By Shar Rogers
Most of my clients (and myself) have the same criteria when planning a family vacation: warm and sunny (I do live in Chicago after all), lots of activities for the kids, a safe environment, and budget friendly. I think that a cruise is the perfect solution for a family vacation and delivers a great value and experience for families with kids of all ages.
I recently went on a 7-night Royal Caribbean Cruise on Rhapsody of the Seas. Although this trip was without my kids, I couldn’t help looking at the ship and experience through the eyes of a mother.
The ship left out of Galveston, Texas, which is a much smaller departure port than Port Canaveral or Miami, Florida — something I consider when traveling with my kids. Also, there were plenty of flights between Chicago and Galveston, and the port is a mere 20 minutes from the airport.
On board the ship, Royal Caribbean offers staterooms designed for families. If I were to return with my kids, I would choose a stateroom that has a separate sleeping area with two twin beds, so I could close the door when the kids went to sleep and still have the lights and TV on.
During the day, RCL kept the kids on the ship busy and entertained with its Adventure Ocean program. I know my kids would’ve enjoyed bingo, a limbo contest, and the belly flop contest.
RCL’s family focus extends to the shore excursions, including a water park in Cancun and a turtle farm in Grand Cayman. At every meal, RCL offers a kids menu, stocked with staples like chicken nuggets, mac & cheese and hot dogs.
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Shar Rogers is a member of the OrbitzTLC Team and a single mother of two children, ages 9 and 4. Shar spent 7 years as a leisure travel agent specializing in family travel.
