Royal Caribbean Blog

Ciao from Roma, Italia! Our next live blog will be coming daily from Europe onboard Odyssey of the Seas.

I’m excited to share that I’ll be cruising for the next 12 nights on a much-anticipated cruise to the Holy Land; this cruise includes three days in Israel, along with stops in Limmasol (Cyprus), Santorini (Greece), Rhodes (Greece) and Chania (Greece)

During our time in Israel, Odyssey will dock overnight for two days in Jerusalem (Ashdod) and finish with one day in Haifa.

This is a special cruise, as it has been on my dad’s bucket list for years. We had to postpone this one many times due to the pandemic, but we are so thrilled to be onboard and heading to Israel!

For this cruise, I’m sailing with Angie, my sister and social media manager for Royal Caribbean Blog. We are also joined by our parents, but we won't make them work too hard during this cruise!

Europe is my absolute favorite place to cruise in the world; the European itineraries are jam-packed with so many destinations rich in culture. This is my eighth time cruising in Europe and my third time onboard a Quantum-class ship.

Traveling to Rome

Cruising in Europe is a great cruise choice for many reasons, but one of my favorites is the opportunity to explore new cities and countries before the cruise departs.

My sister and I traveled from Florida to Paris, France last week to spend a few days in the city of love. We met up with my dear friend, Rosina, whom I actually met at the teen club on a cruise more than 14 years ago! Although I’d been to Paris on a cruise once before, having a full four days to see this incredible city was the perfect start to our cruise vacation.

Yesterday, we flew from Paris to Rome on a cheap EasyJet flight where we met up with my parents at the airport. My parents' flight landed on Tuesday morning, just in time for our cruise to depart on Wednesday.

Personally, I would recommend arriving in an international cruise destination at least two days before. This gives you more time to get adjusted to the time zone and accounts for any potential delays you might encounter. Also, this gives you a full day to explore your cruise departure city!

After meeting up with our jet-lagged parents, we made our way into Rome and enjoyed dinner before visiting the Trevi Fountain, Colosseum and Spanish Steps.

We stayed the night at Crowne Plaza - St. Peters due to its proximity to the city, airport and cruise port. I’d highly recommend staying in this area. 

Getting to the Port

After a restful night’s sleep, we took a private transfer that we arranged on Viator from our hotel to the port city of Civitavecchia.

There are multiple ways to get to the port from Rome, such as train, bus or taxi, but a scheduled transfer was both relaxing and convenient. Our private transfer was booked for $50 each while the hotel was charging $70 each for a large shuttle bus transfer. We saw the lobby filled with fellow cruisers waiting in a long line for the shuttles and taxis. 

The drive to Civitavecchia took about an hour, getting us to the port around 11:00am. Although we were slotted for a 12:00pm boarding time, there was no issue with us getting onboard earlier.

Embarkation was an absolute breeze - much smoother than any embarkation I’ve experienced stateside! Since this cruise is 12 nights, we had to take a self-monitored Covid-19 test and present negative results before boarding. We were not asked to show our vaccination cards when boarding.

Angie and I both brought Covid-19 home tests to Paris and took these at our hotel before flying to Rome. 

Getting Acquainted

Once onboard Odyssey of the Seas, we went straight to Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen to schedule dinner, which allows us to use our BOGO diamond specialty dining benefit.

We also made a reservation for Chops Grille for tonight to utilize all of the BOGO deals between the four of us.

Although the benefit states you need to dine on Day 1 or 2, we’ve found that most of the time you can prepay on the first or second day and then dine on a later date.

Since we are staying in a Junior Suite for this cruise, I also went to Coastal Kitchen to make a reservation for tomorrow night. We’ve never dined in Coastal Kitchen before, so we are excited to see what the hype’s about. 

Lunch started at the Solarium Bistro, but everything we tried was cold so we made our way to El Loco Fresh. I haven’t sailed on a ship with this dining option, so I was ready to try it out!

I really enjoyed my chicken burrito and Angie also liked her quesadilla.

We finished the meal with a creamy mudslide cocktail, made with ice cream fresh from the pool deck machine. It was divine!

The Suite Life

You might know me as the cheap cruise expert, but sometimes I do like to splurge. Although we originally booked a cheap inside cabin (per usual), we upgraded our room twice during the pre-cruise process.

We booked our inside cabin right when this itinerary was announced in 2020. Back in February, we repriced our cabins and saved $1,400 on our inside cabin while my parents saved $2,400 on their balcony stateroom. 

Book early and reprice often is always the way to go!

Just a few months ago, I upgraded us to a balcony guarantee for free since the price was slightly less than we paid. When we had the chance to bid on a suite during the Royal Up process, we bid $300 each and were awarded a mid-ship junior suite!

I’m anxious to see if the suite life is worth the price. For this cruise, we are paying right around $100 per person per day before gratuities.

Our room is equally gorgeous as it is spacious. After sailing almost exclusively in inside cabins, it feels like pure luxury.

We have a large balcony, bathtub, walk-in shower, and (the best part of all) a separate area with a toilet and additional sink. Our initial impressions of the stateroom were extremely positive - maybe I need to start upgrading myself more often!

The North Star

After making dinner reservations and finding our stateroom, we headed to Deck 14 for our North Star reservation.

I've heard before to make a reservation on the first day to try North Star - I’m so glad we did! We were able to get a reservation for 3:30pm and this allowed us to see the port and ship from above.

With a small group, we were launched into the air and given some really cool views of the ship and port area. Although I’ve sailed on both Spectrum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, this was my first time trying the North Star!

Although it was a cool thing to do once, I wouldn’t say it’s an absolute must-do and I don’t know if I would pay to do it. While in port, you aren't able to go off the side of the ship like they are able to do at sea; therefore, the complimentary ride (available during port days) is shorter. 

Right by the launching pad of the North Star was the Lime & Coconut bar. We decided to try the signature ‘Lime & Coconut’ cocktail, served in a little Malibu bucket. The cocktail was sweet with creamy coconut. It was so good that Angie and I ordered a second round!

Chops Grille

Since my dad prefers eating dinner very early, I wasn’t on the top deck to watch our sail away. Instead, we had a 5:45pm reservation at Chops Grille.

I tend to order the same thing every time I dine at Chops Grille - and it’s becoming my new routine to dine there on the first night of every cruise. This allows us to use our BOGO specialty dining benefit and it also keeps me out of the main dining room for the first night.

I’ve learned that Royal Caribbean serves the same Day 1 menu in the main dining room on practically every cruise, regardless of where I sail - and it’s just not my favorite menu. 

Upon entering Chops Grille, we saw a familiar face at the check-in counter, but couldn’t quite put our fingers on it. We asked what ships the gentleman had worked on; he listed a variety of ships but nothing helped ring a bell.

Finally, he listed at the end of his long list “Spectrum of the Seas” and we all perked up. He was our waiter for our last family cruise from Shanghai to Japan in 2019 where we dined in the Silver Lounge each evening. It’s always fun to see familiar faces onboard and reminisce on cruising memories!

For dinner, we enjoyed the thick-cut bacon and crab cakes as starters, followed by creamy wild mushroom soup. Angie doesn’t love steak so she chooses the chicken while the rest of us enjoyed tender fillets and flavorful ribeyes.

We ended dinner with an assortment of desserts, including key lime pie, chocolate cake and red velvet cake. Everything was wonderful and tasted great. The key lime pie is a showstopper in Chops Grille for us!

I ended the evening with a quiet, relaxing night in the cabin working on this blog and editing photos. Tonight’s entertainment was a 50s and 60s Tribute show, which speaks to the general demographic of this itinerary based on my observations.

Angie attended the evening show with my parents and said she enjoyed listening to the music. Our parents have yet to return to their stateroom for the night - how the tables have turned!

Tomorrow is a sea day, which is very much needed after five busy days of exploring, touring and walking all over Paris and Rome. I plan to do a lot of sleeping and napping, along with catching up on some work. 

Stray Observations

One of the biggest observations we all made was the sheer number of guests wearing Pinnacle pins. For those who don’t know, this is the highest tier of loyalty one can reach with Royal Caribbean and these exclusive guests receive an engraved name tag. These are worn with great pride by Pinnacle members - or so I’ve been told!

I’ve truly never seen so many people wearing Pinnacle pins on a cruise. Our server tonight confirmed there is a supposedly a ‘record-breaking’ number of Pinnacle guests onboard, which explains this unique observation.

This could make it difficult for us to get Coastal Kitchen reservations, as Junior Suite guests are lowest priority and can only dine for dinner if there’s availability. 

As I mentioned, the demographics on this cruise are certainly on the older side - a stark contrast from my last cruise on Carnival Ecstasy, which was a wild weekend cruise to Mexico from Mobile, Alabama for Cruise.Blog. 

My parents are in their 60s and we would guess that’s the average age of most cruisers onboard. This tends to be more common based on my experiences in European cruising, especially on the longer itineraries.

My dad tried to order a Miami Vice twice and apparently the ship is out of the strawberry mix! We will see if this continues to be true in the coming days.

Royal Caribbean cruises are great vacations for families, and there are a few tips and tricks to help maximize your cruise experience.

When you go on a cruise with your family, it can mean a mix of ages and even generations. While lots of parents take their kids on cruises, multi-gen cruising is another popular option so that grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins can spend time together onboard.

So while there are plenty of secrets I could share that apply to just about everyone, I wanted to focus on the sort of things families should know before they go on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Here are our top 50 best tips for cruising with kids on Royal Caribbean.

Shortcuts:

• Planning tips
• Money saving tips
• Cruise cabin tips
• Packing tips
• Dining tips
• Adventure Ocean tips
• Miscellaneous tips

Planning tips

1. Buy your kids a passport

Passports cost money and kids passports expire after just 5 years, but they are worth the investment.

Having a passport for everyone in your party (that means you should get one too) makes the check-in, embarkation, and disembarkation process so much easier.

