Looking for one of the best family vacations? Then, one of the top choices will be to travel on a cruise ship. Your entire family can cruise and enjoy as these cruise ships offer you some splendid amenities that can please a traveler of any age. You can enjoy the time together as a full family unit, or you can separate and indulge in your favorite activities on these ships.
Also, traveling on a cruise helps you explore some exotic international destinations without the hassle of booking multiple flights, parking, or stays. However, finding the best cruise line for families can be tough as each family member will have a varied interest. Also, you need to check on the amenities of the cruise lines before booking. This article will help you zero in on the best cruise lines for families.
Five Best Family Cruise Lines
These are some cruise lines offering the best cruise ships for families.
Carnival Cruise Line:
If you’re planning to travel with family at a budget-friendly rate, Carnival Cruise Line can be an apt choice. For kids, the cruise ships from Carnival offer basketball courts, water parks, and ropes courses. Teens can also head to the casino, spa, or Serenity Adult-Only Retreat. Some of the best Carnival cruise ships for families are Mardi Gras,Carnival Celebration,Carnival Panorama, Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Horizon, and Carnival Vista.
Royal Caribbean International:
If you’re aboard a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship, you’ll be greeted with various amenities that can amuse a traveler of any age. Some of the ships from this cruise line have zip lines, water slides, and bumper cars, whereas others may have ice rinks or rock climbing walls. Also, every cruise ship from this cruise line features educational programs for teens and kids, bars and lunges for adult or elder travelers, and an array of evening programs.
The best Royal Caribbean cruise ships for families are Oasis of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas, and of course Icon of the Seas.
Norwegian Cruise Line:
One aspect that makes NCL a preferred cruise line for families is that they have a special menu for children in all the restaurants. Families will be in awe of the colorful cruise ships, children’s clubs, and other thrilling amenities. When kids can attend supervised youth programs, arts or crafts activities, or themed parties, adults can spend their time enjoying gambling or in spas.
The best Norwegian cruise ships for families are Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore, and Norwegian Joy.
Disney Cruise Line:
There’s no surprise that this cruise line offers some of the best cruise ships for families. Your kids will love it when they get a visit from Disney characters like Mickey, Goody, Pluto, or Minnie. The cruise ships offer a range of entertainment options for travelers, like its pirated-theme dinners or the signature Mickey’s Sail-A-Wave Party. For adults, the ship offers exclusive dining areas, nightlife options, and silent pool areas.
Some of the best Disney cruise ships for families are Disney Treasure, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish,Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, and Disney Magic.
MSC Cruises:
One of the most distinctive features of MSC Cruises’ is that it offers you a LEGO Experience, with a full day dedicated to Lego activities. Other than that, the ships offer kids and teen clubs, sports tournaments, and dance classes. The entire family can also have fun in the water slides and swimming pools. Also, families can buy the MSC Fun Pass to use unique amenities like the bowling alley, XD Interactive Cinema, and flight simulators.
The best MSC cruise ships for families are MSC Meraviglia, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Seascape, MSC Seaview, MSC Seaside, MSC Seashore, MSC Euribia, and MSC Bellissima.
Best All-Inclusive Cruise For Families
Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International
It is currently the second-largest cruise ship in the world, boasting a waterslide that has a height of more than ten stories. The cruise ship also features the Surfside, where all families can enjoy their day with many dining options and an aqua park. Thrill Island is a waterpark on this ship, which has a mini-golf course, a rock climbing wall, and more.
Adventure Ocean, an award-winning program for children aged 6-12, features playrooms and climbable concepts. Other inclusions are a zipline and surf simulator for teens. It would be best to opt for the 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary on this ship.
Best Luxury Cruise For Families
Evrima, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
If you’re solely focusing on having some luxury, the Evrima from the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will be the best choice. One of the biggest attractions is the comprehensive creative program for children aged 4-12. It has a devoted, full-time youth counselor for an additional fee for every session. Taking one of the Mediterranean routes can help you take advantage of the cruise line’s customized land, air, and hotel arrangements.
Best Cruise For Families With Young Children
Disney Wish, Disney
If you wish to keep your young ones engaged, the best choice will be the Disney Wish cruise ship. It can accommodate around a total of 4,000 passengers. When aboard, the children will experience meeting their favorite characters from Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar films. The biggest experience will be dining with Olaf, Frozen’s Elsa, and many others over a theatrical meal.
The 3-night itineraries help you get a quick getaway. Parents will be happy that the cruise ship has some great staff who can easily handle picky eaters or overtired children. One of the best itineraries to try will be the 3-night Bahamian from Port Canaveral.
Best Cruise For Families With Teens
Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Cruises
Teens may always need activities to be engaged while cruising. That’s why Celebrity Cruises is the perfect choice for them. The “Camp at Sea” program will be very attractive to teens. Comprising over 500 recreational, art, and culinary activities, the teen category exclusively has sports competitions, video game competitions, silent discos, and socialization with other teens. Celebrity Ascent has all these offerings for teens and some special ones for adults. The spa on the cruise ship boasts an exclusive menu for teens and kids, happily engaging families.
