I’m a platinum member with Disney (about 14 cruises) and now we’re sailing on Oasis of the Seas in March. It’s our first time with RCCL.
It’ll be me, my wife, and our two kids (4 and 2 at the time). We’ll also be with my sister-in-law’s family (husband and three kids, ages 12, 10, and 7) who have sailed with RCCL before. Any tips or things I should know? I’ve heard I’ll need to pay for soda (or buy a package) and that the ship is much bigger, but that’s about all I know.
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u/FloridianMichigander
I’m platinum with Disney (14 cruises), and we’re sailing on Oasis of the Seas in March. It’s our first time on RCCL.
It’ll be me, my wife, and our two kids, ages 4 and 2 at the time. We’re also traveling with my sister-in-law’s family (husband, 3 kids aged 12, 10, and 7) who have been on RCCL before. What should I know? I understand soda isn’t included (unless I get a package) and that the ship is bigger, but that’s about it.
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No Disney characters running around, but there’s a casino onboard. There will still be lots of kids, but not quite as many. RCCL has a wave rider and a climbing wall. It’s pretty similar to Disney in terms of having a big ship with plenty to do, places to visit, and food to eat. You’ll enjoy it, it’s just a bit different. Have fun!
On Disney, dinner is a big family event with a show included, but on RCCL, dinner is just dinner, so younger kids can eat at the buffet and then go play while the adults relax in the Main Dining Room.
We went for a late dinner (7:30) because the kids’ club is closed between 4pm and 7pm. That way, we could feed the kids at the buffet and then send them to the club while we had some adult time. For drinks, soda is extra, about $3.50 per drink. We managed to get the soda package for $9 per person per day when there was a sale.
They also have an arcade near the kids’ club. Kids can use their room keys to play games. Be sure to go to guest services and set their arcade spending limit to $0—trust me, you’ll thank me later.
@Finch
How much did your kids end up spending at the arcade?
You’ll have a great time! The pace will be slower because there won’t be any character meet-and-greets. The 2-year-old can enjoy the splash pad with swim diapers. The kids’ club has specific hours like 9am-noon, 2-5pm, and 7-10pm. One thing to know: there’s no turndown service at night. You’ll also need to check in and out your towels. The shows aren’t really focused on kids, so you can drop them off at the kids’ club (the nursery for the 2-year-old) and enjoy some time for yourselves.
Oasis has a park with plants called Central Park, and there’s even a free cafe if you can’t get to the Windjammer buffet. There’s also a carousel at the Boardwalk area of the ship (where the water shows are) and free hot dogs from 1pm to 6pm. The Solarium is for adults only, but the Solarium Bistro is open to everyone. You can also find free pizza at Sorrento’s on the promenade (near the Boardwalk) for late-night snacks.
These are just a few things I remember about keeping all the kids fed without spending extra.
Whatever you do, don’t miss the Aqua80 water show or the ice skating show. They’re free but require reservations. If you miss out on a reservation, you can still wait in the standby line before the show starts. Seriously, don’t skip these. Your kids might be too young for the shows, but your sister’s kids will probably love them.
They also have the Broadway musical Cats. Some people love it, some don’t. If you’re thinking about going, it’s a good idea to look up the plot beforehand so you know what’s going on.
With younger kids, you’ll probably want an earlier dinner time. Be sure to book early traditional dining, where you’ll eat at the same time and at the same table with the same waitstaff every night. You can link your reservation with your sister’s, so you all sit together. Early dining is around 5:00 or 5:30, and ‘My Time Dining’ starts later.
Just enjoy the experience.