The thought of taking your family on an overseas holiday always brings nostalgic thoughts for about 10 seconds, but then reality kicks in, and you ask yourself: Is taking your kids on an international holiday a good idea? Airport queues, long flights, and multiple hotel bookings. Stress levels start to peak, and you give up. Well, at least I do.
But there is a better solution to seeing multiple destinations with your kids and having a family holiday where everyone has fun, with some kid-free time for multiple date nights to enjoy entertainment and shows.
This is my review and experience onboard the Royal Princess, which was on a voyage from Sydney, Australia, to Tokyo, Japan.
The bottom of the article contains a full video review of the Royal Princess interconnecting mini-suite rooms M225 and M227. The article also includes photos of the ship and our experience throughout the voyage, but the main thing you’re here for is just below.
Royal Princess Interconnecting Mini Suite Description Photo and Video.
Both M225 and M227 have the exact same features; however, the toilets, beds, and wardrobes are on opposite sides. On M225, the toilet wardrobe and bed are on the left-hand side, and on M227, the toilet wardrobe and bed are on the right-hand side, with the TV and desk area on the opposite side, i.e., right on M225 and left on M227.
To enter the room, you scan your medallion, Which is your room key and onboard identity verifier.
See My Full Video Walkthrough Of The Royal Princess Mini Suite M227 And Mini-Suite M225
The doors connecting both rooms open inwards and sit flush against the wall right at the edge of the TV opposite the beds. While we initially shoved a towel under each door to keep them open, the room steward provided us with proper door stops.
You can only open each internal door from its designated room.
Each room can have either two single beds and a convertible couch or one queen bed and a convertible couch.
We chose two single beds in room M227 and the queen bed in room M225.
We asked the room steward to keep the convertible couch as a single bed full-time in both rooms. This allowed each child to rest or sleep in their bed whenever they wished.
Each room has two TVs, one opposite the bed and one opposite the convertible couch. You can watch both TVs simultaneously in the same room, but you need to set the volume levels appropriately.
A curtain pulls between the bed and the couch area, and our kids often used it while watching the same movie on individual TVs…what a novelty!!!
Getting To The Cruise Ship
I’d love to say we’re a family that travels light, but that’s just a pipe dream. We had 2 big suitcases, 4 medium suitcases, 4 carry-on suitcases, and a backpack for everyone.
We chose to travel on QANTAS. I am not a big fan, having previously worked in the group. However, they have a better schedule than Virgin and more capacity to recover from unforeseen delays. The included inflight meal also makes a big difference with young kids, even if it’s rubbish. It’s something to put in their mouths, and I must say the cabin crew on QF430 (6th of April 2024, Melbourne—Sydney) were absolutely fantastic with the kids.
From Sydney airport, we caught a maxi taxi to the ship. If you're a couple by yourself, the airport-to-ship transfers are okay value, but as they are charged per person, it was a no-brainer to get our own transport given that we knew Sydney and were pretty confident it would be easy to get to Sydney Harbor from the airport.
Having said that, we booked our flights through Princess Cruises, as the price difference was negligible, and it provided peace of mind should unforeseen delays occur on our flight.
Checking In And Boarding The Royal Princess In Sydney
The check-in process was pretty smooth.
We handed over all our big bags with boarding tags attached as we walked to the boarding area. We printed our tags at home and attached them with sticky tape once we collected our bags at the airport in Sydney.
Tip: If traveling by plane, don't attach your tags at home; wait until you collect them at the final destination before boarding the ship.
If you can’t print your tags, I’m pretty sure the boarding staff can, but please don’t take my word for it and check in advance.
Our medallion (on ship tracking devices 😊) and the pre-purchased wristband to place them in were provided to us at the check-in desk.
I was happy with the included free lanyard; however, my wife and kids went with the wristbands. Three of the kids later decided they preferred the free lanyard.
Lesson: You can always buy the accessories once you’ve boarded the ship.
Customs and immigration were completed in Sydney, and after passing through security, we were on the ship and in our room.
What are the medallions on Princess Cruises?
The Medallions are your identity verifier on the ship. You scan the medallion to get into your rooms and pay for additional extras like drinks. They also show your position on the ship. While I am not a fan of this thing for various reasons, it comes in handy for tracking your children’s or travel companions’ position on the ship through the Princess App.
One word of advice, the tracking does lag a bit, and if the medallion is not on the person, you can't track them.
Additionally, the ship’s staff will use the medallion to identify you, as their devices will show your face (from the photo you provided) and your name.
Cruise Ship Shows And Entertainment During Our Voyage.
The team in charge of the entertainment was fantastic. Each staff member had a unique sense of humour.
Aside from the professionals who were booked to perform shows, these guys kept everyone entertained day and night with trivia, pool games, gameshows, challenges, music, and the equator crossing ceremony. They always had a smile on their faces.
The following professional entertainers came and went during our voyage and either had one or multiple shows, depending on where they got on during our voyage.
- Andre King (Comedian)
- Peter Byrne (Vocalist – Neil Diamond tribute, Irish songs)
- Nathan Foley (Vocalist – 50s to 80s music)
- Geoff Boyz (Comedian) – He was my favourite comedian on this cruise
- Princess Production Shows (Princess, Dancers and house band)
- Deryn Trainer ( Tribute to the piano men)
- Issac Lomman (Hypnotist) – This was my favourite show on the cruise. It was hilarious
- Lisa Woodbrook (Vocalist)
There were others, including a Chinese dance act performed by local artists during our stop in Hong Kong. Once we left Taiwan, I prioritized sleep, as every day in Japan was a shore day, and thus, I missed out on the rest of the shows.
