Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Take the plunge on the tallest slide at sea - the Ultimate Abyss. The company offers itineraries in Europe, the Caribbean, the U.S. and Canada, and also Greenland and Iceland. Guard the goal against drone-launched balls in this virtual reality Sky Pad game. The Vitality spa and fitness center is another kids-free enclave on Royal Caribbean, where you can go for relaxation or a great workout. A growing number of Royal Caribbean ships also have water parks with significant waterslides. If you're planning a once-in-a-lifetime adventure on the high seas, consider booking the Regent Suite. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. Adults can also enjoy pre-dinner cocktails in one of the lounges and nightly entertainment in the Constellation Theater; for a nightcap, sip a fine cognac in one of the ship's favorite hideaways, the Connoisseur Club. The line charges a $15 corkage fee if you bring the wine or Champagne to an onboard restaurant or other public areas to drink. The heart of the program, called Adventure Ocean, has free, supervised activities daily for children ages 3 to 12. There are seven dining venues and 11 bars and cafes on the ship. While Royal Caribbean offers the perfect collection of cruises for families and kids, this cruise line is also great at providing sailings ideal for adults too! To gain entrance, people need to be over 16.. This sprawling oasis is the largest pool at sea with over 40,000 gallons of water. It's up to you to set rules about where your kids can be without you or what kind of behavior you expect from them. Decode the mysteries of Mission Control in the latest Royal Escape Room challenge. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. You'll also find indulgences like onboard helicopters for intimate excursions and Scenic Neptune, an underwater submarine. The newest cruise ship, Seabourn Ovation, accommodates up to 600 guests and offers amenities found on most of Seabourn's ships such as well-appointed oceanfront suites, living areas with dining tables, verandas, a nearly one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio and a Personal Suite Host to cater to your every need. Cruise fares cover meals at all the dining venues; basic beverages such as water, tea and coffee; gratuities for the crew; Wi-Fi; and unlimited fitness classes. In Europe, Royal Caribbean ships mostly sail out of Southampton, England; Amsterdam; Copenhagen; Stockholm; Barcelona; Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome) and since 2021 Ravenna, Italy (which replaced Venice as a home port). Except they float. With more than 10,000 plants and flowers, its a true tropical hideaway. While some lines provide a fully adults-only experience (i.e., children are not allowed on board), others offer adult-focused venues and activities on the ship to keep you separate from younger patrons. There are pools, of course on the bigger ships, oodles of them. If you're interested in small-ship luxury expeditions, check out Seabourn Venture the line's first expedition ship, which set sail in July 2022. For megaresort lovers, Royal Caribbean may be the ultimate cruise line. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Enrollment required. Think you can get a bullseye? Rock out on the Rock Climbing Wall for full-scale adventure, An aqua park that's cool, colorful and all kinds of crazy. The British-inspired sailings are all-inclusive; fares cover meals at all onboard restaurants as well as access to entertainment venues, Wi-Fi, and unlimited alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. When Will Royal Caribbean Bring Back an Adult Favorite Activity We finished with a bronze, and for the next two days, in-the-know passengers who stopped our pal to say, "Hello Savannah" were greeted with a big smile (and a little blush). Silent Disco Party (18+), The . The newer classes of ships are better catered to younger adults and those seeking adventure, while the smaller classes of ships bring with them more port-intensive itineraries as well as a pared-back roster of activities, meaning there will likely be fewer children around. Youll receive things like priority check-in and a private departure lounge with continental breakfast at the end of a trip. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? 16 Things to Do on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas - Cruise Hive At Norwegian Epic's Posh Beach Club, complimentary perks include fruit skewers, cold water spritzers and a snack menu. The lines ships are designed to provide a little something for everyone, and they appeal to a wide demographic, including couples of all ages and even solo travelers (the line has added solo cabins to more ships in recent years). Spice H2O is another adults-only venue on the Norwegian Bliss, Joy, Escape, Getaway, Breakaway, Epic, Star and Spirit vessels; access is complimentary. Ive worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and now my blog helps over a million people to plan their cruises each month. A few lines (including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess and Norwegian) allow 18- to 20-year-olds to drink alcohol in international waters if their parent or adult guardian signs a waiver form. Brush up on your Spanish skills in an interactive onboard class. On Oasis-class ships, there also are 735-seat outdoor aqua theaters that are home to dazzling aerial and water shows. Polish your PADI skills and get dive certified on your vacation. Mellow out to live Caribbean music in this open-air sanctuary thats high above ordinary. On many ships, there are extensive dedicated spaces for the different groups. The most adrenaline-amping adventures converge at Thrill Island only on Icon of the Seas. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. No other cruise line has as broad a range of entertainment and activities on its ships as Royal Caribbean. Got game? The line splits children here up into three age groups: Aquanauts (ages 3 to 5 years), Explorers (ages 6 to 8 years) and Voyagers (ages 9 to 12 years), each with their own age-appropriate activities ranging from scavenger hunts to arts and crafts. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. 