10 reasons why a cruise is a perfect family holiday

Can’t decide where to go on your next family holiday? 

You want to go here, they want to go there? 

You want to relax, while the kids want to dash around a waterpark?

You’re on a tight budget, yet you want to get more for your money? Sound familiar?

Well, a cruise is a solution to all these conundrums. Let us tell you why:

On first glance the price of a cruise can often appear fairly hefty. But before you dismiss it, you need to drill down into exactly what’s included. 

Your accommodation and all meals come as standard in all cruise packages. Often your flights and transfers are included too. This is not dissimilar to many land-based all-inclusive holiday packages. But a cruise goes one step further. 

Also included is all the entertainment and the use of pretty much all the onboard facilities. On some ships those facilities are vast. A mega cruise ship is a destination in itself. Some even have waterparks! And the entertainment is worth a pretty penny too – West End or Broadway theatre shows no less. 

Great value drink packages can be purchased prior to boarding, allowing you to enjoy your favourite tipples all day long! 

And if you want to treat yourself to dinner in any of the ship’s speciality restaurants then again you can buy a package in advance. 

This system means you can manage your budget well in advance knowing exactly what you’re paying for before you’ve set sail. 

So, when you’re totting it all up, you need to consider all these extras that you’d have to shell out for were you to go on a land-based holiday. 

A day at a waterpark for all the family is worth a few hundred pounds alone. And taking in not just one but several award-winning theatre shows would normally cost a fortune on dry land.

When you do the sums, we think you’ll get a very pleasant surprise. 

Jaw-dropping waterslides, laser tag parks, ice-skating rinks, surf simulators, bowling alleys, escape rooms, go-kart tracks, climbing walls, zip wires – no we’re not talking about a theme park, we’re talking about cruise ships. 

When it comes to entertainment, it seems that the mega ships are on a mission to out-do each other. 

Royal Caribbean International has its terrifying Ultimate Abyss – the world’s tallest slide at sea towering 150ft above sea level and spanning 10 storeys with twists and turns the whole way down. 

Meanwhile, Norwegian Cruise Lines is renowned for being the line with the ridiculously big go-kart tracks spread over three decks. They also lay claim to The Drop, the world's first freefall dry slide at sea plummeting passengers down 10 stories with a gravitational force "faster than an accelerating F1 race car”.

What teenager wouldn’t die to have all these facilities literally on their doorstep with (virtually all free) access to all?

If you’re wanting to take things a tad easier, then virtually all cruise ships have sprawling spas with all manner of steamy theraputic rooms in which to unwind and relax. 

And with cinemas, bowling alleys and nightclubs on board, a cruise puts a different spin on the idea of a family night in.  

Chicago, Hairspray, Cats, Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, Grease: these are just some of the award-winning musicals that have sailed direct from the West End or Broadway to be performed at sea. 

In addition, you can expect a line-up of electrifying original productions.

On the ice rinks on Royal Caribbean ships be prepared for displays of ynchronize spins, lifts and jumps by world-class professional figure skaters. 

And be prepared for dare devil acrobatics, ynchronized swimming and captivating high-dives in its open-air AquaTheaters.

What’s more, you’re likely to find comedy clubs, pub quizzes, dance shows and all manner of entertainment laid on every night of your cruise. There’s a different show on ship for everyone in the family – and it won’t cost you a penny.

From the fussiest eater to the most adventurous gastronome, you’ll be spoilt for choice on board your cruise. The food is a massive part of the experience and cruise lines all cook up a storm. 

If your little ones refuse to eat anything other than plain pasta and chicken nuggets, no hassle. But with flavours from all around the world on the menu there’s always something new to tempt the tastebuds. And many of the dishes on the menu rotate each night, which means you can easily go an entire week without ever repeating a course. 

While breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included in the main dining spaces, you don’t necessarily have to stick to set times. 
If the little ones want ice cream for breakfast or you get the munchies at midnight there’ll always be a kitchen cooking on the big ships. Having 20, 30 or even 40 different restaurants, bars and lounges on board is not unheard of. 

It’s in the speciality restaurants where the cruise lines really get to show off, often partnering with celebrity chefs or prestigious chains.

Kids’ clubs are a big deal on board a cruise ship. 

Particularly during the school holidays, cruise lines offer a packed programme to suit every age, from toddlers to teens. 

From soft play to arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, drama shows, science labs, fashion shows and dance parties, the programmes are all devised to be age appropriate – even with DJ classes and plenty of video games to appeal to the harder-to-please teenagers.  

Wallace, Gromit and Shaun the Sheep are residents on board P&O’s family-friendly fleet, while Dr Seuss helps out Carnival and MSC has partnered with Lego.

Carnival recently coupled up with Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex to launch a children’s space programme complete with hands-on NASA-inspired activities called Space Cruisers.

The crews that work in the kids’ clubs are all highly qualified and professional, meaning parents can leave their children in the crew’s care with confidence. 

