Royal Caribbean vs. Celebrity Cruises: Which Is Be...

Royal Caribbean and Movie star Cruises are two of the preferred cruise strains on the earth — they usually’re really owned by the identical guardian firm, Royal Caribbean Group. So it’s no shock that first time cruisers usually surprise which is healthier.

After crusing on each strains extra occasions than we will depend, we will let you know that they ship very totally different trip experiences. Royal Caribbean is the road that constructed its popularity on the largest ships on the earth and probably the most jaw-dropping onboard points of interest. Movie star is its premium counterpart with a extra refined and complicated ambiance. However which is healthier relies upon solely on what you’re searching for in a cruise. Right here’s how the 2 strains stack up class by class.

Royal Caribbean and Movie star Fleets: A Breakdown

Each Royal Caribbean and Movie star Cruises function fashionable, well-maintained fleets however they differ considerably in measurement and character.

One vital observe for each strains: the expertise can even fluctuate significantly relying on which particular ship you’re crusing. A brand-new Icon-class ship on Royal Caribbean is a really totally different trip from an older Voyager-class vessel. The identical is true between a brand new Edge-class Movie star ship and an older Millennium-class one. That’s why it’s vital to analysis the particular ship earlier than you e-book.

What number of ships does Royal Caribbean have?

Royal Caribbean currently operates 29 ships throughout a number of lessons, with upcoming new additions together with Legend of the Seas (Summer season 2026), Icon 4 (2027), Oasis 7 (2028), Icon 5 (2028), and a brand-new Discovery-class starting in 2029. With the supply of Legend of the Seas this summer season, Royal Caribbean may have the most important fleet of cruise ships on the earth, with Carnival coming in a close second.

What are the largest, smallest, latest, and oldest Royal Caribbean ships?

The latest ships within the Royal Caribbean fleet are Icon of the Seas (2024), Utopia of the Seas (2024), and Star of the Seas (2025). Icon and Star are additionally the 2 largest cruise ships on the earth at 248,663 gross registered tons every. Although, the most important by passenger capability is definitely Marvel of the Seas, which holds 5,734 company at double occupancy. The oldest Royal Caribbean ship is Grandeur of the Seas (1996), which can be the smallest by each passenger depend (1,992 at double occupancy) and tonnage (73,817 GRT).

What number of ships does Movie star Cruises have?

Celebrity currently sails 15 ships, with a sixth Edge Class ship — Movie star Xcite — set to reach in 2028. The fleet is split into 4 lessons: the flagship Edge-class, the Solstice-class, the Millennium-class, and the one-of-a-kind Movie star Flora, a small expedition vessel that sails the Galápagos Islands completely.

It’s additionally price noting that Celebrity is expanding into river cruising in 2027, with two new river vessels — Movie star Compass and Movie star Seeker — set to sail European waterways. It’s an thrilling growth for followers of the model who need to take that elevated Movie star expertise to the rivers.

What are the largest, smallest, latest, and oldest Movie star ships?

The latest and largest ships in Movie star’s fleet are the Edge-class vessels. Movie star Xcel (2025), Movie star Ascent (2023), and Movie star Past (2022) are tied as the most important at roughly 140,600 gross tons, every carrying round 3,260 company at double occupancy. The oldest ship within the Movie star fleet is Movie star Millennium (2000). The smallest vessel is Movie star Flora at simply 5,922 gross tons, carrying solely 100 company.

Who Sails Royal Caribbean vs. Movie star Cruises?

Each strains appeal to a variety of vacationers, however spend a day on every and also you’ll instantly discover the distinction in onboard vibe.

Royal Caribbean attracts a extra energetic crowd who need as a lot as doable packed into one cruise trip — families with young kids, multigenerational teams, {couples}, good friend teams, and solo travelers, all united by the road’s popularity for having one thing for completely everybody. The ambiance onboard skews energetic and energetic, particularly on the larger Oasis- and Icon-class ships. It’s a social atmosphere with a lot happening at any given second that it’s practically not possible to suit all of it in on a single cruise. That’s a part of the enchantment for a lot of company — and might be overwhelming for others.

