Discover the Best Cruise Lines for Families
Once you decided when you have a holiday, then find the best cruise lines for families. If you decided to travel as a family, cruising will turn out as one of the best vacations you ever imagined.
Why cruising is the perfect vacation choice for families?
Cruising is the best to brings families together and create long-lasting memories. Different generations can get together. Some cruise lines even offer kids sail free promotion. You can also save money and time for your family.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says “more than 30% of cruise vacationers sail with children and nearly all cruise lines provide supervised activities for kids, especially during school holidays” (source). Some cruise lines are particularly welcomed by the family cruisers.
In this article, you will find the industry’s best cruise lines for families. Each cruise lines’ pros and cons, as well as characteristics, will be explained.
Save your money and time. You can make the best choice for your next vacation. Plan your cruise with the best cruise lines for families in advance for your family members.
1. Disney Cruise Line for Families
#1. Best Cruise Lines for Families
According to Statista, a US statistics and marketing company, Disney Cruise Line is ranked as the best-rated large-ship cruise lines by travellers in the United States in October 2018, from Condé Nast Traveler readers with a score of 92.95.
What to expect in Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line offers the best family cruise destinations. Disney Cruise Line cruises Alaska, Bahama and Caribbean Cruises. Dog sledging in Alaska and the dolphin encounter in Mexico are highlighted for the family cruisers. Disney also has its own private islands, Castaway Cay. The island is reserved exclusively for their Guests on Bahamian and Caribbean Cruises.
Disney is every children’s dream. You can immerse yourself with Disney characters on board. When you wake up in the morning and get
Disney is also ranked as premium cruise lines. It is perfect for family cruisers because Disney’s standard staterooms are spacious. A separate bedroom and a living area are equipped.
Disney Cruise Line Pros
A spacious stateroom with a living area
Full of events and deck parties with Disney characters
Face to face interactions with Micky and Minny
Behold Broadway-quality live shows
Dance beneath fireworks at sea
Built-in child care and youth club
Disney Cruise Line Cons
Currently 4 cruise ships, fewer choices
No casino for adults
Less short cruises
Extra fees for shore excursion
Popular cruise ships of Disney Cruise Line for families
Disney Magic
Disney Wonder
Disney Dream
Disney Fantasy
2. Royal Caribbean International Cruises for Families
Royal Caribbean frequently mentioned with Disney as the best cruise lines for family cruisers. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines offers the world’s largest cruise fleets. In fact, Royal Caribbean’s 8 ships are ranked as the world’s top largest ships out of 10 ships.
In the family vacation, it is difficult to arrange everything to meet each family member’s needs. Because of the extra large ships’ size, Royal Carribean can offer multiple entertainment facilities and dining options. Cruise rates also get reasonable. The ship itself becomes a floating resort city. Once you get on the ship, it is a resort. There is also a park with plenty of plants in the middle of the sea on some ships.
What to expect in Royal Caribbean Cruises
In Oasis class, different generations can enjoy together on board due to unlimited entertainment and dining choices. Kids will never be bord but can enjoy the activity-filled onboard experience. Elder generation can select the best for them in 25 onboard dining options.
Traditionally cruise ships offer entertainment facilities such as poolside activities, casino plays, speciality dining rooms and a theatre. Royal Caribbean does not limit itself, offering innovative onboard activities.
Royal Caribbean’s modern cruise ships facilitate water sliders, mini-golf, movie theatres, rock climbing, skydiving, surfing, poolside activities and many more! The kids will never get bored with cruising and can enjoy themselves all day onboard. There is a separate area for Kids Club. If you cruise with an extra-large mega-ship, all the entertainment and facilities are just ready for you.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Pros
Multiple choices in entertainment and dining options
Fit to all the different generations
Brings different generations to get together
Spacious staterooms for the family members, maximum of 6 people to accommodate
Royal Caribbean Cruises Cons
Need a map to explore the ship, otherwise feeling lost
Too many choices in entertainment and dining
Crowdy and noisy
Massive ques for embarkation and disembarkation
Extra fees for shore excursion
Popular cruise ships of Royal Caribbean Cruises for the families
Symphony of the Seas
Harmony of the Seas
Allure of the Seas
Oasis of the Seas
Quantum of the Seas
Anthem of the Seas
Ovation of the Seas
3. Norwegian Cruise Line for Families
Norwegian Cruise Line comes one of the top rankings as the best cruise lines for families. One of the attractiveness of Norwegian is its colourful design and unique services, making the family groups feel easy and relaxed.
