<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001140361-17-004925.txt : 20170207
<SEC-HEADER>0001140361-17-004925.hdr.sgml : 20170207
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20170207170300
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001140361-17-004925
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20170205
FILED AS OF DATE:		20170207
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20170207

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:			Liberty Jason T
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001568915

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-11884
		FILM NUMBER:		17579903

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1050 CARIBBEAN WAY
		CITY:			MIAMI
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33132
</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>2017-02-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001568915</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Liberty Jason T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1050 CARIBBEAN WAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIAMI</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33132</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2267</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>94.62</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>31390</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>359</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>94.61</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>31031</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents the number of shares of common stock withheld by the issuer to cover the reporting person's tax liability associated with the vesting of shares underlying certain restricted stock units and performance shares on 2/5/2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents the average of the high and low prices for the issuer's common stock on the NYSE on 2/3/2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents the number of shares of common stock withheld by the issuer to cover the reporting person's tax liability associated with the vesting of shares underlying certain restricted stock units on 2/6/2017.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Represents the average of the high and low prices for the issuer's common stock on the NYSE on 2/6/2017.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Carrie Levine Schwartz, Attorney-in-Fact for Jason T. Liberty</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-02-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
