Sunday, March 31, 2024

The Best Cruise Lines for Kids & Families

best cruise for toddlers

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.

best cruise for toddlers

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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best cruise for toddlers

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.

Absolutely The Best Family Cruise Ships For Toddlers

best cruise for toddlers

If having childcare on the cruise line is a key component for you when cruising with a baby you will need to choose your cruise line carefully. For more information on costs of taking a baby on a cruise ship check out this post. Therefore if budget is a key component to your decision making in taking a baby friendly cruise it is worth considering these two lines first. Super Family Cabins consist of two triple cabins, while Executive Family Suites feature two queens along with extra storage space. Back onboard, MSC Cruises has family rooms designed to accommodate families of three or more. These Family Cabins and Super Family Cabins can be economical, too, as they are charged per room and not per guest.

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Due to their interest in a mix of wilderness, Native culture, port visits and soft adventure activities, they will be able to interact with locals and be active. Children ages 15 and under receive 15% off the double occupancy rate. The Glacier Bay & Island Adventure cruise offers an authentic Alaska experience through the lens of local Alaskans. The 8-day itinerary sailing aboard the 40-guest Alaskan Dream moves at a slower pace with more time to explore the nature and culture of Alaska.

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Counselors will feed and change little ones, but parents must provide supplies. Children aged two to seven years can enjoy Cunard’s complimentary Play Zone supervised by Youth Staff. The Play Zone area offers books, toys, and a variety of activities—everything a curious child needs to keep them entertained. Cunard provides a complimentary Night Nursery service for children aged six months up to two years from 6 to 11 p.m. For added convenience and reassurance, parents receive a pager to keep them connected in case their child needs attention.

Disney Cruises with babies and toddlers

To find Alaska family cruise deals and added value for kids, browse our Alaska small ship cruise deals. You can also look to the Families & Children section of each AdventureSmith trip itinerary’s Inclusions, Terms & Notes details for family deals that never expire. This section also explains if any special kid-friendly programming is offered aboard. Ultimately, contact us to speak with our crew who can personalize recommendations for you so that you can have the best kid friendly Alaskan cruise at the lowest price.

All baby food must be unopened, prepackaged (i.e., not homemade) and require no prep from onboard galley staff. You can purchase distilled water to add to formula onboard or it can be brought onboard in carry-on luggage. Outside of group babysitting, when accompanied by a parent, children younger than two-years-old can play with the toys during designated family times on sea days. The late-night option for parents of infants (from six months) and young children up to 11 years is Night Owls group babysitting from 10 p.m. At the club, where babies and toddlers will be among older children watching movies and snoozing. It's worth bearing this in mind if your baby or toddler struggles to settle and sleep with background noise.

best cruise for toddlers

Other Kid-Friendly Features on P&O Cruises

As I said above, all the staff were excellent, including Dan the manager and Ka-Houk who was unfailingly though not cloyingly cheerful. Not to mention the bartender and the engineer, all of whom did whatever they could do make our trip pleasant - never limiting themselves to their defined duties. Enjoy 2 days venturing farther than 99% of visitors into Glacier Bay National Park. Plus, Tracy Arm, Frederick Sound, Icy Strait and Chatham Strait. Choose between two 76- & 84-guest Wilderness expedition ships as your home base.

best cruise for toddlers

Activities might range from Caribbean-shark-themed scavenger hunts to hands-on "Mythbusters"-style challenges and learning the science of magic. Other kid-approved activities include video game tournaments, art projects and storytime. One of P&O Cruises’ standout offerings for many parents has been the free-of-charge, supervised Night Nursery for children under four years of age. This cruise line is also hot on its kid-friendly shore excursions, such as kayaking, bike rides, trips to beaches, boat tours and to the summit of volcanoes or snow-covered mountains. Disney family rooms offer room-dividing curtains, bunk beds with twinkle-light constellations and plenty of storage.

Best Royal Caribbean ships for kids by age - Cruise Blog

Best Royal Caribbean ships for kids by age.

Posted: Mon, 12 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

(Unlike the Disney and Royal Caribbean ships listed above). Generally, the drop off option opens for about 2 hours in the late morning/early afternoon and about 3 hours in the evening. In fact it was the world’s largest ship until it was recently eclipsed by Symphony of the Seas.

Extra berths can accommodate pull-down ceiling beds or sofa beds. Strollers are available for rental, but supplies are limited. Carnival’s standard cabins are large enough to accommodate any extras parents need to bring along. So, if you require additional space, they have you covered. Carnival also partnered with Dr. Seuss to offer Seuss-themed events, which include Green Eggs and Ham breakfasts, storytime, and Seuss-a-Palooza.

Parents of small kids will be given a shipboard phone in case you need to be contacted. Newer ships from Royal Caribbean will include everything from escape rooms to waterslides to arcades, dedicated kids lounges, climbing walls, ziplines, and the Flowrider surf simulator for children. That’s in addition to the “basic” items like pools and mini golf. The cruise line is well known having the largest cruise ships at sea. Onboard those ships it packs the most activities and amenities — for adults and kids — meaning that no one will ever be bored.

While other ships sail the Seine and Rhine rivers, AmaLea travels the Danube through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Adventures by Disney makes the most of your time with shore excursions planned to entertain kids and adults, with options for supervised kid activities while parents head out on more grown-up tours. Your family might meet farm animals in Hungary, play hide-and-seek in a palace's labyrinth maze in Austria and hang around in a treetop playground in Germany. The ship's Lego-themed Doremi Land kids club has dedicated spaces for babies, kids and teens. If you're looking for the best cruises for kids, Carnival Celebration and its near-identical twin fleet mate, Mardi Gras, are the only cruise ships boasting a top-deck roller coaster called Bolt.

Also, families have the option to book extra-large staterooms in Family Harbor. These rooms include access to a family lounge area with large screen TVs, board games, complimentary breakfast, and other snacks. And throughout the day, staff host organized activities for the Guppies and their grown-ups. These included a variety of art projects, building projects, games and story time.

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