Voyage Destinations And Shore Day Activities
The ship stopped in Brisbane (Australia), Darwin (Australia), Hong Kong, Keelung (Taiwan), Kagoshima (Japan), Kochi (Japan), Osaka (Japan), Shimizu (Japan), and Tokyo.
Due to the cost of the excursions and the likelihood that the kids would be bored with those on offer, we decided it would be better to do our own things.
Tip: If you aren't going on a ship-organized shore excursion, have a backup plan and always leave yourself plenty of time to get back. The ship's arrival schedule can change, so keep that in mind when booking your own tours.
Brisbane
The port terminal is so far from anywhere, and as we’ve been to Brisbane before, we decided to stay on the ship, the kids were more than happy to stay in the kids’ club for the day. I used the opportunity to make the in-room video tour.
Darwin
The Darwin cruise terminal is a 20-minute walk from the city. We chose to take the kids to Crocosaurus Cove and the Darwin Cenotaph War Memorial. Depending on the time of year, many other options are available for entertaining your kids on a shore day in Darwin, including the Wave Pool and protected swimming area which are a 10 min walk from the terminal.
Hong Kong
The ship arrived at 06:30 a.m. and left at 9:30 p.m. While the obvious choice for kids would be Disneyland, we passed on that.
We wanted to show them a more local experience.
We took the kids to the Big Buddha using public transport via the 86 bus route from the Kia Tak Cruise Terminal to Kowloon Bay MTR train station and then onto Tung Chung to catch the cable car.
The cable car trip up the mountain in windy, cloudy and rainy conditions and the bus trip on Route 86 to the MTR station, which included sharp turns at high speed, zero slow down for speed humps and the front door being left open, provided similar experiences to theme park rides and achieved the local experience we were after.
Note: you will need cash to buy the MTR Octopus cards (A person was selling them at the terminal), and there is no child discount unless they are students in Hong Kong. The Octopus cards can also be purchased at convenience stores like 7/11. There is a phone app, but I haven't tried it, so I am unable to comment on the process.
Keelung
The cruise terminal is very central, and there are several shops and local street food outlets where you can sample an authentic experience. If you would like to experience Tapai, the train station is within a 10-15 minute walk from the ship.
We decided to catch a bus to Heping Island Geo Park, and again, the bus trip provided a very local experience.
Once at the Geo Park, you have a few options for food. There is a main food area, but if you go to the small café up the hill, you can get away from the crowds and get the best views of the Island from their rooftop. There are sea pools and a sand area for kids to play in, so depending on your available time and the season, it may be worth taking bathers; walking around the Geo Park takes about 30-60 minutes if you allow time to stop and take photos otherwise you can do it in 15-20 minutes.
Note: If using public transport such as buses, you will need cash to buy the EasyCard, which you can purchase at convenience stores like 7/11 or with exact change. Again, there are no child discounts unless they are students in Taiwan.
Kagoshima
This was our first stop in Japan, and the weather wasn’t the best. Additionally, being the first stop, we had to go through the immigration clearance process, which meant less time on shore.
The cruise terminal isn’t central, but there is a nice park and running track next to it.
We walked to the nearest shopping mall, which was about 30 minutes from the ship, and let the kids find some souvenirs, play arcade games, and, of course, buy Pokémon cards.
Kochi
With rain and low clouds, our options were more limited, so we caught a taxi to the botanical gardens and walked around there for a bit in our wet weather gear. There were plenty of undercover areas. Even with the rainy conditions, the gardens looked amazing; however, views of the surrounding areas were limited. Food options at the gardens are limited, and the restaurant there had a 60min wait for seating when we got there, so we just got some snacks from a vending machine and ate when we returned to the ship.
Osaka
The cruise terminal is next to a few attractions and shops. We took the kids to the Osaka aquarium, a 10-minute walk from the ship.
The aquarium is set up so that you start the tour at the surface and then walk down through the ocean to the sea bed, learning about different creatures that live at different levels.
A big main tank in the centre has different fish, including a whale shark and other tanks on the sides.
Tip: You can see the main tank along the whole journey, so there's no need to get stuck at point 1 trying to spot the whale shark. You'll get plenty of photo opportunities as you walk down towards the sea floor.
After the aquarium, we went for a walk around the local area to burn some time before returning to the ship.
Shimizu
This port offers amazing views of Mount Fuji. Luckily for us, the low clouds had cleared, so we got great photo opportunities as the ship headed into port and while docked.
Shops are a short walk from the ship, and a miniature theme park is in the same area. It includes a ferris wheel, bumper cars, a kids’ roller coaster, and a few other attractions designed for kids.
After shopping and letting the kids ride the tiny roller coaster, we walked around town to explore the local temples.
Tokyo
This was the final stop on our voyage.
As we had all our bags with us, other than standing in a big queue at the taxi rank, we didn’t do much other than catch a taxi to Haneda Airport. There are several things you can do at Haneda Airport to pass the time. Being an aviation enthusiast, I went straight to the lookout and spent nearly all the time there with the kids, playing spot the plane and name the type. We stayed there until we had to go through customs.
Royal Princess Mini-Suite M225 And Mini-Suite M227 Video Walkthrough
All the details you need to determine if these rooms will suit your travel needs and, if you’ve already booked them, some information that will help you make the most of the rooms.
Wrapping it up
While cruising may not be for everyone, it works for our family. The shore days are a bonus to the main enjoyment of relaxing onboard, and dollar for dollar, the value for similar dining, entertainment, travel experiences and kid-minding facilities at multiple hotels with multiple flights and multiple international destinations; it is a no-brainer for us.
Like every family holiday, of course, there are tired kids, meltdowns and some arguments along the way, but when it’s all over, those things are forgotten, and only the happy memories and photos remain.
