Royal Caribbean
with Kids

No brochure really captures this part.

Everyone gets their own vacation.

On one sailing we booked, a child 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. Her sister 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 one big trip together. For solo parents who needed someone else to handle the entertainment for a week.

All of them came home happy.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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.