Adventures We Seek

Royal Caribbean With Kids — Everything You Need to Know Before You Book

I will always tell you straight. No sugar coating. The good the bad and the ugly. That is how I work and that is what this guide is.

Royal Caribbean is not for everyone. But for a lot of families it is the best vacation they will ever take. Here is everything you need to know before you book.

Here is the thing about a Royal Caribbean cruise that no brochure really captures.

Everyone gets their own vacation.

On our last sailing one of my kids sat in Central Park listening to a harp player and read for two hours straight. My other kid was in the sports court basically the entire trip. My daughter was in the open art studio. I was on the balcony every morning with my coffee watching the ocean before anyone else woke up.

We all ended up at the Aquadome shows together every night. That was our thing.

But during the day everyone went their own direction and nobody had to compromise.

That is the magic of these ships. You can find silence and solitude or you can take dance lessons and do aqua fit. Join a bar crawl or a tequila tasting. Play cards in a quiet lounge or ride the carousel with your kids. Get your face painted. Try the surf simulator. Zip line over the boardwalk.

You can do all of it or none of it.

I have booked Royal Caribbean for families with coordinated t-shirts doing a group trip. For couples renewing their vows at sea. For grandparents taking all the grandkids on the trip of a lifetime. For solo parents who needed someone else to handle the entertainment for a week.

All of them came home happy.

Royal Caribbean’s fleet is divided into seven classes. The class determines the size the amenities and the overall vibe. This matters more than most people realize when booking.

The newest and largest ships in the world. These are floating resorts. Seven distinct neighborhoods including Surfside which is specifically designed for young families. The Category 6 waterpark. The Aquadome. If you want everything and then some this is your ship. Note that the Surfside and Boardwalk neighborhoods are wonderful for kids and both have dedicated Baby Bay splash zones for little ones not yet potty trained.

These revolutionized cruising. Central Park in the middle of the ship with real trees. The AquaTheater for high diving shows. A carousel. A zip line. An ultimate abyss slide. The Boardwalk neighborhood is great for families. Baby Splash Zone available for little ones.

Cutting edge technology. The North Star glass observation capsule rises 300 feet above the ocean. RipCord by iFLY indoor skydiving simulator. Seaplex with bumper cars. Two70 multimedia entertainment lounge. Great for tech loving families.

Mid sized. Action packed. FlowRider surf simulator. Perfect Storm water slides. Ice skating rink. Royal Promenade. Excellent for first time cruisers. Not overwhelming. Still has everything.

Smaller than Freedom class. Budget friendlier. Still has the Royal Promenade ice skating rock climbing and miniature golf. A great entry point.

More traditional. Mid sized. Floor to ceiling glass and wraparound ocean views. Known for the adults only Solarium and spectacular specialty dining. These ships do Alaska itineraries beautifully. If you want a calmer more intimate sailing this is your class.

Smallest and oldest in the fleet. Classic cruising experience. Destination intensive itineraries. Can reach smaller ports the mega ships cannot. If the destination matters more than the onboard amenities consider Vision class.

Royal Caribbean welcomes babies on board as long as they are at least 6 months old at time of sailing. For more demanding routes like transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii or select South American itineraries infants must be at least 12 months old.

On pools — children in diapers or who are not fully potty trained cannot use the main pools or hot tubs. Icon and Oasis class ships have dedicated Baby Bay and Baby Splash Zone areas specifically designed for little ones. Swim diapers required. Pack and plays are available on board on a first come first serve basis so request one early.

Adventure Ocean is Royal Caribbean’s kids club and it is genuinely excellent. It covers children from 6 months to 12 years with age appropriate groupings. Royal Babies and Tots for ages 6 to 36 months. Aquanauts for ages 3 to 5. Explorers for ages 6 to 8. Voyagers for ages 9 to 11. Teens have their own dedicated spaces too.

The Late Night Party Zone runs from 10pm to 2am for children ages 3 to 11 at an hourly fee. For babies the nursery runs $6 per hour until 6pm and $8 per hour from 6pm to 1am. Reservations required.

That means parents can actually have a quiet dinner together. That is not nothing.

I love a balcony. I do not think any vacation is complete without one. Even with kids. Especially with kids. Let them sleep in while you sit outside with your coffee and watch the ocean. Worth every penny.

Connecting rooms are incredible for families. Real space and real privacy. Book them early. They sell out fast and are hard to find last minute.

Suites come with an in room Lavazza espresso machine. I am only half joking when I say that alone is worth the upgrade.

Interior rooms work fine if budget is the priority. You will not spend much time in there anyway.

We love the main dining room. Request the same table and the same waitstaff every night and by day three they will know your kids names and have their drinks ready when they sit down. It is one of those small things that makes a big difference.