It is a more casual environment you can expect in comparison to other cruise lines. This is what Norwegian calls ‘The Freestyle Experience‘. The central idea is ‘cruising just the way you want it: with no schedule to follow but your own’.
What to expect in Norwegian Cruise Line
While you are enjoying free time at a spa, a casino and a pool deck, your kids can attend supervised Youth Programs at Children’s Club. Although other cruise lines also offer built-in child care and facilities, Norwegian’s Youth Programs are unique. Children are grouped based on the different age categories of infant 6 months to 3 years old, 3 to 12 years old and teens 13 to 17 years old.
Children can play video games, movies, arts, music and sports dependent on their ages. They will also learn circus skills including scarf juggling, plate spinning, devil sticks and rope spinning.
Norwegian introduces Freestyle Dining, meaning you can eat wherever you want and when you want. This service is especially helpful for the cruisers with little children. Dining and food options are spectacular and multiplied. Kids aged 3 years old and under can eat for free and kids 4-12 can order from the complimentary kids’ menu at the
Norwegian Cruise Line Pros
‘Freestyle Dining’ and multiple options for meals
Rich children’s programs
Offer short cruises and
Vibrant deck parties
Family-style entertainment shows
Multiple entertainment facilities for kids
Norwegian Cruise Line Cons
Need a map to explore the ship, otherwise feeling lost
Crowdy and noisy
Always ques for embarkation and disembarkation
Extra fees for shore excursion
Popular cruise ships of Norwegian Cruise Line for families
Norwegian Escape
Norwegian Breakaway
Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Epic
4. Carnival Cruise Line for Families
Carnival Cruise Line provides a lot of fun activities to any ages of their Guests. In fact, you will find a lot of activity announcement on board. Carnival constantly offers a variety of short itineraries and come to near ports to have plenty of home sailings in the US. This is the very reason why the cruisers are able to enjoy a vacation for a reasonable cruise rate at Carnival.
If you would like to join a ‘super-fun escape’, Carnival is the one you must choose. Carnival’s crews are well treated and are happy, willing to serve to their Guests. The ship is filled with a fun and uplifting atmosphere!
What to expect in Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Vista-class comes at the top among Carnival fleets as the best ship for families. Carnival Vista cruises popular cruise itineraries, departing from Miami to the Western Caribbean, with calls of ports at Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios in Jamaica and Cozumel in Mexico with 2 sea days. Caribbeans get rarely a rough sea apart from a hurricane season and is one of the best destinations for anyone ages to cruise.
Splash, splash and splash…! Your children will love Carnival’s onboard water park, WaterWorks. They will find the Twister Waterslide, “hundreds of feet of spiralling awesomeness that starts you off high in the air and gets you down low with one of the fastest, wettest rides you’ll find anywhere”. It is not only for kids but also for adults who can join them. Carnival has prepared kid-friendly facilities and ready to entertain them.
Carnival Cruise Line Pros
Family-friendly excursions
A lot of choices of cruise lines
Enthusiastic youth staffs to look after your kids at Camp Ocean
Family Harbor, enabling 5 guests to accommodate
Entertaining happy crews
Budget-friendly fares
Extensive dining options
Carnival Cruise Line Cons
Crowdy and noisy
Busy at embarkation and disembarkation
Kids are everywhere, overwhelming
Extra fees for shore excursion
Popular cruise ships of Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Vista
Carnival Breeze
Carnival Horizon
Carnival Dream
Carnival Magic
5. MSC Cruises for Families
MSC Cruises comes one of the tops for the family cruises. This is because mainly the cruise line’s “Kids Cruise Free” promotion greatly helps family cruisers. This is an outstanding service what MSC can offer to their Guests.
