5 best Royal Caribbean ships for kids
Royal Caribbean is unarguably one of the best cruise lines for kids. But that doesn’t mean all its ships are equally good for kids of all ages and interests.
Every ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet has kid-friendly attractions, such as pools, an outdoor movie screen, a rock-climbing wall and a kids club with age-appropriate activities. The line’s oldest and smallest ships don’t offer much more than that — while the newest and biggest ships in the fleet have many more amusements. These include splash parks and waterslides, ice skating rinks, bumper cars, zip lines, laser tag and fast casual restaurants serving Mexican food and Johnny Rockets burgers and milkshakes.
Royal Caribbean excels at offering something for everyone on its ships. It would be difficult for any age group not to find something to love about the newest ships in the Oasis and Icon Classes, the latter of which are currently the world's largest ships.
As a quick guide, the line’s Vision and Radiance Class ships have the fewest kid-friendly attractions. Voyager and Freedom Class ships offer a sweet spot of plenty of family fun with a more manageable size. Oasis and Icon Class ships are giant megaships packed with restaurants, shows and amusements aimed at kids and families, while Quantum Class ships offer a more sophisticated and high-tech approach to big-ship family fun.
But if we absolutely had to choose the best Royal Caribbean ships for kids, here are the ones we’d pick.
Best Royal Caribbean ship for babies and toddlers: Freedom of the Seas
I cruised with a 1-year-old to Alaska on Rhapsody of the Seas, one of Royal’s oldest and smallest ships, and it wasn’t my best cruise by a long shot. If you’re planning to cruise with little kids, my advice is to start with a short, warm-weather sailing on a ship that caters to the youngest cruisers.
On Royal Caribbean, that means picking a ship that has both a nursery (dubbed either Royal Babies & Tots or Adventure Ocean Babies) and a Baby Splash Zone (because kids in swim diapers are not allowed in the main pool and water play areas). For my money, I’d go with Freedom of the Seas. It has both of those baby staples and plenty of restaurants and activities for the adults to enjoy, as well. Your preschooler might enjoy the parades down the Royal Promenade followed by a scoop of ice cream.
However, Freedom is not as huge as an Oasis Class ship (which have great offerings for the 3-and-younger diapered set), so you’ll have less FOMO when you’re stuck in the cabin after early bedtime. And the halls aren’t quite as long when your new walker decides the best activity on the ship is pushing something up and down the cabin hallways. (Yes, I’ve been there, done that.)
Related: The 6 classes of Royal Caribbean cruise ships, explained
Plus, Freedom of the Seas sails three- to eight-night Caribbean and Bahamas voyages featuring Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island. If your kids are like mine, beaches are fascinating places to play, and CocoCay has a calm bay, pirate ship-themed play area, splash park and a shallow-entry pool perfect for babies and toddlers. Plus, conveniently located complimentary barbecues and tram services make it easier for parents to manage a day at the beach with their kiddos.
Best Royal Caribbean ship for little kids (ages 3-7): Icon of the Seas
Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class vessels, Icon of the Seas and soon-to-debut Star of the Seas, are the best in the fleet for younger kids. That’s because Royal Caribbean has built these ships to target young families. Icon of the Seas is our pick in this category.
The line has created a happy place for parents and kids younger than 7. It’s called Surfside, an open-air space located at the back of the ship, and it features a splash area with junior waterslides for kids. It also has a beach-themed carousel, dry playground, arcade, multiple family-friendly restaurants (so you don’t have to go far when hunger strikes) and a mommy-and-me cocktail/mocktail bar.
This Deck 7 neighborhood is also a hop, skip and a jump away from the Adventure Ocean kids club on Deck 6.
Related: The best cruise ships for kids
Even better for all those little legs, Surfside is surrounded by family-themed cabins and suites, many with separate sleeping areas for kids and adults. You won’t have to carry your tuckered-out tyke far when they’re ready for naptime in the cabin.
Because Icon Class ships are larger, reimagined versions of Royal Caribbean’s beloved Oasis Class vessels, families with young children can also enjoy ice skating and acrobatic diving shows, tons of family-friendly dining around the ship and top-deck attractions like pools and minigolf.
Icon of the Seas sails family-favorite weeklong itineraries to the Caribbean from the Port of Miami. Each cruise also stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Best Royal Caribbean ship for older kids (ages 8-12): Wonder of the Seas
I took my daughter on Wonder of the Seas for her eighth birthday, and I can attest that Wonder and its Oasis Class siblings are ideal for older kids. These megaships have so much going on, your kids will never be bored. Or, as soon as they’re finished with one activity, they have several more to turn to next.
Some of the Wonder of the Seas activities have age or size limits, which is why littler kids can’t fully appreciate all it has to offer. For example, my daughter could go rock climbing, play in the splash park and multiple pools, and ride the waterslides and the 10-deck-long dry slide. But she was just slightly too short and light to boogie board on the FlowRider or try the zip line. The minimum height requirements are usually 48 or 52 inches.