Related: Do you need a passport for a cruise?

I think one of the biggest sources of frustration for families on a cruise are the lines and steps required to check-in and out of your cruise. Having a passport makes it all faster and simpler.

2. Make sure your ship has a nursery

If you are going on a cruise with kids under 36 months old, make sure the ship you booked has a nursery.

Most Royal Caribbean cruise ships have gotten a nursery added over the last few years, but a few still do not, and I would say you should avoid these ships.

The nursery is a godsend for parents with toddlers, because it offers excellent supervised child care for children of that age. Kids can eat, play, and even nap in the nursery, making it an important resource for parents who want a break now and then.

Related: Introduction to bringing toddlers on a Royal Caribbean cruise

3. Be aware of age restrictions for babies

Before booking a cruise with your newborn, make sure you’re aware of Royal Caribbean’s current infant policy.

Infants sailing on most cruises in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia must be at least 6 months old by the first day of the cruise.

For transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, select South America and other selected cruises, infants must be at least 12 months old by the first day of the cruise.

Any cruise that has 3 or more consecutive sea days requires infants to be at least 12 months old by the first day of the cruise.

4. Choose a ship with Splashaway Bay

Splashaway Bay is a kids-only aqua park on Royal Caribbean where you’ll find small slides, water cannons, a drench bucket, and jungle gym placed in shallow water.

If you aren’t sailing on a ship with Splashaway Bay, check if the ship has a baby splash pad available. Kids in diapers are not allowed in Royal Caribbean’s pools with the exception of the baby splash pad.

5. Consider an internet package

Teenagers have a lot of freedom onboard a Royal Caribbean ship, but it’s important to be able to communicate with them throughout the day while they’re off exploring with new friends.

There are two main ways to stay connected on a cruise: an internet package or the Royal Caribbean app’s chat feature.

If you’re traveling with teens, consider booking an internet package so you can stay in touch while onboard. Internet packages are typically priced around $20 per device, per day.

6. Choose a cruise itinerary wisely

Before selecting a cruise itinerary, consider if it is the best option for everyone in your travel party.

Touring cathedrals in Italy every day on a Mediterranean cruise may seem appealing to you, for example, but it may not be the most exciting destination for toddlers.

Likewise, if you are choosing a long cruise (8+ nights), consider how many sea days are on the itinerary compared to port days. If a cruise has 5+ sea days in a row, this may not be the best choice for some kids.

Itinerary choice depends on your family’s interests and ages, but be sure to browse the options available before booking the first cruise you see.

Related: How do I pick the perfect first cruise?

7. Book a ship with water slides

While pools are fun, water slides are kings among kids, and not every Royal Caribbean ship has a water slide.

When you decide to have a pool day, kids always want something else to do other than relaxing by the pool. Water slides have been a boom for families since it offers them an activity kids can do over and over again.

Before you book, research to check if the ship you are looking at booking has a water slide.

Related: Which Royal Caribbean ships have water slides?

8. Set spending limits for your kids

For older kids who carry their own SeaPass card, you may want to enable spending limits to avoid a potential problem later.

First, when checking in online, you can choose the option “No onboard expense account” to prevent your children from using their SeaPass card for onboard purchases.

Once onboard, you can stop by Guest Services and set a pre-established limit.

The arcade, for example, has its own $50 per person daily limit, although you can increase/decrease this limit to whichever amount you would like by speaking to the arcade attendant once onboard.

9. Look for kid-friendly shore excursions

Consider your childrens’ ages, fitness levels, and interests before booking a shore excursion.

Some shore excursions have age restrictions. Discover Scuba Diving tours, for example, often have a minimum age of 12.

Other shore excursions may include strenuous activities like kayaking or hiking. If you don’t think your toddler will fare well with hiking 5 miles, it might be best to plan something different in port.

You can filter shore excursions on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner site by interest, duration, and activity level to help find the best excursion to fit your family.

10. Arrive one day before your cruise begins

If you’re flying into your cruise port, be sure to arrive at least one day before the cruise begins.

Airline travel can be unpredictable, and you want to ensure your family arrives in the cruise departure city with plenty of time to spare.

Plan to arrive the day before the cruise and spend a night in a hotel prior to boarding the ship the following day. Not only does this help ensure you’ll make it to your cruise, but it also gives you a head-start on your vacation.

11. Book with a travel agent

We always recommend booking with a travel agent, and this tip is even more helpful when cruising with kids.

Travel agents can look for family stateroom categories you can’t otherwise book on Royal Caribbean’s website, can recommend shore excursions, and are available whenever a question arises in the planning process.

Related: Top 5 things to look for in a good travel agent for your cruise vacation

12. Get your kids involved in planning the cruise

A Royal Caribbean cruise will undoubtedly be a fun experience for kids, so why not get them involved in the cruise planning process before you set sail?

Researching dining options, shore excursions, and onboard activities can get kids even more excited about their upcoming cruise vacation.

Another way to get kids involved in the cruise planning process is by finding YouTube videos or books about the cruise ship and ports of call. Watching a video tour of the ship you’ll be sailing on, for example, can help kids become more familiar with the cruise experience before your vacation begins.

Money saving tips

13. Don’t buy kids a dining package

Kids get special pricing at specialty restaurants, so buy dining packages only for the adults in your travel party.

Children between the ages of 0-5 are complimentary and ages 6-12 are $10 per child at any specialty restaurant.

When you make a reservation for a restaurant onboard, let your server know the adults have a dining package, but kids don’t and you will get a better price than if you bought the dining package for everyone.

14. Free ice cream on the pool deck

If your kids are craving ice cream but you don’t want to shell out extra money for Ben & Jerry’s, head to the pool deck for unlimited soft serve ice cream.

Not much makes kids happier than “unlimited” ice cream, and the soft serve station is usually available from around 11 AM to 6 PM each day.

15. Book during a Kids Sail Free promotion

Kids Sail Free is a promotion offered by Royal Caribbean in which the 3rd and 4th guests in your cabin aged 12 and younger are eligible for free cruise fare.

This promotion can lead to fantastic savings, although you should be aware of blackout dates which tend to occur during the busiest times of the year.

Related: Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free Dates & Tips

Cruise cabin tips for families

16. Book two staterooms instead of one

My favorite family cruise tip is to book two connecting cabins instead of putting everyone into one room.

The conventional thought process is for a family of four or five to book one room for everyone. This is usually what families do at hotels or resorts, so why would a cruise be different?

Unlike hotels, cabins on a cruise are short on living space, so the experience is not exactly the same in sharing a room on a ship compared to on land.

Related: Choosing a cabin for your cruise

Booking two connecting cabins not only provides more living space, but you get an extra bathroom (a huge benefit if your kids are older). Plus, you’ll have separation from your kids when it’s time to go to sleep.

Moreover, booking two connecting smaller rooms instead of one larger room may actually save you money.

17. Get a balcony room for some peace and quiet

If you have a child who will be napping during the day on your cruise, consider booking a balcony stateroom.

Having access to a private balcony means you can relax, chat, and make noise without worrying about waking your child up from his or her nap. You won’t have to worry about being extra quiet and silently sitting in the cabin.

Plus, you’ll have access to beautiful ocean views from your balcony. You’ll likely spend more time in your stateroom than normal when cruising with a young child, so splurging a bit more on extra comforts can be nice.

18. Bring a laundry basket

One of our best cabin hacks is to bring a cheap, pop-up laundry hamper for dirty clothes throughout the cruise.

It’s easy for cruise ship cabins to get messy quickly, especially when traveling with kids. Many cruisers find they have nowhere to put their dirty laundry and end up throwing clothes into a pile on the floor.

Instead, purchase a cheap pop-up laundry hamper to place in your stateroom. These hampers do not take up much space in your luggage but can be a life-saver when trying to keep your cruise ship cabin organized and clean.

Related: I tried the best inside cruise ship cabin hacks to see how well they worked

19. Use magnetic hooks to hang extra belongings

Another cruise cabin hack we recommend is to pack magnetic hooks for extra storage space. Because Royal Caribbean cabins have magnetic walls, you can hang anything magnetic in your stateroom.

Purchasing a pack of sturdy magnetic hooks means you have extra space to hang things like jackets, towels, swimwear, hats, and backpacks.

20. Pack a USB hub

There are limited outlets in Royal Caribbean’s cruise cabins, particularly on the fleet’s older ships. It can be helpful to pack a USB hub to get more “charging space” from one outlet.

This is helpful when traveling with kids when you need to charge devices for 4+ guests, especially if you’re all staying in one room.

21. You can get a crib for the room

There’s no need to pack a Pack and Play for your kids on a Royal Caribbean cruise, as Royal Caribbean will provide a crib for your child free of charge.

When booking your cruise, you’ll indicate your child’s age. This will tell Royal Caribbean when a crib is necessary for your stateroom. However, it’s a good idea to call Royal Caribbean and request a crib directly.

If you realize there is no crib in the room once onboard, simply ask your stateroom attendant and they will provide the correct arrangements.

22. Pack a night light

Cruise ship cabins can be extremely dark at night, especially if you’re staying in an interior room.

Consider packing a small night light to place in the room so your kids can navigate the room should they wake up during the night.

Being in an unfamiliar place can be confusing for kids, especially if it’s pitch black, so this can help negate any uneasy feelings. Plus, it might even prevent you from running into furniture in the middle of the night!

23. Decorate your stateroom door

The walls and doors of your stateroom cabin are magnetic, and you’ll find that many passengers decorate their stateroom door with fun decorations.

Making custom door decorations or picking out decorations on a site like Etsy can be a fun way to get your kids involved in the cruise planning process.

Packing tips

24. Pack more diapers and supplies than you think you’ll need

While you might use X amount of diapers and baby wipes at home each day, you’re going to want to pack more supplies than you think you’ll need on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

We recommend that you pack at least 25% more diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, etc. Closer to 50% extra is ideal to ensure you won’t run out of supplies.

