A cruise vacation can be a great option for families. With countless activities and amenities included, planned meals, entertainment, and more, it’s an easy vacation for a family.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is especially popular with families. In recent years, they’ve introduced several new ships, most of which are among the largest cruise ships in the world. Offering thrilling activities, exciting shows, and so much more at sea, the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is a great option for your family vacation.
Are you considering or planning a Royal Caribbean cruise? Here are 7 Royal Caribbean Cruise tips for first-timers.
Disclosure: I’ve been on several complimentary Royal Caribbean media cruises but have also paid my own way on sailings. All opinions are my own.
7 Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips for First-Time Family Cruisers
The Ship Matters
When you first start researching Royal Caribbean sailings for your family vacation, you must look at a few things. Price, dates, the ship, and the itinerary are all important considerations.
However, if you want to experience a specific Royal Caribbean amenity or activity, you’ll need to research the various ships in the fleet before booking. There are 28 different ships, with 7 separate classes.
While all Royal Caribbean ships offer fantastic amenities and activities, they vary by ship. For instance, iFly Indoor Skydiving is available on Odyssey of the Seas (among other ships), while ziplines are available on the Oasis Class ships.
The ships all have pool decks with plenty of activities and great entertainment. So, regardless of the ship you choose, your kids will have plenty to entertain them.
Choose a couple of ships that work for your family, and then compare the itineraries to determine what is best for your family vacation.
Plan Your Day at Perfect Day at CocoCay
Does your cruise itinerary include a stop at Royal Caribbean’s private Caribbean island – Perfect Day at CocoCay? If so, you’ll want to plan your day, especially if it’s your first visit to the island.
As the name implies, there’s so much to do at Perfect Day at CocoCay. The island is typically visited by two ships at a time, offering included and extra activities and excursions.
Extras can be booked in advance. I recommend doing that to ensure the best availability. Options include:
- Cabanas
- Thrill Waterpark
- Hideaway Beach (adult-only)
- Coco Beach Club
- Snorkeling trips
- Kayaking
- Up, Up, and Away Balloon Rides
- Glass Bottom Boats
- Scuba Diving
While there are many different options, you don’t have to book an excursion or extra. I’ve been to Perfect Day at CocoCay many times without booking anything. There are plenty of complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas throughout the pool and beach areas. These don’t cost extra and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Make Advance Reservations for Dining and Shows
When possible, it’s best to reserve dining and shows in advance. Availability is often limited, and making your reservation as early as possible will give you your top choice of timing and days.
If you’ve chosen My Time dining, you can reserve your time in the app or the website before sailing. You’ll want to coordinate your dining times with your show schedule. Reservations may be available when you are on board, but the times may be more limited.
Signature dining can also be reserved in advance. Again, availability may be found when you arrive on the ship, but it isn’t guaranteed.
The show schedule can be seen in the Cruise Planner before your sailing. If reservations are available, it’s best to book them in advance. Standby lines are often present, but they can be very long and have limited availability. If you are on an Oasis Class ship, the Aqua Show and ice shows are typically the most popular.
Fly in the Day Before
This tip applies regardless of the cruise line you are sailing on. If you are flying in for your cruise, I highly recommend arriving at least a day beforehand.
With flight delays and the risk of delayed baggage, having a day buffer is always a good idea. I’ve had this happen – my checked bags were delayed, and I had to wait about 12 hours (overnight) to get them back. If that happened on the day of my flight, I would have missed the cruise while waiting for the bags.
Carefully Pack a Day Bag
When you sail on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship, you will leave any of your checked bags with the porters outside the terminal (don’t forget to tip them!). Then, your room typically won’t be available until later in the day.
You’ll want to pack a day bag you can carry on the ship. This bag should include all the essentials you need for the day and any valuables, including paperwork, medication, IDs, electronics, etc. Some guests choose to pack swimsuits for the day and clothing for dinner (in case your bags don’t arrive in time).
If your check in time is before your room is ready, you will need to carry this bag with you. While you should include everything you need, you won’t want it to be too heavy.
Check-In When You Can
Speaking of check-in time, it’s best to check in as early as possible. Port arrival times are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and half-hour windows can be selected when you complete the online check-in process.
Guests are asked not to arrive before their window, so having an early window means you’ll be able to board the ship (and, therefore, start your vacation) early!
Consider Things Like Royal Up and the Key
There are a few programs unique to Royal Caribbean that you’ll want to consider. Royal Up is a limited opportunity that isn’t always offered. With Royal Up, you are given the opportunity to bid for a cabin upgrade.
You can bid whatever you want, although there are some guidelines. This is a binding bid, and if it’s accepted you’ll automatically be upgraded.
The Key is a completely different program. With the Key, you’ll get some exclusive benefits including:
- Priority access during arrival
- Priority departures at tender ports
- Exclusive a la carte departure breakfast and welcome lunch
- One-device WiFi access per person that purchases the Key
- Fast-lane access at select onboard activities and dedicated seating at select entertainment venues
This is offered for a separate fee and can be a great option if you’ll take advance of these benefits.
Have you sailed on Royal Caribbean? Do you have any other tips to recommend?