Posts in category: Royal Caribbean

Even smaller cruise ships like Rhapsody of the Seas have a lot of options when it comes to choosing your cabin. It’s not as simple as picking one with a balcony or not – there are 16 different types on the ship to pick between!

And you don’t want to get the wrong one – depending on the type of cruise passenger you are, some of the cabins may not be suitable and could really put a dampener on your whole cruise getaway.

Don’t worry, though – that’s where this guide comes in. Use this, along with my checklist, and you’ll be able to know everything you need to about all of the options on Rhapsody of the Seas, including the cabins you should steer clear of.

Choosing the best cruise cabin

I’ve made a free checklist of everything you should look out for when choosing a cruise cabin. If you’d like a copy, just leave your details and I’ll send it over to you right this moment.

The different rooms on Rhapsody of the Seas

There are 1,020 staterooms/cabins on Rhapsody of the Seas, making it one of the smallest cruise ships sailing for the fleet. This includes 98 suites. Only around 22% of the cabins on the ship have a balcony, which is also a low number for Royal Caribbean.

Rhapsody of the Seas has 16 cabin types, split between inside, outside, balcony and suites.

Here’s a look at all of the cabin options on Rhapsody of the Seas:

Rhapsody of the Seas room sizes

It’s important to note that the sizes given above are average sizes for the room, and that some may be a little larger than others.

You can browse the Rhapsody of the Seas deck plans to see all of the rooms on the ship to scale, which will help you find any that might have a little more space and therefore give you more value!

Connecting Cabins

A quick note on connecting cabins for Rhapsody of the Seas. While there is a room type called ‘Connecting Oceanview’, that doesn’t mean it’s only ocean view cabins that have connecting doors.

If you want to book two cabins side-by-side for your cruise, and open the door between them, there are Interior and Balcony cabins that let you, as well as some suites.

The only reason Connecting Oceanview is listed as its own room type is presumably because some of the connecting Ocean View rooms are a lot more spacious, and deserve their own category.

Rhapsody of the Seas cabins to avoid

There are some cabins that you may be better off avoiding when you book your Rhapsody of the Seas cruise.

However, because the ship is quite small and the room are all pretty much a standard size, there aren’t too many that you need to worry about.

Often larger cruise ships will have quirky rooms that are in bad locations, or are long distances from the rest of the ship, but there aren’t too many concerns on Rhapsody of the Seas.

1. Cabins that can be loud

There are some parts of the ship where the noise can be heard either through your cabin’s ceiling, or through the floor.

One of these is the cabins towards the aft of Deck 2. You’re just above the engines here so you might hear the hum, and feel the vibration. It depends on how sensitive your hearing is as to whether these will be an issue.

All of the cabins on Deck 4 can be at risk of noise from above. At the front of the ship, you’ve got the theatre directly above you. The mid-ship hosts a large casino on Deck 5, and towards the aft is the Main Dining Room.

The middle of Deck 4 is the worst affected by the casino but the staff can be working late to clean the restaurant, and the theatre shows can be loud until around 11 pm.

And then finally there are the cabins and suites on Deck 8. While this is a prime location on the ship, you are below the pool decks, and the scraping of deck chairs can often be heard first thing in the morning.

Worst affected are the Inside cabins on Deck 8 as they are directly below both pool decking areas.

2. Small cabins

All Interior and Ocean View cabins

Rhapsody of the Seas is a smaller, older ship in the fleet for Royal Caribbean, and that also does mean that many of the rooms are smaller than you’d find on modern cruise ships too.

They’re not tiny, and they do have a lot of storage space thanks to some clever design, but they’re also a little cramped.

If you don’t mind, and don’t plan on spending a lot of time in your cabin, then save money and book one of these, absolutely.

But if you’re travelling with kids and want to have 4 people in your cabin, I’d definitely recommend getting a bigger cabin and paying the extra. As you can see from the video below, once the extra beds are down, it’s going to be tricky to get in and out of bed. And there’s not a huge amount of storage for a family of 4.

3. Connecting cabins if you don’t need them

There are a lot of options for connecting cabins on Rhapsody of the Seas, but if you don’t intend to book both cabins that are connected, I would try to avoid booking them.

The door connecting these cabins is thinner than a cabin wall, and so even when it is closed and locked, you might hear what’s going on in the room next to you.

It’s normally not too much of an issue unless your neighbours are being loud, but if they are – especially when you’re trying to sleep – then it can be very annoying, especially if you’re trying to sleep.

And the best rooms on the ship…

1. Aft-View Junior Suites and Balcony Staterooms

There’s a prime spot on any cruise ship that experienced passengers love to try and book – the aft (rear), especially with a balcony.

These balconies are huge, as you can see from this video…

You get the best view over the wake of the ship, and you’re also sheltered from the natural wind caused by the movement of the ship. So it’s one of the more relaxing spots, even if you are a bit of a further walk from the elevators.

On Rhapsody of the Seas there are two cabin types with an aft-view balcony – Junior Suites on Deck 8, and Spacious Ocean View Balcony Staterooms on Deck 7. I’d recommend these Balcony cabins if you can get one – you’ll get a fantastic view without paying the price for a suite.

Suggested read: Royal Caribbean Junior Suite Perks – Is It Worth The Upgrade?

2. Oceanview Suite for families

The Oceanview Suite is situated at the front of Deck 8, and it’s a fantastic suite if you’re booking for a large family.

True, you don’t get a balcony, which is a drawback. But instead, you get a lot of space, including a bedroom equipped with two lower singles and two fold-down beds for the kids.

The room is really spacious, and helps stop larger parties of up to 8 from getting under each others’ feet.

3. Royal Suite

The Royal Suite is the best cabin on the ship, but also the most expensive, so it’s not the best choice for everyone. But if budget isn’t a concern, it’s a fantastic choice.

You get so much interior space, including a piano right at the centre of the room. There’s a walk-in wardrobe off the bedroom, which has its own oceanview window. The balcony is off the living area and while it’s not huge, it’s way bigger than any other balcony on the ship.

Plus you get a split bathroom, including a shower cubicle and separate bath. It’s very luxurious, even for a ship that can feel dated at times.

The best deck is…

The best deck on Rhapsody of the Seas is Deck 8, where you’ll find the best suite accommodation, including some fantastic aft-view rooms with amazing views. However, it can be noisy – rooms toward the front of Deck 3 are best for peace and quiet.

With Rhapsody of the Seas being one of the smaller ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, there aren’t really any decks that stand out as being really good, or really bad. Deck 8 does have the best rooms, but it’s also below the pool deck and so can have issues with noise, depending on your location.

The forward part of Deck 3 is surrounded by cabins above and below and so that tends to be the quietest location. On many ships I wouldn’t often recommend Deck 3 since it’s buried far away from everything else, but on this ship it’s not too bad at all.

Hard to pick a best room!

The best room on Rhapsody of the Seas is the Royal Suite – it’s exceptionally spacious and has a large balcony where guests can unwind with an excellent view. However the Owner’s Suite and the 2-bedroom Grand Suites, especially those with an aft view, are also great choices.

If a suite is outside your budget, then it’s definitely worth trying to get a Balcony stateroom on Rhapsody of the Seas – you’ll get a lot more space than an Inside or Ocean View as well as your own private veranda where you can relax.

Choosing your own room or going for the ‘guarantee’ option

When you book a cruise with Royal Caribbean, you normally get two options – let the cruise line decide your room for you, or pay an extra fee to select your exact room. You’ll be shown two prices:

If you are happy for Royal Caribbean to choose your room then you still get to decide what type of room you want – Inside, Ocean View etc. – but the cruise line picks exactly which one. This is called a ‘guarantee’ cabin.

