Royal Caribbean's Smart Elevators

Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators use a system called destination dispatching. Instead of pressing “up” or “down” and hoping the next car has room, you enter your floor on a touchscreen panel outside the elevator bank. The system then assigns you a specific car, marked with a letter, that is headed your way. Guests going to the same or nearby decks ride together, so the elevator skips needless stops and gets you where you’re going faster.

The technology is confirmed on Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas.

For guests, the result is simple. You spend less time staring at elevator doors and more time on waterslides, at shows, and on sunny pool decks. Below, we break down how these cruise elevators work, the technology behind them, why Royal Caribbean built them, and who benefits most.

What makes Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators different?

Anyone who has sailed on a big ship knows the classic elevator shuffle. A crowd gathers after a show, the doors open on a packed car, and you wait for the next one. Then that elevator stops on nearly every deck between you and your stateroom. On a ship with thousands of guests, those minutes add up fast.

Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators flip that model. Here’s how the experience changes from start to finish.

How Royal Caribbean’s smart elevator destination dispatching works

Enter your floor first. You tap your destination deck on a panel outside the elevator bank, before you ever step inside.
Get your assignment. The screen tells you which elevator to take, shown by a letter above each door.
Ride with fellow travelers heading your way. The system groups guests going to the same or nearby floors.
Skip the extra stops. Since the system already knows where everyone is going, it cuts out the stop-and-go ride.

Because you’ve already picked your floor, there are no floor buttons to press once you’re inside. It feels a lot like an express elevator built just for you.

How do Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators compare to other cruise lines?

Royal Caribbean isn’t the only cruise line to use destination elevators. MSC Cruises, for example, has used a version on some ships for years. What sets Royal Caribbean’s approach apart is the scale and the design around it. On Icon of the Seas, guests have noticed more elevators in each section, and some cars are larger than those on other Royal Caribbean ship classes. That pairing of smart routing with more capacity is a big reason the system has earned such strong reviews.

How does Royal Caribbean’s smart elevator system work?

Royal Caribbean’s cruise elevators are built by KONE, a global leader in elevator and escalator technology. The system uses KONE’s destination dispatch technology, with sleek touchscreen panels such as the KONE Polaris interface, where guests choose their floor.

Behind those panels is smart software that acts like an air traffic controller for the elevator bank. Each time a guest makes a request, the system looks at where every car is, which way it’s moving, how full it is, and where the other passengers are headed. It then assigns the car that can get you there most efficiently.

Here’s what the technology handles behind the scenes:

Grouping riders by destination so cars make fewer stops.
Balancing the load across all elevators in a bank, so no single car gets swamped.
Cutting idle trips by sending cars only where they’re needed.
Moving more people per trip during busy times, like after shows or before dinner.

It’s the same type of technology used in busy office towers and modern hotels. The difference is that Royal Caribbean adapted it to the unique demands of a floating resort, where thousands of guests often head to the same places at the same time.

Why did Royal Caribbean develop smart elevators?

The push for better elevators came down to one big challenge: size. Icon of the Seas can carry up to 7,500 guests, more than any other ship when it debuted. Royal Caribbean knew traditional elevators couldn’t keep up with that many people.

The cruise line had already heard plenty of feedback about waits on its Oasis Class ships, which were the largest in the fleet before Icon. With an even bigger ship on the way, fixing the elevator experience became a priority.

Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean’s Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer, pointed to three main reasons for the upgrade:

Elevators evolve too. Like any technology, elevators go through their own cycle of innovation, and it was time to take the next step.
Guests were waiting too long. Even with the elevators on the Oasis Class, Schneider noted, the ships could still struggle with lines.
Icon carries more guests than any other ship. Moving up to 7,500 passengers smoothly required a new solution to the problems seen on other ships.

The result was a system designed from day one to keep traffic flowing on the world’s biggest cruise ships.

Why do we love Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators?

Elevators might not sound thrilling next to a record-breaking waterpark or a Broadway-style show. Yet this upgrade has quietly become one of the best parts of sailing on Royal Caribbean’s newest ships.

Here’s what makes them such a hit:

Less waiting. Your assigned car arrives with room for you, so you aren’t stuck watching full elevators pass by.
Faster boarding. You know exactly which door to stand at, so getting on is quick and orderly.
No crowding or scrambling. The system spreads guests across cars, so you won’t have to squeeze into a packed elevator.
Fewer stops. Riding with guests heading to nearby decks means a quicker trip.
More time for fun. Every minute saved is another minute for the pool, the spa, or a sunset cocktail.

