Are you looking to pull off the perfect family vacation? It sure isn’t easy to cater to children, teenagers, AND adults. Thank goodness for the best cruise line options; family vacation planning is no longer a dilemma.
The all-in-one appeal of a cruise line, from onboard entertainment to exciting shore excursions, is guaranteed to wow adults and kids alike. And the best part is all the planning is taken care of for your hassle-free vacation; you merely need to pick a cruise line and enjoy every moment bonding as a family.
What to Expect on a Cruise Line Vacation?
A cruise line is a complete fun, adventure, and family bonding package.
You should look for cruises with dedicated kids’ programs and activities. Adults are included, too; there are adult-only areas for relaxation. This way, everyone is joyfully occupied.
Remember to consider the ship’s size when planning a cruise vacation. The bigger vessels typically have more amenities and activities for all age groups in a family, while the smaller ones offer a more intimate experience.
If you’re embarking on family-friendly cruises with kids, most cruise lines offer supervised childcare services so parents can enjoy some time alone. Such services might incur an additional fee or be included in the cruise fare.
Dining options often cater to children and adults, with kid-friendly menus and flexible dining times. Some restaurants also offer meet-and-greet dining experiences with kids’ favorite cartoon characters.
While luxury cabins will provide amenities fit for royalty, family cabins can accommodate larger groups traveling together. The family cabins may feature bunk beds or extra beds.
Most family-oriented cruises feature onboard water parks, rock climbing walls, mini-golf courses, arcades, movie theaters, and other entertainment options for teens and kids.
Cruise lines also provide shore excursions and activities that vary by destination and often incur extra charges.
Discover the Best Cruise Lines for Families
Why settle for a mediocre cruise vacation when you can sail the top cruise lines for families with world-class amenities? Feast your eyes on the best-from-the-rest cruise line options.
Disney Cruise Line
Anything Disney for a vacation is bound to be filled with enchanting experiences and unmatched attention to detail.
It’s no wonder that the Disney Cruise Line is often considered the best for families, with its extensive children’s programs and family-friendly activities.
From meet-and-greets with Mickey Mouse and Disney princesses to interactive themed dining experiences, your whole family is in for a truly captivating adventure.
The ships feature themed areas such as Marvel Super Hero Academy, Frozen-themed activities, and Star Wars experiences. Adult-only areas are also on board, including pools, spas, bars, lounges, and restaurants.
Disney Cruises for families and kids offer various dining options with rotational dining, where guests rotate through different restaurants each night while keeping their same servers.
Kids as young as three years also have a kids club, aqua play areas, and pools with waterslides. The teens and tweens can enjoy Edge and Vibe, with video games, TV, and foosball, and meet other kids their age.
So much is their attention to detail that they’ve thought of all the little things to ensure a stress-free trip. That includes servers who’ll cut up your child’s food and split bathrooms (allowing one to use the toilet while another takes a bath).
Castaway Cay, the line’s private island in the Bahamas, is exclusively for their guests for the ultimate Caribbean cruise experience. However, the Disney Cruise Line has only five exclusive ships.
Royal Caribbean International
A pioneer in family cruising, Royal Caribbean International has a whopping 27 ships in its portfolio.
Besides expansive ships (including the world’s largest), they also have innovative amenities (like the tallest water slide at sea) and an amusement park-like private island in the Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean Cruises for families offer many family-friendly amenities, including water parks, rock climbing walls, laser tag, go-karts, and ice skating rinks.
And if you’d like to get your adrenaline rush without leaving the ship, try surfing, sky diving, and zip lining.
Nobody is left out on this cruise line; drop-off nurseries for babies, play spaces for kids, and separate clubs for teens and tweens will keep the younger ones occupied.
With the Solarium or thermal suite, where kids under 16 aren’t allowed, adults can relax in a hot tub or lounge on a daybed with soothing music.
The insane variety of restaurants will help you refuel after a day of fun and play; think all-day buffet, Italian and Mexican eateries, and Johnny Rockets!
Carnival Cruise Line
A good cruise line doesn’t necessarily have to cost you an arm and a leg. Carnival Cruise Line is the best example of this. It’s renowned for being budget-friendly while offering plenty of family entertainment options.
With a lively and festive atmosphere, the entire family will have a blast on board; they aren’t called “Fun Ships” for nothing, and there are 24 of them.
Carnival Cruises for families include exhilarating water slides, mini-golf courses, engaging kids’ clubs, karaoke, Family Feud Live, and The Punchliner Comedy Club will provide hours of entertainment each day.
The affordable yet, spacious cabins and range of restaurants included in the fares make for one of the best-value cruise lines.
Dining options include Shaquille O’Neal’s fried chicken, burritos for breakfast and lunch, Guy Fieri burgers and BBQ, free-flowing soft-serve ice cream, and pizza. There’s also the opportunity to eat green eggs and ham with Dr. Seuss’s characters!
Carnival also has a private island, Half Moon Cay, that it shares exclusively with Holland America.
The excursions and tours include a beach bonfire and a wildlife safari on the Alaskan cruise, a stingray adventure in the Bahamas, and painting and panoramas in Grand Turk.
Want to go overboard (figuratively, not literally!) on your cruise indulgence? Then book a Family Harbor suite or stateroom; you can access the family lounge stocked with all the good stuff – movies, coffee, snacks, Wi-Fi, and a concierge.
Norwegian Cruise Line
For the perfect combination of exciting activities, exceptional dining, and unique accommodations, the Norwegian Cruise Line is a suitable pick. After all, it is known as the most innovative cruise line, with 19 ships in its fleet.
Norwegian Cruise Line features “freestyle cruising,” which allows families to dine and participate in activities on their schedule rather than adhering to set meal times or schedules.
Parents can unwind at the Mandara Spa while their kids and teens engage in age-appropriate activities with Splash Academy and Entourage Youth Programs.
But don’t miss out on bonding time as a family; there are many activities to engage in. Get your dose of family adventure with expansive water parks, thrilling rope courses, race tracks, laser tag, or sing along to a live concert or Broadway musical.
While the fussy eaters can opt for casual all-day dining options, there’s also a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, a French-style bistro, a Brazilian steakhouse, and a seafood restaurant.
Apart from the excursions, you can book for an additional fee with Norwegian Cruise Line family packages; they also have their private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas. Indulge in water sports, boat rides, beach bumming, volcano tours, and luaus for an unforgettable family trip.
All Set for Your Next Family Cruise Vacation?
Embarking on a family cruise vacation offers something for everyone and creates lasting memories. Choose one of these best cruise lines for families and start planning a getaway. Bon voyage!