Related: The ultimate kids cruise packing list

If you do run out of baby supplies, you’ll be forced to either buy diapers, wipes, and other baby supplies onboard or at a pharmacy in port. Both options are not ideal, as onboard prices will be significantly higher than at home and pharmacies in foreign countries may not have the same brands you're used to.

25. Be sure to pack athletic shoes, long pants, and socks

If your kids are interested in trying onboard activities like the rock climbing wall, ice skating, zip lining, or the basketball court, be sure to pack the appropriate clothing.

It’s mandatory to wear closed-toed shoes to participate in sports activities onboard. Your kids won’t be permitted on the Sports Court or zip line without proper footwear. Avoid slip-on tennis shoes without laces or velcro as these may not be permitted on activities like the zip line.

Likewise, be sure to pack socks for the rock climbing wall and ice skating rink. Long pants are required for the ice skating rink, too.

26. Pack a first aid kit

Between running around the ship and exploring new ports, it’s not uncommon for kids to be in need of a band-aid, antibiotics, seasickness medication, and other essentials.

While these are available onboard, it’s much easier to pack a few items in a first aid kit for easy access.

27. Consider sun protective swim suits

Most kids on a Royal Caribbean cruise will spend their days soaking up the sun, whether at the pool, water slides, or FlowRider. When combined with beach days in port, this leads to a lot of time spent in the sun.

Consider purchasing UV swimwear for your kids before a cruise to avoid any painful sunburns. UV swimwear protects against sunburn by blocking harmful UV radiation.

While you can apply and reapply sunscreen over and over again, using more protective swimwear for kids is recommended.

28. Don’t bring a car seat

You may not want to bring a carseat onboard: here’s why.

You won’t find car seats in most taxis in the Caribbean, and it’s unlikely you’ll want to lug a car seat around port each day. For a short ride, we recommend doing as the locals do: putting your kids on your lap or buckling them in with regular seat belts.

While we don’t recommend this at home, it’s the way of life in many cruise ports.

29. Pack snacks from home

Passengers are permitted to bring non-perishable food onto a Royal Caribbean cruise. While there is no shortage of food to enjoy on any cruise ship, having easy-to-pack snacks available for kids can be helpful when visiting ports or spending time on the ship.

Avoiding temper tantrums is a must for parents whenever possible, and having some of your child’s favorite snacks available if they get hungry is helpful.

Items like granola bars, boxes of cereal, bags of chips, and trail mix can make for excellent snacks to bring on a cruise.

30. Bring an umbrella stroller

While you might have the latest and greatest stroller at home, consider packing something smaller while on a cruise ship.

We recommend bringing an umbrella stroller on a cruise ship, as these are much easier to navigate around the ship compared to a bulkier option.

Dining tips

31. Tips for picky eaters

Kids can be very picky about what they will eat.

The Windjammer is always a go-to option for picky eaters, as you’ll find kid-friendly food like pizza, french fries, hamburgers, and pasta available every day.

The Main Dining Room has a kids menu available every evening, with options like chicken noodle soup, chicken fingers, and grilled cheese sure to be enjoyed by even the pickiest of eaters.

If you want to dine with your kids at a sit-down restaurant, you can always bring food in from another restaurant (such as pizza or chicken nuggets). Most waiters will even go as far as to grab something simple like pizza from another restaurant for the kids.

Something else you can do is ask your head waiter for additional options for the kids. In the Main Dining Room, they can customize a lot of options; just give them a heads up in advance to ensure the chefs have enough time to prepare something.

If all else fails, grabbing a slide of pizza from Sorrento’s is sure to keep your kids satisfied.

32. Kids can order off the adult menu at specialty restaurants

Even though kids can dine at specialty restaurants at a reduced cost, the waiters do not mind offering your kids the same options as adults.

Specialty restaurants have kids menus, but if the kids want something off the adult menu, there is rarely an issue with doing so (even at their lower price).

33. Take kids to the Windjammer for dinner before Adventure Ocean

One of our best strategies for cruising with kids is to bring the kids up to the Windjammer for dinner, then take them to Adventure Ocean for the evening.

After that, the adults can go to dinner wherever they like. There’s no need to sacrifice dining options to please your kids when you can get the best of both worlds!

Adventure Ocean tips

34. Register for Adventure Ocean on the first day

On the first day of the cruise, be sure to head up to Adventure Ocean to sign your kids up as soon as registration opens.

Not only does this knock out an important must-do, but it ensures you can get up there before lines develop later on. Moreover, you don’t want to be that parent in line to register your kids while all the other families already did so and just want to drop their kids off.

Unfortunately you cannot pre-register your kids online before the cruise, but head up there on day one in the afternoon during the Adventure Ocean open house to meet the staff, get questions answered, and avoid time wasted later.

35. Bring kids to Adventure Ocean on the first day

After you register your kids for Adventure Ocean on embarkation day, encourage them to attend the first evening’s session. Just like at school or in extracurricular activities, the first day is often when friendships and cliques are formed.

It’s recommended to attend on the first day of the cruise so kids can make friends right away, especially for older children or kids who tend to be shy.

36. Our favorite nursery tip: call ahead

If your baby is ready for a nap, call the nursery and see if you can drop them off. The nursery is open throughout the day and in a lot of cases, they have availability in the morning and afternoon because most parents book up evening hours.

What I would do is call the nursery and ask if I can drop my child off. I’d let them know my kid is ready for a nap, and to provide whatever pre-nap routine they need (i.e. bottle, stroller, etc.) and to put them down for a nap and call me when they wake up.

This frees up both me and my wife so we can enjoy some time aboard while my kid takes a nap, instead of one of us being stuck in the cabin with them.

37. You can leave your kids in Adventure Ocean while you go on a shore excursion

It may feel weird to leave your kids on the ship while you go ashore, but you can safely use this option if you prefer.

Some excursions may not be open to kids under a certain age, or perhaps your kids just want to hang out onboard instead of go on a tour. Whatever the reason, Adventure Ocean is open while your ship is in port.

If your tour begins early in the morning before Adventure Ocean is set to open, let the staff know the day before and if it is a Royal Caribbean excursion. They can ensure someone will open up Adventure Ocean for you.

38. Bring kids to the Play Place

With limited space in a cruise ship cabin and other public areas on the ship, it can be difficult to find the best area for kids to run and play freely.

Select Royal Caribbean ships have a Play Place room in Adventure Ocean, which is an indoor, open play area where kids can run around, play with toys, and get any excess energy out onboard.

The Play Place is unsupervised, so children must be supervised by an adult while at the Play Place, and using the space is free of charge.

39. Know the difference between the old and new Adventure Ocean

There are two types of Adventure Ocean programming available on Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

The first is the "original" rendition of Adventure Ocean, which divides kids into the following age groups:

• Royal Babies & Tots (6-36 months)
• Aquanauts (3-5)
• Explorers (6-8)
• Voyagers (9-11)
• Teen club (12-17)

The new rendition of Adventure Ocean has different age groups:

• AO Babies (6-36 months)
• AO Juniors (3-5)
• AO Kids (6-12)
• Teens (13-17)

The “old” Adventure Ocean focuses more on organized play, whereas the new rendition of Adventure Ocean gives kids more flexibility in what they would like to do. Each Adventure Ocean style has arts and crafts, video games, sports, talent shows, science labs, and more fun-filled programming.

40. Look for family activities scheduled in Adventure Ocean

While Adventure Ocean is Royal Caribbean kids-only programming, there are select scheduled activities for families throughout the cruise.

Activities like crafts, science lab programs, and family-friendly movies may be offered throughout the cruise for the whole family. You can check for scheduled activities in the Royal Caribbean app.

41. Understand the extra charges at Adventure Ocean

While the majority of Adventure Ocean programming is complimentary, there are two exceptions.

Any childcare for kids aged 6-36 months in the nursery comes at an hourly charge. This charge is $6 per hour from 9 AM to 6 PM and $8 per hour from 6 PM to midnight.

In addition, childcare for ages 3-11 from 10 PM to 2 AM is charged at an hourly rate of $7 per child.

Miscellaneous tips

42. Pack everything you’ll need on day 1 in your carry-on bag

Be sure to drop your luggage off with the porters at the cruise terminal on embarkation day. Your luggage will be delivered to your stateroom, so there's no need to lug suitcases around the ship for several hours until the stateroom is ready.

However, you'll want to make sure you have a day bag packed with any essentials you'll need on the first day of the cruise.

Luggage may not get delivered to your stateroom until 4 or 5 PM on embarkation day, so make note of what you'll need handy that first day.

Diapers, toys, swimsuits, and important documents are all great things to place in your carry-on bag.

Related: The Ultimate Cruise Packing List

43. Download movies and videos before you sail

While there are countless activities for kids to enjoy on any Royal Caribbean cruise, sometimes all your kids might want to do is watch a movie in the cabin.

Download movies from Netflix onto your phone, computer, or tablet before the cruise to ensure you have entertainment options for your kids when necessary. You can also download YouTube videos to watch offline as well.

While you can technically stream Netflix and YouTube if you have an internet package, there’s no guarantee that the internet will always be working properly, so it’s best to download entertainment you can watch offline.

44. Have a movie night at the pool

There is a movie screen on the pool deck of most Royal Caribbean ships*, and family-friendly movies are shown every evening of the cruise at no additional cost.

Watching a movie on the pool deck can be a fun activity for the whole family, and a different movie is shown each night of the cruise.

BONUS: If you’re cruising on a Radiance Class cruise ship, there is an indoor cinema onboard with 5 showtimes per day, every day of the cruise.

*The movie screen is at the AquaTheater on Oasis Class cruise ships (excluding Wonder of the Seas).

45. Set expectations with kids and their freedom onboard

Setting expectations with your kids before the cruise is important to ensure there aren't any problems during the sailing.

