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Caribbean cruise line guide

Royal Caribbean in the Caribbean.

The biggest ships afloat and the widest choice of Florida departures, with the private-island beach day at Perfect Day at CocoCay built into most Caribbean sailings.

Best for Families and first-timers who want the newest, largest ships afloat and a private-island beach day built into most sailings.
Royal Caribbean Icon-class cruise ship in the Caribbean

Why cruise the Caribbean with Royal Caribbean?

Royal Caribbean fields the two largest cruise ships in the world, Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, and sails the Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean from homeports including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Galveston, Port Canaveral, San Juan, New York, and San Diego. The Oasis- and Icon-class fleet runs seven-night Eastern and Western loops from Florida, three- and four-night Bahamas escapes, and an eleven-night Southern voyage from New York that calls on the islands between St. Maarten and San Juan. Almost every route is built around a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, the line's private island in the Bahamas.

  • Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, the two largest cruise ships in the world, sail year-round seven-night loops from Miami and Port Canaveral.
  • Perfect Day at CocoCay, the private island about 55 miles north of Nassau, anchors most Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries, with the region's largest freshwater pool and Thrill Waterpark.
  • Every length of Caribbean vacation in one fleet: three- and four-night weekend escapes, seven-night Eastern and Western loops, and an eleven-night Southern voyage from New York.

The fleet

The ships sailing the Caribbean

Specs from Royal Caribbean's published ship fact sheets; itineraries reflect the Caribbean programs shown below.

Icon of the Seas

Caribbean

Home port: Miami and Galveston, Texas

Year built
2024
Last refurbished
New build
Tonnage
248,663 GT
Guests (double / max)
5,610 / 7,600
Crew
2,350
Decks
20
Length
1,196 ft (365 m)
  • Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, with six slides
  • Crown's Edge, a skywalk that extends beyond the side of the ship
  • Powered by liquefied natural gas, a first for the line

Star of the Seas

Caribbean
Year built
2025
Last refurbished
New build
Tonnage
248,663 GT
Guests (double / max)
5,610 / 7,600
Crew
2,350
Decks
20
Length
1,196 ft (365 m)
  • A near-sister to Icon of the Seas, with the same neighborhood layout and the Category 6 waterpark
  • The Hideaway, an adults-only neighborhood at the stern
  • Powered by liquefied natural gas, like her older sibling

Wonder of the Seas

Caribbean
Year built
2022
Last refurbished
New build
Tonnage
235,600 GT
Guests (double / max)
5,734 / 6,988
Crew
2,300
Decks
18
Length
1,188 ft (362 m)
  • Central Park, an open-air garden with real plants running through the middle of the ship
  • The Ultimate Abyss, the tallest dry slide at sea, dropping from the top decks
  • The Boardwalk neighborhood with a hand-carved carousel at the stern

Utopia of the Seas

Caribbean
Year built
2024
Last refurbished
New build
Tonnage
236,473 GT
Guests (double / max)
5,668 / 6,788
Crew
2,290
Decks
18
Length
1,188 ft (362 m)
  • The newest Oasis-class ship, delivered to the fleet in 2024
  • The Ultimate Abyss slide and twin FlowRider surf simulators
  • Built to make the three- and four-night escape feel like a full vacation

Odyssey of the Seas

Caribbean
Year built
2021
Last refurbished
No refit yet
Tonnage
169,379 GT
Guests (double / max)
4,284 / 5,510
Crew
1,663
Decks
16
Length
1,138 ft (347 m)
  • North Star, the glass observation capsule that rises high above the deck
  • The SeaPlex indoor activity complex, with bumper cars and a roller-skating rink
  • Two70, a panoramic venue with floor-to-ceiling glass over the wake

Oasis of the Seas

Caribbean
Year built
2009
Last refurbished
2019
Tonnage
226,838 GT
Guests (double / max)
5,606 / 6,780
Crew
2,181
Decks
18
Length
1,188 ft (362 m)
  • Central Park, an open-air garden with real plants running through the middle of the ship
  • The Ultimate Abyss and The Perfect Storm water slides, added in the 2019 Royal Amplified update
  • The Boardwalk neighborhood with a hand-carved carousel at the stern

Allure of the Seas

Caribbean
Year built
2010
Last refurbished
2025
Tonnage
225,282 GT
Guests (double / max)
5,484 / 6,780
Crew
2,200
Decks
18
Length
1,188 ft (362 m)
  • The AquaTheater at the stern, with high-dive and aqua shows
  • The Rising Tide, the first moving bar at sea, rising through the Royal Promenade
  • Central Park, an open-air garden with real plants running through the middle of the ship

