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We Took a 7 Day Cruise Over Christmas on Star of the Seas

The Cruise



I have not stopped thinking about our cruise since we got back.


Partly because it was that good.


Partly because people are so genuinely curious and will not stop asking about it.


And partly because my kids now believe cruise ships are the standard for all future vacations.


So instead of answering the same questions over and over, I figured I would write it down. Why we cruise. Why it works for our family. And why this last cruise officially locked us in.


Because this trip did not just feel fun, it felt grounding in a way I was not expecting.


Why We Started Cruising as a Family


We started cruising because it felt like cheating at vacation planning. You pay once, plan a little up front, and then everything just works. Room. Food. Entertainment. Done.


No hunting for restaurants. No arguing about where to go next. No feeling like you are spending the entire trip organizing the trip.


As the kids started getting older, we realized we cared more about giving them experiences than giving them one more thing to unwrap and add to the collection.


After our first cruise, we looked at each other and said, yeah, we are doing this again.


Why It Works for All of Us


A couple at a bar on a cruise ship

Cruising works because nobody is bored and nobody is overwhelmed.


The kids get kids club, games, freedom, and independence. April and I get some alone time and uninterrupted adult conversations. And we still come back together for meals, shows, and random family moments that somehow always become the memories.


It is one of the few vacations where everyone actually wins.


And at this stage of our life, that kind of shared win feels rare and worth protecting.


This Last Cruise Was Different


A family standing in front of Star of the Seas cruise ship

This last cruise was different.


This was our first seven-day cruise as a family, and it did not disappoint.


Long enough to relax.

Long enough to explore.

Long enough to forget what day it is.


We have done shorter cruises before, and they always felt like they ended right when we were finally settling in. And we still did not do everything.


Being on Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, made it even better. That ship is not just big. It is layered. You can be in a loud fun space, then turn a corner and suddenly feel like you are in a completely different world.


The Ship Itself


A family standing in front of the pearl on the Star of the Seas cruise ship

The design of the ship was one of my favorite parts.


Different neighborhoods. Different vibes. Different energy.


Pools everywhere. Hot tubs everywhere. Seating everywhere. Shaded spots. Sunny spots. Quiet corners. Loud corners.


You never felt crowded. You just felt like you had options.


And I am a big fan of options.


Kids Club and Tracking Bands


The kids club was already a win from past cruises. This time, there were tracking bands that took it to another level. Those bands allowed us to see their location on the ship at any time.


The kids felt independent.

We felt informed.

Everyone felt comfortable.


At 10 and 7, they are old enough to want space, young enough to still need us close, and perfectly happy not being under us every second.


They could move around. We could breathe. And nobody had to hover.


That balance is elite parenting energy.


The Water Park


A boy going down a water slide

There was a full water park on the ship.


Six slides.


The kids did all of them. Multiple times.


April and I did a couple and then pretended we were satisfied with our life choices.


It was loud. It was fun. It was slightly humbling.


Worth it.


Food and Shows


A family in a dining room on a cruise ship

The food was consistently good and always available. There were restaurants and quick grab food stations everywhere. Not only that, but the buffet was pretty much available most of the time with options for days.


We did My Time Dining again so we could work around our show schedule, and that flexibility made everything smoother.


And the shows were actually good. Not cruise good. Just good.


There was a variety like a water show, broadway, an ice show, comedy show.


Every show we saw was worth the time.


The VIP Key Experience


We did The Key package again, and I would do it again and again, regardless of some unpopular opinions. It works perfectly for my family.


Early boarding.

Luggage handled.

Reserved seating.

Easy exit.

Internet included.


We had a special lunch when we boarded and a separate breakfast on disembarking.


On our first cruise, we learned what it felt like to show up an hour early just to get decent seats for shows. This time, we showed up about thirty minutes early and still had great seats without stress.


At this stage of my life, I will choose convenience over chaos every single time.


We have done it twice now and would do it again.


Excursions Without Stress


A family sitting in a car on the beach in Mexico

This was our first time booking an excursion directly through Royal Caribbean.


Best decision.


We left with them. We came back with them. We never worried about being late. Nobody was sprinting down a dock.


It was a little pricey compared to doing our own thing on prior cruises, but we didn’t have to worry about a single thing.


Peace is underrated.


And the excursion itself was great, which helped.


Where We Went This Time


A family standing in front of the Star of the Seas cruise ship

We were scheduled to visit CocoCay, Cozumel Mexico, Roatan Honduras, and Costa Maya Mexico.


Weather took CocoCay away from us this time.


We have been there before, so it was disappointing but not devastating. Royal Caribbean added activities on the ship, and it actually gave us time to explore more of the ship.


Would we have loved to go? Yes.

Did it ruin the trip? Not even close.


We made the most of every opportunity we were given, and the kids still had an absolute blast.


To Wrap This Up


A family playing putt-putt on a cruise ship

This trip did not just give us a vacation.


It gave us another shared adventure.


We came back tired, full, slightly bigger stomachs, and already talking about the next one.


We are already looking at ships, destinations, and dates like people who are obsessed.


And honestly, I think that says everything.


We did not just come back loving cruises more, we came back loving how we experience life together on them.


If you are curious what this adventure looked like for us, the short recap video tells the story in motion.




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