New Year’s Cruise on Quantum of the Seas: A Multigenerational Family Review

We started this trip with two days at Universal Studios Hollywood before boarding Quantum of the Seas out of Los Angeles for a New Year’s sailing to Cabo. Even though we flew in from Northern California, breaking the trip up this way made the travel feel more intentional and less rushed. It also created a really nice balance between high-energy theme park days and a more relaxed cruise experience.

We traveled as a group of three generations. Our son shared a standard balcony stateroom with my mom, while my husband and I stayed in a one-bedroom Grand Suite with a large balcony. This setup worked really well for giving everyone their own space while still staying close together, and it’s a very realistic option for families traveling with grandparents.

The balcony cabin was comfortable and practical for my mom and son. It had everything they needed and didn’t feel overly tight for a shorter sailing. For families trying to stay within budget while still keeping everyone comfortable, this type of cabin split is a strong option.

The Grand Suite offered a noticeable step up in space and layout. The separate bedroom made downtime easier, and the double-sink vanity was one of those features that ended up being more useful than expected, especially when getting ready for dinners and holiday events. The concierge service was also genuinely helpful and made it easier to coordinate reservations and onboard plans.

The main downside of the suite was the balcony placement. Because it sits forward and slightly exposed, it took on a lot of wind while the ship was moving. The noise was constant during sailing and made the balcony less usable than expected. The situation was made worse by a broken divider between our balcony and the neighboring cabin, which would swing open in the wind. While this may not be the case for every suite, it is something to be aware of with certain forward-facing cabins.

Dining across the ship worked well for our group. The included options like the main dining room and buffet made it easy to accommodate different preferences, while quick-service spots like Café Promenade and Sorrento’s pizza were convenient throughout the day. We also added in specialty dining at Jamie’s Italian, Izumi, and Chops Grille, which all delivered a higher-end experience and were worth incorporating into the trip.

The SeaPlex was one of the biggest highlights, especially for our son. It’s a large, flexible activity space with bumper cars, basketball, pickleball, ping-pong, and rotating experiences like laser tag. It kept him entertained without feeling repetitive, while still offering enough variety that adults could enjoy it, too. At the same time, there were plenty of quieter areas onboard that worked well for my mom, which made the ship feel balanced for different travel styles.

The spa and salon were a highlight leading into New Year’s Eve. I booked hair, makeup, and a massage-facial combo, and the quality of the services was excellent. The New Year’s celebration itself was lively and well organized, with multiple areas to celebrate throughout the ship. There were private tables available for purchase, but at around $900 for four people, they didn’t feel necessary to enjoy the experience.

Overall, this itinerary worked especially well as a combined vacation. Pairing a few days in Los Angeles with a cruise created a trip that felt more complete, while still being manageable from a logistics standpoint. This is a strong option for families looking to mix theme parks with a cruise, especially when traveling with multiple generations.

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