With the family experience being a key priority for the cruise lines detailed below, be sure to expect a holiday tailored to your needs. In this article, we will outline what you can expect onboard the ships including:
- world-class onboard facilities
- entertainment to suit everyone
- kids’ clubs with a twist
- food specifically created to suit even the fussiest of appetites
- suites where all the family can relax after a day of fun and laughter
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Disney Cruise Line
Disney’s cruise ships offer the ultimate holiday for fans of Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars. Themed restaurants, cabins, lounges and experiences ensure that children of all ages will be wowed as you cruise to your favourite destinations.
Facilities
Disney cruise ships offer a range of water experiences to ensure never-ending fun. Donald Duck’s AquaLabs let children explore water with pipes, jets and geysers; Mickey’s Pools are shallow with small slides, perfect for toddlers, and the AquaDuck on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy Ships is a thrilling water slide taking riders around the ship with exhilarating speed.
Entertainment
As predicted, the theatre shows available on Disney ships are truly magical. With original and familiar productions, families can be transported into the worlds of Aladdin, Tangled and Frozen as well as variety shows filled with cameos from a range of your child’s favourite films. At night, firework shows continue to bring the magic alive with music and dancing under the backdrop of the stars.
Kids’ Club
Children of all ages can take part in themed experiences based on Disney's stories. Those under 3 can be cared for by trained professionals in the It’s a Small World Nursery. The Oceaneer Club welcomes children from 3 to 12 years to engage with games, dressing up and exploration in their activity centre or they can head to the Oceaneer Lab to perform crazy experiments and compete in thrilling games. The Edge Lounge is perfect for 11–14-year-olds, with video games and huge TV screens, whilst the Vibe area is a chill out zone for teens to meet and relax in a welcoming space.
Dining
Each Disney Cruise ship offers a range of themed dining experiences to keep dinner times fun and engaging: experience Nordic cuisine in a Frozen land on the Disney Wish; be welcomed with southern charm on the Disney Wonder in Tiana’s Palace; dine in style at Remy’s aboard the Disney Dream or Disney Fantasy; and dress up for Lumiere’s French delights aboard the Disney Magic. Casual dining options are also available throughout the day with something for everyone, from pizza and burgers to salads and smoothies, plus 24-hour room service means no one will go hungry throughout the trip.
Suites
Each of Disney’s ships offer ten different room options. These range from comfortable inside havens to large balcony suites. Family rooms begin the with Veranda class, which sleep 5, with split bathrooms, privacy curtains, plenty of storage and a private outdoor area. Concierge rooms come with the same luxuries with additional space and the option of an adjoining one-bedroom room. These rooms also includes Concierge booking advantages, a private welcome aboard and access to dedicated areas.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean have ensured your next holiday is filled with entertainment and comfort for the whole family. Their ships look like giant playgrounds at sea with colourful water slides, huge pools, zip lines and climbing walls and, once you head inside, the adventures always continue.
Facilities
Splashaway Bay on Royal Caribbean ships is a swimming destination for every age. With a range of pools, fountains, slides and whirlpools on offer, all children are sure to have a fantastic time splashing on the top deck with fantastic sea views as the backdrop. Symphony, Harmony and Oasis of the Seas feature the Ultimate Abyss, a slide which hurtles its visitors down the ship with flashing lights and roaring music with a G-force of 1.46 – an experience for those brave teenagers and parents. Many ships also include laser tag, climbing walls, bumper cars and ice skating. In addition, Royal Caribbean have considered the family experience during excursion days: if you depart in Naples, learn to make pizza together; let the older children go wild on Jetpacks in Aruba or head on a scavenger hunt in Alaska.
Entertainment
The evening entertainment onboard Royal Caribbean ships is dominated by well-known Broadway spectacles in the large theatres onboard. Wow your family with world-class singing and dancing after a busy day of fun. Wonder, Symphony and Harmony of the Seas also have scheduled aqua shows with diving stunts and imaginative performances in the world’s deepest cruise pools. In addition, many ships have ice skating extravaganzas, such as the time travelling show 1977 and Ice Games, a performance based upon the drama of Monopoly.
