By: Casey Breest, a Marvelous Mouse Travels agent
I'm not going to argue, but I know I'm right! Quantum Class Ships are the perfect ship for active families! As a Travel Advisor with Marvelous Mouse Travels, I have enjoyed sailing on many ships over a variety of brands and classes and the Quantum class keeps coming to the top of my mind for quality family fun vacations, especially considering the itineraries they frequent!
First it's important to get to know these ships and why they are so special! The first Quantum Class Ship, “Quantum of the Seas”, set sail in October 2014. This revolutionary new design brought some amazing new venues, with new high tech and functional spaces! There are five ships that fall under the “Quantum” umbrella! These ships will comprise of the Anthem of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas, with the Odyssey and the Spectrum considered Quantum Ultra class. These ships will frequent the colder climate itineraries and are not as prevalent for warm sailing itineraries, but you can still see them on occasion sailing out Port Canaveral, sailing to the Mexican Riviera, and stationed in the mediterranean! Some of the Quantum Class ships can even be seen in the Far East and the South Pacific.
It's important to note that even within each class of ship you will see variations to the amenities and venues, but the overall concept will remain relatively the same! Your travel advisor can help answer any questions regarding variations in amenities and activities!
Below are some of my favorite activities from my personal experiences onboard the Quantum of the Seas and the Ovation of the Seas!
My family is an active family that enjoys finding activities to do together and, as a Travel Advisor myself, it's always my goal to try it all!! While my younger 7 year old is a social butterfly and loves kids clubs, my older, timid teenage kids want more to do to keep them busy throughout the day without the need to “make new friends”. Teenagers, am I right!?
The way this ship is set up makes a world of difference! Like I said previously, this ship is designed to be the perfect option for cold weather sailing. One of the key features that make these ships so great is the amount of large indoor spaces for activities. First let's look at the pool areas! Not only do you have the indoor adults only solarium, but you will also have an indoor family pool, as well as an outdoor pool area. The enclosed pool area has a retractable roof that allows this space to change to accommodate the climate it's sailing in! This will include a nice size pool, two hot tubs, plenty of lounge chairs and a pool bar! This is a great spot to let the kids swim while in the rain or cold weather! Bonus is the Ice Cream station is right next door. On the Quantum of the Seas the outdoor pool area included a fun wave pool and the Ovation had a fun splash pad with slides and a “river pool”, in place of the wave pool. In my experience the outdoor pools were heated which made it comfortable for swimming even when the weather was a little chillier!
Then the star of the show for families is the SeaPlex®. The SeaPlex® is incredible and one of the areas we found ourselves spending the most amount of time! The SeaPlex® includes a large sports court that hosts a variety of complimentary activities. Let me say that again… you do not have to pay extra for these activities! While it's important to note that occasionally you will see extra special activities that may have an additional cost that is not the rule. Complimentary activities that we enjoyed in the SeaPlex® were Bumper Cars, Laser Tag, Roller Skating, Archery, basketball tournaments, tennis and pickleball! In addition to the main court, there are ping pong tables in the loft area that have some great big windows, which can make a perfect spot to sightsee while the kids are enjoying their fun!
Another fun area for the gamers in your family will be the Xbox lounge, located inside the Seaplex. This can be a hot item, and controllers are “rented” for 30 minute sessions from the activities desk, so make sure to get your name on the list when your kids would like to enjoy this entertainment. The kids clubs and teen lounges will have gaming systems available as well if the ones in the Seaplex are spoken for.
Now if the weather cooperates there are some additional fun activities to enjoy outside! The iFly by Ripcord Sky is a skydiving simulator that you can enjoy for a 1 minute complimentary flight. They set you up with a suit, training and an instructor to help you get the feel of it! If you want to take it to the next level sign up for an extended flight prior to your cruise for an additional cost.
Right next door to the iFly is the FloRider! This offers an opportunity to try out your boogie boarding or surfing skills. This is a drop in activity where you can show up when you want or sign up for lessons ($) to learn how!
[INSERT FLO RIDER PICTURES and ROCK CLIMBING]
Then jump over to the Rock Climbing wall next! There are open climbing times where you can stop by, grab some climbing shoes, and hit the wall! Keep an eye out for speed climbing competitions for adults and kids throughout the cruise!
When enjoying the iFly, FloRider, or Rock Climbing you will want to stop by the activities desk located by the rock wall, to get checked in and sign any waivers if necessary.
Lastly, for a great view and fun ride try out the North Star! You will board the capsule and be elevated 300 feet above Sea Level! This is the tallest viewing platform on a cruise ship!! You can book an extended time and enjoy almost 20 minutes of sightseeing. This is amazing to book when you are in Alaska and viewing the glaciers and for wildlife viewing!
Tips for enjoying these complimentary activities:
First off, booking your cruise with a Travel Advisor from Marvelous Mouse Travels is my biggest tip! They will help match you up with the right ship for your families needs and desired itinerary and help answer any questions you may have on what specific features your ship will have. Marvelous Mouse prides itself on the amazing relationships with our vendors, which often leads to extra onboard credits and perks to enjoy on your sailing! But beyond the perks, is the expert advice and support you can trust!
Once you and your agent have picked the best cruise and booked, make sure to link your sailing to your Royal Caribbean App! Browse around and get familiar with where to locate activities and schedules. Keep in mind that not all activities and exact schedules are released right away, so keep checking back in to see any changes or updates.
As soon as you board the ship, connect to the ship's wifi. Load your Royal Caribbean App and select Activities. Then go day by day and select activity times for the duration of your cruise! Some activities will only let you reserve one spot per guest so other guests can enjoy as well, but keep in mind that you are always welcome to stop by during the activity times to see if there are open spots to join in for extra fun!
While it's really hard to pick my favorite activity, I loved breaking out of my comfort zone and trying out the iFly Skydiving simulator. It was an experience I have never encountered before and I loved every second of it! I cannot wait to sail this ship again!
Are you ready to get your “Quantum Class” vacation dreams started?! Make sure to reach out to Casey or Marvelous Mouse Travels for help planning your next getaway! Planning services and support are always free when you book your vacation through an MMT advisor!
