Royal Caribbean International

Junior Cruisers

Supervised age-appropriate activities are designed for children ages 3 through 17; babysitting services are available as well (either group sitting or in-stateroom babysitting, but sitters will not change diapers). Children are assigned to the Adventure Ocean youth program by age. They must be at least three years old and toilet trained to participate (children who are in diapers and pull-ups or who are not toilet trained are also not allowed in swimming pools or whirlpools). Youngsters who wish to join a different age group must participate in one daytime and one night activity session with their proper age group first; the manager will then make the decision based on their maturity level. All participants earn credits for activities which they can trade for prizes at the end of the cruise.

In partnership with toy maker Fisher-Price, Royal Caribbean offers interactive 45-minute Aqua Babies and Aqua Tots play sessions for children from 6 months to 36 months of age. The playgroup classes, which are hosted by youth staff members, were designed by early childhood development experts for parents and their babies and toddlers, and teach life skills through playtime activities.

A teen center with a disco is an adult-free gathering spot that will satisfy even the pickiest teenagers. A flat-rate soda card program is a bonus for family budgets—children can have all the fountain soft drinks they desire for a single charge. Pluses are family-size staterooms on certain ships; drawbacks are the small standard cabins in the older vessels and the lack of self-service laundry facilities.