A Royal Caribbean Cruise with Two Toddlers
Contributed By
Paige Landrum
I have two toddlers. They are loud, they are messy, they are overly dramatic. Life is chaotic at all times. Sometimes I have to work up the energy for several hours just to take them to the grocery store. So when my husband mentioned taking our family on a cruise, I would be lying if I said I thought it was a fun idea.
Why would I want to be locked in a shoebox sized room with these kids? Where am I going to find chicken nuggets and Kraft mac and cheese 24/7? How will they take baths? Concerns ran through my head until I had completely talked myself out of it.
Turns out, once again, he was right. Going on a family cruise was completely worth it, and with the right attitude and planning, we made it a core family memory I will always cherish.
For our first voyage as a family of four, we started small to test the waters. We chose a 3-night Bahamian cruise out of Port Canaveral with Royal Caribbean, just four hours away from our home. The ship left on Friday afternoon and returned back to port Monday morning and made stops at Nassau and CocoCay (Royal Caribbean’s private island).
Prior to our sail date, we were able to choose our boarding time through the Royal Caribbean app. Due to our close proximity to the port, we chose a 12:30 PM boarding time (meaning we could be in our room for nap time), and left our home around 7 AM. This allowed for a quick McDonalds stop and potty breaks on the way, plus unloading bags and getting parked which did take a little longer than I expected. We then proceeded through the ID/passport checks and were walking onto the boat at 1:05 PM.
Our room was ready so we were able to go straight there. Your Seapass card, which is also your room key, will be on the back of your door, and your luggage will arrive within a few hours of boarding the ship. It’s important to keep in mind that since you won’t have access to your luggage right away, we recommend packing a carry-on bag with things you may want before your luggage is delivered (bathing suits, sunscreen, change of clothes, etc.).
*I was originally going to take my daughters to Disney the day before our cruise, stay the night, and meet my husband at the port, but we had a few medical things that came up so we canceled at the last minute. Disney is only about an hour away from Port Canaveral though so this is a great option if you are looking to extend your trip by a few days and also helps to ensure flights don’t get delayed day-of (never fly in to the port on the day of your cruise!). I was bummed we couldn’t make Disney happen this time, but next time we will for sure.
Allure of the Seas
We sailed on Allure of the Seas, and the ship itself was very grand. I can think of no better way to describe it. As one of the largest cruise ships in the world, it truly felt like a floating city with seven defined neighborhoods:
The Boardwalk - Inspired by nostalgic boardwalks (think Coney Island)
Central Park - Open air and surrounded by greenery, this replica of Central Park NYC is a great place to shop, eat, and relax
Royal Promenade - Retail shops, restaurants, and bars. This seemed to be the most central location of the ship, and is where you enter upon boarding.
Sports and Pool Zone - Four unique pools, surf simulator, athletic courts, zip lining, and mini golf
Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center - There is even a dedicated spa for kids and teens!
Entertainment Place - Contemporary night club district, this is where you’ll find your night life fun
Youth Zone - Adventure Ocean program, a kids club for all ages
We often found ourselves on the Boardwalk, where we could enjoy the games, carousel, playground, and ice cream. This is also where the Aquatheater is located, where we watched a diving show one night- an excellent family option that even kept our toddlers entertained! They loved joining in to clap with the crowd after every dive.
I was truly impressed with how solid this ship felt. I packed Dramamine in the event anyone in our group got nauseous, but I could never even tell if we were sailing or docked. One time I even had a disagreement with my husband on if we were moving or not (I lost). The third night it was raining so hard during dinner that hats were being blown off people's heads outside, and even then, there was no rocking of the boat. Truly impressive.
I should note that this ship sailed its maiden voyage in 2010, so it was 14 years old when we sailed on it. You could not necessarily tell it was old, but could tell that it wasn’t brand new. Since our trip, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, is running a similar itinerary, so next time we will likely check that one out.