Guests sailing on Icon have praised the system for being quick, never too crowded, and better than similar elevators they had tried before. Many say it’s one of the features they hope Royal Caribbean adds to more of the fleet.

How do Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators compare to traditional cruise elevators?

Here’s a side-by-side look at how the two systems compare.

Feature	Smart destination elevators	Traditional cruise elevators
How you call it	Enter your floor on an outside panel	Press “up” or “down”
Car assignment	System assigns a specific car	First car to arrive, if there’s room
Stops along the way	Fewer, grouped by destination	Often stops at many decks
Crowding	Guests spread across cars	Cars can fill up fast
Wait times	Shorter, more predictable	Can stretch during busy times
Inside the car	No floor buttons needed	Floor buttons inside
Peak-time performance	Built to handle heavy traffic	Often struggles after shows and meals

Who benefits most from Royal Carobbean’s smart elevators?

Every guest wins with shorter waits, but some travelers will notice the difference even more.

Families with kids

Wrangling kids, strollers, and pool bags while waiting for an elevator is no one’s idea of fun. With destination dispatching, you know exactly which car to take, and fewer stops mean less time keeping little ones entertained. That leaves more energy for splash pads and family adventures.

Mobility-challenged guests

On traditional cruise elevators, guests using scooters or wheelchairs sometimes watch several full cars come and go before finding one with room. Smart elevators spread guests across cars and reduce the rush to squeeze in, which can make finding space easier. If you have specific accessibility needs, talk with Guest Services on board for tips on getting the most from the system.

Large groups

Traveling with a crowd for a reunion, wedding, or friends’ getaway? When everyone enters the same floor, the system can direct your group toward the same car, so fewer people get left behind. It makes moving together between dinner, shows, and nightlife much smoother.

Anyone sailing on a big ship

On ships that carry thousands of guests, smart elevators help the whole vessel feel less crowded. The ship still has all the excitement of a mega-resort, without the elevator bottlenecks.

How do you use Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators on a cruise?

A few simple habits will make your rides even smoother:

Enter your floor once per group. Each person doesn’t need to press it, though larger groups may want to note the headcount if the panel asks.
Check the letter above each door. Your assigned elevator is marked clearly, so head straight there.
Don’t hop into another car. Sticking with your assignment keeps the system running efficiently for everyone.
Plan around peak times. Even smart elevators get busy right after shows, so a few minutes of patience or a short walk on the stairs can help.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators?

Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators use destination dispatching. You choose your floor on a panel outside the elevator, and the system assigns you a specific car. Guests heading to the same or nearby decks ride together, which reduces stops and wait times.

Which Royal Caribbean ships have destination elevators?

Royal Caribbean’s smart destination elevators can be found on its Icon Class ships, Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Legend of the Seas, as well as on Utopia of the Seas.

Who makes Royal Caribbean’s cruise elevators?

The smart elevator system uses technology from KONE, a global elevator company. Touchscreen panels, such as the KONE Polaris interface, let guests select their floor before boarding.

Why are there no buttons inside Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators?

Because you choose your floor at the outside panel, the system already knows where you’re going. That’s why there’s no need for floor buttons inside the car.

Are Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators faster than traditional cruise elevators?

In most cases, yes. Grouping riders by destination cuts out extra stops and spreads guests across cars. That means shorter waits and quicker trips, especially during busy times.

Why did Royal Caribbean switch to destination elevators?

Royal Caribbean wanted to solve long elevator waits, which guests had noted on its Oasis Class ships. With Icon of the Seas carrying up to 7,500 guests, the cruise line needed a better way to move people between decks.

What happens if I get on the wrong elevator?

The car will still take its assigned riders to their floors, but it may not stop at yours. If that happens, simply enter your floor again at the next panel to get a new assignment.

Do other cruise lines use destination elevators?

Yes. MSC Cruises has used destination elevators on some of its ships. Royal Caribbean’s version on Icon of the Seas stands out for pairing the smart system with more elevators and some larger cars.

Are Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators good for guests with mobility needs?

They can help, since the system spreads guests across cars and reduces the rush to squeeze in. For specific accessibility needs, Guest Services on board can share helpful tips.

Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators prove that even small details can make a big difference at sea. With destination dispatching, KONE technology, and a design built for the world’s largest ships, these cruise elevators turn frustrating waits into quick, easy rides. That means more time racing down waterslides, catching dazzling shows, and soaking up ocean views from the top deck.

Explore Royal Caribbean sailings and unlock exclusive rates on Cruises.com today. Compare ships like Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas, choose your perfect stateroom, and get ready for a vacation where getting around is as smooth as the journey itself.

Royal Caribbean’s smart elevators: The game-changing upgrade making big ships feel smaller