🚢 Icon of the Seas with Toddlers or Small Kids: A Real Mom's Guide and Logistics Tips
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I had never been on a cruise, but when I first saw Royal Caribbean’s ad for Icon of the Seas as the ultimate ship for families, I got so excited about taking my daughter (she would be almost 3 at the time of the trip). 👧💕
If you’re like me and you research and analyze every little thing before booking a vacation, here I’m sharing the must-knows if you’re going on Icon of the Seas with toddlers or small kids. I’m focusing on little kids because I know there’s plenty more for adults and teens. This is a guide based on my own experience for parents sailing on Icon of the Seas with toddlers or small kids. 🌊
When you finish this article, I invite you to read my post about [The best photo spots on Icon of the Seas] and my review of [Perfect Day at CocoCay with Small Kids].
✈️ Pre-trip logistics: Why arrive early and where to stay
In my case, Icon of the Seas set sail from the Port of Miami. If you’re traveling with small kids, a golden rule of the traveling mom is to always fly in at least one day before embarkation. Never arrive the same day as the cruise; any flight delay or hiccup with your luggage can leave you watching the ship sail away. ⚠️
We decided to arrive 2 nights before embarkation, to spend a couple of days in Miami. We stayed at the JW Marriott Miami in Brickell. We loved the location: it’s a beautiful, walkable area with tons of kid-friendly things just steps away (playgrounds, open-air shopping centers and delicious options for an early, stress-free dinner). You can read my [review of the JW Marriott Miami Brickell]. 🏨🌴
(Here you can compare hotels in real time across Downtown Miami, Brickell and the port area to see photos, distances and rates for your travel dates) 🗺️
💡 Traveling mom tip: For the morning transfer on cruise day from Brickell or Downtown to the Royal Caribbean terminal at the port, an Uber or taxi ride takes you between 15 and 20 minutes. ⏱️🚕
🛏️ Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony: Review of our cabin and layout (it’s like two rooms in one)
To avoid extreme motion from the sea, choose the most central area of the ship if possible. We chose the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony cabin on deck 8, mid-ship, and we thought the room was incredible and very thoughtfully designed for families. ⚓
- 🚪 The kids’ corner, like “two rooms”: It has a separate area with bunk beds that’s completely divided off by a thick curtain. This visually creates two independent spaces.
- 🖍️ The chalkboard with chalk: On the wall next to the bunk beds there’s a chalkboard mounted at the perfect height for kids, with its little box of chalk included.
- 🌅 The balcony detail: These rooms have the balcony space integrated. It’s a floor-to-ceiling window that can be opened from the top. It’s much safer for kids vs a traditional balcony, plus you have a spot to sit with a gorgeous view without having to step out into the heat.
💡 Traveling mom tip: If you have small kids and can afford to spend extra on the room, I recommend this cabin vs a traditional balcony room, since they’re MUCH bigger and with so many days at sea you’ll be more comfortable. 🧸
📱 Royal Caribbean app: Key dates and tricks so you don’t miss out on reservations
Something that makes it so much easier to know what’s happening on the ship is their official app. With it you have minute-by-minute access to the schedule of paid and free activities, showtimes and performances, restaurant reservations, and even something I found super useful: you can have a group with other passengers and use the app to message them. 📲💬
💡 Traveling mom tip: It’s very important that you download the app before your cruise. 45 days before sailing, check-in time slots for embarkation day open up, and the earliest options usually sell out in minutes. Also, if you want to book a specific dinner time every day at the main restaurant, you can do it 6 months in advance from the app. ⏰📅
🎠 Surfside: The complete guide to the family deck (deck 7)
If you’re traveling with kids under 6, deck 7 will become your base. Surfside is designed so families with kids have everything concentrated “in the same neighborhood.” Here’s what you’ll find: 🎈
- 🌈 Giant slide with rainbow stairs. Kids (and adults) love going down this one.
- 🎠 The Carousel: In the middle of the neighborhood there’s a beautiful carousel (included at no extra cost) that my daughter rode more times than I could count.
- 🧗♀️ Play structure: A small playground-style play structure for kids.
- 🕹️ Arcade: At an extra cost, but you can enjoy different arcade-style machines. There’s a claw machine packed with the famous rubber ducks you’ll find all over the ship (keep reading, because I tell you more about this below!) 🦆
- 🍭 Candy store: A beautiful candy store where they also organize kids’ activities like cupcake-decorating classes. We took part and the kids loved it. 🧁
- 💦 Baby Bay vs Splashaway Bay and the golden diaper rule
- 👶 Baby Bay: Something VERY IMPORTANT you should know is that babies and toddlers who wear diapers can’t go swimming in the pools, so this splash zone is ideal for them.
