Tips For Traveling With Teens
When you choose to take your family on any one of these seven cruises, your teens will thank you. Packed with fun, teen-specific activities, these cruises cater to everyone in the family. Whether you have a teen who loves rock climbing or one who just wants a pedicure and a glass of fizzy soda, these cruises are sure to deliver amenities that will make everyone in the family happy. Additionally, many cruise lines offer teen-specific travel tips to help families better plan their upcoming adventure.
Once you’ve chosen your cruise, ensure that you’ve adequately prepared everyone in the family. Do some research to make sure that nobody needs additional vaccines or medications prior to the cruise, and consider purchasing international travel insurance if your cruise will take you out of the country.
There is nothing quite as beautiful, majestic and exciting as a cruise, and families with teens can rest assured that these companies understand their needs. Designed to offer a fun, relaxing experience for everyone in the family, these cruise lines will take the burden of being entertainer and parent off your shoulders. So go ahead, kick your feet up and relax as your teen enjoys any one of the fun, unique, teen-specific activities these cruises have to offer.
Norwegian Cruise Line For Kids
Norwegian loves families and is fast becoming one of the best family friendly cruise lines. There are so many onboard amenities and a childrens clubs for all ages. While adults are relaxing at the spa or sipping a cocktail kids can attend supervised youth programs where they can play with their friends, learn to circus skills, play dodgeball or attend themed parties. There are childrens menus which are available in all of the restaurants.
Best Destinations For Family Cruises
Selecting the right destination sets the stage for a great family vacation. If youre seeking inspiration for your next family cruise, youve come to the right place. Cruise lines are catering to families with kid-friendly activities and amenities, making it easier than ever for families to explore the world by cruise ship. There are so many amazing cruise destinations from which to choose.
Here are nine of the best destinations for your family cruise vacation:
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Holland America Line Family
In addition to their well-established reputation, Holland America Line offers several family-friendly features. These include:
- Club HAL- Holland America Line has a kids club which runs on a pre-planned schedule. During club time, the kids get to enjoy a lot of games and attention from the staff. The club involves kids , with the facility being divided into colorful rooms to hold different groups. Kids go into pirate treasure hunts, crafting with their hands and minds, storytelling, and not-so-late night parties. From age 7 to 12, they enroll in Xbox tournaments, video games, scavenger hunts, and disco parties. Finally, teenagers get their fair share of activities, including hip hop classes, mocktail making classes, one vs one scavenger hunts, and nightclub parties.
- Onboard activities and entertainment- the cruise ship includes outdoor and indoor pools where you can have fun in the water. They also offer other activities, including basketball, BINGO, shuffleboard, and cooking classes.
- Stateroom- the cruise line offers spacious rooms with private verandahs and separate rooms for the kids. In addition, they have ample storage space and a bathtub that will meet your familys expectations.
Ways To Plan The Best Family Cruise Holiday Ever
Cruising with kids is, when you think about it, a genius holiday idea if ever there was one. With age-specific supervised kids clubs, amazing kid-friendly activities, tasty family dining and flexible accommodation options, a family cruise is one of the best ways to spend quality time with your loved ones – not to mention one of the easiest!
But if you dont have much cruising experience, you probably have some questions about how it all works. What are the ins and outs of cruising with your kids? What tips and tricks will make your family holiday the best one yet?
Here are 5 ways to plan the best family cruise holiday ever. Hint: It wont be hard!
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Cruise Itineraries For Family Cruising
When looking to book a cruise the cruise itinerary and destination is also important for families wishing to cruise. At certain times of the year cruise itineraries will be more catered to families such as school holidays or christmas with planners packed with activities.
Some destinations are better suited for families such as the Caribbeans beaches or destinations such as Norway for children. Perhaps flying is not your thing? You could always take a cruise from Southampton?. Cut out the hassle of the airports and go straight into holiday mode by boarding a ship. There are many cruise itineraries which sail out of Southampton where you can start your holiday the minute you board.
The Best Family Cruise Ships
When deciding on a family cruise, parents should research not only different cruise lines, but each ship in that line. Not all ships have identical activities and programs for children, so it is very wise to take into consideration the likes and dislikes of each family member. With cruise lines offering a vast array of kids’ programs, it’s fun and interesting to see what each has to offer your family.
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Other Royal Caribbean Cabins That Sleep 4 Or More
Many of Royal Caribbeans standard cabins and suites can sleep three or four guests, either with sofa beds or pull-down bunks above. A family of four will fit, but space might be tight when everyone is getting ready at the same time for dinner or an outing in port.
Royal Caribbean has plenty of connecting cabins if you have the budget to spend more for that extra living and bathroom space. Just be sure you price compare because it might be better value to book one suite, with the accompanying Royal Suite Class perks, than two standard cabins.