Kids find they have a lot more freedom on a cruise ship compared to their day-to-day life, and it can be challenging to find a balance between supervision and allowing kids some self-exploration.

Decide what works for you and your family in terms of letting kids explore on their own, and make sure your kids also understand that there is a curfew for passengers under 18 at 1 AM each night.

46. Slow down your cruising routine

Even though there is a plethora of activities available at any given time on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you don't have to do them all at once.

It may be tempting to plan every day from sunrise to sunset, but make sure to take some time to relax.

Slow down your cruising routine so that you and your family don't feel exhausted at the end of the day.

47. Use the complimentary life jackets

All Royal Caribbean cruise ships have complimentary life jackets available on the pool deck. There’s no need to pack floaties for your kids to use onboard. Instead, just borrow a life jacket and enjoy stress-free swimming at the pool.

Complimentary life jackets are also available at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Note that life jackets are not able to be brought off the ship and into port. If you plan on bringing your kids to the beach, you may want to consider packing your own life jacket, floaties, etc.

48. Don’t forget the muster drill

One of the first things you’ll have to do on embarkation day is complete the muster drill. This safety drill involves three steps: watching a safety video, listening to the sound of the ship’s emergency horn, and listening to a short safety briefing at your muster station.

You can do the first two steps before getting onboard, but you’ll have to visit the muster station in person to complete step three.

It can be pretty hectic when boarding a cruise ship with kids, and they’re most definitely going to want to head immediately to the water slides and pool. We recommend, however, finishing the muster drill process as soon as possible once onboard so you don’t have to worry about it later on in the day.

49. Keep kids safe around the railings

Always keep an eye on your children when they are near railings, balconies, or windows. Kids love climbing and exploring, and they can quickly get themselves into a dangerous situation if you’re not careful.

Never leave young children unattended on a balcony or the pool deck.

50. Remember: this is your vacation too!

Cruising with kids often means planning your day around their interests and needs. It’s common to see parents spending their days at Splashaway Bay, dining at the Windjammer, and shuttling kids from activity to activity.

While cruising with kids can certainly be fun, it’s important to remember that this is your vacation too.

Be sure to take time for yourself on a cruise, whether planning a date night at a specialty restaurant, booking a spa treatment, or sipping a glass of wine at Vintages.

Don’t feel guilty for dropping kids off at Adventure Ocean to enjoy time to yourself. Odds are both you and your children will have a fun experience even if you’re in different areas of the ship!

Planning a cruise can be just as fun as setting sail, and the best place to start your cruise planning process is on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner website.

Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner is where you can book add-ons like shore excursions, drink packages, specialty restaurants, and internet packages. It’s your go-to place to see what is available on your upcoming cruise.

If you’re new to Royal Caribbean, the Cruise Planner can feel a bit overwhelming at first. Knowing the ins and outs of the Cruise Planner can not only help you find the best add-ons for your cruise vacation, but save you money along the way.

Here’s our Ultimate Guide to the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner site.

How do I access the Cruise Planner?

To access the Cruise Planner site, go to Royal Caribbean's website and click "Sign in" on the top right corner. Once you've signed in, you should see a list of your upcoming cruise(s).

Scroll to the cruise you'd like to plan and click "Plan my cruise". This will open the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner site.

If you do not see a list of your upcoming cruises, click "Add another cruise" and link your reservation number to your Royal Caribbean account.

What is available to reserve on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner site?

Everything from catamaran tours to sushi making classes can be reserved on the Cruise Planner site. Let’s dive in to see what options are available.

Beverage Packages

Royal Caribbean offers three beverage packages available for purchase on the Cruise Planner: the Deluxe Beverage Package, Refreshment Package, and Classic Soda Package.

• The Deluxe Beverage Package includes all alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, specialty coffees, bottled water, fresh squeezed juices, etc.
• The Refreshment Package includes all non-alcoholic beverages.
• The Soda Package includes unlimited soda refills with an included Coca Cola souvenir cup

Related: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

If one person in a cabin purchases a Deluxe Beverage Package, all adults in the room must also purchase the package. That being said, Royal Caribbean often makes an exception to this rule if the second adult in a room does not consume alcohol.

In this case, it’s recommended to call Royal Caribbean at 1-800-398-9819 to explain your situation. The second guest will, most likely, be required to purchase a Refreshment Package in lieu of a Deluxe Beverage Package.

You’ll also find a few other beverage packages available on the Cruise Planner:

• Water Bottle Package (12 or 24 bottles)
• Cafe Select Coffee Card, which entitles guests to 15 espresso-based specialty coffees
• Classic Soda and VOOM One Device, combining a VOOM internet package with the soda package

Spa & Fitness

If you’re planning to treat yourself to a day at the Vitality Spa, consider reserving a treatment on the Cruise Planner prior to your cruise.

You can reserve anything from traditional massage therapies, couples treatments, acupuncture, body therapies, facial treatments, teeth whitening, salon services, and more.

Related: First time cruisers: Royal Caribbean’s Vitality Spa

Royal Caribbean’s Vitality Fitness Center is complimentary for guests, but fitness classes come at an extra charge. You can reserve these classes once onboard or purchase a class package on the Cruise Planner.

Personal training and nutritional consultations are also available to reserve.

The Key

The Key is Royal Caribbean’s VIP access program. It offers guests perks like priority boarding, VIP seating at events, private meals, and special times at onboard activities.

This add-on must be purchased before your cruise and is priced per person, per day. Depending on the sailing, you can find The Key priced anywhere from $20 to $35 per person, per day.

We’ve done several reviews of The Key on Royal Caribbean Blog with varying opinions. If you’re considering The Key, browse through our reviews to learn more about the pros and cons of this VIP service:

• Royal Caribbean’s The Key review
• I tried The Key (again) to see if it’s worth it
• I tried The Key on an Oasis Class ship to see if it’s worth it
• Counterpoint: why we love The Key

Arcade

If you’re cruising with kids, you’ll likely find yourself at the arcade at one point or another during the sailing.

Royal Caribbean’s arcades come at an additional cost, and you can purchase credits while onboard or beforehand in the Cruise Planner.

There are three arcade credit packages available:

• $25 arcade credit
• $50 arcade credit
• $100 arcade credit

Purchasing credits via the Cruise Planner can save money compared to the price onboard. For example, $25 of arcade credit can be purchased for $20, $50 of credit for $40, and $100 of credit for $80.

Shore Excursions

The Shore Excursions tab is where you can browse and purchase tours for your upcoming cruise vacation.

You can filter excursions by activity level, duration, and interest to find the excursion that fits your needs best. While you aren’t required to reserve a Royal Caribbean shore excursion, it’s worth browsing what’s available to get a better understanding of activities available in each cruise port.

For more information on planning shore excursions, check out our best tips & tricks:

• 5 quick and easy tips to finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Top 10 cruise ship shore excursion mistakes to avoid
• Guide to picking the perfect Royal Caribbean shore excursion

Dining

The dining tab of the Cruise Planner is where you can (1) purchase dining packages and (2) reserve individual meals at specialty restaurants.

Purchasing a Royal Caribbean dining package can offer a nice value for those hoping to dine at several specialty restaurants. Three packages are offered by Royal Caribbean depending on your cruise length:

1. Unlimited Dining Package (unlimited lunches, snacks, and dinners at specialty restaurants)
2. 3-night Dining Package (3 dinners at specialty restaurants)
3. Chops + 1 Dining Package (1 dinner at Chops Grille and 1 dinner at a second specialty restaurant)

You can also reserve individual meals at specialty restaurants for lunch or dinner on the Cruise Planner. This is recommended only for those not purchasing a dining package.

Related: Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Internet

There are two types of internet packages available for purchase on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website:

VOOM SURF & STREAM is the highest speed internet package which supports web browsing and streaming videos on sites like YouTube, Netflix, etc. This package typically costs around $20 per day for one device.

VOOM SURF supports web browsing but does not have the same speed as the stream package. This package is priced around $18 per day for one device.

Onboard Activities

If you’re interested in purchasing a backstage tour of your cruise ship, visit the Onboard Activities tab on the Cruise Planner.

This is where you can book the “All Access Ship Tour,” which brings passengers to crew-only areas of the ship like the galley, engine control room, laundry room, and bridge.

Related: Royal Caribbean’s behind-the-scenes tour: here’s what it’s like

Outside of the behind-the-scenes tour, you may also find activities like a sushi making class available to book.

Photo

If you plan to purchase professional photos taken by Royal Caribbean’s photographers, a photo package will offer a better deal than purchasing each picture individually.

There are several photo packages available to purchase on the Cruise Planner site:

• Photo Package: Up to 50 Prints or Digitals
• Photo Package: 10 Prints or Digitals
• Photo Package: 5 Prints or Digitals
• Private Photo Session

Prices for photo packages can vary, but expect to pay around $140 for 50 prints/digitals, $110 for 10 prints/digitals, and $68 for 5 prints/digitals.

Gifts and Gear

If you’d like to surprise your spouse or kids when they walk into your cabin for the first time, visit the Gifts and Gear tab on the Cruise Planner.

This section is where you can purchase stateroom surprises and decor that will be delivered to your stateroom on embarkation day.

Gifts include chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, birthday cake and decor, happy anniversary decor, and cheese trays with wine.

There are also gifts catering to kids, such as a Royal Caribbean beach towel and beach toys.

How can I make reservations on the Cruise Planner?

Once you find a cruise add-on you’d like to purchase, click the “Reserve” button. You’ll be prompted to select the guest, date, and time for each purchase. You can then add the reservation to your cart.

Payments can be made with either a debit/credit card or onboard credit.

Can I link reservations together to make bookings with friends and family?

If you want to reserve a specialty restaurant or other cruise add-on with friends and family not sailing in your stateroom, be sure to link your reservations together. You can link reservations together with the reservation number and last name of the guest who is in a separate cabin.

Once reservations are linked together, you can purchase and reserve cruise add-ons for those guests in other staterooms. This is helpful when trying to reserve a specific dining time with guests outside your cabin.