Movie star intentionally positions itself otherwise. The ambiance is quieter, extra refined, and really a lot designed round rest and the enjoyment of excellent meals, good drinks, and delightful environment. You’ll discover a lot of couples, grownup good friend teams, and solo vacationers who recognize high quality over amount. The pool deck on a Movie star ship is a noticeably calmer expertise than what you’d discover on a comparable Royal Caribbean crusing. Movie star’s slogan, “Nothing Comes Shut”, displays the road’s dedication to a extra upscale, resort-like really feel that units it other than different mainstream strains, together with its sister model.

We’ve sailed each strains as a pair and with our household, and all have been nice experiences. Once we need exercise, journey, and one thing thrilling round each nook, Royal Caribbean delivers. Once we need to really decompress and really feel like we’re on trip slightly than fixed go-go-go, Movie star is our decide.

Winner: Relies on your journey social gathering and journey fashion. Royal Caribbean for energetic vacationers, households, and anybody who needs excessive vitality and continuous choices. Movie star for {couples}, grownup teams, and anybody prioritizing a classy, relaxed expertise. Personally, we love Royal Caribbean when crusing the Caribbean and Bahamas and Movie star when crusing the Mediterranean or different destination-focused itineraries.

Children and Household Applications

This is among the most vital classes for households and likewise the place the 2 strains differ considerably.

Royal Caribbean’s youngsters and teenage programming is among the many finest within the cruise business. Journey Ocean divides youthful cruisers into age-appropriate teams — Aquanauts (3-5), Explorers (6-8), Voyagers (9/11), and Navigators (12-14) — every with its personal devoted actions, crafts, video games, and themed occasions. Teenagers have their very own area solely.

Newer ships within the Royal Caribbean fleet take the youth expertise even additional with devoted household areas, huge pool complexes with waterslides, even extravagant household lodging. There’s sufficient onboard points of interest to maintain youngsters fortunately occupied for a complete week.

Movie star’s ships nonetheless have devoted youngsters and teenagers packages simply not as intensive as Royal Caribbean. Camp at Sea divides youngsters into age teams — Shipmates (3-5), Cadets (6-9), Captains (10-12), and Teenagers (13-17) — with age-appropriate actions like arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, sports activities competitions, and film nights. However Movie star’s ships don’t have waterslides, FlowRiders, mini-golf, or the type of youth-focused points of interest that make Royal Caribbean so interesting to households.

That stated, households who need a extra relaxed trip, have older youngsters, or need a extra destination-focused expertise usually discover Movie star to be a beautiful selection.

Winner: Royal Caribbean. Whereas Movie star could also be nice for the best sort of household, Royal Caribbean is a transparent winner on this class. Royal Caribbean is constructed for household cruising in a manner Movie star merely isn’t.

Who Has Higher Meals: Royal Caribbean or Movie star?

Each strains embrace the primary eating room and buffet of their base fares and have constructed out intensive specialty eating lineups — however the general high quality differs. Right here’s how the important thing venues stack up aspect by aspect:

Steakhouses

• Royal Caribbean: Chops Grille
• Movie star: Positive Minimize Steakhouse (Edge-class & Solstice)

Italian

• Royal Caribbean: Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen/Desk
• Movie star: Tuscan Grille or Trattoria Rossa (Solstice/Millennium-class)

Asian

• Royal Caribbean: Izumi
• Movie star: Uncooked on 5/Sushi on 5

Pub Fare

• Royal Caribbean: Playmaker’s Sports activities Bar & Arcade
• Movie star: Craft Social (choose ships)

Distinctive/Experiential

• Royal Caribbean: Wonderland (choose ships), supper membership and dinner theater ideas (choose Icon and Oasis-class ships)
• Movie star: Eden Restaurant (Edge-class), Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud (latest Edge-class ships), Le Petit Chef

