Why do we love taking family cruises? Besides the fact that cruises give us the most value for our hard earned dollars, there is no other vacation that can offer as much variety. There is something to do for everyone in the family.
I’m going to give you five of the top reasons why we love cruising as a family.
1. No cooking for the entire vacation! If you’re like me, at home you have a set number of meals that you make each week. We all have our “signature” recipes, right? Well guess what?
You aren’t at home anymore when you are on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean.
Give your taste buds permission to be a little adventurous. From breakfast to dinner, and every snack in between, you will dine on some of the best food you’ve ever tasted. Our kids even had the chance to try new things every day. New England Crab Cakes, Lobster Tail and Warm Chocolate Melting Cake…if this is the norm at your house, then maybe you aren’t as impressed. But if it’s not, do you know what?
All of your food is included in the price of your cruise vacation. On most cruise lines, this even includes 24 hour room service. Many cruise ships also have specialty restaurants on board with cover charges, but still a great deal and fabulous food — perfect for a date night.
So whether you want to dine on the lido deck by the pool, visit the dining room for a 3 to 5 course meal, stop in the pizzeria, sample some sushi, or grab a cone at the 24 hour ice cream machine, you are sure to find something to please everyone in your family.
2. Entertainment for the kids = relaxation for the adults. And you guessed it…it’s included in the price of your cruise. Most cruise lines have age-appropriate programs just for the kids, family amenities and exclusive areas onboard for adults only.
Our favorite cruise lines for families, along with their youth programs, are as follows (in no specific order of preference, just listed alphabetically):
- Carnival Cruise Line – Camp Carnival for ages 2-11 (broken into 3 groups: 2-5 years, 6-8 years, and 9-11 years), Circle “C” for young teens ages 12 -14, and Club O2 for teens ages 15-17. Carnival has partnered with Hasbro to bring your Hasbro, the Game show where your favorite board games come to life in this fun-for-all-ages game show extravaganza.
- Disney Cruise Line – In Disney’s Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab kids ages 3 – 10 years choose their favorite ways to play in spaces designed just for them. (ie. Clubhouse series for kids under 5, In the Spotlight series for kids 8 and over, and Creat & Invent Series for all ages). It’s a Small World Nursery for babies 3 mos. to 3 years (*nominal fee for this age).
- Norwegian Cruise Line – Splash Academy for Kids for ages 6 mos to 12 years (guppies 6 mos – 2years, turtles 3 – 5 years, seals 6 – 9 years, dolphins 10 -12 years). Entourage for Teens ages 13 – 17 years. Norwegian has partnered with Nickolodeon and features a one-of-kind, family-friendly experience exclusively onboard Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Breakaway.
- Royal Caribbean Cruise Line – Award-winning Adventure Ocean® and Teen Program, Fisher-Price® playgroups with appropriate activities in six age groups – Royal Babies® (6-18 months), Royal Tots® (18-36 months), Aquanauts (3 -5 years), Explorers (6 – 8 years), Voyagers (9 – 11 years) and Teen Centers for ages 12 -17 years. Royal Caribbean is exclusive partners with Crayola, Fisher-Price® , Barbie® and Dreamworks animation so character cruises are also available.
3. Plenty of room for quality family time. One thing we really love is the fact that the kids and adults can have their own time, yet there are also tons of things to do together as a family. Of course options vary depending on the ship you are on, but here are some ideas:
- Catch a movie at the outdoor movie theatre under the ocean stars.
- Splash in one of many pools or slide on the biggest water slides at sea.
- Check out top quality entertainment shows in the grand theatre in the evening.
- Take a swirl around the ice rink, climb a rock wall, surf on a simulated wave, play a round of putt-putt golf
- And the list could go on and on and on…
4. The chance to visit new lands to explore and learn about other cultures. Depending on the length of cruise you take, you could stop at anywhere from 1 – 5, or more ports. And you only unpack once.
This is such a great way for your kids to see new places and experience the flavor of how other cultures live. Hear the music, watch them dance, do a little shopping, taste the local food and see how the locals live.
Spend the day together at the port, then head back to the ship to clean up and enjoy the nighttime activities that are waiting for you!
5. You will make memories together as a family that you will cherish for a lifetime!
If you and your family would like more information on family cruise vacations or are ready to experience the wonder of a family cruise, please email us at info@CruiseTherapy.net or fill out our Vacation Request Form now for a FREE, no obligation quote.
We would love to get to know you and your family to recommend the perfect cruise for you!
Bon Voyage!
I
am a travel consultant
