| 1968- |
Three Norwegian shipping companies establish Royal Caribbean Cruise Line |
| 1970- |
Royal Caribbean Line's first ship the Song of Norway enters service |
| 1971- |
Nordic Prince enters service and RCL is the first cruise line to fly guests in to Miami from all over North America |
| 1972- |
Sun Viking enters service and now RCL has 3 ships sailing 7 and 14 nights to the Caribbean |
| 1978- |
Song of Norway is the first ship to be stretched adding additional room for 300 more guests |
| 1980- |
Nordic Prince is now stretched |
| 1982- |
Song of America, double the size of the Sun Viking enters service |
| 1986- |
RCL opens Labadee, their private island destination |
| 1988- |
Royal Caribbean and Admiral Cruises merges; RCL launches the Sovereign of the
Seas signaling a period of growth for RCL when they will triple their size |
| 1990- |
Sun Viking begins sailings to Europe, Scandinavia and Russia; Nordic Empress
enters service built specifically for short sailings; Viking Serenade begins sailing from Vancouver to Alaska in the summer and from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera in winter, allowing RCL to have sailings from the Pacific to Europe |
| 1991- |
Viking Serenade undergoes an expansion to allow 1500 guests; Monarch of the
Seas enters service sailing out of San Juan |
| 1992- |
RCL sells the ships acquired from Admiral Cruise Line; with 3 ships sailing to the
Caribbean year round RCL now has 3 ships over 70k tons sailing 3 different itineraries |
| 1993- |
Royal Caribbean goes public as RCL; RCL begins summer sailings to Bermuda |
| 1994- |
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line expands their offices |
| 1995- |
Royal Caribbean celebrates 25 yrs; Sun Viking sails in the Far East; Nordic Prince is sold; Legend of the Seas is introduced, does an Alaskan itinerary at first, later joined by Song of Norway |
| 1996- |
Splendour of the Seas is introduced in Europe; Grandeur of the Seas is launched replacing the Sovereign who is moved to the Nordic Empress spot who is moved to San Juan, first ship to sail from San Juan in short market; RCL signs with Kvaerner-Masa Shipyard to build two 130k ton vessels to begin the Voyager class, making them the largest ships in industry for a $1 billion cost |
| 1997- |
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line changed to Royal Caribbean International to show
global operations; sells Song of Norway; Rhapsody of the Seas is announced and begins sailings in Alaska; Enchantment of the Seas begins sailings in Europe; Nordic Empress now sails from Port Canaveral; Celebrity Cruises merges with Royal Caribbean International |
| 1998- |
Vision of the Seas is launched, sails to Europe; Sun Viking is sold; Song of America is sold; RCI announces the Voyager class will use Azipod propulsion system so there is no need for rudders, thrusters or propeller shafts, it will also be the first ship with a mall, ice skating rink and rock-climbing wall; Legend of the Seas will do 10 cruises in which it will visit 41 ports in 19 countries; RCI orders two 90k ships to begin the Radiance class of ships and 1 more Voyager class ship |
| 1999- |
Voyager of the Seas, the largest ship at the time enters service |
| 2000- |
Explorer of the Seas enters service to join the Voyager |
| 2001- |
Radiance of the Seas enters service and is the first of the Radiance class to launch; Adventure of the Seas joins the Voyager class; RCI now announces cruisetours in Alaska |
| 2002- |
Brilliance of the Seas enters service to join the Radiance class; Navigator joins the Voyager class |
| 2003- |
Serenade of the Seas joins the Radiance class; Mariner of the Seas joins the Voyager class bringing the total to five ships in the class; rock-climbing walls are added to the entire fleet; Monarch of the Seas undergoes renovation; RCI announces an even larger ship will be built... an ultra Voyager class later known as the Freedom class; RCI now begins to offer cruisetours in Europe |
| 2004- |
Jewel of the Seas enters service and is the fourth Radiance class ship; the Nordic Empress is refurbished and renamed the Empress of the Seas; the Sovereign of the Seas is refurbished, and the Enchantment of the Seas is stretched and refurbished as well. |
| 2006- |
The largest ship afloat is launched as the Freedom of the Seas enters service, being the first ship to offer surfing onboard as well as some of the most innovative features of any other cruise ship at sea. |
| 2007- |
The Liberty of the Seas is launched joining the Freedom of the Seas as two of the largest ships afloat and the largest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. |