Enchantment of the Seas

Caribbean
Year built
1997
Last refurbished
2017
Tonnage
82,910 GT
Guests (double / max)
2,252 / 2,730
Crew
852
Decks
11
Length
990 ft (302 m)
  • Lengthened by 73 feet in 2005, one of the largest mid-life stretches ever done to a cruise ship
  • The adults-only Solarium with a retractable glass roof
  • The multi-deck Centrum atrium at the heart of the ship

Brilliance of the Seas

Caribbean
Year built
2002
Last refurbished
2018
Tonnage
90,090 GT
Guests (double / max)
2,142 / 2,543
Crew
848
Decks
12
Length
962 ft (293 m)
  • Wrapped in glass, with sweeping ocean views from the indoor Solarium
  • The adults-only Solarium with a retractable glass roof
  • The Seaview Café at the stern, serving made-to-order sandwiches and pizza

Adventure of the Seas

Caribbean
Year built
2001
Last refurbished
2018
Tonnage
137,276 GT
Guests (double / max)
3,114 / 3,807
Crew
1,185
Decks
15
Length
1,020 ft (311 m)
  • The FlowRider surf simulator and water slides added in the 2016 Royal Amplified update
  • An ice-skating rink in the middle of the ship
  • The rock-climbing wall rising above the top deck

Liberty of the Seas

Caribbean

Home port: Galveston, Texas

Year built
2007
Last refurbished
2016
Tonnage
155,889 GT
Guests (double / max)
3,798 / 4,960
Crew
1,360
Decks
18
Length
1,112 ft (339 m)
  • The Perfect Storm water slides, added in the 2016 Royal Amplified update
  • A FlowRider surf simulator and cantilevered whirlpools above the sea
  • The Royal Promenade running through the middle of the ship

Routes

Caribbean routes and itineraries

Here are the port calls in order for each itinerary.

7 Night Western Caribbean

7 nights · Round-trip from Miami

Route in order

  1. 1 Miami, Florida
  2. 2 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  3. 3 Cozumel, Mexico
  4. 4 Roatán, Honduras
  5. 5 Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico

Ships on this route

Icon of the Seas

The western rotation opens with a beach day at Perfect Day at CocoCay, then runs the western trio of Cozumel, Roatán, and Puerto Costa Maya before the run back to Miami. Departures rotate the three Mexican and Honduran ports.

7 Night Eastern Caribbean

7 nights · Round-trip from Miami

Route in order

  1. 1 Miami, Florida
  2. 2 Philipsburg, St. Maarten
  3. 3 San Juan, Puerto Rico
  4. 4 Labadee, Haiti

Ships on this route

Icon of the Seas

Icon's eastern rotation calls at Philipsburg, St. Maarten, then San Juan, Puerto Rico, and finishes at Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private destination on the north coast of Haiti, before the run back to Miami.

7 Night Western Caribbean (from Galveston, 2027-28)

7 nights · Round-trip from Galveston, Texas

Route in order

  1. 1 Galveston, Texas
  2. 2 Roatán, Honduras
  3. 3 Cozumel, Mexico
  4. 4 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  5. 5 Galveston, Texas

Ships on this route

Icon of the Seas

Icon's Galveston season for 2027-28 turns the seven-night Western formula into a Gulf loop: Roatán, Cozumel, and a full beach day at Perfect Day at CocoCay before the run back to Texas.

5 Night Western Caribbean

5 nights · Round-trip from Galveston, Texas

Route in order

  1. 1 Galveston, Texas
  2. 2 Cozumel, Mexico
  3. 3 Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico
  4. 4 Galveston, Texas

Ships on this route

Liberty of the Seas

Liberty's five-night Western run from Galveston calls at Cozumel and Puerto Costa Maya, with sea days on the way down and the way back, before the return to the Texas coast.

7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day (St. Kitts)

7 nights · Round-trip from Port Canaveral

Route in order

  1. 1 Port Canaveral, Florida
  2. 2 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  3. 3 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI
  4. 4 Basseterre, St. Kitts

Ships on this route

Star of the Seas

The St. Kitts rotation opens with Perfect Day at CocoCay, then two island calls: Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and Basseterre, St. Kitts, with sea days on either side of the run to and from Port Canaveral.

7 Night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day

7 nights · Round-trip from Port Canaveral

Route in order

  1. 1 Port Canaveral, Florida
  2. 2 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  3. 3 Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico
  4. 4 Roatán, Honduras
  5. 5 Cozumel, Mexico

Ships on this route

Star of the Seas

Star's western rotation leads with Perfect Day at CocoCay, then Puerto Costa Maya, Roatán, and Cozumel; some departures sail the three western ports in the opposite order.

