Royal Caribbean: Icon of the Seas

Best for: Families looking for an over-the-top vacation.

Best cabin to book for families: The Surfside Family Suite has a split bathroom and separate sleeping areas for adults and kids.

How to get a deal: Royal Caribbean offers a “Kids Sail Free” promotion throughout the year; also look for deep discounts on second guests in the room.

One ship that’s destined to be one of the most family-friendly options on the high seas (it even bills itself as “the ultimate family vacation”) is Royal Caribbean’s just-launched Icon of the Seas. The ship has the largest water park at sea, featuring six different record-breaking water slides, and is home to a new area called Surfside that was specifically designed for young families. Here, you’ll find a kid-friendly aqua park, an adjacent pool for adults to keep an eye on their offspring, a carousel, an arcade, and a variety of kid-friendly dining options that are close at hand. 

Just one deck down from Surfside is Adventure Ocean, the onboard kids club for young cruisers ages three to 17 (kids are divided into smaller groups based on their age). Additionally, teens have their own spot at Social 020, where they can play games, watch movies, and chill.

The Hideaway is the spot for adults to hang out sans kids. Here, a suspended infinity pool boasts stunning views of the ocean, while a nearby bar serves Champagne cocktails. Over at Swim & Tonic, adults can enjoy the largest swim-up bar at sea, and, at Royal Bay, the largest pool at sea, which has in-water loungers and raised whirlpools. Like on Mariner, group sitting services are available from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m for an added fee. 

Family

Other exciting entertainment options coming to Icon of the Seas are “The Wizard of Oz,” which is the signature stage show in the Royal Theater; an all-new AquaDome, where diving and acrobatic shows take place; and a dueling piano bar, which is a first for the Royal Caribbean fleet. There will also be over 20 different dining options onboard, including a supper club, a steakhouse, a sushi bar, and a Mexican taco bar.