Should I book a cruise add-on now or wait for the price to drop?

It’s tempting to “wait it out” before purchasing cruise add-ons like drink packages and shore excursions. No one wants to pay more than necessary, but waiting to book add-ons on the Cruise Planner will, more often than not, end up costing you more money than booking right away.

Everything on the Cruise Planner can be canceled up to 48 hours before your cruise begins. Therefore, if you purchase a shore excursion for $200 and later see the price has dropped to $150, you can cancel and rebook the excursion with no penalty.

It’s better to book add-ons as soon as possible to ensure the price does not increase. The last thing you want to happen is see a drink package price of $65 per day and wait for a lower price only to find out the price increased to $80 per day!

How do I cancel and rebook on the Cruise Planner website?

Canceling and rebooking is easy to do on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner site.

In the top right corner of the Cruise Planner, you’ll see your initials in a little circle. Click on this circle and scroll down to “Order History”.

On the Order History page, click on “View Details” on the add-on you’d like to cancel. You’ll then see the option to cancel the purchase and you will be refunded the amount paid.

Interested in more cruise planning inspiration? Check out some of our latest articles:

• 10 Royal Caribbean cruise destinations not to be missed
• Ultimate Alaska cruise guide
• Best shore excursion in every Caribbean cruise port

Could this finally be the week Royal Caribbean finally pulls back the curtain on its next new cruise ship?

Guests on at least one cruise ship got a tease that Royal Caribbean will provide more information about Icon of the Seas.

Betty Lou posted in an unofficial Icon of the Seas Facebook group a photo of the Monday edition of the Cruise Compass from Anthem of the Seas that indicates more information will be available in just a few days.

"Introducing Icon of the Seas in 3 days" is what the graphic says. Since this is the Monday edition of the Cruise Compass, that would indicate Thursday could be the day.

To be clear, the Cruise Compass makes no promises of anything. It simply teases some sort of information coming in three more days.

There is also a QR code, which brings users to www.royalcaribbean.com/icon. 

Visiting the website, Royal Caribbean says, "On Thursday, October 20th, we’re unveiling our newest class of ship and the world’s greatest vacation — Icon of the Seas".

From here, guests can sign up for an email update when more information is available.

If you look closely, you can also see what appears to be a rendering of the aft of Icon of the Seas in the background of the image.

It's also worth noting the web page's metadata contains the text, "Presenting the largest cruise ship to  ever touch water, Icon of the Seas".

While we don't yet know by which metrics Icon will be the largest, Royal Caribbean has hinted Icon could be larger than the Oasis Class.

Royal Caribbean also posted a new video teaser with new looks at icon of the Seas renderings.

{"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/pO7lNKnBZ_k.jpg?itok=S2f1yvGW","video_url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO7lNKnBZ_k","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}

No matter what is announced later this week, it seems Royal Caribbean is going to share more information of some kind.

Icon: a big secret

To say Royal Caribbean has been tight-lipped about Icon of the Seas would be an understatement.

With the ship set to debut likely little more than a year from now (late 2023 is the target date), Royal Caribbean has provided little details about the ship.

There's been no reveal of what the ship even looks like, let alone what features it will have.  There's no official word where the ship will sail from, itineraries, or any other pertinent information.

Royal Caribbean has been keeping the entire project as secretive as possible up to now in order to maintain a competitive edge, as well as to likely drum up intrigue among cruise fans eager to know more.

Icon of the Seas is the first of its kind for Royal Caribbean and the first of a new class of ships. Royal Caribbean has not released a new ship class in over a decade; instead, the company has continued to expand its Oasis-class and Quantum-class ships, including Wonder of the Seas in 2022 and Odyssey of the Seas in 2021.

When does Icon of the Seas launch?

Icon of the Seas is set to debut in late 2023.

There's about 3,000 people working on the ship every day. At its current pace, Icon of the Seas will be 80% complete in December from a construction perspective.

Icon of the Seas will become the cruise line’s first LNG powered ship in its fleet.

LNG powered cruise ships feature dual engines that utilize liquified natural gas to propel the ship. This makes the ships more efficient and environmentally friendly.

The fall temperatures may be dropping, but the Royal Caribbean news from this week is as hot as ever, and we have it all summarized for you in this week's round up!

The price for your next cocktail probably went up by a dollar.

Royal Caribbean has raised the price of a signature cocktail from $13 to $14 per drink, before gratuity. The price used to be $13 per drink.

While the individual Royal Caribbean drink prices have gone up by a dollar, your Royal Caribbean drink package benefits & Diamond drink vouchers have also been increased to match the price change.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean is ready to open the world's first renewable energy cruise terminal
• Royal Caribbean updates: Starlink on more ships, construction photos & more
• The ultimate kids cruise packing list
• 15 most commonly asked cruise questions we've been asked in 2022
• Check out our Independence of the Seas live blog

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 472nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt weighs the benefits of going on a short 3-night cruise.

After sailing on Independence of the Seas for the weekend, Matt talks about whether a short cruise is over too quickly.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: What it's like on a cruise ship during a hurricane

{"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/iyjhOVfMQyI.jpg?itok=47M8L46h","video_url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyjhOVfMQyI","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — What it's like on a cruise ship during a hurricane — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

What you'll notice when cruising on an older cruise ship

There's nothing wrong with cruising on an older ship, but pretty quickly you'll notice a few things that are different from new ships.

Older ships offer a tremendous value and offer more varied itineraries, but they also have nuances about them that stand out from other ships.

Before you step aboard, here are the biggest changes you'll notice about Royal Caribbean's older cruise ships.

Why my first European cruise wasn't what I expected

Jenna had traveled to Europe prior to ever taking a cruise, so how would the ship-based trip compare to her other visits?

As soon as she stepped foot in her first European cruise port, her concerns were quickly admonished.

Her European cruise experience wasn’t at all what she expected, and it quickly became her favorite destination to cruise in the world.

Disney Cruise Line vs Royal Caribbean

Which family cruise line offers a better cruise experience: Disney Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean?

Sylvia took a cruise on the Disney Wish and Mariner of the Seas during the same week to put the two offers to the test.

Ready to catch up on all of this week's Royal Caribbean news?

Between all the major headlines, Royal Caribbean is busy with a variety of changes and the goal of this website is to keep everyone up to date with what's happening in all aspects of the cruise line.

We combed the internet to share with you all the latest news from this week.

With a fleet of 26 ships, there are always going to be things happening and in an effort to keep everyone up to date, here's a quick run through of the latest news from this week.

Starlink added to two more ships

It looks like two more Royal Caribbean cruise ships have gotten their onboard wifi upgraded to Starlink.

Based on reader reports, Starlink appears to be working on Liberty of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Steve Ritter shared photos of the Starlink receivers onboard, and verified that the ship is now offering the internet service as of a few days ago.

Similarly, Jason Percival shared that Enchantment of the Seas now has Starlink active.

This means at least 4 ships now have Starlink active on them:

• Freedom of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas

Royal Caribbean has not provided any timeline of when each ship will get it. They've only said the entire fleet will have it by the end of the first quarter of 2023.

For now, we're reliant on reader reports for confirmation of the switchover.

In case you're wondering, there has not been any update on if the cost of ship internet will change or not. For now, ships with Starlink are still offering the service at the same prices as the older technology.

Royal Caribbean wins Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award

Royal Caribbean won an award in the latest Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards.

In the "Mega Ships (more than 4,000 passengers)" category, Royal Caribbean edged out MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line for the top honor.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared the news on his Facebook page, "We are so proud to be recognized for the amazing vacations our ships deliver ― they are crafted with all of our guests in mind!"

Galveston construction photo update

Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal is just 26 days from opening, and we have an on-the-ground photo update to share.

Former Royal Caribbean Cruise Director (and now working in their sales department) Abe Hughes shared photos he took of the new terminal on a recent visit.

The $125 million terminal will be the world's first zero-energy cruise terminal.

Icon of the Seas construction photo

Speaking of construction updates, here's a close up photo from a new venue on the Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, tweeted a photo of the ship that shows the front of the ship, with some kind of a venue present.

Mr. Weir's photo seems to point to it being related to entertainment, since the head of the cruise line's entertainment division posted it with the word, "Hmmmm" in the tweet.

New Allure of the Seas walkthrough video tour

{"preview_thumbnail":"/sites/default/files/styles/video_embed_wysiwyg_preview/public/video_thumbnails/SBE5X-7Gp-M.jpg?itok=Wrklufo_","video_url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBE5X-7Gp-M","settings":{"responsive":1,"width":"854","height":"480","autoplay":0},"settings_summary":["Embedded Video (Responsive)."]}

Not necessarily news, but you might be interested to watch our new full walkthrough tour of Allure of the Seas.

Filmed last month, this video tour will show off the entire ship so you can be prepared for it when you board.  Or you can use it as an excuse for a virtual cruise escape!

I think there's a lot of good reasons to sail on Royal Caribbean's older cruise ships, but there are at least a few nuances that you'll quickly notice if you're used to a newer ships.

Older cruise ships is a relative term, as all ships age. Depending on your definition, this could include ships that are 5, 10, or 20 years old.  

Regardless of a ship's age, Royal Caribbean does a good job of maintaining its fleet with regular updates and even upgrades to some vessels. 

Read more: What was added to each Royal Caribbean ship during its Royal Amplified refurbishment

Some of the best reasons to go on an older cruise ship is to take advantage of the lower prices because older ships tend to command a lower price than newer ones. Some of the best values in cruising can be found on a Radiance, Vision, or Voyager Class cruise ship. 

In addition, older ships tend to be smaller (relatively speaking), and that allows them to get to less-frequently visited ports, especially in Europe.

While the core experience is very much the same across all Royal Caribbean cruise ships, you're going to pick up on a few differences on older ships. These aren't bad things in this list, nor do they mean you shouldn't book an older ship.  This is simply a way to point some differences since new cruisers often are curious about what's different between the ships.