Bahamas & Perfect Day

3 nights · Round-trip from Port Canaveral

Route in order

  1. 1 Port Canaveral, Florida
  2. 2 Nassau, Bahamas
  3. 3 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas

Ships on this route

Utopia of the Seas

The weekend loop: Nassau's shops and beaches on day one, then Perfect Day at CocoCay, the line's private island. The same itinerary also runs in four nights with an added day at sea.

Bahamas & Perfect Day

3 nights · Round-trip from Miami

Route in order

  1. 1 Miami, Florida
  2. 2 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  3. 3 Nassau, Bahamas

Ships on this route

Wonder of the Seas

Wonder's Miami escape opens at Perfect Day at CocoCay and finishes in Nassau; the shortest three-night sailings skip Nassau entirely and spend the port day at the island.

11-12 Night Southern Caribbean

11 nights · Round-trip from Cape Liberty, New York

Route in order

  1. 1 Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey
  2. 2 Philipsburg, St. Maarten
  3. 3 St. John's, Antigua
  4. 4 St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
  5. 5 Fort-de-France, Martinique
  6. 6 Bridgetown, Barbados
  7. 7 Castries, St. Lucia
  8. 8 Basseterre, St. Kitts
  9. 9 San Juan, Puerto Rico

Ships on this route

Odyssey of the Seas

Odyssey's long Southern loop crosses nearly the whole island arc: Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. John's, Antigua; St. Croix; Fort-de-France, Martinique; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and San Juan before the run back to New York. Shorter Southern sailings that pair Aruba and Curaçao also operate from Latin American homeports.

7 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day

7 nights · Round-trip from Port Canaveral

Route in order

  1. 1 Port Canaveral, Florida
  2. 2 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  3. 3 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI
  4. 4 San Juan, Puerto Rico
  5. 5 Labadee, Haiti

Ships on this route

Star of the Seas

Star's main eastern rotation opens at Perfect Day at CocoCay, calls at Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, and finishes at Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private beach destination on Haiti's north coast.

11 Night Orlando & Caribbean

11 nights · One-way from Orlando to Port Canaveral

Route in order

  1. 1 Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida
  2. 2 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  3. 3 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI
  4. 4 Philipsburg, St. Maarten
  5. 5 Port Canaveral, Florida

Ships on this route

Star of the Seas

Star's long open-jaw voyage sets sail from the Orlando area (embarking at Port Canaveral), calls at Perfect Day at CocoCay, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, and debarks at Port Canaveral after the crossing back.

7 Night Bahamas

7 nights · Round-trip from Cape Liberty, New York

Route in order

  1. 1 Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey
  2. 2 Nassau, Bahamas
  3. 3 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas

Ships on this route

Odyssey of the Seas

Odyssey's week-long Bahamas run heads south from New York to Nassau and a full beach day at Perfect Day at CocoCay, with the rest of the week at sea.

8 Night Bahamas

8 nights · Round-trip from Cape Liberty, New York

Route in order

  1. 1 Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey
  2. 2 Nassau, Bahamas
  3. 3 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas

Ships on this route

Odyssey of the Seas

The eight-night version of the Bahamas run keeps the same Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay calls and adds an extra sea day for the long coastal cruise from New York.

7 Night Bahamas

7 nights · Round-trip from Cape Liberty, New York

Route in order

  1. 1 Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey
  2. 2 Nassau, Bahamas
  3. 3 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  4. 4 Port Canaveral, Florida

Ships on this route

Oasis of the Seas

Oasis runs a weekly Bahamas loop from New York: Nassau, a full day at Perfect Day at CocoCay, then a mid-week call at Port Canaveral on the Florida Space Coast before the cruise back north.

9 Night Bahamas & Florida

9 nights · Round-trip from Cape Liberty, New York

Route in order

  1. 1 Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey
  2. 2 Nassau, Bahamas
  3. 3 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  4. 4 Miami, Florida

Ships on this route

Oasis of the Seas

Oasis's longer autumn and spring voyages add a Miami day to the Bahamas formula: Nassau, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and a call at the Cruise Capital of the World before heading back up the coast.

3-4 Night Bahamas Getaway

3 nights · Round-trip from Fort Lauderdale

Route in order

  1. 1 Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  2. 2 Nassau, Bahamas
  3. 3 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas

Ships on this route

Allure of the Seas

Allure's short Bahamas escape pairs Nassau with a full beach day at Perfect Day at CocoCay; the four-night departures add an extra sea day.

