<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001140361-16-090081.txt : 20161216
<SEC-HEADER>0001140361-16-090081.hdr.sgml : 20161216
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20161216174309
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001140361-16-090081
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20161214
FILED AS OF DATE:		20161216
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20161216

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000884887
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	WATER TRANSPORTATION [4400]
		IRS NUMBER:				980081645
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1050 CARIBBEAN WAY
		CITY:			MIAMI
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33132
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3055396000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1050 CARIBBEAN WAY
		CITY:			MIAMI
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33132

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	RA HOLDINGS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920424

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Wilhelmsen Arne Alexander
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001317345

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-11884
		FILM NUMBER:		162057278

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ANDERS WILHELMSEN & CO. AS
		STREET 2:		BEDDINGEN 8, AKER BRYGGE
		CITY:			OSLO
		STATE:			Q8
		ZIP:			NO-0118

	FORMER NAME:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	Wilhelmsen Alex
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20050210
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-12-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000884887</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RCL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001317345</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Wilhelmsen Arne Alexander</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1050 CARIBBEAN WAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIAMI</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33132</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5838</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-12-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3600000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>84.02</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>29934512</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This includes 24,899,253 shares of RCL stock owned by A. WILHELMSEN AS and 5,035,259 shares of RCL stock owned by AWECO INVEST AS.  A. WILHELMSEN AS has the power to vote and dispose of the shares owned by AWECO INVEST AS pursuant to an agreement between the parties. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Carrie Levine Schwartz, Attorney-in-Fact for Arne Alexander Wilhelmsen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-12-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