Before you step aboard, here are the biggest changes you'll notice about Royal Caribbean's older cruise ships.

Cabin aesthetics

If you've been on a newer cruise ship and then go on an older ship, the cabin is one of the first places you'll become aware of a ship's age.

Just like how a house built 20 years ago probably has a different look and feel than a house built today, cruise ship cabins on older ships will not have the same modern style as a ship like Wonder of the Seas.

Certainly the wall color, art work, and bed skirts stand out on the older generation of cruise ships.

Starting with the Quantum Class ships and Harmony of the Seas within the Oasis Class, Royal Caribbean adopted a more modern look to its cabin design.

Another major difference with an older ship is the lack of outlets.

Older ships tend to have a couple of outlets at the most to use, whereas new ships have many outlets and even USB plugs you can use in your cabin.

Regardless of which ship you sail on, it's a good idea to pick up a cruise ship outlet expander to ensure you have plenty of outlets.

Old TV models

Whether in your cabin or around the ship, the televisions around the ship will reinforce a ship's age.

Just like when you visit your parents' house, televisions with a wide bezel are something you'll instantly recognize as an older look.

Don't worry, there are no cathode-ray tube (CRT) TV's left on ships, but flat panel televisions have come a long way in their feel.

A few Royal Caribbean cruise ships still don't have pay-per-view or any kind of interactivity within their cabin televisions. This may not matter much since most passengers are not staying in their cabin to watch a movie.

Not only do the newer ships have more channels and movies to watch, but you can review onboard charges via the television and even order room service.

On the oldest ships, you're also going to quickly notice the shower curtains that are there instead of the hard plastic enclosure.

Fewer specialty restaurants

It wasn't too long ago that a cruise ship with two specialty restaurants was pretty much the norm.  Today, a ship with only two specialty restaurants can be eye-opening.

Royal Caribbean upgraded many of its older ships over the last decade to add more specialty dining. The Radiance, Voyager, and Freedom Class ships all had new specialty dining venues added during refurbishments.

Of course, the brand new Oasis and Quantum Class ships will still have many more specialty dining options.

If you sail on a Vision Class ship, you can expect the fewest specialty dining choices. Enchantment of the Seas only has Chops Grill and Chef's Table for specialty dining choices.

Fewer app features

The Royal Caribbean app is now a must-use part of the cruise experience, but you'll have less icons to click on older ships.

On the newest ships in the fleet, the app can do things like being able to open your stateroom door, augmented reality experiences, and even open your cabin curtains.

To be fair, even a few Oasis Class ships don't have all these features yet, but you'll definitely not find these options in the older ships.

The good news is the core feature set across the entire fleet encompasses exactly the sort of things you'll want, so you'll be able to do online check-in, manage your onboard spending, and view activities.

No Broadway shows

Royal Caribbean has made a name for itself by offering Broadway shows on some ships, but don't expect to find them on older vessels.

With the exception of Independence of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, the Broadway shows are relegated to the Oasis and Quantum Class ships.

Of course, there will still be evening shows on older ships. These shows include plenty of dancing, singing, and music, but lack a coherent plot across the entire show.

Another thing you may notice in these shows is the music selection is a reflection of the time the ship launched.  Some of the newer acts play up music that was new and popular at the time, but is now considered a classic hit.

The casts in these shows are just as talented as the Broadway casts, and they are fun to see.

No Royal Promenade

If you sail on a Radiance or Vision Class cruise ship, you won't have a Royal Promenade.

Instead, there is a Centrum, which is a large, open area within the ship. A set of elevators runs up the Centrum, and shops, bars, cafe, and more.

You'll find activities throughout the day at the base of the Centrum, such as live music, demonstrations, and even game shows.

If you want to shop, you'll simply need to walk off the Centrum to the shopping district, which is a hallway of ship stores you can browse.

Larger Schooner Bar

The newer the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, the smaller the Schooner Bar footprint has gotten.

On the Vision Class, the Schooner Bar is massive with a much more pronounced nautical theme.

You'll still get a fairly good sized Schooner Bar on the Voyager and Freedom Class ships, but the size is significantly smaller.  The Oasis Class Schooner Bar feels much smaller than the rest of the fleet. 

There's also no ocean views from the Schooner Bar on Royal Caribbean's biggest cruise ships.

If you sail on an older ship, you'll want to take advantage of these larger bars for the great seating and ocean views.

Print photo wall

Souvenir photos taken by the ship's photographers have largely gone digital, but the older ships still print out copies for you to browse.

You'll find in the photo gallery area a wall of printed photos that you need to comb over in order to find your photos. The crew categorize photos by the day they were taken and the location.

On newer ships, you just scan your SeaPass card and all your photos are displayed on the screen, allowing you to print only the photos you want to purchase.

Smaller ship size

This may be the most obvious thing you'll notice, but the ship will likely be smaller on older ships.

As Royal Caribbean has built new ships over the years, they have steadily built bigger and bigger cruise ships.

The good thing about a smaller ship is your "commute time" from one end of the ship to the other is noticeably less. This means if you forget something in your cabin, getting back and forth will feel less like a trek on a small ship.

Abandoned concepts

Mexican restaurants, self-leveling pool tables, and Brazilian steakhouse are all examples of things Royal Caribbean put on its ships and then gave up on in favor of something else.

You may run across a specialty restaurant concept that is only on a handful of ships, such as Sabor or Samba Grill.

The Radiance Class have these lounges with a safari or jungle theme to them that also include bars that rarely actually open.

There are also bars that don't exist on newer ships, such as the Champagne Bar or R-Bar. The bar in the Viking Crown Lounge on Radiance Class ships actually spins slowly at night.

A new standard for environmental stewardship has been set by Royal Caribbean.

Photo by Alex Roberson

Next month, Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal will open in Galveston, Texas and when it does, it will set change the norm for all other terminals around the world.

The cruise line says by using solar panels, it will be able to generate 100% of its needed energy. This makes the terminal the first LEED Zero Energy facility in the world, and for exclusive use by Royal Caribbean International cruise ships.

The new cruise terminal will be the home of Allure of the Seas when she begins offering cruises in November 2022.

The $125 million, 161,334-square-foot Galveston Cruise Terminal will be able to accommodate up to 630,000 guests per year. 

The opening of the terminal will mark the first time Galveston welcomes Royal Caribbean International’s signature Oasis Class, the world’s largest cruise ships, with the arrival of Allure of the Seas and the first time the company is bringing its frictionless arrival and departure process to Texas.

Sustainable cruise terminal

When you think of a cruise terminal, you think about almost any large building that can accommodate a lot of people in that they are on the power grid. In fact, I bet you don't think about it because you just assume it's like any other building.

In building this new cruise terminal, Royal Caribbean Group approached design strategies that aligned with its wholistic environmental goals, its focus to advance the development of sustainable infrastructure as well as its decarbonization strategy.

Last year, Royal Caribbean Group announced it wanted to get to net zero emissions by 2050 under a program it calls, "Destination Net Zero".

The new cruise terminal in Galveston will be the first in Texas to achieve LEED Gold certification, an industry-leading certification expected to be received within the first two quarters of 2023.

Here's how Royal Caribbean Group reached this goal with the Galveston terminal:

• Improved Sustainability in Construction
  • The project prioritized using materials that produce less carbon based on energy used and the transportation process.
  • During construction, the team has diverted 75% of its waste from landfill.
  • Minimized interior sources of pollution through the installation of materials with low or zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) content, and enhanced air filtration media, focusing on occupant thermal comfort and controllability.
• Renewable Energy and Carbon Reduction
  • The terminal will rely on 30,000 square feet of on-site photovoltaic solar panels, enabling the port’s self-sufficient energy usage. Any remaining energy not used by the terminal will be sent to the local power grid.
  • Carbon emissions are being offset through the purchase of carbon credits.
• Regional and Global Environmental Benefits
  • Materials and construction selection contribute to the reduction of “heat island effect” in the Galveston area, a region that experiences higher temperatures than outlying areas due to an over-stimulated energy grid.
  • Implement strategies to reduce exterior lighting pollution, which may help minimize negative effects to the night-time sky and the surrounding community.
• Community Connectivity
  • By offering bicycle facilities and electric charging stations, the project promotes alternative means of transportation for guests and staff from the surrounding community, reducing transportation-related carbon emissions.
  • As the Port of Galveston increases its Electric Vehicles (EV) charging stations, Royal Caribbean International’s terminal, T10, will supply infrastructure for the future installation of eight EV charging stations within its parking lot.

Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty celebrated this achievement, "We are focused on innovating across all aspects of our company, especially in our work to advance sustainability in the communities we visit."

"We deeply value both the oceans we sail and the communities we visit and operate in, and the modern design and development features at our terminal in Galveston will work in service of both."

The Galveston terminal is the fourth LEED certified facility, but first to be Gold certified.

Other projects getting LEED certified include:

• Terminal A at PortMiami
• The Springfield, Oregon campus
• The Innovation Lab at Royal Caribbean Group’s corporate headquarters in Miami

Planning a Royal Caribbean cruise can bring up endless questions. Which ship should I book? Should I buy a drink package? Which itinerary is best for my family?

While planning a cruise is almost as fun as the cruise itself, it can be challenging to figure out the right answers to these questions, especially for first time cruisers.

Here at Royal Caribbean Blog, we aim to make the cruise planning process as seamless as possible by providing our best tips & tricks for planning a cruise vacation.

One way we do this is through a live broadcast every Monday on the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube channel. During this broadcast, our viewers can ask any questions they have about all things Royal Caribbean.

While we always receive unique questions each week, there are many questions we are asked time and time again. Here are the most frequently asked questions we’ve received about Royal Caribbean cruises this year.

What should I do in Cozumel, Costa Maya, Nassau, etc.?

We’ve been asked countless times for our recommendations on the best things to do in popular cruise ports.