Informal/Fast Service

• Royal Caribbean: Park Cafe, Sorrento’s pizza, Windjammer buffet
• Movie star: Oceanview Café buffet, Mast Grill, Spa Café, Café al Bacio, Eden Café

As well as, Royal Caribbean additionally gives BBQ, Mexican, consolation meals, and seafood choices, incomes the sting on sheer quantity. However Celebrity takes the edge in high quality. The principle eating room persistently delivers, with higher dishes and extra thoughtfully composed menus. The Oceanview Café is among the finest buffets we’ve skilled on any cruise line. And venues like Le Voyage add a stage of culinary excellence that Royal Caribbean doesn’t match.

Winner: Movie star Cruises. The standard distinction in the primary eating room and buffet — the place most company eat most meals — is constant and noticeable. Specialty eating is powerful on each strains, however Movie star’s general culinary program is a step above.

Bars and Drinks: Royal Caribbean vs. Movie star Cruises

Each strains have nice bar packages, however the character of every is totally totally different.

Royal Caribbean leans into novelty with some venues. The Rising Tide Bar levitates between decks on Oasis-class ships. The Bionic Bar serves cocktails blended by robotic arms. The Pesky Parrot options an animatronic fowl including a little bit of impolite humor to the institution. Dueling Pianos serves cocktails alongside some risque sing-alongs, and Icon-class ships even characteristic a swim-up bar. The Lemon Put up options cocktails all made with lemonade, and The Lime & Coconut options vibrant colours and drinks served in seashore pails. In fact, there are extra conventional choices too, like and English pub, Schooner Bar with piano tunes and martinis, and Boleros for some Latin aptitude.

Then again, Movie star’s bar scene is a little more subdued and complicated. The Martini Bar is probably probably the most iconic venue for the model. Right here, the bartenders placed on a efficiency, the menu is intensive, and the ambiance is energetic. The Sundown Bar is one other fleet-wide favourite, with a shocking out of doors location and completely paired drinks. The World Class Bar serves upscale craft cocktails in an intimate setting, and Eden on Edge-class ships options one-of-a-kind cocktails that you simply received’t discover wherever else. To not point out, Café al Bacio is among the finest espresso homes at sea that includes specialty espresso and scrumptious pastries.

In the case of drink packages, Movie star’s Classic Drink Package begins round $90 per particular person per day and the Premium bundle round $105. Royal Caribbean drink packages have dynamic pricing however are often fairly comparable in value The important thing distinction is that Movie star’s All Included fare can bundle the Traditional bundle into the bottom value.

Winner: Tie. Royal Caribbean wins for enjoyable, modern bar ideas and sheer selection. Movie star wins for craft cocktails and drink bundle worth. Neither will disappoint.

Leisure: Royal Caribbean vs. Movie star Cruises

That is one other class the place the hole between the 2 strains is broad. Whereas each supply among the finest leisure within the business, Royal Caribbean truly delivers the wow issue.

Prime-Deck Points of interest and Sports activities

Royal Caribbean is in a category of its personal right here. Many ships within the fleet characteristic waterslides, a FlowRider surf simulator, mountaineering partitions, mini golf, and a devoted sports activities court docket. Oasis-class ships characteristic a zipper line and a carousel, whereas Quantum-class ships characteristic bumper vehicles and a sky-diving simulator and Icon-class ships have a full waterpark and 7 complete swimming pools.

Movie star’s pool deck is a basically totally different expertise — and deliberately so. You’ll discover a primary pool, a Solarium, and loads of lounge chairs for stress-free poolside. The Edge-class ships add the Rooftop Backyard as a retreat from the primary pool space. Movie star ships additionally characteristic a sports activities court docket for video games like pickleball however you received’t discover all the opposite thrill points of interest.