Kids’ Club
Children up to 3 years can be cared for onboard during the daytime or evening by trained nursery staff, allowing parents to enjoy the adult-only spa or fine dining restaurants. Between the ages of 3 and 11, children can enjoy the kid’s clubs that are split into three different age brackets and offer arts and crafts, science experiments, tournaments and even late-night pizza parties. Options for teens include designated hang-out spaces, pre-planned activities and specifically designed spa treatments, all aimed towards fostering independence in a safe environment.
Dining
Whilst all Royal Caribbean ships offer some of their own individual dining experiences, there are universal options available to suit the whole family. The main dining rooms on each ship offer three meals a day with a rotating menus to excite the taste buds. Each ship also features a Windjammer restaurant, which serves up global cuisines with something for every taste, from paninis to salads and omelettes. Quick bite options are then available throughout the ships in the main entertainment areas, featuring hot dogs, noodles and pizzas. 24-hour room service is also available to those feeling peckish at any time of the day.
Suites
All rooms aboard Royal Caribbean ships come with daily cleaning, room service and baby cots if needed. Family rooms for four occupants are available to suit all budgets, with interior, outside view, balcony and royal suite class options, with adjoining rooms easily arranged for larger families. Symphony, Spectrum and Wonder of the Seas offer the Ultimate Family Suite. Across two floors, these rooms feature a slide, ping pong table, cinema TV and jacuzzi.
Princess Cruises
In 2018, Porthole Magazine hailed Princess Cruises as the ‘Best Cruise Line for Multi-Generational Family Travel’ and for good reason. The cruise line has carefully considered how to ensure all members of the family have a fantastic holiday both on and off the ship. This all begins with their MedallionClass offer, a wearable device to improve the customer experience. With this on your wrist, you can get food delivered, locate family members and make dinner reservations anywhere on the ship.
Facilities
The pools onboard Princess ships are designed with families in mind. Their new Reef Splash Zone, for example, found on Caribbean Princess, features a huge splash pool with a squirting whale and plenty of interactive features. Many ships also offer ping pong, basketball and mini golf facilities whilst the youngest members of the family will love to meet Stanley the Bear who is very excited to explore the world with them.
Entertainment
Princess offers a range of shows in their onboard theatres so you can sit together and watch a musical or your talented loved ones compete in ‘The Voice of the Ocean’. Princess have also teamed up with Animal Planet to offer hands-on experiences: puppies are invited onboard in Alaska and parrots say hello in the Caribbean. For those fascinated by the night sky, there are plenty of opportunities to star gaze on the top deck or visit the planetariums with live views of the stars and planets.
Kids' Club
Camp Discovery is available to all children when supervised by an adult. Designed to evoke a forest or camp lodge, these centres offer a range of activities to support the inquisitive nature of young minds. Teenagers also have their own areas on the ships. Designed to mimic a beach house, these provide a relaxed space away from the adults. Teen-only parties are organised, alongside a range of video game and sports tournaments.
Dining
With so many choices onboard a Princess cruise, there's great flexibility to suit the needs of the whole family. The main dining hall serves throughout the day and has a large kid’s menu. Food can also be delivered for free anywhere on the ship for further convenience. Adventurous eaters will love the variety on offer in the specialist restaurants, with fresh pasta available on all ships, a sushi bar on Diamond Princess and a New Orleans Steakhouse on Coral and Island Princess.
Suites
For families of four, there is a suite to suit every budget and adjoining rooms can increase capacity to eight. The ultimate Two Bedroom Family Suites feature two bathrooms, a living room and a balcony, with plenty of storage and privacy to meet the needs of the whole family.
MSC Cruises
MSC cruises guarantee a fantastic holiday for all members of the family. They strive for lifetime memories to be made on board with their excellent array of facilities and family-friendly offerings.
Facilities
All MSC ships include a pool and splash park to meet the needs of the whole family, with shallow areas for younger members and relaxing sun loungers for those wishing to catch some rays. Some ships also include a waterpark with huge, twisting slides to satisfy the adrenaline junkies. Out of the water, MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview have two racing ziplines to bring out your competitive side, whilst MSC Grandiosa, Bellissima and Meraviglia have a 60m high Himalayan Bridge Walk spanning 80m across the top deck. For those wishing to push the limits even further, MSC Seascape offers Robotron – a robotic arm rollercoaster to hang, flip and tease teenagers and their parents 53 meters above sea level.