Norwegian Cruise Line Family
The cruise line allows its passengers to dine in their specialty restaurants or the main dining hall. In addition, they have large suites to fit your family comfortably. In addition, the cruises other family-friendly features include:
- Entertainment- the cruise ships have plenty of production shows and events hosted by highly trained and talented performers. Every night on the cruise, you enjoy stand-up comedy, which is fun, fresh, and brings you laughter every night. In addition, they have lively dancers for anyone who doesnt enjoy sit-down entertainment.
- Onboard activities- the cruise ship has an array of onboard activities arranged with each family member in mind. These include award-winning casinos, state-of-the-art fitness centers, epic water parks, and shore excursions. If you take your Caribbean voyage using the newest ship in the fleet, you get an opportunity to access a virtual reality wonderland at Galaxy Pavillion. The kids get a full program of activities, all of which are divided into age groups. These include Splash Academy, Guppies Program, and Entourage centers for the youths to make friends and have an enjoyable time during the cruise.
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Best Carnival Family Cabins And Suites
The best cruise ship cabins for families on Carnival Cruise Line are its Family Harbor suites and staterooms, found on its newest ships.
Family Harbor cabins come in a variety of categories and sizes, from inside to suite. Most of the cabins can sleep four, though some only sleep two or three .
Family Harbor Deluxe Ocean View cabins sleep five and have a full bathroom plus a washroom with sink and tub. Family Harbor Suites also sleep five and offer the split bathroom set-up, plus a walk-in closet and extra-large living area.
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These Carnival cruise family rooms are tops for families because of their access to the Family Harbor Lounge and its perks. The lounge, located smack in the middle of all the Family Harbor cabins, is the place to go to play board and video games, check your email, get assistance from a concierge, and grab complimentary breakfast, snacks, and drinks. Family Harbor perks include free kids meals in specialty restaurants and a free evening of Night Owls group babysitting.
The older ships in Carnivals fleet do not offer Family Harbor cabins, but some such as Dream-class ships Carnival Dream, Magic, and Breeze feature Deluxe or Family Ocean View cabins. These rooms, like their Family Harbor counterparts, can accommodate a family of five with two twins, two pull-down bunk beds, and a single sofa bed.
Make The Most Of The Onboard Activities
There are a wide array of awesome family-friendly activities onboard every P& O cruise – so check out what your ship has on offer, and be sure you and the kids make the most of every single experience.
Explore our incredible interactive waterparks, play in a band, or join the adrenalin junkies at P& O Edge Adventure Park, where you can race down a zip line, or Walk the Plank .
And dont forget the Kids Clubs! There are 4 age-specific fully supervised Kids Clubs running daily activities from arts and crafts to music and sports. Theyre a great way for your family to give each other some space – the kids can make some new friends their age, while parents can kick back by the pool with a book and cocktail in hand. Even better, Kids Clubs are included in your fare!
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Best Family Cruises To Book This Year
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With complimentary summer-camp-like kids program led by youth counselors, alongside a host of attractions, it’s no surprise the best family cruises deliver an environment where every family member can have fun on vacation. In addition to family time, kids get to hang out with other kids while parents and grandparents are free to be adults.
Youngsters are a major part of cruise ship design, from play rooms and teen clubs to crew members who know how to keep young people happy. Choose your ship wisely, because newer and recently renovated ships tend to have the most exciting attractions . Accommodations at sea can be tight, so splurge on the largest cabin or suite you can afford there is such a thing as too much togetherness on any trip. Beyond that, read our picks for the best cruise lines for familiesand get going with booking.
All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Best Disney Family Cabins And Suites
You could say that any cabin on a Disney cruise ship is perfect for a family, but the Deluxe Family Ocean View Staterooms, with or without balconies or Concierge-level amenities, are the best for families of five.
These cabins are slightly larger than regular outside and balcony cabins and have a single sofa bed, pull-down bunk bed, and wall pull-down bed in addition to the master bed. A curtain divides the room to give privacy.
In addition, all of Disneys Concierge-level suites sleep 5 to 7 guests. Theyre ideal for families who want to spread out, with large balconies, expansive living rooms with dining areas, separate master bedrooms, and at least two full bathrooms.
Concierge services help busy families plan an amazing vacation, and the concierge lounge and sun deck give parents a quiet place to reconnect and enjoy a drink while the kids live it up in the Oceaneer Club and Lab or the Edge and Vine tween and teen clubs.
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Is There A Minimum Age For Kids And Babies To Take A Cruise
Yes, but it varies by cruise line, ship, and even itinerary. For Disney cruises its 12 weeks. For Carnival, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean its 6 months. For Cunard, Princess, and other luxury cruises it can be as high as 12 months.
