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What Is The Best Cruise Ship For Kids

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Best Cruise Lines For Babies & Toddlers: Cunard Line

Best Cruises for Kids | What Cruise Line is Best For Children

While Cunards elegant trio of ships , known for their fine trimmings and white-glove service, dont suggest kids at the surface, the line actually excels at diversions and accommodations for the smallest sailors. Indeed, the company positively trumps the competition for the baby and toddler set, thanks in large part to its complimentary night nursery, a place where young babesages six to 24 monthscan snooze each evening in cots or cribs, all under the watchful eye of trained British nannies . Its a rare and most welcomed industry offering, affording parents the chance to indulge in some evening-time wining, dining, and entertainment. Daytime diversions abound, too, thanks to the lines free drop-off kids programming for tots ages two to seven: The Play Zone comes chockablock with activities like sports competitions, arts and crafts, and storytime .

Onboard restaurants boast baby food, kids menus, and loaner high chairs, while bottle warmers and sterilizers are available upon request. Bunk comfortably with babes thanks to complimentary cribs and cots and even loaner baby bathsinfants under two sail free .

Take Advantage Ofport Play / Late Night

Drop off the kids to enjoy a shore excursion* or a romantic night out. Available on days in port and every evening for children ages 3-12. Fees apply.

*Please refer to the FAQs for policies on children in diapers.

Port Play

Want some alone time? Then drop off the little ones at Port Play for free. Only a small fee applies for the supervision of your child during breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours. Meal times are based on ship and itinerary.

Late Night Fun Zone

Planning a romantic dinner for two? Leave the kiddies in safe hands any day of the week at Late Night Fun Zone. Small fee applies.

Hours: 10:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. If no children are registered or dropped off by 11:30 p.m., the centre will close for the evening. It is recommended that children be signed up by 8:00 p.m. the day prior.

Norwegian Encore From Norwegian Cruise Line

A great choice for active families, Norwegian ships offer water parks, rock climbing walls and ropes courses, go-karts and laser tag, and Broadway shows, says Silverstein. And Norwegians newest ship, the Norwegian Encore, which first set sail earlier this year, takes these family-friendly amenities and entertainment options to the next level. Featuring the worlds longest go-kart race track at sea and the largest outdoor laser tag arena , this Breakaway Plus class shipwhich sails from New York City and Miama to Bermuda and the Caribbean respectivelycant be beat. And even if you dont book the Norwegian Encore and instead opt for one of Norwegians other ships, youre still guaranteed an epic family-oriented experience. Many ships have play spaces or playtime for babies and toddlers, while teens get tricked-out hangouts, shares Silverstein. When booking your familys cruise for 2020, just be sure to look for circus school activities and ships with special kid pool areas, she encourages.

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Kids Clubs Age Ranges On P&o

Each ships children clubs are slightly different, but the Reef clubs are separated in to different age groups.

  • Splashers is age 2-4
  • Scubas 9-12
  • H20 is the cool club for teens aged 13-17.

P & O also offer Carefree nights ;a;Night Nursery which is available free of charge on all family friendly ships for children aged between 6 months and 4 years of age.

Royal Caribbeans Adventure Ocean

How To Choose The Right Cruise Line For A Family Cruise

The amount of space dedicated to childrens facilities on-board Royal Caribbeans Oasis-class ships is the equivalent of up to half a football pitch. The Adventure Ocean club has fantastic play spaces for various age groups, as well as a video arcade, a theatre and even a science lab!

You can have breakfast with DreamWorks characters such as Kung Fu Panda and Shrek, as well as seeing them in parades. Hard-to-please teens will love the video games and there are even DJ classes available.

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Wonder Of The Seas Completes Sea Trials

The ships — and cruise lines — that follow are our top cruises for kids. Every family’s travel style is different, so these are certainly not the only ships to consider. Think of them as a starting point as you narrow your choices for an unforgettable family vacation at sea.

Royal Caribbeans Symphony Of The Seas

Most Fun Features: Not only are there waterslides and a miniature golf course on this brand new ship, but theres also a giant slide that starts with a terrifying walk across a clear platform and then appears to plunge off the side of the ship, dropping nine decks.

Best Eats: New on this ship is El Loco Fresh, a casual Mexican restaurant serving up tacos and quesadillas by the pool. If thats not your thing, theres a sports bar with video arcade games and burgers. Find out the 28 secrets cruise lines wont tell you.

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Royal Caribbeans Harmony Of The Seas

With its seven neighbourhoods, including the kid-friendly Boardwalk, the worlds largest ship has enough action-oriented amenitiesfrom an ice rink and carousel to a zip line and the tallest slide at seato keep kids of all ages entertained. More than three football fields long, Harmony holds up to 6,272 passengers.