If you don’t really mind which cabin you’re assigned to, then just pay the lower fee and let Royal Caribbean decide where to put you. But if you want to avoid those noisy locations, it’s best to pay a bit more and choose your cabin number.

Booking multiple cabins on Rhapsody of the Seas

As I’ve mentioned, some of the cabins on Rhapsody of the Seas have connecting doors. These are a good option for families, but they’re not essential. You can always ask to just have cabins next door to each other, without the connecting door.

But, if you do this with guarantee cabins, then you’ll have to request adjacent rooms, and there’s no certainty that you’ll get them.

Find more information about Rhapsody of the Seas cabins

I’ve spent a lot of time looking at feedback about Rhapsody of the Seas to put this guide together, but if you want to do your own additional research, you might find these resources useful:

You might also want to take a look at some of my other articles about cruising with Royal Caribbean…

Related posts:

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me

Enchantment of the Seas, despite being one of the smaller ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, still has an impressive selection of cabin options for guests. It’s not as easy as picking between Inside, Ocean View or Balcony – there are a whopping 17 different choices available!

Which, if you’re new to the ship or to cruising in general, might be a little overwhelming. How do you find the right one for you, and more importantly, how do you avoid any cabins which might not be the best, so that you have a fantastic cruise with no downsides?

I’m here to help. This guide breaks down all of the choices available, and tells you the cabins you should avoid as well as those that are the best options. Use this, and my cruise checklist, and you can’t go wrong.

How to choose the best cruise cabin

I’ve made a free checklist of everything you should look out for when choosing a cruise cabin. If you’d like a copy, just leave your details and I’ll send it over to you right this moment.

The different rooms on Enchantment of the Seas

There are 1,142 staterooms/cabins on Enchantment of the Seas, making her one of the smallest cruise ships sailing for the fleet, although she is bigger than sister ship Grandeur of the Seas. This includes 98 suites. Only around 22% of the cabins on the ship have a balcony, which is also a low number for Royal Caribbean.

Enchantment of the Seas has 17 cabin types, split between inside, outside, balcony and suites.

Here’s a look at all of the cabin options on Enchantment of the Seas:

Enchantment of the Seas room sizes

It’s important to note that the sizes given above are average sizes for the room, and that some may be a little larger than others.

You can browse the Enchantment of the Seas deck plans to see all of the rooms on the ship to scale, which will help you find any that might have a little more space and therefore give you more value!

Connecting Cabins

A quick note on connecting cabins for Enchantment of the Seas. While there are room types called ‘Connecting Interior’ and ‘Connecting Oceanview’, that doesn’t mean it’s only interior and ocean view cabins that have connecting doors.

If you want to book two cabins side-by-side for your cruise, and open the door between them, there are also Balcony cabins that let you, as well as some suites.

The only reason Connecting Oceanview is listed as its own room type is presumably because some of the connecting ocean view rooms are a lot more spacious, and deserve their own category. It’s similar for Connecting Interior, except the rooms are the same size – but the Connecting ones only sleep two guests, not four.

Enchantment of the Seas cabins to avoid

There are some cabins that you may be better off avoiding when you book your Enchantment of the Seas cruise.

However, because the ship is quite small and the room are all pretty much a standard size, there aren’t too many that you need to worry about.

Often larger cruise ships will have quirky rooms that are in bad locations, or are long distances from the rest of the ship, but there aren’t too many concerns on Enchantment of the Seas.

1. Cabins that can be loud

There are some parts of the ship where the noise can be heard either through your cabin’s ceiling, or through the floor.

One of these is the cabins towards the aft of Deck 2. You’re just above the engines here so you might hear the hum, and feel the vibration. It depends on how sensitive your hearing is as to whether these will be an issue.

Suggested read: Is Deck 2 on a Cruise Ship Bad?

All of the cabins on Deck 4 can be at risk of noise from above. At the front of the ship, you’ve got the theatre directly above you. The mid-ship hosts a large casino on Deck 5, and towards the aft is the Main Dining Room.

The middle of Deck 4 is the worst affected by the casino but the staff can be working late to clean the restaurant, and the theatre shows can be loud until around 11 pm.

And then finally there are the cabins and suites on Deck 8. While this is a prime location on the ship, you are below the pool decks, and the scraping of deck chairs can often be heard first thing in the morning.

The worst affected are the Inside cabins on Deck 8 as they are directly below both pool decking areas.

2. Small cabins

All Interior and Ocean View cabins

Enchantment of the Seas is a smaller, older ship in the fleet for Royal Caribbean, and that also does mean that many of the rooms are smaller than you’d find on modern cruise ships too.

They’re not tiny, and they do have a lot of storage space thanks to some clever design, but they’re also a little cramped. Take a look at this video of the interior and ocean view cabins to see what you can expect…

If you don’t mind, and don’t plan on spending a lot of time in your cabin, then save money and book one of these, absolutely.

But if you’re travelling with kids and want to have 4 people in your cabin, I’d definitely recommend getting a bigger cabin and paying the extra.

3. Connecting cabins if you don’t need them

There are a lot of options for connecting cabins on Enchantment of the Seas, but if you don’t intend to book both cabins that are connected, I would try to avoid booking them.

The door connecting these cabins is thinner than a cabin wall, and so even when it is closed and locked, you might hear what’s going on in the room next to you.

It’s normally not too much of an issue unless your neighbours are being loud, but if they are – especially when you’re trying to sleep – then it can be very annoying, especially if you’re trying to sleep.

The best rooms on Enchantment of the Seas

1. Aft-View Junior Suites and Grand Suites

There’s a prime spot on any cruise ship that experienced passengers love to try and book – the aft (rear), especially with a balcony.

You get the best view over the wake of the ship, and you’re also sheltered from the natural wind caused by the movement of the ship. So it’s one of the more relaxing spots, even if you are a bit of a further walk from the elevators.

On Enchantment of the Seas, there are two cabin types with an aft-view balcony – Junior Suites on Decks 7 and 8, and Grand Suites with 2 Bedrooms on Deck 8. Those have the largest balconies and are fantastic if you can afford them.

Depending on which suite you choose, you’ll also get a whole host of extra perks.

2. Ultra Spacious Ocean View for families

The Ultra Spacious Ocean View cabin is situated at the front of Deck 8, and it’s a fantastic suite if you’re booking for a large family.

True, you don’t get a balcony, which is a drawback. But instead, you get a lot of space, including a bedroom equipped with two lower singles and two fold-down beds for the kids.

The room is really spacious, and helps stop larger parties of up to 8 from getting under each others’ feet. You can take a closer look at this room in this video…

The only downside to the room is that it’s classed as a suite on sister ships Grandeur of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas and Vision of the Seas, so you’d get suite perks on those ships. However because it’s not a suite, it is cheaper on Enchantment of the Seas.

3. Royal Suite

The Royal Suite is the best cabin on the ship, but also the most expensive, so it’s not the best choice for everyone. But if budget isn’t a concern, it’s a fantastic choice.

You get so much interior space, including a piano right at the centre of the room. There’s a walk-in wardrobe off the bedroom, which has its own oceanview window. The balcony is off the living area and while it’s not huge, it’s way bigger than any other balcony on the ship.

Plus you get a split bathroom, including a shower cubicle and separate bath. It’s very luxurious, even for a ship that can feel dated at times.

