Royal Caribbean cruise ships offer a cabin for any budget, but there is one suite that shines above all others, both in amenities and price: the Ultimate Family Suite.
As a family-focused cruise line, Royal Caribbean is no stranger to kid-friendly activities onboard its vessels. Whether waterslides, zip lines, or laser tag, there are countless ways to keep kids (and adults!) entertained onboard.
The vast majority of families book interior, ocean view, and balcony cabins, as these staterooms provide all the necessary amenities at a reasonable price point. Yet what if you could bring family-friendly fun into your cruise cabin?
The Ultimate Family Suite does just that, and this two-story, colorful cabin offers a truly unique experience in the cruise industry. The mind-blowing cabin is available on just four ships—Symphony, Wonder, Icon, and Utopia of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean Blog had the chance to tour the cabin on a recent Utopia of the Seas cruise.
Staying in the Ultimate Family Suite isn’t cheap—prices average around $10,000 per night
With an in-cabin slide, private jacuzzi, cozy movie room, and gorgeous ocean views, the Ultimate Family Suite on Utopia of the Seas is one of the most expensive cabins on Royal Caribbean, second only to the slightly larger Ultimate Family Townhouse on Icon of the Seas.
Prices vary from sailing to sailing, but on average, guests can expect to pay between $20,000 and $50,000 for a 3 or 4-night sailing on Utopia of the Seas.
With two adults and two kids in the cabin, a 4-night cruise in April came out to $37,332 for the cabin, whereas a cruise in late February was priced at a whopping $59,124. “Budget” sailings can occasionally be found, with a 3-night cruise in August priced at just $22,948.
The suite can accommodate up to nine passengers, and guests enjoy Star Class benefits
If a $59,000 cruise gave you a jump scare, I do have some good news—up to nine guests* can stay in the Ultimate Family Suite. The more guests in the cabin, the lower the price per passenger.
The 4-night cruise in late February, for example, costs $14,781 per person with four guests in the cabin. If nine guests (four adults and six kids) stayed in the suite instead, the price per person is just $6,866 per person, or $61,796 total.
Related: Royal Caribbean suites guide & review
While not everyone wants to sail with nine passengers in a single stateroom, it can be a great option for larger travel parties. Additionally, the Ultimate Family Suite shares a connecting door with a Crown Loft Suite, which can accommodate an additional four passengers.
Plus, not only does the price include lodging in the opulent cabin, but passengers also receive Royal Caribbean’s Star Class benefits.
Star Class is the highest tier of the cruise line’s Royal Suite Class, and comes with impressive perks like a personal Royal Genie, access to exclusive suite areas, and complimentary internet, drink, and dining packages.
Let’s jump in and take a look inside the Ultimate Family Suite
Whether you’re planning a cruise in the Ultimate Family Suite or adding the room to your wishlist, it’s helpful to know the ins and outs of this remarkable cabin.
Colorful signage, along with a hopscotch carpet, welcome guests to the Ultimate Family Suite. Even before walking through the doors, it’s clear you’re about to enter somewhere special.
The entryway leads to the suite’s dining table, which also functions as a digital play area. Screens provide endless entertainment, with digital coloring apps and card games available with the touch of a button.
There are eight separate game areas at the table, which can also be switched off in order to transform the screens into a regular table.
If you’d prefer screen-free play, opt for the drawing board behind the table instead. Alternatively, the cabin’s Lego wall near the entryway is sure to be a hit with adults and kids alike.
The pièce de résistance of the suite, of course, is the massive two-story living room.
Colorful and vibrant, just this single room sets the Ultimate Family Suite apart from any other cabin on the ship.
A spacious television area comes complete with two lounge chairs along with a sofa, which can be converted into a bed for those traveling with a large party.
Don’t forget about the cozy nook next to the television, either, which features adorable fruit-shaped pillows.
I’d be remiss not to mention the Ultimate Family Suite’s in-cabin slide, which takes guests from the second to first floor.
