If you have always dreamed of retiring and going on a cruise, why are you waiting? Cruises are not just for retirees, they are also perfect for the family, no matter what age your children are!
Family cruises are designed specifically for relaxation for the parents and non-stop activities for kids. That means there are things going on until one am that your children can participate in, fully monitored by trained staff so you can hit the dance floor or the pool without having to worry about your children.
Cruises for families can be found through any major cruise line, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and, of course, Disney! Each one offers a unique experience for the kids while giving parents exactly what they want, time alone by the pool, full five course meals and relaxing spas.
For example, Disney, one of the most popular family cruises, offers live shows that kids love, as well as ongoing activities for all age groups. They even have a “nightclub” for teens where parents are banned, but the fun is supervised!
Carnival features the Camp Carnival cruises where activities are provided for 4 different age groups, from 2-15. Parties and pools for kids abound and everything is supervised. If parents want to go out to dinner in the evening, they can hire a babysitter to stay in the stateroom with the kids.
Norwegian Cruises has developed a family cruise called Kid’s Crew and they feature spas for parents, with treasure hunts, pajama parties, cookouts and sleepovers keeping the little ones busy. They also offer face painting, T-shirt decorating among many other activities. The whole family can get in on activities like sand castle competitions!
Royal Caribbean has the Adventure Ocean cruises for families where the entertainment for kids is actually educational at the same time. There are special play areas and plenty of opportunities for the whole family to have fun together, not just separated into groups.
Princess Cruises features special Love Boat cruises for kids. They have several ships for this program and each one offer different, but very fun activities. There is a special Teen Club that allows older children to dance the night away in a teen night club, participate in talent and karaoke shows and have pizza and movie parties.
For the most part, family-oriented cruises won’t break the bank. They run anywhere from $600 - $1,250, which is not a very high price, considering the amount of fun and everything included.
Finding the best family cruise for your family takes a bit of research. You need to figure out which activities your kids will enjoy the most, whether you want to spend most of your time on the actual ship, or if shore leaves will figure into the activity plan. It is a good idea to sit down with older children and some brochures and discuss which cruise they think would be best.
With a bit of planning, your family cruises can be a lot of fun and have you coming back again and again.
Cruises for Families