The best deck on the ship…

The best deck on Enchantment of the Seas is Deck 8, where you’ll find the best suite accommodation including some fantastic aft-view rooms with amazing views. However, it can be noisy – ships toward the front of Deck 3 are best for peace and quiet.

With Enchantment of the Seas being one of the smaller ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, there aren’t really any decks that stand out as being really good, or really bad. Deck 8 does have the best rooms, but it’s also below the pool deck and so can have issues with noise, depending on your location.

The forward part of Deck 3 is surrounded by cabins above and below and so that tends to be the quietest location. On many ships, I wouldn’t often recommend Deck 3 since it’s buried far away from everything else, but on this ship it’s not too bad at all.

Suggested read: The Best Deck on a Cruise Ship (to Avoid Seasickness and Noise)

And the best room is…

The best room on Enchantment of the Seas is the Royal Suite – it’s exceptionally spacious and has a large balcony where guests can unwind with an excellent view. However, the Owner’s Suite and the 2-bedroom Grand Suites, especially those with an aft view, are also great choices.

If a suite is outside your budget, then it’s definitely worth trying to get a Balcony stateroom on Enchantment of the Seas – you’ll get a lot more space than an Inside or Ocean View as well as your own private veranda where you can relax.

Choosing your own room or going for the ‘guarantee’ option

When you book a cruise with Royal Caribbean, you normally get two options – let the cruise line decide your room for you, or pay an extra fee to select your exact room. You’ll be shown two prices:

If you are happy for Royal Caribbean to choose your room, then you still get to decide what type of room you want – Inside, Ocean View etc. – but the cruise line picks exactly which one. This is called a ‘guarantee’ cabin.

If you don’t really mind which cabin you’re assigned to, then just pay the lower fee and let Royal Caribbean decide where to put you. But if you want to avoid those noisy locations, it’s best to pay a bit more and choose your cabin number.

Booking multiple cabins on Enchantment of the Seas

As I’ve mentioned, some of the cabins on Enchantment of the Seas have connecting doors. These are a good option for families, but they’re not essential. You can always ask to just have cabins next door to each other, without the connecting door.

But, if you do this with guarantee cabins, then you’ll have to request adjacent rooms, and there’s no certainty that you’ll get them.

Find more information about Enchantment of the Seas cabins

I’ve spent a lot of time looking at feedback about Enchantment of the Seas to put this guide together, but if you want to do your own additional research, you might find these resources useful:

You might also want to take a look at some of my other articles about cruising with Royal Caribbean…

Related posts:

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me

Royal Caribbean is the ocean cruise line with the most ships. At the time of writing this list, there are 28 ships in the fleet, and more are on the horizon.

The newest ship currently sailing is Utopia of the Seas, which launched in 2024, while the oldest is Grandeur of the Seas, still going strong since she launched in 1996.

The big question is whether the newer, bigger ships for Royal Caribbean are all better than the older ships, or whether the classic ships are still more popular with cruisers.

So let’s find out – here are the Royal Caribbean cruise ships ranked from best to worst, which isn’t necessarily the same ranking as the newest Royal Caribbean ships to the oldest.

The top 5 Royal Caribbean ships

A quick note – as of the last update of this article (December 2024), Utopia of the Seas doesn’t have enough reviews to judge it fairly against other ships in the fleet. So I’ll add it to the list in a few months once we get a fair idea of how she’s views.

The best Royal Caribbean ships

Now, let’s take a closer look at the best and worst Royal Caribbean cruise ships to see what exactly it is that people like and don’t like about these ships.

1. Icon of the Seas

One of the newest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet is also the biggest ship in the world – and as such, she is packed with exciting things to see and do.

She is also quite expensive from a cruise fare perspective, so it’s fascinating to see that guests do love her – reviews are extremely positive, showing that people do feel like they’re getting value for money.

Guests have commented on just how many different activities there are to try, the wide range of dining options for all ages, and just the impressive scale of the ship.

Obviously crowding can still be a bit of an issue on a ship that hosts over 7,000 passengers when full, but she’s usually big enough that it’s rarely a problem.

Symphony of the Seas is an Oasis-class ship and scores highly thanks to the amazing range of activities on offer, including some that are more musically themed in the spirit of the ship’s name.

Reviews are overwhelmingly positive and bad reviews don’t focus on specifics of the ship much, although the Main Dining Room service does get a couple of mentions – maybe from passengers used to smaller ships and therefore with less busy waiting staff?

Ahh, the ship that made me fall in love with cruising! Before I stepped on board Allure of the Seas for my honeymoon back in 2013 I had never even seen a cruise ship and I had no idea what to expect.

Allure of the Seas was the second of the Oasis-class ships to launch, and while she’s considerably older than the most recent ships (launching 12 years before Wonder of the Seas), she still offers an amazing experience, helped by a refurbishment in 2015.

Positive reviews still rave about the range of features and activities that kids will love, but another familiar criticism is around the service in the Main Dining Room, along with the quality of food in the Windjammer. At least there’s plenty of choice for restaurants if you don’t enjoy the food or service in those two venues.

The first Oasis-class ship, Oasis of the Seas launched all the way back in 2009 and has wowed guests for many years now. The sheer size of the ship is still incredible, and not an inch is wasted – there is so much to see and do that you need more than one cruise just to see it all.

While the ship is overwhelmingly popular in reviews, there are a couple of negative comments that mention a lack of organisation – long waits for tables or bar service, and poor communication. These are in the minority, and for the most part, Royal seems to handle the staffing of this massive ship well.

It’s not really surprising that four of the five Oasis-class ships occupy some of the top places on this list. Harmony of the Seas rounds out the top 5, with people again loving the sheer volume of things that kids and grown-ups can see and do during their time at sea.

The same minor complaints that other Oasis-class ships have received are repeated for Harmony, and if anything they are a little more common – minor issues with service and staffing, with longer waits than expected. Again, most people rave about everything, including how helpful the crew are.

Proof that the newest ships aren’t always the best – Mariner of the Seas is the 6th best in terms of scores despite being the 16th eldest of the ships in the fleet!

Mariner was the last Voyager-class ship to launch and it strikes a really good balance between activities and atmosphere.

The Voyager Class introduced some of Royal’s most popular features, such as the ice rink and has since been upgraded with extra water slides, but Mariner of the Seas never feels too busy or in-your-face. Reviews keep referring to it as a “really nice” ship – great for getting a taste of the Royal experience without feeling crowded.

The first Radiance-class ship in this list and the third to launch, Serenade of the Seas is a great example of what makes this ship class stand out – it focuses more on creating a relaxing, classical cruise experience without trying to cram in as many different features.

Positive reviews focus on that traditional experience and the peaceful atmosphere, while negative comments sometimes mention the difference in quality with larger ships, particularly the evening entertainment which doesn’t have the same West-End feel. Not so much of an issue if your itinerary is more important to you, which is good since this ship is sailing Royal’s Ultimate World Cruise.

Freedom of the Seas is the highest ranked of the Freedom-class ships. The balance of size vs. crowds keeps the Freedom of the Seas popular with guests, since there is loads to see and do but not the same packed-out atmosphere of the Oasis-class ships.

Minor quibbles in the reviews mention the food quality in the Main Dining Room again, and staff not always knowing details about the facilities onboard.  

Odyssey of the Seas is the best example of the Quantum Class, with all the innovative tech including the incredible Two70 venue and the SeaPlex providing hours of entertainment.

