Sunday, March 31, 2024

Family Cruises: The Ultimate Family Vacation

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You'll also find plenty of opportunities for audience participation with The Voice of the Ocean musical competition, the High Seas Heist mystery challenge and Can You Survive? Interact with Stanley throughout the voyage — at photo ops, story time, bear games, and crafts! You can even get your own Stanley exclusively on board and bring him home as a reminder of your special journey. And don’t forget to share your adventures on social media with #StanleyAtSea. While the kids are at play, indulge in the ultimate date night with your partner in adventure. Kick things off with a dinner to remember, followed by a glass of your favorite wine at Vintages or a singalong session at Schooner Bar.

Additional Royal Caribbean Kid-Friendly Features

What makes river cruises most attractive to some travelers is that you can travel slowly through a destination and spend more time learning about where you are. Disney’s river cruises are no exception with cultural immersion part of every day of the itinerary. Featuring a spa, 3 dining venues, and an onboard watersports marina, the ship is mostly informal luxury. Expedition cruisers seem to be less concerned about the dining options, however, Lindblad does boast that the dining is delicious and sustainably sourced. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection struggled to set sail when its first yacht was delivered during the height of the pandemic.

Princess Cruises

If you’re looking for a little bit more culture, head on one of our European journeys, where you’ll stroll past ancient buildings, feast on exquisite cuisine, and stop by picturesque towns. As for a sun-soaked vacation, it doesn’t get much better than a cruise to the Caribbean, where white sand beaches and turquoise waters await. It’s the occasion to dress up, stroll down the red carpet and flash your VIP badge, then enjoy an evening of mocktails, awards and celebrating with your friends. Inspired by the great outdoors, this cozy center is filled with sports activities and comfortable places for kids to explore, hang out and lounge. This bright, whimsical, forest-themed center for children features hands-on activities and programs surrounded by captivating creatures.

Kid-Friendly Cruises on Princess Cruises

Waitstaff will cut your kids' food and the Disney cruise kids' menu offers an array of kid favorites, such as mini-burgers and macaroni and cheese. Two onboard restaurants are adults-only so parents/guardians can take advantage of the kids’ club and enjoy their own evening together. From kid-friendly activities to family rooms and family cruise packages, Disney cruises are packed with family-pleasing extras. That includes a kids' pool and family pool along with the popular AquaDuck water slide on Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream, while you'll find the AquaDunk on Disney Magic and AquaMouse on Disney Wish. Disney Cruise Line has done a lot more to accommodate tweens and teens -- but its ships offer the best cruise for small kids, hands down. We prefer the line's biggest ships, Disney Wish, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, but the refurbished Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are great choices for Disney family cruises, as well.

Planning the Best Family Cruises on Wonder Of The Seas

Teen cruisers can choose from sports tournaments, themed parties, dance classes and late-night movies. From the splash park aboard Caribbean Princess to expanded kids' clubs, batting cages, and laser shooting ranges aboard Royal Princess and Regal Princess, there's a lot to love. Norwegian Escape offers one of the largest ropes courses at sea, as well as one of the largest water parks at sea. While all ships have parent-child play areas and care for babies 6 months to 3 years, only NCL Escape offers drop-off, extra-fee childcare for very small children in the Guppies Nursery.

Of The Best Cruise Lines For Families

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Anyone who loves Disney World or Disneyland will love Disney Cruises. The Disney characters entertain the kids on the ships, and there are numerous family activities. As such, the ships are much like a theme park at sea, and are geared towards family cruising. The ships have the "It's a Small World" nursery for babies and supervised children's programs year-round for ages 3 through teens. Its handful of family-oriented ships feature well-equipped and age-appropriate kids’ clubs, a range of family cabins and family-friendly dining options. There are sports activities like archery, football, basketball and dedicated splash pools.

Does Holland America Line offer onboard programs for kids or teens?

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Many of the most fascinating inhabitants of the ports you'll visit aren't human at all. Introduce them to your family, as Animal Planet™ presents some of the wildest meet-and-greet gatherings at sea — including Puppies in the Piazza on Alaska cruises, and Parrots in the Piazza in the Caribbean. You can even get started customizing every aspect of your vacation from the moment you book. Browse and save big on onshore experiences, beverage and specialty dining packages, spa treatments and more when you reserve in advance online through Cruise Planner. That way, you can go straight to enjoying your vacation as soon as you come aboard the ship.

Allure Of The Seas

All 3 of the dining venues aboard The Gauguin offer a well-thought-out menu with both formal and informal dining options. Paul Gauguin Cruises specializes in luxury cruises in Tahiti, Fiji, and the South Pacific. With just 1 cruise ship in its fleet, Paul Gauguin takes cruisers to ports that larger cruise ships can’t access. Guests aboard a Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection vessel can expect the same service they would on land, including the Ritz Kids program. At Ritz Kids, children ages 4 to 12 years old have the opportunity to participate in unique activities based on where they’re traveling. Programming mainly focuses on sustainability, marine life, sailing, and arts and culture.

cruise family

Upcoming Events

As cruise lines including Carnival and Royal Caribbean continue to introduce show-stopping attractions that kids love, such as roller coasters and laser tag, families are getting more and more into cruising, too. Children and adults alike get the chance to enjoy dinner on their own with a variety of opportunities for kids to eat with their friends and Princess Youth Staff. They'll find kids-only dinners on select evenings, a teens-only dinner on a formal night in an exclusively reserved section of the dining room, as well as ice cream and pizza parties held throughout the voyage. Please be sure the Youth Staff members know about any food allergies your child may have. Family vacations should be stress-free, and Royal Caribbean makes it easy to fuel your wanderlust without worry.