Park Cafe and Aqua Market are two of my favorites for casual meals throughout the day. Easy. No reservation needed. Great for grabbing something quick.

For food allergies Royal Caribbean is very accommodating. Notify them in advance. If you book through me I handle all of that before you ever step on board.

We recommend booking excursions through Royal Caribbean and the app. Here is why. If a port gets cancelled due to weather or any other reason you get a full refund. If you book independently you are on your own.

If an excursion goes on sale after you book you can cancel and rebook at the lower price as long as availability remains. Worth checking regularly.

That said we do have trusted independent partners for certain ports when the experience is significantly better outside the cruise line. We will tell you when that is the case.

The best itinerary for first timers is the one that goes somewhere you actually want to go.

There are so many incredible islands and destinations. Really think about what you want to see and how long you want to be at sea. Do not just pick the cheapest option or the most popular one. Think about what your family actually wants to experience.

That is exactly what I help you figure out.

Every sailing is different. Some itineraries require a passport. Others accept a birth certificate plus a government issued photo ID for US citizens. I will always tell you exactly what you need for your specific sailing before you book.

When in doubt get the passport. It opens every door and removes every complication.

Book as early as possible for the best cabin selection especially connecting rooms which go fast. That said last minute specials do exist and can be genuinely good deals. The tradeoff is limited cabin choices and less time to plan.

My general advice is book early and book right. Do not wait for a deal that may never come on the sailing and cabin type you actually want.

This is where it gets fun.

Some families go all in. Coordinated outfits for every theme night. Formal wear. Shoes for the pool and shoes for dinner and shoes for excursions. If that is your family embrace it. There is a whole community of Royal Caribbean themers and it is genuinely joyful to see.

Our family is casual. We bring collared shirts for the boys and a dress or two. We do not get all dolled up. Sometimes I wish we were more of a theme family. Then I remember I would have to pack all of it.

A few things we always bring regardless:

Our magnet board for the cabin door. We put questions on it and let people answer as they walk by. It starts conversations and becomes a little tradition by the end of the trip. We also have magnets for the door itself.

Magnetic hooks. Cabin walls are metal and magnetic hooks give you so much more storage than you would think.

Our own shampoo conditioner and soap. Unless we are in a suite the rooms typically have a 3 in 1 all in one product that we do not particularly love. Pack your own. Small bottles. Worth it.

Some people hide rubber ducks around the ship for others to find. Some bring 3D printed sailing themed goodies to trade. There is a whole world of Royal Caribbean cruise culture that you discover once you are in it.

You never need as much as you think you need. Unless you are a themer. Then you might need exactly as much as you think you need.

Download the Royal Caribbean app before you board. It is extremely important and genuinely useful.

On board you can text anyone else on the ship through the app. No cell service needed. Reserve show times. See everything happening every single day. Check your account. Order room service.

WhatsApp also works on the ship. That is a big deal for staying connected with people back home without paying for the ship’s internet package for every device.

Working with a travel advisor on a cruise booking is not the same as booking a hotel.

A lot of the time I can offer incentives not available to the public. A soda package. A specialty dining experience. Onboard credit. A discounted spa service. These add real value and cost you nothing extra.

On gratuities — I always recommend paying them in advance at time of booking. One less thing to think about on the ship.

On drink packages — I will be direct. They are not always worth it and for my own family they never are. Think about it this way. Drinks on board run roughly $8 to $15 each. Add up what your family will realistically consume in a day and do the math yourself. For us that is one soda per kid at dinner each night and a glass or two of wine a few evenings and a pina colada by the pool. The package does not come close to making sense for us.

One thing most people do not know before they book. If one adult in a cabin gets a drink package every adult in that cabin has to get one too. Royal Caribbean requires it. So factor that in when you are running the numbers.

On travel insurance — always. I add it at time of booking every time. Non negotiable.

After your first sailing you are automatically enrolled in the Crown and Anchor Society. You do not have to sign up for anything. It just happens.

You earn one point for every night sailed. Suite guests earn two points per night. Points accumulate across every sailing and unlock better perks as you move through six tiers. Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club.

Even at the entry Gold level you get priority check-in, access to a private departure lounge with continental breakfast and discounts on drinks and specialty coffee on board. At the very top tier Pinnacle Club members earn a free cruise for two.

Make sure your Crown and Anchor number is attached to every booking. Those points add up and the benefits are real.

If you want an intimate boutique experience with small ship exploration look at Windstar or Azamara instead.

If you want ultra luxury look at Silversea or Seabourn.

If the destination matters more than the ship look at Viking or the Vision class ships.

Royal Caribbean is for families who want incredible onboard experiences great entertainment something for everyone and the flexibility to do as much or as little as they want.

That is a lot of families. Maybe yours.

Also considering a river cruise? Read our AmaWaterways guide.