10 Best Cruise Lines for Families in 2025, From Mega Ships to River Boats

Departures: Year-round

Experience: Royal Caribbean International’s 28-strong fleet of colossal ships (with more debuting in 2025) sail everywhere from Alaska to Auckland. Royal Caribbean also holds bragging rights to several of the world’s largest ships, including the 1,198-foot-long, liquefied natural gas-powered (LNG) Icon of the Seas that debuted in January 2024.

This Miami-based mega ship has so far lived up to the ballyhoo, making it a fail-safe family-fun Caribbean getaway that includes a visit to Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas. That said, this 5,610-passenger ship really is the destination, especially for families with wide-eyed kids in tow. Icon of the Seas boasts the largest waterpark at sea, a title it will soon share with sister ship Star of the Seas, launching in August 2025. Category 6 waterpark is home to six coiling slides, including the 282-foot Frightening Bolt, the tallest waterslide at sea, and the stomach-turning Pressure Drop, the first open free-fall flume at sea.

Icon has 26 dining venues, including the jaunty Surfside Bites within the just-for-families Surfside district that’s also home to a splash park for little ones, a games arcade, a merry-go-round, and the Adventure Ocean kids club. There’s tons more, including laser tag, an aqua-theater, zip line, escape room, FlowRider surf simulators, multiple pools, a sports court, mini golf, and rock-climbing walls. All’s to say, boredom is not a risk here.

Icon offers a slew of dedicated family cabins, too; from the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony room to the ship’s largest accommodation, the mind-boggling Ultimate Family Townhouse. At 1,772 square feet—over twice the size of the average New York City apartment—it will set you back an eye-watering $80,000 for a week. It sleeps eight, though, with a rainbow slide, private cinema, in-suite karaoke, and a private entrance to the ship’s Surfside neighborhood.