The only complaints I found that were relevant to the ship were that the Main Dining Room was a little uninspired, and the ship felt a bit crowded since there was so much to see and do, but on a ship not quite big enough to contain it all.

Liberty of the Seas was the second of the Freedom-class ships and, just like Freedom, she has a great range of things to enjoy on board, including all of Royal’s most popular features that had been invented by the time she debuted.

The main criticisms are that the evening entertainment isn’t quite as good as that one newer ships, and the food in the Main Dining Room and Windjammer are a little uninspiring, but again she remains popular despite her age.

For three years, Independence of the Seas was one of the largest ships in the world along with her Freedom-class sisters. She was also one of the best ships for UK cruisers, being based in Southampton for a few seasons in a row. She now offers Caribbean cruises year-round, but in 2025 she makes her grand return to the UK. Exciting!

Like other Freedom-class ships, she has a lot to see and do – more than the older Voyager-class and Radiance-class ships but surpassed by the newer ship classes. Most people love the balance of size and features against the crowds, with any negative comments focussing on the ship needing an update in some places.

Adventure of the Seas enjoys the same reputation as Mariner of the Seas – another Voyager-class ship, she has a good selection of activities for kids and adults to enjoy, including water slides, the FlowRider and the rock climbing wall, but with a little less of the bustle of the mega-ships of later classes.

The comments from people that were less than impressed are quite varied – poor ship design, an older average passenger, and a ship that looked a little tired and needed updating. For a ship that’s over 20 years old though, she has plenty of life in her yet.

Staying with the Voyager-class and Navigator of the Seas, which launched in 2002, still gets a lot of praise for how she has added exciting attractions to a ship that has been going for quite some time.

Like her sister ships, there’s a good balance between fun and size, although not quite as much variety as the larger Freedom, Quantum and Oasis-class ships.

Navigator is definitely feeling her age a little though. Rooms could do with some quality updates, including things we take for granted now like USB ports, while the shows are a little more traditional and could be better. 

I’m a little surprised that Wonder of the Seas is this far down the list, especially when the other Oasis-class ships are all ranked so highly. She does still have an excellent average score, so it’s not like she isn’t popular.

Wonder of the Seas has taken the Oasis-class concept and refined it to its best. Expect amazing dining venues, the best suites at sea (including some stunning two-storey accommodations) and just so much to see and do, from the FlowRider, to the zip-line, to the water slides, to the live shows, and so on.

Jewel of the Seas was the final Radiance-class ship to launch back in 2004 and while she’s a little worn in places, most people still have a really positive cruise experience thanks to her tranquil atmosphere and good service.

The biggest criticisms for Jewel seem to be levied at the food quality, which many say has taken a downturn in the last couple of years. This mainly applies to the Main Dining Room but a couple of people mention other restaurants too.

Radiance of the Seas was the first of the Radiance-class ships to be built for Royal Caribbean and over 20 years later, she is still a popular choice for those who want a relaxing cruise with a little bit of that Royal Caribbean flair. She may be one of the better Royal Caribbean ships for adults, though many still prefer the bars and restaurants on newer ships too.

Positive comments touch on the smaller ship size and how it doesn’t feel crowded at all, although some reviewers have mentioned it is looking a little tired and could do with some more updates.

The second of the Radiance-class ships to launch for Royal Caribbean, Brilliance of the Seas shares a similar atmosphere to her sisters – less packed with the modern activities and more aimed at a slightly older crowd who enjoy a traditional cruise experience.

The ship is talked about positively for its service in the most part, but some cruisers have mentioned the decor looking a little tired and needing an update, or the quality of the food not being the same as on more modern ships.

Despite Odyssey of the Seas being ranked eighth in this list, it’s surprising to see how the other Quantum-class ships have fared – we have to wait until position 17 to get to the next one, which is Ovation of the Seas.

Generally, people love the innovative features such as the North Star and the Two70 entertainment venue, but there are inconsistencies in guests’ experiences, whether it’s occasional poor food, or bad management of busier sea days, which have led to some mixed reviews.

It’s taken until the 19th position on the list but we’ve reached the first of the Vision-class ships for Royal, the oldest class still sailing for the fleet. Rhapsody of the Seas launched in 1997 and while she is one of the smallest ships in the fleet, she still gets good reviews for her service, entertainment and dining choices.

Understandably, criticism tends to be levelled at the age of the ship. She has been refurbished, but there are still signs she’s an older ship – particularly in the lack of modern soundproofing, which means engine noises can be heard more throughout the ship.

I was pretty surprised to see Anthem of the Seas so low on this list, considering that, for a few years, it’s been one of the best ships you can sail on from the UK and it’s packed with great features. And a lot of reviewers do agree.

Honestly, most of the negative reviews seem to be aimed at Royal Caribbean as a whole rather than the ship itself – particularly for the high cost of activities and speciality dining on board.

As this ship has had mostly British cruisers on board, perhaps they’re used to not having to pay for these things when they cruise with British cruise lines like P&O Cruises? Or perhaps the Brits just like to moan? (I’m British and I suspect that’s partly true).

The ship itself is generally seen in a really positive light, although one or two have mentioned it gets quite busy during peak season. I cruised in the school holidays and I can attest that it did feel bust with so many kids onboard.

With Anthem of the Seas moving away from the UK market for 2025, I wonder if she’ll climb the rankings?

Enchantment of the Seas was the third of the Vision-class ships to launch, debuting in 1997. Eight years later, the ship was lengthened, making her slightly bigger than her sister ships. She is still considerably smaller than later ships in the fleet, so don’t expect the same amount of activities for younger guests.

Adults will probably appreciate Enchantment more, with a good selection of bars and places to eat. The entertainment is a little less exciting than on the bigger ships, according to some guests, but the food gets better reviews on Enchantment of the Seas than it does on similarly-aged Royal ships.

The next Voyager-class ship in this list was the one that started the class in 1999, and helped create the experience we expect from Royal Caribbean now – features such as the ice skating rink, rock climbing wall and Royal Promenade debuted on the ship.

While she was once seen as a huge ship, she’s now dwarfed by larger ships from all major cruise lines, but she still gets a lot of positive reviews for the good mix of activities without feeling crowded.

She could do with another refresh, if she’s to remain sailing with the cruise line, as reviews do mention dated decor and signs of wear and tear.

The first ship built in this millennium for Royal Caribbean, Explorer of the Seas was the second Voyager-class ship to launch and continued the theme of exploring new and exciting activities including plenty of fun features for adults and kids alike. Reviews mention how Explorer gets the balance between size and excitement right.

The ship could probably do with another refurbishment if it’s going to keep sailing for Royal Caribbean though – there are areas that are either getting old or need a really deep clean to revitalize them, according to some past guests.

The oldest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Grandeur of the Seas debuted all the way back in 1996 and is still getting mostly positive reviews from her guests. The people who book cruises on Grandeur like the fact she’s a smaller ship, with only one or two reviews mentioning the lack of things to do.

There are enough restaurants and bars to keep things fresh, which is good as one of the bigger criticisms is the quality of food in the Main Dining Room – the other, understandably, being the ship needing some more updates to make it feel more modern.

Vision of the Seas launched in 1998 and despite being the last Vision-class ship to arrive, she was the one that lent her name to the class of ship. She’s considerably smaller than much of the fleet, so some criticism in reviews comes from passengers who didn’t realise there wouldn’t be much to do on board.

But most have done their research and have left positive feedback on the atmosphere and the service, while reviews of the food are mixed, leaning towards positive.