Best for: Daredevil kids and their parentsbut theres lots for tiny tots, too.

Coolest itinerary: Seven nights round trip from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to the Western Caribbean, with calls on Falmouth, Jamaica; Cozumel, Mexico; and Labadee in Haiti, Price: from $924 per person.

Why its great: Its a marvel of engineering and imagination: big, bold and playfulwhat kid wouldnt love meeting Shrek or getting soaked by a drench bucket in the splash park?with multiple oceanview and interior cabins that let little ones be safe as you enjoy the sunset.

Your kids will love: The stomach-dropping slides if theyre brave enough and tall enough to try the 10-storey-high Ultimate Abyss or Perfect Storm slide trio and yummy fun on a bun at Boardwalk Dogs . Younger kids can interact with Dreamworks characters or cool off at Splashaway Bay.

Youll love: The sophistication of Central Park and the familiar old-school fun of Grease, The Musical.

Best Celebrity Cruise Ship For Kids: Celebrity Equinox

Best Cruise Lines And Cruises For Kids

Celebrity Cruises is an award-winning, premium cruise line known for their personal service, upscale design and luxurious cuisine. All Celebrity ships are welcoming to families, but Celebrity Equinox offers especially engaging programs for children and other curious cruisers. Most Equinox itineraries include sailings to the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, but there are also sailings that include Mexico and New Orleans.

Camp at Sea is Celebritys customizable kids programming thats full of enriching activities that inspire children to learn more about the world around them. Developed in partnership with Lonely Planet, Fat Brain Toys and Xbox, aspiring artists, scientists, and chefs can partake in special activities catered to their interests. Youth Counselors ensure all children are entertained and engaged. STEM at Sea with Frost Science Museum launched on Equinox and includes Power of Plankton and Mission Microplastics that not only educate, but also inspire positive choices for the planet.

Celebrity Cruises recently added more than 70 new excursions to their offerings, with amily-focused activities such as snorkeling and wildlife viewing. Aboard the ship, families favor the sports courts, pools and Lawn Club, where you can lounge with the grass beneath your feet, play bocce, croquet or listen to a concert. Silent disco parties, hot glass classes, archery, movies under the stars and cupcake decorating are some of the other activities kids and parents can enjoy together.

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Norwegian Bliss From Norwegian Cruise Line

Bring your family abroad the Norwegian Bliss and you and your kids are guaranteed to have an amazing experience. With cruises to Alaska, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Panama, Mexico and the Pacific Coast in 2020, you have an endless number of optionsbut our vote is its Alaska sailing, since Blisss 20,000-square-foot Observation Lounge is perfectly suited for taking in those breath-taking views. Along with a range of engaging educational activities offered during the day, kids will have fun splashing at the water park, riding a virtual roller coaster at the arcade, playing an intense game of laser tag or riding go-kartswhich stay open late. Plus, All ships have multiple dining venues, so you can always find something for everyone, Silverstein says, and newer ships, especially, offer family suites or cabins with multiple bedrooms, which can help making cruising your family more enjoyable.

Decks Away From Noise

If you want to avoid the din and just want some peace during the night, you should choose a deck that is far from the pool area, lounge, bars, nightclubs, casinos, engine room, and other places where people usually congregate.;

The best cabin on the deck would be one that is near other cabins. For sure, other passengers would want their beauty rest as well, so you are assured of having some peaceful and restful time during your stay on the cruise.;

But take note that a big family with kids would, most likely, cause loud noise too, with kids bawling or running around. Thus, try to stay away from family cabins.

The ships engine could also cause a loud, roaring sound, so avoid decks near this place. Having a safe, private, and restful place to stay while at sea is essential for you to enjoy your cruise.;

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Disney Cruise Lines Disney Fantasy

Most Fun Features: January through March, this ship hosts the Star Wars Day at Sea, an all Star Wars extravaganza with photo ops with stormtroopers, Chewbacca and more, plus Jedi training, trivia, movie screenings, and fireworks. The rest of the year, kids and grown-ups will love the stage show version of Aladdin.

Best Eats: The main dining room here is decoratedget thisas a royal palace, and theres a Royal Court Tea thats hosted by Disney princesses. Heres where to splurge and where to save on a Disney Cruise.

Best Cruise Lines For Families For 2022 And Why

7 Best Cruise Ships for Kids (rated by a 16 year old kid)

Cruising with kids can be very daunting especially if you have not done it before. When looking at booking a cruise it is important to explore the facilities it has for the age of the children you are travelling with. Does the cruise line cater for children of all ages? Do they have a kids club? Does the kitchen cater for childrens meals? These are all questions asked when trying to look for the best cruise line for families with kids. Some cruise lines are fab for babies on a cruise some are fantastic for teens or may want activities for the whole family?

