Do kids really sail free on Royal Caribbean?

Kids sail free is a limited time promotional offer that allows for guests 12 or younger to receive a free cruise fare. This offer is only available during active dates. To secure a Kids Sail Free promotion on a reservation, all applicable names and dates of birth must be given when making a reservation.



Yes, "Kids Sail Free" is a legitimate and popular recurring promotion by Royal Caribbean, but it comes with several specific terms and conditions. The offer generally applies to children aged 12 and under who are booked as the third or fourth guests in the same stateroom as two full-fare paying adults. While the "cruise fare" for the child is reduced to $0, parents must still pay for the child's taxes, fees, and port expenses, which can range from $100 to $250 per person depending on the itinerary. Furthermore, the promotion is usually subject to significant blackout dates, typically excluding high-demand periods like Spring Break (March/April), Summer (June–August), Thanksgiving, and Christmas/New Year's sailings. In 2026, many "Kids Sail Free" windows are specifically targeted toward the shoulder seasons or mid-week departures. To find these deals, travelers should look for the "Kids Sail Free" banner on the Royal Caribbean website during major booking holidays. It remains one of the best ways for families to significantly reduce the cost of a luxury vacation, provided they have the flexibility to travel outside of standard school holiday weeks.

People Also Ask

Cruise fares are per person which includes children and infants. When traveling with 2 full fare guests, additional guests in the same stateroom pay a discounted cruise fare. Children less than 2 years of age are not required to extend gratuities.

MORE DETAILS

A guest's age is established upon the first date of sailing. This age limit will be waived for children sailing with their parents or guardians in connecting staterooms; for underage married couples; and for active duty members of the United States or Canadian military.

MORE DETAILS

No Guest younger than the age twenty-one (21) will be assigned to a stateroom unless accompanied in the same stateroom by an adult twenty-one (21) years old or older. A guest's age is established upon the first date of sailing.

MORE DETAILS

What forms of ID are required for minors traveling on Royal Caribbean? All guests, including children, must be in possession of a passport which is valid for 6 months after the end of the sailing.

MORE DETAILS

Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean's teen activities regularly run late at night until 1 a.m. -- and even later for older teens. But with the exception of these activities and spaces, on most 2022 Royal Caribbean sailings, ships have set a curfew of 1 a.m. for all cruise passengers 17 and under.

MORE DETAILS

Guests 12 and under may not be assigned to a balcony stateroom without a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older) traveling in the balcony stateroom with them. Can be separated by up to 3 staterooms from a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older).

MORE DETAILS

Royal Caribbean International The line's current Kids Sail Free” deal lets children 12 or younger cruise free, provided they are the third guests (or beyond) in the same cabin as at least two paying adults.

MORE DETAILS

Cruise fares are per person which includes children and infants. When traveling with two full fare guests, additional guests in the same stateroom pay a discounted cruise fare. Children less than 2 years of age are not required to extend gratuities.

MORE DETAILS

Guests must be at least 18 years of age or older to gamble in the casino, except for Alaska sailings, for which guests must be 21 years of age. Minors are permitted to walk through the casino but are not permitted do loiter or be left unattended.

MORE DETAILS

Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean cruise ships aren't all-inclusive – at least not in the true sense. While they may not be fully all-inclusive, they do offer guests exceptional value. The pricing model allows cruisers to receive a base experience and pay for any add-ons they may want to enjoy.

MORE DETAILS

Travelers under the age of 18 must travel with an adult over the age of 18. Children under the age of 16 must have a passenger who is 16 or older share their cabin. Minimum age to leave a P&O ship on your own: Guests must be 17 or older to go on a ship-sponsored shore excursion on their own.

MORE DETAILS

Royal Caribbean Typically, a five-berth cabin will feature a double sleep sofa and one pull-down bunk; six-berth cabins have two pull-down bunks plus the sofa-bed, so five-person families can put each kid in a separate bed.

MORE DETAILS

You can book two cabins of the same type with an interior door connecting the two (and, in some cases, open the divider between the balconies) to create more space and easy access for a large family cruising together.

MORE DETAILS

Can you swim at night on Royal Caribbean? Just like the tip before, once the sun goes down, many guests skip the pool completely, but night swims are not only a great time for an uncrowded swim, but they are really a lot of fun too. There will be at least one pool open each evening, and hot tubs too.

MORE DETAILS

A few lines have meet-and-greets for young adults to meet other cruisers their age, but it's assumed that passengers age 18+ will just participate in the regular cruise activities: hanging out by the pool, joining in dance classes or trivia games, playing ball on the sports court, etc.

MORE DETAILS

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL), a government-issued birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where he or she was born) or passport, and if 16 or older, a government ...

MORE DETAILS

For U.S. citizens: For Round Trip cruises from the U.S. that DO NOT include Panama or Colombia, U.S. citizens 17 and under will be able to present either an original, notarized or certified copy of their birth certificate, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issues by DOS AND a valid Government Issued ID.

MORE DETAILS

If a minor child is traveling with only one parent, the absent parent should provide a notarized letter of consent. If only one parent has legal custody, that parent should be prepared to provide such evidence to airlines and authorities (ie. A copy of the sole custody document, or death certificate of absent parent.)

MORE DETAILS