Jr Suite
Since I knew we would need at least one- possibly two- pack n plays... the size of the room was a concern for me. We opted for a Jr Suite, and it had all the space we needed and more. The bathroom came with a full sized tub/shower combo, which was great for bathing the girls. I think my husband was most impressed with the amount of storage the room had. There were shelves literally everywhere so we were able to completely unpack our bags and not feel the need to have to live out of our suitcases for the weekend.
Our 3 year old ended up sleeping on the pull-out couch, so we only needed one pack n play, but the room could have easily fit two. The closet was absolutely massive, and we were able to keep the pack n play in there with the door open so that it would be out of the walkway.
Our patio was also a very good size, there were a total of four chairs- two sitting chairs with a table and then two lounging chairs. The balconies have dividers, but if you get a joining room, the dividers can be removed. This is a definite plus for groups traveling together.
When you choose your room, take time to consider what floor you are on and what end of the boat. Think through where you will be spending time while onboard and the spaces above each floor. If you aren't sure, this is definitely where our advisors with A Mouse and A Beach Travel come in handy. We'll advise you on the best location to suit the needs of your family! As for our family of four, we spent a lot of our time on Deck 8, right next to Central Park. A lesson learned was that I wish we would have brought a smaller stroller, or even two separate small strollers. The halls were small, and if there was luggage or room-service plates outside of anyone’s door, it made it very hard to get by with our normal, everyday double stroller. Mix that with pushing the stroller on carpet down the hall, and sometimes it was nearly impossible. That is definitely a tip I will pass on to other traveling families!
Food
One of the reasons cruises are so popular is for the ALL YOU CARE TO EAT food. For two of our nights we dined in the main dining room. Our ship had multiple dining areas, and the Seapass card listed which room to go to. While we had chosen the early dining time, we were always at least an hour late (kids, man), but we never had to wait longer than a few minutes to be seated. We also had the same server each time, which was nice.
Every meal came with an appetizer, main course, and a dessert. While the menu was different each night, the kids menu stayed the same with the popular hits- chicken strips, grilled cheese sandwiches, and french fries. We didn't try anything that we didn't like, but my favorites were a seafood pasta and the creme brulee (dessert girlie here, through and through). The third night we opted to do the buffet so we could make a show in time, and while the food was fine, I was expecting it to be the same menu as the main dining room and it was not. While the buffet wasn’t my favorite for dinner, we did really like this option for breakfast as it made it super convenient to feed the kids. I initially was worried about what my kids would eat on the cruise, but we were able to find options. The biggest hit and the overall favorite- soft serve ice cream that was always on demand.
One thing to note for first time cruisers on Royal Caribbean is that not all restaurants are complimentary. We decided to only eat at places that were included, but there were a couple of options that looked excellent for an upcharge, including sushi at Izumi’s (if we didn’t have the kids we likely would have gone here).
Don’t forget drink packages! Tea, water, lemonade, and milk are complimentary, but you can purchase beverage packages for additional drinks. This is where you can add your sodas or adults can purchase alcoholic packages. We received a discount by purchasing through the app a few weeks before sailing, so definitely check there as they run sales prior to your cruise date.
You can also check the app to see what themed nights there are. Our themes were a 70’s night, Hawaiian night, and white night which was also our formal night. These aren’t mandatory by any means, but definitely something fun to do if you wish to participate. I would say it seemed like at least 50% of the ship (maybe more) participated.
Entertainment
I mentioned above that the diving show was excellent! I believe this took place 2 of the 3 nights, and each night had two showings. This was truly impressive and there was much more talent than I was expecting. There were a ton of other shows and entertainment on board too, including ice-skating and Broadway shows. I heard excellent reviews on Mama Mia! and hope to catch that one next time. On the app you can also reserve tickets, and it’s recommended to show up at least 15 minutes early for seats.
Our kids also loved the kids pool area, but I was a bit disappointed with the area (or lack thereof) that was available for kids who were in diapers. The “H2O Zone” is set up kind of like a splash pad, but only one small section is for kiddos with diapers. One of our kids was still in diapers so had to stay in that small area, and it definitely was a bit of a bummer.