Or if a bit of adult time is want you need then a cruise line that offers babysitting or kids clubs will be perfect for you to relax knowing they are safely looked after.

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Best Overall: Msc Meraviglia

  • Duration: 7 nights
  • Ship Name: MSC Meraviglia
  • Itinerary: Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras; Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, United States

MSC, the Mediterranean cruise line thats making waves in the American market, is known for being very kid-friendly and has discounted rates for children. On the newest ship, Meraviglia, kids will love the Polar Aquapark with waterslides, a Himalayan bridge, and several pools and a splash bucket. Theres also a bowling alley, two Formula 1 virtual-reality race cars, and a dazzling Cirque du Soleil show. Restaurants onboard Meraviglia have kid-friendly menus and the kids club is fantastic including two teens clubsone for 12 to 14-year-olds and one for ages 15 to 17.;The ship is fitted with family cabins that connect , and off the ship, there are other family-friendly excursions.;

What Are The Best Cruise Ships For Kids

Step aboard most new cruise ships these days and its clear theyve placed an emphasis on entertainment for kids and young adults. When many think of taking a cruise, they envision a week laid up in a deck chair drinking Pina Coladas and enjoying a good book. Newer ships certainly offer that paradise for Mom and Dad, but they also offer a plethora of entertainment so can kids have just as much fun as their parents.

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Disney Cruise Lines Disney Dream

Most Fun Features: Its hard to pick just one favorite aspect of this ship designed with kids in mind, but the entertainment on Disney Cruise Line is hard to beat. Inside the kids club, youll find a Star Wars-themed Millenium Falcon area, the ship also offers a stage show production of Beauty and the Beast, and you can catch Disney family-favorite movies on the pool deck.

Best Eats: Were charmed by all the food shaped like Mickeys ears, from waffles to ice cream pops, but its the fun of being able to draw your own cartoon and watch it come to life at Animators Palate that stuck with us as to why this is one of the best cruises for kids. Check out why Disney cruises are also great for adults.

Newer Cruise Ships Can Be A Better Choice For Families

Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship for Kids!

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.

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Carnival Cruises Carnival Breeze

Most Fun Features: This ship has racing water slides, a twister waterslide, and a Dr. Seuss brunchwith green eggs and ham, naturally.

Best Eats: Guys Burger Joint serves some of the best burgers at sea, complete with a toppings bar and French fried, too. Best of all, its poolside so you dont have to miss a minute in the sun.

Best Cruise Ships For Kids 2020

Considering a cruise for your next family vacation? You might be surprised to see how many cruise ship options there actually are! To help you make your decision, weve chosen the most innovative and entertaining cruise ships for kids. In 2020, sail away on one of these cruise ships for kids, and youll be on cruise control in no time!

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Deck Right Below The Top Deck

The top deck is where the sun deck, pools, slides, hot tubs, water parks, and other outdoor facilities are generally located. Thus, people would be trooping to these spots all day long. If youre in a cabin located at the deck below the top deck, youre in for a lot of noise and disturbances.;

Noise can come from the scraping of chairs, booming voices, loud splashes of water, boisterous laughter, cheering, or buzzing conversations. However, you have one advantage: within minutes, you can avail yourself of most of the cruise ships amenities.;

On the contrary, you can choose this deck if youre not bothered by the noise and prefer to be near cruise amenities.

What About Kids Meals

Best Cruise Ship for Families Winners: 2018 10Best Readers ...

When it comes to meal times, the ships offer a large number of dining options, including kid favorites like burgers and dogs from Boardwalk Dog House and Johnny Rockets.

Sorrento’s Pizzeria serves pizza by the slice or made to order pies; Cafe Promenade is great for grabbing food on the go ; Park Cafe serves bagels, sandwiches, soups and salads and Windjammer Marketplace is always a safe bet for families, with a selection of pasta dishes, fries, salads, burgers, plus meat and fish options. The casual poolside Mini Bites is another great option for grab-and-go dining, with sliders, grilled cheese, pizza, taquitos and mini cupcakes on offer.

El Loco Fresh on Oasis and Symphony of the Seas offers a fun lunch and afternoon option, with Mexican favorites such as burritos, quesadillas, nachos, corn on the cob, and tacos on the menu.

For an added fee, Jamie’s Italian on Harmony and Symphony of the Seas or Giovanni’s Table on Allure and Oasis of the Seas serves freshly made pasta dishes; while kids will want to make a beeline for Sugar Beach on Oasis and Symphony of the Seas, where sweet treats such as candy, cupcakes and ice cream are available for a fee.

Families can also take advantage of My Family Time Dining for the first seating in the main dining room, specifically for children aged three to 11, which ensures kids are served their meal within 40 minutes of seating so they can then join the evening’s Adventure Ocean activities. ;

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