Manufacturing Exhibits

Royal Caribbean units the bar for cruise ship theater. The road options legit Broadway exhibits like Hairspray, Grease, and Mamma Mia!, alongside authentic productions like The Wizard of Oz and Again to the Future: The Musical on Icon-class ships. The Studio B ice skating rink hosts full skilled ice exhibits on many Royal Caribbean ships, and the AquaTheater productions are world-class spectacles with high-diving, acrobatics, and synchronized swimming. There’s nothing else in mainstream cruising that competes with this stage of leisure.

Movie star’s theater programming is well-produced and artistically spectacular too, even when on a smaller scale. The Edge-class ships mix reside efficiency with cutting-edge LED know-how. The Membership and Eden host extra interactive exhibits for a well-rounded leisure lineup that’s higher than most different cruise strains. The place Royal Caribbean productions are usually loud and flashy, Movie star’s method is extra intimate and creative.

Actions, Nightlife, and Enrichment

Each strains supply the usual exercise lineup of trivia, sport exhibits, and themed events just like the silent disco.

The place Movie star differentiates itself is in enrichment programming. Anticipate varied mixology lessons, wine tastings, destination-focused lectures, and a basic emphasis on curated experiences. Movie star Xcel’s Bazaar is a standout instance — an immersive, destination-themed area that transforms all through the crusing with native meals, leisure, and cultural experiences tied to every port of name. On itineraries like Alaska, the Past the Podium collection could be a spotlight of the journey.

Royal Caribbean leans into continuous enjoyable with actions just like the Loopy Quest sport present, comedy golf equipment, reside music in a number of venues, nightclub experiences, and a basic ambiance that retains the vitality excessive properly previous midnight.

Winner: Royal Caribbean for sheer selection and the unequalled top-deck attraction lineup. Royal Caribbean additionally units the bar for theater productions with high-quality performances throughout a number of distinctive theaters.

Cabins and Lodging

Each strains supply the complete vary from inside cabins to expansive suites, however the general high quality and decor of the staterooms are noticeably totally different.

Royal Caribbean’s customary staterooms are comfy and well-maintained, although not notably distinctive. The road earns factors for the number of cabin sorts out there — particularly on the newer ships, the place you’ll discover inward-facing balconies overlooking the Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhoods, digital balconies, and infinite balcony cabins on Icon-class vessels. On the prime finish, Star Class suites bundle specialty eating, limitless drinks, gratuities, WiFi, and the providers of a devoted Royal Genie concierge into the fare.

Movie star’s staterooms are inclined to really feel extra refined throughout the board, when it comes to fashion, perform, and decor. Even the older ships within the fleet really feel fashionable, as Millennium-class underwent revitalization in 2019 and the Solstice-class are at present being revitalized beginning with Solstice in March 2026. For company targeted on wellness, AquaClass staterooms supply a spa-forward expertise that features complimentary entry to the thermal suite, health lessons, and unique eating at Blu, a quieter different restaurant reserved for AquaClass company.

On the prime finish for Movie star, The Retreat gives a ship-within-a-ship expertise. Suite company get entry to a personal sundeck, the unique Luminae restaurant, a devoted lounge, and full butler service. As a part of Movie star’s $250 million revitalization program for its Solstice-class ships, they may even see enhanced Retreat lodging — retaining them aggressive with the newer Edge-class vessels.

Winner: Movie star Cruises. Customary cabin high quality is extra persistently elevated throughout all classes, and AquaClass and The Retreat lodging make Movie star the clear winner over Royal Caribbean.

Pricing and Worth

On paper, Royal Caribbean usually carries a decrease sticker value than Movie star for a comparable crusing — however the true comparability requires a couple of extra steps.

Royal Caribbean’s base fare covers lodging, primary eating room, buffet, and most onboard leisure. Drinks, WiFi, specialty eating, and gratuities are all add-ons.

Movie star gives two fare constructions: Cruise Only and All Included. The “cruise solely” fare consists of all of the fundamentals like Royal Caribbean, whereas the All Included fare provides a Traditional Drink Package deal and fundamental WiFi to the bottom value (with the choice to improve to premium WiFi and/or the Premium Drink Package deal for an added payment). For company on a 7-night crusing who plan to buy a drink bundle anyway, that inclusion alone can shut or typically eradicate the worth hole between the 2 strains.