6 Night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day

6 nights · Round-trip from Fort Lauderdale

Route in order

  1. 1 Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  2. 2 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  3. 3 Falmouth, Jamaica
  4. 4 Nassau, Bahamas

Ships on this route

Allure of the Seas

Allure's western cruise opens at Perfect Day at CocoCay, crosses to Falmouth on Jamaica's north coast, and finishes with a Nassau call before the overnight run back to Fort Lauderdale.

4 Night Eastern Caribbean

4 nights · Round-trip from Port Canaveral

Route in order

  1. 1 Port Canaveral, Florida
  2. 2 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  3. 3 Nassau, Bahamas
  4. 4 Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Ships on this route

Explorer of the Seas

Explorer's four-night Bahamas and Dominican rotation: Perfect Day at CocoCay, Nassau, and Puerto Plata on the Dominican Republic's north coast.

5 Night Eastern & Western Caribbean

5 nights · Round-trip from Port Canaveral

Route in order

  1. 1 Port Canaveral, Florida
  2. 2 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
  3. 3 Nassau, Bahamas
  4. 4 Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
  5. 5 Cozumel, Mexico

Ships on this route

Explorer of the Seas

The five-night edition stretches the short rotation to five calls: Perfect Day at CocoCay, Nassau, Puerto Plata, and Cozumel off the Yucatán coast.

7 Night Eastern Caribbean Holiday

7 nights · Round-trip from Port Canaveral

Route in order

  1. 1 Port Canaveral, Florida
  2. 2 Grand Bahama Island (Freeport), Bahamas
  3. 3 San Juan, Puerto Rico
  4. 4 Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
  5. 5 Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos

Ships on this route

Explorer of the Seas

Explorer's holiday-week sailing calls at Grand Bahama Island, San Juan, Puerto Plata, and Grand Turk in the Turks & Caicos, a festive run timed for the winter break.

7 Night Western Caribbean

7 nights · Round-trip from Tampa

Route in order

  1. 1 Tampa, Florida
  2. 2 Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico
  3. 3 Roatán, Honduras
  4. 4 Belize City, Belize
  5. 5 Cozumel, Mexico
  6. 6 Tampa, Florida

Ships on this route

Enchantment of the Seas

Enchantment's western loop from Tampa crosses the full western Caribbean: Puerto Costa Maya, Roatán, Belize City, and Cozumel before the crossing back to Tampa Bay.

8 Night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day

8 nights · Round-trip from Port Canaveral

Route in order

  1. 1 Port Canaveral, Florida
  2. 2 St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
  3. 3 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI
  4. 4 San Juan, Puerto Rico
  5. 5 Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas

Ships on this route

Adventure of the Seas

Adventure of the Seas sails an eight-night Eastern Caribbean round trip from Port Canaveral: St. Croix; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Perfect Day at CocoCay, the line's private island, before the return to Port Canaveral.

7 Night Southern Caribbean

7 nights · Round-trip from San Juan

Route in order

  1. 1 San Juan, Puerto Rico
  2. 2 St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
  3. 3 Oranjestad, Aruba
  4. 4 Willemstad, Curaçao
  5. 5 Kralendijk, Bonaire

Ships on this route

Brilliance of the Seas

Brilliance's Southern route from San Juan calls at St. Croix, then runs the ABC trio of Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curaçao; and Kralendijk, Bonaire, before the crossing back to Puerto Rico.

7 Night Southern Caribbean (from April 2028)

7 nights · Round-trip from San Juan

Route in order

  1. 1 San Juan, Puerto Rico
  2. 2 Oranjestad, Aruba
  3. 3 Willemstad, Curaçao
  4. 4 Kralendijk, Bonaire

Ships on this route

Enchantment of the Seas

Enchantment's San Juan season, sailing from April 2028, runs the ABC trio of Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curaçao; and Kralendijk, Bonaire, with sea days on the way out and the way back.

Personal travel planning

Plan a Trip.

This guide gives you the ideas; the best vacation starts with a conversation. Tell us who is traveling, when you would like to go, and how you prefer to travel, and we will shape every detail around you.

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  • A dedicated travel advisor, not a call center.
  • Itineraries, lines, hotels, and excursions chosen and booked for you.

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Tell us who is traveling, when you would like to sail, and which of these ships fits your group. A travel advisor will compare the Eastern, Western, and Southern routes with you and match you to the right sailing and cabin, at no cost and with no obligation to book.