- 🌊 Splashaway Bay: An interactive water park for kids with fountains, water cannons and a big dumping bucket. In that area you’ll find water slides and special little-kid slides.
- 🏊♀️ Water’s Edge: A family pool located at the aft end, with panoramic ocean views and designed so parents can relax while keeping an eye on the kids.
- 🍕 Quick food and snacks in Surfside: You’ll find different food options in this area, especially designed for kids.
- 🍦 Sprinkles: Complimentary soft-serve ice cream station.
- 🎨 Some special activities designed for kids: During my stay, there were different daily activities designed for kids like face painting and story time; I recommend keeping an eye on the app to see when they’re happening. 📖
🦆 Cruising Ducks: The treasure hunt that excites kids and grown-ups alike
There’s a tradition of hiding rubber ducks around the ship, something the passengers do. Kids get so excited hunting for ducks everywhere; in the end you can keep them as a souvenir or hide them again so another kid can find them. 🔍🐥
🎨 Adventure Ocean: The Icon of the Seas kids club they won’t want to leave
Every detail of this ship’s kids club is 100% designed with kids and families in mind: the facilities are very clean, beautiful, modern and divided by age so each stage has exactly what it needs. If you’re traveling with small kids, here’s what you should know about the spaces: 🧩
- 🍼 AO Babies (6 to 36 months): This is the nursery area with an extra hourly fee and it requires a reservation in advance from the first day on board. The space is super well cared for, with cribs, toys and staff dedicated to the babies.
- 🖍️ AO Juniors (3 to 5 years): This program is included at no extra cost. They have interactive climbing zones, building games, group activities and drawing areas where they love to be. My nieces and nephews came out every day excited and wanting to go back!
🌟 Must-do family activities inside Adventure Ocean:
- 🎭 Black-light puppet show: They put on a fun puppet show that glows in the dark, with music and bubbles. It was one of my daughter’s favorite things, we went twice! 🫧
- ✂️ Guided activities and workshops: They organize craft workshops, themed parties and staff-led games.
💡 Traveling mom tip: On embarkation day itself, as soon as you step on the ship, head up to Adventure Ocean in the afternoon (during the Open House). This is where you’ll register the kids so they can join the included activities on their own starting at age 3 (AO Juniors); Royal Caribbean requires that they be fully 3 years old and not wearing diapers. 📋
🧗♂️ Deck 16 and 17 (Thrill Island): What to do if your child isn’t tall enough
On the upper decks are the giant slides and extreme attractions. Being very realistic, a toddler or small kid won’t meet the height requirement for the vast majority of these things, but here’s what they can do: 🎢
- ⛳ Mini golf (Lost Dunes): It’s up top, themed and colorful. Kids can try to hit the ball hole by hole and adults can have fun with them.
- 🌅 The ocean views from up there are spectacular and the vibe is lovely for a family stroll before sunset, or to go get more ice cream. 🍦
🎭 Shows on Icon of the Seas with small kids: Which ones are worth it?
I wanted to go to every show possible on the ship, but I had my doubts about whether my daughter would sit through them. To my surprise, not only did she sit through them, she loved them. These are the ones we saw with her and they’re kid-friendly: 🎟️
- 👠 The Wizard of Oz: In the Royal Theater. The costumes, music and visual effects had her captivated most of the time.
- ⛸️ The Humpty Dumpty ice show (Once Upon a Time): On the Absolute Zero ice rink. It’s totally designed for kids, with classic storybook characters and very fun music.
- ❄️ Starburst (the main ice skating show): Although it isn’t a kids’ show as such, the dynamism, lights and speed of the skaters kept my daughter entertained the whole show.
The one I didn’t take her to was the acrobatics show in the AquaDome. Although I saw that some families did bring small kids, the performances tended to be quite late at night, past her bedtime, and I preferred not to keep her up. I decided to go see that show alone with my husband as a date night, and we both enjoyed it so much. 🥂✨
🏝️ Stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay with small kids
The stop at Royal Caribbean’s private island is a whole topic on its own when you’re going with small kids: knowing which beach to go to with calm water or which play areas are best changes your whole day. [Click here to read my full review of what to do at CocoCay with small kids.🏖️🥥]
💖 Honest conclusion: Is it worth sailing on Icon of the Seas with a small child?
Being 100% honest, this trip has been one of the best vacations of my life. I had doubts about whether a ship would be too overwhelming for a little girl, but the reality is that a cruise like Icon of the Seas is ideal for traveling as a family. My little girl loved it and was the happiest! Cruising with small kids has so many conveniences: entertainment, food sorted all day, spaces designed exactly for their age and the comfort of seeing incredible places while unpacking only once. 🚢👨👩👧👦✨