Royal Caribbean Bans Kids from Swim-Up Bar on World’s Biggest Cruise Ship After Passengers Complain About ‘Splash Attacks’

Royal Caribbean just made a change that’s got cruise fans talking, and it all started with people getting their drinks splashed.

Onboard Icon of the Seas, the world’s biggest cruise ship, there’s a massive swim-up bar called Swim & Tonic. It used to be open to everyone, including families with kids. But after complaints from adult passengers about children jumping in and disrupting the vibe, Royal Caribbean has made it adults only.

Now, only guests aged 18 and over can use the pool, and the internet has plenty to say about it.

Club Royal

What Happened

According to Royal Caribbean Blog, the rule change was first noticed by guests sailing on Icon of the Seas this week. A new sign at the entrance to the Swim & Tonic pool now states that only passengers aged 18 and up can enter.

Swim & Tonic is located in the Chill Island area and features what Royal Caribbean calls the largest swim-up bar at sea. Until now, it was open to all ages; families with kids could splash in the shallow water while adults enjoyed a drink nearby.

Royal Caribbean confirmed the change is a pilot programme:

“We’re consistently listening to guest feedback… currently, we are piloting an 18+ age requirement at Swim & Tonic pool onboard Icon of the Seas.”

For now, this age restriction only applies to Icon of the Seas.

Why the Change Was Made

Icon of the Seas

This update appears to be a direct response to guest feedback. During a Q&A on Utopia of the Seas, a travel agent brought up concerns about kids being disruptive at Swim & Tonic:

“Icon is fantastic, but at the swim-up bar, there’s kids splashing into your drinks.”

It’s easy to see the problem. Swim & Tonic isn’t just a pool, it’s designed as a bar with in-water seating and frozen cocktails. It was built for adults looking to unwind, not for young kids playing around.

While Royal Caribbean is known for being family-friendly, the cruise line also maintains adults-only areas for those seeking a quieter space. This change might be an attempt to restore that balance.

What About Families?

If you’re cruising with children, don’t worry, there are still plenty of pool options onboard Icon of the Seas.

Families can enjoy Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay in the Surfside neighbourhood, which are designed for younger children. There’s also the Cove Pool with its infinity-edge views, the expansive Royal Bay Pool, and Cloud 17, which was originally planned as adults-only but was opened to all guests just before the ship’s launch.

So, while Swim & Tonic is now off-limits to under-18s, there are still many ways for families to cool off onboard.

What People Are Saying

Cruise fans had a lot to say about the decision — and the majority seem to support it.

Many welcomed the move with enthusiasm:

“Finally! When we were on Icon last year, kids were splashing pool water in our drinks and they ended up going to the bathroom in the swim-up bar pool.”
“Should have always been adults only.”
“Why it wasn’t to begin with is the weird part.”

Others shared personal stories:

“I actually wanted to hang out here but had to get past a crowd of kids just to get a drink. One swam into me and grabbed my thigh. I left after that.”
“We commented on this in our vlog — nothing but splashing everywhere. Couldn’t enjoy the bar at all.”

Some pointed out the obvious:

“Children under 18 should not be at a bar.”
“Good — that is a bar!!!”
“It’s not the bar that’s adult-only. It’s the whole pool.”

There were also calls for Royal Caribbean to go further:

“Great news! Now do the hot tubs.”
“Nice, now do Cloud 17 and it’ll feel like the Icon Class has a proper Solarium equivalent.”
“They need to make deck 17 adults only like they originally planned.”

Some added humour:

“Ah yes, the urine bar.”
“No more brats splashing pool water in my drink.”
“Yes, finally — no more Kids and Tonic!”

Recent cruisers confirmed the change was already happening:

“Can confirm! It was that way on the July 19–26 sailing.”
“Noticed the 18+ sign last week on our cruise.”

While a few guests remain frustrated about the lack of adult-only quiet zones onboard, most agree this was a step in the right direction. Whether the rule becomes permanent or expands to other ships is still unknown.