A Look at Royal Caribbean Solariums: Not All Are Created Equal

January 1, 2025 Randy Young

Sometimes, when you’re on a cruise, you just want to relax and get away, especially if the ship is filled with kids. One of the best ways to do that on a Royal Caribbean ship is in their Solarium. The Solarium is an adults-only area on their ships and for some people, the space is their home for most of the cruise. But not all Royal Caribbean Solariums are created equal. Here, we’ll take a closer look at all the different Royal Caribbean Solariums across the fleet and which you might prefer.

Royal Caribbean Solarium Cost and Who Can Access It

One of the best things about Royal Caribbean’s Solariums is that there is no extra cost to access them. They’re open to all guests aged 18 and up (the age limit was raised from 16 in 2023).

Note: On some cold weather sailings on ships with no indoor pools, the Solarium pool may be opened to children at certain times during the day.

Which Royal Caribbean Ships Have Adults-Only Pools in Their Solariums?

Pool space on cruise ships is always in high demand, and finding a spot that’s quiet and free from cannonball splashes can be tricky. Luckily, some Royal Caribbean ships feature adults-only pools in their Solariums, giving you a place to swim in peace.

Full-size adult-only pools can be found on:

On newer Royal Caribbean ships, they realized that most adults weren’t actively swimming but lounging in the water, so they changed the full-size pools to wading pools, usually around the depth of a hot tub with comfy seating.

These ships have wading adult-only pools:

Note: Looking at the list, you might think we left off Harmony of the Seas, the third Oasis Class ship. When it was built, Royal Caribbean made the puzzling decision not to have any pools in the Solarium on this ship. It makes Harmony of the Seas’ Solarium notably worse than all its siblings.

Royal Caribbean Ships With Adults-Only Hot Tubs in the Solarium

If you’re more of a hot tub person, you’re in luck. All Solariums have at least one adult-only hot tub, no matter the ship. It’s a great option for easing into the day or unwinding after an evening of activities.

Open-Air vs. Enclosed Solariums on Royal Caribbean Ships

While a “Solarium,” by its very definition, implies a glass-enclosed space, the Solariums on some Royal Caribbean ships aren’t fully enclosed. On the Voyager and Freedom Class ships, they’ve left parts of the Solarium open to the elements. On the first four Oasis Class ships, they added windbreaks over the Solarium which offer some protection from the wind, but not much against the other elements. These designs can be a drawback in cold, rainy, or windy weather, making the area less usable when conditions aren’t ideal.

Open-Air Solariums

Retractable Roof Solariums

Having a Solarium that’s protected from the elements is a huge benefit. It can be used in rain, cold, and the dead heat of summer and provides a comfortable place for adults.

Royal Caribbean’s Vision and Radiance Classes of ships feature large retractable glass ceilings over the Solarium, providing year-round comfort. In practice, these are rarely opened, which can make the spaces feel stuffy in the summer, but at least they’re protected from the elements.

Fully Enclosed Solariums

When Royal Caribbean debuted the Quantum of the Seas in 2014, they upgraded the Solarium space. Like its predecessor, Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean moved the Solarium to the front of the ship over the bridge, but this time, the designers fully enclosed it and gave it a more finished feel with tropical trees and beautiful cascading pools. The fully enclosed, nearly dome-like Solarium is used in all Quantum Class ships. The enclosed design was also added to the new Oasis Class ships, Wonder of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Ships With Solarium at the Front of the Ship

In 2009, Royal Caribbean debuted the Oasis of the Seas and moved the Solarium to the front of the ship over the bridge. It not only provided amazing panoramic views, but it provided a more relaxing experience. On older ships, the Solarium was in the middle of the ship and used as a walkway for people going through the space to get to the elevators or buffet. In addition, you had the deck above where people could look down on you. Moving the Solarium to the front of the ship made it much more private and secluded; people weren’t walking through to get to other things. It’s a much better implementation of the Solarium concept.

Royal Caribbean Ships Without a Solarium

While the Solarium seems like a staple on their Royal Caribbean ships, when they debuted their newest ship, Icon of the Seas, the Solarium was notably absent. On this class of ship, Royal Caribbean took the Solarium concept and evolved it into the Aqua Dome. Here, guests will find the AquaTheater, two bars, a food hall, and plenty of casual seating options. The space has no pools, hot tubs, or beach lounge chairs; it’s more used as a casual, relaxing space.

The Icon Class ships still have an adult-only area, though. They have designated The Hideaway at the back of Deck 15 as the adult-only area. This space has a dedicated bar, infinity pool, and hot tubs. The space has a beach club vibe with DJ music and little shade.

My Favorite: Quantum Class Solariums

Since I don’t have kids, I spend time in the adult-only area on every cruise ship I go on. As you can see above, not all are equal. My favorite has to be the Quantum Class Solarium. It’s fully enclosed, filled with beautiful trees and plants, has an amazing Solarium Bistro for breakfast and lunch, and has beautiful cascading pools. When I sailed on Ovation of the Seas for an Alaskan Itinerary, the space just blew my mind. It was one of my favorite spaces I’d seen on any cruise ship. (Read the Ovation of the Seas Alaskan Cruise Blog Here).

My least favorite has to be the Freedom Class ships. While Royal Caribbean calls it a Solarium, it’s not enclosed or even separated. Kids and people in general are just walking around in and out of the area since it’s a throughway, and people on the deck people can just gaze down on you. When I was on Liberty of the Seas, the space felt so cramped. It didn’t feel much different than a normal cruise pool, except that no kids were there. The pool was nice and deep, though, and it even had some bar stools under the bridge going over it for convenient seats (it’s not a swim-up bar, though; those are only on Icon Class ships and oddly not adult-only).

What’s the Best Royal Caribbean Solarium for You?

Whether you’re looking for a peaceful retreat, a place to lounge, or a space to soak in a hot tub, Royal Caribbean’s Solariums vary greatly across their fleet. Fully enclosed Solariums offer protection from the elements, making them a top pick for year-round comfort, while the open-air versions may be a better fit if you prefer a breezier, more open setting. Whichever ship you choose, the Solarium is sure to be your adults-only oasis at sea.