We did not take advantage of the kids club because by the time we went to book, the available times did not work with our schedule (they only had available times during our kids’ naptime). If you are interested in using Adventure Ocean, I would recommend going the first day you get on board to schedule. From what I could tell when talking to the staff members, the facilities seemed very clean and I do think my kids would have enjoyed the activities provided. We did take advantage of the playroom that was just outside the check-in when they needed to burn off energy. This was a room that had a bunch of play houses, slides, and toys. It is not supervised so parents do have to stay with their kids, but it was nice for them to be able to play with other kids for a while.
Nightlife
Having two small kids on board, we did not necessarily go on the cruise to experience the nightlife, but if we are ever looking for that in the future, we know where to find it! This particular ship had everything from salsa dancing, to karaoke, to cover bands and casinos. There is truly something for everyone!
Destination Days
Our cruise itinerary had two stops, Perfect Day at Coco Cay and Nassau. Day 1 was CocoCay and it was absolutely fabulous. It was the highlight of the cruise for the girls. We found an area of shade and grass right by the Oasis Lagoon pool, which was awesome for the girls because they could run around in the grass without disturbing anyone, and then hop back to the pool when they were ready.
My husband and nephew checked out Thrill Waterpark, which is home of the tallest water slide and biggest wave pool in the Caribbean. They also loved being able to see the entire island in an aerial view from the top of the slides (something I don’t think I could stomach if I tried). Thrill Water Park is an additional cost, and it tends to be cheaper the earlier you purchase through the Royal Caribbean app. Crowds were much lower in the water park, which was a lesson learned for us. Next time we will get the entire family tickets, because one thing I’ve learned about me as I’m now in this mom era is I will pay a little more if it comes with lower crowds, more shade, and easier access to food and drinks.
For a different elevated experience, you could also check out the Coco Beach Club, which offers cabanas by the beach, an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, and top-notch dining. We are probably several years away from doing this one though, because our kids are wild, so the water park is probably more their speed. Check out this reel from when our agency owners took their kids to Coco Beach Club!
Since we did not have a designated “sailing” day on our itinerary and there was nothing we particularly wanted to do in Nassau, we opted to stay on the ship and explore. This was probably my favorite time on the boat because it was pretty empty, and plenty of space to just wander and take it all in without the crowds. Part of our group did venture out to Nassau, and what they reported back was that it was hotter than hot. They did a pirate boat ride, which they said was a bit cheesy, but still fun to take a smaller boat out and see the sites. The port in Nassau has recently been updated for tourists and it is great for families to check out when the temperature isn't so hot!
Final Thoughts
Overall, our trip was fun, and we could have easily done a 4-5 day cruise instead of 3. The space in our room is definitely what I feel like made it easier for us- our kids like their space, as do we- so if we would have done a regular sized room I know it would not have been as enjoyable for us (or at least me). It is worth the splurge to have your own space on a a large cruise ship with lots of people.
While we had an amazing time with our family, I personally think this cruise was more suited for families with older kids and teens rather than toddlers. Not to say it wasn’t fun for our kids, it just wasn’t overly toddler friendly. Maybe I would feel different if we would have been able to utilize Adventure Ocean a bit more, but without that, we were pretty limited on activities we could all do together. Our 12 year old nephew, however, never ran out of things to do, and had the time of his life. There were so many activities for older kids and teens, from rock climbing, zip lining, and all the dedicated hang out areas. It was really a great atmosphere for them.
Aside from that, I do feel that cruises in general are what you make of them. If you do your research (or let someone like me do it for you!) then your family will be prepared with knowledge on all things that are available for each person on the ship and at each port. I would like to take another cruise with our kids in the near future with a longer itinerary so we can focus on some destination based activities through excursions as well.
Does this sound like a trip you would want to enjoy with your family? Head over to our quote request link to learn more about your next Royal Caribbean cruise!
AMAAB Travel Advisor
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