Crowded?  Kid-friendly?

• Other than the elevators, and at the theatre entrance, the ship did not feel crowded.
  • Exceptions were first night MDR and casino.
  • The winds and relative chill (sometimes under 70!!) keeps outdoor activities restrained. 
    At Coco Cay (on first leg), the swim-up bar was sparse; the few swimmers were children. 
    Overall, the number of children is low - as expected during school a period and no holiday. 
• The Shows we attended were full, but not overly crowded.  Our tendency to arrive 15-20 minutes early allowed us to find very good seats, without exception.
• Voyager Class Ships (Voyager, Explorer, Adventure, Navigator and Mariner) have plenty of activities and more venues than Radiance and Vision Class Ships (but fewer than Oasis class and larger vessels).
• From swimming pools to the FlowRider Surf Simulator, climbing wall and ice skating rink, there were plenty of options.  Even the chilly and often windy conditions did not keep the kids (and older) out of water, or away from the FlowRider.
• The second leg of the B2B had a distinctly different vibe, which we could not explain - maybe there was a sale price - it was busier on a Monday - Friday voyage, during school session, than leg one which was a Friday to Monday period.  (Sometimes, there are no obvious explanations.)

Entertainment

• Every ship has something for everyone.  The Explorer of the Seas offered Production Shows (Invitation to Dance), Orchestral music, and an Ice Spectacular - which is a favorite.  (We’ve seen ice shows on at least 3-4 ships and don’t need to repeat often, but the Explorer ice show was new to us, and quite enjoyable.  Yes, I’ve seen Olympic skaters do “more,” but these skaters were quite proficient, displaying skills and performing in tight quarters - and…remember…the ice surface is on a moving vessel!). As always, front row seating is recommended; arrive 20 minutes early.

• Crazy Quest is presented on the penultimate night of most RC cruises.  We’ve seen a couple of these over the years.  (You will have several warnings and adequate time to excuse yourself if you are sensitive to bawdy/blue jokes, or don’t care to see other people’s underwear thrown about.)
• Music - several musical venues feature solos, duos and small groups.  Schedules change frequently, so you can’t show up in the same place each night and expect the same performer.
• Miscellaneous - game shows, Silent parties, Name that Tune, Belly Flop competitions, Karaoke, dance classes, onboard movies (poolside), and more.

Dining (also, see Tips) - (to be updated)

• We enjoyed the Windjammer (buffet) about half the time.  When we indulged on a specialty lunch, we skipped dinner or snacked on pizza later in the evening.
• In the MDR, we enjoyed ordering the cheese dessert plate - as an appetizer.
• On the first leg, we enjoyed one specialty dining option - Chops Grill.  We’ve enjoyed this once before, and look forward to a repeat.
  • Pro-Tip:  Lunches at specialty restaurants are only available at select restaurants, but you can save big by opting for lunch vs. dinner.  Reserve in advance of your cruise to obtain 20-30% reduced prices; we’ve been paying $20-$23 each (+18% gratuity included), although I have not determined why the prices vary by ship.
• On the second leg, we scheduled Giovanni’s Table for lunch, and once again, we were not disapppointed.
• Check your Ship App for up-to-date venue hours; breakfast or lunch times vary between port and sea days.

Port Highlights - January 2026

• Coco Cay and Nassau - pleasant enough day at Coco Cay, which we’ve visited multiple times.  Nothing new in Nassau - EXCEPT - the opening of the new island.  There may be deal$ in the future, but the current cost was more than we wanted to splurge on this time.

Port Highlights - February 2026

• Bimini - this was a first time visit for us, and relatively new in the recent past for Royal Caribbean.  After exploring the excursions online, we decided to venture out unscheduled.
• The unscheduled approach worked fine.  A Free shuttle service was available from the ship after only a 5 minute queue.  It made three stops and we hopped off only at “Fisherman’s Village” which is a bit of an oversell.  There are some shops, and yes, enough small boats to suggest that fishermen work from here.  We walked around 30 minutes and made the 5 minute walk back to the ship.  Since this was the only stop on a 5 day cruise, I’m glad we walked around a bit.  (Coco Cay was cancelled the following day - for us, and for the Icon, as neither ship could safely dock.  Some passenger complaints were heard, but we had no issue with accepting the Captain’s decision.  Of course, we’ve visited Coco Cay numerous times.  The wind and relative cool assured us that we had not missed much - it’s likely we would have stayed onboard anyway.)