Cruise Spotlight: Five Reasons Your Kids Will Love Royal Caribbean

When it comes to vacationing as a family, a cruise is at the top of our list. Here are FIVE reasons why my kids LOVE a Royal Caribbean cruise, and I think your kids will too.

You've got to love an ocean view

• The Kids Club: Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean is an award-winning program that offers fun, creative, and educational experiences for kids of all ages. The club is complimentary and runs during most of the day, making it easy for parents to get a much needed break to relax and unwind. The program is age based, divided into groups (typically 3–5, 6–8, and 9–11, but it varies by ship). Our kids love the club so much that we often have to bribe them with dessert to get them to leave when the program closes for the night. They also offer a private Teen Club for kids ages 12–17 with tons of activities and plenty of “chill hang time” for the kids. Our 12 year old got to experience a slice of big-kid life on our last cruise and she’s begging to go again.

• Easy, kid-friendly food (with LOTS of options): One of the best things about cruise buffets and casual dining is that your kids can eat their fill of chicken tenders, buttered pasta, fruit, and rolls while you enjoy actual adult food. Most cruise ships also offer a casual pizza restaurant where kids can request cheese and pepperoni pizza all afternoon and night long. And the free soft-serve ice cream? Our kids cannot get enough.

Eating ice cream is a family favorite!

Buttered pasta and french fries for the win in the Main Dining room

• Pools, slides, and beaches: Let’s face it—kids love the water and a cruise delivers H2O on all fronts. All ships offer pools and whirlpools, with many offering kid approved splash zones—with the biggest ships offering waterslides, and on Icon of the Seas, a category six waterpark right on the ship. Visit CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island and you’ve got access to beaches, splash zones, and the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean (all included in your cruise fare).

• The ability to “sample” new experiences like shows, rock climbing, surfing, and other things that get quite pricey on land: Royal Caribbean offers concerts, dancing and Broadway-style shows, and all kinds of sports activities that your kids can try as part of your cruise. I loved signing our nine year old up to rock climb and try the skydiving simulator for free (check ship’s schedule) and taking our four little kids to a show to see if they would really enjoy sitting through an hour of singing and dancing (they loved it). The variety of options onboard the ship is amazing.

• Time away as a family, creating memories, and strengthening relationships: Is it just me or do your kids behave better on vacation? At least that is what I tell myself when I press “book”. Seriously, though, a cruise is one of the best ways to spend time together and still get to do a large variety of things that will live in your memory bank forever.

Our kids love the towel animals that arrive in our stateroom each night. Here, we attended a towel folding demo. So cool.

Watching the ship approach the shore.

Our "big" girl loved being able to order for herself, off the adults menu each night.

Don’t hesitate—book that cruise! Booking early locks in the best rooms and best price. Many people are overwhelmed with options when it comes to booking a cruise, which is why I highly recommend using a travel agent!

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our cruises page.