If you have children aged 11 and younger, they can sail for free year-round. Starting from winter 2018-19, children aged 12 to 17 can also cruise for free on selected voyages during low season and midseason. Note that the school’s offseason, MSC is massively filled with a lot of European family cruisers with their children. The ship is filled with fun and lively feels.
What to expect in MSC Cruises
Every kid become a member of MSC in DOREMILAND, “with two special clubs, the Miniclub for Sailors 3-6 years old and the Juniors Club for Pirates 7-11 years old”. Professional entertainers escort and entertain your kids. They can explore the ship and socialize other kids under the stuff’s supervision.
At dining, MSC offers children’s menus in all restaurants. Go upstairs and have dinner in the buffet restaurant. At ‘Fun Time Dinners’, kids can dine with the entertainment staff every day. ‘Happy Dinners‘ is offered actually for adults. The kids are escorted to Miniclub play area by the entertainment staff while the adults can relax at dining.
MSC Cruises Pros
Free cruise for children under 11 years old
So many friendly Italian families
Trained youth staffs to look after kids at Youth Club
Vibrant entertainment shows and endless parties
Family Excursions
MSC Cruises Cons
Limited dining options in comparison to other cruise lines
Fewer spectacular entertainment facilities for kids
Extra fees for shore excursion
Noizy and crowded
Popular cruise ships of MSC Cruises for families
MSC Seaside
MSC Seaview
MSC Magnifica
MSC Armonia
6. Costa Cruises for Families
Costa Cruises is a leading European cruise line with its Mediterranean-inspired design and festive atmosphere. Costa Cruises makes the cruisers easy to find
Costa’s service is not limited to adults. It offers an impressive and yet delicate arrangement for your little cruisers. A lot of children’s activities and events are prepared, including a treasure hunt, sports tournaments, dancing and karaoke competitions, costume parades and themed parties.
Costa’s qualified staffs are all available to escort
What to expect in Costa Cruises
The Squok Club is a well-equipped Mini Club for children over 3 years. The Squok Club has three age groups of Mini, aged for 3 to 6 years, Maxi Club, for 7 to 11 years old and Teen Club for 12 to 17-year-old. The Club is opened from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. While your children are busy with socialising with the fellow cruisers at the kids’ club, their parents can enjoy free time or a romantic dinner.
On many Costa’s ships, the Squok Club area has a baby pool, water games, a pirate ship and castle. The Costa Fascinosa and Costa Favolosa have spectacular Water Parks on two decks, with water games, a pirate ship and a castle. On the Costa Diadema the exclusive children’s area is equipped on 3 decks.
The way what the Squok Club entertainment team attempt to delight your children is delicious. They organise a special day for the little cruisers. The girls are costumed and dressed like a real princess, with hair and makeup. Even, a photo of a portrait is professionally taken.
The boys receive training and dress up as a Captain. The kids’ club staffs teach boys and girls how to use the compass, flags as well as how to handle some of the technical sailor terms. They receive training to announce the weather forecast properly. That’s so sweet!
Costa Cruises Pros
Budget-conscious family cruises for European itineraries
Wifi available for a fee
A lot of events and entertainment facilities for children
Age grouped fun activities and games
Professional staffs are ready to entertain kids and teens
Costa Cruises Cons
Basic Fare package does not include beverages (some cruises offer free beverage packages)
Noisy and crowdy
Popular cruise ships of Costa Cruises
Costa Smeralda
Costa Diameta
Costa Fascinosa
Costa Favolosa
Costa Pacifica
You may also be interested in more reading on Best Cruise Lines as:
Next Reading >> Best Cruise Lines in the Mediterranean
>> Best Cruise Lines for Couples
>> Best Cruise Lines for Kids Sail Free
>> More on Best Cruise Lines
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