Entertainment
A Broadway show each night and Carousel Productions featuring dance, acrobatics and technology (available on MSC Bellissima, Grandiosa, Virtuosa and Meraviglia) ensure that the family is captivated all the way to bedtime. MSC have also considered entertainment off the ship, with dedicated family experiences available in many ports, with special offers for those aged 13 and under.
Kid’s Club
All children between the ages of 0 and 17 have a dedicated space to explore on MSC ships. The Chicco sponsored club for those between 0 and 3 can be used with your child or they can be cared for by trained staff. The Mini Club for those up to 6 years works with Lego to provide a range of enriching activities, whilst children up to 11 can enjoy a range of activities from cooking, sport and videomaking in the Junior Club. Teenagers have a dedicated space with games and sports in Young Club and those aged between 14 and 17 can fly drones, join a Flash Mob or chill on a range of games consoles in the Teen Club (Teen Club available only on MSC Grandiosa).
Dining
MSC Ships have a choice of relaxed, buffet-style, all-day dining (with dedicated family areas) or specialist main restaurants. Here, adventurous eaters can explore cuisines from America, Italy, Japan and France. Kid’s menus across the ship have been carefully planned alongside MSC’s partner, Chicco, and include weaning options for those between 6 and 12 months. There is also the opportunity for children to join the Kid’s Club after dinner to allow parents the time to eat alone or, alternatively, children can eat with their new Kid’s Club friends during Fun Time Dinners.
Suites
Family rooms can be found in five different price ranges. These begin with the cosy Interior rooms, followed by the Ocean View rooms, which provide a porthole for the whole family to gaze out to sea. Balcony rooms offer more space and Suites also include a living room. MSC Yacht Club rooms offer all these bonuses plus extra benefits such as free Wi-Fi, 24-hour concierge and priority boarding.
Celebrity
Celebrity encourages families to make lifetime holiday memories aboard their ships, winning a Gold Award in 2021 from Travel Weekly for their fantastic family programmes.
Facilities
Celebrity cruises offer a range of unique and fun activities. Play Pickleball with your family on the top deck, take part in a silent disco or challenge the kids to learn a new skill such as archery or golf. All ships also have a large pool in which to splash and cool off or sit back and relax.
Entertainment
A huge investment in technology and talent has made Celebrity cruises a one-stop stop for world-class entertainment. This is epitomised in their Elements show where visuals and acrobatic performances combine in this captivating extravaganza. West End shows feature orchestral scores recorded exclusively in the London Palladium, whilst the Rockumentary show will transport the family through the ages of rock. Off the ship, there are a range of cultural and sports excursions to excite the whole family: search for whales in Alaska, white-water raft through the jungle, scuba dive to witness amazing wildlife or take a sightseeing bus around the world’s most fascinating cities.
Kid’s Club
Activities are available for children between the ages of 3 and 17. On Celebrity Equinox and Edge, these focus on STEM, with the support of the Frost Science Museum which seeks to foster enquiring young minds. On all ships, children up to 5 years can join the Shipmates Camp where they can create and sing in a safe environment with trained staff. Children between 6 and 9 are invited to become a Cadet, learning how to navigate the high seas, with plenty of fun along the way. Next up, Captains (aged 10 -12) have the choice of a range of sports and STEM opportunities, whilst the Teen Club is a chilled zone, perfect for socialising and engaging in tournaments and silent discos.
Dining
Both the Main Dining Room and room service options have their own kids’ menus, featuring favourites such as pizzas, burgers and mac and cheese, whilst dishes such as fillet Mignon and Caesar Salad will suit sophisticated palettes. Another option is to spend a night in one of the speciality restaurants, which will introduce the family to a range of cuisines from French to American, or allow you to savour fresh seafood and sushi onboard together.
Suites
Most rooms on Celebrity ships cater for four passengers. Inside cabins offer a peaceful retreat or upgrade to an Ocean View or Veranda Room for views of the ocean. For true luxury, Retreat rooms (available on Celebrity Edge and Millenium) have private sundecks and lounges with the Penthouse and Iconic suites offering more room, luxury and superb views.
GET.cruises will help you find the best cruise deals. Search for your perfect cruise holiday and compare prices from all the major travel agents.
