Over the past decade, Royal Caribbean International has continually enhanced its onboard offerings in order to guarantee that everyone in the family will enjoy an extraordinary vacation. The cruise line has built innovative ships that feature plenty of ways to keep kids entertained plus lots of activities that families can participate in together (including ice skating, miniature golf, karaoke, and talent shows).
When the much-anticipated Oasis of the Seas entered service in December, the ship made headlines worldwide by taking family cruising to a whole new level. The vessel’s BoardwalkSM neighborhood – reminiscent of an old-fashioned seaside amusement park – features an arcade, an exquisite and full-sized carousel, a thrilling zip line, rock climbing, and the AquaTheater’s high-diving acrobatics and synchronized swimming. You’ll even find a fully-staffed nursery, where childcare options are available both day and night. And while Oasis of the Seas and sister ship Allure of the Seas (which will enter service in December) are nearly booked to capacity, Royal Caribbean offers family activities and children’s programs aboard all of its vessels.
From Tots To Teens
At the heart of Royal Caribbean’s family cruising experience is Adventure Ocean®, a complimentary program for kids ages three through eleven. Organized by age group, children can make new friends in supervised play areas throughout the day while parents pursue adult activities. And Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line with dedicated teen spaces (the private Living Room lounge and teen disco are off-limits to grown-ups). Teens can hang out or join other teens for fun-filled activities like playing video games, watching movies, or giving the FlowRider® (Royal’s simulated surfing machine) a try.
Royal Babies (for children between the ages of six and eighteen months) & Royal Tots (for children between the ages of eighteen months and thirty-six months) combine playtime with learning time in sessions developed by Fisher-Price®. Facilities include “Stroll & Roll,” a dedicated jogging track where parents can exercise with infants in strollers. Parents traveling with infants and toddlers can also order organic baby food and diapers, which may be delivered directly to a stateroom, so that they won’t have to lug supplies from back home. And evening babysitting services are available at surcharges of $10 per hour (for up to two children) or $15 per hour (for three children).
Family Dining Program
My Family Time DiningSM, a recent enhancement to Royal’s family program, offers an expedited 40-minute dinner option (during the first seating in your ship’s main dining room) to kids ages three through eleven who are enrolled in the Adventure Ocean® program. Once seated, children will be served immediately. 45 minutes into the seating, a youth counselor will escort kids from the main dining room entrance back to Adventure Ocean® facilities for evening activities, allowing parents to enjoy the rest of their dinner at leisure. More convenience for the adults, and more fun for the children!
And if your kids are having too much fun at Adventure Ocean® and don’t want to leave for lunch, consider Royal’s “Lunch & Play” option. Lunch, plus playtime featuring movies and cartoons, is available to kids ages three through eleven who’d prefer not to take a break from their new friends. For a service charge of just $7.95 per child, counselors will feed and entertain the kids between noon and 2 P.M.
Royal Caribbean’s new “Dine In Delights” room service menu also offers name-brand food options that may be enjoyed in the comfort of your cabin. The original Johnny Rockets hamburger, Eli’s Cheesecake Company’s original cheesecake, Ben & Jerry’s “Half-Baked” and “Cherry Garcia” ice cream bars, Ghirardelli chocolate chip cookies with milk, and other choices are available 24 hours a day for an additional charge.
Family Fun Ashore
Many ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet stop at CocoCay® and Labadee® for a private beach day. In both destinations, cruisers will find even more fun-filled activities suitable for kids. Younger children will love the aqua parks and Labadee® Luc’s Splash Bash, while older kids can try parasailing, snorkeling, or a mile-long zip line. Kids ages three through eight (accompanied by parents) can enjoy a very special driving adventure on the Fisher-Price® Power Wheels® Track available on CocoCay®.
© Anne Campbell, 2010
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