There is no other cabin on the ship with its own slide, making it an extra-unique feature of the stateroom. After all, why take the stairs when you can slide downstairs instead?
If the slide weren’t cool enough, there’s also a hidden cranny behind the slide with pillows, a giant Connect 4 game, and a suspended chair.
Undoubtedly, though, the best hideaway for kids in the Ultimate Family Suite is the movie room.
With two TVs, a mini bar, and giant couch, there’s really no reason to ever leave the cabin and venture elsewhere onboard.
If a regular couch is too lame for the kids, they can watch a movie from the room’s shark-themed nook instead.
The last room downstairs is the spare bedroom.
Whereas the second floor features the master bedroom and kids room, the downstairs room is meant for extra guests, whether traveling with grandparents, additional kids, or a second family altogether.
The room features a king-sized bed along with a chair, desk, closets, and drawers for storage. A bathroom—the third in the cabin—is downstairs, too, which has a double vanity and shower.
Now let’s head upstairs, and no, we can’t take the slide to the second floor.
Still in the theme of making the Ultimate Family Suite as fun as possible, Royal Caribbean created a piano staircase. When walking up or down, each footstep creates a note, making a song as guests travel between floors.
Luckily, the sound can be switched off if you’re worried about the constant noise.
The stairs lead to the master bedroom. Unlike the spare room downstairs, the master bedroom is not separated from the rest of the cabin by a wall.
Although this makes the room less private, a curtain can separate the bedroom from the living room below. Plus, it means parents can enjoy sprawling views from the cabin’s floor-to-ceiling windows.
Being a suite, the master bedroom (along with the other rooms) comes with upgraded amenities compared to standard cabins on Utopia of the Seas, including mattresses and linens.
Aside from the bed, the master bedroom also features a lounge chair, desk, and four closets. A mini fridge is inside one of the closets, providing a convenient way to enjoy a refreshment without the need to go downstairs.
The master bedroom has its own bathroom with a dual vanity and large shower, which offers a rainforest shower head along with adjustable shower wands and jets along the shower’s walls.
The bathroom, like the others in the Ultimate Family Suite, comes equipped with Malin + Goetz body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.
A door separates the master bedroom from the kids room next door. The door can be opened regularly or, as another option, tiny cruisers can crawl through the door’s miniature opening from one room to the next.
The space-themed kids room features four twin beds, each of which has a set of outlets and a television.
One of the bottom beds functions as a couch, but it can be converted to a bed if needed.
The kids room has its own bathroom, too. Unlike the other bathrooms in the suite, you'll find a bathtub.
Now let’s check out the Ultimate Family Suite’s stunning outdoor space. To get there, we’ll take the slide.
There are regular cruise ship balconies… and then there’s the Ultimate Family Suite’s balcony.
The balcony offers an unobstructed view of the ocean along with an 8-person dining table and climbing area for kids. Perhaps the most dreamy feature of all is the balcony’s private jacuzzi—a major upgrade compared to sharing jacuzzis with other guests on the pool deck.
All in all, the Ultimate Family Suite is definitely a splurge. As someone who typically books the cheapest interior cabins when I cruise, my short tour was probably the closest I’ll get to staying in this cabin myself.
For many passengers, just the thought of spending $10,000 a night on a cruise cabin seems outrageous. Other guests, on the other hand, book the suite as a special, once-in-a-lifetime type of cruise experience.
Related: 5 best cruise ship suites on Royal Caribbean
Regardless of where you fall on the book-it-or-not debate, there’s no denying that the Ultimate Family Suite offers a unique cabin experience. There’s no suite quite like it anywhere else in the cruise industry, and its innovative features certainly provide an unmatched, unforgettable experience for families.
*Note: Royal Caribbean's website states up to ten guests can stay in the suite, but when checking prices, a reservation agent stated the cabin can only accommodate nine guests