Quantum of the Seas debuted in 2014 as the first of the new Quantum-class ships, with some fantastic features making their first appearance for the cruise line, including North Star, Two70 and the Bionic Bar.

Looking at the reviews, the reason it scored lower seems to be some recurring ship problems leading to cancelled excursions – and with Quantum sailing Alaska, the excursions play a huge part in the experience. Hopefully, the ship issues are resolved.

Surprised by the ‘worst’ cruise ship in the fleet? I know I am. One of the newest ships in the fleet, Spectrum of the Seas was the fourth Quantum-class ship to sail for Royal Caribbean and the first of the Quantum Ultra sub-class, ships that are slightly larger. She is packed with amazing features, which is why it’s a little surprising that she’s so low on this list.

Again, her review scores are still mostly positive, but there are a few comments that she just feels too crowded and that the crew aren’t great at managing queues to make sure things run smoothly onboard.

Royal Caribbean ship reviews

Now, here’s a table showing the review score for each of the Royal Caribbean ships according to the most popular review sites. The table is ordered by the age of the ship, with the newest ships at the top – Utopia will be added once she gets more reviews.

Choosing the best Royal Caribbean ship for you

Even with the review rankings above, there isn’t really a single ship that’s best for everyone. It depends on what you’re looking for from your cruise because different ships appeal to slightly different tastes. There is of course a Royal Caribbean experience which means that all ships are similar, but not exactly the same by any means.

The most fun ship is probably Icon of the Seas since she has the most to enjoy onboard, but any of the Oasis-class ships are also a great option if your priority is variety.

If you want a cruise for adults-only then you’re likely better looking at the smaller, older ships such as Mariner of the Seas, or a modern option like Odyssey of the Seas.

The best Royal Caribbean ship class

Looking at the customer review data, it’s clear that the Icon Class seems to have already become the new favourite for guests, but that the Oasis-class ships are only just behind. It’s no wonder that Royal Caribbean keeps building bigger ships – guests love them!

Size clearly does matter too, since many of the Quantum-class ships are newer than some of the Oasis-class ones, but have fared a lot worse on rankings. They’re beautiful and innovative, but they aren’t the most popular options.

Of the older classes, the Freedom Class still remains popular, and it’ll be interesting to see how these scores hold up once Independence of the Seas returns to the UK in 2025.

But the oldest Vision-class ships are anchored near the bottom of the list, and could either use a significant upgrade if they’re to continue sailing for the cruise line.

The bottom line

So there you have it – every current Royal Caribbean ship ranked, and recommendations for the best ship depending on what you’re looking for from your cruise.

Remember that there isn’t really a single ‘best’ ship because that depends on what you want from your cruise.

Also – none of the Royal ships were badly reviewed, so even the ‘worst’ ones are still great.

While some reviews mention bad food, on the whole, Royal Caribbean has great food according to reviews. It could be that one bad meal or something not being cooked to the guests liking leads them to mention the ‘poor’ food when they review the ship.

Enjoyed this? See the Carnival cruise ships ranked and the NCL cruise ships ranked to see which ships in those respective fleets are the best and worst.

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me

The flagship of the Vision Class for Royal Caribbean, Vision of the Seas remains a popular ship for the fleet despite launching over 25 years ago. She is smaller, but she still packs a punch, including a long list of cabin options for guests to choose from.

Indeed, if you’re new to Royal Caribbean or cruising in general, the cabin choices might be dizzying – you might not know which is the best, and which are the cabins to avoid depending on your budget and your preferences for your cruise break.

This guide will clear everything up for you. I’ve looked at feedback from past guests and scoured the deck plans to put together the ultimate guide to the cabins on Vision of the Seas, including those you may wish to avoid booking.

How to choose the best cruise cabin

I’ve made a free checklist of everything you should look out for when choosing a cruise cabin. If you’d like a copy, just leave your details and I’ll send it over to you right this moment.

The different rooms on Vision of the Seas

There are 1,018 staterooms on Vision of the Seas, making it one of the smallest cruise ships sailing for Royal Caribbean. This includes 97 suites.

Vision of the Seas has 16 cabin types, split between inside, outside, balcony and suites. Only around 22% of the cabins on the ship have a balcony, which is also a low number for Royal Caribbean.

Here’s a look at all of the cabin options on Vision of the Seas:

Vision of the Seas room sizes

It’s important to note that the sizes given above are average sizes for the room, and that some may be a little larger than others.

You can browse the Vision of the Seas deck plans to see all of the rooms on the ship to scale, which will help you find any that might have a little more space and therefore give you more value!

Connecting cabins

A quick note on connecting cabins for Vision of the Seas. While there is a room type called ‘Connecting Oceanview’, that doesn’t mean it’s only ocean view cabins that have connecting doors.

If you want to book two cabins side-by-side for your cruise, and open the door between them, there are Interior and Balcony cabins that let you, as well as some suites.

The only reason Connecting Oceanview is listed as its own room type is presumably because some of the connecting ocean view rooms are a lot more spacious, and deserve their own category.

The cabins to avoid on Vision of the Seas

There are some cabins that you may be better off avoiding when you book your Vision of the Seas cruise.

However, because the ship is quite small and the room are all pretty much a standard size, there aren’t too many that you need to worry about.

Often larger cruise ships will have quirky rooms that are in bad locations, or are long distances from the rest of the ship, but there aren’t too many concerns on Vision of the Seas.

1. Cabins that can be loud

There are some parts of the ship where the noise can be heard either through your cabin’s ceiling or through the floor.

One of these is the cabins towards the aft of Deck 2. You’re just above the engines here so you might hear the hum, and feel the vibration. It depends on how sensitive your hearing is as to whether these will be an issue.

All of the cabins on Deck 4 can be at risk of noise from above. At the front of the ship, you’ve got the theatre directly above you. The mid-ship hosts a large casino on Deck 5, and towards the aft is the Main Dining Room.

The middle of Deck 4 is the worst affected by the casino but the staff can be working late to clean the restaurant, and the theatre shows can be loud until around 11pm.

And then finally there are the cabins and suites on Deck 8. While this is a prime location on the ship, you are below the pool decks, and the scraping of deck chairs can often be heard first thing in the morning.

The worst affected are the Inside cabins on Deck 8 as they are directly below both pool decking areas.

2. Small cabins

All Interior and Ocean View cabins

Vision of the Seas is a smaller, older ship in the fleet for Royal Caribbean, and that also does mean that many of the rooms are smaller than you’d find on modern cruise ships too.

They’re not tiny, and they do have a lot of storage space thanks to some clever design, but they’re also a little cramped.

If you don’t mind, and don’t plan on spending a lot of time in your cabin, then save money and book one of these, absolutely.

But if you’re travelling with kids and want to have 4 people in your cabin, I’d definitely recommend getting a bigger cabin and paying the extra.

Take a look at this video to see what you can expect from an interior room on Vision of the Seas…

3. Connecting cabins if you don’t need them

There are a lot of options for connecting cabins on Vision of the Seas, but if you don’t intend to book both cabins that are connected, I would try to avoid booking them.

The door connecting these cabins is thinner than a cabin wall, and so even when it is closed and locked, you might hear what’s going on in the room next to you.

It’s normally not too much of an issue unless your neighbours are being loud, but if they are – especially when you’re trying to sleep – then it can be very annoying, especially if you’re trying to sleep.

The best cabins on the ship

1. Aft-View Junior Suites and Balcony Staterooms

There’s a prime spot on any cruise ship that experienced passengers love to try and book – the aft (rear), especially with a balcony.

