the Oasis Class series. For starters, the two newest and largest ships in the series — Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas — have a few additional attractions and venues. There also are giant waterslides on three of the four ships. Only Allure of the Seas is missing them. There are plans to add waterslides to Allure of the Seas, but they were put on hold after the coronavirus-caused cruising shutdown of Related: The 6 most spectacular waterslides and watery fun zones at sea.

There currently are four Oasis Class ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. But a fifth vessel in the series — Wonder of the Seas — is scheduled to debut in March. Not sure that you want to sail on a megaship with 6, people but still want a vessel with a good amount of features and activities? The Radiance Class ships may be the perfect solution. Each of the vessels has more than a half-dozen places to eat including a main restaurant, casual buffet, steakhouse, Italian restaurant and Asian venue.

Each of the ships also has a theater, spa, casino and multiple bars and lounges. Each of the Radiance Class ships holds a bit over 2, passengers at double occupancy plus a few hundred more with every berth filled.

That makes them perfect for cruisers who want to get away from the sort of crowds that are on the biggest megaships without giving up many of the amenities that big ships have to offer. The Freedom Class ships, notably, were the first Royal Caribbean ships to feature a FlowRider surfing simulator on their top decks — now a signature attraction for the line.

Independence of the Seas 4. Radiance of the Seas 4. Mariner of the Seas 4. Navigator of the Seas 4. Serenade of the Seas 4. Rhapsody of the Seas - 4. Voyager of the Seas - 4. Brilliance of the Seas - 4. Explorer of the Seas - 4. Grandeur of the Seas - 4. Vision of the Seas - 4. Enchantment of the Seas - 4. Majesty of the Seas - 4.

Empress of the Seas - 4. What We Expected: New ships tend to have the best cabins, and that holds true for the top slots here with the year-old Symphony coming in on top.

Likewise, Majesty and Empress , some of the smallest and oldest ships in the fleet, rank at the bottom. It only fell by. Symphony of the Seas - 4. Allure of the Seas - 4. Liberty of the Seas - 4. Harmony of the Seas - 4. Freedom of the Seas - 4. Navigator of the Seas - 4. Adventure of the Seas - 4. Independence of the Seas - 4. Radiance of the Seas - 4. Mariner of the Seas - 4. Serenade of the Seas - 4. Jewel of the Seas - 4.