Most Romantic Cruise Holidays
When it comes to a romantic holiday you cant afford to go wrong for you dont want to let down your spouse.
Therefore, we always recommend that romantic cruises be planned with your partner.
The best romantic cruise holiday is a cruise which is couple-friendly in terms of activities, dining, accommodation, and locations and Silversea cruise fits the bill on all of the above requirements.
This cruise offers excellent shore trips and couple activities such as wine tasting, couple games, cooking classes, and dancing together.
If you inform the cruise in advance about your honeymoon or anniversaries, they also provide special romantic touches to make your holiday memorable.
Our next recommendation for romantic cruises is Cunrad Line, which also offers all inclusive deals.
You can go on a Cunyard cruise with just USD 2500 in your pocket.
Whichever family-friendly cruise holiday you opt to choose, let us assure you that you and your kids will cherish it for years to come.
The Best Cruise Lines For Kids And Families
There are so many great places to visit in the world, and so little time in which to do it. From the Caribbean Islands to Canadas shores, from Alaska to Hawaii and Mexico nowadays a family cruise is a great option for families that love to travel but dont need the hassle of booking flights and finding affordable hotels.
You get to sightsee, relax, and enjoy the actual travelling rather than be exhausted by it and there are so many activities to keep the kids busy the biggest surprise for parents is when the cruise has finished the kids are reluctant to leave the ship.
Youll love being onboard as much as them. So pack your bathing costume and get ready for days of sun, fun and relaxation in between exploring the worlds best beaches, funnest cities and most enchanting sightseeing destinations.
The Top 5 Family Friendly Cruise Ships
A cruise makes a great family vacation.
The majority of cruise ships cater to an adult clientele, with on-board amenities that include bars and lounges, spas, and casinos. Although most cruise ships cater to this mainly adult audience, the sheer size of today’s mega-ships makes offering entertainment for both adults and children easier than ever, and family cruises have increased in popularity.
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So Will Your Family Be Cruising In 2021
There are good reasons not to cruise in 2021. According to major news outlets, the CDC has said that the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order will remain in effect through Nov. 1, 2021. Details for the next phase of the CSO are currently under interagency review, the CDC said in a statement to CNN.
Since the Delta Variant is extremely contagious, you wont want to be far from U.S. medical care should someone in the family fall ill, though the cruise lines have significantly upgraded their medical facilities on board.
With pent up demand and ships operating at reduced capacity, there arent many deals to be had, cruise experts suggest, though you may find value-added amenities like included Wi-Fi, gratuities and drinks on 2021 departures.
What Are The Best Cruise Lines For Families
The 10 Best Family Cruises of 2019 For a VIP Feel: Celebrity Edge For Jaw-Dropping Water Slides, Surf Simulators and Splash Pads: Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas For Go-Karts, Laser Tag and a Chic Teen Lounge: Norwegian Joy For Discovery Channel Fans: Caribbean Princess For the Ultimate French Excursion: Adventures by Disney, Seine River Cruise
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Cruising Alaska With Kids
In addition to these reasons for considering a cruise for your family vacation, here are other things families cruising with children should know.
Kid’s ProgramsFamily-friendly cruise lines offer on-board children’s programs staffed by certified youth counselors. Participation in these fun and educational opportunities is optional, but most parents find that it’s sometimes hard to get the kids to leave them! Activities are offered on both days at sea and while the ship is in port.
Typically, you’ll find the children organized by age into three or four different groups, each offering appropriate activities in separate playrooms. Some cruise ships even have a teen clubhouse. The minimum age to join the program on many ships is 2 or 3 years, and the children are expected to be potty trained. However, some lines require that children be age 5 or older.
While some cruise lines, like Disney Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line, guarantee children’s activities on every sailing, in every destination year-round, others offer the program seasonally or only when there are a certain number of children booked on the cruise. In these instances, we can usually learn if the children’s program will be in effect inside of 60 days of sailing.
Depending upon your family, here is what you should know about cruise ship cabins:
Why Cruising Has Become A Great Option For Families
The almost all-inclusive nature of cruising translates into value for families looking to maximize their vacation dollars. There are lots of activities and supervised programs on the ships available to keep young passengers occupied and on track for vacation bliss.
And for those children not inclined to participate in the kids programs on the ships, there are many family-friendly activities to help everyone have fun.
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What Cruise Line Has The Best Gym Fitness And Sport Facilities
Royal Caribbean has the best facilities for staying active and the widest array of activities. All ships have rock climbing walls, well-equipped gyms, yoga classes, and spas.
The Voyager, Freedom, and Oasis class ships also have ice skating, basketball, volleyball, and miniature golf.
The Freedom and Oasis have Pilates studios and a full size boxing ring.
The Oasis class also have a zip line, aqua theater, surfing simulator, and 1/2 mile onboard running track.
