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A Guide To Planning The Best Family Cruises Onboard Oasis Of The Seas

Treat your loved ones to an unforgettable escape onboard a cruise ship designed with families in mind.

By Amanda Mesa | Published on October 25, 2023

Planning the perfect family getaway can be an extremely fun and exciting process. It can also be a very stressful one, especially if you’re traveling with kids of different ages who have different ideas of fun. While it’s true that there’s no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” escape, cruising comes pretty close. It’s one of the few vacation experiences that caters to a wide range of ages, preferences and personality types. It’s a convenient way for travel parties of any size to see several destinations together without having to coordinate logistics or unpack multiple times. And as far as budgeting goes, the value of a cruise is usually unbeatable when it comes to things like dining, activities and accommodations.

While opting for a family cruise getaway can certainly remove a lot of the stress from the vacation-planning process, it’s important to keep in mind that some cruise lines and cruise ships cater more to specific audiences, such as couples or adults. For vacations that cater to families, Oasis of the Seas by Royal Caribbean checks all the boxes. It’s brimming with cruise activities for kids, teens and adults — not to mention family-friendly cruise entertainment and age-appropriate play spaces and hangouts designed specifically for different age groups. The ship is also home to the cruise line’s award-winning Adventure Ocean®️ youth program, which provides supervised childcare daily for parents sailing with little ones or even cruising with a baby. And of course, the cruise dining options all feature well-rounded menus sure to please even the pickiest eaters.

If you’re trying to plan the best family vacation, your ship’s come in. Here are just some of the many ways you can maximize family time onboard Oasis of the Seas.

1. Get In The Game With Fun Family-Friendly Challenges

One of the things I love most about Oasis of the Seas are the many opportunities it offers to indulge my competitive streak. There are plenty of cool, family-friendly ways to earn bragging rights onboard — like a 40-foot rock climbing wall where guests can race each other to the top, a nine-hole mini golf course riddled with obstacles and a Sports Court where you can always count on an impromptu basketball or volleyball match. The ship even has an area for table-tennis tournaments. But if you’re anything like me and prefer thinking challenges to physical ones, the Royal Escape Room^℠ should be right up your alley. Onboard Oasis of the Seas, this top-rated onboard activity brings groups together in a race against the clock to successfully launch the Apollo 18 spacecraft — one head-scratching puzzle at a time.

2. Chase Thrills And Conquer Your Fears

Oasis of the Seas is also the perfect ship for daredevils. It’s home to enough exhilarating thrills and onboard attractions to keep your adrenaline rush going strong every day. My personal favorite is The Perfect Storm^℠ — a trio of twisting, turning water slides you’ll want to conquer again and again. There’s also a zip line that stretches nine decks high over the bustling Boardwalk neighborhood. If you have someone stand at the opposite end with a camera, you’ll score incredible shots as you soar across the ship in your harness. Oasis of the Seas is home to the Ultimate Abyss℠, too. Towering ten stories high, this dry-slide is the tallest at sea. And of course, there’s the FlowRider®️, a surf simulator that funnels 30,000 gallons of rushing water to create perfect swells all day, every day.

3. Elevate Your Pool Day

Anybody who’s ever cruised before knows that the pool deck is typically the heart of the ship — and the central hub for all the action onboard. This is true onboard Oasis of the Seas, which hosts bellyflop competitions, hip-swinging dance contests and DJ-driven parties daily around the main pool. There’s plenty of seating, too, so you don’t have to worry about showing up at the crack of dawn to claim chaise loungers for you and your crew. If you work up an appetite, you’ll find delicious flavors steps away at Portside BBQ℠ and El Loco Fresh®️, plus all your favorite vacation libations at The Lime & Coconut®️. For little ones, there’s Splashaway Bay℠ — an aqua park for pint-sized cruisers equipped with water cannons, interactive fountains and even mini water slides. And for guests aged 16 and older, there’s the Solarium — a tranquil hideaway with lagoon-like pools, whirlpools and endless chill vibes.

4. Kick Back In Hangouts Designed For All Ages

It’s always nice to have the option to mingle with others your own age — especially during family vacations. The folks who designed Oasis of the Seas clearly had this in mind when they designed the cruise ship, because they made sure kids, teens and adults all had their own areas to unwind or connect with others. There’s Adventure Ocean, where guests aged 3-11 are separated into groups based on their age and given all kinds of fun, engaging and supervised activities to enjoy. There’s a hangout exclusively for 13- to 17-year-olds complete with a secret speakeasy entrance, a gaming lounge, a stellar soundtrack and a patio that’s perfect for lounging. And after the sun goes down, parents can enjoy a range of adults-only nightlife, bars and entertainment — including scandalously hilarious game shows and standup comedy at the ship’s intimate Comedy Club.

5. Make Every Meal A Memorable Occasion

I’ve raved about the cruise dining options that Oasis of the Seas has to offer, but aside from the incredible quality of the food, I also love the fact that many of the restaurants onboard are family-friendly. You’ll find kids’ menus at nearly all of them — and the kitchen team is usually more than happy to accommodate most off-menu requests. What’s more, so many of the dining concepts onboard focus on a delivering a multi-sensory experience. Like Izumi Hibachi & Sushi, where every meal is a dazzling show filled with impressive cooking techniques, chopping skills and even magic tricks. Or Playmakers^℠ Bar & Arcade, where both kids and adults can enjoy all sorts of games while savoring tasty burgers, chicken wings and sundaes. Other great family-friendly cruise dining options onboard include El Loco Fresh®️, serving up delicious Mexican-inspired eats, Giovanni's℠ Table, specializing in authentic Italian dishes and Dog House, which turns out some of the best gourmet hot dogs I’ve ever tried.

6. Fill Every Evening With Spellbinding Shows And Entertainment

On this cruise ship, the fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down. Oasis of the Seas keeps the energy going strong with an impressive lineup of family-friendly entertainment ranging from Broadway-style performances to dazzling ice-skating shows. My favorite is Frozen in Time, which brings Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytales to life on the ice-skating rink with electrifying choreography, show-stopping stunts and extravagant costumes. Kids and adults alike will surely recognize the stories and characters while being mesmerized by the skaters’ impressive twirls, jumps and spins. On the other hand, One Sky will definitely wow fans of musicals. Showcased in the Royal Theater, this original production explores human connection through song and dance. And at the AquaTheater, you can feast your eyes on high dives, synchronized swimming in the action-packed spectacular, Splash.

Though we’ve covered everything from the pool scene and slides to some of the restaurants and shows onboard Oasis of the Seas, the truth is we’ve hardly scratched the surface of all the unique and unforgettable experiences that await guests sailing on this top-rated cruise ship. You can check out a full roster of cruise activities for families, onboard entertainment, and restaurants and bars. If you’re ready to start planning a fun vacation for the whole family, you can start browsing some of this ship’s top itineraries.