Sailings feature character experiences just like at the Disney theme parks. Each ship also has various kids’ clubs for passengers as young as 3 years old (a fee-based nursery is available for kids under 3), as well as pools with waterslides and aqua play areas. Older kids can enjoy a little independence in spaces designed just for them where they can play video games, watch TV, and meet other kids their age. Dine in style at one of the ship’s restaurants or enjoy a casual meal at one of the cafes or bars. Daytime activities include dance classes, language lessons, art auctions, and more, while evening entertainment features Broadway-style shows, live music, and movies under the stars.

Onboard the ships, plenty of family cabins and loft suites mean room for the family to spread out. There's even a Royal Family cabin that sleeps eight, and Symphony of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas’ Ultimate Family Suite with a two-deck slide, LEGO wall and games aplenty. You can rest assured knowing that your children are in good hands because the Royal Caribbean kids' program counselors are some of the friendliest and most engaging in the business. Yes, you’ll find a range of experiences to suit the interests and activity levels of everyone in your family.

There are also kids’ clubs aboard their ships in addition to the LEGO Experience on Board, which is a day dedicated to LEGO activities for the whole family. Splash with your kids on the beach or go on thrilling shore excursions with adventurous teens. There’s something for everyone to love on our fun-filled family cruises. Both Adventure Ocean and the Royal Babies & Tots programs provide care and educational activities for kids in different age groups.

"They were having the time of their lives just having so much fun," said Martin. The most exclusive and inclusive cruises are the Regent Seven Seas Scenic, Seabourn Silversea Viking Virgin Cruises & Azamara. Norwegian ships are also some of the most innovative and modern at sea, so you can be sure you’re getting a top-notch experience. Beyond the baby center, they even offer guests a baby laundry service to make life extra easy for parents on board.

Disney thinks of all the little things that can help parents have a stress-free trip with kids in tow. From split bathrooms (allowing one family member to take a bath while another uses the toilet) to waiters who will cut up your child's food, Disney Cruise Line takes the pressure off parents. No one will be surprised that entertainment juggernaut Disney offers an amazing family cruise experience. The Royal Tots and Royal Babies programs provide interactive classes and activities (when children are accompanied by a parent) for children from 6 months to 36 months old. Drop-off babysitting services and toddler-friendly play spaces are also available. Many of our award-winning shore excursions also offer reduced pricing for kids.

Spend the day swimming in the pool with the kids, then watch the sunset while relaxing in one of our elevated hot tubs. Gather on board for movie night under the stars, silent disco parties, hot glass classes, and archery tournaments —so many activities to share. Don’t miss the views from the Lawn Club or the Resort Deck, which provides the ultimate backdrop for a picture-perfect family photo. A Princess family cruise is a perfect chance to celebrate together while enjoying the hundreds of amazing activities taking place on Princess ships from morning to night. Family-friendly vacation destinations are always on the itinerary when you sail with Royal Caribbean®.

Other themed events on select sailings include Star Wars Day at Sea, Marvel Day at Sea and special Halloween and Christmas events throughout the fall. More than two-dozen dining options, including casual eateries like a hot dog joint and a New York-style pizza joint, as well as a variety of upscale specialty restaurants, meaning no taste is overlooked. Anthem of the Seas has a more sophisticated vibe, but many of its attractions are great for families. We have a variety of entertainment options, daily activities and dining venues for everyone in your family to craft their ideal day. Imagine spring break in the Bahamas, a sunny winter cruise along the Mexican Riviera or a summer trip exploring the Mediterranean together. Choose your next family vacation from a wide array of 7- to 10-day cruises or longer adventures.

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"With world class entertainment, fabulous food and amazing service, we will be cruising again with Celebrity in the future." Read thousands of Holland America Cruise Reviews from real cruisers. "The cruise itself was absolutely perfect. Nice weather, great excursions, beautiful scenery, nice ship and excellent staff." Furthermore, Cruise Critic makes no guarantees for availability of prices advertised on our site.

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A Luxury Hotel at Sea: Check Out Our Photos of Explora I - Cruise Critic

A Luxury Hotel at Sea: Check Out Our Photos of Explora I.

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Cruisers who are booked on a cruise, can chat to others sailing on the same cruise, through Cruise Critic Roll Call forums. Through these forums, people can discuss plans for their upcoming cruise, get to know those on the same sailing and share the excitement of the countdown to their vacation. Additionally, several cruise lines host parties onboard for Cruise Critic Roll Call participants. These Meet & Mingle parties offer a chance to meet online friends in person.

Carnival Cruise Lines

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"LIVE' from Celebrity BEYOND - April 12th, 2024 Sailing: 10-night Ultimate Caribbean!

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Bahamas, from Port Canaveral (Orlando)

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