Whether visiting Nassau, Falmouth, Ensenada, or Rome, it’s important to do a little research ahead of your visit to ensure you find the best shore excursion to fit your interests.

We have several helpful guides highlighting ideas of what to do in popular cruise ports:

• Best shore excursion in every Caribbean cruise port
• Best things to do in Nassau on a cruise
• Ultimate Mexico cruise guide
• 11 of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean
• Top things to do in St. Maarten on your Royal Caribbean cruise
• 40 Perfect Day at CocoCay tips, tricks and secrets

These guides should help you have a better understanding of what is offered in popular cruise ports.

Is the Coco Beach Club worth it?

The Coco Beach Club is Royal Caribbean’s exclusive enclave at Perfect Day at CocoCay. It features a private infinity pool, beach access, lunch at the Coco Beach Club restaurant, and comfy seating areas. There are also two types of private cabanas to reserve at the beach club, including the highly coveted over-the-water cabanas.

Related: Coco Beach Club: cost, tips & review

The price of the Coco Beach Club can vary by sailing, but it has recently been priced around $160.99 per person.

What is “worth it” or not is highly subjective. Some guests may have no interest in spending $160.99 per person when there are free activities elsewhere on CocoCay. Others, however, may value the exclusivity of the Coco Beach Club and decide it’s worth it to treat themselves to a more luxurious day.

Consider your travel style and budget before reserving a day pass at the Coco Beach Club. What is “worth it” to one guest may not be worth it to another.

Which ship is best when cruising with kids?

A Royal Caribbean cruise makes for an excellent family vacation. It will be difficult for kids to get bored with activities like water slides, arcades, carousels, rock climbing, and kids programming at their fingertips.

We’re often asked which Royal Caribbean cruise ship is best for kids. While all cruises will offer enough to keep kids busy, not all ships are created equally.

We usually recommend sailing on an Oasis, Quantum, or amplified Freedom or Voyager Class ship when cruising with kids. These ships offer the best of the best of Royal Caribbean’s kid-friendly activities, such as the FlowRider, bumper cars, and zip lines.

Related: Here are the absolute best cruises for families

However, you’ll still find that kids can stay busy on even the smallest Royal Caribbean cruise ships. All ships have Adventure Ocean kids programming, a rock climbing wall, and child-friendly activities offered every day of the cruise. 

Should I upgrade my stateroom with RoyalUp?

RoyalUp is Royal Caribbean’s bidding program for cruise ship cabins. It allows passengers to bid on higher category cabins before their cruise. If they win the bid, they’ll be assigned an upgraded stateroom.

Listeners ask us nearly every week on our YouTube live whether or not it’s worth it to upgrade their stateroom with RoyalUp.

More often than not, our answer is the same. If you want to upgrade your cabin, it’s best to contact your travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly. Check how much it would cost outright to upgrade your cabin, and determine if the price is reasonable for your vacation budget.

Related: Royal Caribbean’s RoyalUp guide, tips, and tricks

The problem with RoyalUp is that cabin upgrades are not guaranteed. If you are 100% certain you would like to upgrade from a balcony to a suite, for example, it’s better to upgrade without an uncertain bid.

That being said, some cruisers enjoy the RoyalUp bidding process. It is possible to score a cabin upgrade for a lower cost than upgrading outside RoyalUp. As long as you understand that you may not win an upgrade, there’s no harm in placing a bid.

What does Royal Caribbean do for holidays?

If you’re cruising on a Royal Caribbean ship during a major holiday, you’ll find that there are many special events offered throughout the cruise.

Cruising during Thanksgiving and Christmas means the ship is decorated with festive decor, from inflatable turkeys and pumpkins to a Christmas tree in the Royal Promenade.

Related: How Royal Caribbean celebrates Christmas and New Years holidays on its cruise ships

Special activities are offered throughout the day, including gingerbread cookie decorating, holiday movie screenings, holiday crafts, and scavenger hunts.

In addition, there are special menus offered in the Main Dining Room for holiday dinners. You’ll find courses like honey baked ham, oven-roasted turkey, and chestnut truffle risotto on the menu.

You’ll also find special events on days like Halloween, New Year’s, and Super Bowl Sunday. Be sure to pack a costume for Halloween, and don’t miss the celebration in the Royal Promenade to ring in the New Year onboard your cruise!

How does the Unlimited Dining Package work?

There always seems to be confusion with the ins and outs of Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package.

The Unlimited Dining Package is unlimited, meaning you can dine at as many specialty restaurant locations as you’d like onboard. This includes lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Reservations cannot be made in advance with the Unlimited Dining Package. Instead, guests must visit a specialty restaurant on embarkation day and make all dining reservations for the cruise.

You do not have to visit each specialty restaurant individually to make reservations. If you visit Jamie’s Italian to make a reservation, for example, you can make reservations for all other restaurants at the same time.

The only exception to this rule is with Izumi Hibachi. All hibachi reservations must be made by visiting Izumi once onboard. We recommend that you do this as soon as possible, as hibachi tables can fill up quickly.

Related: Royal Caribbean specialty dining packages guide

The Unlimited Dining Package covers both cover charge restaurants and à la carte options. Cover charge dining is offered at most venues, including Italian restaurants, Chops Grille, 150 Central Park, Wonderland, and Johnny Rockets. The cover charge is included in the dining package, and you won't have to consider the cost per item on the menu at these venues.

Izumi, Portside BBQ, and Playmakers are à la carte. At Izumi, each guest with a dining package receives a $35 food credit. Portside BBQ and Playmakers offer $20 in food credit per guest.

One exception to the Unlimited Dining Package is at Izumi Hibachi, where an additional $10 surcharge will be added to your bill once onboard.

Related: How to know if you should buy a Royal Caribbean dining package

Alaska cruise tips & tricks

Alaska cruises are some of Royal Caribbean’s most popular itineraries, and we receive countless questions from viewers planning an Alaska cruise.

Whether choosing an Alaska cruise itinerary, picking the best ship for Alaska, or planning which shore excursions to book in each port, there’s a lot to consider.

Luckily, we have plenty of helpful guides for planning the best Alaska cruise:

• Ultimate Alaska cruise guide
• 50 Alaska cruise tips you should use
• How to choose the right Alaska cruise itinerary
• How far in advance to book an Alaska cruise
• What is the cheapest month for an Alaska cruise?

No matter which ship, itinerary, or time of year you sail to Alaska, you’re guaranteed to see stunning scenery, wildlife, and culture. Both small and big cruise ships sail to Alaska each year, so there’s really something for every type of traveler.

Should I wait until the price goes down on ______ before booking?

Another common question we are asked is if it’s better to purchase a pre-cruise add-on right away or wait to see if the price drops.

Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner is where you’ll purchase cruise add-ons like drink packages, dining packages, shore excursions, and internet packages before a cruise.

Let’s say you visit the Cruise Planner website and see a shore excursion listed for $120 per person. It may be tempting to wait and see if the price lowers to $80-100 per person before booking.

This is never a good idea. Why? You’re always able to cancel a Cruise Planner purchase and rebook later on if you notice a price drop. You can cancel and rebook up to 48 hours before your cruise.

Therefore, if you know you want to purchase a cruise add-on, it’s best to purchase right away so the price doesn’t increase while you’re hoping it will decrease!

Should I wait to book my next cruise at Next Cruise?

Next Cruise is a cruise booking office found on every Royal Caribbean ship. It’s where passengers can book a future cruise while onboard their current cruise–and receive several perks for doing so.

If you book a cruise at Next Cruise, you’ll see deposits as low as $100 per person and receive up to $600 in onboard credit on your future cruise.

These perks can make it tempting to wait to book a future cruise until you’re onboard an upcoming sailing, but this is usually not the best idea.

Let’s say your Caribbean cruise is a month away and you’re waiting to book next summer’s Mediterranean cruise once onboard. In that month, the price of the Mediterranean cruise may increase by several hundred dollars, thus negating any “savings” you would receive by booking the cruise onboard.

Therefore, it’s best to book a cruise today instead of waiting weeks or months to book it at Next Cruise. If you’re onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, however, and suddenly get the urge to book a future cruise, there’s no harm in booking the cruise at Next Cruise.

Do both people in the room have to get the Deluxe Beverage Package?

Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package offers unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. However, Royal Caribbean states the following about the Deluxe Beverage Package policy:

The Deluxe Beverage Package policy requires all guests wishing to purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package to do so for ALL guests of legal drinking age in the same stateroom.

Related: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Info, Tips, Pros & Cons

This policy creates a problem for some guests when one person in the stateroom wishes to purchase the Deluxe Beverage Package but the other doesn’t consume alcohol.

In this scenario, call Royal Caribbean at 1-800-398-9819 to ask for an exemption on the second guest. In most cases, you will be required to purchase a Refreshment Package (non-alcoholic package) for that guest.

Should I be worried about hurricane season?

You’ve come across an amazing cruise deal, but you’re hesitant to book. Why? The itinerary sails right in the middle of hurricane season!

Many of those new to cruising are concerned about sailing during hurricane season. After all, the idea of sailing through a hurricane does not sound like the best way to spend vacation.

However, it’s important to dispel the myths regarding cruising during hurricane season.

Royal Caribbean will not sail a cruise ship directly into the eye of a hurricane. Itinerary changes, postponed embarkation, or delayed disembarkation may be necessary in order to keep all passengers and crew safe.

Related: What it’s like on a cruise ship when there’s a hurricane

More often than not, you won’t run into any hurricanes when cruising during hurricane season. On the off chance that your cruise happens at the same time a hurricane is approaching the Caribbean, it’s important to remain flexible and realize that your itinerary may change.

What should I wear on formal night?

Many newbie cruisers are concerned with packing the right outfit for formal night.

Formal night is typically offered only once on 3, 4, and 5 night cruises, and twice on 6-10 night cruises. It only applies to dinner in the Main Dining Room.

