Family Cruise Holidays
Family cruise holidays can be the epitome of fun because there are so many activities that are geared to family members of all ages. Not only is there a daily notice of scheduled special events, but there are also many regular things to do as many times as a person wants to over the course of their cruise.
There is always swimming, sunbathing, various sports, entertainment with shows every night, dancing, gambling, singing karaoke in the lounge, and much more. You can dine formally in the main dining room or choose to be casual in another restaurant or cafe.
Cruise lines recognise that parents need some time to themselves and there are often special children’s swimming pools, game rooms, their own menus in the dining room and restaurants, sports tournaments, and talent shows.
Carnival Cruises advertise that they are the “fun ships” as they offer a variety of amenities for families and also scheduled programs for children ages 2 through 14, baby sitting for an extra fee, and special excursions onshore for teens.
Costa Cruise Lines is the Italian branch of Carnival and allows children ages 3 through 17 to interact with those from other countries and have a full program of youth activities.
Celebrity Cruises feature their X-Club Youth Program for ages 3 through 17. There are educational explorations of nature and science as well as talent shows, slumber parties, and much more.
Disney Cruises are like a theme park at sea with Disney characters there to entertain the kids. There are also supervised programs for children ages 3 through teens.
Norwegian Cruise Line has scheduled activities for children ages 2 through 17 while the ship is at sea and in port. Their playroom is staffed with youth coordinators who plan such fun events as treasure hunts, arts and crafts, dancing, costume making, and various games. Their new ship, the Norwegian EPIC, has an Aqua Park, six bowling alleys, Wii games, a rock-climbing wall, a sports complex, and separate “clubs” for the different age groups.
Princess Cruises has an age-specific program for children 3 through 17. The younger ones find lots to do in the youth centre with full-time youth coordinators while teens can enjoy movies, Nintendo, other video games, Karaoke, large screen TVs, and sometimes private teen parties. There is also learning about wildlife, science, and conservation.
