Why Families Are Already Booking This Cruise For 2024

There’s a lot of pressure that comes with planning and executing a memorable family vacation. And even if you painstakingly map out every detail, there’s still no travel insurance that can protect you against the classic kid buzzkills: “When are we going home?” “I’m bored.” “Cooper’s parents took him to the Bahamas. Why can’t we go there?”

If you want to guarantee a trip that your children will be bouncing-up-and-down excited about — the kind they’ll talk about well into adulthood — then consider a cruise. In fact, consider Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship that sets sail in 2024 (yes, reservations are already booking up). You won’t find a better ship because this one has it all: thrills and adventures to wow kids, brilliant tropical ocean views in every direction, adults-only areas for parents to recharge, and enough impressive features to blow everyone’s minds. Here’s why booking a trip on Icon of the Seas is the perfect way to level up your next family vacation.

No GPS, Rest Stops, Or “Are We There Yets?”

When poets extol the virtues of the journey over the destination, they probably don’t mean road tripping with impatient kids in the back seat. But here’s the beauty of a cruise: The point actually is the trip itself, one where you are not responsible for getting the family to its end location. On Icon of the Seas, you can go into literal cruise control mode as your family sails to tropical jungles in Roatán, Mayan ruins in Cozumel, and Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay. And instead of bland highway drives in the middle of nowhere, you’ll get to feast your eyes on picturesque ocean scenes as you travel around the Caribbean.

Non-Stop Fun For Kids

If your kids are more interested in amusement parks than historical re-enactments, a cruise offers all-day excitement right outside their room. (Certain accommodations on Icon of the Seas feature slides, so the fun can start before breakfast.) Icon of the Seas also boasts Flowrider, a surf simulator powered by 30,000 gallons of rushing water and Crown’s Edge, a skywalk-obstacle-course experience. Category 6 is the largest water park at sea and has six waterslides, including Frightening Bolt (the tallest waterslide to sail) and Pressure Drop (the first open freefall waterslide on a cruise). Dare your kids to get bored.

Quality Family Time Without The Pressure

Everyone knows the joke that if you want to enjoy a family vacation, don’t go on vacation. Between meal planning, excursion booking, and forced together time, someone always seems to be cranky. A voyage on the Icon of the Seas eliminates the stress of planning anything while also providing ample opportunity for quality time that everyone can enjoy. The Absolute Zero ice rink sets the stage for impressive performances. Hurricane Hunter is the first family raft ride at sea. And Surfside, a new stay-all-day neighborhood just for young families, entertains with three different water features. The Water’s Edge pool offers spectacular ocean views, while Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay offer plenty of aquatic fun for kids out and still in diapers, respectively. There’s also a beach-themed carousel, arcade, and a huge playscape for kids to explore.

Ample Adult Swim

Put your eldest in charge of babysitting, and pad in some kid-free time. Icon of the Seas has plenty of opportunities to chill. There’s The Hideaway, a first-of-its-kind infinity pool and Swim & Tonic, a swim-up bar with in-water loungers and group seating. And on the top deck you’ll find Cloud 17, an adults-only oasis with a secluded pool, cantilevered whirlpool, and best ocean views on the whole ship. With these options, there’s no reason you can’t sneak in a little adults-only fun on your family vacation.

Book your cruise now and be one of the first to experience this never-been-done-before vacation. The whole family will brag about it now and remember it for years to come.