[citation needed] The newly created line put its first ship, Song of Norway, into service two years later.

In 1986, Royal Caribbean leased a coastal property in Labadie, Haiti, to be used as a private destination for its guests, renamed as Labadee.

[4] Two years later in 1990, Nordic Empress and Viking Serenade entered service and Royal Caribbean purchased a second private destination, Little Stirrup Cay, an island in the Bahamas, which they branded as CocoCay.

In 2000, Royal Caribbean operated a series of land-and-sea-based "cruise tours" in Alaska, featuring glass-domed train cars to scenic destinations within the state and Canada.

[13] In March 2015, Royal Caribbean announced that they had agreed to sell Splendour of the Seas to TUI Cruises in the second quarter of 2016.

[22] On 29 June 2021, Royal Caribbean International's Ovation of the Seas became the first cruise ship to return to the Port of Seattle since the COVID-19 Pandemic began.

[23] In August 2022, the company announced that it would partner with SpaceX to use its Starlink technology across all its ships, in an effort to improve historically weak internet connections.

[25][26] In October 2019, Royal Caribbean announced a plan to transfer Grandeur of the Seas to Pullmantur Cruises after its last scheduled sailing on 21 March 2021.

Navigator of the Seas replaced the inline skating track with a Flowrider surf simulator in 2014, and similar changes are planned for Voyager and Explorer.

Unlike the preceding Voyager class, these ships are built to the Panamax form factor, allowing them to pass through the Panama Canal.

New features on the Freedom class include the FlowRider surfing simulator, the H2O Zone kids water play area, a boxing ring, and hot tubs cantilevered over the side of the ship.

[78][82][83] In February 2019, Royal Caribbean announced the order of a 6th Oasis class vessel, later named Utopia of the Seas, from Chantiers de l'Atlantique for delivery in 2024 with a double occupancy of 5,714 and gross tonnage of 231,000.

[99][100] Other distinctive features of the Quantum-class include the "North Star" observation capsule mounted on the end of a 41-meter-long (135 ft) crane arm,[101] "RipCord by iFLY" a skydiving simulator,[102] the three-deck-high Two70° lounge and performance venue at the aft of the ship featuring panoramic windows that convert into projection screens,[103] and the multi-purpose SeaPlex facility which hosts activities such as basketball, roller skating, bumper cars, and a trapeze school.

On 10 October 2016, Royal Caribbean and Meyer Turku announced an order to build two ships under the project name "Icon".

[147] The company is planning to open additional private resorts in Cozumel[148] and Costa Maya[149] in Mexico and on Lelpea Island, Vanuatu in the South Pacific.

[154] In January 2014, an outbreak of norovirus aboard Explorer of the Seas sickened 689 of 4,237 passengers and crew (16.3%), causing the ship to return to port two days early.

A criminal investigation into possible foul play was conducted, and a brief press release on the company's investor relations website announced the settlement of the case,[162] later revealed to be more than $1 million.

[163] In 1998 and 1999, the company was fined US$9 million because one of its ships, Sovereign of the Seas, had repeatedly dumped oily waste into the ocean and tried to hide this using false records, including fake piping diagrams given to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Despite an increase in seismic activity in preceding weeks, 47 people (including 38 passengers and crew from the ship) were on the island when it erupted.

[168] A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said the line was "devastated by today’s events",[169] and the ship remained in port until 10 December to assist with recovery efforts.

[171] On 7 July 2019, 18-month-old Chloe Rae Margaret Wiegand was dropped to her death from an open window by her grandfather Salvatore Anello on Freedom of the Seas while docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

[173] The family attempted to file a civil suit against Royal Caribbean claiming that Anello did not know the window was open.

[175] During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Miami Herald reported that, after cruises were cancelled worldwide and they had disembarked all passengers, Royal Caribbean Cruises had refused to repatriate many of their crew members due to the associated costs, with many crew members turning to desperate measures, such as hunger strikes, as a result.

[176][177] As part of the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), Royal Caribbean paused its global sailing operations through 30 April 2021.

[178][179][180] On 16 June 2021, Royal Caribbean International announced that it was delaying the inaugural sailing of their newest cruise liner, Odyssey of the Seas after eight crew members tested positive for SARS-CoV-2–COVID-19.