This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
Earlier this year, guests at Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day on the private island of CocoCay saw the world's largest cruise ships, Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, moored side by side. It was my first time to fully enjoy a historical sight.
The ship towered over the common dock like a skyscraper, casting a dark shadow over the relatively small common pier.
Together they can accommodate approximately 19,250 people.
Cruise ships like Icon of the Sea spend most of their journey at sea. Peter de Boer (via BI)
At 1,196 feet long and 248,663 gross tons, the maritime icon is a sight to behold. When launched in late January, the behemoth touted her 8-foot shorter predecessor, the Wonder of the Seas, as the world's largest ship.
At the time, it wasn't surprising. Every new Royal Caribbean ship seemed to dethrone another Royal Caribbean ship for this title.
It's not that long.
The company's small vessels, which are important for a variety of travel, are aging.
Royal Caribbean recorded its largest booking date in history when bookings for Icon of the Seas opened in October 2022, more than a year before its official launch. Brittany Chan/Business Insider
The company is synonymous with giant ships. Michael Bailey, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, has repeatedly called Icon of the Seas “the best-selling product” in the company's history.
Royal Caribbean plans to launch four more megaships by 2028, representing about a third of its entire fleet. So far, most of the megaship's scheduled sailings are in the Caribbean.
The other 21 smaller ships tend to have more specialized itineraries, Patrick Sholes, managing director of lodging, leisure and equity research at Trust Securities, told Business Insider.
Royal Caribbean International (via BI)
Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean Group's chief product innovation officer, told reporters in January that given the size of the trimmers, these ships could do more sailings outside the Caribbean. He said that this often leads to higher freight rates and customer satisfaction for the company. Consider an itinerary for the Mediterranean, Alaska, or the South Pacific. The latter is especially important as cruise lines continue to expand their operations in Asia.
But as Royal Caribbean continues to unveil mega cruise ships, these flexible cruise ships are aging. The company launched four of its oldest Vision-class vessels, with a maximum guest capacity of 2,730, from her 1996 to her 1998.
They are small and old compared to the two-month-old, 7,600-guest Icon of the Seas.
Looking to the future, Royal Caribbean plans to go back to basics with smaller cruise ships.
Royal Caribbean's oldest ship is Grandeur of the Seas, which first set sail on December 14, 1996, carrying 2,440 passengers. Royal Caribbean International (via BI)
Schneider said that despite the cruise line's success with large ships, Royal Caribbean is currently considering a new class of ships that starts at “small,” adding, “Small but less than large.” “I was careful what I said.”
“The reality is that families don't just want to go on vacation to the Western or Eastern Caribbean, which has iconic ships,” Schneider said. “They want to maintain our brand and travel to different destinations, which requires more versatility in the size of the ship.”
Desirable destinations such as French Polynesia and Venice, Italy, have restrictions on visiting cruises, including size limits, to curb pollution and overcrowding. But, as Schneider noted, specialized itineraries that accommodate small vessels are also important to travelers.
The pool was surrounded by several hot tubs. Brittany Chan/Business Insider
Huge, mass-market water resorts often attract first-time cruisers who indulge in family-friendly water parks and Broadway-style shows. But after a few fun vacations at sea, guests who are no longer cruise newbies may want a quieter ship or a more tailored itinerary.
“Alaska cruises tend to be non-first cruisers,” Sholes told BI. “You don’t often see an Icon of the Seas traveling to the Norwegian fjords or Alaska.”
Additionally, “the demand for these mega-ships is probably limited,” Scholes said.
Royal Caribbean has already succeeded in the first part by introducing a number of new cruisers with mega ships. Now you need to hold them.