You get the best view over the wake of the ship, and you’re also sheltered from the natural wind caused by the movement of the ship. So it’s one of the more relaxing spots, even if you are a bit of a further walk from the elevators.

On Vision of the Seas there are two cabin types with an aft-view balcony – Junior Suites on Deck 8, and Spacious Ocean View Balcony Staterooms on Deck 7. I’d recommend these Balcony cabins if you can get one – you’ll get a fantastic view without paying the price for a suite.

2. Oceanview Suite for families

The Oceanview Suite is situated at the front of Deck 8, and it’s a fantastic suite if you’re booking for a large family.

True, you don’t get a balcony, which is a drawback. But instead, you get a lot of space, including a bedroom equipped with two lower singles and two fold-down beds for the kids.

The room is really spacious, and helps stop larger parties of up to 8 from getting under each others’ feet.

Here’s a video of an almost identical suite on sister-ship, Grandeur of the Seas…

3. Royal Suite

The Royal Suite is the best cabin on the ship, but also the most expensive, so it’s not the best choice for everyone. But if budget isn’t a concern, it’s a fantastic choice.

You get so much interior space, including a piano right at the centre of the room. There’s a walk-in wardrobe off the bedroom, which has its own oceanview window. The balcony is off the living area and while it’s not huge, it’s way bigger than any other balcony on the ship.

Plus you get a split bathroom, including a shower cubicle and separate bath. It’s very luxurious, even for a ship that can feel dated at times.

Is there a best deck?

The best deck on Vision of the Seas is Deck 8, where you’ll find the best suite accommodation, including some fantastic aft-view rooms with amazing views. However, it can be noisy – ships toward the front of Deck 3 are best for peace and quiet.

With Vision of the Seas being one of the smaller ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet, there aren’t really any decks that stand out as being really good, or really bad. Deck 8 does have the best rooms, but it’s also below the pool deck and so can have issues with noise, depending on your location.

The forward part of Deck 3 is surrounded by cabins above and below and so that tends to be the quietest location. On many ships I wouldn’t often recommend Deck 3 since it’s buried far away from everything else, but on this ship it’s not too bad at all.

And the best room…

The best room on Vision of the Seas is the Royal Suite – it’s exceptionally spacious and has a large balcony where guests can unwind with an excellent view. However, the Owner’s Suite and the 2-bedroom Grand Suites, especially those with an aft view, are also great choices.

If a suite is outside your budget, then it’s definitely worth trying to get a Balcony stateroom on Vision of the Seas – you’ll get a lot more space than an Inside or Ocean View as well as your own private veranda where you can relax.

Choose your own room or go for the ‘guarantee’ option?

When you book a cruise with Royal Caribbean, you normally get two options – let the cruise line decide your room for you, or pay an extra fee to select your exact room. You’ll be shown two prices:

If you are happy for Royal Caribbean to choose your room then you still get to decide what type of room you want – Inside, Ocean View etc. – but the cruise line picks exactly which one. This is called a ‘guarantee’ cabin.

Benefits of choosing your cabin number:

• Choose your preferred location on the ship
• Book two cabins next to each other
• Avoid undesirable cabins

If you don’t really mind which cabin you’re assigned to, then just pay the lower fee and let Royal Caribbean decide where to put you. But if you want to avoid those noisy locations, it’s best to pay a bit more and choose your cabin number.

Booking multiple cabins on Vision of the Seas

As I’ve mentioned, some of the cabins on Vision of the Seas have connecting doors. These are a good option for families, but they’re not essential. You can always ask to just have cabins next door to each other, without the connecting door.

But, if you do this with guarantee cabins, then you’ll have to request adjacent rooms, and there’s no certainty that you’ll get them.

NEW DEALS JUST RELEASED!

Don’t miss the latest Royal Caribbean offers…

Find more information about Vision of the Seas cabins

I’ve spent a lot of time looking at feedback about Vision of the Seas to put this guide together, but if you want to do your own additional research, you might find these resources useful:

You might also want to take a look at some of my other articles about cruising with Royal Caribbean…

Related posts:

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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Want to know what are the best and worst cabins on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas? You’re in the right place!

Navigator of the Seas is a great ship with some fantastic cabins. However, there are some rooms that are a little noisy, in awkward locations or have obstructed views.

Read on to find out which Navigator of the Seas cabins to avoid, and how to pick the best room on the ship for your cruise.

Always choose the best cabin…

I’ve created a free checklist of what to look out for when choosing a cruise cabin. If you’d like a copy, just leave your email address and it will be with you right away.

Navigator of the Seas room categories

Navigator of the Seas is a Voyager-class cruise ship with 15 different cabin types to choose from. The cabins can be broken down into four categories: inside, outside, balcony and suite.

Navigator of the Seas Inside Cabins:

• Interior Stateroom – Sleeps up to 2 or 4
• Promenade View Interior Stateroom – Sleeps up to 2
• Interior with Virtual Balcony – Sleeps up to 2

Navigator of the Seas Outside Cabins:

• Ocean View Stateroom – Sleeps up to 2 or 4
• Spacious Ocean View Stateroom – Sleeps up to 2 or 4
• Spacious Panoramic Ocean View Stateroom – Sleeps up to 4
• Ultra Spacious Ocean View Stateroom – Sleeps up to 6

Navigator of the Seas Balcony Cabins:

• Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony – Sleeps up to 2 or 4
• Spacious Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony – Sleeps up to 2 or 4

Navigator of the Seas Suites:

• Ocean View Panoramic Suite (no balcony) – Sleeps up to 6
• Junior Suite – Sleeps up to 4
• Grand Suite (1 bedroom) – Sleeps up to 4
• Grand Suite (2 bedrooms) – Sleeps up to 8
• Owner’s Suite – Sleeps up to 4
• Royal Suite – Sleeps up to 5

Royal Caribbean’s suites come with not only more space but also a huge list of extra benefits. You can see those here: Royal Caribbean Suite Perks.

For a lot of people, an inside stateroom will be plenty – especially if your priority is just enjoying the destinations you’re sailing to, and you don’t feel like you need much room.

However, if you have the budget for it, there are some staterooms and suites which are much, much bigger.

Navigator of the Seas room sizes

The cabin sizes on Navigator of the Seas vary a lot. The largest suites are almost twelve times the size of the smallest staterooms!

There’s also some variation with cabins of the same type. Certain Interior and Ocean View cabins are 60% bigger than others. However, before you get excited about the possibility of booking a huge cabin, many of these are wheelchair-accessible cabins and so they’re only available for the people who need them.

If you do want a large cabin, there are some very big outside staterooms and suites to choose from. The Ultra Spacious Ocean View Stateroom, for example, is absolutely huge with over 300 square feet of space, yet it doesn’t cost that much in comparison to the suites or balcony staterooms.

