If you’ve considered a cruise as a family vacation option, then you’ve probably heard how great it is for the entire family. It’s true; one of the most common questions we get is, “How great is it for kids?”

Royal Caribbean cruise ships are giant playgrounds with so much to see and do. From an award-winning kids club, designed for all ages; and family-friendly aerial, ice, stage and aqua entertainment, to racing waterslides and even spa programs for the youngsters, you may find it hard to head back home. It’s entirely up to you and your family to define your adventure, however busy or relaxing you want it to be. Our complimentary Adventure Ocean program is where the excitement usually starts for kids. Ranging from babies to teens – each with their dedicated areas on board – the program hosts plenty of entertainment and adventures that will expand imaginations, and even foster new friendships.

Here’s the breakdown on the program’s experiences, grouped by age, including care from expert team members with backgrounds in education, recreation or a related field.

Babies and Tots (6 to 36 months)

The Royal Babies & Tots Nursery is a colorful place staffed with trained professionals who oversee specially designed programs for daytime and evening drop-off. This means moms and dads can leave their little ones with skilled caregivers and enjoy a relaxing spa day or dinner at a specialty restaurant alone. Interactive playgroup sessions are also offered, and can include parents. (Please note: on select ships only; fees may apply.)

If you need a hand preparing to cruise with your baby, you can pre-order diapers, wipes and baby food to your stateroom before you set sail. There are also diapers for sale in our shops as another backup, so we’ve got you covered.

Aquanauts, Explorers and Voyagers (3 to 11 years)

Royal Caribbean offers a long lineup of sure-to-please activities for its younger guests ages 3 to 11 years. Each of these three age groups have their own dedicated activity space with events and experiences tailored to them:

• Aquanauts, for those 3 to 5 years old, focuses on age-appropriate lessons that incorporate music, creative arts and crafts, dinosaurs and even a pirate party parade (“arrrgh”). They’ll rule Kids Avenue, a central boulevard connecting them to other Adventure Ocean areas and themed play places.
•  Explorers is designed for kids 6 to 8 years old, and will encourage the curiosity of young minds with areas like the Adventure Science Lab. Little Einsteins will dive into hands-on science activities, from studying fossils to meteorology, and of course, a few (controlled) test tube eruptions.
• Voyagers, ages 9 to 11, can kick things off with a scavenger hunt, which offers a fun and exciting opportunity to bond in their group – before jumping into sports tournaments and video game competitions. These older kids will surely make use of the Adventure Ocean Theater, where they can catch a performance designed just for them, and then take to the stage themselves to show off their skills in talent competitions. Other perks include Adventure ScienceSM, featuring hands-on science experiments, cultural arts and crafts, and late-night pizza parties (who wouldn’t love that?).

Teens (12-17 years)

Teens, meanwhile, flourish in an open format, so these “almost adults” enjoy a vacation customized to their interests. They are grouped by ages 12 to 14, and 15 to 17, and can opt for pre-planned activities—like rock-climbing competitions, organized dances and movie nights—or they can choose to hang out in their own personal spaces, such as the teen lounge or teen-only nightclub – mock-tails included.

If your teen is in need of a little relaxation, there’s a spa program just for them. The YSpa menu features a variety of pampering services like the Sole Mate pedicure, Beach Babe deep conditioning treatment, and more.

For the Entire Family

Even with dedicated programming designed with young travelers in mind, the engaging experiences available for the whole family runs the gamut. Your crew can splash on over to the H20 Zone waterpark and fire water cannons and dodge geysers, visit Splashaway Bay for whirlpools and a giant drench bucket, then hit the video arcade—where adults can play classics like Pac-man, and everyone can rock out together on Guitar Hero.

Are you cruising with an active bunch? Have your pick of adventures. Race down the Ultimate Abyss—the tallest slide at sea (available on select ships); ride the waves of the FlowRider; head over to SeaPlex to ride bumper cars; or try one of our other can’t-miss onboard activities like laser tag and ice skating. The adventure continues on land with a special category of shore excursions created with families in mind, such as scavenger hunts in Alaska and gladiator lessons in Rome.

If you’re ready to set sail with the whole gang, head here to plan your next all-ages adventure.