Quantum Of The Seas: Royal Caribbean South Pacific Cruise

Setting sail for the South Pacific might just be the family holiday of your dreams: where everyone gets to live their best life.

Mum, we’re going to a surf lesson, then laser tag, then the swimming pool and lunch. Message me if you need me. Love you!" And with that, 13-year-old Emmie raced off with her new friends to explore Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas.

What does cruising really mean for a teenager?

We were sailing to the South Pacific, and Emmie’s independence meant I’d soon be fulfilling my dream of lazing in a hot tub with a piña colada. After cruising the Mediterranean with Royal Caribbean earlier in the year (it was amazing, you should put it on your list), I’d booked us a balcony stateroom on an 11-day tropical getaway from Brisbane.

My only niggle was that Emmie was too old for the Adventure Ocean kids’ club and spending the entire holiday with her mum was not appealing to her (or me either, to be honest). Then I discovered that kids’ club doesn’t end when your children get a little older, and those piña coladas in the hot tub went back on the agenda. Royal Caribbean’s teen lounge, The Living Room, is a private space for 12- to 17-year-olds to hang out together – parents are most definitely not invited (don’t worry, it’s chaperoned!).

a colourful living room where teens can hang out — There’s a spacious hangout space for teens. (Image: Michel Verdure)

Building meaningful friendships

Emmie joined the meet-and-greet on our first night onboard and began friendships that were all in, with kids knowing they’d be around for the whole holiday, unlike resorts, where families come and go. As long as she checked in with me through the onboard messaging app, I was happy to let Emmie roam with her little group.

Together they explored the ship, swimming, rock climbing and surfing, riding dodgems and playing table tennis, foosball and cornhole. They scoffed ice-cream cones, dined together at the ship’s restaurants and cafes and stayed out late, grabbing pizza from Sorrento’s on the way back to their rooms.

the entrance to Wonderland Restaurant — Experience whimsical dining at the Wonderland Restaurant. (Image: Michel Verdure)

Parents enjoying their ‘me-time’

With kids having the time of their lives and parents enjoying their time without them, it’s no wonder so many families choose to cruise. Just about everything is included once you’re onboard, and there’s no expectation that you do anything except relax. But if you’d prefer to be busy there’s an abundance of activities to try, from trivia and basketball to line dancing and pool games, cooking classes and skydiving.

an open-air pool at the Royal Caribbean Cruise — Adults can lounge by the open-air pool onboard.

I started each day with a stretch session and dance class and then, after an impressive amount of time in the hot tubs gazing out at the ocean, I would meet Emmie for afternoon family time. We raced around an inflatable planet fighting aliens at laser tag, played bingo and trivia and competed in treasure hunts, and I even managed to drag her along for a daggy dance at the silent disco.

an aerial shot of Royal Caribbean at sea — Hop aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas

While Emmie was with her friends after dinner, I’d meet up with mine for drinks at the piano bar. We’d then watch a stage show, comedy act or play theatre sports, and later we’d see a band or sing along at karaoke. The days at sea were so much fun, it felt like the visits to tropical islands were a fabulous bonus.

an indoor pool onboard the Royal Caribbean cruise — Swim a few laps at the indoor pool.

Royal Caribbean: Cruise itinerary

Vanuatu

We joined a tour of Lelepa Island and swam and snorkelled in crystal-clear water from the white sands of a palm tree-fringed beach. We also devoured a homemade lunch and hiked to Fels Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with rock walls adorned with 3000-year-old paintings.

huts perched above the water on stilts at Iririki Island Resort — Iririki Island Resort is set amongst the sea and tropical landscapes.

Emmie found her friends from the ship at the spectacularly beautiful Blue Lagoon where we swam and she spent hours swinging from ropes into clear turquoise water. We also stopped at Rarru Cascades, a tropical swimming hole, where we floated in inner tubes down the softly flowing rapids and crouched behind a thundering waterfall as it roared over the rocks in front of us.

a drone shot of the Blue Lagoon, Vanuatu — Cool off in the refreshing turquoise waters of Blue Lagoon in Vanuatu.

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Noumea

We took a shuttle to the family-friendly Baie des Citrons (Lemon Bay), where we snorkelled over plate and branching corals and spotted turtles, parrotfish, butterflyfish and clownfish nestled in sea anemones. We swam out to the pontoon moored just off the beach and jumped and played before eating flower-shaped gelato at one of the bustling cafes across the road, sun-kissed and happy.

A fun yet independent family time aboard

Emmie and her friends would meet in The Living Room back on the ship and parents would be set free. Cruising gave us the perfect complement of family time together and free time to do our own thing – Emmie had her friends and independence, while I had mine, completely confident that she was safe and enjoying herself.

Royal Caribbean sailing to South Pacific — Royal Caribbean sails to Port Vila, Vanuatu, on a South Pacific cruise. (Image: Tim Faircloth)

Our South Pacific cruise was so much more than I expected. After being onboard together for so long, faces became familiar and families became friends. Emmie and I had reached the pinnacle of cruise life: we made new friends and we’re heading to New Zealand with them in December with Royal Caribbean. We can’t wait to be back onboard.

an overhead shot of the writer’s daughter, Emmie standing on the side of the Quantum of the Seas ship — The writer’s daughter, Emmie, made many new friends during the cruise. (Image: Evie Farrell)

Discover more about Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

Teen paradise at sea: Royal Caribbean sails the South Pacific