Category: Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean (often shortened to “AO”) is one of the best kids clubs at sea, but if it’s your first time cruising, the setup can feel a little mysterious. Here’s exactly how it works so you and your kids know what to expect.

Getting Signed Up

On embarkation day, head down to the Adventure Ocean area during their open house hours. This is when you’ll meet the staff, fill out paperwork, set permissions (like whether your child can check themselves out), and get your kids familiar with the space.
Pro tip: take a photo of the weekly schedule posted at the entrance. The times also appear in the app, but reception can be spotty on board.

Age Groups & How Sessions Work

Adventure Ocean is divided into age-appropriate programs:

• Royal Babies & Tots Nursery (6 months to 36 months)
This is the only paid childcare option. Prices vary by ship, but it’s usually around $6 per hour during the day and $8 per hour at night. Reservations are required, and you can book short blocks in advance.

• Ages 3–5, 6–8, and 9–11
These groups operate similar to a day camp. Your kids are grouped by age, and the spaces are secure so only parents/guardians can check them in or out unless you give special permission.

For ages 9–12, kids can check themselves in and out on sea days only, but only if you sign the consent form.

Kids 13 and older have their own teen lounges and can come and go whenever they like.

Flexible Age Options

If your child is on the older end of a group and feeling “over” the little kid games, Royal Caribbean is pretty flexible. Sometimes they group 6 to 11 year olds together, if there’s a smaller group of kids. In this case, an 11-year-old who finds the 6–11 room too young can move up to the older group if you sign a waiver. Staff will guide you on what’s best.

Themes & Nighttime Fun

Adventure Ocean goes all out with nightly themes. Expect things like:

• Superhero night
• Pirate night
• Rockstar night
• Sports tournaments
• Glow parties
• Arts & crafts tied to the theme

Crafts, games, scavenger hunts, and story time all match the theme of the evening and the staff does an incredible job making it feel special.

What Parents Should Know

• Drop-off and pick-up is quick, especially once your child is in the system.
• Sessions are free for all ages except the nursery.
• Kids love it. Many parents report their children begging to go back every day.
• You can check on your kids anytime, and staff will text you on your ship phone (or via app) if needed.

Bottom Line

Adventure Ocean is easy to use, flexible, and a huge highlight for kids. Sign up on day one, take a photo of the schedule, and let your kids dive into themed nights, games, crafts, and activities while you enjoy some grown-up time.

Royal Caribbean’s check-in process is simple once you know the timing, but the exact moment it opens can catch people off guard. For most guests, check-in opens 45 days before your sailing. If you have Crown & Anchor status or you’re staying in a suite, you can board earlier regardless.

One thing many people don’t realize is that Royal Caribbean uses the local time at the departure port, not your home time zone. So if your cruise leaves from Miami, check-in opens right at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time. If you live in California, that means 9:00 p.m. the evening before. If your cruise departs from Europe, your check-in might open in the middle of the afternoon or early evening your time. This confuses a lot of first-timers, so it’s worth double-checking.

Why checking in right at midnight matters

The closer you complete check-in to the moment it opens, the earlier your boarding time will be. Early boarding times go fast, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. Boarding early is absolutely worth it, because getting on the ship as soon as they open the doors gives you almost an extra day onboard. You can head straight to lunch, explore the ship without crowds, hit the pool, or even start booking things that aren’t available online.

What early boarding helps you do

The earlier you get on the ship, the more flexibility you have for reserving experiences that you cannot book online ahead of time. This depends on the ship, but examples include certain onboard activities, some entertainment times, dining requests, and specialty experiences that only open for booking once you’re physically onboard.

Then there’s just the vibe: boarding early means you start your vacation sooner instead of sitting in a terminal waiting.

In short, mark your calendar for 45 days before your sailing, check the departure port’s time zone, and hop on as close to midnight as you can. You’ll be rewarded with a better boarding time and a head start on your cruise adventure.

If you’re getting ready for a Royal Caribbean cruise and wondering what drinks you can bring with you, the rules are pretty simple and very specific. Royal Caribbean does allow you to bring some alcohol, but only in a limited way.

Guests are permitted to bring up to two bottles of wine or champagne per stateroom, and they must be 750 ml bottles (no boxed wine). You can only bring them on embarkation day, and at least one person in the stateroom must be 21 or older for the bottles to be allowed.

Security will inspect the bottles, and they’re strict about this. If a bottle looks like it has been opened, altered, or tampered with in any way, it will be confiscated. They also check other containers, water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, and even luggage and if alcohol is found in any of those, it’s taken away on the spot. Anything seized at embarkation will not be returned, so it’s not worth trying to sneak liquor in.

If you prefer beer or spirits, those can’t be brought onboard at all, but you can buy drinks individually or purchase one of Royal Caribbean’s drink packages once you’re on the ship.