Disney and Royal Caribbean have the best on-board facilities for young babies. Many of their ships have full service nurseries with fun themes and tons of toys.
Family Cruises To The Worlds Most Exciting Destinations
Cruises from Florida makes it easy to turn a school holiday or a long weekend into a memorable jaunt to the Caribbean. Adventurous families can explore the Alaskan wilderness, cruise through the Inside Passage, and show the kids their first glacier. For the animal lovers in your group, you can get up close to unique and fascinating species on a cruise to the Galapagos.
Feeling spontaneous? Last-minute cruises are great for families who have a sense of adventure without wanting to wait months to start their vacation. From Bahamas cruises from Florida to the year-round tropics of the Caribbean, booking last minute can equal some seriously exciting special offers.
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Newer Cruise Ships Can Be A Better Choice For Families
Cruise lines newer ships can be better choice for families now. Ship building has come on leaps and bounds and with each company competing for passengers designing the best activities for children onboard is a must. The ship companies design these new facilities for families from the outset. Cruise lines are looking at ways of offering more exiting innovations all of the time including new things for babies, tots, teens and adults.
New ships also tend to be the biggest ships which offer more space and new innovations such as such as Bowling alleys, Simulators, Karting, Water parks and even Zip lines. Having said that cruise lines are also always looking at ways to adapt existing ships with ships often going back in to dry dock to have new updates added. So when looking at the best cruise for families with the cruise line you wish to travel with look at the individual ships to see what they also include onboard.
Additional Family Cruise Destinations
Families seeking out unique vacations on small ship cruises have plenty of options from which to choose. Other enticing destinations include family cruises in the Galapagos and the Amazon region, Central America/Panama Canal voyages, family-friendly river cruises in Europe and Asia, and small ship Arctic and Antarctica cruises. There are plenty of kid-friendly cruise destinations out there just waiting for you to explore!
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Oasis Of The Seas Cruises
Operated by Royal Caribbean, the Oasis of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship. Boasting everything from teen centers to yoga studios, this cruise offers ample attractions for every teen. Some examples include DJ lessons, juice bars, hip youth lounges designs to feel like ultra-luxurious nightclubs, and even teens-only spas that deliver treatments like pedicures and facials. Additionally, Oasis of the Seas Cruise staff host a variety of themed nighttime events for teens, such as slumber parties and costume events. Finally, teens can take advantage of the on-board surf simulator, rock climbing walls, zip lines, and cupcake shop.
Disney Magical Moments For The Whole Family On A Disney Cruise
With Disney theres something fun to do every day on a Disney Cruise ship. The itinerary has a touch of disney magic wherever you sail. Disney are known for Deck Parties and themed days such as legendary saga in Star Wars Day at Sea and Marvel Day at Sea.
Disney cruise ships have Splashtacular pools, fun slides and splash zones for little ones. There theatre shows are magical and of broadway standard meaning the whole family can sit back and enjoy the magic of Disney.
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Best Cruise Lines For Families With Kids
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The best cruise lines for families with kids as ranked by verified reviews submitted over the past 12 months. This list is continuously updated as we receive new reviews from our members, so be sure to check back often! Note, a minimum of 40 reviews are required to be part of this list.
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Ship size:41
There is arguably no better line for families than Disney Cruise Line. Kids love the movie-themed play spaces, character meet and greets, and a water park fit for pint-sized cruisers. Plus, the main dining rooms are imaginative with entertainment and interactive elements, and stage shows allow little ones to see their favorite movies come to life.
Ship size:41
Celebrity is a great choice for families looking for a more upscale onboard experience without stepping up to luxury-line prices. The kids program onboard will keep ages 3 to 17 engaged in various activities and events throughout the cruise. There are even family-friendly shore excursions and a kids menu in the main dining room and room service.
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Fun-loving families with kids will love all that Carnival has to offer. Ships have kids clubs divided by age filled with lots of activities to keep young cruisers busy. Onboard pools, a water park, sports courts, and game shows provide fun for everyone. And Carnivals large variety of dining options mean that even the pickiest eaters will find something they love.
Ship size:41Ship size:416842
Family Entertainment On Ncl
Onboard family entertainment is vast with a variety of things to do. Their latest ship the Encore hosts a karting track, laser tag and an American diner. There is plenty to do for the adults as well with a Cavern club and top theatre entertainment. If your kids are tech minded they will absolutely love the Galaxy pavilion onboard the encore which is a whole floor of VR! Norwegian Cruiseline have The Plank! Walk on the wild side in a harness as you extend 8 feet over the side of the ship!
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