Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas - Fun for Kids!!

Royal Caribbean is our cruise line of choice for our family vacations for many reasons. One of those reasons at the forefront for us, is the way that they have been gearing a lot of the features of their ships and overall onboard experience towards families and kids. Splash pads, carousels, slides, puppet shows, and more…Royal Caribbean has been bringing the FUN! For anyone who has never been on one of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships, they consist of several “neighborhoods”. The neighborhoods include: The Royal Promenade, Central Park, The Boardwalk, Entertainment Place, Pool & Sports Zone, and the Youth Zone.

The Pool & Sports Zone is where you will find our first favorite spot for kids on the Utopia of the Seas - Splashaway Bay splash pad & slides. When I say this provides hours of fun in the sun for the kids - I mean it! Two super-fun slides for the bigger kids & even a little mini slide for the littles. This is where the kids onboard live their best life, playing, splashing, sliding, and making new friends. AND to make it better - Sprinkles ice cream is conveniently located directly behind the splash pad for when fun & sun leads to the need for a nice cold snack. 🍦 Sprinkles ice cream is complimentary at no extra charge!

Grab some sprinkles ice cream as many or as little times as you want! Choose from chocolate, vanilla, or swirl. Sprinkles onboard Utopia even had actual sprinkles in a shaker that you could top your ice cream with.

We also love Playscape - the lighthouse & ocean-themed outdoor playground area for when the kids want to stay dry up on deck, but still have a blast sliding, playing and socializing outside!

Another one of our FAVORITE activities in the Sports Zone is, of course, mini golf at Aqua Dunes! Mini golf is fun any time of day, but on Utopia of the seas, Aqua Dunes really shines at night! The course lights up to create a magical, bioluminescent underwater feel that adds to the fun and excitement of the game.

Our next family-favorite neighborhood is the Boardwalk! Inspired by boardwalks such as the classic one at Coney Island, this spot really immerses you in the vibe. When you exit deck 6 through those sliding glass doors, you’re greeted by wooden sculptures of carousel horses that open up into a beautiful, classic & fun carousel that is free to ride as many times as you want - adults & kids are welcome to ride the carousel!

After riding the carousel, you can play a few arcade-style games, grab a complimentary hot dog at the Dog House, indulge your sweet tooth at Sugar Beach ($ paid onboard candy store), buy a stuffy at the Kids Shop, have your fortune read by the one and only Zoltar, or climb around in the…well, the thing that kinda looks like lily pads that you climb in! (Please comment below if you know what these are called!)

Get out of the sun and into the A/C at one of our all-time favorite neighborhoods - the Royal Promenade. There really is something for everyone on the promenade. Dining, shopping & entertainment sums up this area of the ship nicely. Pizza. Kids and adults alike love the complimentary pizza at Sorrento’s! Promenade Cafe also serves up coffee, sandwiches & sweet treats 24/7, so you’ll never have to go hungry onboard. Also - throughout your cruise you will be surprised with some unexpected fun such as kid-friendly parades & more. On our Utopia cruise, we were delighted by the staff members dressed as dragon riders, parading around the Royal Promenade, making a fun experience for the kids.

Challengers Arcade makes for a lot of indoor fun as well - PARENTS: get ready to spend a bit of $$$ - but it’s a lot of fun and a great indoor option for a rainy day up on the pool deck, or for any time you want to escape the Caribbean heat. Our son and nephew loved the air hockey!

AND then of course - there’s “It’s a meee. MARIO!”. Ahh yes, the chance to win Mario! Be the lucky kid to scoop up the golden egg holding the key, and you get to bring giant, stuffed Mario home with you. So yes, we ARE saying there’s a chance!

That’s right - families and kids DO belong here on the beautiful, colorful, fun & exciting Utopia of the Seas! There’s something for everyone, there is ALWAYS something fun & entertaining going on, and the kids absolutely love it. We covered some of our favorite features and activities for kids - but there’s more! Make sure to read the daily cruise compass on your stateroom television so you won’t miss out on kid-friendly events such as family fairs on the Boardwalk, black-light puppet shows at Adventure Ocean, and even magic shows in the theater.

We absolutely recommend Utopia of the Seas for your next family vacation!

New to cruising? Need help booking your next cruise on Royal Caribbean? I can help!

Email me at: erin@flyingdutchmentravel.com and let me help you find your next unforgettable cruise at the best possible rate!

Make sure to check out our latest YouTube video on the Utopia of the Seas: