Amenity-Laden Suites Add Appeal for Families and Multigenerational Travel
Suites were once equated with luxury on cruise ships, offering larger spaces and prime locations, but now they are getting amenities as part of the "experience" the ships offer. The lines are using these unique suite offerings as part of their marketing to attract families and multigenerational travel.
The large staterooms with added space still exist, and indeed cruise lines are continuing to enhance the luxury experience as part of the growth in ultra-luxury travel. Regent Seven Seas Cruises, long known for its lavish suites, is introducing four new categories of suites on its new ship Seven Seas Prestige, debuting later this year, topped off with a nearly 8,800-square-foot Skyview Regent Suite, which it boasts is the largest to go to sea. Four Seasons, which launched its first yacht this year, features Loft Suites with sweeping views over the stern and the glass-enclosed, four-level Funnel Suite.
The new suites appearing on the broader market contemporary ships, however, are less about luxury and more about the experience and shared time with the family. Royal Caribbean International launched the concept and continues to add to it, and MSC Cruises announced it will add its first two-story family villa at sea on the MSC World Atlantic scheduled to enter service in 2027.
The market for family cruising and multigenerational travel is one of the fastest-growing segments for vacations in general and specifically for cruising. The trade group Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) highlights that in 2025 more than a quarter of cruisers were sailing in groups of five or more people. CLIA’s data shows that a quarter of the groups had three or more generations and 35 percent were two generations.
This segment continues to grow. UK-based travel advisors cruise.co.uk surveyed travelers this summer and reported that 69 percent of grandparents and parents said they were more likely to sail with their extended family, including children, compared to five years ago.
MSC's Grand Hamptons Villa premieres in 2027 (MSC Cruises)
"As demand for family and multigenerational travel continues to grow, we are constantly looking for new ways to elevate our guest experience to create unique and memorable experiences. The Grand Hamptons Villa reflects our commitment to evolving our premium family vacation offering through innovative accommodations and experiences,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises.
The new two-story suite on the MSC World Atlantic, the Grand Hamptons Villa, will be nearly 2,500 square feet and can accommodate up to eight passengers. It is centered around a double-height living area with spaces for relaxing, dining, and games. There is a kitchenette and a bar serving the suite and a large outdoor space with a hot tub and an ocean-view swing.
There is a comfortable library area for the adults, while the children (or the young at heart) can enjoy a climbing tower, an interactive play area, and an area for watching movies. For the children there are features including a hidden door and bunk beds with individual TV screens. The entertainment loft in the suite has a digital gaming table and a LEGO wall.
Rendering of the living area for the Treehouse Suite on Hero of the Seas (RCI)
Exterior rendering of the Ultimate Family Treehouse on Hero of the Seas (RCI)
Not to be outdone, Royal Caribbean International is also enhancing the suite with the Ultimate Family Treehouse on the Hero of the Seas, due to enter service in 2027. The first of the Icon class ships, Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, had a two-story, 1,772-square-foot version, the Ultimate Family Townhouse, that accommodates up to eight passengers. The next ship expands the suite to three deck levels with accommodations for up to 12 passengers.
It builds on the Ultimate Family Suite, which started the trend on the newer ships of the Oasis class. Each has a living room, indoor and outdoor dining spaces, and a hot tub. There’s a table tennis table on the balcony, and a digital dining table inside that also plays games. The suite has a gaming space and movie area, a hidden teen space on the Hero of the Seas, and the family suites are topped off with an in-suite slide from the children’s room on the upper level to the living area.
These suites come with an expensive price tag. A week-long Caribbean cruise in May 2027 on the Icon of the Seas is currently showing the suite at a “bargain” price of $57,178 with all the current discounts. Royal Caribbean, like all the lines, uses dynamic pricing, with the base price for the family suite at around $85,000 for the week. Unofficial blog postings reported that the suite was booked for nearly $225,000 for the maiden voyage of the Hero of the Seas, and for the New Year’s Eve cruise, it was sold at $375,000 for the week. MSC’s website shows the Grand Hamptons Villa at approximately $62,600 for a week in May 2028.
A blogger said they did not leave the suite except for dinner (RCI)
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One travel blogger, Kelly Aleman, wrote about her family’s experience in one of the smaller versions on the Utopia of the Seas. She noted the suite is “huge” and loved the combination of togetherness and space for children and adults, along with the special services. She said they had breakfast and lunch served in the suite and generally just left the suite for dinner. Furthermore, she said her children even wanted to leave the splash area on deck to go back to play in the suite.
The suites, while they may be aspirational for many passengers, are attention getters for the lines. They demonstrate the opportunities the lines see in merging the ultra-luxury offerings with the “experiences” they are selling for families and multigenerational travel.
