Known for its record-breaking cruise ships, wow-worthy entertainment, and over-the-top water parks, Royal Caribbean has been welcoming families to the high seas since 1968. I’ve sailed on a number of RCL ships, including Symphony of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, and most recently Wonder of the Seas. With those experiences as a background, I’ve put together this guide on how to make the most of your Royal Caribbean experience when cruising with kids.
What to know about Royal Caribbean’s ships and ship classes
Royal Caribbean has multiple classes of ships, with varying options for dining and entertainment. Icon of the Seas is the biggest ship and the lead of the Icon class, home to the largest water park at sea as well as the tallest waterslide. The also-enormous Oasis class of ships includes Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas.
On these ships, you can explore neighborhoods like Central Park, where you can stroll outdoors amongst foliage and eateries; and Boardwalk, with a carousel, candy store, and arcade games. Navigator of the Seas is part of the Oasis class and has escape rooms and a blow dry bar that was super fun to get glammed up at with my girl.
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Many families love these larger ships and their range of entertainment options. The cruise line’s smaller ships don’t typically see as many kids. So, if you’re looking for a vacation where you spend a lot of family time together, choose a smaller ship in the offseason. If you’re hoping to meet new people and have your children play at the kids clubs, choose a larger ship. Summer, spring break, and winter holiday time periods tend to have higher kid counts across the fleet as well.
Choose from a variety of cruise destinations
The Caribbean is popular for family cruises because it’s relatively close and typically sunny and warm. On Royal Caribbean, it’s also popular because you can visit Royal Caribbean’s insanely cool private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. Royal Caribbean’s cruises to the region depart from Miami, Orlando, Texas, New Jersey, and other U.S. locations.
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If you’re considering a multigenerational cruise, consider an Alaskan cruise, suggests Erin Stransky, Senior Manager of Family Strategic Operations for Royal Caribbean. “Families can be together all day on excursions like glacier hiking and whale watching,” she says.
Europe cruises are another good option for families. Could you imagine sailing to Italy, Greece, France, Spain or Croatia? Sounds dreamy!
Things to do onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise
My absolute favorite entertainment on Royal Caribbean cruises is the jaw-dropping shows at the AquaTheater, which can only be described as high-energy and captivating. One example is inTENse, an all-female production in which aerialists dangle from high above the ship, swimmers plunge into a tiny pool, and athletes jump and dance on a slackline to the crowd’s amazement while loud music amplifies the experience.
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Stransky says she never misses an ice show. She finds it amazing that Royal Caribbean has the capability to put an ice rink on a cruise ship. My family found the costumes and caliber of the performances captivating. You can also ice skate yourselves if you book a time slot in advance.
My kids’ favorite activities have varied as they’ve gotten older, but they’ve never found themselves bored on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. My 15-year-old son became enthralled with the rock wall, seeing how many times he could ring the bell on different routes. He also thoroughly enjoyed the teen activities like dodgeball and touchdown football toss. Our 12-year-old daughter was inspired by Family Karaoke and insisted on performing any chance she could, even though she’s never sung on stage before, only because the audience was so encouraging.
During the days, we savored the pools, hot tubs, and water slides. You can also play laser tag, ride the zip line, try the surf simulator, play basketball, participate in game shows, and so much more.
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Royal Caribbean’s kids club is called Adventure Ocean, which is included for babies to age 12 and has recently been reimagined to add new technology like storybook wands for three- to five-year-olds. Six- to 12-year-olds are grouped together in an open free flow space where they can choose from games like gaga ball tournaments and crazy tag to hanging out with a book or movie. Children can have hands-on fun in a science workshop or art lab, yet not feel pressure to participate if they don’t want to.
Because teens ages 13 to 17 don’t want to be treated like kids, the teen lounge is more of a hangout hub where they can game, listen to music or meet new friends.
Choosing the right cabin for your family
On its newer ships, Royal Caribbean offers some unforgettable and luxurious accommodations like the Ultimate Family Suite, which has an in-room slide among other over-the-top touches. For those of us with more average financial resources, there are various other types of cabins and locations onboard to fit your budget and vacation style, too.
An interior stateroom is the cheapest way to go. Quad staterooms feature pullout couches and are great for families with little kids. Connecting rooms are wonderful for large families and older children, as you seek more space and privacy. (If you need a number of connecting rooms, it’s best to book as far in advance as possible.) Rooms across the hall from each are an option for families with adult children, as cruisers must be 21 or older to have their own room.
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Smaller staterooms feature showers. Junior suites or larger include bath tubs, which are often preferred by families with babies and toddlers. Family suites boast at least two bathrooms, which can make getting ready a lot faster. Icon of the Seas in particular features great staterooms for families, specifically the suites. Junior suites are decorated with a different look and feel for different age groups.
In terms of location, consider whether you’d like to be near certain features of the ship, like water slides or the teen lounge, or if your group would prefer a quieter setting. Families with mobility considerations might prefer rooms closest to the elevators.
Dining options for families on Royal Caribbean
When you think about cruising, does the seemingly endless food come to mind? With buffets, specialty dining, casual pizza, taco and hot dog places, bars and restaurants, there seems to always be something tasty to eat.
On Royal Caribbean, you can choose your own casual dining adventure at the Windjammer buffet. It serves a variety of foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you know even the pickiest eaters will find something to enjoy. I’m a huge fan of the Royal Caribbean muesli for breakfast, which is like overnight oats with cinnamon, apples, and orange juice. I also highly recommend the Indian food choices onboard. You can find flavorful curries and warm, chewy naan.
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The Main Dining Room is available for more elegant brunches and dinners. It has themes from Caribbean to Italian and the same service team stays with you, becoming familiar with your family’s dining preferences. You can choose between early and late dinner times (think 5:45 p.m. vs. 7:45 p.m.). I always recommend the earlier option for families so that you can make the 8:0 p.m. shows after dinner. As my kids got older, I thought the later option might allow for more fun in the sun; but, truthfully, none of us felt like going to shows at 10:00 p.m. If you have night owls in your family, the later options might be a better fit for you.
In terms of beverages, you can choose between a Classic soda package; a Refreshment package including coffees, juices, and milkshakes; and the Deluxe beverage package with wine and cocktails.
On our most recent Royal Caribbean cruise, we enjoyed a three-restaurant Specialty Dining Package and tried Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, Hooked Seafood, and Chops Grille steakhouse.
Giovanni’s wood-fired oven bubbled up a pizza my teen raved about. Our meal at Hooked Seafood was especially memorable because the chef cooked up a special gluten-free feast for my daughter. Surrounded by plates piled with savory shrimp and indulgent desserts, I’ve never seen her so ecstatic at a restaurant. Chops Grille was an exceptional experience from the moment we entered the swanky steakhouse. Our server spoiled us with juicy steaks, crisp wedge salads, crunchy crab cakes, and warm apple pie a la mode.
The food was so good we swore we’d eat only grilled chicken and spinach for at least a week after we got home.
