Although I travel often with my children, I had never considered a cruise. Of course, I knew how popular cruises were with families, but the thought of being trapped on a ship, no matter how big, didn’t excite me. When I found out that Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the seas just started sailing from Bayonne, New Jersey, near New York, I decided to finally take the plunge with my two youngest children. The new route meant we could get to the ship by driving about four hours from my home in Washington, DC.
As we approached the port, I was still worried that the kids and I would be bored after a week on the boat. I reminded myself how much I enjoyed my first trip to an all-inclusive resort, despite such concerns, and hoped for the best. I am now happy to report that the cruise was a great success. That’s why I changed my tune during the cruise.
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There’s plenty to do on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas
My fears about being bored disappeared once I saw all the activities available on board. In addition to several pools and hot tubs, Symphony of the seas there’s also a mini-golf course, a zip line, an ice skating rink, laser tag, rock climbing, a simulated surfer FlowRider, a carousel, a massive 10-story slide, nightly movies and shows, and a sports field just for starters.
My kids found some fun touches just wandering around, including a musical staircase that plays different notes on each rung. One day we met a pianist in the elevator. The ship also has special events, including carnival games, which my kids enjoyed. There was a good mix of organized activities such as children’s football matches and youth-only skating sessions, as well as downtime.
Our guest room was small but more than adequate
My children and I shared one cabin with a balcony. Although the room was small, it was big enough for the three of us. The room was thoughtfully planned, leaving us plenty of space for all our belongings. My son called the balcony “life changing” as he watched the waves in the Atlantic Ocean.
I loved sitting on the balcony in the evening after the kids went to bed. On my next cruise I would like to have a balcony again, but it wouldn’t be a deal breaker if I could only afford an inside room since we didn’t spend much time there.
Lunch was the highlight
Cruise ships are known for their large buffets. Although I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of quality, I expected a good variety. Fortunately, the buffet is on board Symphony of the seas it was both high-quality and tasty. My kids and I loved avocado toast for breakfast and salads and pasta for lunch and dinner.
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My favorite restaurant on the ship was the Solarium Bistro, with Mediterranean dishes available to all passengers at no extra charge. We have also acquired several premium restaurants that cost a little more. Eating at Wonderland, a whimsical Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant, was a magical experience that I highly recommend to anyone with children. We also ate at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant, Jamie’s Italian, and it was a fantastic feast.
My kids and I also got an unlimited drinks package. A drinks package is optional as drinks are served with meals and coffee, water and tea are available all day. Still, it was nice to get unlimited soft drinks, craft coffee, and milkshakes. The highlight was ordering custom drinks created by a robot. Maybe I’ll get the drink bag again.
Shore excursions
New Symphony of the seas The route from New Jersey includes three stops. We booked tours for two stops (Port Canaveral, FL and Nassau, Bahamas). In Port Canaveral we visited Gatorland. There were tons of other options, including visiting the Kennedy Space Center, heading to Universal Studios or Disney World, and more.
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In the Bahamas, we took a jeep tour to explore the historic sites and downtown Nassau. We also explored high-end port. As in Florida, there are plenty of options to choose from, including a day at the beach and a visit to Atlantis, home of the legendary water park.
A perfect day at CocoCay
Our third stop is further on Symphony of the seas was on Royal Carribean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, which is also in the Bahamas. My kids and I splurged on Thrill Island Water Park which has a huge wave pool, huge water slides and more. We also spent a couple of hours on one of the beautiful beaches of the island.
A perfect day at CocoCay was lovely and we had plenty of food and drink. It really was a great day! For those who want more adventure, other activities are available on the island, such as glass-bottom boating and swimming with pigs.
Royal Caribbean Teens Club and Kids Club
While a big part of family vacations is, of course, spending time with family, it’s also nice to spend time alone. I travel a lot as a single parent with my kids, and I don’t always get time off on my own, which is stressful for me. Royal Caribbean is known for their fantastic kids clubs and this was a big hit for my kids and me.
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The first night we were on board, my 13-year-old daughter went to a teen party and quickly made a group of friends that she still keeps in touch with months after our cruise. My nine-year-old son was thrilled with the kids’ club, where he played games, did art projects, and did science experiments. He liked the kids club so much that he got upset every time he saw me coming to pick him up.
At the end of the trip, I really wanted my kids to spend more time with me, but I was happy to see them having fun and used some of the time I had on my own to enjoy the adults-only part of the ship.