Has Royal Caribbean reached its peak with giant ships? The cruise line's CEO raises questions

Is the age of ever-larger vessels at Royal Caribbean coming to a close? Recent statements from CEO Michael Bayley have reignited discussions on this subject.

During a preview event for the line's latest ship, Utopia of the Seas, Bayley indicated that the upcoming Discovery Class may feature smaller ships compared to the massive vessels launched in recent years, according to multiple media sources present.

Bayley informed a gathering of travel agents and other guests that this new class could include ships designed to fit into ports like Baltimore and Tampa, which are currently inaccessible to the line's larger ships due to bridge restrictions, Travel Weekly reported.

"It's not merely about widening and shortening [the ship], but we continually evaluate the feasibility of accessing these ports. The Discovery Class may provide the ideal solution for that," Bayley explained, as reported by Travel Weekly.

In a separate announcement, Bayley informed a gathering of journalists during a press briefing that the upcoming ship class "will be incredibly exciting," though he did not elaborate on the specific attractions and venues planned for the vessels, as reported by Travel Weekly.

Bayley also did not provide a timeline for when the new ships will be ordered and constructed.

Cruise Fever similarly reported on Bayley's statements, alongside Travel Pulse and Australia's Cruise Passenger; the latter outlet speculated that the new ships may be compact enough to pass under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Numerous large cruise ships are unable to dock at Sydney's White Bay Cruise Terminal due to the bridge's low clearance. The Sydney Harbour Bridge has a clearance of about 161 feet, while the bridges that cruise ships encounter when entering Baltimore and Tampa are approximately 180 feet high.

Royal Caribbean's latest ships — including Icon of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, and five sister ships collectively known as the Oasis Class — rank among the largest cruise ships globally, featuring "air drafts" that exceed 200 feet, preventing them from passing under the bridges in Sydney, Baltimore, or Tampa.

This week, Bayley reiterated hints about the line's plans for a new, smaller class of ships. Throughout the past year, he has dropped subtle hints regarding this new class at various Royal Caribbean events, including a press conference in January held on the line's new Icon of the Seas.

During several of these events, Bayley mentioned that the line aims to order new ships to replace its eight aging Radiance Class and Vision Class vessels, all of which are over 20 years old.

Weighing 90,090 gross tons or less, the eight ships in the Radiance Class and Vision Class are significantly smaller than the rest of Royal Caribbean's fleet of 28 ships, and they are frequently utilized for voyages to destinations that larger ships cannot access. Each of these ships accommodates around 2,100 or fewer passengers, compared to the 5,000 or more that can be accommodated on the line's larger vessels.

As the largest cruise line in the world, Royal Caribbean is renowned for operating the biggest, most amenity-rich cruise ships. However, like other major cruise lines, it prefers a variety of vessel sizes to provide a diverse range of itineraries.

Not every cruise itinerary is ideal for massive ships — and it's not only because some ports have bridges that restrict larger vessels. Certain port towns lack the docking facilities needed for giant ships. Additionally, some itineraries may not generate enough demand to warrant a large ship's presence.

Nevertheless, if Royal Caribbean were to opt for smaller ships, it would represent a notable shift from its recent trend of constructing increasingly larger vessels. Every ship the line has ordered over the last decade has been colossal, exceeding 200,000 gross tons.

Royal Caribbean currently has three new ships on order, all expected to be among the largest in the world. Two of these vessels are sister ships to Icon of the Seas and will rank among the three largest when they launch in 2025 and 2026. The third is an Oasis Class ship, set to be one of the top 10 largest vessels when it debuts in 2028.

If Royal Caribbean's next ship order includes smaller vessels, it doesn't imply that the line is abandoning larger ships. While there have been no hints at new larger classes being developed, the company could still choose to order additional ships in its Icon Class or Oasis Class series.