Best Cruise For Large Families
Sapphire Princess, Princess Cruises
For large families, the Sapphire Princess from Princess Cruises is an ideal choice. Though the cruise line offers itineraries to Europe, the Caribbean, and many others, it is the cruises to Alaska that excite any traveler. Its 7-day Jeff Corwin’s Nature & Adventure Voyage has a fun-filled journey from Vancouver through many ports in Alaska, finally ending in Anchorage.
If you have children aged between 3 and 12, they can participate in Discovery Channel’s science-based activities called “Camp Discovery,” which includes Shark Week and Mythbusters. The families can participate in the Animal Planet-affiliated shore trips or watch films on the big screen. Also, kids of all ages can meet and socialize with other kids at their respective lounges.
Best Cruise For Families With Different Interests
Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Cruise Line
The Prima can accommodate up to 3,000 passengers. There are enough activities on this ship to keep your family members engaged. The Guppies Program is for children aged six months to four years, which offers space for parents and children to play. For children aged between 3 and 12 years, there’s the Splash Academy that offers free, interest-based activities like arts and sports.
The Entourage program engages teens via movies, music, socializing, video games, and others. Want more activities? The cruise line does have scavenger hunts and mini-golf, and adults can use the casino, spa, or theatre when the children remain supervised.
What to Pack on Your Cruise
Pack these items in your bag to make your trip more relaxed and enjoyable.
Flashlight: To see something at night, you must have a flashlight.
Water bottles: All family members should carry a reusable water bottle so you can have enough water for the entire trip.
Swimwear: If you are planning to spend considerable time at the pool or beach, pack some swimwear in your bag.
Lanyards: Bring a lanyard so that you can always safely keep the ship card with you.
Magnetic hooks: Many cruise lines have magnetic walls. Make use of magnetic hooks to hang up your bags, clothes, or papers that you get from the cruise ship.
Wrinkle-free clothing: Pack wrinkle-free clothes in your bag so that it will be easy for you to change before dinner.
Cruise Packing List: Items You Must Not Miss!
Other things that you can pack can be cable ties, a waterproof camera, spot stain remover, sippy cups, books or kids activity books, small blankets, etc.
What to Look for in the Best Cruise Lines for Families
If you’re going on family cruises, you must ensure that the cruise line you opted for has everything that you desire. Consider the following factors when choosing family-friendly cruises.
Family Suites
The primary thing you must consider on family cruises is the accommodation. You have to ensure that all family members have a comfortable and relaxed stay. Most cruise lines offer ships with family suites. The options include single-family-focused staterooms, which are perfect for families with small kids, and interconnected cabins offering teens privacy.
The majority of the cruise lines have cabins that accommodate up to 4 people. But if you’re large in number and want to stay together, you have to think of other options. For instance, Norwegian Cruise Line has suites that can accommodate up to six people. These are some common popular staterooms in family-friendly cruises.
Royal Caribbean International: Ultimate Family Suite
Carnival: Family Harbour Staterooms and Suites
Norwegian: 2-bedroom Family Suites
MSC: Family Cabins for up to 10 people
Family Activities
Most families want to have some activities on the cruise ships. The reason is that they want the children to remain engaged most of the time. So, it is best to choose a cruise liner with a program for kids or youth. Most large cruise lines have water parks. Also, most cruise liners have open decks for film screenings, sports areas, game nights, mini golf, etc. When children are engaged, parents can take their time off and spend it in a casino, spa, or bar. The following are some typical activities you can find in most family cruises.
- Surf simulator
- Bumper cars
- Laser tag
- Escape rooms
- Zipline
- Waterslides
- Basketball court
- Golf course
- Ropes course
- Ice skating
- Go-karting
- Sport court
- Video arcades
Family Dining
Most family-friendly cruises won’t allow you to bring much food aboard. So, you must be aware of the food options on your cruise ship in advance. It is very vital if your family has picky eaters. For instance, cruise lines like Carnival have kid-friendly eats on their ships. Some cruise ships also offer food like pizza and chicken fingers. When planning your cruise, know about the food menu in advance so that your journey won’t be a hassle.
- Port Canaveral (POC)
- Port of Miami (POM)
- Port Everglades (PTE)
- Port Galveston (POG)
- Port of Tampa (POT)
- Cape Liberty Cruise Port (POL)
- Port of Los Angeles (PLA)
- Port of New Orleans (NOP)
- Port of Baltimore (POB)
- Port of San Diego (POS)
- Port of Manhattan (PMT)
- Port of San Francisco (PSF)
- Port of Long Beach (PLG)
- Port of Palm Beach (PPB)