Royal Caribbean is family-oriented. The cruise line welcomes passengers of all ages and features all kinds of activities that appeal to younger passengers.
On its larger ships, the cruise line offers everything from its signature climbing walls to water slides, mini-golf courses and the FlowRider surf simulator. Each ship in the fleet features several kids' clubs for different ages, while some Royal Caribbean ships offer ice skating rinks, laser tag, escape rooms and even bumper cars.
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Most children, of course, behave well or are forced to do so by their parents. However, some children become rebellious and their parents fail to control them.
It's not uncommon to see unsupervised toddlers or teens on a Royal Caribbean ship making too much (or too much) noise late at night. Most of the time, it's just kids making a fool of themselves while mom and dad relax a little too much on vacation.
Royal Caribbean currently has a 1:00 a.m. curfew for passengers under 18, which is generally adhered to. The company is considering some new rules that would limit children a bit more while still preserving the cruise line’s reputation as a family-friendly cruise line.
It's a fine line for Royal Caribbean, but the cruise line's CEO Michael Bayley has said they are considering solutions to the problem.
Image source: Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean may add rules for children
Bayley addressed the issue of child misbehavior in a Q&A session for travel agents on the Utopia of the Seas.
“Icon is great, but at the pool bar there are kids splashing in your drinks,” an agent told Bayley. Royal Caribbean Blog reported.
He also said he saw children crawling between people's legs at the Bolero's bar after midnight. The problem is not unique to Utopia of the Seas, he added.
“Icon is great, but at the pool bar there are kids splashing in your drinks,” he added.
Bayley acknowledged that the cruise line has received more complaints about children in public areas. She also shared that the cruise line is considering different measures to address the problem.
“It's probably time for us to look at curfews. I think the idea of imposing curfews on some bars is a great idea,” he said.
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Some members of Bayley's team suggested there could be earlier curfews in adult areas such as bars and lounges.
“We have to make sure we respect adults,” she added. “And you know what they say: everyone loves their own children, but not everyone else's children.”
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Royal Caribbean tests a new way to track your children
As a parent, it can be difficult to keep an eye on your children on a cruise. This is especially true for teenagers, who may check themselves in and out of the kids' club.
That's a problem Royal Caribbean has been trying to solve, according to a facebook post from Shannon Sinclair, who reported that the cruise line was testing “Kidfinder” wristbands on Icon of the Seas.
“The device is a waterproof bracelet that allows parents to track the location of the bracelet through the Royal Caribbean app,” according to the Royal Caribbean Blog.
Royal Caribbean's test involved children ages 12 and younger.
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“By signing up for Kidfinder, parents can choose which cruise passengers can track their children. This means that potentially parents, older siblings, or friends and family can choose to do so as well,” added the blog, which is not affiliated with the cruise line.
Royal Caribbean also offers free text messaging within its app that does not require a WiFi package.
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