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The arcades can be pricey, but it’s worth it to let the kids go play get some alone time during your cruise… or to see the smiles on your kid’s face. We give the nod to Carnival when it comes to cruising on a budget because we believe they offer more things for families with kids to do on the ship. That said, there’s still plenty of kid-friendly activities aboard MSC, including an arcade with full bowling lanes on some ships, waterslides, and a kids waterpark.
Is it a good idea to take a child on a cruise?
How one cruise line will keep kids from running wild on its new, huge cruise ships - The Points Guy
How one cruise line will keep kids from running wild on its new, huge cruise ships.
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However while Carnival has some splash pads called Waterworks, this is only accessible for those with potty trained children. The kids' clubs are outfitted with foosball, air hockey and even Skee-Ball. Teen cruisers can choose from sports tournaments, themed parties, dance classes and late-night movies. The two-story Splash Academies on Norwegian Escape, Breakaway and Getaway are the line's largest kids clubs at sea, home to high-tech games, a circus school and a small cinema. The line’s newest Excel Class ships, Iona and Arvia, feature a wide variety of family dining options and a four-screen cinema called Ocean Studios, showing family-friendly films.
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Be sure to check with the line and ship before booking if is this important to you. So know you now some of the questions you should ask before you book, we will look first at the best cruise lines for babies and toddlers, before we look at specific ship guidance. MSC Cruises shines when it comes to the kids' clubs across its fleet, but there are plenty of other extras that make the line a great choice for families with kids. Outdoors, you'll find pools, splash zones and waterslides on ships like MSC Virtuosa, Meraviglia, Grandiosa, and Preziosa. Norwegian's Splash Academy features separate activities for kids ages 3 to 5, 6 to 9 and 10 to 12. Children can do arts and crafts, sing karaoke and play video games.
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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. 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. You’ll be hard-pressed to ever feel bored during a Royal Caribbean family cruise. Children aged two-plus can be dropped off at supervised daytime activities in the Play Zone. On sea days (with closures for lunch and dinner); times vary on port days.

While it is intended for guest ages 4 to 14, the minimum height is 38 inches which could sweep in some older toddlers. After reviewing all of the major family-friendly cruise lines, 13 ships met a sufficient number of these criteria to be included on this list. One of the few lines that does offer babysitting for babies is MSC and Cunard. On some ships they one hour babysitting however they usually have to be aged 12 months to use.
The ropes course includes a section for toddlers and smaller kids. Kids under 48 inches must have a chaperone on ropes course. The Escape features a nice selection of water activities that will appeal to a range of family members.
(I mean, it is, but there’s so much more.) But in 2018, I finally set “sail” on a vacation at sea of my own, and my mind was completely changed. From the fun trivia to the adventure-filled excursions, cruises are for everyone! All of the best family cruise ships should have pools, water slides, and/or splash park areas that are appropriate for young kids, including babies and toddlers. Generally speaking all of the carnival cruise ships have very similar amenities for toddlers and babies.
Princess Cruise Line Alaska Family Cruise Review - Parents
Princess Cruise Line Alaska Family Cruise Review.
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The Quantum class ships offer the dedicated Royal Babies & Tots Nursery for drop-off care. And there’s also a dedicated open play area for toddlers that’s stocked with a range of age-appropriate toys where families can visit at their leisure. However, these ships also boast a deluxe splash park area known as Splashaway Bay. This splash park features sprayers and an oversized tipping bucket.
Ocean Cay is a family-friendly island with designated family areas such as Seakers Family Cove and the Family Lagoon Beach. There are also lots of fun, free activities such as a carousel, strolling entertainers, balloon animals and face painting. However, both Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas also feature a scaled down climbing wall which is surrounded by safety netting for small kids.
It’s broken down by Shipmates (3-5), Cadets (6-9) and Captains (10 -12). On the flip side, the Teen Club offers different classes, competitions and parties throughout the day. Luckily for them, they have the freedom to leave whenever they want—although the dedicated space for them is worth checking out. If you have older kids, Norwegian may be the best cruise line for your family.
I think every place we went had it's own unique experience. He loved seeing things that even people on the ship (me) didn't see. They found blueberries every time and stopped and ate them.
It’s an atmosphere of camaraderie, adventure and nature-focused fun versus the indoors-focused big ships. Read more about the differences in Big Ship vs. Small Ship. Aboard small ship Alaska cruises for families, screens and videos take a backseat to once-in-a-lifetime encounters and experiences, like whale watching and viewing the northern lights (aurora borealis). If you are an adventurous family interested in spending quality time together experiencing Alaska up close, then we highly recommend an Alaska family small ship cruise.