Unlock the secrets to planning a perfect family cruise. From thrilling activities for kids to relaxing moments for parents, create lasting memories on your next vacation.
Planning a family cruise vacation can be an exciting adventure that offers something for everyone, from thrilling activities for the kids to relaxing moments for parents. Whether you’re setting sail for the first time or you’re a seasoned cruiser, making the most of your family cruise experience requires a bit of planning and insider knowledge.
In this guide, we’ll explore top tips and strategies to ensure your family cruise is unforgettable, filled with fun, relaxation, and lasting memories. Ready to embark on the ultimate family cruise? Let’s dive in!
Research Cruise Lines
Each cruise line offers different activities. Depending on the ages of your children and what activities your whole family wants to participate in, you will want to choose a cruise line that accommodates these things.
- Disney Cruise: Disney cruises are great for Disney-loving families, especially if you have young children. Character meet-and-greets are one of the exclusive on-board activities you will get with this cruise line. They also have live Disney shows, themed dining, and private islands.
- Royal Caribbean Cruise: Many activities are included when you book with Royal Caribbean. This includes skydiving, live entertainment, and roller skating. This might be an ideal option for families with older children. However, they also have mini-golfing, adventure youth programs starting at ages three and up to twelve, and baby and toddler programs starting at age six months.
- Norwegian: Norwegian cruise lines have a complimentary kids club, starting with kids as young as six months to as old as seventeen. Kids under twelve also eat for free at all specialty restaurants onboard, another wonderful cost savings. Plus, there is so much entertainment, from playing sports games like basketball to go-karts to Broadway musicals. Kids of all ages are sure to enjoy themselves.
- Carnival: Carnival cruises are also ideal for all ages. Everyone will have a fabulous time with onboard activities like a seacoaster, sky zone, and water slides.
- MSC: MSC cruise lines provide cruisers with a day of Lego activities. This is great for Lego-loving families. They also have VR experiences, zip lines, and a video game room.
Stretch Your Budget
Enabling your budget to go as far as possible will allow you to maximize your cruising experience. Here are some ways you can do this:
- Book Early or Last Minute: Booking at least six months in advance is recommended for the best cabin choices, more flexibility on activity choices since they are less likely to be booked, and more available promos. On the flip side, booking at the last minute can give you some heavily discounted prices if the cruise line is looking to fill up space.
- Be Flexible on Dates: Being flexible on dates will also help you run into some savings. Instead of being stuck to a certain number of days or a certain time of the year or week, you can be more open to significantly more affordable cruises.
- Choose an Inside Cabin: Most likely, you will not spend much time inside your room as a family. Instead of choosing a cabin with a balcony, you can choose the most affordable inside cabin. Besides, if you have young kids, this might be a great option since these rooms stay very dark, which is ideal for bedtime.
- Research Excursions: You can book excursions through the ship. However, consider booking excursions outside the ship if it saves you money. Research the area you will be boarding in and find some excursions you can book yourself and compare costs.
Take Advantage of Onboard Fun
Once you book the cruise, you will want to look at all the onboard activities that must be registered for early. This way, you can book these before they fill up. Also, consider skipping out on the excursions outside of the ship altogether. This is because it allows more time to take advantage of the many activities onboard. This is especially ideal if you have young children. Taking them on and off the ship might not suit your family. Besides, your kids can enjoy more time taking advantage of onboard activities that might otherwise be full or have long lines when other cruisers aren’t out enjoying a day of excursions.
Taking advantage of organized kid’s activities can also give adults much-needed time on their own. If you let older teens explore the ship independently, be sure to always have plans for regular check-in times and talk to them about safety expectations. Be aware of common injury-causing hazards, such as slippery surfaces, poor lighting, and drowning hazards, and know what steps to take if someone in your party is injured on board.
Destinations
If, on the other hand, excursions are important to you, you will want to consider where the cruise destinations are.
- Mexico: Mexico has many cultural cruise excursions, such as exploring Mayan ruins. Mexico also has beautiful beaches and snorkeling. For example, the Great Maya Reef is located in Mexico and is the second-largest coral reef in the world. Booking between December and March is ideal for this destination, as you will avoid the rainy season and there will be fewer crowds.
- Hawaii: Hawaii is a wonderful destination for families. With all the many water activities, history, and culture, there will surely be many excursions your family will want to take advantage of. Booking between September and October is ideal for this destination. It’s a short time frame, but you will also avoid crowds and rain in this case.
- Bahamas: The Bahamas are wonderful for adventurous families who love to explore beautiful beaches, caves, and waterfalls. This destination is ideal to book in April because you will skip the spring break crowds that come in March, and you will avoid the rainy season that comes right after in May.
- Alaska: Alaska is full of beautiful nature, including many different animals to see. You might want to consider booking between May and June, for example, when there is lots of whale activity from both humpbacks and orcas in the area.
In Conclusion
By doing your research into all aspects of your cruise, including travel timing, ways to stretch your budget, and plenty of activities that suit your family’s needs, you are sure to make the most of your cruise vacation and come back with memories that will last a lifetime.