Carnival Cruise Lines Mardi Gras
Passengers and crew on Carnival ships come ready to meet new friends or share a laugh, a story, and a drink with their shipmates. Social kids will fit right in and will love the lines huge, new ship Mardi Gras. They can make friends at the Family Harbor Lounge, Camp Ocean and the Dr. Seuss Bookville, or the teen and tween clubs conveniently located near Guy Fieris burger stand and the video arcade.
Kids who love a good food court can meet up with friends or family at a number of no-fee, casual eateries, including Shaqs Big Chicken restaurant and a trio of Street Eats, featuring dumplings, meat on a stick, and loaded French fries. All-hours pizza and ice cream will keep the whole family fueled up for the interactive Family Feud Live show and Hasbro The Game Show .
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Princess Cruises Regal Princess
Most Fun Features: The kids club on this ship brings the fun with pizza parties and sleepovers, and there are family-friendly movies on deck under the stars with popcorn and blankets.
Best Eats: The buffet on this ship serves up all the typical kid favorites, plus it has a Neopolitan-style pizza parlor with made to order pies.
Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Breakaway
The WOW! Factor on Norwegian Cruise Lines newest ship is the multi-story Aqua Park, featuring five full-size water slides, including twin Free Fall slides. The latter are billed as the fastest slides at sea, where you stand up in a chute and abruptly drop through a loop.
Breakaway also features a sports complex that spans three decks, one of the largest at sea. The complex includes a rock climbing wall, a ropes course, mini-golf, a spider-web cage, bungee trampoline and notably, The Plank. If youre daring, you can walk The Plank, which extends 8 feet over the side of the ship and way above the water. You will need to wear a harness for this activity.
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The 8 Best Cruise Ships For Kids
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Kids can make or break your family cruise. If theyre bored and hate the food options, they will loudly and repeatedly express their displeasure. Pick the wrong cruise ship and parents will feel as trapped as if they were stranded on a deserted islandwith biting crabs underfoot.
The best cruises for kids take advantage of ships with endless fun for the under-18 crowd, plentiful dining that appeals to both young palates and bottomless teen tummies, accommodations and ship services that keep families in mind, and opportunities to meet and hang out with peers. No matter your family size or price range, you can find some incredible vacations at sea that will have kids exclaiming, Best cruise ever! by the end of the week.
Find the top ship for your next trip with our list of the eight best cruises for kids .
For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter.
Offers The Most For Older Kids: Royal Caribbean International
Its massive ships have space for skating rinks, indoor skydiving, bumper cars, rock climbing walls, and other activities thatll wow a tween. We went on the Anthem of the Seas for my daughters tenth birthday, and she loved roller-skating with flashing lights and a deejay, says Dawn Ardito. Emma Cakmak, who sailed on the Liberty of the Seas with her mom and two daughters , said the FlowRidera surfing simulatorslayed.
One day, we stayed on the ship when it was in port and took turns going on it over and over, says Cakmak.
Royal Caribbean divides up its kids clubs into more age groups than Disneya minus if siblings or cousins want to stick together but a plus for age-appropriate activities. One caveat: Evening family entertainment may be too adult-oriented for some tastes. I covered my daughters eyes a few times during We Will Rock You, says Ardito. The show wasnt rated, but Id give it a PG-13.
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When Should I Book My Family’s Cruise
This is, without a doubt, the commonly asked question in the travel industry. And the answer isn’t always simple. Cruises require a little advance planning, and the spontaneous traveler is often surprised to learn that ships cost more than they expected or are sold out of cabins that can accommodate both parents and children in the same room.
Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST42496CST No. 2100614-50
And Some Parting Thoughts
The coronavirus pandemic has upended the entire cruise industry, and we expect many innovations and structural changes to emerge once the major cruise lines resume sailing on a more regular basis. We will update this section as we learn more.
Meanwhile, with nine of 10 families surveyed using the environmental record of cruise lines to make their choices, we are closely watching these companies self-reported responsible tourism practices. Pool safety continues to be another real concern aboard cruise ships. Please study these pool safety tips and be constantly vigilant aboard ship and on land when youre around water.
Bon voyage!
| Wherever you see ads or images within this special FamilyTravelConsulting.com travel section, the advertising and custom content has been brought to you by our sponsors. All other content and opinions are based upon the authors actual travel experience and knowledge. |
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If Budgets Are Tight: Carnival Cruise Line
The most budget-friendly of the bunch, a weeklong Caribbean cruise on Carnival can be around half the price of sailing on Disney, notes McDaniel. Carnival also offers the most U.S. departure ports of any line, so many families can avoid airfare costs. Edna Ma, of Los Angeles, took a four-day Carnival cruise from nearby Long Beach, California, to Ensenada, Mexico, with her husband and children last Aprila time of year when cruise prices are considerably higher than usual. We spent about $1,900, including taxes, says Ma. When I researched our options, I found that it was the most affordable and offered availability during spring break.
The Dr. Seuss-themed parade, storytime, and Green Eggs and Ham breakfast aboard all Carnival ships are much loved. The parade wraps up with a cute, interactive performance in the theater, says Stephanie Jarrett, of Arlington, Texas, who sailed on the Carnival Valor from Galveston with her husband and three kids in December 2016. My middle daughter, who was 4 at the time, was pulled on stage to be Thing 2, and she still talks about being part of the show.
