Choosing a Family Cruise

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Cruising doesn’t have to be just for singles or adults. There are many cruise lines that offer many amenities geared towards families with children, and even some cruise lines (like Disney) that are especially geared to children. In fact, most cruise lines welcome families with children. Cruise ships can be an ideal setting for a family vacation.

Be aware, however, in some cases, traveling with infants or pregnant women may be subject to some restrictions. Some cruise lines may require a physician’s letter to state that the mother-to-be or baby are in good health and fit to travel, or that the pregnancy is not high-risk. Other cruise lines may have age restrictions for infants, or restrictions on the mother’s gestation time. It is best to check the guidelines for the ship you wish to travel on before booking.

Cruising today can offer families a lot of bang for their buck while vacationing. Many ships are designed with kid-friendly facilities and services in mind. Many have supervised activities for children, dedicated children’s areas, children-only swimming pools, and special counselors and babysitting services that allow parents kid-free time for themselves. Some ships even have youth programs for older children, with planned activities to help them meet other children their own age. Some ships even have special age-appropriate discos for traveling youth.

The cruise ships of today have numerous activities aboard that children love. They have swimming pools and water slides, movie theatres, bowling alleys, skating rinks, rock climbing walls, etc. as well as games, craft lessons, and other activities for children. Parents will not find it difficult to keep their children happy and occupied on any cruise ship.

Food aboard a cruise ship is also family and kid-friendly. While parents can enjoy a gourmet filet mignon and a vintage glass of wine, it isn’t hard for a child to find a slice of pizza or a plate of French Fries to munch on. Food variety onboard a ship is indeed vast. And, children can eat as much or as little as they want—good news for a growing young teenager!

There are also special cruise lines that especially cater to children. Disney has a line that provides activities for kids from sun-up to sun-down, with everything to entertain them from craft lessons to magic shows and everything in between. They also offer adult only areas for parents to seek refuge. These areas have adult-only pools or include activities like wine-tasting sessions.

Things to look out for when planning a family cruise? You may need to do a little research, however, as not all ships offer programs for children and youth. Although they may still allow children to cruise, parents may need to be prepared to look after and entertain their own children. Also you should find out about children’s discounts, how many children are allowed in a room with the parents, extra beds, cribs or cots, adjoining cabins, safety and security issues, and ratio of staff members to children. All of these could affect the cruise line you choose.

There are so many activities that children can enjoy aboard ship, and parents can also enjoy their own relaxing kid-free times as well. On the whole, a cruise can be a great way for a family to enjoy their vacation time.