10 Fun Cruise Ship Games and Contests That Bring Out Your Inner Kid, Cruise Classes: 21 Things You Can Learn on Your Next Cruise, Q&A with a Cruise Ship Entertainment Director, 7 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your OceanMedallion Experience, 6 Cruise Memories That Will Warm Your Heart, Your Favorite Cruise Ship is For Sale? Fresh blood." Quest is uproariously fun, supremely competitive, and it's definitely for adults only, which is why it's often scheduled after 11 p.m. Pictures of Cruise Compasses showing activities on a Royal Caribbean Cruise on the Harmony of the Seas including Perfect Day at CocoCay! The newest ship in the Celebrity Cruises fleet Celebrity Beyond provides a unique adults-only dining experience at Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud. One of these is Swim & Tonic, the first pool on a cruise ship to have a swim-up bar, while theres also Cloud 17, an adults-only pool. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. Passengers can make the most of some alone time with a quick nap and a good book, or simply kick back and relax before heading back into the high-energy environment elsewhere on the ship. Related: What it takes to get concierge lounge access on a cruise ship. Each day and night brings something new to do, see and explore. Related: 4 things youll love about Royal Caribbeans Odyssey of the Seas. See and be seen at these stunning natural wonders. The new Swim & Tonic is your go-to for ice-cold drinks and sun-kissed beats. Discover your own private slice of paradise. The line's all-inclusive fares include perks like round-trip business class or coach airfare (depending on the destination), complimentary pre-cruise hotel stays, two- or three-night land packages, all meals and beverages, free shore excursions, and more. The Royal Promenade fills with dancing, confetti and junkanoo drums, *Please see all applicable Terms & Conditions for Promotions. On board, guests will have butler service, a nearly one-to-one ratio of guests to staff, 24-hour gourmet dining, premium alcoholic beverages, one complimentary shore excursion in each port, gratuities and more. During the evenings, there is an official dress code, but it only applies to passengers entering the main dining room. No votes so far! Swirl through a champagne bowl funnel in Supercell, part of The Perfect Storm, the boldest waterslides at sea. With each step-down in size, youll find fewer restaurants, bars, entertainment offerings and attractions. Hop across the pond to sail on U.K.-based Saga Cruises, which specifically caters to guests 50 and older (though travelers may bring a companion as young as 40). That said, it's not uncommon for teens to find ways to drink onboard (just as they do at home). Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas Quest Game Show - Cruise Critic Relive original performances in stunning 4K at Two70's Virtual Concert. Prices also include excursions in some ports of call, gratuities and chauffeur service from locations in the U.K. to the embarkation port. Passengers can sip Champagne at Intermezzo, the ship's cocktail and Champagne venue, or enjoy a pre-dinner aperitif at the yacht-inspired Spinnaker Bar. Aurora is a slightly more intimate ship, carrying 1,874 passengers and 850 crew members. The name on your reservation must be exactly as it is stated on your passport or other official proof of nationality. With its Polar Class 6 rating, the ship will visit far ends of the earth in remote polar regions like Antarctica, where it will be for its inaugural season beginning in November 2022. While these larger ships are kid-friendly and offer activities for families and children of all ages adults can also find hidden retreats and dining and bar venues just for grown-ups. The Solarium is an adults only pool on all Royal Caribbean ships where children under 16 years old are prohibited from lounging. But there have been instances of rape and sexual assault on cruise lines, so you'll want your child to use common sense and take the same precautions she does at home, school or in any new city. Ice Skating Show 10. Scenic Eclipse, touted as "The World's First Discovery Yacht," offers an all-inclusive, ultra-luxurious experience for just 228 guests and with 172 crew. Hang on tight for The Blaster aqua coaster, the longest waterslide at sea. Even 30 minutes ahead of schedule, the lounge was filling up and the crowd was buzzing excitedly. Some are enormous, with more than two dozen treatment rooms and thermal areas with hot stone chairs, rainforest shower areas, saunas and steam rooms. Bid on bold masterpieces at an action-packed onboard art auction. Not all ports in the world can handle a ship the size of Wonder of the Seas. Some ships also have comedy clubs, and theres always live music in multiple venues nightly. It has long dazzled customers with stunning, resort-like vessels full of every sort of amusement and activity you could imagine. Before dinner at either venue, enjoy a signature cocktail just outside Palo at The Rose. Wine aficionados will enjoy pairing limited-production and rare vintages from the Wine Cellar with dinner and joining wine tastings held in the Mosaic Caf. From the robot mixologists at Bionic Bar to the FlowRider surf simulators, and the tallest slide at sea, Ultimate Abyss, to hit Broadway musicals like Grease. Arcadia, the newer of the two ships, carries 2,094 guests and 866 crew. Cruises are a great way to meet people -- at dinner, in the hot tub, on shore excursions or at the bars. Youll also find all sorts of other fun-focused attractions giant rock climbing walls, surfing simulators, zip lines, miniature golf courses and basketball courts, to name a few. You can find in the myriad of Royal Caribbean shore excursions a few that cater only to adults. The newest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet are the Icon-class ships, with the debut ship being Icon of the Seas. In fact, the line likes to boast that it employs more world-class professional skaters than any other company in the world. On six ships Sky Princess, Majestic Princess, Regal Princess, Royal Princess, Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess adults can also enjoy an exclusive Retreat pool, cabanas and bar area. Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Royal Caribbean ship. (Getty Images). You'll also find an impressive wine list to accompany your dining experience at the restaurant. Find the best travel insurance for you with these U.S. News ratings, which factor in expert and consumer recommendations. The most common one found across the fleet is Chops Grille, the lines signature steakhouse. We were cruising with a group of Royal Caribbean pros, and the first mention of Quest came on the first day of our cruise -- something like, "Oh good! Fuel bolder bonding at Surfside the ultimate stay-all-day family neighborhood. Related: 15 ways that first-time cruisers waste money on a cruise. On Royal Caribbeans Oasis-class ships there are more than 20 places to grab a bite, ranging from Johnny Rockets diners to high-end restaurants serving six-course tasting menus.