Here are the sizes of Navigator of the Seas rooms, from smallest to largest:

• Interior Stateroom – 160 to 256 sq ft
• Interior with Virtual Balcony – 160 to 256 sq ft
• Ocean View Stateroom – 161 to 276 sq ft
• Promenade View Interior Stateroom – 167 sq feet
• Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony – 198 sq ft
• Spacious Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony – 203 sq ft
• Spacious Ocean View Stateroom – 211 sq ft
• Junior Suite – 277 sq ft
• Spacious Panoramic Ocean View Stateroom – 283 sq ft
• Ultra Spacious Ocean View Stateroom – 328 sq ft
• Grand Suite (1 Bedroom) – 381 sq ft
• Ocean View Panoramic Suite (No Balcony) – 406 sq ft
• Owner’s Suite 506 sq ft
• Grand Suite (2 Bedroom) – 547 sq ft
• Royal Suite – 1260 sq ft

Navigator of the Seas Deck Plan

When choosing the best stateroom for your cruise, the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas deck plan can give you lots of useful information such as:

• Where your cabin is located
• The size of your cabin and balcony in square feet
• What types of extra beds are provided e.g. sofa beds or Pullman beds

Click here to see Navigator of the Seas Deck Plans

Picking your own stateroom, or letting the cruise line decide

When you book a Royal Caribbean cruise online, you’ll often see two prices, which look like this…

Royal Caribbean usually gives guests the choice to select their room for an extra fee. If you opt not to choose your own room, you’ll be assigned what’s known as a ‘Guarantee Cabin’.

What’s a guarantee cabin?

A guarantee cabin guarantees that you’ll receive a cabin in that category (e.g. interior stateroom) or higher (if you’re lucky enough to be upgraded).

Booking multiple cabins

If you want interconnecting cabins that have a door between them, you will have to pay to pick your own room.

If you just want cabins next door to each other, you can opt to let Royal Caribbean choose your room and request that your cabins be close together. However, there’s no guarantee that they will be.

If you have adjacent balcony cabins, you can ask your stateroom attendant to open the balcony dividers to create one large balcony. You do not need interconnecting rooms to do this. If you’re friendly with your neighbours, the partition can be opened, as long as everybody agrees.

Navigator of the Seas cabins to avoid

One of the main reasons why people choose their own cabin number on a cruise is to avoid ending up in one of the worst rooms on the ship.

If you choose a cabin that’s in a noisy location, a long walk from anything or has an obstructed view from the balcony, it can put a real downer on your trip.

Here are the cabins to avoid on Navigator of the Seas…

1. Noisy cabins

2330 to 2358, 2630 to 2658: Cabins at the aft end of Deck 2 are the closest to the ship’s engines and so you may experience some engine noise and propeller vibrations in these cabins. They are also beneath the main dining room.

2240: This cabin is right next to the Royal Theatre so you may expect some noise during performances and rehearsals.

3540 and 3240: These cabins are located right next to public bathrooms.

3600 to 3616: These cabins are beneath Boleros bar and so there may be noise until the small hours.

6575, 6577, 6579, 6581, 6583, 6587, 6589, 6591, 6593, 6595 and 6597: These Promenade View Interior Staterooms are located directly above Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. Aside from the fact that people on the promenade on Deck 6 and your neighbours can see right in, these cabins have also been reported as being noisy until after midnight as people gather, chat and sing outside the Sports Bar.

1248 to 1305 and 1548 to 1605: These staterooms and suites are located directly beneath the pool areas. This could mean that you can hear some noise from deck chairs being dragged across the floor in the morning. Early risers should have no problems here, though.

2. Cabins that are a long walk from anything

9465, 9467, 9469, 9471, 9473, 9475, 9477, 9479: These cabins are a really long way from the elevators. All cabins right at the back of the ship are far from the elevators, but this problem is made so much worse on Deck 9, because you have to walk right to the end of the ship and then go back on yourself to reach your cabin!

On the deck plan below, you would have to follow the red line to take you from the nearest elevator to your cabin. This distance is about 500 feet, which is a really long way if you struggle with walking or are carrying a child.

3. Cabins with obstructed views

Aft cabin and suites: Aft balconies are the ones right at the back of the ship that look out to where the ship has been. On most cruise ships, aft balconies offer the best views of all. This is not so on Navigator of the Seas!

Due to the design of the ship, the aft cabin balconies aren’t at the rear edge of the ship. There’s an extra area between the balcony and the end of the ship. This means that steel structures partially obstruct your view looking out and completely obstruct your view when you look down.

Whilst the view from the aft balconies seems to be less than ideal, these cabins actually get great reviews online. One advantage of the aft cabins on Navigator of the Seas is that the balconies are much larger than standard balconies on the port and starboard sides.

If you do want to go for an aft balcony, I’d recommend choosing a corner one for the biggest balcony space and the least obstructed view.

This video shows a corner aft Navigator of the Seas balcony room…

For more staterooms to avoid that aren’t specific to Navigator of the Seas, don’t miss this guide: 13 Royal Caribbean Cabins To Avoid.

The best deck on the ship

Many people ask which is the best deck on Navigator of the Seas. In fact, there isn’t one deck that’s the best, but there are three decks that are particularly good if you want a quiet room that’s not too far from the action.

Decks 7, 8 and 9

If you’re looking for a nice quiet room on Navigator of the Seas, you can’t go wrong with Deck 7, Deck 8 or Deck 9. All cabins on these decks only have other cabins above and below them. This creates a buffer from the noise of the public areas.

It also means that you can avoid taking the elevator as from this midship location you can walk up to the open decks or down to the restaurants and bars.

Best rooms on Navigator of the Seas

The best cabins on Navigator of the Seas are very much down to personal preference. For some people, the cheapest inside cabins are the best. Others prefer a spacious room with panoramic windows. Whereas for some cruisers, a balcony is an absolute must.

Here are some Navigator of the Seas rooms which you should look out for as they offer something special…

BEST INSIDE: Interior with Virtual Balcony

One of the main drawbacks of booking an Interior Stateroom is the fact that you can feel like you’re missing out on the experience of watching where you’re sailing. But the Interior with Virtual Balcony staterooms go some way to addressing that.

Sure you’re not getting natural sunlight, but you are still getting an amazing view – and it helps you to at least tell how early/late it is in the day. You get the same view as you would from a Balcony Stateroom, just without the feeling of fresh air.

Take a look at this video to see what this stateroom type looks like…

The only drawback is if you wanted to cruise with the kids – the Virtual Balcony staterooms can only sleep two guests. If you’re travelling with more than two guests, a Promenade View Interior stateroom will be a better choice.

BEST OUTSIDE: Spacious Panoramic Ocean View Stateroom

The windows in outside cabins vary in size. On some ships, you’ll have just a small porthole above the bed. On Navigator of the Seas, however, the windows in many of the cabins are very large indeed.

I particularly love the window in this Spacious Panoramic Ocean View Stateroom. There are various different Spacious Panoramic Ocean View Staterooms on Navigator of the seas – they come in different shapes and sizes, so be sure to study the deckplan carefully of you want to find one of the largest ones.

BEST BALCONY: Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony

There are two types of balcony stateroom on Navigator of the Seas – standard and spacious. Whilst you may expect the spacious one to be better, and in some ways it is, I just don’t think that the extra space is worth the extra price.

In fact, with the spacious balcony cabin, you get only five square feet more space in your room and four square feet more space on your balcony. That’s not even enough room for an extra chair, so you probably won’t even notice that your room is any bigger.

Be sure to look at the price difference before you make the decision to upgrade to a spacious balcony.

BEST SUITE: Royal Suite

The Royal Suite is the top suite on any Royal Caribbean ship. On Navigator of the Seas, the Royal Suite sleeps up to five people and, at 1260 square feet, it is more than twice the size of any other suite on the ship.

Of course, a photo would never do this suite justice, but take a look at the video below to see what you can expect from the Royal Suite with its private hot tub on the balcony and baby grand piano.

Navigator of the Seas vs. Mariner of the Seas

Navigator of the Seas has a sister ship, Mariner of the Seas. These two ships are very similar and have similar itineraries, but depending on what you like to do on board you might find that one is better than the other.

