Cruising With The Kids

Family holidays are never as straight forward as you’d like them to be, you can’t please all the

people all the time, and let’s face it, any holiday with the kids can be stressful, but it doesn’t

need to be.

After a couple of tantrum inducing cruise holidays (that was my tears by the way, not the

kids) I’ve found that planning ahead is a vital part of any relaxing vacation.

Choose The Right Cruise

• Finding the right cruise line for your family’s needs is essential for a nice relaxed holiday.

• Many different ships accommodate for specific passenger expectations;

1. You can find great NCL, Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals catering specifically for families

2. Some, such as P&O and Princess Cruises, offer a more broad range of activities

3. Then, there are the ultra-luxurious cruises like Seabourn and Silversea Cruises, who don’t really have families in mind.

When planning your cruise make sure that the ship you choose has lots of activities with children in mind.

This will keep the kids entertained and give you the peace of mind that they are being well supervised and

entertained, so all you have to do is relax and enjoy your holiday.

Choose the right accommodation

You wouldn’t live on top of each other at home, so don’t do it on a cruise.

• Finding the right accommodation on a cruise is crucial.

• Although some rooms offer enough space for 3-4 people to sleep in, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be comfortable.

• Identify what will suit your family best and perhaps invest in adjoining staterooms or cabins that have separate bedrooms and offer a bit more privacy.

Pack Alternative Entertainment

• Although, most of the time, things run smoothly on a cruise, there may be a time when things can get a bit dull.

• Young children especially can get bored easily so its a good idea to bring along something that will keep them amused. o comicso puzzleso a favourite book o or a portable gaming system should be enough to keep

their attention diverted when you’re stuck in queues.

For teenagers, it may also be worth considering bringing along a gaming system from home;

most rooms come with a TV included, limit the gaming time however, and make sure your room

has suitable adaptors for the console.

It’s also worth noting that not all ships allow game systems to be brought on board, so make

sure you check out its FAQs beforehand

Make The Most Of The Kids Clubs

Most cruises that cater for families offer a wide range of kids clubs that, in most cases, will take

care of them all day.

Some ships, like Disney Line and NCL, also offer late evening babysitting services so you can go out and relax knowing that your children are

being looked after by friendly, qualified professionals.

Kids clubs give your children a chance to go out, have an adventure and make new friends but it’s

also a good idea to take part in some activities as a family.

Cruises are a great chance to bond, so whilst it might be tempting for everyone to go about

their own business, it’s always good to put aside some time for each other and have some fun

together.

Take Some Time Off The Ship

Whilst it may be tempting to stay on the ship for the duration of your holiday, the best thing about cruises is visiting lots of different destinations, but this can be disastrous if you choose the wrong places to go.

Think about what your children would like to do and what will keep them entertained, you may find

exciting water parks, beaches and bird sanctuaries to keep the little ones amused.

If you have older teenagers, perhaps let them go off and explore one their own? Give them

information to stay safe and arrange a time and place to meet up again.

For the times when you would rather just relax on the ship, be sure to check the times of the kids’ club entertainments as they may have

limited opening times available when the ship is docked.