Does 2022 Sound Better For A Cruise Vacation
The 2021 Taking the Kids Cruise Guide will help you plan an adventure at sea, and is being updated throughout 2021 as cruise lines announce their plans. Be forewarned that some of the cruise and shore activities, onboard facilities and programs we review below, dating to 2020, will likely be modified to accommodate new regulations.
So its not too early to think about booking a cruise for 2022, especially if you want to cruise with extended family. Its always difficult to find a week that fits everyones schedule!
And while you peruse cruises available this summer or next year, make sure to read the fine print as cruise line refund policies vary from a future cruise voucher to additional onboard spending credits or a full cash refund. Thats why we advocate you get insurance premium bids for family travel insurance.
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Carnival Cruises Carnival Horizon
Most Fun Features: This ship has a Dr. Seuss-themed water park, an IMAX theater, and SkyRide which is basically a bicycle suspended above the deck that you can ride through the sky.
Best Eats: Theres so much great, casual food onboard, its easy to see why this is one of the best cruises for kids. With a pizzeria, a taco stand, andget thisboth a burger bar and a barbecue spot created with Food Network star Guy Fieri, how will you choose where to eat lunch?
Royal Caribbean International: Quantum Of The Seas
On Royal Caribbeans Quantum of the Seas, which begins sailing in 2014, you and your kids will be able to drive bumper cars and step aboard a full-blown, London Eye-like, jewel-shaped glass capsule that will transport you up to 300 feet above the ocean.
Along with all of these innovative thrills for kids, ships are also improving the family friendly staterooms. Families today have a broader selection of stateroom configurations than ever before, with more interconnecting staterooms than in the past and more family friendly suites.
Also, childrens programming has made great strides with age-appropriate activities and facilities from ages 2 years old and up available on nearly all ships these days. The programming allows for a good mix of time apart and time together. Its hard to think of an easier vacation for families or a more enjoyable one for the kids than on todays modern kid-friendly ships with WOW! factors that make for memorable time together at sea.
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Adventures By Disney Expedition Cruises
Whats New: Adventures by Disney Expedition Cruises. With voyages to Antarctica beginning in late 2021 and to the Galapagos Islands in 2022, guests will embark on adventures across breathtaking, remote landscapes while enjoying a leisurely voyage with family-focused activities curated by the travel experts at Disney while sailing aboard intimate, purpose-built ships specially designed to access remote destinations, guests will discover pristine natural lands and diverse wildlife throughout a broad range of excursions with naturalists and Adventure Guides.
Family Expedition Cruises to the White Continent: With the introduction of the Antarctica expedition cruise, Adventures by Disney now offers family vacation experiences across all seven continents. Scheduled for 2021 and 2022, two 12-day, 11-night Antarctica and Patagonia Expedition Cruises will sail with PONANT, a leader in luxury polar expeditions.
Family Expedition Cruises in the Enchanted Isles: On the Adventures by Disney Galapagos Islands Expedition Cruise, families will island-hop from one extraordinary adventure to the next with five nine-day, eight-night sailings aboard the boutique expedition ship, the Galapagos Legend.
Ship: Allure Of The Seas And Oasis Of The Seas
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean InternationalItineraries: Seven-night Western Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, FloridaPrice:From $749 per person based on double occupancy third and fourth berth fares from $399Standout Perk: Kids can rub shoulders with Shrek, Po the Panda and other DreamWorks characters
Youd be hard-pressed to find a Royal Caribbean ship that doesnt indulge pint-sized passengers, but Allure and Oasis are the latest and greatest in the 22-ship fleet. They boast loft-style staterooms, the cruise lines first nursery for infants and toddlers , the first carousels and zip lines at sea, 43-foot-tall rock-climbing walls, two surf simulators apiece and a special spa for kids and teens. Thanks to a partnership with DreamWorks Animation, guests get to mingle with characters from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and other animated faves. Serious fans should choose Allure, the exclusive venue for a Madagascar–themed aqua show and How to Train Your Dragonon ice.
Parents of infants will appreciate Royal Caribbeans Babies 2 Go program, which allows you to order organic baby food, and Huggies diapers, wipes and creams for delivery to your stateroom. Dont worry about packing toys either. The cruise lines Fisher-Price Toy Lending Program lets you borrow them like library books.
2 of 10 Image Credits: Carnival Cruise Lines
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If The Grandparents Are Coming Too: Norwegian Cruise Line Or Holland America Line
With an abundance of connecting cabins plus no pressure to choose restaurants or dining times in advance, Norwegian will give your extended family lots of flexibility, says Colleen McDaniel, editor of CruiseCritic.com. Norwegian also has the best food of the seven lines Ive sailed onmost of them with my children, adds Nielsen. The dishes represent lots of cultures.
Holland America is another grandparent favorite. Both lines have stepped up their kids clubs and family programming to attract multigenerational families, says McDaniel.