If you need any help in deciding which of these ships is for you, then be sure to check out my detailed guide to Mariner of the Seas versus Navigator of the Seas.

Find more info on Navigator’s cabins and features

If you have a question about rooms on Navigator of the Seas, you’ll find lots of helpful cruisers in Facebook groups. Three groups that I would definitely recommend that you join are:

Have you cruised on Navigator of the Seas? I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments below, whether on the Navigator of the Seas rooms to avoid, or just the features and experience of the ship in general.

Related posts:

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

Read more about me

Royal Caribbean’s Grand Suites are often considered to be the first true suite that you can book on board. There are Junior Suites, considered the entry point into the suite classes, but they don’t come with anywhere near the same perks as the Grand Suites.

Grand Suites are where you’ll really enjoy the benefits of being a suite guest, but what exactly do you get?

It can be a little confusing since there are two different packages, depending on which ship you’re booked onto, but this guide will make it clear.

Grand Suites explained

A Grand Suite is considered to be the true entry-level to the full suite class on Royal Caribbean. Grand Suites are upgraded veranda staterooms, offering more space in both the room and on the balcony, as well as coming with a number of extra benefits.

They are not the cheapest suite on board, since Junior Suites are considered to be part of the suite class of accommodations, but Junior Suites only come with a small selection of perks. 

Grand Suites offer the full suite experience, so if you want to feel like a true suite guest with Royal then these are the lowest level of suite you should book.

Grand Suite perks

The perks you get with a Grand Suite vary depending on which ship you book, but you will always get priority boarding and departure at the start and end of your cruise, a Concierge service, access to the Suite Lounge on-board and priority dining reservations.

There are two different suite packages depending on which ship you sail with, and that impacts the Royal Caribbean suite benefits you’ll enjoy. Older ships are part of the Royal Caribbean Suites Program, while newer ships – specifically the Oasis Class and Quantum Class ships – offer the Royal Suite Class.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Suite Perks

Grand Suites are one of the few accommodation types available fleet-wide, so there are different Grand Suite perks depending on your ship.

The perks you get, regardless of your ship

Priority boarding

One of the best perks of booking a Grand Suite is priority boarding. On the day of your cruise, you won’t have to wait in line with potentially thousands of other guests, waiting your turn to be allowed onto the ship.

Instead, you’ll be one of the first to be allowed to board, which means you’ll not only queue less port-side, but you’ll also beat the rush for lunch on board as well. You may not get access to your suite any earlier, but you’ll be able to explore the ship at your leisure before everyone else.

Concierge Service

The Concierge service really helps to make your suite experience feel special. Think of your concierge as your own personal guest services, as they do very similar jobs except that the concierge is available whenever you need them.

They can reserve your shore excursions, or book you a table at a speciality restaurant. They can help you with spa reservations, or pre-order your wine for dinner. If there’s something you need, the concierge will likely be able to do it for you, or at least make it as easy as possible for you.

Access to the Suite Lounge or Concierge Club

Depending on your ship, you’ll either have access to a Concierge Club or a Suite Lounge. Both are very similar, being private lounges that only suite guests are permitted to access. Here, you can enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres every evening, as well as a selection of cocktails.

The lounges are open during the day as well, giving you a quiet space to unwind away from the rest of the ship, and there are normally a selection of movies that you can borrow from the lounge to use in your suite too.

Priority dining reservations

Speciality dining restaurants are very popular on Royal Caribbean ships, and so the option to book a table before they’re available to the masses is a definite plus.

Grand Suite guests, along with other suite guests, can make reservations for all of the speciality dining venues early, ensuring you get first dibs on your preferred dining venue every night.

Priority theatre seating

Booking a Grand Suite means that you’re able to enjoy priority theatre seating for a lot of the live shows on board. This varies slightly depending on whether you’re on the Royal Suite Program or Royal Suite Class.

With the older ships, you have a reserved section of seating just for suite guests. Newer ships don’t have this reserved area but instead allow you to book seats in advance, so you can get first dibs on the best seats in the house for the shows that you want to see.

Plus these smaller perks…

• A Royal Caribbean bathrobe (not to be kept, but to be used onboard)
• A luxury pillowtop mattress
• Luxury bathroom toiletries
• A Lavazza espresso coffee machine to use in your suite

The Grand Suite perks on older ships (Royal Suites Program)

• Tours of the Bridge, Galley and Backstage
• Priority spa bookings and shore excursion tickets
• A Suite Party invitation (on cruises of 5 nights or more)
• VIP pool deck seating (on Voyager Class ships and above)
• Priority tendering for shore excursions, where available
• The option to enjoy the Main Dining Room menu in your suite
• Complimentary 24-hour room service
• Private lunch and breakfast seating
• A departure breakfast
• Complementary outfit pressing on the first formal night
• No sign-up fee for luggage valet service

The Grand Suite perks on newer ships (Royal Suite Class)

• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Coastal Kitchen (reservations are needed for dinner, and drinks aren’t included)
• Complimentary VOOM internet access (one device per guest)
• Access to the exclusive Suite Sun Deck
• A Royal Caribbean bathrobe (not to be kept, but to be used onboard)
• Luxury bathroom toiletries
• Dinner at Coastal Kitchen (reservations are needed and drinks aren’t included)

Decide whether the benefits are worth the cost…

The price of a Grand Suite on a Royal Caribbean ship varies depending on the ship, the duration of the cruise and the time of year. As a rough guide, expect to pay in the region of £3,000 / $3,500 per person for a typical week-long cruise.

That isn’t cheap – but then, suites on a cruise ship never are. I’ve checked some itineraries and the Grand Suites can be as much as 10 times the cost of an Inside Stateroom on the same sailing, which is a huge difference!

You need to weigh up whether you’d rather pay $350 per person for an Inside, or $3,500 for a Grand Suite and all the perks that you get. Obviously, these aren’t your only options, but it shows you just how stark the difference is!

Grand Suites really are a step up from Junior Suites

Junior Suites are the lowest class of suites you can book on a Royal Caribbean ship. They are not as big as Grand Suites and they only offer a fraction of the benefits, the best of which is priority boarding – but only on older ships. 

The full list of perks you get in a Junior Suite are:

• A Royal Caribbean bathrobe (not to be kept, but to be used onboard)
• A luxury pillowtop mattress
• Luxury bathroom toiletries
• A Lavazza espresso coffee machine to use in your suite
• Dinner at Coastal Kitchen (Royal Suite Class only)
• Priority boarding (Royal Caribbean Suites Program only)

Compare that to the full list of benefits offered in a Grand Suite, and you’ll see how different they are. When it comes to a Royal Caribbean Grand Suite vs Junior Suite, there’s only one winner.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Junior Suite Perks

Worth it? Sometimes…

Whether a Grand Suite is worth it entirely depends on your budget and circumstances. If you are stretching to afford it, you might be better served to opt for a lower class of room and then pay separately for the perks you will use. But Grand Suites are spacious and offer a lot of extra benefits in their package.

Ultimately, you just need to weigh up how much you’re happy to spend on your cruise and how much you would make sure of the extra benefits. If you don’t think you’d use them too much, then maybe consider a lower accommodation class, saving the additional funds for another cruise instead.

To help you avoid these worst cabins on Royal Caribbean Grand Suite, I’ve created a cabin checklist that you can get for free. Just enter your email address below, and you’ll receive it in your inbox straight away.

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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