Related: Why Wonder of the Seas is awesome for families
The Studio B ice skating show and original musical “Effectors II” are perfect for older kids. My daughter was especially wowed by the slackliners, aerialists, dancers and divers we saw at the AquaTheater. Kids ages 8 to 12 might also enjoy Wonder’s escape room, sports court, minigolf course, carousel, promenade parades and arcade.
And let’s not forget about the many fast-casual dining venues on the ship. My daughter would have dined on hot dogs and milkshakes at Johnny Rockets every day if I were willing to pay for it. She also enjoyed quesadillas at El Loco Fresh near all the fun top-deck attractions, the Campfire Cookie dessert at Playmakers sports bar and browsing the selections at the buffet. Other kid-friendly venues that got her thumbs-up included the Mason Jar Southern-themed specialty restaurant and pizza at both the free Sorrento’s and the extra-fee Giovanni’s.
Wonder of the Seas currently sails seven-night Caribbean cruises, but will switch to short three- and four-night cruises later this summer. Book those school-vacation weeks early as they’re popular dates.
Note: If you're looking for a shorter weekend getaway for the family, Utopia of the Seas — an Oasis Class sister ship to Wonder of the Seas — offers the same great amenities to keep kids busy but with a schedule of voyages that make it easy to hop on the ship on Friday in Port Canaveral and be back in the office on Monday morning if you live locally.
Best Royal Caribbean ship for tweens and teens: Odyssey of the Seas
Tweens and teens would certainly enjoy all of the ships already mentioned, but sometimes they’re looking for a vacation that’s a little cooler and perhaps more high-tech. That’s why Odyssey of the Seas is our pick for the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship for middle and high school kids.
Odyssey of the Seas and its Quantum Class sister ships have some cool attractions not found on other Royal Caribbean vessels. Teens will love trying the RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator. At the ship’s SeaPlex, they can be active with indoor basketball, table tennis and bumper cars, or get their game on at the arcade or virtual-reality play space. If they work up an appetite, they can grab burgers at Playmakers nearby.
The ship also features Two70, a cool hangout by day (grab a bite at the cafe and curl up somewhere away from parents to check your social media feeds) and a high-tech performance venue at night. The NorthStar is a sightseeing pod that rises high above the ship on a mechanical arm; teens can snap a selfie while up there.
Related: The 5 best cruises for teens
Social 180 is the tween and teen hangout on Odyssey of the Seas, and it’s extra cool given that it has both an indoor lounge and an outdoor patio. Plus, the ship has plenty of teen-friendly Royal Caribbean fan favorites, such as the FlowRider, rock climbing wall, laser tag and outdoor movies.
Tweens and teens might also be ready to appreciate Royal Caribbean’s diverse array of specialty restaurants including sushi at Izumi, steaks at Chops Grille and Italian at Giovanni’s. Plus, they can grab quick bites at El Loco Fresh and Sorrento’s.
Odyssey of the Seas sails a mix of weeklong and longer Caribbean and Bahamas sailings, as well as Greek Islands and Mediterranean cruises. This gives families more options for more adventurous travel with teens who are ready to handle longer trips or flights to Europe.
Best Royal Caribbean ship for families heading to Alaska: Quantum of the Seas
Because most of our family picks are for ships sailing to the Caribbean and Bahamas, it seemed like an oversight to leave out Alaska cruises. Alaska is an amazing destination for a family vacation with kids, and Royal Caribbean bases several ships up north every summer. But some are better for families than others.
Our top pick for families sailing to Alaska is Quantum of the Seas. (Nearly identical Quantum Class sister ships Ovation and Anthem of the Seas are also good choices.) Quantum sails seven-night round-trip cruises from the accessible Port of Seattle, perfect for families that can’t take more than a week’s vacation and don’t want to spend the time and money flying to Alaska to board a ship.
Related: The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler
Quantum of the Seas has many of the same amenities as the aforementioned Odyssey of the Seas, which are ideal for Alaska. Indoor activities like kids clubs, the sky diving simulator and SeaPlex will always be usable, even if the northern weather gets chilly or rainy. The North Star sightseeing ride is much more appealing when you can take in Alaska’s stunning scenery rather than mere stretches of the Caribbean Sea. Two70 makes for an equally attractive indoor observation lounge when the ship is cruising through fjords and by glaciers.
Bottom line
It’s hard to go wrong with any Royal Caribbean cruise ship when you’re planning a family vacation. The bigger the ship, the more amazing kid attractions you’ll find on board. I’d recommend sticking with Voyager class and newer ships when traveling with kids, but even the smaller ships have kids clubs, pools and other family-friendly activities.
So when all is said and done, the best Royal Caribbean ship for kids is likely whichever ship in the fleet your family happens to be on!
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.