Before you pack a tuxedo and ball gown, it’s important to realize that formal night is not nearly as glamorous as it once was. Many cruisers choose to wear a nice pair of slacks and a polo, a sundress, or a button-up shirt.

For more information on formal night, check out our guide on what to wear on a cruise formal night. 

Is a suite worth the extra cost?

Many viewers have asked us if they should book one cruise with a suite or spread the money out and book two or more cruises in a lower category cabin.

Whether a suite is worth the extra cost is subjective. Some passengers love the extra space and perks that come with a suite, but others would prefer booking multiple cruises for the same cost as one cruise in a suite.

Related: Is a suite on Royal Caribbean worth it?

If your budget is tight, we recommend booking multiple cruises in a regular category stateroom over just one cruise in a suite. You likely won’t spend much time in your room anyway while onboard, and more days on a cruise ship is always a perk!

However, if budget isn’t an issue and you’re looking to treat yourself, you may find that a suite is worth the extra cost. Priority boarding, extra cabin space, Suite Lounge and Sun Deck access, exclusive dining options, and concierge service can be well worth the extra cost for many cruisers.

Related: Royal Caribbean suites guide & review

What tips do you have for solo cruisers?

Sailing solo on a Royal Caribbean cruise may seem daunting at first glance, but it’s actually a lot more common than you might think.

We often receive questions from viewers asking about our advice for planning a solo Royal Caribbean cruise. Here are a few of our best tips:

Consider a studio cabin

A major drawback of cruising solo is paying a single supplement fee for a standard cruise cabin. This means you are charged extra for cruising with just one person in a stateroom. This charge makes up for the lost revenue that a second person would otherwise bring.

However, several Royal Caribbean ships offer solo staterooms that do not come with a single supplement fee. These staterooms are smaller than a standard cruise cabin but can easily lead to large savings on cruise fare.

Participate in group activities

Cruising solo does not mean you have to spend the whole cruise alone. Consider attending onboard activities like drink seminars, wine tastings, and sports tournaments to get to know your fellow passengers.

Related: What I learned from my first solo cruise

Join Facebook groups for your sailings

Prior to your cruise, consider joining a Facebook group for your sailing. Here you can connect with other passengers on your cruise and organize onboard meetups.

For more tips & tricks on cruising solo, check out our guide to solo cruises on Royal Caribbean.

Do I need a passport to cruise?

Planning a cruise but you don’t have a passport? Depending on your sailing, you may not need a passport.

If you’re a U.S. citizen on a cruise beginning and ending at the same port in the U.S., you do not need a passport. Instead, you can provide proof of citizenship via a government-issued birth certificate and laminated government-issued picture ID (such as a driver’s license).

Related: Do you need a passport for a cruise?

While there are some itineraries where passports are not required for U.S. citizens, we still recommend getting a passport before your cruise.

Not having a passport can lead to problems down the line, especially if you encounter any emergencies where you must fly back to the U.S. from a foreign country. Without a passport, you will need to travel to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in a foreign country and apply for a temporary visa to re-enter the United States.

This process is not quick and can be a huge headache. Therefore, we always recommend having a passport before your cruise.

Packing for kids is a lot like any cruise packing list, but any parent will tell you that kids come with their own set of requirements and nuances you don't get when packing for just adults.

There are also some child specific items that you should bring, especially if you are traveling with the youngest of sailors.

We’ve put together the ultimate kids packing list to help make your pre-cruise packing effortless and get you on your way to cruising.

Here’s what to make sure you pack for your next family cruise vacation.

Getting to your cruise  

Traveling with kids, especially younger ones, does call for additional consideration, even before you get on the ship. Whether you are flying or driving straight to the port, there are a few major items that you should pack:  

• Stoller – A stroller is a must have for young kids; however, you may not want to bring your large double stroller from home, as this can be tricky to navigate in the narrow hallways of a cruise ship or some port areas. Many people go for a cheaper umbrella stroller, something light and easy to carry and maneuver.
• Car Seat – While you don’t need one on the ship, some people like to bring theirs for excursions, especially not knowing what is available in port and the likelihood of taxis and buses having them. 
• Cruise paperwork – Like adults, kids need identification for their cruise, so don’t forget their set sail passes along with required ID, vaccine, or covid-testing requirements where needed. 

Travel requirements

Many parents have questions about what is acceptable identification for kids. For US citizens under 16, Royal Caribbean accepts either an original, notarized or certified copy of a birth certificate. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by DOS, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are also acceptable. The cruise line will not accept baptismal papers or hospital certificates of birth as a form of identification. 

Do your research, though, as some cruises require passports, such as those leaving for Alaska from Canada. In this case, a birth certificate won’t do.

Although most cruises no longer require pre-cruise Covid-19 testing, there are a few itineraries, such as Bermuda, Australia and transatlantic/ transpacific sailings, that still require them. It is best to consult the Royal Caribbean website for your specific sailing to see what exactly you need. 

Carry-on items

Once you are on the ship, with all the paperwork out of the way, you should have everything you need until your luggage arrives at your cabin. As with adults, kids need to pack for any activities as well as must haves such as glasses and prescription medication.

Make sure to bring a change of clothes, diapers, and any other immediate needs for your younger kids. A bathing suit, sandals, and a sun hat are all good to have. We can all get a little tired, especially if you travel far, so remember to add anything your kids may like such as their favorite stuffed animal or baby bottles, to help soothe an unhappy traveler.

It can be fun for kids to have their own backpacks to carry a few specialty things, like a toy. Or if they are teens, many want to bring their own phones and tablets. This, along with spending money, should be packed in a carry-on.

Clothes

How much to pack depends on the length and type of cruise. There are no self-service laundry facilities onboard but washing, pressing, and dry-cleaning services are offered (prices vary per item). The cruise line also offers wash and fold specials during sailings whereby guests can fill up a bag for the fixed amount of $34.99 per bag.

It is best to plan clothes for the number of days plus a return home outfit. Two outfits per day is a good rule of thumb (day and night) for adults. So you may want to increase this to at least one extra outfit, especially for younger kids.

Be sure to include:

• Clothes for having fun on the pool deck, such as a bathing suit, sundress, t-shirts and shorts. Tip: Since many kids spend lots of time in the water, it is a good idea to bring extra bathing suits (three at least). No one likes putting a wet bathing suit on.
• Sandals
• Jeans and pants
• Active wear, including running /walking shoes – especially for sports activities
• Pants and a sweater for chillier spots like the ice rink
• Don’t forget socks and underwear
• Pajamas
• Sun hat/ visor
• Packing cubes can be helpful in organizing clothes in your suitcase or for your cabin.

Evening for kids can run the full gamut, depending upon how formal your family wants to be: 

• Pants, jeans or leggings
• Nicer top, collared shirts
• Dresses
• Dress up shoes
• Suit and tie 

For cruises with colder itineraries, consider:

• Shirts and t-shirts for inner layers
• Warm layers, such as fleece pullovers
• Waterproof jacket
• Suitable closed-toe shoes
• Boots for hiking/walking where needed
• Gloves, hat and scarf

Baby specific items

Traveling with younger kids can definitely add more to your packing list. Beyond the standard clothes suggested, consider including:

• Diapers – pack plenty of extra ones, including regular and swim
• Baby and disinfectant wipes
• Rash cream
• Extra plastic bags for wet items
• Light blanket
• Bottles
• Baby food and formula
• Sippy cups

Excursions

Whether it’s a beach day, a bicycle tour, or snorkeling, there are a few things you should probably include for your port days.

Like adults, kids need comfortable, weather appropriate clothing and other items to make the best of their day. Don’t assume you can buy extra diapers when visiting ports.

For general water/ beach outings, consider kid sized/specific items such as : 

• Mask, goggles and snorkel
• Water shoes (where needed)
• Life jackets and flotation devices 
• Waterproof phone carrier
• UV swimsuit (for those who prefer)
• Sunscreen and lip balm
• Hat/sunglasses
• Collapsible silicone toys are a fantastic option for saving space in lieu of traditional bulky toys

Comfort items/ miscellaneous

After a busy day of fun, it is nice to take a break and relax in your cabin. Kids will feel better with some of their favorite comfort creatures from home. Cruise lines do provide pack and plays; just make sure to request them as soon as possible, as they are in limited supply. 

Other items to pack:

• A tablet with pre-downloaded movies/ games, as tv is limited onboard
• Bring a few toys, including their favorite stuffed animal
• Coloring supplies
• Books
• A nightlight – especially if you are in an inside cabin
• Many parents prefer a bath for young children. A small blow-up bathtub that can be placed in the shower during a cruise
• You may also want to bring your kid's favorite snack, like fish crackers or cheerios.
  • You can only bring non-perishable items, so no fruits or vegetables.
• Refillable water bottle
• A pack of cards
• Kids' shampoo and conditioner

With your family and all their stuff in a cruise cabin, it is a good idea to think about some organizational and storage techniques. Magnetic hooks and an over the door organizer, as well as ziploc bags for convenient storage, are all good options. 

First aid and medications

While some items can be purchased onboard, it is a good idea to have a ready made first aid kit for easy access during the cruise. The last thing you want to do is spend time running around in port to find something. Don't assume that there will be an adequate supply on the ship. Best to pick them up at the local drugstore pre-cruise; a pharmacist can assist with determining what is best for you.

Here are some common medications/ first aid items to pack:

• Pain and allergy products
• Seasickness meds
• After-burn care (aloe), lip balm (SPF), and bug spray
• Anti-itch cream/ hydrocortisone
• First aid items such as band-aids and anti-bacterial ointment
• Upset stomach medications
• Cold /flu medicine

Planning a Royal Caribbean cruise? Start here:

• 8 cruise tips for first-time Royal Caribbean cruisers
• What’s included in your Royal Caribbean cruise fare
• 5 quick and easy tips for finding a great shore excursion on your own
• Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• What is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise?