You heard me right, my friends. In my opinion, one of the best family vacations with children is a luxury cruise.
1. One of the best facts is that some cruise lines allow small children to travel free or at reduced rates. Between January 22 and May 28, children travel free on most Disney Cruise Line 3-night cruises when accompanied by two full-fare paying adults. Lines like Norwegian and Carnival also offer shorter cruises with kids free or heavily discounted.
2. In general, for many cruise lines, cruises of 10 days or more attract a larger audience, cruises of 2 or 3 days attract party-oriented adults, and cruises of 6 or 7 days include more children. and children’s programs. So choose accordingly (unless, of course, you’re cruising on Disney).
3. Most cruise lines offer programs for children/teens. Lines include Disney, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Holland America, Celebrity and Cunard. Check with other cruise lines about their deals. Most ships, therefore, offer a parent-child orientation with youth supervisors on the first day of the cruise. Take advantage of the crucial information they offer. Program quality can differ to some degree, and it may be important to ask exactly what each program actually offers and whether it keeps children busy all day and night. (Also, if you have children who are in diapers or are just potty trained, make sure the ship offers a program for them beforehand.)
4. What about accommodation arrangements? Some cruise ships have staterooms that are big enough to sleep five; others have adjoining cabins. But, if not, keep in mind that cell phones don’t work on the boats. If your cruise line doesn’t offer larger or adjoining cabins, it’s probably crucial that you purchase walkie-talkies that your family can use. Walkie-talkies can also be extremely useful, whether in the cabin, detached on the ship, or on shore excursions.
5. Ocean liners are even bigger than you probably imagine, so walk the entire ship with your kids when you board so they can be a little more comfortable. Take your younger children to the children’s program each day and pick them up when you’re done. There is a high chance that they will be irretrievably lost if they try to navigate the ship alone. Also, it’s a good idea, if your older children are wandering around the ship, to have them write on a pad in the room where they are at any given time.
6. Show little consideration. Do not allow your children to yell, run, slam doors, jump on beds, hit walls, etc. Other guests deserve to enjoy their cruise too.
7. Some shore excursions can bore kids to tears (or pouts). Children often love fish and animals. A visit to an aquarium, an underwater tourism exhibit, a wildlife park, or even a submarine ride will be fun. And you may want to insist that everyone meet for dinner. Other than possible outings, it may be the only time the family is together.
With programs for all ages on offer, a cruise can be one of the best family vacations you can ever take.