Winner: Royal Caribbean on base fare. Nevertheless it’s price doing the maths on Movie star’s All Included bundle earlier than you assume Royal Caribbean is the cheaper choice.

Itineraries and Personal Locations

Each strains sail a variety of locations — Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Mexico, and extra — however their approaches to itinerary size and selection differ meaningfully.

Maybe one among Royal Caribbean’s greatest itinerary differentiators is Perfect Day at CocoCay, its personal island within the Bahamas. The road additionally has plans for an intensive enlargement of its personal vacation spot portfolio within the coming years. Royal Caribbean excels at shorter sailings as properly — 3- and 4-night getaways are a staple of the lineup, making it one of the vital accessible choices for first-time cruisers or these brief on trip time searching for an final weekend getaway. The core candy spot for Royal Caribbean is the 7-night Caribbean crusing, and the road does that extraordinarily properly. The road tends to draw company who’re extra within the ship because the vacation spot.

Movie star’s itinerary lineup is broader and tends to skew longer, with extra 10- to 14-night sailings. The itineraries additionally are usually extra destination-immersive. Movie star has a very robust European presence, with sailings all through the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the British Isles. Additional, Movie star Flora is the one mainstream cruise ship crusing the Galápagos Islands. The road tends to draw company who’re as within the locations as they’re within the ship itself, and the itinerary programming displays that.

Winner: Relies on what you need. Royal Caribbean for shorter sailings, personal island experiences, and the basic 7-night Caribbean journey. Movie star for destination-driven itineraries, longer sailings, and extra unique choices.

Loyalty Applications

As a result of each strains fall below the Royal Caribbean Group umbrella, their loyalty packages — Crown & Anchor Society (Royal Caribbean) and Captain’s Club (Movie star) — supply reciprocal standing matching. Whereas the factors earned aren’t mixed and the perks of every loyalty program differ, you’ll have equal standing when crusing on both line.

In the event you’ve constructed standing on Royal Caribbean over time, you’ll carry that recognition straight into your first Movie star crusing — and vice versa. As an illustration, for those who’re Diamond standing on Royal Caribbean, you’ll obtain Elite stage perks on Movie star. This can be a nice profit for vacationers who like to separate their time between each strains.

And as of 2026, you’ll be able to select which model to use your earned factors towards. With Factors Selection, which means that even for those who sailed with Movie star you may select to accrue the factors to Royal Caribbean. This lets you work your manner up the rankings sooner.

Winner: Tie. The reciprocal program and new Factors Selection is a win for anybody who sails each strains frequently. Although, Royal Caribbean does get the sting for its perks, notably free drink vouchers for larger tier statuses.

Royal Caribbean vs. Movie star Cruises: Which Is Proper for You?

There’s no single winner between these two strains — and that’s the trustworthy reply after crusing each extra occasions than we will depend. They’re two excellent cruise strains that serve totally different vacationers exceptionally properly.

Select Movie star Cruises if…

• You need elevated meals and a extra refined general onboard expertise
• You’re touring as a pair or a gaggle of adults with out younger youngsters
• You favor a classy, resort-like ambiance over continuous actions
• You need to bundle drinks and WiFi with Movie star’s All Included fare
• You’re searching for longer sailings or extra destination-focused itineraries

Select Royal Caribbean if…

• You’re touring with youngsters or teenagers who need actions and thrills from morning to nighttime
• You need the largest, most amenity-packed ships on the earth
• You’re keen on Broadway-style exhibits and need the very best leisure at sea
• You need entry to Good Day at CocoCay
• You’re searching for a shorter 3- or 4-night crusing or a extra budget-friendly entry level

Feedback

Have you ever sailed with each of those cruise strains? When evaluating Royal Caribbean vs. Movie star Cruises, which is your favourite? Drop us an anchor beneath to share your latest evaluations and experiences crusing on these cruise strains.

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