Cruise lines also offer babysitting services if you fancy a night out without the kids in tow.

Forget cramped cabins. When it comes to accommodating families, the major cruise lines offer spaces designed specifically with families in mind. 

Whether dedicated family cabins easily sleeping four, inter-connecting rooms ideal for families with teenagers, or spacious suites that can fit five, six or even eight passengers, there’s a cabin with your family name on it.

Clever designs provide more than enough space and, importantly, proper beds for the little ones too. 

Unsurprisingly, Disney Cruise Line is often considered by many to be the gold standard among family cruise lines. Disney pioneered the privacy curtain, dividing the sleeping and living room area. 

Inside some of Royal Caribbean’s family staterooms, the bathroom is purposely and conveniently split – in other words, the toilet is segregated from the shower, giving families more flexible use. And the kids have a separate alcove with bunk beds, each with its own TV to save arguments. 

On board Icon of the Seas you’ll find the three-storey Ultimate Family Townhouse. It comes complete with a slide (saves taking the stairs); a cinema and a private patio.

On Carnival’s Excel-class ships, family suites are all within a dedicated family zone. The space is exclusively for families, with its own suites, staterooms and a lounge just for guests staying in the family cabins. 

If two families are travelling together, or the grandparents are in tow, then more than one cabin is required. This is when connecting rooms are just the ticket. This means separate cabins yet they share the same foyer or have a door that leads from one stateroom to the other. On board MSC’s newest ships, connecting balcony rooms can sleep up to 10 in the same group.

The paraphernalia that has to be packed when families travel can often be mountainous. Many of the major cruise lines have thought of this and lend a hand with the logistics. 

Complimentary Pack ’n Play packages are often provided, full of toys and crafts to occupy little ones. Cots and mini fridges are also usually provided.

As part of its Babies Travel Light service, Disney allows parents to pre-order baby supplies and have them delivered to the cabin. It also provides complimentary cots, bottle warmers and nappy pails for use on request. 

Norwegian can deliver a week's worth of nappies and wipes to your cabin (for an additional charge).

MSC even has a Baby Laundry Service where it collects children’s items from your cabin and washes them in specialised machines with additional care. 

And to help with the daily logistics, most of the major lines have children’s favourite dishes on their room service menus. And TV’s often have access to cartoon channels – Disney of course provides the Disney Channel and Disney movies in its staterooms. 

Many lines, like Celebrity, also offer in-room babysitting for an additional charge. 

Teenagers with Holland America Line can access complimentary video games and game players (Xbox or Wii) for use in their cabins. 

As we know, families come in all shapes, sizes and ages. It’s becoming more common for multi-generations of the same family to holiday together. Grandparents are increasingly accompanying their children and grandchildren.

If you choose the right cruise ship and itinerary then there should be more than enough to satisfy all parties while allowing them to also spend precious time together. 

And of course, the inter-connecting rooms come into their own when you’ve got the whole clan travelling together. 

Exploring new destinations is so exciting. Sadly this also generally entails queuing at airports, lengthy transfers to your accommodation, arranging visas and lugging luggage from one spot to another. 

If you want to explore a number of destinations in the one holiday, be prepared for a lot of this stress. But not if you choose to cruise. 

Once on board you only have to unpack the once and you’ll glide seamlessly from port to port. In effect, your hotel travels with you. Plus, the cruise line might be able to anchor down close to all the major sights and sounds meaning you’re instantly in the heart of the action in each port

Travelling as a family couldn’t be easier.  

Each time you drop anchor a new destination awaits. And this means yet another adventure and a whole new place to explore.

Cruise lines offer a whole host of ways to explore the port of call that you might not necessarily be able to arrange yourself in the time allowed. 

How about zip lining over a jungle canopy in Costa Rica; swimming with stingray in Barbados; pottery making in Mykonos, cycling through Copenhagen or kayaking in Alaska?

Some cruise lines actually own their own private islands. Royal Caribbean owns CoCoCay in the Bahamas. Here you’ll find a massive wave pool, waterslides and zip lines. 

Norwegian owns Great Stirrup Cay, also in the Bahamas. Just off shore you’ll find an underwater sculpture park – complete with mermaids and seahorses – making snorkelling even more memorable. 

And at Disney’s Castaway Cay you’ll also find a dedicated snorkel area dotted with sunken treasures, including a submarine from the classic Disney theme park attraction 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (plus a submerged statue of a certain mouse). 

If you’re thinking about a cruise but aren’t sure if it’s the right fit for your family, I’m here to help.

As your personal Travel Consultant, I can answer all your questions — big or small — and give you the honest advice you need to decide. From the best cruise lines for kids to what life on board is really like, I’ll help you weigh up the options and find out if cruising could be your perfect family holiday.

There’s no pressure to book — just a friendly, helpful chat to guide you in the right direction.

Let’s have a quick conversation to see if cruising is for you. Call me today, or click ‘Enquire Now’ below and I’ll help you explore the possibilities.